A Christmas Sampler a Christmas Anthology by Andrea DiMaggio Lydia's Story

The girl ran around the track, passing her two teammates and the four girls from the other team. She was almost ten meters in front of the next fastest girl and looked sure to win when she suddenly pulled up lame and fell to the track. She used her arms to push herself up just in time to see her rival from Highland Springs cross the finish line to win the race. She stifled a cry as she remembered the words her father said to her the night before…

"Let them win!"

Freeman Polar Bear Track and Field Meet, Douglas Freeman High School, Richmond, Virginia…December 15…

The trainer worked on Lydia’s calf as the other girls stood in front of the bench, shielding her. Carly Van Ossen, Lydia’s best friend was standing behind her, rubbing her shoulders.

“Hey…It’s okay. Sweets…we’ll get em in the 1500, kay?” She smiled at Lydia who winced; obviously in a great deal of pain. She was not going to give the Freeman Crowd the satisfaction of crying. Losing to Liz Wentworth of Highland Springs was hard enough but to lose at the biggest meet of the season in the capital city of Virginia? Carly noticed the tears beginning to form in her friend’s eyes and she stepped in front of Lydia and handed her a towel, which she draped over her head.

“Fuck em, Lydia! We got yer back.” Or more correctly in this case, her front. Her season was effectively interrupted by the pulled calf muscle; at least that’s what the doctor diagnosed. In the end, the meet was a fair success for the Lady Wildcats, who took first in three of the races, but failing to place any of their other runners, and winning their only field event as Mariah Washington took second place in the shot put.

That evening at the La Donna home...

“You do like I ask?” Her father snapped at her as she walked in the front door.

What the Hell?... she thought, “He doesn’t have to know...why make a crappy day worse.

“Yeah, Dad…just like you said.” She went to the fridge and got out a bottle of green tea.

“You should just quit…it ain’t right, kid….you got an advantage.” He put his newspaper down and shook his head.

“What…I’m five-five and I weigh one-twenty two…some advantage. You just can’t stand me…” He ignored the second part of her statement.

“I don’t know what the hell you expect. I get transferred from Boston to East fucking Jabib here and I unpack and not only don’t I have cable, but my son magically disappears to be replaced by you!” He practically spat it out.

“It wasn’t like you didn’t have a clue…I’ve been going to a specialist since we moved here..or maybe you don’t want to have a clue.” She turned away and walked to the kitchen door and looked out the window.

“It’s snowing…Mommy always loved the snow.” She sighed, fighting back tears.

“She didn’t have to shovel the damn stuff, and what do you mean I don’t have a clue.” He was upset but his anger seemed overtaken by sadness.

“I was going to Dr. Candelli before we moved, Dad…You knew this was going to happen. Why can’t you accept that this is who I am? Damn it Daddy…”

“Don’t use that tone with me, Lou!” He stood up and walked to the door, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“Dad….please…use my name.” She turned and her face had grown red with embarrassment.

“I am using your name…Jeez…what the hell do you expect. Your mom dies and leaves me with an empty bed and a kid who doesn’t know what the hell he is…I wish she was here.” He went to put his hand on her shoulder but she pulled away.

“I wish she was here, too! I hate you.” She ran to her room and slammed the door. A few minutes later she heard a knock at the door.

“Can I come in?” Cal leaned against the door frame and sighed. He pushed the door open and walked to the bed. Lydia turned away and sighed heavily.

“I don’t understand why you turned your back on me and everything we taught you.” He shook his head, and the girl could almost see his expression even though her eyes were fixed on her mother’s picture on her nightstand.

“Daddy…why do you hate me?” The girl sobbed. Cal sat down on the bed and placed his hand on her back, causing her to shudder.

“Louie….I’m sorry…I’m no good at this. What you are…it makes no sense to me.”

“What I am, Dad? What I am? I’m your daughter…I tried to tell you and Mommy years ago...when I was in Middle School…you just didn’t listen…Mommy did, but even with her on my side, it was more important what your friends said. I’m so glad we moved…” She bit her tongue, but the sobs grew stronger.

“I know it’s been hard on you…it’s been hard on me…but you have to see it my way…I lost your mom...I don’t want to lose you.”

“Hard on you…haaaarrrdddd on yyyoouuuu?” She buried her face in her pillow and shrugged off his touch. He may have lost a wife, but she felt like she lost both her mother and her father.

Deer Run High School, Glen Allen, Virginia...Science Wing...

“Hey, Lydia…wait up.” Mark Nelson called from behind her in the hallway and quickly caught up.

“I heard you won’t be running this week.” He put his hand on her arm and she pulled away.

“Yeah…the doctor thinks I’ve got to rest…may even get an MRI…it’s not healing.” She wanted to explain, but there was so much to say…everything that she needed to tell him, but her face gave nothing away, and her secrets remained safe.

“Shit…that sucks big time.” He sounded more than just disappointed; there was a coldness in his voice as if her inability to run made less worthy of his attention. She stopped and looked down at herself and felt the same shudder like a few days before.

Henrico Orthopedic Center...the office of Dr. Anita Childress...

“I’m sorry, Lydia…there’s more than just a hairline fracture. You have an osteoid osteoma…a tumor on your fibula…one of the two bones in the lower leg. We can treat the tumor…”

“Tumor?” Lydia grimaced at the thought. Her mother had died from ovarian cancer and she was understandably shocked and scared. Cal sat next to her and placed his hand on her wrist. She pulled away.

“It’s very treatable, Lydia, and it’s benign…the tumor will grow but isn’t harmful to the rest of the body but it will weaken the bone. The tumor is killed from the inside out by inserting a radio-frequency electrode. You should be back to walking soon, but I’m afraid your season is over.” Dr. Childress shook her head in sympathy.

“Wow, I’m glad it’s so easy…that’s great.” Cal smiled at Dr. Childress and then at Lydia, who looked at her father through frustrated tears.

“I bet you’re really glad about it…now I can’t compete…I won’t be taking anything away from real girls, right?” She pulled her arm away as he tried to touch her wrist once again.

“Mr. La Donna? Is that right? You told Lydia that?” Dr. Childress asked.

“It’s not fair that he takes a spot on the roster.” Cal betrayed his bias.

“This is your daughter we’re talking about!”

“My daughter? Were you there when he was an all-star pitcher? Did you watch him play football in middle school? Were you there when his mother died? No…Don’t tell me about anything. I lost my wife…I don’t want to lose my son?” His tone was more sad than angry, but Dr. Childress didn’t hold back.

“If you don’t change you’ll lose your daughter…your only child. Can you live with that?” She shook her head as she noticed the girl had buried her face in her hands, sobbing.

“I’m going to get another opinion.” Cal stood up and tried once more to touch his daughter’s arm. She offered no resistance but continue to sob.

“I’m sorry you feel that way.” She resisted a career-long urge to give him that second opinion, but she just nodded her head.

“I’ll have the office forward the results of the MRI to your primary physician.” Cal turned to leave but Lydia remained seated.

“Lou…Come on.” He snapped. She raised her head and Cal saw her face; she had the same look that she had when her mother died…the same look he had as well. He walked out of Dr. Childress’ office.

“Lydia? Do you want me to call anyone?”

“C….Carly?” The girl gasped. She slowly reached into her coat and pulled out her cell phone. Dr. Childress look up the pre-set and spoke.

“Hi…This is Anita Childress…I’m Lydia’s Orthopedic doctor. She needs a ride and she asked for you. Yes….yes…she’s ready…maybe she can spend some time with you…yes…Yes…she does need her best friend…okay..Thanks.” Dr. Childress clicked off and smiled at the girl, but her head was down and she was weeping once again.

“I had a good friend in med school who went through the same thing, sweetie. It’s not easy, but you’ve got friends….and me and your other doctors. We’ll get through this, okay?”

The La Donna home...eleven-thirty that night...

“You want me to come to the door with you?” Carly turned around and said as her mother pulled the car up to the curb.

“No…I…I’m going right to bed…He’s probably asleep anyway.” She got out of the car and leaned close to the driver’s side door. Mrs. Van Ossen got out and hugged Lydia.

“Give me a call…okay?” Lydia nodded and limped up to the front door and waved before going in.

“Lou…can you come here?” Cal called from the living room. She was tempted to walk back to her bedroom but thought better of it; it was likely he’d just follow her back and it was probably better to deal with him now.

“What?” She tried not to snap at him, but her frustration and sadness were too much to overcome.

“Lou…let’s not argue…I need to talk to you.” His voice didn’t seem at all angry; in fact, he sounded almost kind. It was then that she noticed the picture he was holding; the portrait of the family they had taken just before things got too much for Connie to go out. Cal lifted his head and she saw that he was crying.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t understand. I still don’t understand…but I had some time to think…and pray.” She heard the word ‘pray’ and winced; she didn’t need him preaching at her on top of everything else.

“Children, do what your parents tell you. This is only right. "Honor your father and mother" is the first commandment that has a promise attached to it, namely, "so you will live well and have a long life."

“Dad…please…please.” Lydia began to cry. She sat down on the couch and buried her face in a bolster pillow. Cal got up and walked over and sat down. He went to put his hand on her shoulder but pulled back; speaking softly instead,

“Fathers, don't exasperate your children by coming down hard on them. Take them by the hand and lead them in the way of the Master.” He leaned closer and said softly,

“That doesn’t just mean don’t yell. It means I should have been listening to you all along. I’ve been so damned busy trying to have my own way I didn’t realized how wrong I was. I got that second opinion...I called Pastor Davis and we had a long talk. I’m sorry for hurting you, Lou…really. I missed your Mom so much…I was afraid of losing you…and all I did was push you away.” He managed to finish speaking before beginning to sob.

A few minutes later he felt a soft touch on his arm. He turned around and found Lydia smiling at him.

“Do you mean it Dad? If you don’t mean it? I couldn’t bear it…it would be just like when Mommy died.”

“I don’t know what to say…I can’t promise I’ll feel good about this, ‘cause I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I won’t support you…I guess what I’m saying is I’ll try my hardest to feel better, since I have to believe in you…the way you see yourself. It’s not my life to live…I think your Mom would have said that to me, and it’s true. I might slip up now and then…okay…you’ve got to help me on this…go easy on me?” He half-smiled before continuing.

“I won’t make any excuses and I promise I will listen to you from now on; okay. Can you forgive me, Lou?” He realized that he once again had used her ‘old’ name.

“Okay…?”

“Okay, Dad!” She touched his arm and shook it softly; they had never kissed before, and it was going to come with a bit of difficulty and change, but it would come...just not then. He shot her a wave and she waved back.

"You know who you look like?" Cal said.

"Mom!" She beamed.

"No...not so much." She frowned until he said,

"You favor my side of the family...you know your great aunt Rosanna?" He smiled.

"Aunt Rosanna who used to be an actress...Rosanna...Po...Pode..."

"Podesta...what a looker...yeah...maybe a bit skinnier than her...but yeah..." She smiled at the complement and turned to go before hearing,

"Lydia?"

"Yee...yehhhss?" It was too much and too wonderful as she began to cry, the first time since her mother's death that she had cried for joy as he said finally,

"Good night."

"Good night, Dad."

Christmas week...the food court at the Virgina Center Commons Mall...

“Are you okay?” Carly asked.

“No…” She looked down at the soft cast on her leg and shook her head, but the smile indicated otherwise.

"Dr. Childress says I'll be able to run in the Spring...I won't miss the season. And guess what?" Carly looked at her in anticipation.

“He kissed me...finally…Car.”

“Your Dad kissed you? That's great” Carly asked, shocked.

“Oh, Hell no…still high fives and waves…no…me and Stevie…your brother Stevie…he knows.”

“He knows you’re....?”

“Yep…”

"And he kissed you?"

“Way fucking cool, girlfriend!”

“Yep..Way cool.”

Next: Jeanette's Story

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rossana_Podest%C3%A0