A Season to Celebrate

by Fern Michaels

  “What, Mommy? Santa come already?” Emma rubbed her nose, her pink cheeks glowing with her smile.

  “Not yet, sweetie. We still have a couple weeks. Santa has a lot of work to do! But guess what? I remember you said you liked that girl Victoria, so I called her mama, and we arranged for the two of you to spend the morning together. Would you like that?”

  Emma threw her arms around her mother’s neck. “Mommy! Mommy! Oh yay!”

  Kate had an orientation meeting at the hospital and thought it would be a good opportunity for the two girls to get to know each other better. It would be less than two hours—what could go wrong? Hopefully, nothing, and they would become tight friends.

  “Go brush your teeth and come have breakfast,” Kate instructed Emma.

  “But, Mommy, I am going to brush after breakfast. Why do I have to do it now?” Emma was being a little whiny.

  “Because Mr. Slippery Slime sneaks into your mouth at night, and you have to chase him away so you don’t get cavities!”

  “But I am going to chase him away. Chase him with my pancakes!” Emma tried to negotiate with her mother.

  “Very funny, missy, but you know the rules! Now skedaddle. Meet you in the kitchen.”

  Kate listened for Emma to pull up the step stool so she could reach the sink, followed by the water running, then Emma exaggerating spitting out the toothpaste.

  Kate smiled to herself. She’s going to be just fine. We’re starting a new life in our new home. Then she grimaced as she considered her reaction to the famous Christmas tree man. What was I thinking? Well, Dr. Kate, you will be just fine, too!

  Emma skipped into the kitchen, wearing a very mismatched outfit. “Honey, do you really want to wear those purple flower pants with the orange kitty top?”

  Emma looked perplexed. “I like them!”

  “Okay. I just thought you might want to wear one of your new outfits to go visit Victoria.”

  “But these are my new outfits!” Emma protested, not realizing the top and bottom went with two different items.

  “You are correct! But they are a part of two different outfits!” Kate was trying to be reassuring and instructive at the same time. “The kitty top goes with the furry striped bottoms, and the . . .”

  “Purple pants go with the pink top. I know, Mommy . . . but I like these parts the best!”

  Kate worried that the Sullivans would think she was a terrible mother, allowing her daughter to wear mismatched clothes, as if she hadn’t been paying attention.

  Attempting to bargain with her, Kate suggested Emma pretend she liked all of them so as not to hurt their feelings. Emma was still young enough to buy into the personification of almost anything, so maybe this would do the trick.

  “Really, Mommy? Do you think purple pants would be upset if I wear kitty pants?” Now Emma was becoming concerned.

  “Oh, I think if you explain to purple pants that furry striped needs to go out and play, and you promise to wear purple pants tomorrow, Mr. Purple Pants would be just fine with that!”

  Breathing a sigh of resignation, Emma marched herself into her room and slipped off her purple pants and slipped on her kitty pants.

  As she made her way back to the kitchen, Kate reminded her to brush her teeth again.

  “Oh, Mommy. Sometimes you are bossy!”

  Kate wasn’t sure if she should laugh or not. It wasn’t something she would have expected to hear from Emma, but she was being exposed to more people and a lot more television. More than Kate liked, but for now it acted as company for her only child.

  “Bossy?” Kate teased. “I know you’re just teasing me. But you do have to brush your teeth! Now make it quick-a-dee-quick! We have to be at Victoria’s in a half hour!”

  Emma rushed to scrub her teeth and pulled out a pink sweater from the closet.

  Kate cringed but realized that one fashion victory was probably all she would be able to manage for the day.

  As Kate was buckling Emma into the car seat, she reminded her, “Jake will be bringing our tree over later today, so we’ll need to pick out a good spot for it. Once he sets it up, it’s gonna have to stay put.”

  “Will ‘the famous tree man’ come, too?” Kate thought Emma would have forgotten all about him by now and was a little stunned.

  “I don’t know, honey. But we will have a tree by dinnertime, no matter who brings it!”

  Kate punched the address of Melissa Sullivan into her GPS and pulled out of the driveway.

  As they made their way across town, Emma pointed out all the decorations, as in all the decorations. “Look! Mommy! Santa! Look! Mommy! Angels!” It was very similar to her excitement at the tree farm, when Kate remembered her disappointment in the missing “famous tree man.”

  They turned onto Miller Lane and looked for the numbers on the house. When they were approaching the Sullivan house, Kate noticed a familiar truck in the driveway. She saw the logo for Cedar Park Christmas Tree Farm on the side of the truck, and she thought her heart was going to stop beating.

  Tiny beads of sweat began to form on her forehead. Then her palms. She could feel her face turning red.

  “Mom! Mommy!” Emma broke Kate’s angst for a moment.

  “Huh. Yes, sweetie. We’re here.” Kate was trying to regroup. It was Kevin Matthews’s truck. In Melissa’s driveway. At ten o’clock in the morning. She was crestfallen. Obviously, “Mr. Famous Tree Man” had someone in his life. She hesitated, not knowing if she should ring the doorbell. Surely, they were expecting them. And he had no idea Kate had fancied him in any way. Or did he? Kate’s mind was racing.

  “Mom?” Emma was starting to sound impatient. “Are we getting out of the car?”

  “Of course! I was just trying to remember something, that’s all. Hang on a sec.”

  Kate slowly unbuckled her seat belt, hoping for some miracle that would enable her to avoid seeing “the famous Christmas tree man” again. Especially in the company of another woman. Maybe if she waited long enough, he’d get in his truck and drive away.

  “Mommy! I want to go see Victoria!”

  “Okay. I’m coming.” Kate was gulping back this odd emotional struggle.

  “Yay!” Emma was finally free of the confinement of her seat. “Hurry, Mommy! Look! It’s ‘the famous tree man’!” Kate observed Kevin giving the woman at the door a slight hug while Victoria waved from the window.

  Kate continued to busy herself with the straps of the seat, trying to avoid any eye contact as she held her breath, praying he wouldn’t notice them before he got into his truck.

  Slowly, Kate lifted her head and, to her relief, Kevin jumped into the cab and pulled away. She then realized he didn’t know what kind of car she drove—hence another reprieve from embarrassment.

  Kate grabbed Emma’s hand as they crossed the street to Melissa’s house, all the while wondering what kind of relationship she had just observed.

  Melissa had spotted them walking up the sidewalk and greeted them warmly.

  “Hi. You must be Kate and Emma. I’m Melissa. Victoria’s mom. We didn’t have a chance to meet on Sunday, but I am so glad you reached out.” She leaned over to look directly into the little girl’s eyes. “Victoria is looking forward to spending time with you, Emma.”

  “Hi. I’m Emma Stafford. It is nice to meet you.” She held out her hand in such grown-up fashion, Kate was almost brought to tears. Or was it the encounter she had just witnessed?

  “Well, it’s certainly very nice to meet you, too!” Melissa shook Emma’s hand, then extended her own to Kate. “You have a very polite daughter. It’s refreshing!”

  Both mothers burst into laughter. “Isn’t that the truth?” Kate thought she might actually like this woman—this woman who was with the man she was so interested in getting to know. Kate wasn’t sure if she should be blunt and come right out and ask, but then she thought better of it.

  What else would a man be doing at a woman’s house at this hour of the morning? Although she did rec
all someone saying that Melissa was married, and her husband was out of town. That horrified Kate even more. The charming Kevin was having an affair with the pastor’s daughter? She shook off that thought as best she could.

  Melissa turned, and called into the house, “Vic, Emma is here! Come say hello to Mrs. Stafford.”

  Victoria was a pretty little girl with curly blond hair and a very light complexion. Kate thought she was a little too fair to be Kevin’s child when she realized her imagination was running amuck.

  “Emma, honey, Mommy has to go to a meeting and will be back around lunchtime. You have some fun with Victoria.” Giving Emma a hug, she thanked Melissa and walked back to her car, still rattled from what she had witnessed a few minutes ago.

  “Bye, Mommy! See you later, alligator!” The two little girls scrambled into the house as Melissa waved to Kate.

  “I’ll be back around noon! Thanks very much!” Kate could barely eke out the words. What was happening? She had become unglued. Again . . . by that man.

  Remembering what she had on her agenda, Kate began to pull herself together, started the motor, and drove off. She was still having trouble shaking her anxiety and forgot to program the GPS for the hospital and it took ten minutes for her to discover that she had been driving in a circle.

  “Get a grip!” she admonished herself out loud. “What is wrong with you? I mean me? Oh, my goodness. Do I need therapy?” Once again she thought about the big move, the new job, and chalked off her neurotic behavior to all the changes occurring in her life.

  Finally, when the hospital was in her sights, she brought her mind around to the tasks at hand. Meet with the new boss. Check out her new office. Meet the staff. Get a feel for the layout. She was beginning to feel more like herself. Dr. Kate Stafford, orthopedist.

  She parked her car in a space that said RESERVED FOR DOCTORS. The action helped her to recover from her recent meltdown, reassuring her that she was, in fact, a doctor. Sitting for a moment, taking in the newness of everything, Kate checked her watch and her tote bag to be sure she was prepared for the orientation. The emotional roller-coaster ride was over, and now she was stepping into her world. Filled with a sense of excitement, she checked herself in the mirror—no gunk between the teeth, lipstick on the lips not smudged over, hair in place. She was ready.

  She grabbed the handle of the big hospital door, flung it open, and marched in as if she owned the place. Yes, this was the Kate she knew. Not the silly, starstruck teenager she had been experiencing.

  As she walked toward the orthopedic clinic, she observed an area that was dedicated to orthopediatrics. That was the area she wanted to pursue. Helping kids get back on their feet—literally. She remembered when she was twelve years old and had fallen from a friend’s tree house, broke her arm, collarbone, and a few ribs, forcing her to spend the entire summer in an awkward cast and Ace bandages. It was excruciating, both physically and mentally. She had missed the whole season of playing, swimming, and riding her bike. Her friends would visit occasionally, bringing her teen magazines, but they didn’t want to be inside when the sun was shining and they didn’t have to be in school. It was a very lonely time for her, and often it seemed like the only person who was paying attention to her was her doctor. He reminded Kate of her grandfather, and was very kind. He didn’t speak to her as if she was a mere child of twelve years, but spent time explaining a lot of details, showing her the X-rays, and helping her to understand her injuries and why they would take a while to heal. Being a very bright girl, Kate took an interest in the information and began reading more about bones, cartilage, ligaments, and tendons. Having to spend so much time alone, she asked her mother to check out some books from the library about anatomy—not such an easy task to find material that a child could understand. But Kate dove into the pages and would shock her parents when she would recite some of the passages she had read, especially when she opened up the conversation one evening with “Did you know that some clavicle fractures can heal without surgery?” Kate’s parents were impressed and surprised.

  Kate had never shown interest in any of the sciences before. She was strictly an arts and music student up until that point. Having tried to paint watercolors with her left hand proved problematic, and she couldn’t practice the piano, so reading was her only form of entertainment—and she immersed herself in books.

  During her days in high school, she excelled in biology, anatomy, and chemistry. And it was then that she recognized that she wanted to become a doctor—just like the one who had patched up her bones. By the time she was sixteen, she was taking advanced classes and maintaining her straight A average. Kate had become a brainiac, which was a good thing because she would need some form of scholarship and loans to get through college and all the postgraduate work.

  Her parents encouraged her but secretly doubted their daughter could manage to reach the level she imagined. But when she got a full scholarship to Baylor, they were relieved and stunned. Maybe, just maybe, Kate would become a doctor. Paying for med school was another issue, but they would cross that bridge when and if they came to it.

  Kate continued to excel, graduated with honors, and attended medical school with the help of a small student loan. It was only small in comparison to the hundred-thousand-dollar loans many of her fellow students were saddled with. She seemed to breeze through her internship; then came the pregnancy. Her residency was a bit of a struggle. Maintaining her schedule and raising a baby was no easy task. But she managed, and managed it quite well, thank you very much.

  Now here she was, a first-year, on-staff orthopedist. Yes, it had been a long haul, and now she could practice her craft as a full-fledged professional.

  Kate slowly strolled down the hallway, taking in her new surroundings. She had seen some horribly mangled bodies during her studies and knew that would not be the end of it. The hard work was about to begin, and she was ready for the challenge.

  Walking up to the office marked DR. SIMON REGAN, ORTHOPEDICS , she felt butterflies in her stomach. This was really happening. With her head held high, she firmly knocked on the open door. “Yes! Come in!” boomed the voice of a very large man. Large in stature, and large in his specialty. Dr. Regan was a fine orthopedic surgeon, and people would wait months for a consultation.

  “Kate! How good to see you! Please come in, sit down. Can I get you something? Coffee? Water?” He was impeccably dressed. It was obvious he had his suits specially tailored to fit his large frame.

  “Dr. Regan! I am so excited to be here!” Kate tried not to gush, but her new boss was an icon in the healing business. “Maybe a cup of coffee?”

  “Sure thing. Let’s take a walk to the lounge, and I can show you around a bit. Then we’ll meet with the rest of the staff in about a half hour.” He was genuinely kind—a big teddy bear of sorts.

  As they passed by the glass walls of the rooms, Kate felt a pang of empathy. “I remember when I spent an entire summer in a cast. But at least I was able to be at home.”

  “Yeah, some of these kids are in bad shape, but most of them will be okay. There’s one kid whose leg was crushed in an accident. We did some radical surgery to try to save the leg, but it will be a few days to see if we worked a miracle.”

  They came upon a space that was a large community room for those patients who were more mobile, and where families could spend time interacting with other families. Children and adults were busily making paper stars, while others were cutting strips of paper and turning them into a chain of garland. Soft holiday music was playing in the background.

  “It’s nice to see that the PC Police haven’t stopped the holiday spirit here!” Kate was delighted to observe good fellowship and laughter in this kind of setting. “It’s tough being in a hospital during the holidays. I guess it’s tough being in a hospital, period!” She laughed at her own obvious remark.

  “Indeed. And we are very happy you were able to start now, with everyone trying to get their schedules wrapped up. No pun intended!”
Dr. Regan, too, laughed at his own comment.

  “We’re getting a tree later today and a menorah, and we’ll have the Kwanza candles, too. I think, well, at least I hope, we’ve covered almost everyone. It’s not about religion. It’s about honoring each other as human beings, kindness, brotherly love, and all that—at least for a couple of weeks!”

  Kate was struck by how genuine this man was. He was a healer on many levels.

  “I am sure it will be very festive!”

  “We’re going to have to make some room for the tree,” Dr. Regan addressed one of the orderlies. “Ryan, the Cedar Park Tree Farm folks are coming by this afternoon. Be sure they have a clear path and the corner is ready for them.”

  Kate’s stomach went into her throat. Just when she thought she had forgotten about that man. It was as if he were following her.

  “You okay?” Dr. Regan noticed that Kate had turned a little pale.

  “Oh, yes. I’m fine. It’s just a little overwhelming. The big move. The new job.”

  “Completely understandable. Come on. Follow me.”

  Dr. Regan walked Kate down another corridor, where they came upon the lounge.

  “This is where you’ll get your nanosecond breaks. There’s a Keurig, a Nespresso, Magic Bullet if you want to make your own shakes, fridge, microwave, pantry. We try to stock it with some items like protein bars, canned soup—organic, of course—and occasionally donuts.” He patted his girth. “We try to keep it healthy, but everyone needs something sweet once in a while.”

  “I usually pack a salad and some fruit,” Kate replied. “But I am a sucker for a buttery croissant if they’re ever on the menu!”

  “Speaking of menu, the cafeteria is on the fifth floor. It’s not too bad for hospital food, and it’s reasonable.”

  “Good to know. But I’ve had so much hospital food over the past five years that the smell makes me want to gag!” Kate was trying to regroup from the Cedar Park tree comment, hoping she would be out of there before she ran into “the famous tree man” again.