As Christmas came and went, Bryan underwent some necessary post-fire healing . Showing an interest and maturity that I found unprecedented, Bryan was full of questions when he arrived at our temporary home for a Christmas vacation with family. As we sat down for a lunch of tomato soup and grilled cheese, he grilled me. At first he had thought we were moving into our temporary home as our new permanent home and was disappointed to learn that we would not be staying there.

“How’s the search going?” , he then asked. “What search?”, I countered. “The search for a new home”, he replied. When I explained that we had decided to rebuild on our old property, he was quite happy. “Who is the builder going to be?” “How long will it take?” Of course, in saying it could take up to a year to rebuild, he exhaled a huge sigh of resignation. I explained that he would have a bedroom in our rebuilt home, just like at our current residence. That made him happy. “There’ll always be a place for you in our home, buddy “, I assured him.

With that, he jumped up from the table and said, “I need to ‘settle in’ now.” Translation: cover your bedroom with all the stuff you brought with you – books, papers, pens, pencils and clothing. The room quickly became trashed. You know what? I’m okay with that. This is his way of feeling comfortable in his new situation – all part of the healing process.

We wrapped presents, went to Sis’s house for a delicious meal and opening of presents with his little nephews, and then to church.

On Christmas Day, he recreated what he has done at our former home for at least 30 years. He woke early, went downstairs to the living room, covered himself in a blanket, lying in wait for us to wake up. When he heard us coming down the stairs, he said in his best Jacob Marley ghostly voice, “Ebeneezer Scrooooooge”, raising his hand in the air as the Ghost of Christmas Yet-To-Come does in the “Christmas Carol” movie he so loves. Of course we laughed heartily, giving him the desired response and starting the day off merrily.

We celebrated all day with food, drink and family from breakfast through dinner. Exhausted, he climbed into bed early, anticipating the next Christmas adventure.

On the 26th, we climbed into the Highlander, laden with gifts and food, and started the 4-5 hour journey on the Pennsylvania Turnpike to visit Grandma, Uncle Brad and Aunt Laura. The visit was brief but jam-packed. Two separate visits to Grandma, now 103 1/2, were filled with plenty of hugs and kisses. When we arrived at Uncle Brad and Aunt Laura’s house, Bryan again ‘settled in’.

Although gifts are no longer exchanged by the adults, Uncle Brad always seems to find something that is just perfect for Bryan. He presented him with a hoodie looking just like chain mail which a Knight Templar would have worn. Bryan gasped when he saw it, immediately putting it on to our “Ooh’s and Ah’s”. And, wouldn’t you know it- he had requested and received a book about the Crusades for Christmas! No consultation had occurred between my brother and I. Things always seem to happen that way by a happy coincidence. Another gift which Brad had purchased at the Salisbury Cathedral while in England was a packet of authentic papers, pictures and cards from a pilot in the Royal Air Force, Brad remembering Bryan’s visit to the RAF museum while in England several years ago. Bryan posed in Brad’s garden with a shield and sword used in his Shakespeare Company’s yearly productions. “Give us your Braveheart face”, Brad requested. And he did, roaring with a battle cry!

A few days later, at our Reading family’s house, Bryan opened up to all of us gathered around the abundant New Year’s table, pork and sauerkraut piled high on our plates. He began to tell the story of that fateful fire in the early morning hours of October 27th. We heard how he felt before, during and after. The first time he has talked about the actual traumatic event.

The healing continues….

“Ebenneezer Scrooooooge”, Bryan said in his scariest voice!