Little Christmas Miracles: Her Christmas Wedding Wish / Christmas Gift: A Family / Christmas on the Children's Ward

Richard lived the fantasy until the real thing appeared at the door of the breakfast room.

Molly came to an abrupt halt when she saw him sitting there.

He cleared his throat. “Good afternoon, Molly.” Seeing her laden with packages, he asked, “Did you have a nice shopping trip? Why didn’t Albert let you out at the door so you wouldn’t catch cold?”

Still standing in the doorway, like a deer caught in the headlights, Molly replied, “I told him it wasn’t necessary. After all, I’m not family. I work for you just as he does.”

True, he thought, but Albert didn’t appear in his daydreams.

He kept that remark to himself. Instead he voiced, “He should at least carry your packages for you.”

“I’m fine.” Stepping back, she added, “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”

“No.” He couldn’t let her go. For some reason he wanted her company right now.

What was wrong with him? It wasn’t the spiked egg nog he’d had at the office; there wasn’t enough brandy in that to make him act so out of character. Whatever it was, he had to get himself under control. For Toby’s sake.

Molly, he noticed, looked at him oddly. Covering for himself, he explained, “I prefer not to eat alone. Why don’t you join me? Have a drink, at least.” Not waiting for her assent, he called for Louisa and Albert, who appeared almost instantly. He directed Albert to take Molly’s packages to her room, and Louisa to bring her a Diet Coke.

Molly tried to think of a way out of being in Richard’s company, but she couldn’t come up with anything. Toby was napping, as was Elizabeth. And he was her host…and her boss.

Dutifully she sat down—at the opposite end of the table. Apparently that wasn’t good enough.

“Why so far away? Come sit next to me.” Richard pointed to his left, and Molly reluctantly obliged.

“Your enthusiasm is overwhelming, Molly.”

“I’m sorry, but I was capable of carrying my purchases upstairs.”

“I’m sure you are, but why not relax and enjoy a drink?”

Louisa entered again and set down a plate of warm cookies.

“See? There’s more to enjoy. Thank you, Louisa.”

“Albert should be the one receiving the reward,” Molly said stubbornly.

“He’ll get warm cookies as soon as he gets to the kitchen again.” He looked up as Albert entered the room. “You’d better hurry, Albert. Delores just baked cookies.”

“I’m on my way.” Albert grinned.

“Satisfied?” Richard asked after Albert left.

“Yes, thank you,” Molly said, wishing she weren’t. She knew Albert didn’t have a tough job and that he was well paid. But that didn’t mean he should wait on her.

“What did you buy?”

She stiffened. Richard wanted idle conversation? This was so unlike him. “Just some odds and ends,” she replied.

“Did you enjoy North Park? I thought Toby might like to see it. Their holiday decorations are usually spectacular. Did they lift your spirits?”

“My spirits didn’t need lifting, Richard.”

“Oh, right, I forgot.You’re filled with the Christmas spirit.”

She shoved her chair from the table. “If you’ll—”

He grabbed her hand and stopped her departure. “You haven’t even touched your snack. You don’t want to hurt Delores’s feelings, do you?” Then, as if burned, he pulled his hand back. But her forearm still tingled from his touch.

What was going on here? her head screamed. Surely no nurse had that kind of reaction to her boss’s touch. She almost chuckled when she thought of Dr. Bradford making her pulse race.

But the sixtyish Dr. Bradford didn’t look like Richard Anderson.

Clearing her head, she sat back down. Then, in an effort to save herself, she picked up a cookie, ate it in two bites and drank half her drink. Anything to avoid Richard.

“One cookie won’t satisfy Delores.”

She looked up at him. Was he kidding?

At her skeptical look, he leaned in close and stage-whis-pered, “Should I call her in here and ask her?”

Molly leaned back, extending her arm fully to reach another cookie. “Will two satisfy her?” She took a quick bite.

“Maybe, if you take your time to eat it. But if you jump up and run away, not only will Delores be concerned, but my mother will be also as soon as Delores tells her.”

Molly closed her eyes. When she opened them she said, “I can’t believe you’d really let Delores tattle on me.”

“I don’t know why. Delores has been tattling on me for at least twenty years.” Richard kept smiling.

“Twenty years? Delores has worked here that long?”

“Sure. She had Louisa’s job for the first ten years. Then she took over the kitchen when our other cook left. She’s been in cahoots with my mom all that time. She thinks she helped raise me.”

Against her better judgment Molly smiled. “It probably did take two mothers to raise you.”

“How many mothers did you have?” he asked.

“Just one,” she said succinctly. Her history had already been discussed that day more than she liked.

“Where does your mother live?”

Molly stiffened. Then she said, “Seattle.”

“And you didn’t plan on going home for Christmas?”

“No, I didn’t have the money for a plane ticket. Besides, it wouldn’t be worth the trip for just one day.” Molly hoped he wouldn’t mention her lies to either Toby or Elizabeth. But she refused to pour out her history to this man. The truth made her sound pitiful, and she didn’t want Richard’s pity. She’d experienced that response many times in the past. Then she’d had to work hard to be treated normally.

“Oh, really? That doesn’t sound like a woman filled with the Christmas spirit.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

“Feel free to call your mother, if you want. I won’t charge you for the call.”

“Thank you. That’s very generous of you.”

He studied her. “But you don’t intend to take me up on the offer?”

“I’ll call her on Christmas Day on my cell phone.”

“I didn’t realize you had a cell phone.”

“I didn’t know I had to tell you if I did,” she said, her shoulders stiffening.

“No, it’s not necessary. I’m glad to know you keep in touch with your family.” Then he lifted the plate of cookies and offered her another one.

“Thank you,” she said, taking her third cookie and eating it slowly, as if she were really enjoying it.

“You’re welcome.” Finally he sat back, giving Molly room to breathe. “What have you planned for Toby for Christmas?”

“I was hoping Delores would let us make Christmas cookies. We could decorate them and even hang some on the tree if Toby wants.”

“He might prefer to eat all of them.”

“I try to limit his sugar intake. Children tend to get hyper if they have too much sugar.”

Richard grinned. “Then I approve of that idea. What else?”

“I had already thought of taking him to the mall.”

“Good. Anything else?”

She wasn’t going to mention her other idea. He wouldn’t understand it. “No, that’s all.”

“Okay. Well, I’m sure Mom will appreciate your help. She’s determined to make this a special Christmas for Toby.”

“More than you’ll ever know,” Molly muttered, thinking about Elizabeth’s idea of a dog.

“What did you say?” Richard asked, leaning forward, this time so close she could smell the subtle after-shave that clung to his neck.

“Nothing,” Molly said quickly. She had to get out of here. “I’ve had three cookies, Richard, so I’ll go upstairs now, if there’s nothing else.”

“Fine. I won’t hold you. Feel free to leave.”

She took him at his word.

After she left, Richard sat there for another few minutes, enjoying another cookie and thinking about her. He had to admit that was about the most enjoyable lunch he’d had in a long time. Then he picked up the two glasses and the plate of remaining cookies and carried them to the kitchen to kiss Delores’s cheek and thank her for the quick lunch.

“Did the pretty nurse enjoy the cookies, too?” the darkhaired woman asked.

“She did, but she worries about her weight.”

“For no reason.”

Right, Richard thought. Her body was perfect, rounded where it should be, with a slim waist and high breasts.

Delores continued, “And she’s very pretty.”

“Yes, she is.” In the right light her red highlights glowed, lighting up her creamy, flawless skin.And those green eyes…

“And kind to,” Delores added.

She certainly was, not only to Toby but to his mother. With an easy—He pulled up short. Wait a minute. He knew what was going on here…

“Delores,” he said in a warning tone. “Don’t be putting any ideas in my mother’s head. I don’t want her pressuring me to marry the nurse.”

“You are prejudiced against nurses?”

“Of course not. But I’ve got about all on my plate that I can handle right now.”

“Richard, you work too hard. You need to relax and enjoy life more.”

He kissed her cheek again. “Right. As long as I make enough to pay your salary, I guess.”

“Oh, you!” Delores exclaimed, slapping his arm and laughing.

Richard laughed too and then escaped the kitchen.

He knew his social life the past year and a half had left a lot to be desired. Now that things had settled down at the firm, he’d start rectifying that, right after the holidays. He’d find himself a nice woman, pretty and kind. A woman like Molly.

But the last thing he needed was his mother and Delores playing matchmaker.

Richard was in his home office working before dinner when the door opened and his mother came in.

“Do you have time for a little chat, Richard?”

“Of course, Mom. Are you having any problems?”

“No, of course not. Everything is lovely.”

“Good, glad to hear it.”

“But the subject of the dog did come up.”

“How?”

“I told Toby that I thought we should get him a suit for Christmas. Needless to say, like most little boys, Toby was polite but not enthusiastic. I told him he would get other presents, too. He immediately guessed it was a puppy.”

“Did Molly encourage him?”

“Not at all. In fact she deterred him. Even when I told her I wanted to get Toby a dog, she suggested I talk it over with you first.”

“She wants to make me the bad guy, I guess.”

“No. She just said you should have some say in the matter since you live here, too.”

“I could move out if you want me to, Mom. I only moved back home so you wouldn’t be alone after Dad died.”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I love having you here, and with Toby living with us, I need you to be here. He needs a male presence in his life.”

“Okay. So did you agree to talk to me about a dog?”

“Not at first. After all, it is my house.”

“It is.”

“But she said you loved me and tried to take care of me. She didn’t think I should lose you just to please Toby.”

“How kind of her.”

“She was right, Richard. I was getting carried away,” his mother said. “But I still want Toby to have his dog. So I wanted to talk it over with you.”

“Okay. What do you want to say?”

“Albert loves dogs and he says he could help us train the dog so it wouldn’t make a mess in the house.”

“Good for Albert.”

“He said your father wouldn’t let him have a dog.”

“I can believe that. He was a very controlling man as we both know.”

“So if he can help us, why can’t Toby have a dog?”

“I never said he couldn’t, Mom.”

“Oh, Richard, you are such a good son!”

“You might change your mind if the dog relieves himself on one of your pricey oriental rugs.”

Elizabeth laughed. “A rug is replaceable. And it will make Toby so happy.”

“What kind of dog do you want to get him?”

“I don’t know. Do you have an idea?”

“One of the attorneys at the office has a dog that just had a litter of puppies about three weeks ago. I think they’re chocolate Labs. They’re good with children.”

“Perfect. Can you call him and get him to sell us one?”

“Sell? I’m his boss!”

“I know, but—”

Richard laughed. “I’m just teasing you, Mom. I’ll give him a call right away. Do you want him to keep the puppy until Christmas Eve?”

“Absolutely. I want it to be a surprise for Toby. Can you go get it after he goes to bed?”

“Of course, Mom. Did you ever consider getting me a puppy?” Richard thought of how much he’d wanted one when he was little.

“Yes. I pleaded with your father, but…he didn’t like animals in the house. He didn’t even want one in the yard. I’m sorry, son.” She looked genuinely contrite.

“It’s okay, Mom. I grew up just fine without a dog.” He reached out for her hand. “I’m just glad we can give Toby one.”

“I can’t wait to tell Molly that you agree.”

“I’m sure it will surprise her.”

“Son, you’re too hard on her.”

“Not all that hard. By the way, I know the doctor told us she had no family in Florida, but did you know she has a mother in Seattle?”

“Oh, no, dear, you’re wrong about that. Her parents died in a car crash when she was seven. She told Toby that. And she was raised in a foster home.”

Richard frowned. “Maybe she told him that so he’d feel better.”

“No, he told me this morning and I sympathized with her. She didn’t say anything.”

“She couldn’t in front of Toby. That would’ve ruined her bonding with him.”

“I’m sure you’re wrong. Molly wouldn’t lie about something like that.”

Richard just shook his head. His mother had never believed bad things about him, either. Unfortunately sometimes he’d lied to her. And he’d always felt so guilt-ridden that he had to admit it afterwards. Maybe Molly would do the same.

“Molly, can I go outside for a little while?” Toby asked after he woke up.

“No, it’s too cold outside. You don’t want to be sick for Christmas, do you?”

“I guess not.”

“Besides, I need you to do something.” When Toby looked at her, a question in his eyes, she explained, “Think of something you can give to Richard and your grandmother for Christmas.”

“But I don’t have any money,” Toby reminded her.

“I have some allocated for presents.”

“What’s allocated?”

“It means I have some money for you for presents.”

He seemed to perk up then. “Really? That would be fun.”

“Yes, we can go buy them and wrap them up. Then you can put them under the Christmas tree.”

“I’d like that. But what can I buy them?”

“Nothing expensive, but maybe some monogrammed handkerchiefs for Richard and scented soap for your grandmother.”

“Those aren’t very exciting.” After a few seconds of silence, during which he gave the subject some thought, his eyes suddenly lit up with excitement. “I bought Daddy a big flashlight. Mommy said he needed it and—” Reality hit him and suddenly those same eyes filled with tears. “I—I forgot he and Mommy aren’t ever coming back. Are they?”

“No, honey, they’re not,” Molly said, reaching out and holding him in her arms. Comfort like this was all she could give Toby, though she ached to take away his pain. Still, she knew it helped to talk about the deceased; that was what everyone had told her. And they were right. Talking about them somehow kept them alive, at least in one’s memory. “What did you get your mommy?” she asked him.

“Some perfume,” Toby whispered. “I couldn’t really afford it,” he said, pausing to swallow the tears, “but Daddy said he’d help me ’cause Mommy really, really wanted it.”

“I’m sure she would’ve loved it, baby.”

“I—I know.” He lay quietly in her arms, the excitement of Christmas lost in his memories of his life in Florida. “Molly, did they die because I wasn’t a good enough boy?” he asked anxiously.

Molly hugged him more tightly against her. “Absolutely not. You’re a very good boy. It was because someone in another car didn’t drive safely. And God gave you your uncle and grandma to make up for losing your parents.”

Toby sniffled but said nothing. Molly, her head resting on his soft hair, said, “Did you hear me, Toby? It’s important that you know that. It wasn’t your fault.”

“Okay,” he said with a sigh, turning his face into her sweater.

“You’re not putting tears on my sweater, are you, Toby?” she asked, trying to put a teasing note in her voice.

“I’m sorry,” he said, swiftly moving away from her.

“Oh, sweetheart, I was just teasing. I have other sweaters. I was hoping to make you laugh a little.” She stroked his head and wiped away some tears with her fingers.

“I’ve been trying to be happy for Grandma. She likes it when I smile for her.”

“I know she does, and that’s very brave of you. But when it’s just the two of us, you can cry if you want to. I’ll understand.”

“Thank you,” he said softly and resumed his place against her. “I like the new ornaments we bought, but I wish I had the ornaments from our tree. Mommy helped me pick them out. There was one that had all three of us in a picture frame. And one of me when I was a baby. It was my first Christmas, but I can’t remember it.”

“I bet you were cute!” Molly said with a chuckle.

“Did you have an ornament like that?”

Molly squeezed him a little tighter. “Yes, I think I did, but—but it gets hard to remember.”

“I don’t ever want to forget Mommy and Daddy!”

“I don’t think you ever will, sweetie. You’re a little older than I was and you have that great picture of the three of you.”

“Yeah. Daddy threatened to tickle me if I didn’t smile at the camera. I wanted to go see Santa instead of having a picture taken. But now I’m glad I did.”

“Me, too,” Molly said and kissed him on top of his head. “Well, now I need to finish wrapping things so I can put everything away. And if you didn’t like my ideas for presents, you can think of something else to get Uncle Richard and your grandma.”

“Yeah, I need to think.” He left her arms and wandered back into his room.

A few minutes later he ran back in. “We can get Richard a football!”

“Hmm, a football. He told you he likes to play football?”

“No, but I’m sure he would.”

“And with whom would he play football?”

“I’ll play with him!” Toby said in an excited voice.

“I see. You see, Toby, the art of gift giving is to get the person something he or she wants. Not something you want.”

“Oh.”

“Want to try again?”

“Yeah,” he said, sounding discouraged.

Molly began wrapping the presents she bought that day for Elizabeth, Richard and Toby. They were inexpensive gifts, in hopes that they would enjoy them without feeling the necessity to reciprocate.

Toby wandered back in. “What are you doing?”

“I’m wrapping presents.”

“Are any of them for me?”

“Maybe one or two,” she told him with a big smile.

“Can I shake them?”

She handed him a box she’d already wrapped. He shook it diligently.

“It doesn’t make any noise!” he complained.

“I never said it did,” Molly said, grinning.

“Do I have any others?”

“Yes, but they aren’t wrapped yet.”

“Can I take them downstairs to put under the tree when you get finished?”

“No, sweetie. I’ll take them down the night before Christmas. If I take them down early, Richard and Elizabeth might think I’m hoping they’ll get me something. That’s not why I bought the presents.”

“Oh. Will they think that if I buy them something?”

“You’re supposed to buy them presents. They’re your family now.”

Toby nodded as he digested the information. Then he looked her straight in the eye as he said, “You know what, Molly? I wish you were my family, too.”

Molly had to look away, afraid he’d see the tears glisten in her eyes. When she looked up, Toby was gone.

She never got the chance to tell him she wished so, too.

Chapter Six

RICHARD made arrangements with his friend to pick up a Lab puppy for Toby on Christmas Eve. He hadn’t asked his mother if they wanted a male or a female, so he’d chosen a male.

When Louisa knocked on his door to tell him dinner was served, he followed her into the dining room to discover the other three already at the table.

“You must all be hungry,” he said with a smile as he joined them.

“Yes, we are,” Elizabeth said. “Toby and I napped through our snack today. How about you, Molly?”

Richard raised his eyebrows and stared at Molly, eager to hear her response. She didn’t look up.

“I—I had a snack, Elizabeth. Richard was eating when I, uh, came downstairs, and he insisted I join him.”

“Well, that was nice of you, son.”

“Yes,” Richard said, “but Molly wasn’t—”

“Very hungry!” Molly said a little louder than usual, cutting Richard off before he could say anything else. This time she glared at him.

So what did Molly not want his mother to know? That she’d left the house, or that she’d used Albert? His mother wouldn’t have complained about either of those things. He’d keep her secret…unless he needed something she didn’t want to give him.

He immediately reminded himself he didn’t mean it the way it sounded. But she seemed to be good at keeping secrets. Like her mother in Seattle.

Toby’s question intruded on his thoughts. “Are we going to decorate the tree this evening, Uncle Richard?”

“Yes, of course. Are you excited about that?”

“I can’t wait!”

“Good. Then all we’ll need will be some presents to go under it.”

“Yes, Molly—”

“Needs to take Toby shopping so he can buy some presents for the both of you,” Molly inserted.

Richard could swear her hand was on Toby’s leg, warning him not to speak. He checked with the boy. “Is that what you wanted to say, Toby?”

“Uh, yeah. Uncle Richard, do you like football?”

“As well as the next guy. I watch it on Sunday afternoons sometimes.”

“No, I mean do you like to throw a football?”

“I haven’t done that in a long time, Toby.”

“But he played when he was in high school,” Elizabeth added.

“Really? Could you teach me how to throw a football?” Toby asked with excitement. “My dad didn’t know how.”

“I could if we had a football.”

Molly jumped.

Richard asked, “Are you all right, Molly?”

“Yes. Toby accidentally bumped into me,” she said. “It’s no big deal.”

Richard looked at Toby’s red cheeks. Were they sharing secrets between them? Was that why she’d interrupted Toby earlier? But why would they be arguing about football? That didn’t make any sense.

“Would you like for Santa to bring you a football, dear?” his mother asked Toby.

“That would be great, Grandma,” Toby replied. “You’ll still teach me to throw it, won’t you, Uncle Richard?”

“Sure, buddy, I’ll do that. Unless it’s still this cold outside. If it is, we’ll have to wait for a thaw.”

“Okay.”

“Is there anything else you think you would like for a present?” his mother asked the boy.

Toby immediately looked at Molly and she shook her head.

“Uh, I’d like, uh, some books.”

“That’s all you can think of?” Richard asked.

“Um, yes. Don’t you like books?”

“Sure, I like to read when I have some spare time. That hasn’t happened for a year or two, but I keep hoping.” He felt Molly staring at him.

“What’s wrong, Molly? Does that make me a bad person?”

“No, not at all. I just feel sorry for people who don’t read for pleasure.”

“Me, too,” he agreed with a wry laugh.

Molly looked away.

“Maybe Santa will bring you a book, Richard,” Toby said with enthusiasm. Again Molly jerked.

“Is anything wrong, Molly?”

“No, no, nothing’s wrong.”

“I don’t think Santa brings adults presents, Toby.”

Toby stared at his uncle. “Really? I don’t think so. Mommy and Daddy always got something from Santa.”

Elizabeth responded when neither of the other adults had anything to say. “I’m sure you’re right, Toby, if the mommy and daddy are true believers.”