Silent Night In A Diner 4

That surprise was a boy, similarly covered.

Buzz had the kitchen sink ready and the babies were bathed and blanketed.

Mrs Gaines cleaned BB up and soon she rested with her two babes.

'What are you gonna call em?', I asked.

BB tiredly said 'Catherine for the girl. Collum for the boy.'

Her voice was bittersweet.

She was, of course, exhausted.

Alice, under the direction of the Gaines' prepared formula as best could be done.

It was imperative to get them all to a hospital as soon as possible.

Mom and kids slept, as did the Holland's two.

The Gaines were similarly spent.

'Get some rest Doc. It's been a while eh?'

'Almost five years. I just don't cotton to complete retirement.'

'Good thing for BB. She's been through a lot. What do you think?'

So young, holding two newborns. Christmas Eve swept into Christmas Day.

The futures of everyone at the diner lay before them.

For weal or woe.

Not the end.

Each day has its end.

And beginning.


PS: I could draw this out. There is much more to this story as there is to all of life, real or fiction.

What happens?

Does BB survive?

How does she respond to being a mother after carrying these kids?

Do all the characters have a moment? Do they tie in?

I believe that all the good stories leave that up to the individual.

All good fairy tales make you wonder what happens after something is resolved.

They don't draw out and repeat for 'Cinderella 2, 3, 4 ad nauseum'.

OTOH, some stories demand more telling.

This was meant to tell a simple tale.

Birth of children in a snowswept diner on Christmas Eve.

There is more that could be told.

Perhaps it will be.