“I just want to wish you a merry Christmas and thank you for the thoughtful gift. I hope you’re having a great visit with your son. I know how much you’ve been looking forward to it. I know what I’ll be doing for the rest of the week—and after. I’ve got these horrible deadlines, one after the other. I don’t know when I’ll be able to lead a normal life again. But I hope to see you soon, Betty. . . . Take care.”
Betty sat back and swallowed the lump lodged in her throat. She was not going to cry over this. There was absolutely no reason. She knew a brush-off when she heard one, and that message was a classic.
What did I do wrong? she wondered. Nothing, she told herself. It’s not you. It’s him.
And that’s the truth this time.
He was just another relationship-phobic man, hiding it under that baggy red suit and cute smile. Well, she had learned her lesson. At least Alex was more dependable, more stable—and he wasn’t running from her.
When Brian had told her she could bring a date to his future in-laws’ New Year’s Eve party, a few possibilities had flashed through Betty’s mind. She could invite Alex. He would be a great escort. Everyone would be very impressed, especially her ex. But the party was also the perfect excuse to wriggle out of the tentative plans with Alex. And to invite Nathan, instead.
But Nathan was crossed off her list now. There was no way she could invite him or even call him back. He didn’t want her to. He had made that very clear.
Just like Santa Claus, it seemed he needed to disappear right after Christmas.
THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, LIFE RESUMED ALMOST AS USUAL AT THE Bates house. Charlie went off to the diner at the crack of dawn, and the boys slept in. Lucy and Zoey got up at a reasonable hour and then headed off to visit Zoey’s brother, who was living in Plymouth, a town at the very start of Cape Cod. They stopped on the way at a big department store so Zoey could bring Kevin a gift.
She wasn’t sure what to buy him, torn between a sweatshirt with a surfing decal on the back and a computer game. Lucy loaned her some money so she could buy both. She could tell Zoey was anxious. She hardly talked during the drive and when she did, her words came out in a rush.
“I bet he looks different,” she said suddenly. “Taller, I mean. Boys grow a lot at that age.”
“Sometimes,” Lucy said. Kevin was about five years younger than Zoey, so Lucy figured he was around ten. “When was that last time you two were together?”
“More than a year ago. I remember because I didn’t see him for Christmas last year. We just talked over the phone.”
“I see.” Even though the ride was long and Lucy had a lot of housework waiting at home, she was reminded once more that she was doing the right thing. A good thing, for Zoey.
They arrived at the town of Plymouth, a favorite stop for tourists with all its historical sites. The village was beautifully decorated for Christmas and the streets full of visitors. “This place looks nice,” Zoey said, gazing through the window as they drove down a main street.
“This is where the Pilgrims landed,” Lucy explained. “The first year, they lived on their ship, the Mayflower. See, there’s the monument in that park, and you can go on a replica of the ship over there.” Lucy pointed as they drove near the harbor. “Maybe we could go sometime, with your brother.”
“Oh . . . okay. I’d go see it, I guess.” Zoey shrugged then looked out the window again.
Lucy realized too late that the offhand comment assumed Zoey would remain living with them—or at least, stay in touch after she was placed with another family. Lucy didn’t want to raise false hopes or disappoint her. She was determined that no matter what happened, she would find a way to keep a relationship with Zoey, to be a person in her life who truly cared and watched out for her. Maybe that would have to be enough for both of them, Lucy thought with a sigh.
Zoey read the directions aloud, and they soon found the house where Kevin was living. It was in a pretty neighborhood where rows of modest, older homes stood side by side. The house was decorated with lights and a wreath. Lucy saw a big swing set in the backyard and a sled and a row of snow boots on the porch.
The front door swung open as they came up the walk. A woman stood smiling at them. “Lucy? Zoey? Good to see you. We’ve been waiting.”
Standing just behind her, a boy with dark hair peeked out. He looked at them warily, then a huge smile spread across his face. With his dark hair and eyes and gangling build, the resemblance to Zoey was unmistakable.
“Hey Lizard Lips—you made it,” he shouted. “Still pretty ugly, I see.”
“Not as ugly as you, thank goodness,” Zoey shouted back happily. He ran up to her, wrapped his arms around her waist, and buried his head in her jacket. Zoey hugged him back fiercely.
“You stink, Lizard,” he said, stepping back.
“So do you. What happened to your hair? You look bald.”
“I got a crew cut. I like it. It’s pretty bad.” Lucy knew that really meant good. “You still don’t know anything. Come inside. I’ll show you my room.”
Zoey glanced back at Lucy a moment, but she happily waved her on. Kevin pulled Zoey the rest of the way inside, and they disappeared into the house.
“Hi, there. I’m Mona Crawford. You must be Lucy.” The woman who had come out with Kevin extended her hand. She was shorter than Lucy and a bit plump. She had a very pretty face, Lucy thought, with thick brown chin-length hair. She wore a big textured sweater and a long skirt with tall brown boots.
Something about her seemed warm and friendly. Lucy liked her immediately. Mona led Lucy into the house, a center-hall colonial with large rooms on either side of a big foyer. Lucy could see immediately that this house was not destined to be a showcase of period decorating, though it seemed to hold all the sought-after architectural detail—ornate molding, pocket doors, and beautiful plank wooden floors.
But the decorating scheme seemed to be totally family- and childoriented—with a row of hooks by the door for coats and schoolbags, a low table loaded with books and games in the sitting room, and the floor strewn with shoes.
“We’re still picking up after Christmas,” Mona explained. “The kids had a blast. I think they’re all a little worn out.”
“How many children do you have?” Lucy asked.
“My husband and I have two of our own, and then we’ve taken in three now from the foster system. We really did want a big family, and there are so many kids that need good homes out there.”
The Crawfords were clearly special people. If only a home like this could be found for Zoey, Lucy thought. But it was a sad fact that most foster homes did not provide such a nurturing environment, and Zoey probably wouldn’t be as lucky as her brother, Kevin.
The two women sat in the living room, and Mona brought in some tea and a plate of cookies. “How long has Zoey been with you now?” Mona asked.
“Oh, not that long. Since Thanksgiving,” Lucy told her. “I’d like to be her permanent guardian, but . . . well, my husband isn’t ready for the commitment.”
Mona nodded. “I understand. It’s a very personal decision. It works for us, but it’s not for everybody. We’d love to take Zoey and reunite the kids,” she went on. “But we just don’t have the space. Zoey would be the only girl and especially at that age, she needs her privacy.”
“She really does,” Lucy agreed. “We’re lucky to have a spare room for her, with her own bathroom.” She felt guilty, as if she wasn’t stepping up, doing her part.
Mona seemed to sense Lucy’s feelings and smiled gently at her. “It’s great that you asked Rita to find Kevin, so we could bring the two kids together. It’s important that they stay in touch, and don’t lose track of each other.”
“It means a lot to Zoey. I know she misses him. There’s really not too much we can do for her. I mean, meaningful things. I can give her a nice room to sleep in, or buy her some new clothes. But staying close to her brother is even more important.”
“You’ve done a lot
, Lucy,” Mona assured her. “I know how Kevin was when he came to live here. I’m sure Zoey was in the same state, or even worse. I can see there’s already a good bond between the two of you.”
“I wish I could do more,” Lucy said honestly. “But . . . it’s hard.”
The conversation moved on to lighter topics, comparing how they both spent Christmas, and discussing the sights in Plymouth.
Mona showed her a picture of all her children together, along with her and her husband—it was a stair-step row of boys who all looked different but somehow jelled as a family. Love was really the glue that held it all together, Lucy thought. The family had gone on vacation last summer, a camping trip in Maine. Kevin was holding up a live lobster, waving it over everyone’s head. It was a perfect portrait of a happy family.
“Where is everyone?” Lucy asked suddenly. “It seems sort of quiet in here.”
“My husband took the three big ones bowling, and the youngest went to a movie with a friend. We wanted Kevin to have some uninterrupted time with Zoey. It can get a little rowdy in here. We were afraid the rest of them might upstage the reunion.”
“That was very thoughtful of you,” Lucy said.
“Let’s go and see what they’re up to,” Mona suggested. “Maybe they’d like a snack.”
Lucy followed Mona upstairs to Kevin’s room, which he apparently shared with one of his foster brothers. Lucy saw a set of bunk beds and two desks.
Zoey and Kevin were sitting on the floor, playing a board game. “How are you guys doing up here? Having fun?” Lucy asked.
“I’m beating her. As usual,” Kevin bragged.
“I’m letting him win. I don’t want to hurt his feelings,” Zoey explained. Though Lucy could tell from her tone and expression that was just an excuse. She really was losing to him.
When the game was done, they came downstairs and Mona served some fruit, cheese, and crackers. Finally, it was time to go. Zoey and Kevin hugged good-bye in the foyer. Lucy saw Zoey close her eyes a moment, patting her brother’s back. He was already wearing the sweatshirt she had bought him.
“Good-bye, Lizard,” Kevin said sadly.
“I’ll see you again soon,” Zoey promised. “You can call me. My phone is working again. And I’ll call you. At least once a week, okay?”
“Okay.” He smiled for a second and stepped away. Mona put her arm around his shoulders in a comforting gesture.
Lucy put her arm around Zoey’s shoulders, too. She seemed forlorn, reluctant to part from her brother.
“I’ll make sure of it,” Mona promised Zoey. “Good-bye, dear. Good luck. Both of you.”
Zoey didn’t say much on the way home. A visit like that was a double-edged, bittersweet situation, Lucy knew. There had to be a letdown afterward.
“Tell me something,” Lucy asked her finally. “How did you get that nickname Kevin calls you? What is it . . . Lizard Lips?”
Zoey smiled for a second. “Yeah, the little punk calls me that. He made it up just to annoy me. He used to have this pet lizard, a gecko or something. It scared me, and I would scream and run away if he brought it like, anywhere near me. And also, my real name . . . my real name isn’t Zoey,” she said quietly. “It’s Elizabeth. So my family used to call me Liz.”
“Yes, I know, but I won’t tell Jamie or C.J. about that,” Lucy promised. “We don’t want it to catch on back home, right?”
Zoey shook her head. “No, we definitely don’t.”
Lucy was glad to see her brighten again for a moment. But realized she’d done it again.
She had said “back home,” as if Zoey belonged there and would stay forever. That wasn’t right. She had to stop talking that way. But it was hard. And getting harder every day.
LUCY STOPPED AT THE DINER THAT NIGHT ON HER WAY HOME FROM work. She knew that Zoey was at home and thought it was a good time to talk to Charlie. She wanted to make one more try at persuading him. She knew what he would say, but she couldn’t let it go. Not after seeing Zoey with her brother this morning and talking to Mona Crawford.
The place was empty; even Trudy was not at work tonight. Lucy didn’t know why Charlie opened up the day after Christmas. It was just force of habit, she figured, and he got like a restless tiger around the house when he wasn’t working.
She walked up to the counter and saw him cleaning the grill with a metal brush. The grill had to be hot for a good scrubbing, and Lucy noticed that Charlie was wearing the special heat-protecting glove that Zoey had given him. The mere sight of it gave her a little courage.
“Hi, Charlie. How’s it going? Did you have any customers tonight?”
“It was pretty quiet. I had some time to work on the mixer. I need to head down to the restaurant machinery place in Needham for a part. I don’t know when that’s going to happen.”
“It wouldn’t kill you to get out of the diner for a few hours. Jimmy can cover for you,” she noted, mentioning their part-time cook. “He told me he wants more hours.”
Charlie put the wire brush aside and pulled off the glove. “This glove thing is great. I don’t know how I’ve managed without it.”
“It was very thoughtful of Zoey to find that for you.”
“Yes, it was. There’s more to that girl than meets the eye,” he admitted. “How did it go in Plymouth? Did she like seeing her brother?”
“They had a wonderful reunion. They really missed each other.”
Charlie wiped down the counter with a cloth. “That was nice of you to take her down there. I have to hand it to you, Lucy.”
Lucy was surprised by his comment. He usually didn’t notice these things. “I still don’t know if it really did any good. Zoey seemed sad afterward. She has so much on her shoulders, Charlie. So much baggage.” Lucy had never admitted this to Charlie before, fearing he would use it as another point against applying for custody. But it was true. There was no sense denying it.
“Yes, she does. That girl’s been through a lot. But she’s not nearly so snippy and smart-mouthed as she used to be. I think it’s helped to live with a normal family. I think she’s coming along.”
Charlie was actually saying a few good things about Zoey. Not that Lucy would have described their family as “normal,” but she sensed an opportunity to push her case.
“She is coming along. I think we’ve helped her,” Lucy said. “I think we can help even more. You know how I feel. Are you thinking you might agree that we could become her foster family?”
“Oh now ...” Charlie ducked his head and started wiping a different section of the counter. “Don’t put words in my mouth, Lucy. I didn’t say that.”
“I know. But I’m asking. I think you know that she’s a good kid, and she just needs a chance. Would you reconsider? Would you think about letting her stay with us?”
He sighed. “I’m willing to see how it goes,” he said slowly. “When do we have to know?”
“Rita said Zoey could be moved anytime now. She held off working on the placement until the holidays were over, but she’s probably started looking for a family again. I really think we need to make a decision, Charlie. We could miss the boat here.”
She knew this was a boat her husband would be willing to miss, to wave at with relief from the shoreline. But she also sensed he was considering hopping aboard.
“Oh, Lucy . . . I’m thinking. Honestly. The girl is growing on me,” he said finally. “But this isn’t my final answer. I still need some more time.”
“I understand,” Lucy replied. “Just don’t take too long.”
Charlie’s answer was vague, but Lucy felt encouraged. She got up and grabbed the broom, happy to help clean up and close down. As Lucy swept a path around the diner, she let herself hope that things with Zoey just might work out after all. She thought back to her conversation with Reverend Ben and wondered if he was right. Maybe her own commitment to helping Zoey had finally penetrated Charlie’s heart.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
BETTY SPENT THE MONDAY AFTER CHR
ISTMAS WITH BRIAN. They visited Molly in the shop, ate lunch at the Clam Box, then walked through the village, stopping at some of Brian’s favorite old haunts. Brian was meeting an old friend from high school for coffee, so Betty left him in town in the late afternoon and walked home.
She was taking Brian and Tina to dinner that evening. It would be her first meeting with her future daughter-in-law. The reservation was early, and Betty had a lot to do to get ready—a major overhaul, she’d call it. But there was something she needed to do before she left for the evening. She was glad Brian was out so she had some privacy.
She dialed Alex’s phone and he quickly picked up, sounding happy to hear from her. “Betty, I was just thinking of calling you. How is your son’s visit going? Are you having a good time?”
“It’s great to have him here. Everything’s going very well.” She took a breath and pushed on, to the main point of her call. “I did want to get back to you about New Year’s Eve, though. Brian’s future in-laws are having an engagement party on New Year’s Eve, and of course, I have to go. I’m sorry, but that means I won’t be able to see you, Alex.”
“Oh . . . that’s all right. I understand. This is important.” He sounded disappointed, and Betty felt bad about that.
“Maybe I can meet him some other time then, before he goes back to Chicago.”
“Maybe,” Betty said hesitantly. “Alex . . . I have to be honest with you. I’ve been thinking about our relationship. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you these past few weeks and spending time together. Your attention has been very . . . flattering,” she added.
Oh, this was so hard. No matter how many times she had to say it.
She heard him sigh. “It’s all right, Betty. I think I know what you’re trying to say.”
“You do?”
“Yes, I do. I had a sense that we weren’t quite on the same page when I saw you on Christmas Eve. You seemed . . . distracted.”
“Did I? I’m sorry—”
“It’s okay. No need to apologize. These things either work out or they don’t. We’ve both been here before, right?” he said philosophically.
On Christmas Eve Page 27
