The Christmas Angel

by Thomas Kinkade

  Sara felt suddenly ashamed of her snide comment, though Emily hadn’t seemed to notice. She should be more supportive, more positive. Emily was doing a good deed, an admirable act of charity.

  And Sara fully understood Emily’s motivation. She never mothered me as a baby, so she needs to make up for it this way. She’s never gotten over having to give me up.

  How ironic that she would be the one who begrudged her own mother the experience.

  Sara made another halfhearted try at starting her painting and grimaced. She had exactly two brushstrokes on the paper and they were all wrong.

  “Having trouble focusing tonight?” Emily asked kindly.

  “Looks like it. Those pears aren’t inspiring me much,” Sara admitted.

  “You never told me about your story,” Emily reminded her.

  “Oh, right.” Sara paused. “It’s pretty good stuff. You’ll see it tomorrow though.” She sighed and cleaned off a brush.

  “Sara, is something wrong? Did you have a problem at work today?”

  Sara shook her head. “No, but Luke and I have been arguing. Things are sort of shaky between us right now.”

  “What did you argue about?”

  “He wants to get engaged for Christmas,” Sara confided. “He had me trying on rings and everything. I guess I shouldn’t have been so surprised. We’ve been together forever, as he kept reminding me. But I really thought it over and I had to tell him I wasn’t ready. We had a fight. I think I really hurt his feelings.”

  Emily looked surprised, Sara thought. Then her expression turned serious again.

  “I’m sure it was hard to tell him you weren’t ready. That took guts. But if that’s how you feel, Sara, you did the right thing. I’m proud of you. Most young women your age would have seen the ring and said yes automatically.”

  “It was a nice ring,” Sara admitted with a small smile.

  Emily patted her hand. “All good things come in their own time. Marriage is a huge commitment, honey. You can’t afford not to be honest with each other right now. Luke is being honest with you about what he wants. Just don’t stop talking to each other. It takes time to work these things out.”

  “If Luke can fit me into his schedule. There’s this old friend of his who’s come to town. An old girlfriend,” Sara corrected herself. “I ran into them in the Beanery. They were hanging out the whole day together and she’s probably still here now. Luke never called me and he promised he would.”

  “Why would he get in touch with an old girlfriend?” Emily asked curiously.

  “She found him. She’s writing a book about police officers who have left the force and how their lives have turned out. She came to interview him. I think it’s more like she came to check him out again.”

  “Come on, Sara. Don’t jump to conclusions. You only saw them together once. She might have gone back to wherever she came from by now. You might never hear about her again.”

  “I doubt that very much. She looked to me like she was . . . digging in,” Sara said honestly. Digging her hooks into Luke, she wanted to add.

  Emily cast her a concerned look. “Don’t worry, honey. He may be just trying to get your attention, make you jealous.”

  “Well, it worked.”

  Emily laughed. “Luke loves you. He wants to marry you. You just told me that. You’re not going to lose him in one day to some old girlfriend.”

  “You haven’t seen her. She’s tall, thin, blonde, and sort of all-around gorgeous . . . although the hair is definitely chemically enhanced,” she added.

  Emily shook her head. “You’re all-around gorgeous, too. A total knockout, with brains and talent to boot. So there.”

  “Thanks, but you have to say that. You’re my mother,” Sara pointed out, only a tiny bit cheered by the reinforcement.

  “Yes, I know. It’s in my contract.” Emily gave her a tender look. “I’m also the mayor, don’t forget. Maybe I can figure out some way to run her out of town. Too much flirting with other women’s boyfriends? We have laws against that sort of thing around here,” Emily said firmly. “Or we can . . . if it’s convenient.”

  Sara finally had to smile. “Thanks. That would be a help.”

  “I’ll put Officer Tulley on it right away.” Emily glanced at Sara’s mostly blank page. “Want to pack up and go over to the Beanery?”

  “You don’t mind? Your painting is coming out pretty good tonight.”

  “That’s all right. I can finish some other time. I only come here to hang out with you, you know.”

  Emily’s admission was touching. Sara sighed. “I guess that fruit bowl is making me hungry.”

  “Let’s go then,” Emily said. “If we run into Luke and his old flame, I’ll give that upstart a piece of my mind.”

  Sara knew that if the circumstances should arise, Emily would be perfectly polite and would never embarrass her.

  But it was nice to know Emily sympathized and was in her corner. Of course, Emily always was. Sara had come to rely on her gentle counsel and unflagging encouragement.

  Tonight, of all nights, she appreciated it even more.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “HERE SHE IS.” NADINE PRESTON STEPPED CLOSER AND handed Emily the baby. Jane wore a pink velour onesie and was wrapped in a white blanket, both of which Emily had brought from home. Emily was sure she’d never seen anything sweeter, cuter, or more beautiful in her life.

  She had worried and fretted nonstop until Nadine called late Friday night to tell them that they would be Jane’s temporary guardians. She and Dan had jumped out of bed Saturday morning and driven as fast as they dared up to Southport. They’d met Nadine and signed the final papers in the hospital waiting room. Now they stood together in the hospital nursery. The big moment had arrived.

  “Isn’t she beautiful?” Emily glanced at Dan and then back at the baby.

  “That she is,” Dan agreed, peering over her shoulder. “Look at her little outfit. How cute.”

  “I bought it yesterday, just in case,” Emily admitted. “It’s nice and warm. I have her snowsuit, too, in this bag.”

  She showed them a big blue bag filled with all sorts of baby necessities she had picked up.

  Nadine smiled at her. “She’s all yours now. You can put it on whenever you want to.”

  “Yes, of course.” Emily smiled nervously. She was sure she seemed in a state. She did feel overwhelmed, more than even she expected. She looked up at Dan, who seemed subdued, though she could tell he was making an effort to be enthusiastic and say all the right things.

  “Well, I’ll leave you three to get acquainted. I’ll be in touch. Call me if you have any problems, though.”

  “Thank you, Nadine. Thanks for everything,” Emily said.

  “No thanks necessary. I think you’ll be fine,” the social worker added.

  Emily watched her go, then turned to Dan. “Hold the baby a minute and I’ll get her snowsuit out.”

  Wordlessly, Dan took the baby. Emily thought he looked a little nervous and held Jane a bit stiffly, but it would take time for them to get acquainted. He wasn’t a natural at this.

  The baby fussed a bit and Dan bounced her in his arms. “There, there. It’s all right. You’re coming home with us. How do you like that?”

  Apparently, Jane wasn’t thrilled at the idea. She immediately crinkled up her face and started crying. Dan stared at Emily with a “What now?” look.

  Emily restrained her instinct to rush in and take over.

  “Try talking to her some more. She’s just a little fussy. She doesn’t know us yet. Babies need to get accustomed to your smell,” she added, repeating something she’d read last night in one of Jessica’s baby books.

  Dan turned back to the baby. “Come on, Jane. Stop crying now. It’s okay,” he soothed her.

  He put the baby up on his shoulder and patted her back. Jane’s cries rose in intensity and volume. Emily thought she saw him actually wince, though he kept on pacing around the room, patting the baby�
�s back.

  “It’s all right. I’ll take her. Let me put this snowsuit on and we’ll go.”

  The suit was more like a down-filled sack that, luckily, went on easily. Dan grabbed the rest of the baby’s belongings and they headed out of the hospital.

  Once in Emily’s arms, Jane stopped crying. Emily hoped she would fall asleep. It wouldn’t be a good start to things if she cried all the way from Southport to Cape Light.

  In the parking lot, Dan opened the back door of Emily’s Jeep. Emily leaned inside and checked the car seat. They had bought it at a Shop-Mart on the way up to the hospital, and Emily wasn’t sure they had put it in the car correctly.

  “I don’t think this is right. It shouldn’t shift around so much. Maybe the seat belt goes through a different spot?”

  “Honey, I read the directions. It’s in right,” Dan insisted. He leaned inside the car and yanked on the seat. It came free of the strap in his hand.

  Emily hid a grin. “Where are the directions? Let’s take another look.”

  Dan rubbed his forehead. “I think I threw them out.”

  “You threw them out? What did you do that for?”

  “Now, now. Don’t panic,” Dan said, an edge to his voice. “It’s just a car seat, Emily. We’ll figure it out.”

  Emily was about to reply, then stopped herself. She didn’t think it was good for the baby to be out in the cold like this.

  “Here, you take the baby. I’ll fix the seat,” she said in a calm but firm tone. “I think I remember how to do it. It’s just like Jessica’s.”

  She handed Dan the baby so that he had no choice. Jane stared around, looked at Dan, and started crying again. Dan took a deep breath and tilted his head back, staring at the sky for a moment. Emily knew he wasn’t a praying man but had a feeling he’d resorted to making a heavenly appeal for patience.

  They hadn’t even had the baby an hour yet. Not a good sign, she thought.

  She got into the Jeep and started working on the seat. It took a bit longer than she expected to figure it out, and she had to rethread the straps. But finally the seat seemed secure.

  “Okay, it’s good now. Hand her over.” Dan quickly handed the baby back. Emily gently placed Jane in the seat, fastened the straps, and got in beside her.

  “Why are you riding back there?” Dan asked.

  “She has to face backwards. It’s safer. I want to see her while we’re driving, make sure she’s okay.”

  “Oh, all right.” Dan sighed and got into the front seat. “I’ll be the chauffeur, I guess. Where to, madam?” he joked halfheartedly.

  “Home, James.” Emily ignored his tone. She was bringing Jane home, and the thought filled her with happiness.

  The baby slept most of the ride home, as Emily had hoped. When they finally got back to the house, Emily gave her a bottle while Dan looked on. Emily invited him to have a turn feeding the baby, but he said, “I think I’ll pass this round. You can show me later. I’m sure she’ll be having another meal soon.”

  True enough, Emily thought. She had a head start bonding with the baby while visiting at the hospital, and now Dan needed to catch up. But she sensed it was wiser not to force him. Emily took Jane into their bedroom, changed her, and then walked back and forth with her, humming a vague little tune. She felt the baby’s body grow heavy, her head falling limply on Emily’s shoulder. When Jane was sound asleep, Emily carefully put her in the portable crib she had borrowed from Jessica.

  Emily stood by the crib a moment, watching the baby sleep. She lay on her side, her cheek pressed flat against the white sheet, her fist curled to her mouth. Emily thought she could stand that way for hours, watching her. But she pulled herself away and returned to Dan, who sat in the living room reading the newspaper.

  “How’s it going?” he asked.

  “Everything is under control. So far, so good,” Emily reported. “She ate, dirtied a diaper, and is now fast asleep.”

  “Sounds about right,” Dan said approvingly. “Babies are programmed on a loop, as I recall. I think you’ll be seeing a lot of that routine.”

  “You’ll” be seeing, he said, not “we.” Emily ignored the distant tone and smiled at him.

  “It’s going to be fun having her around for Christmas, don’t you think? It makes me more excited for the holidays.”

  Dan glanced at her. “Yes, Christmas. It will be here before we know it. Didn’t the social worker say their investigation would be over about that time?”

  She knew what he was hinting at. The baby might be released for adoption by then, which wouldn’t make for a very happy Christmas at all. Emily didn’t want to think that far ahead and ruin her happiness here and now. “I think we should just take it one day at a time,” she said.

  He nodded. “Good plan.”

  The doorbell rang. Dan looked over at her. “Expecting company?”

  Emily shrugged and stood up. “No, I wonder who it could be.”

  She glanced out the window as she walked to the front door and spotted Betty Bowman’s white Volvo in the driveway. Emily’s step quickened and she pulled open the door.

  Betty peered inside curiously. “I hope I’m not being a pest, but I was passing by and I just wondered if I could see the baby. Just a peek,” she promised. “I won’t stay long.”

  “Don’t be silly. Come in, please. What a nice surprise.” Emily hugged her best friend and stepped back, smiling. “I just put her down for a nap, but we can sneak in. I don’t think she’ll wake up.”

  “Sounds great.” Betty smiled at Dan as she walked through the living room.

  “Hi, Betty. Did you come to meet our new houseguest?”

  Emily cringed at his terminology but let it slide.

  “I couldn’t resist,” Betty admitted. “How’s it going?”

  Dan shrugged. “Seems to be going fine. Emily’s doing all the work so far.”

  “We just got home about an hour an ago. There’s not much to report,” Emily said honestly.

  “Here, I brought her a little something.” Betty handed Emily a small pink gift bag with a big chiffon bow. Emily peered inside and found a beautiful hand-knit outfit made with pale yellow fine-gauge yarn, pants and jacket and matching hat, all trimmed with white. The tiny buttons on the jacket looked like daisies.

  “Betty, this is beautiful. You shouldn’t have gone to all that trouble.”

  “No trouble. I hope it’s the right size.”

  “Seems perfect. She’ll look adorable in this.”

  Emily led Betty back to the bedroom, noticing that Dan was already sunk deep behind his newspaper again.

  Inside the darkened bedroom, Betty quietly crept up to the crib and peered inside. She gazed at the baby a long moment.

  “Oh my. She’s beautiful.” She took hold of Emily’s hand but didn’t seem able to say more.

  Emily and Betty had been friends since high school. Betty knew everything and understood everything.

  Emily stepped closer to the crib and adjusted the blanket, tucking it up over the baby’s shoulder again.

  “It’s not forever. But it’s something,” she said softly.

  “You never know,” Betty said. “How is Dan doing with all this?”

  “Keeping his distance. He can do that pretty well when he wants to,” Emily confessed, even though it hurt a bit to admit it. “I’m not sure what I expected,” she went on ruefully. “Maybe I had some fantasy that he would take one look at the baby and just flip head over heels. That hasn’t happened so far.”

  “Give him time.”

  “As much as I can,” Emily said, again hoping that Jane wouldn’t be taken from them quickly. “I think it’s just going to be harder than I realized. But I was willing to take the risk. So here I am.”

  “Yes, here you are.” Betty sighed and looked down at the baby again. “Whatever happens, you’re doing the right thing.”

  Emily looked up at her friend. “Do you really think so?”

  Betty nodded, still wa
tching the baby. “Yes, Emily, I really do. Besides, you know how Dan is. It may take him awhile, but when he does fall, he falls pretty hard.”

  She knew that too. Dan didn’t bestow his love easily, but once he gave his heart to a person or even a project, he gave it completely. Irrevocably. She knew that for a fact.

  It was some comfort, some hope, Emily thought. But it wasn’t only Dan’s doubt she had to worry about. Taking in this child was complicated, maybe more than she’d allowed herself to consider. It was all just hitting her now.

  Had she rushed into this too quickly?

  Closing her eyes, Emily sent up a quick, silent prayer that she had done the right thing and not just acted on the selfish, impulsive whim of a middle-aged woman who had missed out on an important path in life.

  SATURDAY MORNING, SARA CLEANED HER APARTMENT IN A FRENZY, trying not to watch the clock or listen for the phone. There hadn’t been any message from Luke on her answering machine last night, and he hadn’t called all morning. Sara had been on the phone twice, talking to Emily about the baby. She had made plans to go over there for a quick visit that afternoon. She wondered if Luke had called and found the line busy. She knew he would call back if that was the case. He would call here and then try her cell phone. But he was sure taking his sweet time about it.

  They always went out on Saturday nights unless some emergency came up. It was simply understood. But they usually spoke to each other by now to catch up and figure out their plans. She often called him; she wasn’t one of those women who had a “rule” about men doing all the calling. That was silly. It didn’t matter.

  But this morning Sara felt odd each time she picked up the phone and started to dial his number, as if she were checking up on him. All things considered, she felt he should call her. Maybe it was silly and immature, but she couldn’t help it.

  She finished cleaning and jumped in the shower, wondering if she should make plans with a girlfriend. What was Luke’s problem anyway? One minute he’s begging her to get married, and the next minute he pulls this disappearing act.

  Get a grip, Sara; you just saw him yesterday. He’s not exactly a candidate for the FBI missing person’s list.