by Jenny Hale
Gran had gotten the key to 3A. She handed it to Scarlett. Then Scarlett led the way, Janie following closely behind her with Trevor in her arms.
When they arrived at Janie’s room, Scarlett opened the door for her, and Janie laid Trevor in the small bed. His clothes looked even more soiled and old against the white comforter. Janie’s eyes moved around the room. “This is amazing,” she said. “I’ve never stayed anywhere like this before.”
Scarlett surveyed the small bag that she’d dropped inside the door. “Do you have clothes for yourself? You’re about my size. If you need anything, I’d be happy to loan you something.”
“I’m fine in what I’ve got on,” she said, shame in her downcast eyes.
“I know you probably just want to rest, but give me five minutes,” Scarlett said. “I’ll be back in a flash.”
Scarlett stopped by the kitchen and asked Gran if she’d make up some plates and put them in the warmers and refrigerated bags they used for room service. She told Gran she’d be back for them in a second. As fast as she could, she ran into her room and opened her suitcase, retrieving the brand new and freshly washed pair of pajamas she’d planned on wearing tomorrow night on Christmas Eve, and placed them in the empty gift bag she’d brought the presents in. Then she pulled two shirts and a pair of jeans from her pile of clothes, setting them on top of the pajamas inside the bag. She found Aunt Alice and got a few of Mason’s clothes and a pair of pajamas for Trevor from the twins’ suitcases, and headed out the door with it all.
Bag in hand, she stopped by the kitchen and grabbed a pad of paper, scribbling her number, picked up the food Gran had made, and kissed her on the cheek as she headed for Janie’s room. It only took one knock and Janie was at the door. “I brought you food for tonight. There’s a little refrigerator and microwave in the corner by Trevor’s bed.”
Trevor’s shoes were neatly lined up against the wall, and he was nearly buried in blankets, sleeping soundly. Scarlett handed the bags to Janie. “And I grabbed you and Trevor some pajamas and a change of clothes.”
“You didn’t have to do that,” Janie said.
“I know I didn’t, but I wanted to. If you need anything else, the front desk number is seven, two on the room phone. If no one answers, my cell phone number is on a pad of paper inside the clothes bag.”
“Thank you so much,” Janie said, her tired eyes glistening from the sentiment.
“It’s no problem. Gran makes breakfast at seven o’clock. You’re welcome to join us down there. We meet in the kitchen.”
“I can’t tell you how thankful I am for all you’ve done for us. If you only knew what we’ve gone through… This is a Christmas miracle.”
“Maybe you can tell me about it over coffee tomorrow morning,” Scarlett said with a friendly smile.
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Her heart full, Scarlett went to find Charlie to tell him what he’d missed.
Fourteen
Scarlett stopped by Charlie’s room again on her way to breakfast. She’d looked everywhere for him last night and he was nowhere to be found. None of the party guests had seen him either. She’d knocked on his door, but no one answered, and she’d even tried to text him. She wondered if he’d gone back to his room to get something and fallen asleep. He’d had an eventful night, after all.
She turned around at the sound of the wrecker that was pulling Janie’s car from the side of the mountain. Even with the loud beeping from the truck as it reversed, there was nothing but silence on the other side of Charlie’s door. She deliberated—maybe she shouldn’t wake him up. He might want to sleep in. Perhaps she should just save a bit of breakfast for him so he could have it whenever he woke up. Deciding that was probably a better idea, she headed down to see her family.
The kitchen was bustling when she got there. The twins were making waffles on the iron skillet mold with Gran, every burner filled with breakfast foods—eggs, bacon, sausage, and potatoes. Heidi was sitting casually by Aunt Alice, braiding her hair, her foot on the chair, one knee against the table. Aunt Alice and Aunt Beth were drinking their coffees and chatting to Sean, who’d stayed last night, and Uncle Joe had his finger on something in the local paper, showing her father. All of it was lovely to see, but it was Janie and Trevor that made her smile the most. Trevor was in the middle of the kitchen floor, stroking Archie, who’d made himself at home in Trevor’s lap, the dog’s limbs sprawled across Trevor’s tiny legs. Janie was wearing the outfit Scarlett had left her. She sat with the others at the table.
“Morning,” Scarlett said to the group, taking a seat next to Janie.
Breakfast was another of Scarlett’s favorite things to do with the family at White Oaks. It was the only time when everyone was together, enjoying each other. The main house was closed to guests this morning—she’d seen the sign. She was willing to bet there was a lot of cleaning to be done after the party last night, and the cleaning staff was less than half its normal size. Even though the staff would be working to clear it all, the family usually lent a hand, boxing cookies and bagging up gifts and things brought by people in town. The good news was that they were all so tired after the events last night that they’d all probably want to avoid it for as long as possible, opting to stay together just a little longer.
Gran pulled a tray of biscuits out of the oven, the warm buttermilk aroma filling the room and making Scarlett’s tummy rumble. By the look of the spread, Gran had been up for quite some time. But she always went all out for Christmas Eve.
“How did you sleep?” Scarlett asked Janie.
Gran brought the pot of coffee over and set it on a trivet, then handed Scarlett a mug with dancing candy canes on the front.
“Really well, thank you,” Janie said. “All the bath salts and lotions—I feel like a queen.” She ran her fingers through her shiny hair, the sides pulled back into a clip. “And the bedding is so comfortable,” she added. “Trevor said he thought Santa had brought him this inn.”
The fact that Trevor noticed the type of bed he was sleeping in at the age of four made Scarlett wonder what their usual accommodations were like. And she’d said they were a long way from home. Why were they so far from where they lived on the night before Christmas Eve? “I’m so happy to hear you had a comfortable night.” She poured some coffee and stirred in the cream, and Gran’s special peppermint sugar. She made it every year at this time, just for coffee. “If you don’t mind me asking, where were you headed last night?”
“We were actually headed to Silver Falls. I was trying to find the address but with all the road closures from the snow, we got lost and then I couldn’t see where the road was at all. I tried to lighten the mood since we’d been driving so long, and that was when I switched the radio station and we went over the side.” She gave Uncle Joe an appreciative look.
Scarlett’s heart lurched at the memory. She didn’t even want to think about what this morning could’ve been like if anything had gone wrong last night.
“Thank you again, Joe,” Janie said. “I don’t know how to repay you.”
“You don’t have to,” he said, taking a plate from Gran, who was passing them out to everyone before placing the serving dishes in the center of the table. Blue and Aunt Alice both got up and tried to help her, but Gran shooed them away. “Your lives are payment enough for me.”
“I didn’t get to thank the man who saved Trevor,” she said. “Where can I find him?”
“He’s staying at the inn as well,” Scarlett said. “His name is Charlie. He must be still sleeping.”
“Charlie.” The name came off Janie’s lips kindly, her gratitude showing in her tone. “Funny. We were on our way to find someone named Charles. But I’m willing to guess that he isn’t the same one. The Charles we were going to see probably wasn’t the type of man who would climb down a mountain and save someone. He isn’t a very nice person…” Misery slid across her face but then she cleared it again, reaching for her coffee. “Sorry. I didn’t
mean to say that. The name Charlie just took me by surprise. Trevor, wash your hands please, and come to the table. The food is ready.”
Gran sat down and began dishing herself some scrambled eggs, while Trevor left Archie and climbed the small stool by the sink to wash his hands. Gran passed the bowl of eggs to Scarlett.
Silver Falls was a small community. Scarlett didn’t know of any other Charles in the area. “This Charles you’re looking for, what’s his last name? Maybe I can help you find him.”
Janie frowned. “Charles Bryant,” she said, nearly spitting out his last name.
Gran shot a look of warning over to Scarlett.
“Do you know him?” Janie asked.
Scarlett passed the eggs to Heidi, her mind going a hundred miles an hour. Had Charlie done something that affected Janie and Trevor? Janie seemed really upset by Charlie. Should she tell her that Charlie was the one who’d got Trevor to safety? Maybe Charlie should tell her. After all, whatever disagreement they had was between the two of them. She realized she hadn’t answered Janie’s question. “Uh, yes, I do know him actually. Why don’t I call him and ask him to come see you?”
“Thank you. I’d like to have a word with him,” Janie said, surrender in her eyes.
“Let’s all eat and enjoy our breakfast first,” Gran said. There was a look in her eyes as she said it, and Scarlett remembered when Gran had alluded to the fact that she didn’t really know Charlie. That was true, but she just couldn’t believe Charlie could be the person Janie described. However, his reaction at seeing Janie last night and his sudden absence shook Scarlett. Was he hiding something?
The others, who had evidently been stunned to silence by the turn in conversation, fell into quiet chatter at Gran’s suggestion.
Beth was the first to speak up. “Sean is spending the week,” she said, offering a bashful look at Sean and drawing everyone’s attention away from Scarlett and Janie. “He’s staying in town. I’m going to show him around.” Sean and Beth shared a happy glance at one another.
“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Scarlett said, and she meant it but her mind was elsewhere. Where was Charlie?
“I have some news,” Heidi said, speaking up. When she had the attention of everyone at the table, she announced, “I’ve decided to attend the Rhode Island School of Design in the fall.”
Scarlet could’ve heard a pin drop. She immediately looked at her uncle to see his reaction. He was shocked, clearly, Heidi’s decision obviously news to him.
“I have to follow my gut,” Heidi said with a wink to Scarlett.
Whoa. That wasn’t what Scarlett had meant. When she’d told Heidi to trust her gut, she’d been talking about long-distance college relationships, not which university to attend. This was a big deal. Heidi had built herself quite a portfolio of coursework for the medical track, having taken enough advanced classes to equal her freshman year at Johns Hopkins. She’d have to start over. None of her courses would transfer to a totally different program.
“Would you like to think about this a little bit more, honey, before making a final decision?” Aunt Alice asked.
“I don’t think so.” Heidi shook her head. “I don’t want to be a doctor.”
“But for so long you’ve expressed an interest,” Joe said. Even though Scarlett knew he’d want only what made Heidi happy, he was visibly trying to hide his disappointment, but he wasn’t doing a very convincing job. “What’s changed?”
“I just don’t feel it anymore, Dad,” she said honestly.
He huffed out a chuckle of disbelief. “Heidi, this isn’t just where you’ll live for the next three to five years; this is the location where you will receive the training that will direct the rest of your working life. Both schools are fantastic. But you have to make sure that your decision is one you can live with forever. If you don’t want to be a doctor, what do you want to do for a living?”
“I don’t know.” She twisted her braid around her finger. “Let’s talk about it more later, though,” she said, grabbing a biscuit and buttering it.
“Yes, you’re right,” Uncle Joe said, offering an apologetic glance over to Janie. “Trevor, are you excited for Christmas Eve tonight?” he asked.
“Yes, sir! I’m very excited to sleep in the comfy bed. It’s the best Christmas ever!”
Joe nodded fondly. “What do you have on your Christmas list?”
Scarlett inwardly cringed, knowing what Trevor had said about Santa Claus not coming last year. Uncle Joe had still been outside. Janie seemed uncomfortable, and Scarlett wished she could help them somehow.
“I don’t make a Christmas list,” Trevor said. “Santa will find me when he’s finished helping all the people who need things.” He ate his last bite of bacon. “May I get down and play with Archie, Mama?”
“Yes, you may,” she said, as she slid his cup of milk away from the edge of the table to allow him to get down without spilling it.
Trevor ran over to Archie who dropped his ball, inviting Trevor to throw it. He picked it up and rolled it down the hallway, following the dog chasing after it as Riley and Mason climbed down to join in.
“We don’t have a lot for Christmas,” Janie informed the table quietly once the kids were out of earshot. “I tell him that Santa helps people by bringing what they need, but he’s getting older… His friends were all sharing stories about their favorite Christmas gifts at preschool. He asked why they were getting toys when they didn’t need them.” The stress of the situation was etched across her forehead. “And now with the baby on the way…” She shook her head.
Joe perked up. “Baby? Are you expecting a child?”
Janie nodded.
“I should’ve asked,” he said, noticeably frustrated with himself. “We need to get you to a clinic for an ultrasound right away. We have to make sure all is well with the baby after the crash.”
Alarm filled her face, and then fear. “I can’t,” she said, tears springing to her eyes.
“Why not?” Joe asked.
“I don’t have any insurance. Even if I did, I don’t have the co-pay for the visit. I lost my job a year ago, and I can’t find one. That’s why I came looking for Charles…”
The table had hushed after her admission. Gran tilted her head, compassion filling her features. “We’ll help you, dear. Don’t worry. We’ll figure it out together.” She got up and grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter, and handed it to Janie.
“Yes, don’t worry about that,” Joe said. “I can fill out a few forms and have a chat with some folks—get you into a program that can provide assistance—but we’ll have to take you to Gatlinburg—that’s the closest medical center. It’s about an hour away, however, so we’ll need to move now to get you seen today.”
“Okay,” Janie said.
“That poor girl,” Gran said to Scarlett while she helped to clean up the breakfast dishes.
Scarlett had stayed back at her request. The others offered to help, but Gran told them she and Scarlett would be fine taking care of the mess on their own. Scarlett knew by the way she looked at her when she told them that Gran had a specific reason for keeping Scarlett with her.
“I hope everything is okay,” Scarlett worried aloud.
“So do I.” Gran rinsed a plate and placed it in the dishwasher. “She’s such a lovely girl. Something has made her incredibly sad…” She grabbed a bowl and ran it under the water. “I do hope it has nothing to do with Charles. Did you hear how she spoke about him?”
“Yes,” Scarlett said, already guarded. Just as she’d thought, all of Charlie’s good deeds were wiped clean from Gran’s memory with that one moment at the table. “But we don’t know the story behind her opinion of Charlie. We need to hear what’s going on before we make any assumptions.”
Gran shook her head, her hands gripped around a pile of silverware. “I can get a pretty good feel for people, Scarlett, and I’m telling you—” Gran shook the silverware at her to make her point—“there’s something am
iss here. Be careful with that man.”
“I think he might be misunderstood,” Scarlett ventured.
“I think you have a tendency to enjoy saving complicated men. It hasn’t proven helpful to you yet,” she said, her voice calm and kind, but direct.
Scarlett wondered if Gran was right. She’d hit a nerve. The one thing that Scarlett struggled with was trying to find the good in everyone, even when it meant getting hurt. Sometimes, there wasn’t a whole lot of good to be had. Was she missing a huge red flag just because she wanted to believe that Charlie was something that he wasn’t? She remembered Charlie’s own words: Maybe you don’t need to know me because I might not be the person you want me to be. The only way she’d find out was to talk to him.
“I’m going to call him, Gran,” she said. “I need to find out what’s going on. I’ll be careful, I promise.”
“Go right now.” Gran took the plate from Scarlett’s hands. “But prepare yourself for what you might find out. Not everyone has your heart, Scarlett.”
Scarlett nodded, her mind feeling heavy. She’d wanted to trust Charlie, but she wondered now if her need to have him be the answer to her prayers was overriding her judgment. Just because he’d shared a few heartfelt feelings with her, didn’t mean that he was the person she was hoping he’d be. She took her phone from the back pocket of her jeans and stepped out into the hallway.
Scarlett dialed his number and waited. Voicemail. “Charlie, this is Scarlett. I need to speak to you.” Where was he? She hadn’t heard a peep from him since he disappeared from the kitchen last night without a word. She started to worry. “I’m coming down to your room right now.” She hung up and immediately headed out to room 1B. No matter how exhausted he’d been last night, he should be up by now.
When she reached Charlie’s door, she knocked loudly in case he was, by some miracle, still asleep, despite her doubts. With a shiver, she waited, standing on the porch outside his room with no coat. She knocked again, harder. Charlie didn’t answer, so she pulled out her phone and called again, but it went straight to voicemail. Starting to really worry now, Scarlett pounded as powerfully as she could with her fist. “Charlie! It’s Scarlett! Open the door.” Sharpening her hearing, she held her breath to hone in on any sound that might give her some inkling as to what was going on, but the only sound was the faint rush of water down the mountain. She hurried back to the kitchen and to Gran.