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A Christmas Visitor

Page 20

by Thomas Kinkade


  “There are some roll-up sandwiches—your favorite, Matt—roast beef and herbed goat cheese with watercress.”

  Looking pleased, Matt put a sandwich on his plate. “Yum. Haven’t had one of these in a while.”

  “Glad to hear it,” Alex said with a laugh. “That’s a cholesterol bomb if I ever saw one.”

  Matt had been biting down with a contented expression but his face suddenly turned sour. He chewed and swallowed a bite. “That’s true,” he said to Alex. “I’m getting to the age when you really have to watch your fat intake.” He glanced up at Molly. “It’s really good, honey.…Here, why don’t we split this one?”

  He set half of his sandwich on Molly’s plate. She stared down at it. When had Matt ever eaten half a sandwich for lunch in his life?

  Molly glanced across the table at Alex. So far, she hadn’t touched a bite of food. Fine, Molly thought. Fortunately, she had brought things besides the “cholesterol bombs.”

  “Let’s see, we have some arugula salad with pears and walnuts…and some berries in this bowl.” Molly set out the healthy choices then watched Alex help herself to a few spoonfuls of salad—no dressing—and a flat-bread cracker.

  And about a quart of water, Molly noticed. The woman had to be half camel.

  “So, how are you enjoying it here, Alex?” Molly asked in a pleasant tone. “Is Matt working you hard?”

  “Oh, no…we’re having a great time, aren’t we Matt?”

  “Alex is fitting in just fine. The patients love her.”

  Of course, Molly thought.

  “Mrs. Kruger was cute this morning, wasn’t she?” Matt said to Alex.

  Alex laughed. “Yes, she was. But I think she ought to see an eye doctor.”

  Molly smiled politely, feeling left out of the joke. “What happened?” she asked finally.

  “Oh, nothing…” Alex shook her head, looking embarrassed.

  “When Alex went out into the waiting room to introduce herself, Mrs. Kruger thought she was one of our girls. She called her Lauren.”

  Molly knew that Alex had to be around Matt’s age, but she didn’t look it at all. That was probably one of the great benefits of not having children running you ragged: you had all the time in the world to work on yourself. Molly thought of a sarcastic comeback—she could agree that Mrs. Kruger certainly did need to get her eyes checked—but restrained herself. She didn’t want to be mean and petty. She wanted to take the high road. After all, Alex was here so Molly could have more time with Matt; that was the thing to keep in mind.

  The intercom buzzed and Matt rose to answer it. Alex looked over at her. “That was a nice treat. Do you and Matt do this often?”

  “Oh, we used to,” Molly said. “I know he enjoys it.”

  “It’s very thoughtful. Matt says you’re unbelievably busy at your shop right now.”

  “I always have time for my husband,” Molly replied, knowing it wasn’t exactly true. She loved Matt madly, but lately she had hardly had any time for him. He was a priority in her heart but not in her day-planner. The arrival of Dr. Cole, however, had given her a wake-up call.

  Matt returned from his phone call. “Got to get back to work, honey.” He took hold of her shoulders and gave her a quick kiss. “Thanks for lunch. That was great. See you home tonight, okay?”

  Molly nodded. “Sure.”

  Alex started to clean up the paper plates.

  “That’s okay. I’ll clean up,” Molly offered. “You probably have patients waiting.”

  Alex dumped a few plates in the trash can. “Actually, I do. Thanks for including me. I’ll see you soon, okay?” She stood at the door a moment and waved.

  Molly waved back. Then heaved a sigh of relief when Alex disappeared.

  Alone in the office, she dug down into the basket and found a package of thick, chewy brownies. She hadn’t dared produce them in Alex’s sight, fearing another lecture on triglycerides and blood-sugar highs. She picked one out and took a big satisfying bite. And then another.

  One for me. One for the baby.

  She gently rubbed her tummy and thought about the tiny being growing inside her. “Now, that’s really tasty, right, baby? Chocolate is actually not bad for us at all. It’s a proven fact. It’s an antioxidant, as good as drinking green tea or eating bags of broccoli, and it puts you in a good mood. Mommy feels better already.”

  MOLLY RETURNED TO HER SHOP TO FIND BETTY WAITING for her. Betty had wanted to stop by for lunch that day, but Molly explained where she had to go—and why.

  “So, how did it go?” Betty asked. “Did Matt like his sandwich?”

  Molly dumped her basket on the counter and pulled off her coat. She felt as if she’d just auditioned for a role as Little Red Riding Hood and hadn’t been picked for the part.

  “He did like it. He liked it a lot. But Dr. Anorexia disapproved of his food choices and took all the fun out of it, for goodness sake.”

  “She had lunch with you?”

  “Matt insisted on it.” Molly turned to her friend, looking grim. “Betty, maybe I’m just being paranoid, but I can’t help worrying that there might be something going on there.”

  “You are being paranoid,” Betty said at once. “Matt adores you.”

  “Maybe,” Molly said. “But I’m—motherly. And she’s beautiful, smart, sweet…”

  “Maybe she is all those things, but so are you,” Betty reminded her. “That still doesn’t mean Matt is attracted to her and they’re going to run off and have an affair.”

  “I’m not sweet,” Molly corrected her. She opened the basket and began unpacking it. “I’ll bet he is attracted. He just won’t admit it, of course. Did I tell you they were an item once? He said Alex broke it off. He’s probably been pining for her all these years. They’re both doctors, for goodness sake. I didn’t even finish college. Maybe that’s starting to bother Matt, even though he said it didn’t matter to him.…”

  Betty touched her arm. “Molly, you’re getting carried away with yourself. You’re letting your old insecurities and self-image problems take over. I thought you were over all that.”

  “Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating,” Molly conceded. “Maybe he hasn’t been thinking of her. But the man isn’t blind. Look at me, I’m turning into a blimp. None of my nice clothes fit anymore. I’m starting to go into the ‘big shirt and black pants’ stage. After Jill was born, I didn’t emerge until she was in fifth grade.”

  “Molly, you’re worrying yourself sick over nothing. Matt isn’t going to run off with Alex Cole. He knows you’re growing his child in your body. He knows you’re going to gain some weight. Hey, some men love it when women look pregnant. He’s certainly wild about the baby coming,” she reminded her.

  Molly sighed. “Here, let me pack this stuff up for you. You take it home, have it for dinner tonight.” Without waiting for Betty’s answer, she packed up the leftover sandwiches and salads. She even gave Betty the brownies, feeling horribly guilty now for her impulsive indulgence.

  “I know what you’re saying is true,” Molly admitted. “I know I’m letting myself get carried away. But every time Matt talks about Alex, he sounds as if he’s talking about Uma Thurman and Madam Curie, rolled into one. It just…drives me crazy!”

  “Okay…but that’s still your problem. It has nothing to do with Matt.”

  Molly glared at her. Sometimes Betty could be so…so…honest. And sensible. It was really annoying.

  “I haven’t even told you the worst of it. The other night, I was talking to him about Christmas Eve. You know, we’re going to have that big family party. It’ll be the first time we’re really entertaining in our new house. I want it to be…special.” She sighed. “So far, he’s let me do all the planning. His only suggestion? ‘Why don’t we invite Alex? She’ll probably be all alone for Christmas.’” Molly made a face. “I know it sounds mean and totally lacking in Christmas spirit but…I’m dreading her showing up. It will be this glaring contrast between Uma and the whale.”


  Betty looked at her sympathetically. “Oh, honey…don’t get so bent out of shape. Matt didn’t mean anything by that.” Betty caught her eye and smiled. “Actually, I think you should invite her. In fact, I think it’s a great idea.”

  Molly was confused. “Why?”

  “Because this is the perfect chance to meet her on your own turf and show Alex how solid your marriage is. You’re a wonderful hostess, a fabulous cook, your entire family adores you. If she is even remotely thinking of stealing your husband—and I don’t think she is—she’ll see that she doesn’t have a chance. And if she is just Matt’s partner, who doesn’t know anyone else in town and could use an invite on Christmas Eve, then you’ll have done a really nice thing. Either way, you win.”

  “Maybe you’re right.” Molly sat up straighter and smoothed out her blouse. “I’m going to call Matt’s office right now and invite her.”

  Betty beamed. “That’s the spirit, kid. Go for it.”

  “You just have to promise me one thing. Now you really have to come to the party—for moral support. I don’t think I can pull this off without you.”

  “I’m sure you can,” Betty told her. “But I’ll come anyway. I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  MIRANDA HAD DELIVERED HER PRE-CHRISTMAS ORDER to the Golden Moon, only to have Krista give her a new order for Valentine’s Day. At least that gave Miranda time to order some of the stones she was missing. And it gave her something to occupy her own time while she waited for Adam’s old life to reclaim him. She knew it would happen any day now. She had seen him listening again and again to the tape that Dr. Carter had made of the hypnotherapy session. She hadn’t asked him about it, but she was sure that there was a clue in there somewhere.

  Now there were only four days until Christmas. Miranda had finished her Christmas shopping and was working on the new order. Krista had asked for more of Miranda’s signature pieces—the necklaces and earrings that contrasted dark and light stones. But she had also specially requested pieces made with rose quartz, garnets, pink tourmaline, and even a few with rubies—all the red and pink stones that reminded people of their hearts and love.

  As if I could forget, Miranda thought. She felt as if her own heart had been aching for days now. At least it was easy to immerse herself in her work, probably a form of self-hypnosis, she decided, considering the way Adam had explained it.

  Miranda had never thought about it much but now considered it a blessing, the way she lost track of time and even a sense of her surroundings while she worked. The long strands of colored beads—deep lapis blue, burgundy garnet, violet amethyst, and golden topaz—were mesmerizing. Forming the intricate shapes of silver wire, beads, and iridescent seed pearls to create a harmony of design required her total focus and concentration. Even paging through art history textbooks for inspiration transported Miranda to a distant, meditative place.

  She came into the house for some coffee midafternoon and found her grandmother sitting at the kitchen table, writing out Christmas cards. Not that there was much time for the cards to reach their destinations. The way the post office looked this week, it would take four days standing in line just to mail them.

  “Greg called,” Sophie said. “I told him you were out in the cottage and I would run out and get you, but he said for you to call him back when you were able. I guess he didn’t want to bother me. He’s so considerate.”

  Miranda had to agree. Greg was considerate. She had noticed lately that her grandmother rarely missed a chance to comment on any of Greg’s good points.

  “Okay, I’ll call him in a minute. Did he leave a message?”

  Sophie shook her head. “Just to call him back. But we did have a chat. I hope you don’t mind, Miranda.” Sophie glanced up briefly at her granddaughter, a sheepish look on her face. “We started talking about the holidays, and he said he was picking up his little girl on Christmas Day…but didn’t have any plans at all for Christmas Eve…”

  Miranda knew where this was going. She braced herself. She loved her grandmother dearly, but Sophie had a habit of treating everyone like family.

  “…So what could I do? Before I even thought about it, I nvited him to our party. I know I should have left that to you. But you’ve been dating Greg for a while now. I didn’t think you would mind.” Sophie shrugged and glanced at her again, a deeply penitent look on her face, designed to elicit sympathy, Miranda suspected.

  And they say I’m the actress in the family. It’s got to be genetic.

  “I guess it’s all right,” Miranda said finally. “Though it does create…expectations, Grandma.”

  Did she really want Greg here on Christmas Eve, with all her family around, including her father? When you brought a date to a family Christmas party, didn’t it imply the relationship was serious? What would Greg be thinking now? That she had given her grandmother the impression their relationship was serious—or she hoped it was?

  And what if Adam was still here? Christmas was only four days away. It was possible he would be here, and then the day would be an emotional tug-of-war for her. The whole situation gave Miranda a headache.

  Sophie seemed to sense that Miranda was upset and shook her head dolefully. “I’m sorry, honey. I just wasn’t thinking.”

  Miranda couldn’t stay mad at her. “What did Greg say? Is he coming?” she asked finally.

  “He thanked me for asking and said he would let us know. Maybe he’s waiting to hear it from you,” she added.

  “Maybe,” Miranda agreed, though the idea of repeating an invitation she wouldn’t have made in the first place didn’t exactly fill her heart with holiday cheer.

  Maybe Greg would decline, deciding for himself it would be taking a step he wasn’t ready for. Or maybe he would get a better offer. Miranda decided there was nothing she could do about it. The situation already seemed out of her hands.

  She watched her grandmother for a moment, writing a personal message in each of her cards, pausing to think of what she wanted to say, a slight smile on her face as she worked.

  “Grandma, if you’re done with those cards today, I’ll take them into town for you later,” Miranda offered.

  “Oh, don’t bother, honey. Anytime before New Year’s is okay with me. It’s the idea of it, you know. I always think I start early enough. Then I end up writing a note inside each one.”

  “Why don’t you just write one of those chatty catch-up letters and send it out to everyone? Wouldn’t that be more efficient?”

  “Efficient maybe, but those things annoy me. Most people tell more than you ever wanted to know. First they brag about their grandkid graduating from medical school. Then they describe their husband’s kidney stones. That’s not my idea of a holiday greeting.”

  Miranda had to smile. Her grandmother was the most clear-sighted person she knew. She hoped some of those genes had trickled down to her, though it didn’t seem likely. After all, it wasn’t very clear-sighted of her to have fallen so hard for Adam.

  The phone rang and Miranda picked it up, thinking it might be Greg again. But it wasn’t Greg. It was Detective Lester. “Hi, Miranda. Is Adam there? I have some news.”

  “Yes…He’s upstairs. Just hold on, I’ll call him.” Miranda felt breathless, as if all the air had suddenly been sucked out of the room.

  This might be it. The news Adam had been waiting for—and she had been dreading.

  Miranda called to Adam from the bottom of the stairs and then heard him pick up the extension. She hung up, giving him privacy. She glanced at her grandmother. Sophie had stopped writing, her smile transformed into a worried frown.

  A few moments later, Miranda heard Adam coming down the stairs. He walked into the kitchen, his expression dumbstruck.

  “Detective Lester says he’s solved my case. He’s found…my fiancée.” Adam glanced at Miranda for a fraction of a second, then looked away.

  She felt as if her heart had turned into stone. She wasn’t sure if she could breathe, if she could feel. He
r body felt thick and numb.

  Her grandmother looked surprised, too. “Is he sure this time? I wouldn’t want you to get your hopes up again for nothing.”

  “Yes, he’s sure.” Adam nodded. “He said he’s been following the lead for a while, but didn’t want to tell me until he was sure. A woman who says that she’s my fiancée got in touch with him a week or so ago. She missed my photo and story when the news article first came out. But somebody showed it to her and she tracked me down.”

  “That’s good news then. I knew it would happen. We just needed to be patient.” Sophie stood up, sounding breathless and letting her reading glasses hang from the cord around her neck. “When will she come? Sometime tomorrow?”

  “She’s here, in Cape Light, right now. She’s at the police station, giving proof of our relationship.” Adam swallowed hard. His eyes looked glassy. “Lester says I live in Portland, Maine. She’s taking me back there. Tonight.”

  “I’ll take you to town, Adam.” It nearly killed Miranda to make the offer, but she knew she had to say something.

  “Detective Lester is coming here. With…Lisa. He thinks that will be best.”

  Sophie lifted her chin. “Well, it’s all very sudden, but I guess it couldn’t happen any other way. We’ll miss you, Adam. It won’t feel the same without you around.”

  Adam swallowed hard. “I’ll miss you, too. Both of you,” he said, glancing at Miranda. “I don’t think you could ever know how grateful I am. Or how much I value your friendship.”

  Sophie walked over and patted his arm. “Portland’s not far. We’ll keep in touch. You can come back and visit us anytime. I’ll put you to work out in the orchard next time. You might like that better than painting.”

  Adam gave her a small smile. “I might,” he admitted. Then he leaned over and hugged Sophie tight. Miranda couldn’t stand to stay in the room another second. If he hugged her like that, she wasn’t sure she would be able to let him go.

  “I have to…go back out. I left the burner on in the cottage…” She raced out of the kitchen and out the side door, then started walking swiftly up the steep hill, into the orchard.

 

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