a thank you.

Late after the Collective Christmas meal, I found a friend crying in the street. Her three-year-old daughter played next to her, and I sat down with them both to see what was wrong. I asked my friend, but she shook her head; then I asked the little girl, now in my lap, “Do you know why mommy is crying? What happened?”

“Daddy hit her. He drank a little too much and he hit her. Mommy doesn’t like that so she’s crying.”

It’s terrifying how much children understand.

I asked the mom if this was true and asked a bit more into the situation. Her mother-in-law had stepped in; he had left angry, and she was nervous for him to come back. I invited her in to sit in our house for awhile, or to sleep if she wanted; I asked if there was anything I could do. She said she wanted to just wait. 

I told her we’d be up late that night—we had so, so many presents still to wrap—and that I’d leave the door open. I told her to come if he was angry or tried to hit her at all. I told her to run with her daughter, but if she couldn’t, to just come herself. I said I really didn’t think he’d hit his little girl—he really does love her and despite this story is a pretty great guy—and we could send Stephen to get the little girl if she got to our house safely. Then I prayed for her, and told her again to come if she was scared at all; the door would be open.

We checked on her house a few more times that night, and finally closed the door after midnight. We then opened it back at six the next morning—back at wrapping presents.

That morning, I passed her in the street as I returned from another house, and she grabbed my arm. She said thank you. She thanked us for leaving the door open, and said he came back calm. I reassured her she could always come, we’d always help, and that we could give her a key if this happened more. And she just said thank you.

I don’t think a mother has ever thanked us for situations like this, where we did this or more. Mostly, that is due to culture: the shame the situation creates, the losing face. I can’t say I ever expected it or even knew it wasn’t there. I wasn’t waiting for a thanks.

But she said thank you. And it meant the world to me this Christmas.