The Christmas Cradle

by Linda Warren

  THAT FRIDAY, Marisa had a busy day. Madame Hélèna was flying to her New York office, and Marisa had a list of things to do before she left. Her son was picking her up in an hour. Marisa packed the designs and swatches of fabric Hélèna had requested. In another case were various reports and sales figures she wanted to share with her New York staff.

  Marisa had just finished when the phone rang. She picked it up as Hélèna walked into the room.

  “Marisa, it’s Cari. I have a problem.”

  Marisa glanced at Hélèna, hoping she didn’t mind a personal call. “What is it?” Marisa felt sure it concerned her father, and she braced herself.

  “I have someone here who wants to see you.”

  “Who?”

  “Ellie Kincaid.”

  Marisa almost dropped the phone. “What…what’s she doing there?”

  “She said you promised her she could talk to Santa Claus.”

  “Oh, yes, I did, but I never dreamed Colter would bring her.”

  “I haven’t seen him—just Ellie and a big dog who caused a scene downstairs. That’s why they called me. I have her and the dog in my office. I think you need to get over here.”

  Marisa glanced at Hélèna again. She didn’t want to jeopardize her job, but she’d made a promise to Ellie and she had to keep it.

  “I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

  “Your father’s not in this afternoon, so you don’t have to worry about running into him.”

  “Thanks, Cari.”

  She hung up, wondering how to explain this to Hélèna. Before she could find the words, Hélèna spoke up. “Where do you have to go, chérie?”

  Marisa told her about Ellie and her promise.

  “I see.” Hélèna rummaged through the mail on her desk. “Have you finished everything I asked you to do today?”

  “Yes ma’am, and your son should be here in about thirty minutes.”

  “Then go.” Hélèna waved a hand. “Everyone should believe in Santa Claus.”

  Marisa grabbed her coat. “Thank you. I’ll come in early tomorrow.”

  ‘Tomorrow is Saturday, chérie, so take the weekend off. I’ll expect you back first thing Monday.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Marisa said. “Have a good trip,” she added, hurrying out the door.

  She parked in the customers’ parking lot of Dalton’s and went into the store, taking the escalator to Cari’s office.

  Opening the door slightly, she saw Ellie sitting in a chair, feet dangling. Sooner lay on the floor watching her. She didn’t see Colter. Where was he?

  When she stepped into the room, Ellie leaped up. “Ms. Preston, it’s me! I came to see Santa Claus.”

  “Hi, Ellie.”

  “I’ll wait outside,” Cari said.

  “Thanks,” Marisa answered. “But could I speak with you first?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’ll be right back,” she said to Ellie, following Cari into the hall. “What happened?”

  “Like I said, I got a call from downstairs that a girl and a dog were in the children’s department. The dog was barking his head off, and the little girl kept saying she had to see Ms. Preston. I brought them up here. Could’ve knocked me over with a feather when she told me her name. I paged Colter on the intercom and got no response.”

  “So he’s not in the store?”

  Cari shrugged. “He never answered the page.”

  Marisa nodded, frowning. “I wonder how she got here—and if Colter knows where she is.”

  “I’ll let you find that out while I go get the man I hired to play Santa.”

  “Thanks, Cari.”

  Marisa went back into the room.

  “Is he coming?” Ellie asked, her voice excited.

  Marisa sat beside her. “Where’s your father?”

  “I can’t tell you.” Ellie stuck out her chin.

  “I see,” she said, knowing she’d have to be tough to get anything out of Ellie. “You can’t see Santa until you tell me.”

  “Oh.” Ellie’s eyes widened.

  “Where’s your father?” Marisa asked again. If Colter didn’t know where Ellie was, he must be extremely worried, and she had to notify him.

  Marisa’s serious tone obviously made an impact on Ellie, because she started talking. “He’s in Austin.”

  “Austin!”

  “Yeah. Some western stores are carrying Daddy’s boots, and he goes there to meet people and sign autographs. I wanted to go, but I couldn’t. I had to see Santa, and this was my only chance ’cause Daddy wouldn’t let me come if he was home.” Ellie looked at Marisa. “He doesn’t like you.”

  “How did you get here?” she asked, trying not to show how those words affected her. Colter couldn’t hide his hostility even from his child.

  “My best friend had a birthday party, and her mom said Sooner and me could spend the day. When the party was over, Lori and I called a cab—we found it in the phone book—and it brought me here.”

  “Where’s your friend now?”

  “She didn’t come. She was scared she’d get punished. Just Sooner and me came.”

  “Does your friend live in Dallas?”

  “No. In Mesquite.”

  “You took a cab from Mesquite to Dallas?” She couldn’t keep the shock out of her voice.

  “Yeah, and I don’t have any money left to get back to Lori’s. The man said it was extra for Sooner.”

  “Where’d you get the money?”

  The child squirmed.

  “Ellie?”

  “I took it out of Daddy’s extra cash.”

  “Oh, Ellie.”

  “I know I did a bad thing and I’ll probably be grounded for the rest of my life, but I hafta see Santa.”

  “Why is it so important that you see Santa?”

  “Well, I wrote him a bunch of times asking for a mommy. I do that every Christmas, but I never got one. This year he could be sending me a mommy, and I have to tell him I might not be home for Christmas. I hafta be there when she comes.” Her eyes searched Marisa’s. “You will let me see him, won’t you?”

  Marisa’s heart ached for this little girl who wanted a mother so badly, and she couldn’t deny her wish. “Yes, but you have to give me your father’s and Lori’s phone numbers.”

  Marisa got a pencil and paper, and Ellie rattled off the numbers, along with Colter’s cell.

  “What’s Lori’s mother’s name?”

  “Gail Freeman.”

  Marisa called Colter’s cell phone first, but there was no answer. She got Gail, who didn’t even realize Ellie wasn’t there. Lori and Ellie were supposed to be playing in Lori’s room. She became agitated when she found out what Ellie and Lori had done. Marisa assured her Ellie was fine and that she’d continue to try to reach Colter.

  Gail said that they were going to her mother’s for Lori’s family celebration in a little while, but she would come and get Ellie. Marisa told her there was no need, that she’d take Ellie home. Gail gave in reluctantly. Marisa hung up, wondering if she’d done the right thing. Colter was not going to appreciate her coming to his home again.

  “Is she really mad?” Ellie asked, her face puckered in a frown.

  Marisa sat beside her again. “Worried is more like it, and I have to continue trying to call your father.”

  “Okay,” Ellie said in a quiet voice.

  Marisa turned to her. “It was so dangerous to take a cab from Mesquite to Dallas by yourself.”

  “I know. Daddy talked to me about strangers, but I took Sooner. He protects me. Except when we got in the store, he got scared.”

  Sooner barked.

  “You were scared, Sooner. So don’t say you weren’t.”

  Sooner barked more loudly.

  “Be quiet.” Ellie put a finger to her lips.

  Marisa suppressed a smile. This was a serious situation, but it was delightful to be around Ellie and Sooner.

  “Ellie.” Marisa got her attention. “Promise you won’t ever d
o anything like this again.”

  Ellie’s face creased in thought. “You have to keep a promise, right?”

  “Right.”

  Ellie shook her head. “Then I can’t promise.”

  Marisa was stunned, and she couldn’t hide her reaction.

  “Daddy says not to lie and I don’t want to lie,” the child explained. “He says I think about a mommy too much, but I can’t help it. Around Christmas it’s all I think about. I knew coming today was wrong, but I had to. My mommy might come this Christmas, and I have to let her know I want her to. Santa will make it happen ’cause I believe.”

  Marisa’s throat closed up. That was it. That was what Ellie’s obsession was really about—wanting her mother to come home. Subconsciously, it had probably always been her desire, which was understandable in a child her age. She wondered if Shannon knew how much her daughter wanted her. Or if Colter had even told Shannon.

  “Ellie, are you hoping your mother will come home?”

  The child fidgeted in her chair. “Maybe I just want a mommy.”

  “Oh, Ellie.” Marisa’s heart broke and she wanted to comfort the little girl and— No! That was Colter’s job. Still…

  She didn’t have time to consider that now, because there was a tap at the door. She opened the door to a man dressed completely in white: suit, shoes, shirt, tie—even his long hair and beard were white.

  “I’m here to see Ellie Kincaid,” he said, then added in a low voice, “I’m Santa Claus.”

  Marisa just stared at him. He was in his seventies and he fit the Santa persona to a tee, including the rounded stomach and red cheeks, except he didn’t have on a red costume. But that was minor. Cari had done a great job in hiring someone so authentic.

  She stepped aside, and as he entered the room, Ellie got to her feet. “Are you Santa?”

  He nodded. “Yes. I’m Santa Claus.”

  “Where’s your red suit?”

  “I only wear it when I’m seeing children in the stores or riding in my sleigh. This is the suit I wear at home—and for seeing special little girls.”

  “Oh.”

  He sat in a chair and Ellie climbed onto his knee. “What did you want to see me about, little angel?”

  “I wrote you a lot of letters asking for a mommy, and you never sent me one. This year we might have to go to my aunt Jen’s for Christmas so I had to tell you I might not be at home. I didn’t want you to send her if I’m not there.”

  “Don’t worry. I know where you are at all times.”

  “You do?” Ellie’s eyes grew enormous.

  “Yes, and I’m not happy about what you did today. You’re not ever to do that again.”

  “Yes, sir,” Ellie answered, hanging her head.

  For a moment, Marisa was perplexed. How did he know what Ellie had done? Oh, Cari must’ve told him. She’d almost believed he was the real thing.

  “Am I ever gonna get my mommy?” Ellie twisted her hands.

  “Don’t fret, little one,” he said. “You’ll have your mommy before Christmas.”

  Ellie’s head jerked up. “I will?”

  “Yes. Now I have to go. I have lots to do before the twenty-fifth.”

  Ellie threw her arms around his neck. “Thank you.” She leaned back and tugged on his beard.

  “Why’d you do that?”

  “My friend Lori says you’re not real and that your beard is fake, but it is real, just like I told her.”

  He stood, setting Ellie on her feet. “Yes, little one, I’m real. Never be afraid to believe—belief is a very powerful thing.”

  “I won’t,” Ellie promised.

  The man walked to the door and then stopped. He touched the back of his hand to Marisa’s face. “You’re never too old to believe, Marisa.”

  She was so surprised by his touch, and the sincerity in his eyes, that words eluded her.

  “She believes,” Ellie told him.

  He exited the room and Marisa stared after him, feeling even more perplexed. What did he mean? And how did he know my name?

  Chapter Eight

  Marisa called Colter again in case he hadn’t received the first message, then she took Ellie and Sooner home. Cari had a meeting, so she didn’t have a chance to talk to her about the Santa Claus, which she planned to do later.

  Today the weather was much nicer than the last time she’d made the trip out to the ranch. The temperature was in the fifties and a pale sun shone. Ellie sat in the front seat, Sooner in the back, and Ellie chatted nonstop. She was in a very good mood, thanks to Santa, but Marisa felt sure Colter would change all that the minute he got home.

  Ellie knew where the key was and let them into the house. Sooner whined plaintively.

  “Okay. Okay,” Ellie said, and ran into the kitchen. “I gotta feed Sooner.”

  Marisa took a seat at the table, wondering why Colter hadn’t called.

  COLTER HURRIED TO HIS TRUCK at the airport, cursing that he’d left his cell phone inside. He always kept it with him when he was away from Ellie, but this morning he’d been in such a state over leaving that he’d placed it on the seat and forgotten it.

  He’d called Gail once from a store and she had said everything was fine. When he tried again, he didn’t get an answer. That worried him.

  In the truck, he picked up the phone. “Dammit.”

  “What?” Tulley asked, closing the door.

  “There are two messages from Gail and two from Marisa.”

  “Marisa?” Tulley’s eyebrow shot up.

  “There’s only way she could have gotten my cell number.”

  “Ellie,” they said in unison.

  “What the hell’s going on?”

  “Listen to the messages,” Tulley suggested.

  All of them were the same: call as soon as possible. He called Gail’s cell first and his blood ran cold at the story she told him. As he relayed it to Tulley, he gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

  “She took a cab from Lori’s to see Santa?” Tulley asked in a horrified tone. “What in the world possessed her to do such a thing?”

  “Marisa,” Colter said from between clenched teeth. “She told Ellie she could have a private sitting with him.”

  “Lordy, lordy, this is getting out of hand.”

  “I’m putting a stop to it once and for all.” He punched in Marisa’s cell number.

  He heard her soft, tantalizing voice and it made him that much angrier. “Where’s my daughter?”

  “I brought her home to the ranch,” Marisa answered.

  “You’re at my house?” he asked, taken aback.

  “Yes. I didn’t know where else to take her.”

  “This is all your fault.” He couldn’t stop the angry words. “If you hadn’t encouraged her, none of this would’ve happened.”

  “I didn’t—”

  “Listen,” he snapped. “Stay with her until I get there. Don’t you dare leave her by herself.”

  “I would never do such a thing.”

  “Yeah, right.” He clicked off before his anger completely overtook him.

  ONCE AGAIN MARISA felt the brunt of his anger, but she tried not to let it upset her. Turning to Ellie, she noticed the little girl had removed her coat and was standing on a chair pulled up to the cabinet, busily applying butter to a pile of toast.

  “What are you doing?” she asked as she watched her continue to toast bread, four slices at a time, butter it and stack the toast higher.

  “This is for Sooner.”

  “You’re making toast for the dog?”

  “Yep,” she said, jumping down from the chair. “Sooner’s real mad at me ’cause I got him in trouble. So I’m making his favorite food. When he eats all this toast, he won’t be mad at me anymore.”

  “Oh,” Marisa said for lack of anything better to reply. Somehow she felt that Colter would not approve.

  “Is Daddy mad?” Ellie asked.

  Mad was a mild word for Colter’s reaction, and
she hoped he’d be patient and understanding with Ellie.

  “Let’s just say he’s not happy,” Marisa replied.

  Ellie’s face crumpled, and she picked up the plate of toast and quickly ran out the back door, Sooner whining at her heels.

  Marisa was caught in the middle and she didn’t understand how that had happened. Colter had said it was her fault. Maybe it was, maybe she’d been too eager to help Ellie see Santa Claus. She’d made such a mistake in coming here that first day, but it was a little late to change that. It was too late to change anything.

  Ellie came back and settled in a chair. “I’m sorry I upset everybody.”

  “You scared me by taking such a risk, and I’m sure your father feels the same way. I’m just happy you’re all right.”

  “You’re nice. You’re pretty, too,” Ellie said, studying Marisa’s face.

  The compliment took Marisa by surprise, but she smiled. “Thank you. And you’re a very pretty little girl.”

  “Daddy says I’m going to be beautiful, just like my mother.”

  Colter thought Shannon was beautiful. She experienced a pang of jealousy and forcefully pushed it away. Why hadn’t they stayed together? Why hadn’t they made a home for Ellie?

  “Of course, I’ve never seen her, so I don’t know what she looks like.” Ellie’s words cut through her thoughts.

  “You’ve never seen your mother?” The words charged out of their own volition.

  Ellie shook her head. “No, she left after I was born.”

  Marisa could hear the wistfulness in the tiny voice and felt an intense dislike for Shannon. How could she do this to Ellie?

  As if reading her mind, the girls murmured, “Daddy said she left ’cause she was unhappy. It wasn’t ’cause she didn’t love me. She lives way off on a ranch and she’s a champion barrel racer. I’m gonna be one, too.”

  Ellie was silent for a moment, and Marisa was unsure of what to say.

  Ellie squirmed in her chair. “Santa’s sending my mommy.”

  “Please don’t get your hopes up.” Marisa had to say it. She would also have a talk with Cari about Mr. Santa promising children things he couldn’t deliver.

  Ellie looked into her eyes. “I believe, Ms. Preston. Don’t you?”