A Holiday Proposal

by Kimberly Rose Johnson

  Silence settled over the room. “What do you mean?”

  “It’s like your favorite drink or clothing, or whatever it is you are into. Pretend you have a black polka-dot skirt that you love, but you also love your other plain black skirt. You like them both for different reasons. Maybe you enjoy the fun nature of polka dots on the one and the other is practical and goes with everything.”

  Was she saying that her sister was fun and she was boring? No, that couldn’t be; Elsa had never met Jessica. Holly sipped her cocoa and chewed on her guest’s words. Was it possible to love equally, but differently?

  Elsa chuckled. “I see I gave you something to think about.” She stretched and stood. “It’s been a long day. Do you mind if I turn in early?”

  Holly jumped up. “Not at all.” She took the woman’s mug and set it on the kitchen counter. “Your room is this way.” She opened the door to the left of the bathroom and flipped on the light. “As you can see, it’s a child’s room, but I saw no need to make changes. I rarely come in here.”

  “It’s fine.” A wistful smile lit Elsa’s face.

  “I’ll set fresh towels on the bathroom counter. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.”

  “You’ve done more than I dreamed. Thanks for inviting me to stay.” Elsa rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “This is a whole lot better than sleeping outdoors. It didn’t occur to me when I stepped off the train in Leavenworth that there was no station here that I could sleep in, only a platform with covered benches.”

  Holly reached out and grasped Elsa’s hand. “I think you were right when you said the Lord brought us together.” She gently squeezed the thin hand. “Sleep well. We have to get up early to get you to the Seattle-bound train.” She hesitated. From the look of her guest, Elsa didn’t have the money for another ticket, which she would need since she’d forfeited her original ticket by getting off the train where she wasn’t supposed to.

  The emergency fund hidden in the cookie jar on the counter would cover the ticket and more. “Elsa, I don’t mean to pry, but feel I must. How will you pay for the train ticket?”

  Elsa pursed her lips. “Don’t you worry, dear child. The Lord will take care of me.”

  Holly let the subject drop, unwilling to embarrass her guest. “Good night, then.” She returned to the living room and snuggled into the couch with a book.

  * * *

  Holly dragged herself from bed at four-thirty in the morning. The train departed Icicle Station at 6:08 a.m., and she wanted to make sure Elsa had a hot meal before leaving. She quickly showered and tossed on a pair of jeans and a thick cream sweater, then applied makeup. She tilted her head to the side as she considered her hair. It might be nice to wear it down.

  She opened the door of her room promptly at five-fifteen and spied her guest sitting at the kitchen bar holding a mug with the tag of a tea bag hanging over the rim. “Good morning. I hope you slept well.”

  “Actually, I was restless most of the night. Guess it was too quiet.” Elsa shrugged and looked down.

  Holly moved past Elsa. “Do you like eggs?” She filled the coffeemaker with water and scooped in her favorite rich roast of ground coffee beans, then flipped the power on.

  “Love them.”

  “Good. I thought we’d have eggs, toast and coffee for breakfast.” She pulled eggs from the fridge and placed a pan on the burner.

  “Sounds perfect.” She looked down again and pursed her lips. “Uh...Holly. I did a lot of thinking last night, and I’ve decided to return home to Chicago.”

  Holly stopped in the middle of her reach for the cooking spray. “Really? Why?” She turned off the burner and leaned against the counter.

  “My daughter lives there. Our talk last night got me to thinking. I left home angry and said some things I shouldn’t have. It was wrong for me to try and escape my problems and not deal with them head-on.”

  “Your daughter is a problem?”

  “No, I am. I lost my job several months ago. At my age it’s tough to find work. Anyway, I’ve been living with my daughter and her family. I overheard her talking with her husband.” Elsa’s voice caught. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He was frustrated that I was a drain on their finances. My daughter stood up for me, and then he told her it was either him or me. I left that morning after they went to work. I couldn’t come between them.”

  “That wasn’t very nice of him to pit you against your daughter. What did she say to his ultimatum?”

  Elsa shrugged. “I didn’t stick around to find out. I couldn’t come between the two of them. Even though it doesn’t sound like it, he really is a good man. I would never want to ruin my daughter’s marriage. I went back to my room and tossed a few things into this bag.” She nodded toward the backpack sitting on the stool beside her. “I’ve never been a rich woman, so I didn’t have much to pack. Then I waited until I heard them leave.” A tear slid down her cheek.

  “Oh, Elsa. I’m so sorry. And here I was complaining about my family when you were hurting.”

  “Don’t be sorry. I pulled it out of you. Remember? Besides, you made me rethink my hasty decision. I felt guilty for leaving the way I did. I scribbled a nasty note and left it on the kitchen table for my daughter to see when she got home from work. That was two days ago.” Her voice caught. “I’ve never regretted anything more.”

  “Did she call you?”

  “I don’t have a cell phone. Had to drop it when my paltry savings ran out.” Her cheeks reddened. “I hope you don’t mind, but I used your cell to call my daughter early this morning. We had a good talk, and she begged me to come home.”

  “What about her husband?”

  “Apparently after I stopped eavesdropping, he said he didn’t mean what he’d said about me leaving. He wants to talk with me about a job that just opened up at his office. It’s only minimum wage and entry-level, but at least it’s something.”

  “I take it you’re overqualified.”

  Elsa shrugged. “It’s income and that’s what’s important. I still won’t be able to live on my own, but I will be able to contribute to the family. He bought my return ticket to Chicago.”

  Holly walked around the counter and embraced her new friend. “I’m so happy for you. And you know what?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You were right. God did take care of you. Not exactly the way I thought, but you get to go home, and He provided the funds for your ticket.” She’d doubted Elsa when she said God would provide, but He’d not only provided, He restored her relationship with her family. Did it make Holly a bad Christian to doubt that God would provide the ticket for her new friend? Well, perhaps not, but she definitely needed to work on trusting Him more.

  “How about those eggs? I’m starving.” Elsa’s eyes twinkled.

  “Scrambled or fried?”

  “Fried, and thanks so much for everything. You can’t begin to imagine what an answer to prayer you are.”

  Holly cracked two eggs into the pan and put bread into the toaster. Had God really used her? “You mentioned not having much and that’s why you only had the backpack. I just cleaned out my closest and have a bag of clothes I was going to donate. If you’ll be working in an office there are some blouses you might like that are practically brand-new. Maybe you’d like to take a look. There are some nice things in there that my mom gave me that don’t fit right.”

  “That’s kind of you, but I’m fine.”

  Holly finished up their breakfast and poured them each a mug of coffee. She slid the meal across the counter and offered up a blessing for the food.

  “You planning to stand and eat?”

  She was, but plainly her guest didn’t approve. Instead, Holly moved to the seat beside Elsa and dug in. “You’re welcome to hang out here today. I’ll be home from work a li
ttle after five o’clock. I can make us dinner and then take you to the station in time to catch the eight o’clock train.”

  “I don’t want to impose further.” Elsa took a sip of coffee. “I’ll just hang around town and call a ride. My son-in-law suggested I take the shuttle.”

  Holly clamped her lips shut. The shuttle wasn’t expensive, but why turn down a free ride? “I’ll tell you what. Do whatever you want today, and meet me back here for dinner at six. We’ll discuss how you get to the train then.” If she remembered correctly, the shuttle needed to be booked in advance, so Elsa would need a ride regardless.

  She took her plate to the sink, rinsed it and left it there for later. “I work across the street at Cascade Medical Center. It’s the local hospital. If you need anything at all, come find me. Okay?”

  “Sure. Now, don’t let me keep you.”

  Holly puttered in the kitchen for a few minutes then changed into scrubs and brushed her teeth. She dragged out the bag of clothes she’d told Elsa about and left it beside the couch. Red fabric grabbed her attention, and her pulse quickened. Her mother should have known better than to buy her a coat from an all-sales-final sale. The too-small coat still had the tags attached. She pulled the bag open and held up the new jacket. “Elsa. What do you think?”

  Elsa turned and her face brightened. “It’s nice.”

  Holly stepped toward her. “It would make me very happy if you would take it.”

  Her friend stood and reverently slipped her arms into the winter jacket. “It’s a perfect fit. But how? We aren’t the same size.”

  “It was a gift, and the giver forgot to notice anything but the price tag.” She pulled on the tag still hanging from the sleeve.

  “Seven dollars? That’s a steal!”

  “Well, it’s all yours.” Holly pulled scissors from the kitchen drawer and snipped off the tag.

  “I always thought I’d find someone to give this to, so I hung onto it.”

  Elsa’s face glowed. Although Holly wasn’t sure if it was from pleasure or from being overheated since she still wore the jacket.

  Holly glanced at the wall clock. “I have to leave now. Make yourself at home and lock up if you decide to go out. You know where to find me if you need something before I get home.”

  Elsa nodded.

  Holly stepped into the cold and shut the door firmly behind her. Was it safe to leave Elsa alone in her apartment? She didn’t think the woman was up to no good, but some people were difficult to read. Then again, if Elsa planned to rob her, wouldn’t she have done it last night and snuck out before morning? Normally she wouldn’t leave a virtual stranger in her home alone, but something about the woman made Holly feel she was trustworthy. She sighed and trotted gingerly across the street, being careful to avoid falling. If it was a mistake to trust Elsa, she’d have to deal with the consequences later.

  Holly’s cell vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and frowned. Her mother never phoned at this time of day. Dread filled her. “What’s wrong, Mom?”

  “Just checking on you. You left without saying goodbye yesterday, and I wanted to catch you before you start work.”

  “That was nice. Thanks.” Unease made her slow her pace. Her mother didn’t call just to check on her—never had. Something was definitely up.

  “How are you? We missed visiting with you at the Thanksgiving feast after church.”

  “I’m fine. Sorry for not stopping to visit. I was pretty busy coordinating everything, then I met a woman from out of town. She seemed like she needed a friend. It turned out she’s having a rough time, so I let her spend the night at my place.”

  “You let a perfect stranger sleep in your apartment? I thought I raised you better than that.”

  Holly stiffened at her mother’s words. She raised her to do what Jesus would do, and He would have helped Elsa. She took a calming breath. “Elsa is harmless, Mom. Besides, she’s catching the train home to Chicago this evening. So stop worrying.”

  “You’re my daughter, worrying is what I do when it comes to you and your sister.”

  The doors to the hospital slid open and Holly walked in. “I’m a big girl and can take care of myself. I don’t want you to raise your blood pressure over me.” Holly waved to another nurse. “I’m sorry, but I need to cut this short. I’m at work now. I’ll call you after my shift, okay?”

  “No need. Before you hang up, I wanted to ask you something. My car is being serviced. Would you be able to run me into Wenatchee later this morning? Say around ten.”

  “I’m working, but maybe you could take the bus.”

  Her mother sighed heavily. “Fine. Why is it work always comes before family?”

  The line went silent and Holly slipped her phone into her purse. She took a deep breath and let it out, slowly counting to ten as she did. Somehow they always ended up at odds with each other. Wouldn’t she ever measure up in her mom’s eyes? For some reason the woman refused to accept she had a serious job and responsibilities.

  She would never figure out her mother, and now guilt and unease rested on her shoulders. Holly worried her bottom lip. Elsa was alone in her place. Not that she would steal anything. Goodness knows the woman wouldn’t even take more than a cup of hot tea without asking—of course, she had used Holly’s cell, but that was different. No, she wouldn’t let her mother’s worry cause doubts in her mind about Elsa. She deposited her purse and clocked in, unable to erase the doubt in the recesses of her mind. She never should have answered her mother’s call. Now she would be distracted all day.

  Chapter 11

  Matthew unlocked the bakery and stepped inside. He stopped when he heard whistling. “Hello?”

  “In here, boss.”

  Matthew hung his coat beside the door and slipped an apron over his head. “You’re early, George.” Not that he minded his employee’s dedication, but he did enjoy having the first half hour of the day to himself.

  “We had a large order come in just before closing yesterday, and I knew you wouldn’t be able to get it all done by yourself.”

  Matthew read the order slip and grinned. “Wow! Glad you came in early.”

  He washed his hands and got to work. “I’ll let you finish that order while I start on the rest.” It wasn’t normal to get this many orders in a single morning, but with Thanksgiving only four days away he shouldn’t be surprised.

  His mind drifted back to yesterday and the Thanksgiving feast at church. There had been a great turnout, and more than one person said they would call and order dinner rolls for their own meals. When he offered to bring the rolls he hadn’t considered it might boost business. At this rate, he’d need to hire someone else to help with the Christmas season. Actually, he needed someone to run the counter full-time now.

  He thought of the woman sitting with Holly at the meal yesterday. She looked as if she had come on hard times. Maybe she could use a temporary job. He made a note to get in touch with Holly before day’s end. That is, if she was still talking to him. After their parting words yesterday, he had his doubts.

  The morning whizzed by, and sales were swift. Before he knew it, it was time to close and head home. He still hadn’t contacted Holly, but there wasn’t time right now. Admittedly he could make time, but after giving the idea some more thought, he wasn’t crazy about involving her. Maybe the church would know of someone looking for temporary work.

  He walked into his house and breathed in the scent of roast. His sister would put ten pounds on him by the time she went home in January if he wasn’t careful. “I’m home.”

  Ava lay on her tummy on the living room floor. She looked up from her coloring book with a smile. “Hi, Unca, Matt.”

  “Hey, kiddo. How was your day?” He dropped down beside her.

  “Good. Mommy played in the snow with me.”

  A smile
touched his lips. “Sounds like fun.” He stood and sauntered into the kitchen, where April busily stirred something on the stove. “Hi. Are you doing a practice meal for Thursday?”

  His sister laughed. “No. I wanted to make a special meal for John. Roast with mashed potatoes and gravy is his favorite.”

  “We get to eat before then, don’t we?” He patted his growling stomach. “The train won’t be here until after eight.”

  Her shoulders sagged. “Oh. Of course, I don’t expect you or Ava to starve. I didn’t realize it came through so late. I suppose this will keep.”

  “Ah, don’t feel bad, sis. I’m sure he’ll take your reheated roast any day over cafeteria food.”

  “Good point.” She turned the burner off and pulled the gravy from the heat. “Time to eat. Will you tell Ava to come wash her hands?”

  “Sure.” He found his niece exactly where he had left her. “Food time.”

  Ava jumped up then ran into the kitchen. “Where’s Unca John, Mommy? He eat, too.”

  Matthew frowned, remembering the day his niece and sister had arrived. Ava had been terribly shy and not excited in the slightest to see him. How did his brother rate so high?

  April brought the roast to the table. “He won’t be here for dinner. We’ll pick him up together later tonight.”

  Ava’s lower lip protruded.

  April patted her daughter’s back. “No pouting. Your uncle John wouldn’t want that. Besides, you get to see the big train.” She served Ava’s food, cutting her meat into small pieces.

  “Will it whistle?”

  April grinned. “I’m sure you will hear the whistle.”

  “Yay!” His niece dug heartily into her mashed potatoes.

  April sat, going on to explain to Matthew that they had stopped by the college to visit John before heading over the pass to Leavenworth. April wiped her mouth on a napkin. “I saw Holly today.”

  Matthew rested his fork on the side of his plate. “Really? What did she have to say?”