On Christmas Eve

by Thomas Kinkade

  Zoey didn’t respond.

  “Can I talk to Rita about this?” Lucy asked quietly. She wondered if she was pushing too hard. Zoey was just opening up to her. Maybe this was too much, too fast. She might pull away again.

  But Lucy felt an urgency to help her now. Zoey wouldn’t be here for much longer. Something about the girl touched her heart. Maybe she saw herself in Zoey in some way. Even though her own life had been far easier, Lucy recognized Zoey’s insecurities and her fear of failure. Or maybe she was just missing having a daughter who would wait up and make her a cup of tea at night, Lucy thought with a small smile. Either way, she knew she had to help the girl as much as she could while she was still here.

  “I’ll think about it,” Zoey told her. She offered a wan smile. Lucy smiled back, wishing she could give her a hug.

  “Fair enough. Now we both need to go to bed,” she told the girl.

  And I’ll say a prayer for you, Zoey, Lucy added silently, asking heaven above to help you find your way. Not to give up on yourself, but to use all the gifts God has given you, and to find the courage and strength to make your best effort in life.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  BETTY’S ALARM CLOCK SOUNDED ON MONDAY MORNING AT THE usual time. She rolled over, sorely tempted to hit the snooze button. The marathon of parties over the weekend had been tiring. But she willed herself to get out of bed, and after a quick shower and some coffee, she started the first chore at the top of her list. Cleaning her son’s former bedroom—which was now the guest room but still bore a shadow resemblance to his high-school lair. There were some of his old books on the shelves and even a few sports trophies she could never bear to part with. He had been the star of his high school track team and had won a lot of medals and awards. There were only a few left on the shelves but just handling them brought back memories of cheering him on at track meets or picking him up at practice. Those were special times, though she hadn’t realized it back then.

  The mere thought of having Brian all to herself on Christmas Day and visiting for a few days afterward was more than a little overwhelming. Betty was both excited and nervous about it. She couldn’t think about it for too long a time and kept pushing it aside in her mind. It was easier to think about work or even about the food pantry party. But the days were counting down. Her boy would soon be here. She not only had to prepare his room, she knew she had to prepare her heart. This was an important visit, her last chance to be with him before he married. She knew they had a lot to catch up on and a few bridges to repair.

  Betty had bought a new bedspread and curtains but needed to move out all the miscellaneous junk that had gravitated to the unused room, then vacuum and dust. It was too late for any touch-up painting, but she planned to wash the windows and the woodwork.

  And those were only her plans for the morning. Luckily, she had gotten home early from her date with Alex and there were no sports contests involved. Alex had taken her out to dinner, and they had spent a quiet evening at a seafood restaurant in Essex, a casual but elegant place on the water. It was just what she had needed. After her long hours at the noisy, crowded Christmas parties, she had enjoyed spending time with him.

  At one point, Betty thought she might have been talking too much about the volunteer work she had been doing for the food pantry, but Alex seemed interested and asked a lot of questions. She couldn’t help it if that was on her mind right now.

  The party would take place on Sunday, and this week was the last big push. Michael and Eve Piper, who ran the pantry, were very encouraged, Nathan had told her. They had gone from utter despair to total gratitude. Just about everything needed for the Christmas party had been donated, and they had made good progress toward restocking their shelves.

  Betty had more ideas for them, fund-raising strategies for after the holidays. Sponsoring a 5K run in the spring could be a great fund-raiser, she thought, and everyone who came out for the race, runners and spectators, could be asked to bring some canned food, a box of cereal, or some other donation. She had made a few notes and planned to talk to Nathan about it.

  She thought he would like the idea; he had told her that he was a runner. Of course, he couldn’t wear his Santa suit to that one, she reflected, but a red T-shirt and some running shorts would look pretty good on him.

  She and Nathan planned to meet again in the late afternoon. They were going to use some of the cash and gift-card donations to buy more toys for the party. Betty hadn’t roamed around a toy store at Christmastime—or anytime for that matter—in years. She was definitely looking forward to it. After all, how many people get to go toy shopping with Santa, she wondered, pushing the vacuum cleaner into high gear.

  BETTY WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET NATHAN IN FRONT OF THE TOY STORE AT five but arrived at the mall at two. She had a long list of gifts to buy and figured she needed at least three hours to even make a dent.

  The stores were not that crowded, considering there were only eleven days left to shop. Betty didn’t usually leave it until this late, but this year her holiday mood had been missing. These last few days, though, she was feeling more and more in the spirit. She suspected it had something to do with her volunteer work for the pantry. And maybe with working so closely with Santa, too.

  Eager to check some items off her list, Betty began choosing gifts for her family and friends. Sets of silver bangles for Molly’s older girls and a ballerina outfit for little Betty. She bought Molly a cashmere sweater and a matching silk scarf, then found a book on sailing for Matt. There were more gifts to buy for her father and brothers and their families. None of her relatives lived nearby, but she would certainly be able to give Brian his gift in person this year. He had mentioned that he had just lost a good camera and his insurance wouldn’t replace it. Betty seized the opportunity to buy him a new digital model that also took video, which she had carefully researched online. He would be needing a good camera now, she reasoned, for all the events that surrounded the wedding.

  Feeling quite satisfied by her progress, she strolled up the main aisle of the mall, shopping bags dangling from each arm. She spotted the North Pole village that was set up in the middle of the mall, with its fantasy ice castles and giant candy cane sculptures. There was even some fake snow and extra-loud, extra-cheerful Christmas music.

  Betty spotted a long line of toddlers waiting patiently—and not so patiently—to meet Santa. She walked closer, drawn by their excitement. Then she looked up and there he was, sitting in a big chair right in front of his workshop, which looked something like a snow-covered log cabin.

  Santa smiled as he bent his head to hear a little girl’s secret wish. She cupped her hands around her mouth and whispered in his ear. He nodded, looking very serious. Betty could see it was Nathan behind the silky beard and bushy white brows. He was working here. She hadn’t even thought of that when he had picked it as a meeting place.

  Though she had seen him play Santa at the Rotary Party, this was different. This was in public, and he was completely unaware that she was looking on from the sidelines. She watched awhile longer as the girl slipped off his lap and another child approached, a little boy with a wary expression on his face. But he was smiling just a few seconds later, after Nathan had told him something that cheered him up.

  It wasn’t the most important job in the world, certainly not one that garnered much respect or pay. But Betty had come to see the role of Santa much differently these past weeks. It was like any other job, just an outline, an empty space and empty suit, actually. The worth of it depended on the person filling the costume. Nathan brought a great deal to the job. He gave the kids a part of himself and made the moment something magical, she thought.

  Betty slipped back into the crowd. For some reason, she didn’t want him to know that she had seen him working. She headed down another aisle and continued to shop.

  At five o’clock sharp, Betty stood in front of Fun Works, the big toy store. She had stashed all her shopping bags in her car, so her arms would be free to
carry the next load.

  Nathan soon appeared, dressed in one of his usual outfits—his leather jacket, a dark burgundy sweater, jeans, and running shoes. He spotted her in the crowd and their gazes met. She smiled back, feeling completely happy and, for one brief moment, as if everything around them had disappeared.

  Then the world rushed back again.

  Betty took a breath and focused on the big window display. What was that all about? She must be having some sort of low-blood-sugar, mall reaction. She often got a little loopy when she was out shopping too long.

  “Here are the lists, one for you and one for me.” Nathan took two folded sheets from his jacket pocket and handed her one. “Ready to do this thing?”

  “Ready.”

  Together, she and Nathan entered the huge toy store, each of them trying to look more determined than the other.

  “Okay, then. Let’s each get a basket. Synchronize your watches . . . last one to the cash register buys dinner. Wait, I’m buying dinner,” he corrected himself. “Last one to finish has to wrap everything.”

  They were going out to dinner after this? He’d never mentioned that.

  “You’re on, pal.” Betty grabbed her cart and raced to the first aisle. The sign above read BOARD GAMES. She was sure there were a few of those on the list, which was written in a neat, square masculine hand. Since Nathan listened for hours on end to children telling him what they wanted for Christmas, he had the inside scoop on the most popular, longed-for toys and games. Betty didn’t recognize the names of most of the items, but that didn’t mean anything. Nathan was definitely the expert in this department; she was just the number one Santa helper today.

  She suddenly realized, Now I know how Mrs. Claus feels.

  Betty kept filling her shopping cart, bringing it to the front of the store, then grabbing another. She had filled four carts before her list was done. Nathan had filled the same number and was finished before she was. Granted, some of the toys were large and practically filled a cart on their own, but between them, they had grabbed a mountain of toys. Betty couldn’t begin to imagine the cost.

  She was so distracted packing up the bounty, she barely noticed when Nathan paid the bill. She wondered if the donations would be enough to cover the cost, then wondered if Nathan was spending his own money to make up the difference. She had a feeling he was, but she felt it was too nosy to ask.

  It took several trips with three shopping carts to get all of their bags out of the store. Two of the employees helped, and Nathan gave them each a tip.

  The back of Nathan’s truck was loaded. Betty’s car was parked nearby and when he walked her over, it was the same story. She could hardly fit herself into the driver’s seat.

  “Are you okay in there?” he asked. “Can you see through the rear window?”

  “I’ll be all right. We’re not going far. I made a little space so I could see out the back,” she told him. The entire experience suddenly seemed very amusing to her. “I know it’s hard to park, Nathan. But next time, I think you ought to just bring the sleigh.”

  “You’re right,” he said with a grin. “It would hold more. But I hate cleaning up after the reindeer. The mall security here is pretty strict about that.”

  Betty shook her head. They had decided to have dinner first and worry about what to do with the toys later. Nathan had asked her to meet him at the Lobster Trap, a seafood restaurant in Essex, which he claimed was one of his favorites.

  Betty knew the place, an oldie-but-goody built out on a dock. It was extremely casual with a simple menu on a big chalkboard and plain white paper covering the tables. Betty had always liked it, though she hadn’t been there in a long time.

  She pulled up and parked. Nathan was right behind her and parked nearby. He met her as she got out of her car. “Want to take a walk on the dock first? I could use some fresh air.”

  “Good idea,” Betty said. She, too, needed a minute to unwind from their whirlwind shopping spree.

  They walked along the dock side by side. Nathan had his hands jammed in his pockets and a striped muffler slung around his throat. Betty’s boot heel caught on a nail and she nearly stumbled, but he quickly reached out to steady her. She thought for a moment he was going to take her hand, but he soon let go and they resumed their parallel stroll.

  She didn’t speak and neither did he. There didn’t seem to be any need to talk. The sun had set, but a fading light kept the darkness at bay. On the eastern horizon, she could already see stars and a sliver of silver moon, while along the western horizon the sun’s final rays glazed the edges of blue-gray clouds with a violet hue.

  Betty gazed out over the calm water and tall, waving marsh grass. She felt miles away from the bustling mall with its false cheer, Muzak, and overwhelming choices and goods for sale. This place was serene and real. And grounding. She could see why it was one of Nathan’s favorites. It definitely suited him.

  They stood at the very end of the dock a moment, watching and listening. A flock of birds rose from the reeds, filling the air with a rushing sound of wings. An amazing sight, especially in the winter—especially at twilight. Betty felt her breath catch in her throat as her gaze followed their graceful arc through the sky. They soon disappeared, headed for goodness-knew-where.

  Filled with surprise and awe, Betty turned to Nathan. “That was beautiful.”

  “Yes, it was. Birds are so lucky to be able to fly away like that whenever the impulse strikes. They don’t even realize it.”

  His tone was wistful, maybe even sad, she thought. She had never heard him sound like that before. He was always so positive and optimistic. She glanced at him, wondering what he was thinking about. It was impossible to tell. She really didn’t know him all that well, she realized.

  They returned to the restaurant, and Nathan helped her off with her coat. The place was practically empty, and they were soon seated at a table near the window. Nathan smiled at her from across the table as they checked the chalkboard menu. He seemed back to his typical good humor.

  They ordered quickly, then sat back and relaxed. “We got a lot done this afternoon, Betty. I think we’re just about set. Thanks for your help—yet again. I know I couldn’t have done all this without you.”

  “You would have managed. And I’m not the only one who’s been working. A big event like this takes a village, as they say.”

  “Yes, it does. And we’re lucky the people who live in our village are so generous. So, what did you do today besides buy out a toy store with me? Were you at the catering shop all day?”

  Betty shook her head. “No, thank goodness. Molly and I were working all weekend. We had three parties, back-to-back. So we decided to give each other the day off. We have another killer weekend coming up. We don’t want to burn out before Christmas.”

  “Three parties. Wow, that’s a heavy schedule.” He glanced at her with a serious look. “I know you’ve taken a lot of time from your work the past two weeks to help me. If you can’t come on Sunday, everyone will understand. We all know what a great contribution you’ve made.”

  “Thanks for being so understanding, but I’ll definitely be there. At some point,” she clarified. “We have a lot going on that day, and I have to drive around and supervise. But after all this work, I can’t miss the pantry party. Besides, I need to see how everyone likes my chili recipe.”

  Betty’s turkey chili was among the dishes Willoughby’s Fine Foods was donating to the party. Nathan had put in a special request, and Betty had been secretly flattered.

  “Oh, you have to come for your big chili debut. You don’t want to miss that,” he agreed with a gentle smile. “You’re an unusual person, Betty,” he said sincerely. “I’m not sure I’ve ever met anybody quite like you. You can charm everyone, organize anything, and do it all without being pushy. You’re smart, full of energy and common sense, and so . . . so ...” His voice trailed off, leaving her hanging on the edge of her seat. “So easy to be with.”

  Betty didn�
��t know what to say. She wasn’t sure where all these accolades were coming from or what they added up to. Was he declaring his feelings for her? Or was it his gentle way of telling her just the opposite? That he liked and admired her a lot—as a great friend.

  “Well . . . thanks very much,” she said slowly. “I think you’re pretty special, too.”

  “Because I’m a grown man who runs around dressed up like Santa—and likes it?” His tone was humorous, but she could see a serious question in his eyes.

  “No, not just that, though I must say that is a unique trait.” Betty searched for the right words, but it was hard to say why she found him so interesting and why something about him just touched her heart.

  Before she could speak the waitress returned and set down their dinners—two broiled fishermen’s platters and baked potatoes. A lot of questions followed about side dishes and condiments and whether more water and rolls were needed. By the time their privacy was restored, Betty felt the moment had passed.

  She took a bite of her dinner and decided to retreat to neutral ground. “I can’t believe there’s less than two weeks to Christmas. At least I got a little shopping done today—things on my own list,” she explained.

  “That was productive. I’m in the mall all week, and I can’t seem to find the time. I guess I’ll make a mad dash at the last minute. Maybe I’ll keep the suit on. I’ll get better service.”

  “I bet you will,” Betty agreed. “What are you doing for the holidays? Do you travel anywhere to see family?”

  “I have a sister in Vermont, but she’s going to Canada this year to visit her husband’s relatives. I’ll just stick around here and relax. On Christmas Day, I usually go visit my friends, Michael and Eve Piper. They have a big get-together, family and friends. It’s noisy but fun.”