The Gift

Thursday night, December 15th. At the Gilmore family home the Gilmores are packing their bags to take their yearly family Christmas trip to the mountains. Otis and his wife Mary are downstairs packing in their room while their children Jacob and Tamara are upstairs in their rooms packing. “Did they call you back and confirm our reservation at the cabin?” Otis asked Mary. “Yes.” She replied. “Johnny made sure we were good earlier today, they’ll have the cabin ready before we get there.” As they filled their luggages with clothes there seemed to be an aura of contempt between them. They periodically were making eye contact with each other with straight faces, but were not speaking to each other.

“So!” Started Otis in an attempt to break the uncomfortable silence between them, “The firm is gonna shorten the days of my business trip so I can have more time with you and the kids for the holidays. “And it only took me asking you five times to finally get their approval.” Mary replied sarcastically. “Mary you know how it is, we go through this every year. You know what my job requires-“. “Your job requires jack.” Mary interrupted angrily. “You’re not spending all this time at work because you have to, they’re fine without you. You spend all that time at work because you’re chasin’ the big bag position.” “And what’s wrong with that?” Otis asked. “What’s wrong with tryna make it to the top to provide more for my family?”. Mary sighed in annoyance. “Otis you’re not doin this for me and the kids. I know that sounds pretty good when you say it to yourself in the mirror at night, but this is about you, not us and you know it.”

Otis looked down and let out a sigh of irritation. His heart was angry with denial as he looked out the bedroom door with his back to Mary. "You still can't look me in the eye when we have this discussion can you?" Mary asked with soft disappointment. "It ain't never a discussion." Otis replied. "It's just you always tryna tell me what I'm thinking, as if I don't have a mind of my own and at the same time you still have no idea whats in my heart and mind." Mary and Otis both stared at each other in a disappointed silence before Otis turned back around and left the room.

In the first bedroom at the top of the stairs Jacob is packing his luggage while the music on his blue tooth speaker plays. His older sister Tamara knocks on his door to check on him. "Hey mom told me to come make sure you got everything ready for tomorrow." "Yeah I'm good...and yes you can leave now." said Jacob with an attitude. "Really? Tamara asked sarcastically. "Are we really still playin' the petty game, Jake?". "We ain't playin' games.” said Jake, "You are, it was you who started a fight with my girlfriend at school." "And got suspended in the process." Tamara replied proudly. "You also caused my break up." Jake replied angrily.

After a brief silence, Tamara's tone became serious. "There's a reason for that, Jake. If you would just listen to me-". "I DON'T WANNA HEAR IT!" Jacob shouted. "Just get away from me, I really can't stand to look at you right now." Tamara quickly walked away from Jacob's room door with tears in her eyes. For a brief moment Jacob felt a hint of shame as he watched his tearful sister speed out of his sight. As Tamara made it back to her room she slammed her room door shut and pressed her back against it as she sank to the floor quietly crying and sniffling. As the night came to a close everyone went to bed preparing themselves for the weekend that was ahead of them.

7:00a.m. Friday morning. The Gilmore family awakens to a cloudless sky with the sun shining into their home. After washing up and loading their luggage into their family van they all hit the road to begin their journey to the mountains. As their ride to the mountains progressed everyone in the car sat quietly with their thoughts. Mary sat in the passenger seat scrolling through her phone, but her mind was fixated on the thought that this trip was a last ditch plan to salvage her struggling marriage and it was not going to work. Sitting behind Mary was Jacob who was texting his ex-girlfriend Tori, but was not getting a response. Right next to Jacob was Tamara who was periodically looking over at Jacob and all she could think about was how hurt she was that he was not speaking to her. In the driver seat Otis was quietly praying to himself. All he could think about was the discord and brokenness unfolding in his family and how he needed a miracle to fix it all. "Dear Lord, please bless my family with a miracle of restoration. Please bring us back together and make us one again''.

After an hour long ride the Gilmores arrived at their cabin in the mountains. Otis parked in front of the house as everyone unbuckled their seatbelts and made their ways out of the van. As Otis got out of the van he looked up at the two story cabin. "Here we are." he said out loud attempting to break the uncomfortable silence. Everyone got their bags out of the trunk of the van and made their way inside. As they opened the front door they were greeted by an elderly woman with a red coat with a furry trim around its collar sitting on the couch in the cabin's living room.

The Gilmores study the woman in a brief and confused moment of silence. "Um, who are you?" Jacob asked inquisitively. "Hello dear." the woman said. "I'm Rose Lycantor. I purchased this property earlier in the year from the former owner Frank Montgomery when he retired." "Ah yes." Otis replied. He told me about you earlier this year." "Well it's very nice to meet you." Mary said while shaking Rose's hand. "I really like your coat." said Tamara admiring the furry trim on Rose's coat. "Of course you do." Jacob interrupted. "You just had to add the most shallow two cents in didn't you?" he snarked at Tamara. "Shut up fool." Tamara responded irately. "Both of yall shut up." said Mary sternly. "We ain't havin' all that back and forth between the two of yall this weekend." "Your mother's right." Otis added. "Put a lid on it, we're gonna have a peaceful family weekend."

Rose listened to the family with a smile. "You all really seem like a wonderful family. I'm sure you're all wondering what I'm doing here, well I have a present to drop off to you." "A...present?" Otis asked confused. "Yes." a cheerful Rose responded. "Oh Ms. Rose you shouldn't have." Mary said. "Oh yes I should.” Rose continued. "I have heard some wonderful things about you all and my heart told me to bring you all a gift I know you will surely appreciate. Why don't you all go ahead and get settled in and I’ll give you your present when you’re all done." "Sure thing." said Otis. Mary and Otis went to the downstairs room and unpacked their luggage while Jacob and Tamara went to the upstairs room to unpack their things.

The four all came back to the living room and made a circle around Rose who had a small present in her hand. "This is a very special gift I want you all to have." she said. "I can tell you are all a very special family, so I know this present will mean a lot to you. There's just one thing, you can't open it until I leave." "Oh but we thought you might want to share it with us." Mary started. "Oh no, I couldn't." Rose finished. "This is a family gift, you'll understand after you've opened it. You all have a beautiful weekend." With a smile on her face Rose turned around and left the cabin while Otis stood with the small gift wrapped in his hand with the rest of the family behind him.

Otis turned back around looking at Mary, Tamara and Jacob who were all puzzled by what they were looking at in Otis' hand. "Well, I guess I guess it’s time we have a look." he said as everyone gathered around him. With all eyes fixated on the box Otis finally started to undo the strings that were holding the present wrap together. When the strings were finally untied Otis took the wrap from around what was revealed to be a small white box. Mary then took the top off the white box and the four of them were suddenly hit with a big flash of bright light. As the light met their eyes Otis dropped the box and they were all knocked back by the light's impact on their vision.

After being pushed into each of the four corners of the room they were standing in they all came to and met back in the center of the living room. "What the heck was that?" said Jacob shaking his head while struggling to open his eyes. "I don't know but I think I'm temporarily blind." said Tamara dramatically. “Pop what the heck was that? And where’s gift?” Asked Jacob in a frustrated tone. “Yeah where is the gift Otis?” Asked a confused Mary as she was collecting herself. They four of them looked around and saw nothing and slowly started to realize that the box carried nothing more than an ominous flash of light.

“Ok dad, what just happened?” Tamara asked. “Some strange lady with a cute coat comes in and gives us a flash bang grenade in a box and that’s it?”. “I have no idea what just happened but that-.” Before Otis could finish his statement the cabin started to shake as if an earthquake was happening “”What’s going on?” said Mary. “I don’t know but I think it’s an earthquake! said Otis as everyone began to fall over. The atmosphere in the room began to bend and look hazy. With Jacob and Tamara on one side of the living room and Otis and Mary on the other side of the room began spin really fast in as if it was a rollercoaster. As the family screamed in terror the atmosphere around them shattered into pieces and a flash of light hit all four of them knocking them to the ground.

When Otis came to and opened his eyes he looked around and found Mary laying next to him nearly unconscious, but did not see Jacob or Tamara anywhere in sight. Otis then noticed Mary lying next to him and helped her to her feet. "Mary are you ok?" "Yes I'm fine." Mary replied as she rose to her feet taking Otis' hand. When they looked around they noticed that they were no longer in the cabin, but in what looked like the back of a church. "Where are we?" Otis asked while looking around. "Otis where are the kids?" Mary asked while looking around confused. "I don’t know, this place. It looks like we're in a church." While examining their surroundings Mary came to a startling realization. “Oh my god, Otis I know where we are”. “Where are we?” Otis asked. “Otis this is the church we got married in.” “This is Kingdom Love.” Otis replied softly. “Mary, this is also the place where we fell in love at.” For a moment Otis and Mary locked eyes and felt something they had not felt for each other in a long time, affection. “How and why are we here?” Mary asked inquisitively. “It was the box, Mary.” Otis said looking at Mary with a silent sense of shock. “It was the gift that Ms. Rose gave us. It brought us here.” “But why?” Mary asked. “I think there is something here that she wanted us to see.” Studying their surroundings they both made note of where they were. “This is the church office behind the sanctuary.” said Otis. From outside the office door Otis and Mary could hear voices in the sanctuary. “Let’s go see who’s out there.” said Mary as she Otis made their way to the sanctuary.

As he regained consciousness, Jacob came to and realized he was laying on what felt like a bed of sand. When he opened his eyes and looked around he was surrounded by what looked like a lake. When he sat up he could see Tamara laying unconscious just 20 feet from where he was laying and rose to his feet to check on her. “Tamara! Tamara!” He said while shaking her unconscious body. Tamara finally started to come to and opened her eyes. “Oh man.” she said with exhaust. “Jake what’s goin on and where are we?” Tamara asked while looking around confused. “I’m no wizard, but I think Ms. Rose’s magic box of light sent us here.” said Jacob while helping Tamara to her feet. “Jake why does it look like we’re at Jones Lake?” Tamara asked while looking out towards the water. “I think we are at Jones Lake.” said Jacob. “It’s been years since we’ve been here, but how did we get here.” Jacob asked. “I think a better question might be why are we here?” Tamara asked while looking at Jacob with a hard stare. In the distance of the lake’s deep water Tamara and Jacob could see two small children struggling to swim their way to shore. “Oh no, those kids are drowning.” said Tamara with worry. “No they’re not.” Jake rebutted. The girl is carrying the boy on her back, she’s almost got him to shore. When the young girl finally made it to shore with the small boy on her back Tamara and Jacob went to investigate. “Are you guys ok?” Tamara asked approaching their two. The boy and the girl did not respond, it was as if they could not hear her voice. “Oh my god.” said a startled Jacob. “What is it?” Tamara asked. “Tamara, the two kids, they’re us.” Tamara slowly examined the two small children and realized they were in fact herself and Jacob as toddlers.

Back in the sanctuary of Kingdom Love Otis and Mary find a young man and young woman joking around and playing in the church pews. "Romeo Romeo, where art thou Romeo?" the young woman said jokingly. "Tryin' to hide from our crazy families." the young man replied sarcastically. While examining the pair closely, Otis comes to amazing realization. "Oh my god, Mary." "What is it Otis?" Mary asked curiously. "The boy and the girl." Otis started. "They're us, Mary. This is me and you when we first got engaged." "What?" Mary asked in astonishment. "How can this be O?". "I don't know." Otis replied. "Otis it was Ms. Rose's gift." Mary cried. "That gift that Rose gave us really did bring us here to this memory, just like you said." "Clearly there is something here she wanted us to see." Otis responded.

On the sandy shore of Jones Lake Jacob and Tamara watched as their younger selves comforted each other after what appeared to be a near drowning experience. "You saved me." the younger Jacob said while catching his breath. "I couldn't let my lil bro die before I had the chance to kill him myself." the younger Tamara said jokingly while rubbing young Jacob's back. "I guess no matter how much we fight we always have each other's back." younger Jacob said with a smile. While watching their younger selves, Jacob and Tamara slowly locked eyes with one another and gave each other slight smiles. "I remember this." Jacob said with a chuckle. "Me too." Tamara responded with a smile. "As crazy as this day was, it was one of the best days of my life, Jake." Jacob looked at Tamara with a smile. "What happened to us?" he asked Tamara. "We just kind of stopped listening to one another, Jake."

Jacob started to think about all the bitterness he recently had towards Tamara and began to question its worth. "T, why did you beat up Elena at school?" Jacob asked Tamara curiously. Tamara let out a big sigh as she struggled to put her words together for her brother. "Jake I found out she was cheating on you." "What?" Jacob asked in a silent shock. "Yes, I found out she was cheating on you and I just was overwhelmed that she would hurt my brother like that, so I hit her." "Why didn't you tell me what she was doing behind my back before?" Jacob asked. "Because I didn't want you to get hurt by the truth." Tamara replied tearfully. "I care too much about you." While glancing back at the image of their younger selves embraced and hugging, Jacob put his arms around Tamara and gave her a big hug in the same manner as their younger selves.

In the Sanctuary of Kingdom Love Otis and Mary look upon their younger selves in deep thought. "My father will never accept you." younger Mary said doubtfully. "I don't care." younger Otis replied. "You're worth all the drama I'll have to put up with from old dude, so I accept that. I wanna do this Mary, I want us to get married and I promise that if you make me your husband then there's nothing we won't be able to make it through." With tears in her eyes, young Mary grabbed young Otis by the collar of his shirt and gave him a big dramatic kiss. "Otis Gilmore, I do. I do wanna marry you. Younger Otis reached in the pocket of his coat and pulled out a an engagement ring and slid it on Mary's ring finger as they shared another passionate kiss and a hug.

As Otis and Mary watched this memory of their younger selves they both became engulfed in tears. “What happened to us, Otis?” Mary asked in tears. “It was work life, Mary. We got buried in our careers and loss touch.” “But why?” Mary asked Otis. After taking a deep breath Otis struggled to put his words together. “It was your father, Mary.” Otis started. “I heard about his operation even though you tried to keep it from me. I wanted to help him and your mother pay for it so you wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore and everything would be ok.”

Mary looked at Otis and let out a sigh and a smile. “Why would you keep that from me, O?” “Because…” Otis started. “Because I know you’re not a fan of how much me and your pops bump heads and I knew you wouldn’t have wanted me to feel like I owed him something, but as much as I can’t stand him, he’s still your father and I love him. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you this before, I just didn’t want you to be upset with me.” Mary laughed with tears of joy in her eyes. “Otis I would never be disappointed in you for something like that. I’m actually more proud of you now than I’ve ever been. You’re still the man I fell in love with 20 years ago and so much more.”

As Otis and Mary shared a hug and a kiss, the building started to shake and the atmosphere around them turn hazy like when they first arrived at the church. On the shore of Jones Lake the ground began to shake and the atmosphere turned hazy around an embraced Jacob and Tamara as well. As Jacob and Tamara held each other tight the atmosphere around them shattered to pieces and the duo started floating through space. The atmosphere around a tightly embraced Otis and Mary also shattered to pieces and they too started floating through space. After the high speed floating ordeal all four members of the family found themselves laying in the center of the living room floor back at their family cabin.

They all looked at each other with smiles of joy and embraced each other with one big group hug. “You won’t believe the journey we just came back from dad.” Jacob said with excitement. “Actually I think we would, honey.” Mary responded. “I think the message is quite clear to all of us.” Tamara started. “And what is that shug?” Mary asked. “That we should always listen to one another and work out whatever complications we may have.” Otis concluded.

As everyone embraced each other with joy, Otis looked on the couch behind them and noticed a handwritten note was there. He walked over and picked up the note as the others behind him became aware of it on the couch. “Who’s it from, honey?” Mary asked as Otis picked up the note. “It’s from Ms. Rose.” Otis replied as he inspected the note and began to read it for the rest of the family:

“Dear Gilmores,

You all really are an amazing family. I do hope you enjoyed the gift and appreciate its purpose. Nothing is more important than family and no matter what troubles a family goes through, if there is still love where love always was, then there is always something worth fighting for. Have a merry Christmas

~~Love, Rose.

“Her gift to us was bringing us back together as a family.” Tamara said with a smile. “And I couldn’t be happier.” Jacob added. “Wherever you are Ms. Rose, we thank you. Let us make this trip the best one ever as we’ve ever had family, while we love and appreciate one another.” said Otis. “Amen to that.” Mary replied as everyone hugged each other with happiness in their hearts for the gift they received.