Mia's Gift (Small-Town Christmas Wishes Series Book 1)

by Cindy Flores Martinez

“Desperately,” said Jesse. “Home Sweet Home is closing its doors, and if we don’t find another home for her in Snowflake as soon as possible, she’ll be taken to a facility in Denver. I don’t want that to happen, and Kristi doesn’t, either.”

  “I don’t blame her,” said Joy. “That’s a tough situation.” Her face tensed. “Unfortunately, the shelter doesn’t handle finding foster homes for children. The state sends a social worker for cases involving children.”

  “What about those you know who take adults into their home?” asked Mia. “Do you think any of them would go through the approval process for taking in a foster child?”

  Joy stopped to think about it. “I’m not sure. Maybe.”

  A maybe wasn’t certain but at least it wasn’t a no. “I have a list of the requirements from the child welfare office.” Mia opened her shoulder bag, grabbed a printout and handed it to Joy.

  “I’ll see what I can do,” said Joy. “I love finding a home for those who need one.”

  BLUE SPRUCE DINER. Mia glanced up at the sign in the parking lot of the Blue Spruce Plaza. Sitting in a booth with Jesse inside the small eatery, she lowered her head and glanced across at Tina.

  Dressed in a waitress uniform, Tina’s gaze studied a printout of the rules and regulations for becoming a foster parent. “A home safety check? What’s that?”

  Mia pointed at the list. “There’s a document on the next page that explains it. Your home needs to pass an inspection.”

  Tina turned the page and glanced at the list. Her expression changed.

  Mia’s stomach clenched. “Is something wrong?”

  “You’ve seen our house, haven’t you?”

  “Yes. I went to your daughter’s baby shower there.”

  “That house is old,” said Tina, “and it has its problems. It says here all the switches need to work, and the flooring has to be in good condition. A couple of our light switches don’t work, and the floor is sinking near the bathtub.”

  “I see,” said Mia.

  “And the flooring is uneven in the hallway. The wood creaks when we walk across it.”

  Mia glanced at Jesse. “That doesn’t sound so bad. Does it?”

  “No,” he said.

  “The floor creaks at the Snowflake Inn,” said Mia, “and the inspectors allow the owners, Henri and Ursula, to keep their business open.”

  Tina glanced over the rest of the list. “The roof has to be in good condition too?” She lowered the printout. “We just had a roofer repair ours because it started leaking, and there’s an awful water stain on the ceiling. My husband hasn’t had the time or money to fix it.”

  The worry crept up inside Mia. Would Charity’s check fix those problems—and pay for the lawyer?

  Tina glanced at the list. She jerked her head back. “What? The garage can’t have clutter? Why would that matter? Kristi probably wouldn’t even go in there.” She lowered the printout. “My husband has more power tools in our garage than the Home Depot. Only, not as organized. But he needs those tools for his job. He can’t store them away somewhere.”

  Mia’s hope began fading.

  “And it says here the home can’t have clutter, either,” said Tina. “We just pulled our Christmas decorations out of the garage this weekend, and it isn’t a pretty sight. If those home inspectors showed up like tomorrow, they might need to use GPS to figure out how to get around everything.”

  Mia’s hope sank.

  Tina flipped through the remaining pages without stopping to read everything. “I’ve only looked at some of this and it sounds like our home isn’t up to standard.” She handed Mia the printout. “But you can come by and see it again.”

  WALKING THROUGH THE parking lot of the Blue Spruce Plaza, Mia’s gaze focused on the ground. “What should we do?” she asked Jesse. “Do you want to see her house? Maybe it isn’t as bad as she made it sound.”

  “I’m afraid I might fall through the floor,” he said.

  Mia laughed and shook her head.

  “I can already tell you it won’t qualify,” he said. “The home needs to be in better shape than she described it.”

  They stopped at Jesse’s car and climbed inside it.

  Mia fastened her seat belt. “I have more potential foster parents on my list. And I’ll call Cathy Callahan to see if she found anyone who is interested.”

  Jesse started the engine and backed the car out of the parking space. “As soon as I drop you off, I’m going to look for a job. I think I’ll take whatever’s available.”

  Mia raised her eyebrows.

  “I’ve been with the same company for so long,” he said. “I hate the thought of leaving but Kristi needs me. The trouble is, a million other people are looking for a job too. You should see how crowded those job interviews are.”

  They exited the Blue Spruce Plaza and traveled toward Main Street.

  “The Cozy Coffee Shop is hiring,” said Mia. “I saw a sign in the window, but it’s only part-time and minimum wage.”

  “That wouldn’t be enough. Not for becoming Kristi’s legal guardian.”

  “How much does your salary need to be?”

  “There’s no specific income requirement, but the judge told me I would need to make enough money to pay for housing and other expenses for both me and Kristi. A part-time minimum wage salary wouldn’t cover that.”

  Mia grappled for answers. “What if you were to live with someone? Like a roommate. Someone who has two extra rooms. Would their salary—combined with yours—help you get custody?”

  Jesse shook his head. “The only way a scenario like that would be allowed is if I were married to that person and we both applied for co-guardianship.”

  “Really?”

  “They allow a spouse to become a co-guardian, and in that case, their income counts.”

  “I had no idea. That’s great, isn’t it?”

  “Not for my situation,” he said. “Marriage is out of the question for me right now. I haven’t come close to it in a long time.”

  “You haven’t?”

  “Long-distance relationships don’t work,” he said. “Believe me.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  He gave her a questioning glance.

  “I know a few single ladies at church and around town who probably wouldn’t mind having you as a long-distance husband.”

  “What?”

  “It’s true,” said Mia. “I’ve seen the way they look at you.”

  “Who?”

  She blinked hard. “You mean you’ve never noticed?”

  He grinned. “If you’re talking about who I think you’re talking about, then yes, I’ve noticed but they’re not anyone that I would want to be a long-distance husband to.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because,” he said. “They just aren’t.”

  “Maybe if you got to know them better, you would change your mind.”

  He laughed and shook his head. “That wouldn’t happen.”

  “How do you know that?”

  “You either have feelings for someone or you don’t. And I don’t. Not for them.”

  Mia grinned. “I understand what you mean.” Her thoughts drifted to Don. She glanced out the window at the Christmas decorations that colored some homes. “It’s funny, though,” she said. “All this time, I’ve been thinking we need to find a foster home for Kristi but maybe we just need to find a wife for you. Someone who can combine their salary with yours and apply for co-guardianship.”

  Jesse burst into laughter. “That’s funny, Mia.”

  “Seriously, Jesse. Maybe that’s the answer. Maybe we can marry you off.”

  “What?”

  “We can sign you up on one of those online dating websites or I can introduce you to the single women I know.”

  He laughed louder. “Stop. You’re making my ribs hurt.”

  That smile. That laughter. Mia couldn’t tear her gaze away. “I’m just trying to help.”

  “I appreciate
it,” he said. “And I do want to get married someday, but not like that. As much as I care about my niece, I could never rush into a marriage just to become Kristi’s legal guardian.”

  Mia nodded.

  “It has to be real,” he said. “It has to be for forever. And more than anything, it has to be from God.”

  “That’s sweet, Jesse. I hope you find that.” Mia sighed. And deep down, maybe she even swooned a little.

  Chapter 11

  Despite knowing that the child welfare office could rip her away from her home at any day, Kristi was more upbeat today. Had the thrill of Christmas taken hold of her?

  She held up her phone and showed Mia a picture. “This is how I think you should decorate Cupcakes on Main.”

  Mia gazed at the image. “Cupcake ornaments? They’re adorable.”

  “You could hang them on garland,” said Kristi, “and then hang the garland in the window so that the ornaments dangle.”

  “I like that idea. Where would I buy these ornaments?”

  “You would make them,” said Kristi.

  Mia jerked her head back. “Make them? How?”

  “All you need is the ornaments, foil cupcake liners and a glue gun.”

  Mia glanced at Jesse, who looked as surprised—and confused—as she was. “And?”

  “And that’s it,” said Kristi. “Have you ever made something from the craft store?”

  “No,” said Mia, “I guess I haven’t.”

  Jesse raised his hands. “Don’t look at me. I’ve never even been inside a craft store. I’m more of a hardware store person.”

  “My mom always took me to Polka Dot Crafts,” said Kristi. “We made a lot of arts and crafts projects through the years. These ornaments would be easy to make.”

  “If you know how to make them,” said Mia, “then okay. Let’s make cupcake ornaments.”

  Kristi’s face burst with excitement.

  THEIR FIRST STOP THAT night was Snowflake Discount Mart.

  Kristi sorted through the shelves of Christmas decorations. Tearing through them, she looked like a missile searching for its target.

  She spotted a see-through container of glittery round ornaments, seized it and studied it from every angle. She raised it so that Mia could see. “What do you think of these colors?”

  Mia glanced at the hues of magenta, royal purple and light pink. “They’re beautiful.”

  Kristi handed Jesse the container and continued the search.

  Mia joined her, and soon, the containers began piling up in Jesse’s arms.

  “I guess I should have gotten a shopping basket,” he said.

  Kristi grabbed artificial fir tree garland with lights around it. She glanced over it with a look of satisfaction. “This is perfect.”

  “I like it.” Mia checked the numbers on the cardboard packaging. “And I love the price. Let’s take it.”

  Kristi draped it over Jesse’s shoulder.

  Mia reached up and wrapped it around him like a scarf.

  “Hey,” he said with a playful tone.

  Kristi snatched a Santa hat from the shelf and flung it over his head.

  Mia straightened it and stepped back to get a better look at him.

  “Ho, ho, ho. Merry Christmas,” he said in a Santa voice.

  Mia and Kristi burst into laughter.

  Kristi thrust her hand in her pocket and pulled out her phone. She raised it at Jesse.

  “No,” he said. “No pictures.”

  The click of the camera filled the air. Kristi’s fingers tapped the keypad with amazing speed.

  “Wait,” said Jesse. “You’re not putting that on Facebook, are you?”

  Kristi turned her phone around to show him. “I already did,” she said with a gleam in her eye.

  THEIR NEXT STOP THAT night was Polka Dot Crafts.

  Mia, Kristi and Jesse strolled through the entrance wearing Santa hats.

  Jesse stopped inside the shop and glanced around at the Christmas crafts. Silk flowers, fabric, ribbon, and other everyday arts and crafts filled the rest of the tables and shelves. The spicy fragrance of potpourri wafted through the air. “I’ll wait for you here,” he said. “On second thought, I’ll be at the hardware store looking at the power tools.”

  Mia grabbed him by the arm. “Come on.” She pulled him further inside the shop.

  Kristi grabbed his other arm and tugged hard.

  He stumbled along in their grasp. “No,” he said with a playful tone. “Somebody, help me. Please.”

  Kristi stopped at a display rack. “Oh, Mia, look at all these rhinestones. They’re so pretty.”

  Jesse grimaced.

  THEIR LAST STOP THAT night was Cupcakes on Main.

  The sparkly round Christmas ornaments, rhinestones, and tin foil cupcake liners—all different colors—covered a table in the seating area.

  Kristi reached for a hot glue gun and dabbed liquid glue around a magenta ornament. She set the glue gun on the table, swiped a silver cupcake liner and held it over the bottom part so it looked like a cupcake. After a few seconds, she let go and grabbed the silver string hanger. The ornament dangled.

  A slight gasp escaped Mia’s lips. “It’s adorable. It looks like the ornaments in the pictures.”

  “Yeah,” said Jesse, “it does.”

  Kristi’s eyes glistened. “Do you want to try making one, Mia?”

  “I guess I could try it. It looks kind of fun.” Mia grabbed a pink sparkly ornament and held it. “What should I do next?”

  “Add the glue around here.” Kristi pointed below the center.

  Mia dabbed the glue around that section, set the glue gun down, and grabbed a magenta cupcake liner. She held it over the glue for a few seconds and grabbed the string. The imitation cupcake hung a bit lopsided. She snorted. “I guess I need practice.”

  “It’s not so bad,” said Kristi. “We can use it.” She reached for a purple glittery ornament. “How about you, Uncle Jesse? Do you want to try making one?”

  “What?” he said. “Oh, no. I couldn’t.”

  “Come on. Just one.” Kristi gave him a pleading gaze.

  “Can I use duct tape?”

  Mia laughed.

  “Seriously,” he said. “I’ll pass.”

  Kristi shrugged. Her smile faded a bit.

  He watched her with a hint of remorse and then squirmed in his seat. “All right. I’ll try it. But don’t tell anyone.”

  Kristi’s face brightened.

  Mia sat up taller.

  Jesse took the ornament with an awkward grasp. He glanced behind him at the window and the people walking on the street. “Is anyone watching? Mia, do you have curtains that we can shut?”

  “Nope,” she said with a glint in her eye.

  Jesse faced forward and waited for Kristi’s instruction.

  She handed him the glue gun.

  “Where am I supposed to put the glue?” he asked. “I forgot.”

  Kristi touched the ornament. “Add it around here and then hold a cupcake liner over it.”

  He laughed. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.” He held the glue gun over the ornament and squeezed the trigger. The glue oozed out.

  “You need to use less pressure,” said Kristi.

  Jesse squeezed the glue gun trigger again, and the glue flowed with less speed, but it was still fast. It fell away in a few places and created blotches in other spots. He let out a laugh.

  Kristi held out a pink foil cupcake liner.

  He set the glue gun on the table, took the liner with his masculine hand, and pressed it over the ornament. It wrinkled and lost its shape.

  Mia stifled a laugh.

  Jesse tugged at the cupcake foil to straighten it, but it wrinkled more. “I should stop before I destroy it beyond all recognition.” He pulled his hand away.

  Kristi grabbed hold of the string and let the ornament dangle. The liner was stuck to the side.

  “Great,” said Jesse.

  Mia couldn’t con
tain her laughter. “I’m not laughing at you,” she said. “I’m laughing because it’s cute.”

  “Cute?” he said. “I would hate to see your definition of ugly.” He glanced around the room. “Where’s the trash can?”

  “You can’t throw it away,” said Mia. “I’ll keep it.” She reached out, took the ornament and gazed at it. This one would go home with her.

  She and Kristi made the rest of the cupcake ornaments and tied them to the garland with green metallic twist ties.

  Jesse stepped on a chair and hammered small hooks around the window frame. He and Mia looped the garland around them so everyone could see it from the street.

  They stepped off the chairs, and Jesse plugged the lights in the outlet.

  The three of them bounded outside into the chilly evening. Mia flipped the light switch on her way out, plunging the room in darkness.

  Their gazes traveled all around the display. The Christmas lights burst in the window with a brilliant shine and sparkled on the surface of the cupcake ornaments, which dangled from the garland.

  It took Mia’s breath away. She placed her hand over her heart. “It’s stunning.”

  A few people on the sidewalk stopped to admire it too.

  Mia turned to Kristi. “Thank you for this. It’s the perfect Christmas decoration for the shop. It’s so much prettier than anything I could have done myself.”

  “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it.” Kristi’s face beamed brighter than all the Christmas lights on Main Street. “It was fun.”

  “Yeah,” said Mia. “It was fun.”

  “I have to admit,” said Jesse, “I enjoyed it too. But don’t tell anyone.” He winked. “Seriously, Kristi, this looks great. You did a wonderful job.” He wrapped his arm around his niece and pulled her closer.

  She melted from the attention.

  Mia gazed at the lights shining in Jesse and Kristi’s eyes. Her heart warmed. Everything about this moment was so perfect—Jesse, Kristi, the beautiful window display that they created together, and the feeling of Christmas all around them.

  For as long as Mia lived, she would never forget it.