“I hear you need a baby,” Pru called to him, the words out before she could take too much time and think this through.
Melvin jammed on his brakes and pivoted. “You have one?”
“As a matter of fact…” She threw a look at Gramma, whose blue eyes were wide behind her bifocals. “My baby brother is just four months old. He’d be perfect.”
“Prudence!” Gramma whispered. “I very much doubt your mother would be pleased with that suggestion.”
“Of course I’d have to stay with him and would be right behind the stage while he’s out there,” she added quickly. “And it’s only one scene, right? At the end of the first act?”
Melvin came closer, his brown eyes pinned on her. “Yes, yes, and please, can I count on you for this baby?”
She slid a look to Gramma, lifting her brows in a silent communication the two of them had shared since Pru had been a baby.
“You may,” Gramma Finnie said, crossing her arms like she did when she meant business. “For the small price of one ticket to tonight’s show.”
“Of course—”
“In the orchestra section.”
His jaw dropped, then he laughed softly. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll get it for you when I have written permission from this child’s mother that I can use this baby for one scene.”
“Done and done,” Pru said. “I’ll go straight to my mom at her vet office and have her sign something. And then you have to give us that ticket.”
“I will.”
“You are making that promise in the eyes of God,” Gramma reminded him, pointing to a stained-glass window.
“I give you—and Him—my word,” Melvin said. “If you’ll do the same and I know I have a baby for tonight’s performance.”
Gramma and Melvin shook on it, which Pru thought was amusing since they’d both made vows to God.
That settled, Pru hitched her arm through Gramma’s and ushered her toward the back of the church. “Let’s tell Yiayia the good news,” she said.
“You think your mother will go for this?” Gramma asked as they left the sanctuary. “Or worse, your father?”
“I’ll be with baby Danny the entire time,” Pru assured her. “And we’ll tell Dad these are heaven points. The man spent fourteen years in jail, remember? He’s always joking about being out of God’s good graces.”
Gramma smiled at her as they stepped outside, the slate-gray clouds making it chillier and threatening more snow. “You were right, Prudence,” she whispered.
“About the baby?”
“About me judging Agnes.” She bit her lip and shook her head. “That was wrong, and we don’t know the whole story, and I certainly did a few wild things in my youth.”
“Like secretly meeting Seamus Kilcannon while you were working in a pillow embroidery factory,” Pru teased, remembering Gramma’s colorful and romantic history.
But Gramma didn’t smile. “I wonder what else happened that Christmas Day.”
“Think she’ll tell us?” Pru elbowed Gramma playfully. “After all, I basically just sold my little brother into the church play so she can get her dog.”
Gramma laughed as they got to the bottom of the steps. “Let’s try and get it out of her, lass.”
A few minutes later, they stepped into the oversize coffee tent, scanning the tables for Yiayia, who was in a spot near the back. As they walked closer, Pru’s heart jumped when she saw Teagan sitting alone two tables away, staring at something on the ground near Yiayia, probably the two doxies.
“Oh,” Pru whispered, slowing down a bit.
Gramma followed her gaze and put a gentle hand on Pru’s back. “Just go talk to her and make things right.”
But could things ever be right again after the way Teagan had treated her? She closed her eyes. “Okay. I’ll try.”
As they reached Yiayia’s table, Pru saw that Teagan was watching her little sister, Avery, crouched down and playing with Pyggie and Gala, laughter like music coming from the little redhead every time one of them licked her face.
The minute Teagan saw Pru, she stood.
“Avery, we have to go.”
Really, Teag? Why?
“’Tis fine,” Gramma Finnie said to Teagan when Pru stayed silent. “Let the girl play. How are you, dear Teagan?”
Some color rose to her cheeks as she stole a look at Pru. “I’m good, but my, um, mom is probably finished with her shopping now, and my, uh, other friends are waiting. Let’s go, Avery.”
“No!” the little girl cried out, throwing her arms around Pyggie. “I love this dog. I love him!” Gala rose up and kissed the girl’s face as if to remind her that she was lovable, too. “I love them both!”
With a tight smile, Teagan reached down and snagged Avery’s jacket sleeve. “Up you go, schmoe.”
Avery put up a fuss, but finally relinquished her hold on Pyggie and let Teagan walk her away.
“Bye, Teag,” Pru said softly.
If she answered, Avery’s protests drowned out the words. But Pru knew in her heart that Teagan had just walked away without even acknowledging her. The rejection stung and brought tears to her eyes, but Pru covered and sounded as bright as possible when she told Yiayia the news about the ticket.
Chapter Five
“Don’t let it get to you, lass.” Gramma Finnie put her arm around Pru a few minutes later as they headed to Mom’s vet clinic off Ambrose Avenue.
“Easy for you to say,” Pru mumbled, wrapping Gala’s leash around her hand. “I didn’t do anything to her, I swear.”
“I told you,” Yiayia said. “It’s her, not you. Something has happened.”
“Yeah, she turned horrible.” Pru shook her head. “I don’t want to think about her now. It’s Christmas Eve, and we have to get that permission from Mom. That means we have to arrange to get baby Danny to the church, so we’ll have to work around his feeding schedule, then get the ticket back to Rad Shepherd, then…”
“It’ll be time to get ready to be Santa and Mrs. Claus,” Gramma said with her singsong brogue full of joy.
“Oh, I almost forgot about that nightmare,” Yiayia said under her breath.
“Agnes Santorini.” Gramma shot her a look. “We are spending half our day traipsing around this town for your dog. Having a happy attitude is the least you can do.”
Yiayia looked a little sheepish. “You’re right, Finola. I’m sorry.”
At the rare softness in her voice, Pru leaned into her shoulder. “So, what happened, Yiayia?”
The older woman slid her a dark look. “You heard enough, missy.”
“No, we didn’t!” Pru exclaimed. “I’m dying to know what happened when you ran away on Christmas morning. I have to know. Did you get to Norman? Did your parents stop you? Did you—”
Yiayia cut her off with a wave of her hand. “I shouldn’t have told you that much,” she said. “I don’t know what got into me. Christmas, I guess. Come on, Pru, we’re here. Drop it.”
Pru gave up—for the moment—lingering on the steps up to the red brick building where her mother worked when she wasn’t the vet at Waterford Farm. Pru wanted to know the rest of Yiayia’s story more than she wanted the dog-decorated leggings she’d put on her Christmas list, but she didn’t want to push Yiayia.
Instead, she followed the others inside into Kilcannon Veterinarian Hospital, named after Grandpa Daniel, who’d opened it decades ago. Pru’s mother, known locally as “Dr. Molly,” was now the lead vet.
“No receptionist?” Yiayia asked, looking around the empty lobby.
“Mom probably sent her home early and stayed with the new kittens she delivered,” Pru said, walking past them to the back offices she knew as well as any employee. She’d been raised in this building by a single mom who’d brought her to work nearly every day of her life. But Mom wasn’t single anymore, since she’d married Pru’s biological father last December and then little Danny was born, completing their family. “Mom? Where are you?” she called.
ICU? That wasn’t good. Pru picked up speed toward the last door in the hall, where only the sickest of animals ended up. “Are the kittens okay?” she asked, blinking at the long tabby on the table being given an IV.
“Perfect,” Mom said, turning from the table to smile at Pru. “But their poor mama has developed eclampsia, and I need to give her a calcium cocktail for the next few hours.”
“Ohhh.” Pru went to the table to offer some love and sympathy. “What’s her name?”
“Sprinkles,” she said with a soft laugh, running her hand over the cat’s head. “And she’s sweet and only wants to nurse and love her little kitties.” Mom leaned over, holding the IV line with one hand and dropping a kiss on the cat’s striped head. “You will soon, my little darling.”
Straightening, she looked up at the steady red light of a heart monitor. “I have to administer this very slowly and at very specific intervals, or her heart rate could drop. All done with the festival?”
The festival seemed like a hundred years ago. “Actually, I left right after I called you before.”
“Oh, that’s right. You need to grab Teagan’s gift you left in the break room.”
“I don’t need it now.” She sighed. “Long story that I’ll tell you later. But I’m here with Gramma Finnie and Yiayia, and we’re on a mission.”
“Sounds intriguing.” Mom laughed, then her smile faded. “Please nothing like last Christmas.”
“We haven’t even gotten in a car,” Pru assured her. “But we are doing a bit of running around town for Yiayia.” As Mom slowly adjusted the IV flow, Pru gave her a shorthand version of the story, pausing when she reached the big end. “So…I kinda promised this Melvin guy that Danny would be baby Jesus at the Christmas pageant this year.”
Mom whipped around, her reddish-brown curls flipping over her shoulder. “You…what?”
“It’s for a good cause, and honestly, it’s a cool opportunity. Think of the pictures you’ll have for his whole life!”
Her mother just stared at her.
“I won’t let anyone else hold him. I’ll stay with him every second—”
“Except when he’s in a manger full of hay in front of hundreds of people.”
“In the most coveted role in Bitter Bark. He’s in one little scene, at the end of act one, and I’ll zip him out of there the minute it’s done. You can come.”
She got a look that said this particular activity was not in the schedule. “Pru, it’s Christmas Eve. I’m already committed to driving Gramma Finnie and Yiayia to Waterford Farm tonight after Gramma’s done being Mrs. Claus.”
“Perfect. Yiayia is Santa, and I’ll be two seconds away at the church. The minute they’re done with Danny, I’ll wrap him up and bring him right to the square with them, and you can meet us there, and we’ll all go to Waterford together. Good?”
“Not the Christmas Eve I envisioned, and I don’t like him being on display like that.”
“Well, Gramma Finnie promised God, so you better not bring His wrath on her.”
Mom sighed and laughed at the same time and turned back to the cat on her table. “Well, I don’t even know where Danny is right now.”
“What? Doesn’t Dad have him?”
“Trace had to help Garrett with a big rescue delivery. Six of the dogs that Alex and Grace brought in from that puppy mill in Winston-Salem have been adopted, and the families all asked for Christmas Eve delivery.”
“Aww. That’s wonderful.”
“It is, but Katie had her hands full with party prep, so Trace dropped Danny off with your Uncle Liam and Aunt Andi, and they were taking the kids to Holly Hills for the elf parade and wanted to take Danny, too.” She let out an exasperated breath like life was just a little too much today. “So, my four-month-old is somewhere in Holly Hills.” Mom turned and narrowed her eyes. “Do not even think about going there.”
Pru laughed. “Last Christmas scarred you, Mom. Don’t worry. No wild rides to Holly Hills this year. So, when will they be back? Yiayia’s getting antsy about this dog.”
“Soon, I think. Why don’t you and your granny friends go to lunch and wait?”
Pru felt a sad smile pull, knowing Mom was just being playful, but the truth hurt.
“What?” Mom asked, forgetting the cat to reach with a gloved hand for Pru. “Honey, what’s the matter?”
“The grannies are my only friends.” Pru shook her head. “That’s all I have these days to lunch with.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The reason I left the festival. Trouble with Teagan.”
“Teagan?” She sounded shocked. “I adore that girl. She’s so sweet.”
“Not anymore. She ditched me for Sarah and Caitlin.”
“Caitlin Phillips?” Mom made a face. “She doesn’t have the best reputation.”
“Right?” Relief that her mother so totally got it mixed with a new wave of distress over the situation. “Why would Teag prefer them to me? She absolutely ditched me.”
“Oh, Pru. Girls your age can be rough,” she said, stroking the cat with her gentle touch, but Pru knew that tenderness was directed to her, too. “Don’t let it get to you on Christmas Eve. Go get a nice lunch, and when I have a minute, I’ll call Andi and find out when they’ll be back. If Danny’s not too tired—”
“Too tired?” Yiayia’s voice preceded her arrival in the doorway, with Gramma Finnie and the two dogs right behind. “You can’t say no, Molly.”
Mom smiled. “Well, I can, Yiayia, if my son isn’t up to playing the part, but I know it’s important to you, so we’ll try to make it happen. I need a few more hours to get this new mama squared away and arrange for one of my vet techs to come in during the night, which won’t be a fun call to make, and then we’ll do what we—oh shoot! The ham!” Mom dropped her head back and grunted as if this one last thing had broken her. “I forgot the stinking ham.”
“What ham?” Pru asked.
“I promised Dad and Katie I’d bring that really amazing sugar-glazed honey-something ham you can only get at Bitter Bark Butcher. Bob’s holding one for me, but I know he’s going to close early.” She looked at Sprinkles. “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you, baby girl.”
Pru’s heart folded with affection for her mother and understanding that she was a little overwhelmed today. And, what was one more errand at this point?
“We’ll get it,” Pru said quickly. “We’ll run over there right now, Mom. Don’t even think about it.”
Her mother’s narrow shoulders dropped with relief. “Thanks, honey.”
Yiayia came in to take a look at Sprinkles. “Will she live?”
“With my mom as the vet?” Pru gave Yiayia a playful poke. “She’ll be fine. Now let’s go get a ham.” With a quick kiss on her mother’s cheek, Pru ushered them all out of the ICU, down the hall, and back to the streets of Bitter Bark.
“You’ve quite the relationship with your mother,” Yiayia mused as they stepped outside.
“Oh, those two lassies are two sweet peas in a pod.”
Pru smiled at Gramma, but couldn’t help noticing the sad look on Yiayia’s face. “I know, you never had a daughter,” she said, guessing that was why.
“But I had a mother,” she replied.
“And the last we heard of her, she was telling you that the man your father arranged for you to marry was handsome but didn’t speak English. Was she very mad at you for leaving that day?”
“That day? Oh, it was more complicated than just that day.” Yiayia sighed and closed her eyes, slipping back to a different time and place.
Chapter Six
For Christmas Day, New York City was surprisingly empty. Agnes had expected the crowds she and her mother had met when they’d taken the Flushing Line from Astoria for their annual shopping day in the city.
Her boots crunched on soot-colored snow outside the 59th Street station, the sound and feeling pretty much what was go
ing on in her chest at the thought of Mama. Would they ever have a shopping day like that again? Would her mother be proud to take Mrs. Norman Anderson to Carnegie Deli for pastrami sandwiches, laughing as they dug through their bags and relished the freedom of not eating Greek food for just one day? Forget the deli, would Agnes ever be welcome in her own home again?
She tamped down the fear and moved her bag from one hand to the other, looking up and down the nearly empty street to try to figure out where the Hotel Metropolitan was. That’s where Norman said he was living while his company had him working the door-to-door sales job in the various boroughs of New York. She’d written it down when he told her, not long after they’d met about a month ago. And what a dreamy month it had been.
His company paid for a rent-a-car from Hertz, a red Ford Fairlane with white leather interior that squeaked against her skin when they made out in the back seat. Of course, she wouldn’t let him come to the house in that attention-grabbing car, so she’d been telling Mama and Baba that she had a babysitting job. After dinner, he’d pick her up a few blocks away, near the florist on Ditmars Boulevard.
That was freedom and joy and excitement. They’d get a drink, find an empty parking lot, and talk and…
She shuddered despite a blast of hot air blowing up from a grate in the street.
They’d gone pretty far, that was true. Maybe a little too far, but no matter how much he begged and promised and kissed her until she literally couldn’t breathe, she’d held him off and clung to the last shred of her virginity.
But now they could get married. He’d all but asked last time they were together, when he was trying so hard to slide her panties down.
I promise you, Aggie. We’ll be together forever. Let me show you how much I love you.
She hoisted the bag over her shoulder and spied a policeman on the corner, walking his beat. Perfect. She could ask him where she could find the Hotel Metropolitan, which must be nice considering its fancy name.
“Excuse me, Officer?”
“Merry Christmas, young lady. Are you in from out of town?”
“Uh…yes. And I’m looking for my hotel. The Metropolitan? Can you tell me where it is?”
Dachshund Through the Snow Page 4