Christmas Bells by Jennifer Chiaverini

that year, and after their last Friday-evening rehearsal before it, Sophia and Lucas had stayed late at the church discussing the children’s preparedness and making final decisions about the program and the assignment of solos. They were both tired and stressed from the week, for reasons having nothing to do with the choir, and so when Sophia suggested they move their meeting down the street to a café that served hot coffee and excellent pie, Lucas readily agreed.
    The change of scene relaxed them both, and they worked out the final details of the concert and mass well before they finished dessert. When conversation turned to their plans for the holidays, Sophia grew quiet and pensive, until Lucas was compelled to ask her what was wrong.
    She hesitated. “It’s probably nothing.”
    â€œIf it’s bothering you, it’s not nothing.”
    â€œOkay, but don’t tell Brandon.”
    Lucas traced an
X
over his heart with his finger. “Promise.”
    â€œA few days ago, we were at the jewelry store. I was helping him pick out a Christmas gift for his mother.” Her expression was troubled, with an undertone of embarrassment. “We were browsing, looking at the rings and bracelets and necklaces displayed in the cases, when suddenly I saw something that I thought would be the perfect gift for Brandon. You know, to show him how I feel.”
    When she fell silent, Lucas prompted, “A gold-plated calculator?”
    She smiled wanly. “No, silly. That’s what I got him last year.”
    â€œYou’re kidding.”
    â€œYes, I am.” She took a deep breath. “So I called him over, and I took his hand, and I said, ‘This is what I would want to give you, even if I had to sell my hair to buy it.’ And I showed him—”
    â€œA fob chain.”
    Her eyes widened. “Yes.
Yes
, exactly. It was even made of platinum. So you get it?”
    â€œOf course I get it. ‘The Gift of the Magi,’ one of the greatest Christmas stories ever written. The wife sells her beautiful hair to earn enough money to buy her husband a fob chain for his most prized possession, a gold watch that had been in the family for generations. What she didn’t know was that her husband had sold the watch so he could buy her a set of combs for her beautiful hair.”
    â€œSo it’s not a completely obscure reference, especially at Christmas.” Suddenly her air of vindication vanished, and she looked utterly miserable. “I felt so stupid. I still do.”
    â€œWhy would you feel stupid? It was a very nice thing to say.” It was more than nice, but that was the best Lucas could manage while forcing back his jealousy.
    â€œBecause Brandon didn’t understand at all. He just gave me this blank look and said that he didn’t own a pocket watch, he didn’t know anyone who did, and he was surprised that the jeweler would carry a fob chain for something no one used anymore.”
    â€œOh.” Lucas inhaled deeply and ran a hand over his jaw. “Wow. Well, maybe he isn’t a fan of O. Henry.”
    â€œEvidently not, but even after I explained the story to him, he still just shook his head, completely bewildered. He couldn’t understand that the point of the story is that Della and Jim loved each other so much that each sacrificed their greatest treasure for the other.”
    â€œRight, because the other person’s happiness was more important than their own. The other person’s happiness was
essential
to their own.”
    â€œYes, exactly.” Sophia reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “Thank you for confirming that I’m not crazy.”
    He held his hand perfectly still, unwilling to do anything that might encourage her to move hers. “You’re not crazy. You just . . . have a better grasp of literature than Brandon.” He forced himself to add, “That doesn’t make him a