A Modest Carol, or The Ghost of Christmas Present

As was the case after the first appointed spirit, Emma was inclined to believe that her visit from Julie was all a hoax. Alright, she had gone somewhere just a little while ago, but that could have been a dream for all she knew. After all, Emma didn’t remember not falling asleep. With these thoughts, Emma glanced at the clock. Once more realizing that the second mentioned spirit was not there, she breathed a sigh of relief, and hurried herself off to bed.

Yet as she approached her bedroom, she saw a light on. Knowing that no one could possibly be in the room, Emma contemplated calling the police. However, it is best to mention that Emma let her curiosity got the better of her, and she opened the door. Just as she would have been quite unprepared to meet an intruder, she was also unprepared for the sight that met her eyes. Standing before her was another apparition. This time, it appeared to be a look-a-like of Monica, the angel from “Touched By An Angel,” complete with her heavenly glow.

“Why, Emma,” the spirit said. “Why do you just stand there? Come and let me get a good look at you. I have heard much of you.”

As Emma approached, for like with the first spirit, she could not imagine disobeying, she spoke coquettishly. “Well, who could you have heard about me from? Was it James, or perhaps Mark? No, it has to be Zach! He always raves about me!”

“You would be wrong on all accounts. Do I not bear a slight resemblance to a person who has already visited you this night? For a relative of mine came to see you—she calls herself the Ghost of Christmas Past. Do you recollect now?”

Emma spoke softly, all coquettish airs gone. “Yes, I do remember. You do not look alike, but since you are spirits….you are a spirit aren’t you?”

“I am the Ghost of Christmas Present, and I am here to show you Christmases of today. Like with my cousin eleven greats past, you will not be able to converse with any of the images you see. Rather, Emma, my purpose is to show you what people are saying, so that you might heed and learn.”

“Oh, gossip!!! I love that sort of thing. Tell me, will I be getting to see into the homes of all my friends? I would love some juicy tidbits.”

“We shall see,” the spirit said. “Now, touch my gown.”

Like with the first Ghost, Emma did as instructed. And yes, the same phenomenon occurred. Emma found herself transported out into the streets of New York City.

“Spirit!” Emma suddenly realized she was in her bathrobe. “What do you mean taking me out into the city without my being properly attired? What will people think?!”

“First off, you are not able to be seen,” the spirit said. “Second, is that all you think about, people’s approval I mean? And thirdly, why should you care if you were seen in your bathrobe? I know for a fact that you have paraded about this city with far less on many times.”

Emma was properly chastised, so much so that she remained quiet and let the Ghost of Christmas Present lead the way about town. In what only seemed like a few seconds, Emma found herself in the West Side.

“Why,” Emma exclaimed. “What are we doing here? I have no friends in this quarter. Indeed, it is not fit for a person of my social status to be here!”

“Watch,” the Ghost said, slightly fed up with Emma’s ego. “You do know who lives here, and she is thinking of you today. Come….”

Emma walked into the house. There was no point in knocking, for we know that she and the Ghost could be neither seen nor heard. It was a simply furnished house. It was not neat, nor was it dirty. It had the appearance of being happily lived in. As Emma glanced about, she saw Beverly Crump, the girl who always stopped her in the streets and spoke to her.

“Lord,” Emma noticed that Beverly was praying. “I lift up this day to you. I thank you for what it means, that you sent the gift of Your Son into the world. It was so undeserved, and that makes me all the more happier. I pray that you would bless our time with Aunt Viera…”

“Meredith Viera!!” Emma was shocked. “That girl’s aunt is the host of the Today show! Why doesn’t she flaunt that?”

“Why do you always feel compelled to flaunt what you have? Sometimes, things don’t need to be revealed, and that does not make us any less of a person.” The Spirit looked towards Beverly again. “Now, listen this time, without interrupting.”

Beverly had continued on with her prayer, for remember, Emma couldn’t be seen or heard. “If it isn’t too much to ask, please keep my aunt from badmouthing the way we live. I love her so much, and I really would like to avoid an argument. Lastly, I pray a special blessing for Emma. I hardly know her, Father, but I feel she is hurting. I think she is looking in places for happiness that will not give it. If only she would look to you! Minister to her, and get a hold of her heart somehow.” Beverly finished, and left the room, with a happy countenance and a light mind.

Long after her footsteps had ceased to echo, Emma still found herself in Beverly’s room. “She prayed for me?” Emma questioned. “Why? I certainly do not treat her right.”

“To Beverly, that doesn’t matter,” the Ghost said. “She has the love of Christ in her. It is a love that cares about all of her fellow human beings.”

“Well,” Emma harrumphed. “I do not need her prayers! I have plenty of other people who care. Show me someone else who isn’t praying for me…and yet loves me.”

With that, the Ghost did as Emma requested. Indeed, she was at the human’s disposal. However, the Spirit got to choose the destinations. This time, she picked a house that Emma knew quite well.

“My brother’s house was not what I had in mind!” Emma looked at the Ghost in disgust. “Why do you take me to places I do not wish to see?”

“You are taken here because you need to see him. You should know by now that you cannot shut out the past. You try to avoid your brother for some reason, a reason that you will not admit to yourself. Here, I will say it for you: you, Emma, are envious of your brother. You wish you had the type of happiness that he does…Is that not so?”

“Alright!!!” Emma yelled. “You are right. John has it altogether. He has a wife that adores him, he is expecting a baby, a nice house…I used to want that. But life changed for me, and I cannot get that now.”

The Ghost of Christmas Present had not heard the last sentence, for she had entered the house. Emma didn’t think she had any other choice but to follow, so that is what she did. As she walked in, she was greeted with memories, for her brother’s house looked just like her childhood home. Emma watched as her brother, sister-in-law, gathered around the table with several other guests. Before they all partook of the food, John, Emma’s brother, stood up.

“I want to thank you all for coming today. It is such a blessing! There is a person that is missing, and I wish she were here. My sister, Emma, had better things to do with her day and would not join us. I feel she has made a mistake, but it is her mistake. You all know the whole story about my sister and I; many of you know past hurts that she has inside of her. I just want to say that if any of you get a chance to minister a little bit of God’s love to her, it would mean so much to me. I pray for her daily, and I would love for you to as well.”

As John sat down, Emma heard a faint “hear, hear.” She glanced to see Brad, the boy who had jilted her, sitting between her nieces. Emma also heard her sister-in-law, Jen, say, "God bless, Emma, Father.” These two little tidbits went on unheard as John began praying for the food. After he finished, eating commenced.

“I….I,” Emma stammered. “I didn’t know John still felt this way. I assumed that as time went by, he would begin to despise me.”

“You underestimate your brother. Everyone at this table cares about you,” Ghost said. “Do you see a little bit of what you are missing?”

“Fine, I will give you that,” Emma said. “It looks like everyone is having a wonderful time, and my being there wouldn’t affect that in any way. However, what of my friends? I was going there after shopping, you know.”

Now, the Ghost knew the next stop would be painful for Emma, but she had to see it. So, she took her to where she requested. It was a house of revelry, of flirtations and immodesty, of loud music and dancing. Indeed, there was nothing to indicate the True Meaning of Christmas.

“Well, Emma isn’t here,” a girl said.

“What a shame! I knew she was going to wear an amazing outfit; that’s why I came.” This statement came from a guy named James, one who Emma had mentioned to the Ghost in the beginning.

“You can always count on Emma to please the eyes,” Mark said.

“That’s about it,” Zach said. “She is pretty ditzy, and if she didn’t flaunt her beauty, she wouldn’t be any good to be around. As it is, the party is fine without her. In fact, if Vanessa showed a little more, she would be a perfect substitute for Emma.”

Emma heard all this in a state of disbelief. “They feel this way about me?! I thought they liked me better than that!”

The Ghost stood back and looked at her. “They like you for the way you arouse them. They do not care about you as a person, or indeed as something to be treasure. They only view you like a child does a toy. They like it as long as it pleases them; when they outgrow it, or something better comes along, they will toss you aside.”

“NO!!!” Emma sunk to the ground in sobs. “What is to become of me?!”

“What indeed,” the Ghost questioned. “My time is done here. I must leave you now.”

“You cannot leave me here without one iota of hope!!”

However, the Ghost of Christmas Present was gone, leaving Emma where she stood…alone.

To Be Continued