The Christmas Answer (Christmas Holiday Extravaganza)

by Kimberly B. Jackson

  Mark sheepishly smiled. “Everyone, I have something important that needs to be said. You see, I have fallen in love with someone special. She is beautiful, smart, funny, and most importantly, she loves the Lord.” He turned to Donna and knelt down on one knee. He opened a ring case, revealing a one-carat diamond. “Donna Whitestone, will you marry me?”

  Everyone in the audience screamed in excitement.

  Donna blushed. “Yes, I would love to marry you.”

  Their mothers looked to one another in disbelief and, when the concert finished, rushed to the backstage area to greet their children. Ecstatic, the women took turns hugging Mark and Donna as she proudly showed off her engagement ring.

  Patiently, her father waited behind his wife for his turn to congratulate his only child. When that opportunity failed to come, he finally pushed his wife slightly to the side.

  He hugged Donna tightly and whispered in her ear, “You may be a married woman soon, but you will always be my little girl.”

  Tears welled in Donna’s eyes. “I’ll always be your little girl, Daddy.”

  Mark made his way to Donna and lifted her off the ground as he embraced her.

  The moment didn’t last long as their manager bombarded the joyous occasion. “How could you not tell me? I could have had the press present.”

  “Exactly why I didn’t tell you,” Mark pointed out.

  “It’s my job to promote you both. This is a manager’s dream to have his duet singers fall in love and marry. I’m going to the office to write up a press release. We’ll talk in the morning.” He turned to leave but circled back around. “You two haven’t set a date yet have you?”

  Mark shook his head. “We’ll let you know when we do.”

  “Good then. As soon as possible, please.”

  It didn’t take long for the news to circulate to the Christian media. Interview requests from magazines, radio shows and news organizations poured into their manager’s office. John Green was in heaven. He had hit the jackpot—in-demand celebrities. Everyday, he thanked God that he’d been led to these two young, talented kids.

  * * *

  Eight months later, Donna faced four-hundred invited guests as she stood at the entrance to the sanctuary, waiting to walk down the aisle and recite her vows to the man she loved. She couldn’t recall ever being as nervous singing as she was getting married.

  Many of the guests invited, at Mr. Green’s insistence, were so-called industry big shots that she and Mark had never met. The wedding march started. Donna and her dad walked down the aisle toward the front of the church where Mark waited.

  Slowly, the groom wiped away a tear that rolled down his face. Never in his life had he seen such a beautiful sight. Donna was absolutely breathtaking in her princess-style wedding gown, a veil covering her blonde hair in an upswept do. Through the sheer fabric, Mark witnessed her piercing brown eyes shining with emotion.

  Holding hands, Mark and Donna stood facing the minister. Donna was trying hard to absorb everything he was saying, but her mind was unable to focus. Luckily, she had memorized her wedding vows and recited them flawlessly. When Reverend Murray pronounced them man and wife, Mark gently kissed Donna. Everyone applauded as they walked down the aisle.

  The newly married couple greeted their guests in the reception line. Always annoyed with all the schmoozing that went along with the business aspect of their lives, Donna now had her private life intervening with the public part. Mark could sense by Donna’s disposition that she was ready to have the meet and greet line over with. Trying to lighten the mood, Mark smiled and winked at Donna, which made her smile. Her outgoing groom always handled people better than she did. Most of her fans would not believe it, but she always considered herself a shy person. Mark, on the other hand, would talk to a wall if it would talk back.

  Finally, Donna could see the end of the line. Most guests now delighted in the smoked salmon or fillet mignon served for dinner. Donna and Mark finished cutting the cake and taking personal as well as publicity pictures, then Donna excused herself to change into her outfit for the honeymoon.

  Just as she finished, her mom entered the room. She hugged and kissed her baby girl, and told her to call when they arrived in Hawaii. Donna wiped away a tear—she really didn’t know why she was so watery eyed. Maybe it was the reality that from now on, she would not be coming home after a tour to her mom and dad’s.

  Mr. Whitestone knocked on the door. “Are you ready, honey?”

  “Coming!”

  With one last peek in the mirror, she left to meet Mark. He hurried over as she was coming down the stairs. “You look beautiful.”

  Donna smiled, somewhat embarrassed by the way Mark admired her. They escaped into the car and left for the airport, waving at their parents and close friends.

  As they boarded the plane, Donna and Mark discussed how they were looking forward to a little R&R. They had been on the road for several months, in addition to planning their wedding. Donna claimed she was so tired she could sleep for several days straight.

  “Well, I hope not immediately.” Mark winked.

  Hawaii turned out to be just what Donna needed to relax and prep herself for the next tour. Together, they enjoyed snorkeling and lying on the beach. The week came to an end all too soon for the newlyweds. Before they knew it, they were on a plane headed home to Nashville and the new condo they had purchased a few months before their wedding.

  CHAPTER TWO

  That was ten years ago and her life had not been the fairytale Donna had hoped for. She prayed God could restore her family. Family. Now that was a word Donna had not used in a while—not since that fateful night when she was rushed to the hospital miscarrying her precious baby girl.

  Ultimately, she knew Mark had no other choice but to sign for the hysterectomy. It was the only way to save her life. The hemorrhaging was too severe after her uterus had been punctured by the D&C. She tried not to harbor resentment, and time and again convinced herself she had worked through it and it was behind them.

  But perhaps she still clung to bitterness toward Mark, or the doctors, or both. Could that be what was standing between them? Unresolved anger buried somewhere deep in Donna?

  She shook her head. “He had no choice. I know that.”

  She gathered her things and met Mark outside. They boarded the bus, ready to head home after a long stretch of touring. Donna was thrilled they wouldn’t be on the road for the holidays this year. Staying at home for three months would be an unknown luxury.

  * * *

  The first day home, she cleaned the house and even made time to cook Mark’s favorite meal of roast beef and mashed potatoes. Thanking her for the food, Mark carried his plate downstairs to work on some new music. Donna sighed in sheer disappointment. How she had hoped he would sit and talk with her for a while.

  After finishing her own meal, Donna gathered the dishes and placed them in the sink. She scooped the leftovers into bowls and placed them in the refrigerator. As she walked back to the sink, tears ran down her face. She tried to stop crying, to ignore the fact that her heart was breaking.

  Would Mark be better off married to someone who could give him a child? Nonsense. That thought was not what God would want, and it was not His plan—she knew that. Donna composed herself and finished washing the dishes. Then she went and sat in the living room, picking up her Bible, hoping to find some inspiration. But she just wasn’t able to focus on the words.

  The phone rang. The caller ID read Ellie Nichols. Ellie had been her friend since high school. She was the one Donna called when she was upset and crying in the middle of the night. The one Donna could always count on for a shoulder to cry on, or a snap-out-of-it reprimand. Unlike most of their close friends and family, Ellie knew Donna had been struggling with depression, loneliness, and uncertainty in her marriage.

  “Hello?” Donna answered.

  “Well, how is the lady of leisure doing today?”

  “I’ve haven’t been home long e
nough to be a lady of leisure yet.”

  “I’ve been asked to do some missionary work in the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky for a month and I think you need to go with me.” Ellie shot out the sentence so fast that Donna wasn’t so sure she heard her right.

  “Did you just ask me to go to Kentucky with you for a month?”

  “Yes.”

  “Ellie, I haven’t been home a day yet, and you want me to leave for another month, away from Mark, my home, and with the holidays coming up? I’m sorry, but there is no way.”

  “But...with everything you have been going through, I think it might help to get your mind off of all your problems.”

  “I know you mean well, but I just want to stay home right now.”

  “Okay, I understand. If you change your mind though, I’m leaving in the morning around nine.”

  “What are you going to be doing there anyway?”

  “Just helping out wherever they need me.”

  “Call me when you return and be careful.”

  Donna turned to return to the couch, but decided to try to talk with Mark again. Should she try to discuss their marriage? Would he ignore her and continue working on his music? Slowly, she crept into the music room. Mark was busy perusing some sheet music. He turned to her. “I’m glad you’re here. I want to know what you think of this song.” He played a short tune on the piano that he had just written.

  “Sounds great.” Donna leaned into Mark’s shoulder, resting her head. Mark gently kissed the bridge of her nose.

  Maybe all this is in my mind. Could it be that nothing had changed in Mark’s heart? She decided she would enjoy the evening with Mark and not think about the future.

  * * *

  The next morning she awoke to find Mark gone. She rose and walked through the house, only to find a note stating that he woke early and left. Apparently, he had decided last minute to attend the fishing trip that a few of his buddies always planned this time of year. Donna crumbled the paper in her hand and threw it in the garbage. Distraught, she wiped away the tears rolling down her face. How could he just up and leave without saying goodbye? She glanced at the clock to check the time—seven a.m.

  Ellie was leaving in two hours. “Would I have time to pack?” she wondered out loud.

  She picked up the phone and called her friend. Ellie was delighted when Donna informed her she had decided to accompany her on the mission trip. The group would meet at the church at eight-thirty, so Ellie would pick her up at eight-fifteen. That didn’t leave much time for packing and dressing. Donna hurried to stuff her suitcase once again. Tearing a page from a notebook, she wrote a note to Mark. Once again, she tried to reach him, but she suspected he was probably in an area with no reception. Adding an addendum to the outgoing phone message, she asked Mark to try her cell phone if he called the house.

  “Well, I did all I could to get in touch with him,” Donna muttered to herself.

  Walking through the house, she rechecked all the appliances to ensure they were turned off. She tested the windows and doors. Placing her luggage close to the front door, she paced back and forth.

  Was she doing the right thing by going away for a month without discussing it with her husband? Knowing Mark’s fishing trip would last for two weeks, she wondered how he would feel when he returned home and she was gone. Would he be angry or happy she had left with Ellie?

  “Well, too late to worry about that now!”

  Ellie honked her car horn from the driveway, startling Donna. Flustered, she gathered her luggage, turned on the alarm system and struggled out the door. Ellie helped her stow her suitcases in the trunk.

  “Donna, I am so happy that you’re going to help us. We’ve had three members drop out for personal reasons and we were already shorthanded.”

  “I am glad I can help.”

  As her best friend, Ellie already knew Donna was not in a good state of mind. Donna, at this point, silently prayed for the Lord to help her overcome her despair.

  Ellie drove to the church without saying a word, for which Donna was thankful since she was in such a solemn mood. Once there, Ellie and Donna collected their luggage and loaded it onto the bus.

  Donna was handed a questionnaire to fill out with her personal information for the church office in case of emergency. Afraid Mark would be out of reach, Donna decided to list her parent’s phone number along with her husband’s. Then they both boarded the bus, settling in the middle section. Donna slowly tilted her head toward the window.

  A heavy sigh permeated Donna’s lips. She slowly drifted to sleep by the movement of the bus jerking up and down, only to be awoken at different intervals from diverse voices of songs and games played between members on the bus.

  The bus came to a stop along a bumpy, dirt road filled with potholes every few feet.

  Donna straightened and looked around at everyone collecting their luggage and bags. Ellie grinned at Donna, asking if she needed help gathering her suitcases.

  “No, I can get them.” Well aware she’d overpacked, Donna collected her three pieces of luggage and struggled to manage them. Ellie followed behind her with her one carry-on bag, snickering. She had warned Donna to pack light, after all, but to Donna three suitcases was light. Barbara Hutchinson, the group’s leader, blew her whistle several times trying to obtain everyone’s focus.

  “Excuse me, excuse me!” Mrs. Hutchinson’s exuberant voice encompassed the group. “Everyone, I must have your attention. Thank you all for coming.” Mrs. Hutchinson clutched her clipboard. “I have a list of all the families that everyone will be staying with during their visit.”

  One by one, Mrs. Hutchinson called out each name and indicated which host they would be lodging with.

  “Donna Dubois, you’re staying with Sara Cagle.”

  Donna repeated, “Sara Cagle.”

  Ellie followed behind Donna in a line to board a local church bus, which would deliver everyone to their destination. Donna’s stomach flip-flopped like a fish gasping for air. The more the bus emptied, the closer she was to meeting her host family. She glanced over at Ellie. “Aren’t you at all nervous about staying with complete strangers?”

  “Not really. I’ve done several missionary trips. The families almost always turned out to be wonderful.”

  “Almost always?”

  “I can guarantee that you will be truly blessed by the family you stay with.”

  Donna nodded. “I need to remember that it’s not about me. It’s about the mission work.”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  “Sara Cagle’s residence is next,” the bus driver announced.

  Donna looked at Ellie. “Well, here I go. Please keep in touch.”

  Ellie promised and wished Donna good luck. The bus creaked to a stop and Donna stepped off, dragging her collection of luggage.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Donna slowly made her way toward a rustic log cabin. Chickens pecked and darted across the yard. There was little grass, mostly dirt, with an old washing machine placed just outside the porch. Not certain what to expect, Donna made her way up the steps, startled when the door swung open.

  “Welcome, welcome. Come in. You must be from the missionary group.”

  “Yes, I’m Donna Dubois.”

  “Hi, Donna Dubois. I’m Sara Cagle.”

  Donna extended her hand only for Sara to reach out and hug her instead. The cabin was small and dark. A wood stove burned, presumably providing the only source of heat for the small home. Sara, a tall, slender, fifty-something woman with long gray hair, moved around some clothing sprawled across the couch.

  “Make yourself at home. Please sit down.”

  Donna dusted off the couch before she sat, only to wish she had not made that gesture in front of Mrs. Cagle.

  Mrs. Cagle offered a smile. “Tell me a little about yourself. Are you married or do you have any children?”

  “I am married, but we have not been blessed with children.”

  “You’re stil
l young. It will happen when it is supposed to happen.”

  “I’m sure you’re right.” Choosing not to discuss the circumstances surrounding her life with a person she just met, Donna feigned a smile. Sara stood and lifted two of Donna’s suitcases.

  “Let me show you where you will be sleeping.”

  Grabbing the third bag, Donna followed Sara to a back room that was divided in two by a quilt hanging across a rope.

  “I’m sorry, but you will have to share a room with the little ones. I’ve moved the older boys out to the back porch.”

  Shock pulsed through her as she took in her accommodations. Sara placed her luggage close to the bed, and Donna followed suit with the bag she carried.

  “Let me show you the rest of the house and where you can freshen up.”

  I hope they have running water at least, Donna thought—uncharitably, she knew. Sara led Donna back to the living room, and then into the kitchen where a small table butted against the wall. Walking past it, they exited onto the back porch that was enclosed with plywood. Two makeshift beds were placed on the floor. Donna then followed Sara into a tiny room that contained an old claw tub, a commode, and an aged, cracked sink that contained rust and a dripping faucet. Leaving Donna there to freshen up, Sara walked off.

  Donna looked around the small bathroom. Trying not to be judgmental about her living arrangements, Donna resolved to put on a happy face. But, as she looked down at the rusted, old sink, her smile quickly deteriorated.

  With much vigor, Donna cranked a faucet on, but nothing came.

  “Great, no hot water.”

  Facing the inevitable, she turned on the cold faucet to a small steady stream. Cautiously, she positioned her hands under the freezing cold water and placed her hand on her face to refresh her appearance. The cold water cut through her whole body, giving her chills.

  What did she get herself into?

  This lady didn’t appear as if she could afford to feed her own family, much less a complete stranger. Donna looked around for a towel to dry her hands with, but found none. She was forced to wipe her hands on her shirt. “This is ridiculous. I could be at home resting instead of living in some rundown shack.”