[Madrona Island 05.0] Christmas on Madrona Island

by Andrea Hurst

  Grandpa John was pacing the floor, face white, hands shaking. The vet’s medical bag was open and she was listening to Gretel’s heart through a stethoscope. Lily picked up Gwyn and put her on her lap on the chair near the window.

  Jason sat down beside the dog and gently petted her. “It’s okay, Gretel,” he said before leaning over and kissing the soft black fur on the top of her head.

  Lily squeezed Ian’s hand. A tear glistened on her husband’s cheek. Let Gretel be well, she prayed silently. It’s Christmas.

  Dr. Childs placed the stethoscope back in her bag and stood up. “I have to get the results back from the blood test, but I’m pretty sure Gretel has pancreatitis. Her tummy is tender and the symptoms you told me match.”

  “What can we do?” Grandpa John asked.

  “Basically, her pancreas is inflamed. Has she gotten into any fatty food in the last few days?”

  John shook his head. “Not that I know of. But you know dogs.”

  The vet smiled. “And it is the holidays. It’s also common in older dogs, particularly females. I have a hunch this could be caused from the medicine she’s on for her arthritis.”

  Ian stepped forward. “Is it a side effect?”

  “Sometimes,” the vet said. “To be cautious, let’s stop it immediately. She’s not too dehydrated, but I injected some fluids subcutaneously and that will help her through the night. No food until we see how she’s doing tomorrow. I’ll leave you a couple cans of prescription food.”

  “Will she be better by tomorrow?” Jason asked.

  Dr. Childs looked first to the adults, and then back to Jason. “That’s exactly what I’m hoping for.”

  Jason hugged Gretel and pressed his head next to hers. “I’ll make a bed on the floor and sleep by her all night.”

  “I’m sure that will help,” Dr. Childs said. “Love is a great healer.” She took her bag and turned to John. “Just let her rest and call me in the morning.”

  Grandpa John and Lily walked her to the door.

  “The next twenty-four hours are important. Call me if anything changes, otherwise I’ll call you as soon as I get the results on the tests.”

  John closed the door and went back to Gretel’s side. She was stretched on her red plaid doggy bed, resting peacefully. Jason had already brought pillows and blankets out so he could lie beside her. Gwyn perched on the edge of the couch, her eyes glued to the dog. Beside her stood Grandpa John.

  Suddenly Lily realized that no one had eaten dinner and the tree was still on top of the car. She pulled Ian aside. “You’d better go get the tree into water. We can decorate tomorrow.”

  He nodded his assent. “Hey, bud,” Ian said to Jason, “I’m going to go get the tree set up at the inn. Mom’s going to order pizza delivered. That way we can all eat here in the living room and keep Gretel company.”

  Jason looked down at Gretel, his jaw tight. “I’ll be here, Dad.”

  Lily stood at the window, watching Ian drive the tree next door. Night had set in and a light drizzle dotted the windowpane. She turned and walked over beside John. She put her arm around him. “I know how much you love Gretel,” she whispered. “We’ll all pray for her until she’s up and back to her old self again.”

  John looked up and met her eyes. “Thank you,” he said. His eyes looked off in the distance. “You know, your Grandmother Maggie and I raised that dog since she was a pup. She was quite the shoe chewer for a while. Maggie trained her with homemade dog treats. Gretel loved those.”

  Lily could imagine John and Grandma Maggie playing with the black furball puppy in the garden. Regret crossed her heart. If only she’d been here to see it. “I have a good feeling she’ll pull through just fine. Kyla said the same. And she seems to know about that kind of thing.”

  “Kyla said that?”

  “Absolutely. And there is no way Gretel is going to miss opening her toys for Christmas.”

  John laughed and took a deep breath. “You’re so right.”

  ⌘

  Lily woke the next morning with the first ray of morning sun. It was Monday morning. Gretel was her first thought. She leapt out of bed and hurried into the living room. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Gretel kissing Jason’s face.

  “She’s better,” Jason said.

  For the first time in a long time, his face glowed.

  Lily knelt beside them and gave Gretel a scratch behind her ears. “Welcome back, girl.”

  Right on cue, Grandpa John and Ian, carrying a sleepy Gwyn, entered the room.

  “She licked my face!” Jason said. “And look, her tail is wagging a little.”

  John’s face lit up with a smile. “That it is.”

  They formed a circle around Gretel and watched as she took a short drink of water.

  The house phone rang and Lily moved to answer it. “Hello?” She paused, then covered the receiver and said, “It’s Dr. Childs. Yes, she’s much better,” she spoke into the phone. She paused while Dr. Childs spoke the words she wanted to hear. “We’ll be here,” Lily said. “See you soon.”

  Lily hung up the phone and returned to her place between Ian and Jason.

  “It’s a mild case and, with her progress this morning, Dr. Childs says the crisis has passed.”

  Jason dropped to the floor and hugged Gretel. “Do you hear that, girl? And it’s almost Christmas, so you’d better hurry up and get all better.”

  The dog had looked so far gone yesterday. Completely nonresponsive. Lily wiped a tear from her eye. A Christmas miracle had touched her family and she couldn’t be more grateful.

  ⌘

  The tree’s commanding presence glistened with white and purple lights and brought the living area to life. Kyla had decorated with dried lavender, holly with berries, and cedar garlands to complement the ornaments. They’d mixed in the ornaments she and Luke had begun collecting the last few years, which made for a breathtaking display. Artisan crafted fairies with silky hair hung from the branches as if in a mystical forest. She wanted the baby’s first Christmas to be unforgettable, even if the baby would not remember it.

  She’d special-ordered an ornament to put together after the baby was born. It came with alphabet beads and a tiny picture frame for a photo. Next year it would hang on the tree and they would be a family of three. Little felt mittens with beads that glowed in the dark were some of her new favorites, along with the crystal icicles.

  This morning she’d managed to bake some of her family’s favorite recipes. The Irish spiced gingerbread still lingered in the air, and the apple cake with custard sauce was in the refrigerator to serve later. Sitting at the kitchen table now, Kyla felt a sense of peace at how everything was falling into place. After hearing the fantastic news about Gretel’s recovery a few days ago, her own worries had begun to ebb and some of her energy had returned.

  Luke approached her with a cup of herbal tea in her favorite snowflake mug.

  “Time for some couch rest,” he said. He took her gently by the hand and led her over to the propped pillows he had prepared. “Feet up, my lady.”

  Kyla carefully lowered herself to the sofa and propped her feet up.

  “Tea for you, wine for me,” Luke said with a smile as he sat beside her.

  She frowned. It would be a while until she could once again enjoy the wonderful wine their vineyard so generously produced.

  “More gifts arrived from our parents today.” Kyla pointed to a pile by the tree that had been delivered. “And they’re bringing more.” She sighed. “This baby is going to lack for nothing.”

  Kyla had mixed feelings about this. She wanted her child to have everything she hadn’t, but she also wanted a child who appreciated the abundance in their life.

  Luke nodded. “Don’t worry, a little spoiling will be all right. It is the first grandchild on both sides. Let them have their fun shopping, and if it gets excessive in the future, we’ll let them know.”

  Her husband was very wise. She watched him rise and retrieve t
he pile of boxes.

  “How about we open a couple?” he asked.

  “Why not? The baby won’t mind.”

  Luke opened a medium-sized box and pulled out a hand-knit reindeer baby hat with dark brown knit antlers sticking up from the top. “I have to say, I like this one,” he said, grinning.

  He started to put the hat on his own head.

  “Don’t you dare,” Kyla said. “Leave it to my mother to come up with that.” She admired the hat closely. “She did a pretty good job.”

  “At least it wasn’t a silver, engraved baby spoon from Tiffany’s, like my mother sent last week.” Luke rolled his eyes. “What was she thinking?”

  Kyla giggled. “What a collection of grandparents our kid will have.”

  The dog nudged Kyla’s hand for a pet.

  “I love you too,” Kyla said, pulling Bailey in close.

  The fire crackled and the scent of dried oak lingered in the room. Contentment was a new feeling for Kyla. Her marriage to Luke was happier than she’d ever imagined, and soon they would receive the greatest gift of all.

  ⌘

  Christopher had just woken up from his afternoon nap and was having a little juice before they headed downstairs to meet everyone. Jude glanced at the calendar. December 20th. A couple more days and the café would be closed and she could enjoy a peaceful holiday with her little family. She was counting the days.

  Jude was pleased when she and Christopher entered the café kitchen and Chef Ryan had cleared away a workspace in the middle of the large, center island. On top of the stainless steel worktable were containers of flour, measuring cups filled with flour and sugar, and bowls of buttercream frosting in red, green, blue, and white.

  Seated around the table were Lily and Gwyn, waiting for the big cookie bake.

  “Candy,” Gwyn said, pointing at the glass bowls filled with chocolate chips, red hots, and silver decorating balls.

  “Those are to decorate the cookies with after they are baked and cooled,” Lily said. She helped Christopher up on a stool next to her daughter. They were starting to become friends, even with the age difference.

  Ryan stepped forward, a grin across his face. “Before we begin, I have a surprise for everyone.” He looked to the back room. Jude couldn’t imagine what it could be.

  “Surprise,” her twenty-four-year-old daughter Lindsey said as she jumped out from behind the door. “I caught an earlier flight and here I am.”

  Jude rushed over to hug her. “I’m so happy you’re here!” Jude stepped back. “And look at you, you’re all grown up now.” After a year in culinary school in France, her golden-haired daughter looked quite sophisticated with a scarf thrown across her neck and a new, layered hairdo.

  Lindsey laughed. “Mom, it’s only been a year.”

  “But, the European culture has certainly rubbed off on you,” Ryan said, stepping forward. He pointed to the worktable. “Now, let’s see what a Cordon Bleu chef can do with Christmas cookies.”

  Jude took a seat next to Lily. “Ian couldn’t make it?” she asked.

  “He’s playing innkeeper so we could come.”

  “That works. Good for him.”

  “And I’ll tell you the rest later,” Lily said.

  Jude gave her a questioning look, but when Lily motioned toward Gwyn, Jude understood it was something to keep private for now.

  “Everyone ready?” Ryan asked. He started greasing baking sheets and let the kids each have a stick of butter and one of their own pans.

  “Oooh,” Christopher said, smearing butter with both hands over the pan.

  Lindsey brought over a basket of eggs and placed them next to a large stainless steel bowl. She measured out the dry ingredients and proceeded to assemble the batter for the sour cream butter cookies.

  Gwyn popped a finger in the sour cream and made a face.

  “Don’t worry,” Lindsey said. “They’ll taste sweet and yummy by the end.”

  Jude counted the number of cookies they would need for their afternoon outing and some snacking along the way. “Four dozen cookies should be enough,” she said. “One dozen for us to eat after dinner and three dozen for the Senior Housing Center’s Holiday Bazaar.”

  “Daddy’s going to meet us there,” Gwyn said.

  Lily nodded. “He’s going to try.”

  “Why are we giving them so many of our cookies?” Gwyn asked.

  Ryan leaned across the table to answer her question. “Remember our friends Shirley and Ron?”

  “Yeah,” she said, still looking suspicious.

  “They’re going to sing Christmas carols with their church choir to brighten up the holiday for the people who live there.”

  Gwyn’s face brightened. “And they will eat our cookies too!”

  “Right,” Lily said. “Let’s make them extra special.”

  Each child got a chance to roll dough, with Lindsey and Ryan helping. Flour was on hands and faces, and the floor was getting its fair share too.

  Jude spread her collection of metal cookie cutters across the table, shaped like stars, snowmen, reindeer, and, of course, Santas. A few special handcrafted ones had been handed down through her family. She admired the bell and candle ones and remembered using them years ago as a child with her mother.

  “Who wants to make a star?” Jude asked.

  Christopher’s hand shot up. “Me, I do.”

  Jude handed her son the star and helped him make the first cuts through the dough. Ryan pulled each bell out and placed it on a cookie sheet.

  “I have the snowman,” Gwyn said. “And a reindeer.”

  While the children cut and placed the sometimes-misshapen cookies on the sheet, Ryan worked on cutting the more complicated Santa shapes.

  “Our first annual cookie bake all together,” Jude said. “We’ll do this again next year and Kyla can bring her little one too.”

  Everyone nodded. The kitchen had never been messier, but happy faces and the smell of warm cookies baking in the oven made it all worth it.

  Lindsey sat down next to Jude and whispered in her ear. “I have some news.”

  “Tell me, tell me,” Jude said. As a mother, she wanted what was best for Lindsey, but having her back in the United States would put her in visiting range and Jude so wanted to continue to build their relationship.

  Lindsey worked on frosting a snowman as she spoke. “I loved my training, and being in Europe for a year was amazing. But, I’m not just home for Christmas. I put out a few applications before I left France. I have three strong offers from restaurants in Seattle.”

  Jude felt like jumping for joy, but kept her voice calm. “Are you leaning toward any one in particular?”

  Ryan joined their huddle. “Did I hear job offer?”

  “Yes, Dad,” Lindsey said, beaming. “I was hoping you would go over the offers with me, say, maybe tomorrow?”

  “Well let me check my busy schedule,” Ryan said, joking. “I couldn’t be happier for you. First thing tomorrow we are on it!”

  Lindsey put the last touches on her snowman, then stood and brushed her hands on her apron. “How about we get cleaned up while the cookies finish baking and cooling and get the space ready for decorating?”

  “I’ll help,” Lily said. She led the children to the restroom.

  Ryan stood and started cleaning off the table. “I’ll have everything ready when you get back.”

  Jude leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment. “They loved baking.”

  Ryan put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close before kissing her on the forehead. “Now the really fun part comes,” he said. “Food dye and candy!”

  In separate bowls, they mixed a little red, blue, and green into the buttercream icing Ryan had prepared and laid out the candy accessories. Jude knew some of the trees would be blue and the snowmen red, but they would taste delicious.

  ⌘

  About an hour later, everything was packed and ready to go. Lily was excited to take the kids to th
e Christmas show, but a shadow of disappointment still lingered. She looked at her cell phone. Still nothing from Ian.

  They all buttoned up into coats and scarves and rushed out the door to Lily’s van. Ryan loaded the plates of plastic-wrapped cookies in the back and off they went.

  The Senior Housing Center was decorated in colored lights blinking on and off, and a huge silver-sprayed cedar branch rife with pinecones on it hung from the front door. Shirley and her church group, in red satin choir robes, waited in the entryway.

  “Welcome,” Shirley called out to them.

  Ron walked over to help carry the trays of cookies while Lily, Jude, and Lindsey walked the children around the lobby.

  “Look at the big white Christmas tree,” Jude said.

  Gwyn touched a branch. “Is it snow? It’s not cold.”

  Lily smiled. “Sometimes trees are sprayed with color to look pretty.”

  Inside the dining hall, a piano player was on the stage and notes to “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” filled the air. They took a seat at a large round table with a poinsettia centerpiece with gold-sprayed pinecones scattered around it on the white tablecloth. Lining the far wall were several long tables filled with desserts. Lily watched Ryan set out their cookies amidst the bountiful display. A friendly senior with a volunteer badge pasted to his shirt walked over and passed out candy canes to the children.

  Many of the residents were sitting at front tables, several dressed up in their holiday best. Some were in wheelchairs, others standing with walkers on the sidelines. Lily noticed a few had what looked like family joining them at their table, but many were alone. She was glad she and her family could be part of making a bright holiday season for them.

  “Where’s Daddy?” Gwyn asked. “We have to save a seat for him.”

  Lily took a deep breath and forced a smile. “He’s going to try and meet us here,” she said. “In a few minutes we can go get punch and cookies and we’ll get some for him too.”

  Gwyn turned to Lindsey sitting next to her and began a conversation about the puppy Santa was going to bring her for Christmas.