A Christmas Message

by Debbie Macomber

  “Yeah,” he said, kicking at the sidewalk with the toe of his boot.

  “Call me at the office when you get there, okay?”

  “Okay.”

  Holly watched him walk into the building and then half ran to the subway station.

  She was jostled by the crowd and once again had to stand, clutching the pole as she rode into the city. Her weekend had been everything she’d hoped for. Jake had stopped by on Friday night, arriving later than expected. She’d assembled the small artificial tree, which she’d bought years before; she would’ve preferred a real one but didn’t want to spend the money this year. Then she’d draped it with lights, and she and Gabe had carefully arranged the ornaments. They were almost done by the time Jake came over, and Gabe insisted that he place the angel on top of the tree. Holly wasn’t sure how he’d react to that request. At first he’d hesitated until she explained it was an honor and that it meant a lot to Gabe. Then he reluctantly set the angel on the tree.

  Maybe it wasn’t up to her to change—or try to change—his feelings about Christmas, but she hoped to coax him by creating new memories and by reminding him of happy ones from his own childhood.

  On Friday, after school and his playdate with Billy, Gabe had been exhausted by ten o’clock. Holly tucked him in, and then she and Jake had cuddled and kissed in front of the television. She couldn’t remember what TV program they’d started to watch because they were soon more focused on each other than on the TV.

  Thinking about Friday night with Jake made her tingle with excitement and anticipation. Bill could have his Tiffani. Holly would rather be with Jake. Their relationship held such promise....

  Unfortunately, Jake was so busy at the store on Saturday that a couple of quick phone calls had to suffice. On Sunday evening he came to the apartment, bringing a take-out pizza and a bottle of lovely, smooth merlot—the best wine she’d had in ages. Jake had been full of tales about the store, and especially how well Intellytron was now selling. Rumor had it that Finley’s was the only place in Manhattan that had the robot available, and customers had flooded the store, many of them going straight from Santa’s throne to the toy department. No one else had guessed that Intellytron would be one of the hottest retail trends of the season.

  While Holly was thrilled for Jake, she was still concerned that there wouldn’t be any left once she could afford to make the purchase. Jake had again assured her she didn’t need to worry; he’d put one aside for Gabe. It was safely hidden away in the back of the storeroom, with a note that said it wasn’t to be sold.

  Holly dashed into the office just in time. She saw Lindy Lee glance at her watch but Holly knew she had three minutes to spare. While Lindy Lee might not appreciate her new work habits, she was well within the bounds of what was required. Before Gabe’s advent into her life, she’d often arrived early and stayed late. That wasn’t possible now, and she was paying the price for her earlier generosity, which Lindy Lee had quickly taken for granted. Still, she enjoyed her job and believed she was a credit to her employer, even if Lindy didn’t agree.

  “Good morning,” she said to her boss, sounding more cheerful than she felt. Holly was determined not to allow Lindy Lee’s attitude to affect her day.

  At noon, Holly began to check her watch every few minutes. She kept her cell phone on her desk, ready to receive Gabe’s call. He should be phoning any time now; school was out, and he’d be going home with Jonathan. At twelve-thirty Holly started to worry. Gabe should be at the Krantzes’. Why hadn’t he called? She felt too anxious to eat the crackers and cheese she’d brought, too anxious to do anything productive. She’d give him until one-fifteen and then she’d call.

  At one-thirteen, her cell phone chirped, and she recognized the Krantzes’ number. Holly heaved a grateful sigh. “Hello,” she said.

  “Holly?” It was Caroline.

  “Oh, hi. Did everything go as scheduled? Did Gabe and Jonathan walk home from school together?”

  “Well, that’s the reason I’m phoning. Gabe didn’t come home with Jonathan.”

  A chill raced down her spine. “What do you mean?”

  “He told Jonathan there was something he needed to do first, so Jonathan came home by himself. I... I feel really bad about this.”

  “Where is he?” Holly asked, struggling not to panic.

  “That’s just it. I don’t know.”

  There was a huge knot in Holly’s chest, and she found it difficult to breathe. How could she tell her brother that Gabe had gone missing?

  Panicked thoughts surged through her mind. He’d been abducted, kidnapped, held for ransom. Or even worse, simply taken, never to be seen or heard from again.

  “I’ll call you if I hear anything,” Caroline told her. “I’d go look myself but I can’t leave the children. If he’s not here in an hour, we’ll reassess, call the police. In the meantime, I’ll phone some of the other kids’ parents.”

  “Yes... Thank you.” Holly disconnected the line, her cell phone clenched in her fist.

  “Holly?” Lindy Lee asked, staring at her. “What’s wrong?”

  Holly didn’t realize she’d bolted to her feet. She felt herself swaying and wondered if she was going to faint. “My—my nephew’s missing.”

  “Missing,” Lindy Lee repeated. “What do you mean, missing?”

  “He didn’t show up at the sitter’s house after school.”

  Lindy Lee looked at her watch. “It’s a bit early for him to be out of school, isn’t it?”

  “No, not today,” she said, panic making her sound curt. She was torn by indecision. Her first inclination was to contact the police immediately, not to wait another hour as Caroline had suggested. They should start a neighborhood search. Ask questions.

  She wondered crazily if she should get his picture to the authorities so they could place it on milk cartons all across America.

  Her cell phone chirped again and she nearly dropped it in her rush to answer.

  “Yes?” she blurted out.

  “Holly, it’s Jake.”

  “I don’t have time to talk now. Gabe’s missing and we’ve got to contact the police and get a search organized and—”

  “Gabe’s with me,” Jake interrupted.

  She sank into her chair, weak with relief. “He’s with you?”

  “Yes. He came into the city.”

  “On his own?” This was unbelievable!

  “Yup.”

  “You mean to say he walked from school to the subway station, took the train and then walked to Finley’s by himself?” It seemed almost impossible to comprehend. She held her head in one hand and leaned back in her chair, eyes closed. She remembered what he’d said that morning, about wanting to see the robot, but she’d had no idea he’d actually try to do it.

  “Would you like to talk to him?” Jake was asking.

  “Please.”

  “Aunt Holly?” Gabe’s voice was small and meek.

  “So,” she said, releasing a long sigh. Although the urge to lambaste him was nearly overwhelming, she resisted. “You didn’t walk home with Jonathan the way you were supposed to?”

  “No.”

  “Can you tell me why?”

  “Because...”

  “Because what?”

  “I wanted to see Intellytron again and you said we couldn’t and I thought, well, I know you have to work and everything, but I could come by myself, so I did. I remembered to take the green line and then I walked from the subway station.” Despite the fact that he was obviously in trouble, there was a hint of pride in his voice.

  Gabe had traveled into the city on his own just to see his favorite toy. The possibility hadn’t even occurred to her. Holly suppressed the urge to break into sobs.

  “I’m coming to get you right this minute,” she declared. “Stay with Jake and Mrs. Miracle, and I’ll be ther
e as soon as I can. Now put Jake back on the phone.”

  His voice, strong and clear, came through a moment later. “Holly, it’s Jake.”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “He’ll be fine until you get here,” he said.

  “Thank you, thank you so much.” This time, the urge to weep nearly overcame her.

  “Everything’s fine. Relax.”

  “I’m trying.” She closed her cell, then looked up to see her boss standing in front of her desk.

  “I take it you’ve located the little scoundrel?”

  Holly nodded. “He came into the city on his own. Would it be okay if I brought him to the office for the rest of the day?” Taking him back to Brooklyn would be time-consuming and Lindy Lee would no doubt dock her pay. Holly needed every penny of her next paycheck. “I promise he won’t make a sound.”

  Lindy Lee considered the request, then slowly nodded. “I enjoyed meeting Gabe that Saturday.... I wouldn’t mind seeing him again.”

  Lindy Lee wanted to see Gabe again? This was an interesting development, as well as an unexpected one. Her employer wasn’t the motherly type—to put it mildly. Lindy Lee was all about Lindy Lee.

  Grabbing her coat and purse, Holly rushed over to Finley’s, calling Caroline Krantz en route. The store was crowded, and by the time she reached the third floor Holly felt as though she’d run a marathon. She saw Mrs. Miracle first, and the woman’s eyes brightened the instant she noticed Holly.

  “You don’t have a thing to worry about, my dear. Gabe is perfectly safe with Jake.”

  “Aunt Holly!” Gabe raced to her side and Jake followed.

  “You’re in a lot of trouble, young man,” she said sternly, hands on her hips.

  Gabe hung his head. “I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice so low she could hardly hear it.

  Customers thronged the toy department, several of them carrying the boxes that held the SuperRobot. A line had already formed at the customer service desk, and she noted that a couple of extra sales associates were out on the floor today. Everyone was busy.

  “You’ll have to come back to the office with me,” Holly told Gabe. “I’m warning you it won’t be nearly as much fun as it would’ve been with Jonathan and his mother.”

  “I know,” he muttered. “Am I grounded?”

  “We’ll discuss that once we’re home.”

  “Okay, but nothing happened....”

  “You mean nothing other than the fact that you nearly gave me a heart attack.”

  Jake murmured a quick goodbye and started to leave to help a customer but Mrs. Miracle stopped him. “I’ll take care of them,” she said. “Besides, I believe there was something you wanted to ask Holly?”

  “There was?” He looked surprised, wrinkling his brow as if he couldn’t recall any such question.

  “The Christmas party,” Mrs. Miracle said under her breath. “You mentioned asking Holly to go with you.”

  Jake’s mouth sagged open. “I’d thought about it, but I didn’t realize I’d said it out loud.” Now, instead of looking surprised, he seemed confused. “My father and I usually just make a token appearance.”

  “This year is different,” the older woman insisted. “You need to be there for your staff. After all, the toy department’s the busiest of the whole store at Christmastime. And,” she continued sagely, “I predict record sales this year. Your staff needs to know you appreciate them.”

  “But...”

  “I can’t go,” Holly said, resolving the issue. “There’s no one to watch Gabe.”

  “Oh, but there is, my dear,” Mrs. Miracle told her.

  Holly frowned. Finding someone to stay with Gabe had always been a problem. She didn’t want to impose on Caroline any more than she already did, especially since her neighbor wouldn’t take any payment. With Jake they’d managed to work around it, which was easy enough, since Jake had mostly come to her apartment.

  “I’ll be more than happy to stay with Gabe while the two of you attend the party,” Mrs. Miracle said.

  It was generous of her to offer, but Holly couldn’t accept. She shook her head. “You should be at the party yourself, Mrs. Miracle.”

  “Oh, heavens, no. After a full day on my feet I’ll look forward to sitting in that comfy blue chair of yours. The one your parents gave you.”

  Before she could question how Mrs. Miracle knew about her chair, Jake asked, “Would you like to go to the party with me?” His eyes met hers, and she found herself nodding.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “When is it?”

  “Wednesday night, after the store closes.”

  “Wednesday,” she repeated.

  “I’ll pick you up at nine-thirty. I know that’s late but—”

  “I’ll be ready.”

  “I’ll come over a bit earlier,” Mrs. Miracle added. “The two of you will have a lovely evening.” She spoke with the utmost confidence, as if no other outcome was possible.

  Holly and Gabe left a few minutes later, and Jake walked them to the elevator. “I’ll see you Wednesday,” he said as he pressed the button.

  “Listen, Jake, you don’t need to do this. I mean, it’s fairly obvious you didn’t intend to ask me and—”

  “I’d really like it if you’d come to the party with me,” he said, and she couldn’t doubt his sincerity.

  “Then I will,” she murmured. “I’ll look forward to it.”

  In the elevator, Holly remembered Mrs. Miracle’s comment. The woman had never been to her apartment and yet somehow she knew about the chair her parents had given her. Furthermore, she seemed to know her address, too.

  Oh, well. Gabe had probably told her. He obviously felt comfortable with the older woman and for that Holly could only be grateful.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Cars are not the only thing

  recalled by their maker.

  —Mrs. Miracle

  On Wednesday at nine-fifteen, Emily stood at Holly’s door, her large purse draped over one arm and her knitting bag in the other hand. Holly answered, smiling in welcome. She absolutely sparkled. In her fancy black dress and high heels, her hair gathered up and held in place with a jeweled comb, she looked stunning.

  “Mrs. Miracle, I can’t thank you enough.” Holly stepped aside so Emily could enter the apartment. “Tonight wouldn’t be possible if not for you.”

  “The pleasure’s all mine,” she said. She put down her bags, then unwrapped the knitted scarf from around her neck and removed her heavy wool coat. Holly hung them in the hallway closet as Emily arranged her bags by the chair, prepared to settle down for the evening. The toy department had kept her busy all day and she was eager to get off her feet.

  Holly followed her into the small living room. “I feel bad that you won’t be attending the party.”

  “Oh, no, my dear.” Emily dismissed her concern. “I’m not a party girl anymore.” She chuckled at her own humor. “Besides, I intend to have a good visit here with my young friend Gabe.”

  “He’s been pretty subdued since the episode on Monday. He’s promised to be on his best behavior.”

  “Don’t you worry. We’ll have a grand time together.” And they would.

  “Hi, Mrs. Miracle.”

  She was surprised to see Jake standing on the other side of the room. He’d arrived early, she thought approvingly, and he looked quite debonair in his dark suit and red tie. She’d seen an improvement in his attitude toward Christmas, mostly due to Holly and Gabe. And she had it on excellent authority that it would improve even more before the actual holiday.

  “Gabe’s on the computer,” Holly said, pointing at the alcove between the living room and kitchen. “He’s had his dinner and he can stay up until ten tonight.”

  Gabe twisted around and waved.

  Emily waved back. “I’ll make sure he’s
in bed by ten.”

  Jake held Holly’s coat and the young woman slipped her arms into the sleeves. “I appreciate your volunteering to watch Gabe,” he said with a smile for Emily.

  “As I told Holly, I’m delighted to do it.” She walked over to where Gabe sat at the small desk and put her hand on his shoulder. “Now, you two go. Have fun.”

  Holly kissed the top of Gabe’s head. “Be good.”

  “I will,” the boy said without taking his eyes from the screen.

  Holly and Jake left, and Emily had to grin as she glanced over Gabe’s shoulder at the message he was emailing his father.

  From: “Gabe Larson”

  To: “Lieutenant Mickey Larson”

  Sent: December 22

  Subject: Me and Aunt Holly

  Hi, Dad,

  I made Aunt Holly cry. Instead of going to Jonathan’s house like I was supposed to, I went to see the robot. I was afraid the store would run out before Santa got my Intellytron. Aunt Holly came and picked me up and when we were outside she started to cry. When I asked her why she was crying she said it was because she was happy I was safe.

  Are you mad at me? I wish Aunt Holly had gotten mad instead of crying. I felt awful inside and got a tummy ache. She took me back to her office and made me sit quiet all afternoon. But that was okay because I knew I didn’t do the right thing. Her boss is real pretty. I don’t think she’s around kids much because she talked to me like I was in kindergarten or something. I think she’s nice, though.

  You said you had a gift coming for me for Christmas. It isn’t here yet. I know I was bad, so you don’t have to send it if you don’t want. I’m sorry I made Aunt Holly cry.

  Love,

  Gabe

  Emily sank down in the big comfortable chair, rested her feet on the matching ottoman and took out her knitting. She turned on the television and had just finished the first row when Gabe joined her. He didn’t say anything for a long time, but Emily could see his mind working.