A Christmas Gift for Kate

by Tess Brennan

  “OK.” As Tolly bent to pick up the paint roller resting on a tray, Kate turned just in time to glimpse Jossy rolling her eyes at her brother. Pretending not to notice, she walked to the door, sending a brief smile in the girl’s direction. “We’ll be doing well to keep any secrets from Grace. I’m sure she has a secret spy network.”

  What had that look been about? Always sensitive to other people’s emotions, Kate felt uncomfortable, heading downstairs with Tolly’s children behind her. Was it just that they would have preferred their father and grandmother to themselves while they visited, or did they have an unfavorable impression of her because of the scene Dan had created in the driveway the day before?

  You can’t control what other people think, she told herself.

  Huh, said her pesky inner voice. Easy to say.

  She could only be herself, and understand that not everyone was going to like her.

  “Well?” asked Grace as they came into view. “What’s the verdict? Is Tolly going to have to do it again?”

  “Of course not,” Kate said with a smile. “The color’s perfect. You’ll love it.”

  “If you chose it, I will.” Grace was flushed with enjoyment, and Kate realized that she was loving all this. Her family around her; fun secrets about redecoration and renovations. “Give me just a tiny clue, Kate.”

  “Nope.” Kate held the bag of fabric scraps aloft. It was impossible to see any color through the thick plastic. “No peeking. And I’m taking this with me when I go.” She put it on a side table. “You’ll just have to wait until it’s done.”

  “Spoilsport.” Grace glanced towards the kitchen, where the murmur of voices accompanied the sound of water running and the clink of cups. Jossy and Logan, starting coffee. She beckoned Kate closer.

  Kate walked over to her, one eyebrow raised. “Yes?”

  “What do you think of my grandchildren?” Grace said in a stage whisper. “Isn’t young Logan the image of his dad? And young Jossy looks a lot like me, in my younger days.” She winked. “She has to beat off the boys.”

  Kate laughed. “I’ve only just met them. They seem… very nice.” She heard the slight hesitation in her own voice, and covered it quickly. “Are they staying for a while?”

  “Jossy’s here until Christmas, then she’ll be off overseas with friends. Logan just took a few days’ leave owing to help his dad with the painting – he’ll be leaving on Friday, but he’ll be back for Christmas, too.”

  Kate heaved a mental sigh. Jossy was here to stay for a couple of weeks? If the girl’s coolness continued, that was going to make things a little awkward.

  As if conjured up by her thoughts, Jossy appeared in the doorway, looking at Kate. “Kate? How do you take your coffee?”

  “Cappuccino, please. No sugar.”

  “I think I’ll try a caramel blend this time,” Grace said to her granddaughter. “Might as well sample everything.”

  “Nan. You’ve just finished that huge mug of coffee! Dad says—”

  “—that too much caffeine is bad for me. I know.” Grace sent a wheedling look Jossy’s way. “Just a small one, then?”

  “Nan.” Despite herself, Jossy’s mouth curved up at the corners. “It’s still a shot of coffee, no matter how small the cup.” Then she relented. “How about I make you a decaf? You won’t be able to tell the difference.”

  “Too many bossy people in this house,” Grace grumbled. “All right, if I have to.”

  “Just trying to keep you alive.”

  “I’m not that old!” Grace said indignantly to her retreating back, and the sound of Jossy’s laugh floated back to them.

  Kate’s heart warmed as she watched the interaction. Surrounded by her family, Grace was glowing.

  She would just have to try to win them over.

  8

  Kate spent Wednesday working at the gift store and Thursday morning helping to wrap Christmas presents for charity hampers being organized by the church. To her surprise, Lily was part of the working bee. Clearly, the pastor’s efforts to include her were bearing fruit.

  “Hi!” Kate pulled out the chair next to her at the table where she and Sarah were sorting and wrapping. “I didn’t know you were coming. Come sit here, you help me wrap.”

  “Sarah talked me into it,” Lily said with a nod and a smile towards the vivacious redhead sorting toys opposite them. “While we were decorating the hall.”

  “Many hands make light work,” Sarah said cheerfully, pushing one riotous auburn curl off her forehead. “How are things going at Grace’s place, Kate? I picked up some donations from her yesterday and she says you’re all keeping secrets from her.”

  “They had only one wall finished when I saw it on Tuesday, but the color is perfect. Needless to say Grace is trying to pry details out of everyone.” Kate wrinkled her nose. “She was even trying to analyze the color of the paint splashes on Logan’s old sweater!”

  “She sounds like a character,” Lily said to Kate, smoothing paper over a child’s action figure in a box before reaching for the tape. “I’ve seen her at church, but I haven’t met her yet.”

  “You haven’t?” Kate was surprised. “Well, you have a treat in store. Are you free on Saturday afternoon? Say two-ish? I’ll invite Grace over too – but come early, so I can show you what I’ve been working on for her. How about you, Sarah? Want to come?”

  “Count me in.” Sarah put a stack of gift cards for an electronics store into the ‘teen’ pile. Her green eyes lit up as she held up one of them. “Peabody’s store has donated thirty of these! People have been really generous this year.”

  Kate sent an enquiring look at Lily. “Can I count you in too?”

  “Thank you, I’d love to.” Lily looked shyly pleased.

  “I heard that Tolly’s two kids are visiting,” Sarah said, counting the donations in each pile and checking them off against a list. “If you can call twenty-something people ‘kids’.”

  “Yes. Jossy and Logan. Grace adores them. Logan’s leaving tomorrow, but Jossy’s here until after Christmas.

  Sarah dug into a carton beside her, hunting for something, and then frowned. “Would you believe it? I’ve left the box of DVDs at home. I’ll have to go and get them.” She grabbed her car keys and stood up. “Lily, you’ve got babies’ stuff in this pile, toddlers here, 4-7 here, kids and teens – oh, Kate knows. Catch you soon.”

  Lily watched her go. “I can’t imagine fitting in half of what she manages to get done. She’s so confident.” Her voice sounded a little wistful.

  “I know. Don’t worry, most of us have trouble keeping up with Sarah.” Kate shot a sidelong look at the other woman. Lily was just starting to come out of her shell, but she still hadn’t said what was really worrying her.

  Perhaps if she kicked things off, now that it was just the two of them until Sarah came back? Kate glanced around, but none of the other women in the room were within hearing distance. The buzz of conversation and laughter at the other tables would cover anything she said.

  “I had a visitor on Monday afternoon,” she said. “Dan.” She’d told Lily about him, briefly, when they’d last met up.

  Lily’s hands stilled. “Your ex-husband?”

  “Yes.” Kate busied herself folding and taping Christmas paper, keeping her voice neutral. Just the mention of an ex had been enough to stop Lily in her tracks. She’d have to be careful. “He was angry, threatening lawyers.” She shrugged. “I won’t bore you with the details, but Tolly and his two kids were unloading luggage from the car next door and heard it all. Embarrassing… I hate to think of the impression they got.” She gave a light laugh. “What is it about exes? I thought all that was behind me.”

  Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw a slight tremor in Lily’s fingers as she went on with her wrapping. Darn it, she thought. Too much too soon. Quickly, she backtracked. “Anyway, enough about him. Have you finished all your Christmas shopping yet?”

  Lily didn’t reply for a moment, then sai
d in a small voice, “I don’t really have many people to buy for.”

  Way to go, Kate. Could you put your foot in it any further?

  “Me neither,” Kate said quickly. “Just the kids, and Mom. No grandchildren yet to worry about.”

  After a bit, Lily said, “So are you worried? About the lawyers?”

  “Not on my own account,” Kate said. “It’s complicated. My children have done something he doesn’t like, and he thinks I’m involved, but I’m not.” Renewed anxiety clawed at her gut. Maybe it hadn’t been a good idea, bringing this up. “It’ll be all right. I hope.”

  “I hope it works out for you.” Lily wrapped an entire present before saying any more, then she suddenly burst out, “You said he was angry. Was he…always like that?”

  Kate wasn’t sure what Lily was really asking. Did he beat you? Or did he start off being nice and then change?

  “Dan did have a temper. Always,” Kate admitted tentatively, not sure how to play this now she’d started. “He’d get angry, and sometimes take days to get over it. He…liked things his own way. But he was never physical about it.”

  “You were lucky.” Lily’s voice was bitter.

  “I guess I was, in that regard,” Kate said. “It was only after he left that I realized how controlling he was.” She shot a sideways glance at Lily. “Forgive me for asking, but… do you mean that you weren’t as lucky?”

  Waiting for a response, she almost held her breath.

  Lily’s fingers tightened on the present she’d just finished wrapping, and she stared down at the table.

  “You don’t have to answer that,” Kate said. “None of my business.”

  And then one of the other women came over to ask for a few rolls of wrapping paper, and someone else walked over for a chat, and the moment was lost.

  Doesn’t matter, Kate thought. The door to Lily’s world had swung open a little further. Perhaps when she came over on Saturday, she’d say more.

  Meanwhile, she really should contact her daughters and find out what was going on. After Dan’s tirade on Monday, she was dreading whatever he had planned.

  Nessy was glad to see her. Kate heard her toenails clicking on the floorboards as she put her key in the door, and an ecstatic bark.

  “Hey, Messy Nessy.” Kate put her handbag on the hall table and squatted down to give Nessy’s ears a hearty rub. “Miss me? Poor girl, I’m always out lately. Want to go for a walk?”

  She could have sworn that Nessy smiled. She whined and ran back and forth a few times, her eyes bright, impatiently waiting for Kate to get the lead.

  “One minute. I have to get a jacket, girl. It’s chilly out there.” Kate cast a look at the sky. If she just walked around a couple of blocks, she should make it back before the promised rain arrived. The wind was cold, but after spending the last day and a half indoors she needed the walk as much as Nessy.

  A few blocks were enough. Kate hurried; for a change, Nessy had to walk fast to keep up with her.

  As they were nearing her house, a voice hailed her. “Kate!”

  It was Tolly, coming down the steps of his house. She waited, giving the lead one sharp tug. “Nessy! Heel!” The wind whipped her hair into her eyes and she tucked it behind her ear, shivering a little. It was getting colder; soup for lunch followed by a lazy afternoon by the fire was sounding good.

  “Hi.” Tolly joined her, his clear blue eyes warm, and bent down to give Nessy the requisite pat. “Hey, Ness. Enjoy the walk?” He straightened up. “I saw the two of you setting off, so I was keeping an eye out for you.”

  “She got the shortened version today,” she admitted. “We’re in for some nasty weather soon, I think.”

  “I won’t keep you. Just wanted to say, I’ve finished Mom’s room and she’s keen to take possession again. It’s all aired out. Logan’s helped me move the furniture back in, but I don’t suppose you have an hour or so spare to pretty it all up for her, do you?”

  “Of course I do!” She beamed at him. There was nothing Kate liked better than dressing a room. Grace’s almost-finished quilt would have to wait for Christmas day, but Kate had plenty of other bits and pieces she wanted to add. “Have you had a chance to buy the new sheets yet? And the throw?”

  “Jossy went shopping yesterday with your list.” He looked a tiny bit apprehensive. “I hope it’s all the right stuff.”

  “If she took the list and the fabric strips I gave her, she can’t go too far wrong.” And if she did mess up, Kate thought, remembering that her father had said Jossy wasn’t good with colors, I can fix it later.

  “She seemed quite pleased with herself when she got back, so let’s hope. She’s even got the new sheets washed and dried, all ready.” He reached forward as the wind blew Kate’s hair across her face again, and tucked the strands behind her ear. His hand was warm against her chilled face, and she had to stop herself turning into it. Her pulse leapt, and she stared up at him.

  He didn’t move his hand away. Instead, he stroked her cheek lightly with his knuckles. “Thanks for all your help.” In that instant, something leapt between them. Kate found it hard to breathe. She wasn’t imagining the connection.

  “You’re welcome.” She swallowed, unable to think of anything else to say. Oh goodness, this was like high school. That terrifying, dizzying first leap of attraction; the need to find the next few words when your mouth was dry and all you could do was focus on the unspoken messages.

  At least Tolly seemed to be similarly struck dumb.

  Nessy whined and pushed in between them, butting her head against one then the other. That made them laugh and broke the tension.

  “I’ll have to get inside before I turn into a popsicle,” she said. “After lunch, then?”

  “I’ll look forward to it.” His words were, they both knew, about more than decorating houses.

  Kate tugged at the lead. “Come on, Ness. Inside!” She turned towards her own front path, grinning like an idiot, but she couldn’t resist a backwards glance at Tolly. He was doing the same thing; walking up towards his front door and looking back over his shoulder. He waved, smiling.

  Behind him, watching them both through the window, Kate saw Jossy.

  She was frowning.

  9

  Upstairs at Grace’s house, Kate tweaked the throw to get the right careless effect, plumped the cushions, and stood back, nodding happily. Just as she had imagined: the colors of dusk, artfully picked up in accents here and there. The quilt would be the finishing touch, but even now, the room looked lovely. Warm, bright, happy.

  “That’ll do it,” Kate said.

  “It’d better,” Tolly said wryly. “Mom’s climbing the walls, waiting.”

  “Are you done up there yet?” Grace’s plaintive voice echoed from the bottom of the stairs. “I’ve been patient for long enough!”

  She and Tolly exchanged glances and laughed.

  “Patience is definitely not my mother’s strong suit,” he murmured, and then raised his voice. “OK, Mom, you can come up now.” He left the room and went to the top of the stairs. “Are your knees OK with the stairs? Jossy, walk with her.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake. After all the physical therapy I’ve had, I could run a marathon.” Grace’s voice came closer. “Kate and I plan to have a whole day out shopping next week, and you can bet I made sure I’d be fit for that.”

  Tolly stuck his head back around the door and looked at Kate. “You’re going shopping with Mom?” His eyebrows rose comically.

  “Can’t wait. We both love shopping.” Kate grinned at him. “Can’t you tell?”

  “Now that you mention it.” He stood at the doorway. “Close your eyes, Mom.”

  “Oh, the fuss.” Despite her words, Grace’s smile almost eclipsed her face. With Jossy close behind her, she reached the door and obediently squeezed her eyes shut tight. “All right! I’m ready for the big reveal. This had better be as good as it is on all those home shows.”

  “Better,” said Kate
and Tolly in unison, and shared another laugh.

  Grace stepped forward, opened her eyes and looked around. Her mouth turned down at the corners and her lips wobbled. Then she burst into tears.

  Kate felt tears spring to her own eyes. “I guess you like it?”

  “It’s beautiful! Oh, my goodness.” Grace stared around, and then walked in, running her fingers over the freshly painted walls and smoothing her hand over the temporary quilt Kate had dug out of one of her closets. She picked up cushions and let her gaze rove over the prints on the wall.

  “Oh. My. Goodness.” Then she turned to Tolly and reached up to give him a hug. “You might leave it too long between visits, Bartholomew, but when you do come home you make it count. Thank you. I love you.”

  “Love you too.” He wrapped her in a bear hug, laughing.

  “Jossy, come here, my lovely.” Grace hugged her soundly too. “I know you sneaked out yesterday and went shopping. All those bags you tried to hide from me.” She moved on to Logan, who was standing around with a lopsided grin, laughing at his Nan. “Logan, I knew those paint streaks had a tinge of mauve in them. Yellow indeed!”

  “Gotcha, Nan.” He hugged her just as heartily as his father had. “You like it, then.”

  “Don’t doubt it.” Finally, Grace reached Kate. “And you, Kate. I can see your hand in every part of the room.” She reached up and kissed Kate on the cheek and gestured at the quilt, one that Kate had made years ago in different shades of blue and dusky rose. “You made this?”

  “A long time ago. It’ll do for now, but I have something else in mind.”

  “Oh no you don’t. You made this yourself, and I’ll treasure it.” Grace was adamant. She moved over and sat in the rocker next to the window, settling into the plump cushions with a sigh. “And I’ll be able to sit here and watch the seasons change, watch Kate walking Nessy, see the schoolchildren riding by.” She glanced up at Jossy with a cheeky grin. “And when you and Logan finally get around to extending the family, I’ll be able to sit here and watch my great-grandchildren play in the yard.”