I was 10 the year my cousin Marley's parents gave her a painful Christmas surprise: they were getting a divorce.
I
was
10
the
year
my
cousin
Marley
's
parents
gave
her
a
painful
Christmas
surprise
:
they
were
getting
a
divorce
.
My aunt went to California, but my uncle decided to get her back.
My
aunt
went
to
California
,
but
my
uncle
decided
to
get
her
back
.
There was one matter: where to put his young daughter.
There
was
one
matter
:
where
to
put
his
young
daughter
.
Luckily, my mother loved Marley, giving her more attention than her family ever did.
Luckily
,
my
mother
loved
Marley
,
giving
her
more
attention
than
her
family
ever
did
.
On that Christmas Eve, my cousin arrived on our doorstep carrying an old blue suitcase.
On
that
Christmas
Eve
,
my
cousin
arrived
on
our
doorstep
carrying
an
old
blue
suitcase
.
Before she stepped inside, Marley said, "It doesn't matter.
Before
she
stepped
inside
,
Marley
said
,
``
It
does
n't
matter
.
When my parents come back, we'll have a bigger Christmas than this."
When
my
parents
come
back
,
we
'll
have
a
bigger
Christmas
than
this
.
''
Late on the night Marley arrived, my mom came into my room, her arms filled with packages.
Late
on
the
night
Marley
arrived
,
my
mom
came
into
my
room
,
her
arms
filled
with
packages
.
I knew they were my Christmas presents.
I
knew
they
were
my
Christmas
presents
.
"I know how you love surprises but we have to decide which ones to give to Marley."
``
I
know
how
you
love
surprises
but
we
have
to
decide
which
ones
to
give
to
Marley
.
''
My mother carefully opened the gifts.
My
mother
carefully
opened
the
gifts
.
Wow!
Wow
!
I saw ice skates, red leather gloves and a dollhouse.
I
saw
ice
skates
,
red
leather
gloves
and
a
dollhouse
.
The last present was the music box we'd asked the lady at the local store to take down and play for us over and over again.
The
last
present
was
the
music
box
we
'd
asked
the
lady
at
the
local
store
to
take
down
and
play
for
us
over
and
over
again
.
"Which ones?"
``
Which
ones
?
''
my mother asked.
my
mother
asked
.
"She can have the ice skates," I said reluctantly.
``
She
can
have
the
ice
skates
,
''
I
said
reluctantly
.
"That's good," my mother said.
``
That
's
good
,
''
my
mother
said
.
She began to tape the packages up again.
She
began
to
tape
the
packages
up
again
.
Then she stopped and asked, "Are you sure about these?"
Then
she
stopped
and
asked
,
``
Are
you
sure
about
these
?
''
At that moment, I realized she expected more from me than I had already given.
At
that
moment
,
I
realized
she
expected
more
from
me
than
I
had
already
given
.
So I gave her the music box, too, and she was pleased with me.
So
I
gave
her
the
music
box
,
too
,
and
she
was
pleased
with
me
.
The next morning, Marley's eyes were resolute.
The
next
morning
,
Marley
's
eyes
were
resolute
.
She expected nothing and wanted us to know she didn't care.
She
expected
nothing
and
wanted
us
to
know
she
did
n't
care
.
But when she saw her name on the biggest box, she couldn't hide her excitement.
But
when
she
saw
her
name
on
the
biggest
box
,
she
could
n't
hide
her
excitement
.
I thought my happiness would be cut in half.
I
thought
my
happiness
would
be
cut
in
half
.
Instead it was doubled.
Instead
it
was
doubled
.
Over the last 40 years, Marley and I have grown apart.
Over
the
last
40
years
,
Marley
and
I
have
grown
apart
.
But the love we felt for each other that day still remains.
But
the
love
we
felt
for
each
other
that
day
still
remains
.
Today Marley says, "They were the best presents I ever got.
Today
Marley
says
,
``
They
were
the
best
presents
I
ever
got
.
I was 10 the year my cousin Marley's parents gave her a painful Christmas surprise: they were getting a divorce. My aunt went to California, but my uncle decided to get her back. There was one matter: where to put his young daughter. Luckily, my mother loved Marley, giving her more attention than her family ever did.  On that Christmas Eve, my cousin arrived on our doorstep carrying an old blue suitcase. Before she stepped inside, Marley said, "It doesn't matter. When my parents come back, we'll have a bigger Christmas than this."  Late on the night Marley arrived, my mom came into my room, her arms filled with packages. I knew they were my Christmas presents. "I know how you love surprises but we have to decide which ones to give to Marley."  My mother carefully opened the gifts. Wow! I saw ice skates, red leather gloves and a dollhouse. The last present was the music box we'd asked the lady at the local store to take down and play for us over and over again.  "Which ones?" my mother asked. "She can have the ice skates," I said reluctantly. "That's good," my mother said. She began to tape the packages up again. Then she stopped and asked, "Are you sure about these?" At that moment, I realized she expected more from me than I had already given. So I gave her the music box, too, and she was pleased with me. The next morning, Marley's eyes were resolute. She expected nothing and wanted us to know she didn't care. But when she saw her name on the biggest box, she couldn't hide her excitement. I thought my happiness would be cut in half. Instead it was doubled.  Over the last 40 years, Marley and I have grown apart. But the love we felt for each other that day still remains. Today Marley says, "They were the best presents I ever got.