Cliffside Christmas

by Tess Thompson

  Jubie was out of the car and running up to the front door before he’d even turned off the engine. She loved Kara. Everyone loved Kara.

  He sprinted across the driveway, arriving just as Kara opened the door. Jubie wrapped skinny arms around Kara’s belly.

  “Thanks for coming, you guys. I’m scared to death something’s happened to her.” Kara’s eyes were red and puffy. She loved that spoiled cat. Just as he, Honor, and Jubie loved their three spoiled kitties. Before the kittens joined his family, he had no idea how much joy a pet could bring. Despite the hair on the furniture, his favorite chair being used as a scratching post, and the chore of the litter boxes, he never once regretted granting Jubie’s wish for a kitten. Three might have been a little much, but Honor couldn’t bear the thought of one of the siblings being left without the others.

  He gave Kara a quick squeeze and assured her they would find Minnie. “Rafael said he would walk the property.”

  “I should’ve thought of that.” Kara stepped aside for them to come into the house. “I’m not thinking. I just want Brody to come home.”

  “He’ll be home soon,” Zane said.

  “I want the baby here, too,” she said.

  Zane understood. He was anxious for their baby to come, too. These last few weeks had dragged. Sophie was the only one of the three of them who felt sure everything would be fine. Zane and Honor knew how tragedy struck without warning. He wouldn’t breathe easily until their son was in their arms.

  They entered the main living rom. A twenty-foot Christmas tree decorated in silver and blue caused Jubie to gasp out loud. “Wow, Miss Kara, it’s so big.”

  “Brody Mullen is all about ‘go big or go home,’” Kara said. “You should have seen the guys getting that thing in here.”

  Zane breathed in the scent of the real Christmas tree. He and Honor had decided to go with a fake tree so they could put it up right after Thanksgiving and not worry about it being dry by Christmas Day. They wanted every Christmas to be special for Jubie. That meant a beautifully lit tree on Christmas morning.

  “What should we do?” Zane asked. “Search the house or go outside and call for her?”

  “Maybe walk the property with treats? She usually always comes to the rattle of the plastic container,” Kara said.

  Jubie nodded. “Our cats go crazy for those things. But Mama doesn’t let us give any to them except for special occasions. She doesn’t want them to get too fat.”

  Zane always got a lump in his throat when he heard Jubie call Honor Mama. She’d called her biological mother Mom and therefore couldn’t call her adopted mother the same name. Over time, Jubie had reconciled it in her mind by calling Honor Mama instead.

  “Okay, so let’s do it,” he said. “Kara, you stay inside, in case she decides to come out from an inside hiding place.” He didn’t want Kara outside. The grounds were wet and slippery. She was not going to fall on his watch.

  She nodded and hugged her belly. He’d never seen her look as pale as she did now.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “I feel a little strange.”

  “Strange how?” he asked.

  “Crampy and achy,” she said.

  “What would you tell a patient to do in that case?”

  “To take it easy and call if contractions start.”

  “All right, then, do that.” He gestured toward the couch. “Rest for a bit while we take a walk outside.”

  Jubie already had the jar of treats in her hand. “Let’s roll.”

  “Let’s roll,” Zane said.

  They walked outside through the door off the kitchen. When they stepped onto the patio, cold wind crept under his jacket. He instructed Jubie to hold on to the handrail on the way down the slippery stairs.

  The hour neared three, and it was already growing dark. They would need to find Minnie before darkness fell, or something would surely get her. Kara couldn’t lose that cat, not after everything she’d been through. Especially with the baby coming.

  He spotted Rafael on the far end of the property, a light strapped to his forehead. Smart. The guy was a former SEAL. He’d rescued more than just kittens in his day.

  Rafael waved and trotted over to them. “Any luck?” he asked.

  “Not so far,” Zane said.

  “It seems weird that she would’ve gotten out,” Rafael said. “I brought my cat over a few months ago when I went to see my mom. Kara said Whiskers was constantly trying to get out, but Minnie just looked at him like he was insane to venture outdoors.”

  “Why would she hide in the house?” Zane asked. “Maybe she’s sick. Cats do that when they’re sick.”

  “Or dying,” Rafael said.

  “She’s not dying,” Jubie said with a stubborn shake of her head. “I saw her at Thanksgiving, and she was fit as a fiddle.”

  Zane smiled. She’d learned that phrase from Honor, who had learned it from his dad.

  “I agree she looked fine,” Rafael said. “I saw her two days ago.” He scratched under his chin. “Although now that I think about it, she looked kind of chubby.”

  “Female cats get fat like that,” Jubie said. “Mama told me so.”

  Rafael grimaced as he pulled the lamp from his head. “You don’t think there’s a chance Minnie could be pregnant? They tend to find a private place to give birth.”

  “I think Kara got her from a shelter,” Zane said. “They always take care of that before they send them out to their forever homes, don’t they? Plus, Minnie doesn’t go out. How could she have gotten pregnant?”

  Rafael shuffled his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. “Here’s the thing. Whiskers wasn’t fixed when he came for a visit. He was a stray that just wandered into my yard. I took him in but didn’t have time to take him to the vet before I had to leave to see my mom. I dropped him off here with the Mullens for a few days because I didn’t know how he would do alone with my other cat. When I got home, I took him in to the vet and found out he wasn’t fixed.”

  “There was a window,” Zane said.

  “Yep. A distinct window,” Rafael said. “If Minnie wasn’t fixed, either.”

  “Where do cats have babies?” Jubie asked.

  “Usually dry, small places where they feel safe,” Rafael said. “Can you think of any place like that in Kara’s house?”

  Jubie shook her head. “Every place in Kara’s house seems big.”

  His phone buzzed from the pocket of his jacket. It was Kara.

  Can you come back inside? I think I’m having contractions.

  He relayed the message to Rafael.

  “Contractions? Well, shoot, that’s not good,” Rafael said.

  Jubie’s eyes widened. “Does that mean the baby’s coming?”

  “Maybe,” Zane said. He hoped not any time too soon. Brody needed to get home.

  The three of them traipsed across the yard and up the stairs. Kara was doubled over at the kitchen counter, breathing hard.

  Zane rushed to her but halted before getting too close. What was he supposed to do? The birthing classes hadn’t covered what to do when your best friend’s wife was in labor. He exchanged a glance with Rafael, who appeared slightly green in complexion. Jubie slipped a hand into Zane’s.

  Kara straightened. “That was a contraction. I think I’m in labor.”

  Zane glanced at his watch. “Brody and Honor are on the plane.” They were set to land at six. By the time they were out of the airport and on their way home, it would be at least another hour and a half. It was half past five now. “They’ll be here in a few hours.”

  Kara laughed. “It’s okay, guys. I’m not the first person to ever have a baby. I already called Jackson. He said to text him if they start coming regularly.”

  Zane paced between the counter and table. “Okay, well, let’s start timing them, then.”

  “I have a smartwatch,” Rafael said. “I’ll time.”

  “We think Minnie might be having babies,” Jubie said, blurting it out as if t
hey hadn’t veered off to an entirely different topic.

  “Babies? That’s impossible,” Kara said. “I don’t think she can have babies.”

  Rafael cleared his throat. “Well, there’s a possibility that Whiskers may have gotten her into trouble while he was visiting.”

  Kara stared at them. “The place I got Minnie told me she was spayed. But maybe they made a mistake. I haven’t taken her to the vet since I moved here. She’s always so healthy, and she never goes outside.”

  “Where is a small, safe place in your house?” Jubie asked.

  Kara put up her hand as her face twisted in obvious pain. “Hang on. Here’s another contraction.”

  Zane looked at the clock that hung above the door, noting the time. Rafael punched something into his watch. They couldn’t have a repeat of the way Lily Waller entered the world. He was not capable of delivering a baby the way Mary had. Should he call Mary? Or Lance? As Brody’s brother, Lance would want to know when his sister-in-law was in labor. He sent him a quick text.

  Kara’s in labor. I’m with her at the house. Will text if we go to the hospital.

  Seconds later, a text came back from Lance.

  We’re at the bookstore and can come to the house or the hospital right after we close. Keep us posted.

  Jubie was biting her nails, a habit they’d been trying to break her of. Zane let it go for now. In fact, he might take up nail biting himself. Instead, he paced between the kitchen island and the picture windows that looked out to the ocean.

  When the contraction ended, Kara looked over at Jubie. “I can’t think of any small places, other than closets.”

  “We’ll go look,” Rafael said. “If that’s okay?”

  “Yes, please,” Kara said.

  Rafael handed Zane his watch. “Use this to keep time.”

  As soon as they were gone, Kara looked over at Zane. “I’m scared.”

  “You’re going to be fine.”

  “Brody will never forgive himself if he misses the birth of his first child.”

  “He’s not going to. First babies take forever to come out, right?” Zane asked.

  “Have you forgotten when Maggie had Lily?”

  “No, I haven’t.” A nervous knot had developed in his stomach. “You just started contracting. It’s going to be fine.” If only he were as sure of that as he sounded.

  Brody

  THE MOMENT THE PLANE landed, Brody turned on his phone. Seconds later, two texts popped up. One from Kara, the other from Zane.

  Honey, contractions coming regularly. Zane drove me to the hospital. Jackson is meeting us there.

  Zane’s had come in about thirty minutes later.

  With Kara. They have her in a room and are monitoring her. Nothing’s happening too fast, so don’t worry. Call me when you land.

  His hands trembled. He could barely dial the phone.

  “Oh, crap,” Honor said from the seat next to him as she stared at her phone. “Zane texted. Kara’s in labor.”

  “I know. I’m calling Zane right now.”

  Zane answered almost immediately, sounding breathless. “Hey Brody,” Zane said.

  “Is she...did the...have I missed it?”

  “No, man, she’s only about six inches dilated. Things are going slow. Jackson says epidurals slow things down. You still have time. But listen, have Honor drive.”

  “Yeah, okay. Tell Kara I’m coming.”

  “I will.”

  He hung up and looked over at Honor. “If I miss this, I’m never going to forgive myself.”

  “No way you’re missing this. I’ll drive,” Honor said.

  “Zane requested that,” Brody said.

  Twenty minutes later, with Honor in the driver’s seat, they exited the airport and headed toward the freeway. As usual, Honor was cool. Conversely, he thought he might have a heart attack.

  “Breathe,” Honor said. “Like you learned in birth class.”

  “That was for her, not me.”

  “We’re going to get there in time,” Honor said. “Don’t worry.”

  Brody nodded. “Yeah. I can’t miss this. Not this. Kara will never forgive me.”

  “She understands how important this trip was,” Honor said. “And we’re going to make it anyway.”

  Honor’s phone buzzed. “Can you look?”

  Brody picked it up and looked at the text. “It’s from Sophie to you and Zane. Her water broke.”

  “Holy crap. Can we ever just have one baby at a time in this group?” Honor asked.

  “Apparently not.”

  Jubie

  FROM HER PERCH AT KARA’S island in the kitchen, Jubie watched Rafael stare out the window with his face all crinkled up the way grown-ups did when they worried. Normally, his face didn’t move much. Only his eyes darted around, as though he wanted to see everything at the same time.

  Rafael lived upstairs in the same building as Lavonne, only his apartment was much nicer and way bigger. Lavonne had been her mother’s best friend. He’d brought Jubie to her new mama and daddy. Now he looked after her while her parents were at work. From Rafael’s apartment, Jubie could see all the way to the ocean, whereas Lavonne’s was nothing but one room and a view of the parking lot.

  Rafael had a lot of medals from when he was in the wars. Lavonne had told her that Rafael was brave and strong like a superhero. Jubie didn’t know much about superheroes. She preferred stories about princesses and families. However, if superheroes were handsome and sad, then Rafael must be one.

  “Do you want one of my cookies?” she asked. “And some milk? They always make me feel better.”

  He turned toward her. “I do love cookies.”

  She picked two from her stack and placed them onto a napkin. “Come sit with me. Mama says no one should stand up when they eat.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  That made Jubie giggle. Rafael talked to her as if she were a grown-up, not some silly kid.

  He sat on the stool next to her. His legs reached the floor. Too bad for him. It was fun to let hers dangle.

  Rafael took a bite of one of his cookies. Almost the entire cookie disappeared. “Chocolate chip. My favorite.”

  “Mine too.” She sighed with happiness. It wasn’t often she got Rafael all to herself. Rafael and cookies on the same day? Perfection. She gazed up at him. His skin was the color of a walnut, and his eyes were almost black. He smelled good, too. Not as good as cookies, but close. “Rafael?”

  “Yeah?” He was peering at his second cookie as though it were his best friend.

  “How old do you have to be to get married?”

  He blinked and set aside his cookie. “Well, that depends.”

  “On what?”

  “On when you meet the right person,” Rafael said.

  “Could you meet them when you’re seven?” Please say yes.

  “Some people do. Maggie and Jackson, for example. They fell in love when they were only six years old.”

  This was new information. No one told her anything. She smiled to herself. Six was way younger than seven.

  “Why do you ask?” Rafael popped the entire second cookie in his mouth and chewed.

  “No reason.”

  He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Do you like a boy at school?”

  “No. He’s not at school. The boys at school are yucky. He’s older.”

  Rafael scrunched his black eyebrows together. “Do I know him?”

  “You might.”

  “You’re not allowed to date yet, though? Isn’t that right?” Rafael asked.

  “Daddy says I can’t date until I’m sixteen. Which means I have nine more years until I’m ready for a boyfriend.” She took a dainty bite from her cookie, savoring the small piece of chocolate. “How old are you?”

  “Me? I’m thirty-four.” The corners of his eyes crinkled. “Ancient.”

  Thirty-four. That was older than Dad. How old would he be in nine years? Never mind for now. She’d have to do that math when s
he had a pencil and piece of paper. Her heart sank, though. They were doomed. He’d be an old man by the time she caught up.

  “You know,” he said, “when the boys you know now become men, you’ll like them a lot better. I bet there will be the perfect one for you.”

  “I’d want him to be just like you.”

  “He’ll be much better than me,” Rafael said.

  Not possible.

  “Now eat your last cookie,” he said. “We need to put our heads together and find Minnie.”

  “We have to find her.” They’d looked all over the house, but there was no sign of her. This house was too big. A cat could be anywhere. Jubie bit into her cookie and tried to remember if she’d ever seen Minnie in a place other than right next to Brody or Kara. There were rooms in the house Jubie hadn’t been in, like the one down the hall on the other side of the house. Mama had told her that’s where Janet used to live before she married the white-haired Dr. Waller and became Mrs. Waller instead of Mrs. Mullen.

  Think, Jubie.

  She would be like Nancy Drew and solve the mystery. What would the name of this book be if she really was Nancy Drew? “The Case of the Missing Cat,” she said under her breath.

  “What’s that now?” Rafael asked.

  Had she said that out loud? She must have. Often things she wondered about slipped out of her mouth. Daddy had teased her about it just last week. He said she didn’t have a filter, just like Mama. When she’d asked him what a filter was, he’d explained that some things were best left in your brain and not let out through your mouth. Mama had agreed and said she’d gotten herself in a lot of trouble from talking without thinking. Jubie wished she knew more details about what kind of trouble exactly, but Mama went quiet after that.

  “Jubie, what did you say?” Rafael asked.

  She jumped, startled. She’d forgotten all about the question. “Sorry. I was thinking about being Nancy Drew.”

  A half laugh bubbled out of Rafael. As usual, he laughed without opening his mouth, so it sounded as though he had a sock stuffed in there. She wished he’d let it all out like Mama and Uncle Kyle. They were loud talkers and laughers. Last Sunday in church, Jubie had seen Violet poke Kyle in the ribs when he laughed during the sermon. After the poke, he’d laughed without making a sound, so his whole body shook. It might have been one of those inappropriate moments that her teacher, Mrs. Sprague, had told them about during show-and-tell time. A few of the boys had laughed when Willow shared her naked Barbie for “show.” Mrs. Sprague had said both the naked doll and laughing about the naked doll were inappropriate. When she’d told her parents about it the dinner table, Mama had gotten serious and told her that a naked body was nothing to laugh about or be ashamed of. Dad had added, “Regardless, don’t bring a naked body of any kind to school.”