The other two men with him tensed and got ready to move her out of the way but LaGuardia held up a hand to stop them as he looked at Elizabeth. Recognition dawned in his eyes.
“You again?” he said with a small smile.
“We have something you’re going to want to hear,” Elizabeth said.
Mrs. Adler held up the cylinder.
“Sir, we’re already late for—”
LaGuardia waved him off. “Then a few more minutes won’t matter.”
“Mr. Mayor—”
He held up his hand to silence the protest and smiled at Elizabeth again. He jerked his head toward his office. “Five minutes is all I can spare.”
Elizabeth grinned. “That’ll be enough.”
Chapter Eleven
“NERVOUS?”
MRS. ADLER NODDED and looked anxiously toward the stage.
Elizabeth smiled encouragingly. “It’s gonna be great.”
Mrs. Adler crossed her fingers and took a deep breath, then headed out onto the stage.
The crowd in the ballroom applauded politely.
Elizabeth snuck a peek from the backstage wing. No wonder she was nervous. The ballroom was full. Two hundred people looked up at the stage as she walked. The creme de la creme of New York were dressed to the nines for their big charity gala. Fifty or sixty round tables complete white table cloths, elegant centerpieces and silver settings filled the room.
The ballroom was elegantly decorated for the holiday with large Christmas trees hung with shimmering ornaments and draped with tinsel. Beautiful silver stars hung from the dark ceiling like their own night sky.
Mrs. Adler walked to the center of the stage and the music that had been quietly playing in the background faded to nothing. A bright spotlight came on and she shielded her eyes from the glare.
She laughed nervously and looked back over at Simon and Elizabeth for courage. After a shaky breath she finally spoke.
“Good evening,” she said, her voice sounding dry. She cleared her throat and tried again. “Thank you for coming to the Fundraising Gala for the Eleanor Hellman Orphan Asylum for Destitute and Abandoned Children.”
The crowd applauded politely again.
“I’m sure you were expecting to see Alderman Scarpetti here this evening. I’m afraid he’s indisposed,” she said, casting a nervous glance at Elizabeth.
The crowd murmured quietly in reaction.
“But, but!” she continued holding up her had to draw their attention. “We do have a very special guest in his place.”
She looked offstage to the other wing and nodded then turned back to the crowd.
“It is my great honor to present Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia!”
The audience applauded loudly and chattered excitedly.
The Little Flower, as he was known, came on stage to increasing applause. Many in the audience even gave him a standing ovation.
He shook hands with Mrs. Adler who hurried off the stage.
“Good job,” Elizabeth said as she passed by to go backstage.
LaGuardia held up his hands to quiet the crowd.
“Thank you. Thank you very much. I’m sure you’re disappointed that the alderman couldn’t be here,” he said, turning and giving Elizabeth a small wink.
He and his men had wasted no time after listening to their recording. She didn’t know where the alderman was now but he definitely wasn’t going to have a good Christmas. It was petty, but Elizabeth loved a good comeuppance, and the alderman sure got his.
The best part of it, though, was that Charlie was finally free, free of him, free of that awful job.
She smiled at the mayor and he turned back to the crowd.
“But the alderman’s absence doesn’t change why you’re here,” LaGuardia went on. “Why we’re all here this evening. You’re here for the kids. You dug deep and I mean deep. I know what those tables cost.”
That won him a round of laughter from the crowd.
“But I think you can do better. In fact, I know you can. You can dig even deeper. And not into your pockets this time. But into your hearts.”
He paused and let that sink in. The crowd was in the palm of his hand.
“And what better time to do that than tonight. The night before Christmas.”
It had only been a few hours since they’d brought the mayor their proof. What they were about to pull off next might be an even bigger miracle.
He looked around the room. “I’m sure you’ve noticed a few empty chairs at your tables.”
Members of the audience looked at the empty seats. There were one or two at each table.
“Well, I think we can fill those up for you.”
He pointed to someone offstage, giving them the signal.
The crowd babbled excitedly.
Then the first child walked out from behind the curtain by the wings and down the stairs. Then another and another.
“They’re the reason we’re here tonight,” LaGuardia said, applauding the kids as they filed out from backstage and walked to the empty seats.
“Do yourself a favor and talk to them. Learn about them. Get to know them.”
Mrs. Adler whispered the table number to each child as they passed. They looked so adorable in their Sunday bests, nervous but excited as they made their way out into the crowd in search of their tables.
“You never know who you might meet.”
The little redheaded boy even gave a soft whoop as he got his table number.
LaGuardia laughed and waved to the crowd. “Thank you and Merry Christmas.”
It had been like herding cats to get the children dressed and down to the gala, but with Charlie’s help, they’d somehow managed it.
Elizabeth felt Charlotte’s hand slip into hers. She’d been waiting backstage with the other children.
She smiled up at Elizabeth with such pride and joy.
Tommy and Margaret came next. They held hands as they walked to their table.
“They would only do it if they could stay together,” Charlotte said.
Elizabeth had a feeling that might be the case. Mrs. Adler had chosen their table very carefully. She knew nearly all of the donors and had done her best to match children with them. Tommy and Margaret were seated with a young couple that she just happened to know couldn’t have children of their own.
Tommy walked slowly with his braces but as they neared their table a man there stood and held out his hand to him. Tommy took it and the man helped him to his seat. His wife made sure to put Margaret next to her.
Backstage the last of the children were getting their seat assignments. Henry stood at the very back of the line.
He grinned in anticipation as he got to Mrs. Adler. He smoothed down his hair and gave Charlotte a smile.
Mrs. Adler checked her clipboard and frowned.
“Something wrong?” Henry asked.
“Oh dear. We seem to be one short.”
“Oh.” Henry appeared crestfallen but tried not to show it. “That’s okay.”
He gave her a sad smile.
“No. Here it is!” she said quickly.
Henry looked hopeful but afraid to be.
“Yeah?”
“A very special table,” she said and held out her hand.
Henry took it, but instead of leading him out toward the floor she turned him around and led him further backstage.
“Where are we going?”
Charlotte tugged on Elizabeth’s hand, wanting to follow. Elizabeth glanced at Simon who nodded in agreement.
Mrs. Adler and Henry turned a corner, and sitting at a small folding table was Charlie. He stood when he saw them and nervously wiped his palms on the front of his jacket.
“Hey,” he said.
Henry looked at Mrs. Adler in confusion. She smiled and nudged him forward.
Charlie gestured toward his little table set for two. “It ain’t much. I ain’t got much, but I’d like to share what I got. With you,” he added as if it needed clarifying.<
br />
Henry stood in shock.
“If you’ll have me,” Charlie said, his voice rough with emotion.
Henry nodded and took a halting step forward, then another, then threw himself against Charlie’s chest. The two hugged for a long moment before Charlie broke away.
He sniffled and wiped quickly at his face. He gestured to a chair and Henry took it. Charlie saw his audience but he was too happy to be embarrassed. He nodded at them all and then sat down across from Henry.
Charlotte leaned against her mother’s side and smiled up at her.
Now, this was a happy Christmas.
~~~
“What do you think?”
Henry held up his hands, the big red boxing gloves on, and posed for Charlotte. “Look pretty good, huh?”
Charlotte nodded. “Real good.”
Henry laughed. “Aww. Not yet. But I will be.”
He tugged off the gloves and put them down on the coffee table in Charlie’s apartment.
Elizabeth was just putting the finishing touches on a small Christmas tree in the corner of the living room.
She ruffled Henry’s hair as she walked toward the kitchen.
“Dinner’s almost ready. You two should wash up.”
Both kids nodded and ran toward the bathroom.
“No running,” Simon called from the dining table where he was finishing setting the places.
Charlie brought out a beautiful looking turkey and put it at the head of the table.
“Not bad,” he said as he admired it. There was a knock on the front door and he shed his oven mitts and went to answer it.
He opened the door and greeted Mrs. Adler, who stood holding a pie.
“Merry Christmas,” she said.
Charlie grinned at her. “Yeah.”
“May I come in?”
Charlie gave a short laugh and stepped aside. “Sure, sure. Sorry.”
She looked at his apron. “So, I take it you cooked dinner?”
He followed her gaze and then realized what he was wearing and blushed. He untied it and took it off, tossing it into a corner.
“Yeah.”
“I love a man that cooks.”
Charlie grinned stupidly at her. “I cooked the whole thing.”
Simon cleared his throat.
“Mostly,” Charlie added for clarity. He noticed the pie plate in her hand. “What ya got there?”
“Apple pie.”
Charlie leaned forward to smell it. He needn’t have bothered; Elizabeth could smell the deliciousness from across the room.
“I hope everyone likes it,” she said.
“I do,” Charlie said. “It’s my favorite.”
It was Mrs. Adler’s turn to blush a little.
“Let me take that,” Elizabeth said, coming to her rescue.
She gave Elizabeth the pie while Charlie helped her with her coat.
Elizabeth wiggled her eyebrows at Simon as she passed by to take the pie to the kitchen.
Simon chuckled and finished lighting the candles. The kids came back into the living room.
“I think everything’s ready.”
Elizabeth put down the mashed potatoes and stuffing and joined him by the table. He held out her chair for her.
Charlie noticed and did the same for Mrs. Adler. Charlotte waited for Henry to pick up his cue but he just flopped down into his chair and stuffed the corner of his napkin down his shirtfront.
Charlotte shrugged and sat down next to him.
Once everyone was seated, Charlie picked up his glass and held it aloft.
“Merry Christmas,” he said.
They all toasted and drank and then ate like it was their last meal. There was something about turkey and stuffing that always made Elizabeth eat twice as much as she normally would, and that was saying something.
“I hope everyone saved room for pie,” Mrs. Adler said as she started to clear the table.
“I’m so full,” Elizabeth said. “But yes.”
Simon shook his head in amusement.
“What?” she said, “There’s always room for pie.”
Charlie started to stand to help Mrs. Adler but she put a hand on his shoulder. “You’ve done enough. Let me.”
Charlie didn’t have to be told twice and sat back in his chair.
Simon cleared his throat and reached into his breast pocket. “I had meant to give this to you later, but this seems as good a time as any.”
He handed the folded papers to Charlie.
“What’s this?”
“Open it.”
Elizabeth leaned forward. She had no idea what it was. She glanced at her husband who looked positively inscrutable.
Charlie unfolded the papers and read them. He shook his head. “I don’t understand.”
“It’s a deed,” Simon said, “You now own 1400 square feet of commercial space on Delancey Street.”
Charlie still didn’t understand.
“For your butcher shop,” Simon added.
“What? I …” Charlie looked at the paper. “I own it?”
“It took some doing to get him to agree to terms on Christmas Eve, but I think I got a fair price.”
Elizabeth was shocked and thrilled. “So that’s what your mysterious errands were.”
Simon merely smiled.
“This is …” Charlie said, then shook his head. “This is … I can’t accept this. It’s too much.”
“It’s not a gift,” Simon said. “Think of it as a partnership.”
Charlie could barely believe his eyes. Mrs. Adler came over and he handed her the papers to look at.
“Partnership?”
“Well, one where you do all of the work, I’m afraid,” Simon said. “We’re heading back to England tomorrow. And we travel quite a bit, so the store would really be your responsibility.”
Mrs. Adler handed the paper back to him. Henry came around to see for himself and read the papers over Charlie’s shoulder.
“My own butcher shop?”
He looked at Simon and then Elizabeth, emotion raw in his eyes. “What can I say?”
“Yes,” Simon said.
Charlie laughed. “Yes. And thank you. I won’t let ya down.”
“I know you won’t,” Simon said.
Elizabeth leaned over and kissed Simon’s cheek. “You are a wonderful man.”
Charlie stared at the deed to his property, showing it off to Mrs. Adler and Henry.
“Thank you,” Elizabeth said softly to Simon.
Charlotte got up from her seat and went to retrieve the little Brownie camera she’d insisted on buying.
“Everyone’s gotten something but you,” Elizabeth said to Simon.
Simon squeezed her hand, looked over at Charlotte as she came back to the table and smiled at Elizabeth. “I already have everything I need.”
“Okay, everybody smoosh together,” Charlotte said as she set up the camera at one end of table.
“What’s this?” Charlie asked.
“For your scrapbook,” Charlotte announced happily.
Elizabeth helped clear the table for the shot while Simon and Charlotte readied the camera and set the self-timer.
“All right,” Simon said, and he and Charlotte hurried to stand behind Charlie.
Simon lifted Charlotte up and held her with one arm as he put the other around Elizabeth.
“Everyone say Merry Christmas,” Charlotte said.
They did. And it was.
Click here to view all of Monique’s books on Kobo.
~~~
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Out of Time Series
Out of Time: A Time Travel Mystery (Book #1)
When the Wall Fell (Book #2)
Fragments (Book #3)
The Devil’s Due (Book #4)
Thursday’s Child (Book #5)
Sands of Time (Book #6)
/> A Rip in Time (Book #7)
A Time of Shadows (Book #8)
Voyage in Time (Book #9)
Revolution in Time (Book #10)
Out of Time Novellas
In Time for Christmas
Christmas in New York
Saving Time Series
Jacks Are Wild (Book #1)
Aloha, Jack (Book #2)
Nairobi Jack (Book #3)
Hollywood Heroes Series
The Frame (Book #1)
The Curse (Book #2) - coming soon!
Have an idea for a time and/or location you'd like to see Simon & Elizabeth or Jack visit? Drop me a line or come on by Facebook and let me know. I have quite a few ideas for future adventures, but would love to hear from you! Visit: moniquemartin.weebly.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Monique was born in Houston, Texas, but her family soon moved to Southern California. She grew up on both coasts, living in Connecticut and California. She currently resides in Southern California with her naughty Siamese cat, Monkey.
She's currently working on an adaptation of one of her screenplays, several short stories and more novels.
Christmas in New York Page 13