Amie Bernstein; Chapter 10

 

Amie Bernstein; Chapter 10

© 2022 by Amber Wright

LET THE SNOW FALL!

Date: Winter 1901

Place: London, England

Amie's face smashed flatly onto the parlor’s glass windowpane. “It’s snowing,” her voice sounded muffled against the glass. “But it could get thicker. I want to build a snow-woman for Christmas.”

“Why not a snowman?” Gad teased from the piano bench where he was merrily playing Joy To the World.

“Because I want enough snow to build a snowman and a snow-woman.”

“Come here, you two.” Gad stopped playing to motion Amie and Kitt over. “Let’s practice singing Silent Night so you two can sing it on Christmas Eve, shall we? I’ll play.”

Amie grumblingly agreed, fascinated by watching the swirling white flakes falling down outside, and walked over to the piano. She glanced at Kitt with a frown. “Come on, I’m not singing this alone, Kitt Lazar!”

Kitt reluctantly left his book and cleared his throat. He nodded once at Gad. “Begin, Monsieur.” He grinned at Amie mischievously. “I’ll sing French, you sing English, and we’ll see how that sounds.”

“Don’t you dare!” Amie grew indignant. “I’ll lose you completely. Now,” she cleared her throat and Gad artistically ran his fingers over the entire piano keys in introduction. “Silent night, holy night…”



Amie was burrowed in the corner of her bedroom, intricately painting the wooden men, when a knock sounded on her door. She jumped slightly and was glad Annie had suggested putting a wooden dressing screen in front of the “secret table and its contents”.

“Yes?” Amie tore her painting gloves off and stepped into the other part of her room.

“It’s only me. Annie.” The words were muffled.

“Come in,” Amie wondered if she could finish all her wooden men in time for Christmas Eve. She hoped so.

Annie entered the room with red, swollen eyes and an equally red nose. She sniffed and Amie stared. Annie closed the door behind her and wiped at her eyes and nose with her handkerchief. She walked over to Amie and put her arms around her.

“Oh, Miss Amie, why does it always have to happen this way?” Annie’s voice was thick with mucus. “I didn’t do anything.”

“Well, I always thought you and Oncle Gad suited each other better.” Amie reassured her.

Annie stood up straight and shock filled her hazy-blue eyes. “How did you know?”

“What, that you suit my oncle better?” Amie shrugged with a little grin. “I just know, that’s all.”

“I meant,” Annie sniffed again, “how did you know my beau broke up with me?”

“I guessed and I got it right, see?” Amie closed her eyes dramatically. “Aren’t I smart? So, you will like my oncle now, won’t you? Please.”

“A-Amie,” Annie stammered, wiping her nose again with her handkerchief. “You don’t understand…”

“I do, perfectly.” Amie crossed her arms with an injured air. “But I shan’t talk about it if you don’t wish me to. Now, come have a look at what I’ve done so far.”

Dinner came afterwards with spicy fruitcake for dessert and rich chocolate fudge heaping the tins staggered in decoration on the dining room sideboard. Amie’s stomach hungrily ate all it possibly could and wanted more but she refused. I’ll grow fat if I have too much, she told herself, pushing back her empty plate that had been heaped high. She took a deep breath and watched the sun sparkle against the glittering glass windowpanes. Little icicles hung daintily from the top of the windows that covered the exterior wall.

“Well, you two over there with the chocolaty mouths,” Papa teased at Amie and Kitt who were finishing another piece of fudge. “Do you want to come tree-shopping with me and Oncle Aaron?”

Kitt eagerly agreed and Amie couldn’t eat her piece of fudge faster. They washed their chocolaty hands and dove into their wraps. But just before they left, Amie took Gad aside to whisper in his ear. “Could you do something nice for Annie? Her beau just broke up with her. The awful wretch!”

“Sure.” Gad nodded with a merry grin and wink. He slightly bowed. “At your service, Miss Bernstein.”

“Thank you.”

Outside, Amie’s brother Abel and her cousin Noah were trying to build a snowman with the little snow they had left. Snow fell softly through the sunny landscape. In another sleigh Mamma, Tante Noelle, her daughter Amaris, Cousine Lois and Amie’s two sisters, Edia and Danielle, were heading off in a jingle of bells. They waved at Amie as they left and Amie skipped down the rest of the way to their sleigh. Picking out a Christmas tree would be funner than sneezing her way through dusty shops. They began jingling their way towards the Christmas Tree Farm at the edge of town.



“Now this is what I call a merry, Merry Christmastime!” Kitt grinned happily, digging his hands into the decoration-box. He pulled out long strands of red silk ribbon. “Here, Amie, I’ll pass these to you and you can put them on the tree. You do that better than me.”

“Well, thanks, but I see no reason why you can’t help me decorate.” Amie said bluntly, pulling out the Star of David from its own little box tucked in the side of the big box. “Handing out decorations is easy. Putting them on the tree is the hard part. Oncle Gad!” she suddenly shouted, replacing the Star of David in its box until the very last when the Star would be placed on the very top of the tree.

Gad came into the room wearing his coat and scarf. “Yes, Miss Bernstein?”

“Well, aren’t you going to help us decorate?”

“I thought you youngsters looked eager enough. Besides,” he grinned as Amie started to protest, “I have some things to get so off I go now. Cheerio!”

“Cheerio.” Amie answered not so cheerio. She dug at the boxes again and together she and Kitt began the decorating of the fantastically grand, fresh-smelling evergreen tree that stood a full 12 feet high. “Well! He’s probably off with Annie Montgomery and I won’t be there—once again!—to witness it. Humph. Oh well,” she brightened, “Cook says she has some dazzling cookies and hot chocolate waiting for us when we get through here. So I say, let’s hurry away!”

“Aye, aye!” Kitt rushed to attach a long red velvet ribbon to the top of the tree with the help of a stepladder. “On se dépêche!”

“Oui, oui!” Amie grinned, hurriedly curling the ribbon just so as they whizzed through attaching the ribbons to the tree. “We hurry!”

The Christmas record blared happily from its cherry wood, casket-looking compartment blared as Amie rushed to turn it up and hurry back to the decorating. “Awake, my soul, awake, my tongue. My glory, wake and sing! And celebrate the holy birth. The birth of Israel’s King!” it sang.



Tuesday evening lulled into an evening of board games with popcorn balls and hot chocolate. Amie had managed to paint half of her wooden men…but there was still that other half unpainted. Silently, she contemplated a plan to finish them off. Annie! She gasped the thought out, Of course, she needs something to distract her poor mind. Men! Annie was still tore up about her old beau. Amie could tell. Her keen eyes missed nothing when it came to observing the atmosphere around her—and those silent facial expressions. She was indeed observant, a fact in which she prided herself in. To be able to soothe people’s feelings without them knowing.

“For when the lips are silent, the eyes speak.” Amie mumbled and quickly moved her checker piece, declaring loudly with a pretend yawn, “I’m getting sleepy.”

“I suggest we have Bible reading so anyone who wishes to go to sleep may.” Papa stood up from across the room and Amie wondered if he had heard her.

Everyone took seats and listened as Papa read a chapter of the big black family Bible. Isaiah 60. “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee….”

Amie listened and when Papa had finished his prayer, she stood up to give him and Mamma a goodnight hug and kiss. She waved goodnight to everyone else; then, she followed Annie who held an oil lamp and a small smile. When they reached the top of the steps, Amie glanced up at Annie questioningly.

“Yes, Miss Amie?” Annie raised her eyebrows.

“Did you hear Papa reading that one verse?”

“Which one?”

“Well…the one about… It was something like this: thou hast been forsaken and hated…I will make thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations. That one.”

Annie opened Amie’s door with a thoughtful expression. “Yes, I did. And?”

“And,” Amie took a deep breath before spilling out, “we may be forsaken and hated, but I think you should be proud to be Jew no matter what. I am!” She smiled.

“I may as well tell,” Annie slowly smiled, “because my old beau found out. That’s why he broke up with me. I just found out today.”

“Hoorah!” Amie fairly danced around Annie with the widest of grins. “So we can tell Oncle Gad first thing tomorrow morning! Can’t we?”

“He already knows.” Annie set the oil lamp on a table to light the other lamps in the room. The room glowed with a bright, festive air. “So, what did you want me to help you on?”

“How did you know?” Amie’s mouth fell open. “You didn’t peek under the sheet, did you?”

“No.” Annie grinned, starting towards the odd-placed dressing screen. “But when do you ever volunteer to go to bed earlier than you’re told, hmm?”

“Never, I know, but…” the word dragged out. “Can you help me paint these fine little wooden men, please? I’m halfway done, see?” Amie tore back the sheet grandly.

Fifty little wooden men stood in a regiment of five-abreast, half colorfully painted and all looking ready to march. Annie picked one up. “Fantastic work, Miss Amie.”

“Thank you. Now, shall we?”

Annie nodded and together they sat down to work. The clock ticked away, one second at a time.

And the evening faded into night.



Once again Amie and Kitt were practicing singing Silent Night. Gad started the introduction on the piano yet another time. Kitt sighed loudly, frustrated, and Amie simply plopped onto a chair with a pout.

“It’s just no use!” she exploded, crossing her arms tightly across her vivid green sweater. “We just don’t sing good together.”

“Thanks.” Kitt almost growled and plopped into another chair, frowning.

“But…I think…” Amie began with a little twinkle to her aqua-colored eyes.

“Think what?” Kitt snapped moodily. He took cuts very deeply, especially when it came to his voice—his accent. “All you do is think and we never get anywhere. Girls!”

“What is it, my love-heart?” Gad smiled and drew his fingers from those precious piano keys—his life, almost. “What do you think, hmm?”

“That Annie Montgomery should sing with us and blend us together!” Amie said brightly, clasping her hands. A sudden grin spread across her cheeks. She looked for sure this way would work. “I’ll ask her now, if you want me to.”

“I’m listening.” Annie’s voice suddenly spoke from behind Amie’s chair. “You two sound just perfect, but if you really want somebody to lead-sing if you’re nervous, I will.”

“Thank you, Annie!” Amie rushed up and gave her a big hug.

“See? We sounded good already.” Kitt gave Amie an “I told you so” look.

“Alright, Oncle Gad!” Amie pulled Kitt up and pushed him to stand on one side of Annie; then, she took her place on Annie’s other side. “Begin.”

This time they finished the song beautifully and Amie clapped for applause, “I knew we could do it!”

“Did you?” Kitt plastered a grin on his face through a sarcastic voice.

Undaunted, Amie twirled happily in circles and halted before the large window. Snow was falling from a woolly pale gray sky. Large snowflakes—swirling in the dancing December air—thickened with each second passing.

“Yes! Our song is now ready for Christmas Eve.” Amie chirped, ecstatic.

“Absolutely,” Gad grinned. “And, shall I add, to the three best singers in London, I congratulate yous!”

Annie mumbled an embarrassed “thank you” while Kitt shrugged. He had thought he had sounded good already. No need for praise for his voice when he knew he had sung well.

“Song’s sung, gifts almost done. And now,” Amie declared dramatically, “let the snow fall!”

French/English translation:

Monsieur……………… Mister

Tante…………………… Aunt

Oncle…………………… Uncle

Cousine………………… cousin (female)

oui……………………… yes

On se dépêche!…………… We hurry!