Tina's Story Chapter 53: A Very Jewish Christmas

It is in the wee small hours of the morning. Christmas morning. All the presents are wrapped, and under the tree. Everything is in place, and ready for the celebration tomorrow. Tina, Ray and the babies are safely tucked in their beds. Georgette, however, is still up. She sits at the dining room table, penning one last card before going to bed. This is not a pre printed card, but a heartfelt message for someone special. She borrows the words from a favorite Christmas song.....

"The Christmas cards have all been sent; the Christmas rush is through,

But I still have a Christmas wish, a special one for you.

Merry Christmas, darling; we're apart, that's true

But I can dream, and in my dream, I'm Christmasing with you

Holidays are joyful, there's always something new

But every day's a holiday when I'm near to you

The lights on the tree, I wish you could see, I wish it every day

Logs on the fire fill me with desire, to see you and to say,

That I wish you a Merry Christmas,

Happy New Year, too

I've just one wish on this Christmas Eve

I wish I were with you."

Tina and Ray wake up in their big fluffy bed. It is Christmas morning, and they have a big day ahead. As they wake up, they can already smell the wonderful holiday meal that Georgette has prepared. She has been up since the very early hours, cooking and preparing, as she has always done. In between her preparations, she has fed and dressed the babies, who are in the kitchen with her. Tina gives Ray a big hug...

"Merry Christmas, Daddy..." she said, smiling.

Ray kisses her back...

"Merry Christmas, Mommy. Time to get up and open presents?" he offered, cheerily

"Hmmm. It's so nice here in bed, I'm not in any hurry." Tina leaned back on Ray's broad shoulders. Ray put his arms around his wife.

"I know. But maybe we should get up; Georgette has been working a long time."

"Party poop." Tina hopped out of bed, her round little Poodle butt sticking out from under the short nightgown. She brushed her teeth, fixed her hair a bit, then waited for Ray to do the same. Together, they went down stairs in their robes.

"Merry Christmas morning" Georgette called out happily.

Ray kissed his mother in law good morning.

"Are Jews allowed to have a Merry Christmas?" he asked, teasing her.

"EVERYONE can have a Merry Christmas." Georgette declared "Coffee?"

Ray and Tina gladly accepted the offered coffee, as they played with the babies in their high chairs. Faith and Hope held out their little arms for their mother to pick them up, while little Stan threw Cheerios at Ray.

"How's diner coming?" Tina asked

"Everything is on schedule." Georgette reassured her "Have you ever missed a Christmas dinner in all these years?"

"No, I suppose not." Tina agreed.

You see, this was a special Christmas. Not only was it the first Christmas with the babies, but Ray and Tina invited their friends who weren't doing anything else. KC and Jack were coming, as were Lydia, Colleen and Sean. Some of Ray's Jewish friends from I.T. were coming, too. And of course, it was Georgette's first Christmas without Stan at home.

"You going to see Stan today?' Tina asked. Growing up, she had always called him 'Stan'. Even though she now knows that he is her father, she still referred to him in that way.

"Later. Once everything is set, I'll sneak out. We can let things cook; let's let the babies open their presents....."

Young as they were, the babies were having as much fun tearing at the colored paper as with the gifts themselves. And there were many gifts. Little dresses, shirts and pants. Toys and walkers and storybooks. They opened gifts for almost two hours. Ray and Tina got Georgette a beautiful red wool coat, since her old one was a bit threadbare. Tina got Ray the new laptop he had been eyeing. Ray got Tina a gold charm bracelet, with a birthstone for each of the babies.

"Look at the time!" Tina declared. "Guests will be here soon..."

With that, Tina bolted upstairs, while Ray and Georgette picked up the mess, and put things in order for the guests

Meanwhile, across town at the Hospital, Dr. Goldstein was doing rounds. Picking up Stan's chart, he looked carefully at some new tests. The results weren't good. The stents that had been put in Stan's arteries to keep them open were collapsing. In fact, he was back to where he had been at the time of the heart attack. Sticking the chart under his arm, the doctor went in to see his patient.

He knocks on the door....

"Morning, Stan; Merry Christmas..."

"Merry Christmas to you, Doc; hope you had a nice holiday...."

"I did, thank you."

"What's the matter, Doc, you don't look so good."

The doctor sat beside Stan's bed....

"The stents aren't working anymore"

"I kinda figured that; I don't feel as good as I did...."

"It's time, Stan."

"For the procedure?"

"Yes."

"When?" he asked, apprehensively

"Today."

Stan looked the doctor in the eye.

"I trust you. Let's do it."

"It will take a few hours to get an O.R., and to put a team together. Sometime this afternoon. "

"Will I make it?"

"You need the operation. Any operation is dangerous for you. I've got the best people I can find. "

They talked for some time after, Then, the doctor left, to finish rounds, and prepare for the operation. Stan was left alone, to contemplate his fate.....

Meanwhile, the Christmas party has begun at the Goldstein's house. Tina wears a white blouse, and a long skirt, and Ray, a white shirt and new black pants that Tina bought for him just for the occasion. She even got a new dress for her Mom, just so that she'd feel pretty. It's 11:00, and guests have just started to arrive. The babies are downstairs in a playpen in their Holiday best. Colleen, Lydia and Sean are there, as are KC and Dr. Jack. The I.T. people, as usual, are late. Colleen, Lydia, and Sean are in a festive mood, laughing, kissing and carrying on...

"Eh!" Georgette harrumphs "Fruits, all of 'em!"

"Oh, Mom" Tina interrupts "They're just having a good time."

"I don't think they've ever stopped having a good time, from the looks of them"

"Try to be nice..." Tina asks, leaving to check on the turkey.

The house presents a beautiful Christmas sight....decorations, perfect, full of people, plenty of food, everyone having a good time. It is almost time to eat when Jack's pager goes off.

"Oh, no, not AGAIN!" KC grouses....

"Sorry, Hon." Jack gives her a kiss "I'm on an emergency surgical team."

"Now? On Christmas morning?" KC pouts

"We fix 'em when they break. That's not always on a convenient schedule. I'll be back, maybe in a few hours..."

With that, Jack leaves. A few minutes later, Georgette gets the call that Stan is going in for surgery.

"What's going on?" Ray asks

"Mama just got the call; they're getting ready to operate on Stan. I'm taking her to the hospital now."

"Want me to come?"

Tina kisses him.

"No, but thanks. Stay here and see to our guests; I'll be back as soon as I can..."

And with that, Tina and Georgette leave for the hospital.

At the hospital, Stan's surgical team prepares for the operation. Dr. Jack is scrubbing, when Dr. Goldstein comes to the next sink.

"Ready, Doctor?" Goldstein inquires.

"Uh, I guess. This is my first real operation."

"I see. Well, you've got the team here. We need your specialized knowledge. Everyone has a first." And then he was gone.

Slowly, the team assembled in the O.R. Dr. Goldstein went over the protocol, Jack addressed the anthro/arthroscopic bypass procedure, and questions were addressed. By then, Stan Russel was brought in. He went through the usual procedures; prep, draping, anesthesia, monitoring, intubation. Then it began. Dr. Goldstein, as the senior cardio surgeon lead. The doctor was an eminent specialist, but in fact, had not done an actual bypass in some time. Soon after the procedure began, Dr. Goldstein realized he was in trouble. He had never done minimally invasive procedures before, and never had he done a bypass on a hybrid. The deeper, narrower chest cavity made manipulating difficult. Visibility was limited, not helped by his older eyes. He knew he was in trouble.

"Doctor? Step in." Goldstein commanded

"Me?" Jack replied, unbelieving

"You. Change places and continue."

"But...." He stammered

"Doctor, you have a patient that needs you. I need your young hands and eyes. We'll get through this. Now get the scope in place for a clear anterior view.....

While Tina waited upstairs for news, Georgette was down in the chapel, deep in prayer. She had been there for, oh, twenty minutes, a half hour, when she felt a touch on her shoulder. It was the young priest, Father Tim.

"Hello, Georgette. Remember me?"

Seeing him, Georgette launched into a vigorous chain of 'Hail Marys'

"Why are you upset, Georgette?' he asked.

"Because.....you're an ANGEL" she replied, out of breath.

"And what are Angels?" he asked.

"Angels are God's messengers" she replied

"Why have you decided that I'm an Angel?"

"Because I feel God talking to me through you. The last time, God told me that I needed to change my life. I did everything you said. I made amends. I got right with the people I hurt. I don't want God angry with me!"

By the time she said this, Georgette was shaking with fear. Then Father Tim spoke.

"How great is your faith! To the faithful, much will be given. Do not fear; all is well."

She looked up, and the priest was gone. Then, something truly miraculous happened; Georgette stopped shaking. All her fears were gone. She left the chapel, and went to join Tina upstairs.

"Mama, you're back. There's no news yet."

Georgette put her arm around her daughter.

"Don't worry, dear; all is well.

Tina looked up with surprise. In all her life, Georgette was the first to get rattled by anything. Now, she had this look of complete peace.

Hours went by. Finally, a nurse came in.

"Your husband is out of surgery. He handled it well. The doctor will be down soon."

Georgette and Tina were relieved, as they waited for the doctors. In time, Dr. Goldstein and Dr. Jack came in.

"Georgette?"

"How is he?" Tina rushed over.

"He's doing fine. We'll know more in a few hours. But I'm very optimistic."

They talked a little more, then left to change...

"Nice job, Doctor." Goldstein complimented the young surgeon.

"Uh, thanks. Truth is, I was scared to death." Jack admitted

"As well you should have been. You had a man's life in your hands. If that doesn't scare you, you don't belong in the O.R. Bravery isn't the absence of fear, it's being scared to death, and still being able to do what needs to be done."

The young doctor said nothing, but now he had the faintest of smiles on his face He went to change, and to rejoin his date back at Tina's house.

Hours pass. Finally, Georgette and Tina are invited to see him. They are met by the ICU attending Doctor.

"Mrs. Russel? Your husband is a remarkable man. He's off his breathing tube. He's awake and conscious. His tests are....virtually....normal. "

The doctor left, shaking his head. Georgette and Tina went in to see Stan. They found him sitting up in bed.

"Stan! You're sitting up!" Tina said, amazed.

Georgette sat down on his bed, and started to speak...

"Oh, Stan! I was so scared, then I got visited by this angel, but he was in the form of a priest, and he told me that you were going to be alright..."

Stan managed a smile.

"Hold on there, we've got time. You want to hear about what happened?"

Tina and Georgette nodded, and Stan told them all about what happened. Then he told them about the incident.

"And when I died, I started walking toward this beautiful light. I felt very safe and comfortable. Then, I felt I had to stop, go back. It was sad, but I knew I had to go. But, I felt this thing come over me, this knowledge being imparted. It told me that...the love...it never ends. It goes with you. After that, everything was Ok."

Georgette and Tina stayed with Stan until they were runoff. But Stan looked as fit and healthy as ever.

Before they left the hospital, Jack and Doctor Goldstein checked on Stan. They were amazed at his vitals. It was as if none of this had ever happened.

Soon, Stan's good news had made it's way to the party, where everyone had waited. There was great joy there. When Georgette and Tina returned, they finally got to enjoy their Christmas diner. And enjoy it they did.