They were having dinner on Christmas Eve at Grey Gables because the next day Graham would be having dinner with the Palmers.
“You must come too, Annie,” Gwen had said when she found out that Graham was staying with her.
“Thank you, Gwen, that’s so sweet of you, but I’m afraid I already have plans,” Annie had replied. Those plans entailed staying home, sharing the day with Ian, Alice, and Noelle, and that suited Annie just fine.
“I do believe I will need to buy myself a new wardrobe soon,” Graham declared. “Your fine cooking has laid waste to my waist.”
“Ohhh,” Alice groaned at the joke. She eyed his red wool sweater and dark brown corduroy pants. “Well, you have a long way to go, Graham Cartwright, and if you happen to reach that point in the next week or so, that’s what all those diet programs are for. You know—the ones that fill the TV airwaves on the second day of January.”
Ian grinned at the man he’d met only a few days earlier. It had taken persistent wheedling from Annie before Graham agreed to meet the town’s mayor. But the two had hit it off immediately and talked in depth about the town and how much Graham’s help had meant. They also talked about books; Ian was fascinated by the whole experience of crafting a story from beginning to end.
At that moment, it seemed they all had been lifelong friends, and Annie was grateful for that. Although it was Christmas Eve, and she still missed LeeAnn, Herb, and the twins terribly, she felt content that night, surrounded by such warmth and friendship. A niggling unease reminded her that as much as she loved the little girl, Noelle was not hers and probably would leave someday.
I refuse to think about that tonight, she told herself firmly. I’m going to embrace this Christmas with a joyful heart and store up blessed memories.
Noelle jumped up from where she’d been gazing into the ornaments and ran to the nativity scene. From there she skipped over to the fireplace and stood still while the firelight played across her fair skin and pale hair. She turned to Annie with an impish grin.
“Hungry!” she announced.
“We’ll be eating soon,” Annie told her.
“I’ll see how the rolls are coming,” Alice said. “Stay right there, Annie, and relax. I got this.”
Alice came into the living room a few minutes later and said, “My friends, dinner is served.”
“Yay!” Noelle shouted, clapping. She rushed into the dining room and clambered into her new high chair, a gift from Graham. Special order and rushed to be delivered that day, it was adjustable to fit the table as she grew. Noelle had danced around the chair when it was pulled from the packing material.
They had just taken their seats, and Ian had asked the blessing on the meal, when someone knocked on the front door.
“Goodness,” Annie said, getting up. “Who in the world could that be? Excuse me, please.”
She turned on the porch light and opened her front door. Sara Downs stood there, an uncertain smile on her face.
“Why, Sara!” Annie said. “Come in out of the cold.”
The woman ducked her head and stepped inside. Wondering why Sara had come calling unexpectedly on Christmas Eve, Annie closed the door against the cold night and turned a smile to her visitor. Sara was dressed in the new coat Annie and Alice had bought, and she had curled her lank hair. A touch of lipstick, a bit of blusher and mascara, and a brush of eye shadow gave her a younger, healthier appearance.
“We’re just getting ready to have dinner,” Annie said. “Would you like to join us?”
“No, thank you. I’m so sorry to drop in on you this way, Annie, but I think it’s time I—”
There was a shriek and a crash in the dining room.
“Nanny!” Noelle screamed.
“Oh, my goodness,” Annie said, running toward the room. Noelle flew past her, screeching, “Nanny, Nanny!!”
“Oh, Baby Girl!” Sara said, catching up the child as Noelle leapt into her arms. She smothered the little face with kisses. “Happy birthday and merry Christmas! Nanny has missed you so much!”
Annie stood, rooted the spot, stunned into silence. The others came out of the dining room and stood in a cluster, all of them staring at Noelle and Sara. No one said a word.
Sara turned to Annie, tears swimming in her eyes.
“Thank you for taking care of Noelle. I knew you had a mother’s heart and a grandmother’s love; I knew she’d come to no harm with you.”
Somehow Annie found her voice.
“Sara, I don’t understand. Who is she? Is she your daughter?”
“Noelle is my granddaughter.”
“How … I mean, why … oh Sara, what happened?”
The other woman was chalk white beneath her makeup. Her hazel eyes were wide and frightened, but she clung tightly to Noelle.
“I had to do something!” she said fiercely. “I had to make sure Noelle was taken care of.”
Something inside Annie made her want to run away from whatever Sara was going to say, but she knew she had to hear it. This was the moment Annie had dreaded for weeks, but now she had to be strong.
Annie put her arm around the woman’s shoulders and said, “Why don’t you take off your coat, and let’s go into the living room where we can talk.” She looked at the others. “Please go on with your dinner.”
“Annie?” Alice said, her eyes filled with concern.
“It’s all right,” Annie assured her.
“Come,” Ian said, guiding Graham and Alice back into the dining room. Sara juggled Noelle from one arm to the other while she removed her coat and then settled on the sofa with the child in her lap.
“She looks so sweet,” Sara said, running her hands along the velvet dress and then stroking Noelle’s hair. “And healthy. Annie, you’ve taken real good care of her, and I’m ever so thankful.”
“I was happy to take care of Noelle. She’s a sweet little girl,” Annie said softly, “but, Sara, I deserve an explanation.”
“Yes, you do,” Sara agreed, “and that’s why I’m here. I’m awfully sorry I’ve put you through all this, but you see, a couple of weeks ago my daughter showed up at the Atlantic Jewel and left Noelle with me. She gave me no explanation other than she had other things to do, and Noelle was in her way. I’ve been providing for the two of them as best I could since Noelle’s birth—which was three years ago today—but several months ago, Pamela decided she didn’t need or want me. She took off for parts unknown, but not before she’d raised such a ruckus at my workplace that I got fired. And of course, no job means no food and no place to live. I could’ve got a cook’s job in Portland, but I wanted to go somewhere quiet, somewhere I could think about my life and make some changes—maybe put down some roots.” She seemed to wilt. “I figured I’d never see my daughter or granddaughter again, and I had to start picking up the pieces of my own life.”
“And you chose Stony Point.”
She nodded. “I’d heard about the town, and how the local crafting club did things for the community. I was ever so glad I met Peggy at The Cup & Saucer after I moved here. People were so nice to me—Jeff, Peggy, and you. And Mr. Webster, of course—he’s been real sweet and real patient with me about my rent.”
“He’s a kind man, I’m sure. But Sara, why did you leave Noelle at Grey Gables? I mean, you just abandoned her here, with no one home and the windows open.”
Sara lifted tortured eyes to Annie. She reached out and wrapped her cold, trembling fingers around one of Annie’s hands, as if clutching it could make Annie understand.
“One afternoon shortly after I got off work, Pamela showed up at my door. I don’t know how she tracked me down, and she didn’t say. She just knocked on my door, handed over Noelle, her little bear and the pink blanket, and told me to keep her. I tried to talk some sense into her, but all she did was scream at me, get in a beat-up old car with some rough-looking fellow, and they sped away like the law was after them. Maybe it was; I don’t know.”
Sara pulled Noelle even closer and c
ontinued. “Mr. Webster is a great manager, but he’s not the owner, and he can’t change the rules. No kids are allowed at the Atlantic Jewel. If I kept Noelle, we’d have had to live on the street because I don’t even have a car.”
Sara shrugged helplessly. “All I knew was that I had to make sure Noelle was safe and warm and well-fed. She couldn’t live with me, and I had no money to move anywhere else. Taking her to work with me was out of the question. That kitchen is no place for a little girl, even if Jeff would allow it. Annie, I was desperate, and then I remembered you said at the meeting that you’d left your windows open because of the burnt popcorn smell. I found Grey Gables, and I had little trouble getting inside. The best I could do was bundle up Noelle, give her something she could eat easily, and leave her. I knew you’d keep her safe for me. You’re that kind of woman.”
“But, Sara, all you had to do was ask me. I would have been happy to let you and Noelle stay in Grey Gables while you got on your feet.”
The woman gave her a wretched look. “You were missing your grandkids so much, I thought—I prayed—that Noelle would be a blessing to you. But don’t you see, I didn’t want to burden you with me too.”
Annie took this in, and prayed silently that she could respond from a pure heart. “She has been a blessing, Sara,” she said, gripping the woman’s cold fingers in her own. “These last few weeks have been pure joy. I thank you for that. But you know something? You would have been a welcome blessing too, because you’re a sweet, caring person. I’m proud to call you my friend.”
At this, Sara’s eyes filled again, and she began to sob. Noelle saw her grandmother’s tears and began to cry too. Annie joined them, a trio of weeping females, fulfilling the needs of one another in a way none had fully realized.
“Annie,” Sara said, “please forgive me for making such an awful mistake. I was ... I was just so ….”
“Desperate,” Annie supplied. “But, Sara, believe me when I say the biggest mistake you made was not asking me, and for that, I forgive you.”
Sara swallowed hard, mascara tracking down her thin cheeks. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you so much!”
“You’re so welcome,” Annie said with a tear-stained smile. “And now, there is one thing you must do to make up for all this.”
Sara nodded. “If I can.”
“Move in to Grey Gables until you’re on your feet.”
She watched as it seemed a thousand pounds had lifted from the small shoulders.
“Oh, Annie. Really?”
“Really.”
“It shouldn’t be long. The people at Books Galore and The Gift Gallery want me to make bookmarks and other specialty items for every holiday,” Sara said. “With what I earn at The Cup & Saucer, and with what they will pay me for my crocheted work, I’ll be able to support Noelle and myself soon. But until then … are you sure about me being here?”
“I’m sure. I love having a full house.” Annie stood up and gently drew Sara to her feet, turning her and Noelle toward the dining room. “Come with me. We’re having a family dinner, and there is always room for one more at my table.”
Annie handed Sara a box of tissues so she could wipe away little Noelle’s tears and her own. When they were all presentable again, the three joined Ian, Alice, and Graham at the dining room table.
Annie glanced across the room at Graham, who was beaming at Sara and Noelle as the small group encircled the table for a delectable Christmas Eve meal. Annie suspected that Noelle and her grandmother might be the recipients of one more substantial Christmas gift from Stony Point’s Santa. But the best gift Noelle could ever receive was the unconditional love that Sara wrapped her in that night.
Annie had known all along that Noelle would one day leave her life as quickly as she had come into it. At least that day was pushed back for a while longer. Things would get back to normal, and Annie would plan a trip soon to see LeeAnn, Herb, John and Joanna. But she also knew that this Christmas—the Christmas that began with such desperation and loneliness—would always have a special place in her heart. How could Annie ever forget the little gift she found at Grey Gables? She would be reminded every year as she joined with others to sing the words to that ancient carol:
Noel! Noel!
Noel! Noel!
Born is the King of Israel!
A Stony Point Christmas Page 18