Christmas in New York

by Monique Martin

  He leaned back in through the open door and asked the cabbie to wait.

  “We won’t be long,” he added.

  He looked at the somber edifice and even more somber name over the door and hesitated.

  “Simon?”

  He sighed. It was embarrassing because it was selfish. He didn’t want to go in. He’d been to orphanages before and each time he felt an uncomfortable mixture of guilt and shame. Guilt that he had so much and shame that he didn’t do more good with it. Their trip back to help Charles Dickens and the privation and poverty he’d seen children endure then had never left him.

  “I know it’s hard,” Elizabeth said, winding her arm through his, “but that’s why we should, isn’t it?”

  He felt cowardly for even hesitating; she was right, of course. He would have been happy to keep his family away from any pain and sorrow, but that didn’t mean the world was suddenly shed of it.

  They walked up the short path and met the children at the door and went inside. The entry hall was far from Dickensian. In fact, it was rather nice and festive. Or would have been if Alderman Scarpetti’s face hadn’t stared back from the poster for the gala.

  Henry gave them the cook’s tour. The orphanage was much nicer than he’d feared it would be. The rooms were large and clean. The wards were a bit oversized and crowded but it was a far cry from the horrors they’d seen in Victorian London.

  Charlotte and Henry took them into the boy’s dormitory and introduced them to Margaret and Tommy, the children they’d seen at the automat earlier that day.

  “We brought you a piece of pie, Henry!” the little girl said as she got up and picked up a small plate from the side table.

  She held it out to him with her little gloved hands.

  The gloves, in fact, looked very familiar.

  “Are your hands cold?” he asked her.

  She shook her head. “Not now.”

  She handed Henry the pie and rubbed her hands together, smiling at Charlotte.

  Charlotte smiled back and stole a quick worried glance at her parents.

  Simon began to understand the lesson Charlotte had learned earlier about Christmas and where she’d learned it.

  A woman came into the dorm and clapped her hands. “All right, children, it’s time for practice. Don’t dawdle.”

  Was that Scarpetti’s secretary?

  Margaret and Tommy said their goodbyes and followed the other children out.

  Simon took Henry’s arm to hold him back. “Who is that woman?” he asked.

  “Mrs. Adler.”

  “We saw her at City Hall,” Elizabeth said.

  Henry nodded. “She works for the alderman. She just volunteers here some.”

  Well, wasn’t that a neat a little package, Simon thought. The swindling of the orphanage fund made more sense now.

  “I gotta go,” Henry said. “I’ll be late for rehearsal.”

  “Rehearsal for what?” Elizabeth asked.

  Henry made a face. “They’re making us sing a stupid song for the gala.”

  “That sounds like fun. Performing at the gala.”

  Henry laughed. “Yeah, right. It’s being recorded on some big wax tube tomorrow. They’re just gonna play it for the crowd. No kids allowed.”

  Elizabeth clearly felt the same way Simon did about that but hid her disappointment from Henry. “Have a good practice.”

  He wrinkled his nose, obviously not a fan of choral singing. “Whoever heard of dumb old King Wenceslas anyway?”

  He started toward the door then turned back to Charlotte.

  “I guess I’ll see you around.”

  She nodded. “Yeah.”

  The ward was empty now and quiet.

  “I suppose we should be going as well…” Simon said.

  Elizabeth took their daughter’s hand and they walked down the aisle between the empty beds. Simon followed.

  The cab was, thankfully, still waiting for them.

  “So,” Elizabeth asked Charlotte once they were all inside the car. “We thought we might get some lunch then maybe a little last-minute Christmas shopping?”

  There was a spark in her eyes as she said it that Charlotte seemed to intuitively understand. A silent conversation passed between the two of them then a broad smile blossomed on Charlotte’s face. “Can we?”

  Elizabeth nodded. “We definitely can.”

  “Can what?” Simon asked.

  “Spread a little Christmas cheer.”

  The cabbie craned his head around. “Where to?”

  Elizabeth grinned and sat back in her seat. “FAO Schwartz.”

  ~~~

  Mrs. Adler was standing by the door waiting for stragglers to make their way to rehearsal. Henry was one of the last.

  “Henry.”

  “I’m coming,” he said.

  “Actually,” Mrs. Adler looked around the hall then poked her head in. “We’ll just be a few minutes. Go ahead and start.”

  She closed the door to the dining room where they were practicing and turned back to Henry. She looked nervous. Her eyes scanned the hall and then she took him by the arm and led him toward an empty classroom nearby.

  Once they were inside, she closed the door behind them, again checking to see if anyone was around.

  “I didn’t do it, whatever it is,” Henry said.

  Mrs. Adler shook her head. “No, no, it’s nothing like that. I was just …”

  She wrung her hands and frowned. “I was thinking about what you said the other day, about the alderman.”

  She pulled out a chair and sat down but she looked uncomfortable, pale. Maybe she was sick.

  “Are you okay, Mrs. Adler?”

  She sort of laughed and sniffled at the same time. “No, I don’t think so, Henry. I don’t think so.”

  She looked at him and shook her head. “I’ve only been working for Alderman Scarpetti for a few months. His previous secretary got married and left. It was all sort of sudden and I filled in.”

  “Everything was fine. Or at least I thought it was. I’d noticed things … irregularities, but I thought I was just imagining them.” She leaned forward. “But when you said something earlier about the fundraiser and the money … is it true?”

  Henry nodded. “Yeah.”

  She let out an anxious sigh. So she had no idea, Henry realized. He felt a great sense of relief. Things were still messed up, but at least she was who he’d hoped she was.

  “And you believe me?” Henry asked.

  She smiled at him. “I do.” Then she looked down and sniffled again.

  “I’m such a fool.”

  She looked like she was going to cry. She fumbled in her sleeve for her handkerchief and dropped it to the floor. Henry picked it up and handed it back to her.

  She dabbed at her nose and sniffled. “Thank you.”

  Smiling shyly, she clutched the hanky in her hand. “Are you quite sure the alderman is taking money from the orphanage?”

  Henry nodded. “I’m sure.”

  “And to think, the whole fundraiser was my idea. I was just trying to help, honestly.”

  Henry came over to her chair and patted her shoulder. “It’ll be okay.”

  She laughed. “How? If what you said about Captain Quinlan is true, and I’m sure it is, I never liked him, what can we do?”

  Henry didn’t know. But there had to be something. Charlotte’s parents knew the truth. Maybe they could all do something together.

  ~~~

  The cab pulled up to the corner of 58th Street and Fifth Avenue. As Simon paid the cabbie, Charlotte and Elizabeth got out.

  Elizabeth was just about as excited as Charlotte was. The only thing she loved more than shopping was Christmas shopping. And this was its mecca. Not because of the things inside, but because of the happiness they brought. Disneyland might be the happiest place on earth, but this had to be a close second.

  Even before they went inside she could feel the excitement of a child at Christmas. The huge
window displays were stuffed with toys. They hung from the ceilings and lined the walls.

  The doorman, dressed in a smart black and red uniform like a nutcracker, smiled at them and opened the massive glass doors.

  They stepped inside and giant stuffed giraffes towered over them. Life-size gorillas and lions sat at their feet. A small train snaked through a miniature North Pole while Santa and his sleigh rode above them.

  They stood there overwhelmed by the sheer volume of it all. A sales associate finished with a customer and came over to greet them.

  “Wow,” Elizabeth said, gesturing vaguely around the store.

  The man smiled. “Yes, it is something, isn’t it? Were you looking for anything in particular or just browsing?”

  “Well,” Elizabeth said, then looked down at Charlotte.

  Charlotte looked at her parents for permission. They both nodded their ascent.

  “Yes, thank you,” Charlotte said then squished up her little face in thought. “Well, we’ll need two dozen teddy bears, ten toy soldiers, eighteen baseball mitts, six model airplanes, two dozen dolls and four sets of Lincoln Logs to start. Then I’ll have to think about it.”

  The man was surprised and amused. He looked at Simon and Elizabeth, fully expecting them to have the same expression. When they didn’t he wasn’t sure how to react.

  “We’re having a bit of a party,” Elizabeth said. Then asked Charlotte, “Do you know how many kids there are?”

  “There were two dorms with thirty beds but they weren’t all full. So, about fifty, I think.”

  The man smiled, but was still confused. “Fifty?”

  “We’ll need them all wrapped and shipped to this address by tomorrow morning,” Simon said as he scribbled down the address on a bit of scrap paper at one of the counters. He pulled out several hundred dollars cash and handed them both out to the clerk. “Can you accommodate that, Mister …?”

  The man stood a little taller and tugged down on his jacket. “Jenkins. And, of course, sir.”

  He took the money and the paper then looked down at Charlotte. “Let’s see what we can find, shall we?”

  He looked back at Simon and Elizabeth for permission then he held out his hand for Charlotte.

  “Now, about these teddy bears. We have quite a variety to choose from.”

  The two of them set off to complete their Christmas list.

  Elizabeth smiled curiously at Simon. “When did you get that much cash?”

  “Before we came,” he said. “Your charm opens most doors. Hundred dollar bills open the rest.”

  Elizabeth laughed, putting her arm through his, and they wandered after Charlotte and Mr. Jenkins.

  Buying toys for fifty children was hard work. Luckily, Charlotte was more than up to the task. Jenkins did his best to keep up.

  “What do you think of these?” she asked as she came by for another approval.

  “Shirley Temple and …?” Elizabeth couldn’t place the other one, but felt like she should.

  “Jane Withers,” Charlotte said as if it was obvious, then leaned in. “I don’t know who that is.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “That’s all right. If you think they’ll like them.”

  Charlotte wrinkled her nose and shrugged then turned back to Jenkins who patiently waited for her.

  “Okay, we’ll take two of each,” she said to him and handed them off. In turn, Jenkins handed the dolls to an assistant. There had been at least one with them the whole time to take their purchases off to gift wrap then hurry back for the next.

  “She seems to be enjoying this,” Simon said.

  “Buying toys and getting to be bossy? What’s not to love?”

  He chuckled at that. “She is in her element.”

  Elizabeth was about to reply when something caught her eye on a nearby shelf. She walked over to it, Simon close behind.

  Nestled between a slightly disturbed looking monkey and an elephant on wheels was a small stuffed Steiff tiger.

  She picked him up. “Do you remember?”

  The look on Simon’s face told her he did. “Although, I’d like to forget.”

  “Our first kiss?”

  He laughed. “Not that part. The part after that.”

  Elizabeth drew her brows together in faux thought. “Oh, you mean the part where you pushed me away and broke my heart.”

  When they’d first come to New York in that fateful accident with his grandfather’s watch, they’d gone to Coney Island. The day had been wonderful. Simon spent their last dollar trying to win her a stuffed tiger like this one. And he had.

  After Simon gave her the prize, they kissed. That bliss of a first kiss, one she’d waited so long for and wanted so badly. Then, like a dope, in fear and doubt, he’d pushed her away.

  “Yes,” Simon said. “That part.”

  Elizabeth looked down at the little tiger and ran her fingers over the soft fur of his ears.

  “He’s not quite the same, is he?”

  “No, the other, if I recall, was falling apart. About to come apart at the seams.”

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure if he was still talking about the tiger or not.

  “You know I loved him anyway,” she said.

  “I believe you left him on a train.”

  Elizabeth laughed. “I did do that, didn’t I?”

  “I don’t blame you. I’m just glad you didn’t leave me there as well.”

  Elizabeth reached up to touch his cheek. “Never.”

  He covered her hand with his and then kissed her palm.

  She put the little tiger back onto the shelf.

  “You don’t want him?” Simon asked.

  She shook her head. “I’ve got the real thing.”

  Chapter Ten

  “CAN’T I COME WITH you?” Charlotte asked. Again.

  “Sweetheart, we discussed this already,” Simon said. “We’re not sure what’s going to happen tonight and we need you somewhere safe. Charlie will look after you.”

  Charlotte sighed dramatically. “But I could help.”

  “And you will be helping,” Elizabeth said, “by listening to Charlie and staying put.”

  She pouted but it was more for effect than anything else.

  Simon gently tugged on her hand. “Come on.”

  They walked up the short path to the orphanage.

  That morning, after Simon had run a few mysterious errands, they’d finished their Christmas shopping and purchased gala-appropriate clothes. The stores were an absolute madhouse and Elizabeth was glad to be finished with it all. All they had to do now was make sure the gifts for the children had arrived then drop off Charlotte with Charlie. Then they were off to the alderman’s office and the gala.

  Then, something. Elizabeth had an inkling of a plan, but she kept it to herself. She was pretty sure Simon wouldn’t want to know.

  Simon opened the massive front door and let Elizabeth and Charlotte precede him. The pile of presents under the tree in the entry hall had grown tenfold. Two girls stared at them while one boy shook a box, listening for clues.

  One of the girls noticed Simon and Elizabeth. She whispered something to her friend who elbowed the boy in the ribs.

  The boy followed her gaze, dropping the present he’d been shaking, and the three of them ran out of the room like frightened rabbits.

  Elizabeth laughed lightly. “Caught in the act.”

  “Well, judging from the mass of presents,” Simon said as he picked one up to inspect it, “I’d say our gifts arrived.”

  “They look beautiful,” Elizabeth said.

  Simon nodded and put the red and gold box back down under the tree.

  “We should go,” Simon said, checking his watch. “I told Charlie we’d drop Charlotte off at three.”

  A burst of cold air came in as the front door opened.

  Elizabeth smiled. “I don’t think he’ll mind if we’re a little late.”

  Simon turned to see what she was looking at.

  Charlie s
tood in the entryway brushing snow off his shoulders.

  “Charlie?”

  “Oh, hey, I didn’t realize you’d be here,” he stammered.

  “The question is what are you doing here?” Simon asked. “We were just about to bring Charlotte by.”

  “Right. And I’ll be there. Once I’m not here. I mean, it’s close. My place. It’s …”

  Elizabeth loved discombobulated Charlie but took pity on him.

  “What do you have there?”

  He looked confused by the question, then seemed to remember he was carrying something. The present in his hands was an odd shape, more lumpy than anything else. The wrapping paper was crumpled and the tape uneven, but he looked at with emotion. An emotion he quickly pushed aside.

  “Oh, nothin’. Just somethin’ for the kid.”

  He looked around for a place to put it and then shoved it toward Elizabeth like a hot potato.

  She took it from him. “That’s very kind of you.”

  Charlie blushed uncomfortably. “It’s nothin’.”

  Charlotte smiled knowingly at him and that just made him blush all the more. “I was just—”

  “Mr. & Mrs. Cross?”

  Elizabeth turned, surprised and not too happy to see Mrs. Adler walking toward them.

  “Yes,” Simon said, cautiously. “And you know that because …”

  “Oh, Henry told me. We had a long talk yesterday. He told me everything. You have to believe me, I had no idea what the alderman was up to.”

  She squeezed her fingers nervously as she looked from one of them to the next.

  “The alderman?” Charlie said.

  She smiled tentatively at him. “You must be Charlie. Henry wouldn’t stop talking about you.”

  Charlie ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to smooth it down and smiled unsurely.

  “Charlie, this is …” Simon began then hesitated as he himself hadn’t actually been properly introduced.

  Mrs. Adler smoothed down her skirt and held out her hand to Charlie. “Constance. Constance Adler.”

  Charlie shook her hand but was still clearly confused.

  “She works for the alderman,” Elizabeth explained.

  Charlie’s face fell.