Christmas with the Kranks

1. Christmas with the Kranks Retold by: Marley (Maria)

2. It was that time of year again. The snow was falling, the lights were up, and the Christmas cheer was high. The Kranks, Luther and Nora, were ready to not celebrate Christmas this year. There was no point really, if the third member of the Kranks, Blair, was in Peru. There was no point in decorating the house, and putting the tree up if there was going to be no presents for the daughter miles away. It just wouldn’t be the same. Let’s us start from the beginning.

3. “Why are you looking at me like that?” Nora smiled shyly as Luther, her husband, kept on staring at her with a different look in his eyes. “Finish your pasta,” She laughed and motioned him to his plate. “I’m done with my pasta. It’s you that I’m not finished with.” Luther stood up from the table and walked to the door way, “I’ll be right back, you wait here.” “Okay,” Nora nodded her head slightly. Very shortly after, Luther came back from the hallway. He wore a tropical shirt with blue plants everywhere. He kept a stereo on his shoulder and Caribbean music played. “Luther? What are you doing? It’s not even Saturday night.” “I have an idea,” Luther said while setting the stereo down on the table. “Yeah?” Nora questioned confused by Luther’s actions. “It’s a brilliant idea. Make sure you close the curtains.” Luther directed by pulling something out of his pockets. “Alright,” Nora did as directed and shut the curtains before sitting back down with the plate of pasta still in front of her. “Look at this,” Luther pulled out what seemed a receipt. “We wasted 6,000 on Christmas last year. With precious little show for it-“ “Luther, where is this going?” Nora sighed, clearly confused and annoyed. “The Caribbean” He smiled wickedly as he pulled out a broche out of his pocket.

4. The last few weeks have been nightmares for the Kranks. The dirty looks of the neighbors, the phone calls from kids telling them to ‘Free Frosty’, and the fact that everyone kept on comparing them to the Grinch. It was a tradition to celebrate Christmas on their neighborhood. To decorate the houses, bake cookies with other moms on the block, and of course, to place Frosty on the roof. Talking about Frosty, they have gotten kids on their lawns with sighs. ‘Free Frosty’ it read. Along with the kids on their lawn with morning mist and winter’s freeze, there were the phone calls. “Free frosty!” They would yell into the phone madly.

5. “You are a genius!” Nora squealed as she threw clothing into a red suitcase sitting on the top of the bed. “It’s Christmas Eve and I can’t wait until we catch that cruise!” Just as she was about to hug her ‘genius’ husband, the phone rang. Luther sighed as picked up the phone madly. “Alright, guess what? Frosty is dead!” “Dad? Is that you?” A voice, a female voice cracked through the phone. It was their one and only Blair. “Blair?” Luther asked into the phone, almost not believing it himself. “Blair!” Nora jumped on top of the bed and into the walk in closet where there was another phone. “Hi mom,” They could practically feel Blair’s smile through the phone. “Blair!” Nora squealed again. “How are you sweetheart?” “Fine thanks. What about you guys? Preparing for the big Christmas party for this year?” “Blair, this year we’re actually-” Nora began to explain their situation about the cruise, but suddenly Blair interrupted. “Because I’m coming home, tonight!”

6. “Tonight?!” Nora and Luther shouted at the phone at the same time that their heart skipped a beat. “Yes, Enrique and I are very excited.” Blair explained, but just made her parents even more confused. “What’s Enrique?” Luther asked into the phone madly while Nora shot him a look. “My fiancé,” “What?!” “Yes, I hope that it’s snowing. Enrique has never seen a white Christmas.” “No, but I sense a storm.” Luther sighed before hitting his head against the door frame. “I just can’t wait until the party. You are having the party… right?” This was the moment of truth. The moment that could either make or break their holidays. Luther, still from their bedroom, shook his head fiercely at Nora. Go to the normal ending Go to a different ending

7. “Yes!” Nora practically screamed into the phone. “Great, like I said, I can’t wait to see Frosty on the roof, too. But I have to go now to catch our flight.” “Alright, honey, have a safe trip. Bye.” Nora hung up the phone before jumping out of her chair and into her room again. “We have twelve hours before she arrives. You take care of the tree and decorations and I’ll go get the food.” “It’s amazing how a phone call can change so much. Luther sighed while dropping on the bed.

8. Luther chucked the rope along with Frosty on the roof. He dragged it on the roof. “You are getting heavier and heavier every year.” He mumbled. He placed his foot in foot in front of him. It would have worked, if it hadn’t rain the night before. He slipped back and thank God for the fact that the rope had tangled on it’s right leg. He dangled upside down on his lawn. “Luther you okay?” his neighbors poured out of their cozy homes to help him down. “I’ll call 911.” One of them said from the small crowd. And sure enough, shortly after a fire truck came down the street. Shortly after, Luther was down and Nora was home. They were sitting down on the lawn with blankets. They had been talking amongst themselves and they had decided to help the Kranks. But not for Nora and Luther, but for Blair who had babysat everyone’s kid, for the girl that made them all feel like a family, for the cheerful one that made everyone smile.

9. And so, hours later everything was finished. The decorations were up, the turkey was cooked, and Blair and Enrique were finally home. They sang along to Christmas songs and eat the Christmas Eve feast. Everything was perfect. Luther excused himself for a second and stepped out into the snowy streets. He crossed next door to his neighbors which he new that had cancer. He knocked and the woman around the fifties came out with their cat. “Hello, Luther, merry Christmas.” She smiled warmly. “Hi, merry Christmas to you too. As you may know, Nora and I were going on a trip, and well, clearly not anymore,” he gestured towards his noisy house. “So we wanted to give you this,” Luther slipped out the plane and cruise tickets. “Luther… I can’t…” She mumbled, pushing the tickets away. “I don’t think my doctor would allow it.” “Ah, come on,” Luther sighed, “It’s the dream vacation.” He frowned slightly before walking away. Halfway through the street he turned around to find the woman still on her doorstep. “Merry Christmas,” he waved before returning to his house party.

10. “Blair, sweetheart,” Nora started to talk slowly. “We’re actually going to be going to a cruise in the Caribbean.” “What? But what about the traditional party?” Blair said sadly into the phone. “We just need a little break, you know, from the snow and the cold.” There was a small pause between all three of them. “You understand, right, honey?” “Yes, good luck on your cruise.” Blair sighed into the phone again before slamming it, ending the call. Hours later, the Kranks left into the hot Caribbean with no guilt and with no stress for a whole week.