Starry Night

grave loving me. Unfortunately, pride prevented him from letting me know he wanted me back. He was unwilling to compromise. It could only be his way.”
    Carrie feared Joan might be right and Finn was like his father. He, too, would be willing to walk away from her and not look back.
    They sipped their tea in silence for several moments while Carrie gathered her thoughts. “I’d appreciate your help with something.”
    “Of course.”
    Carrie reached into the bag she’d brought along with her. “I need you to tell me what this is.” She brought out the Christmas gift Finn had left under her Christmas tree. Unable to wait any longer, Carrie had unwrapped his gift before she left Chicago, but she didn’t have a clue as to what it might be. It was a narrow stick of what appeared to be fossilized ivory and was about twenty inches in length.
    The night before, Carrie’s father had taken a look at it and shook his head. He didn’t have an answer for her.
    Joan reached for the object and released a soft “Oh, my.”
    “What is it?” Carrie asked.
    Joan reverently ran her hand down the piece, and then raised her eyes to Carrie’s. “My son gave you this for Christmas?”
    “Yes. What can you tell me about it?”
    Joan nodded. “It’s an oosik.”
    “Which is?” This wasn’t helping.
    “It’s a walrus penis bone.”
    Carrie gasped. “A what?”
    Joan laughed at the look that came over Carrie. “Leave it to my son.”
    “He gave me a toaster and a walrus penis bone?”
    “This one is rather rare, though, if it’s the same one Paul got all those years ago from an elderly Alaskan native.”
    “An oosik?” Carrie repeated, the word unfamiliar on her tongue.
    “This one is a fossilized baculum and comes from an extinct walrus. They’re highly collectible for Alaskan art. It was one of Paul’s most prized possessions. At the time, and remember, this was many years ago, it was valued at around twenty thousand dollars.”
    “Why would Finn give it to me?” She wanted to clasp it to her breast, but that wouldn’t bring Finn back.
    “Isn’t it obvious, my dear? He loves you.”
    It was too valuable, and it clearly held sentimental value to Joan. “I can’t keep this,” she said sadly, her mind made up. “I’d rather you take it.”
    Automatically, Joan shook her head. “Finn wanted you to have it.”
    “Please,” Carrie whispered. “It should stay with you. And if by chance Finn and I …” Her voice caught, and she had to stop talking for fear her emotions might overwhelm her. “If Finn and I,” she repeated, “manage to get back together, then you can save it to give to one of your grandchildren.”
    Joan’s eyes filled with unshed tears, and she slowly nodded.
    Deep down, Carrie believed she wouldn’t hear from Finn again. She’d played her hand, laid down her cards, and her ploy had failed. Finn was unwilling to meet her face-to-face for an interview or anything else. He couldn’t look her in the eye and say the things he had to her while in her kitchen, and they both knew it.
    Christmas Eve day Carrie helped her mother get everything ready for their annual Christmas buffet. Instead of the big traditional dinner, complete with turkey and stuffing plus all the fixings, her mother served a multitude of longtime familyfavorites: several salads, casseroles, fried chicken, deviled eggs, and a ham, plus a wide variety of desserts.
    On Christmas Day, friends and family would stop by to partake. Carrie always enjoyed this special time working in the kitchen with her mother. It seemed the most important discussions of her life had taken place in front of the stove or the refrigerator.
    Carrie sliced the cooked potatoes for the potato salad, her father’s favorite, when her mother unexpectedly came to her and hugged her. “I know how hard this year has been for you, honey. Your heart is aching.”
    “I love him, Mom.”
    “Talking about him might help. Do you want to tell me what it is that you find so compelling about Finn Dalton?”
    Discussing her feelings was exactly what Carrie needed. Everyone else seemed to tiptoe around anything having to do with Finn, afraid to bring up any reference to him. Carrie realized they were simply looking to protect her, but Finn had become the subject everyone had chosen to ignore.
    “He’s not like any man I’ve ever known,” she told her mother. “He’s resourceful and resilient, quick-witted and generous. He has the most wonderful subtle