Christmas Blessings

by Katherine Spencer

  Sam was content to work in his office, catching up on some invoices and billing. He had not been one hundred percent sure that Darrell would be able to supervise the business, but he couldn’t deny the kid was doing a good job so far. Except for that one blip on Thursday afternoon. The fact was that Sam was able to keep billing his customers and have a bottom line, which was more than he had expected.

  While an invoice for the extra cost of Mrs. Turner’s arched window printed out, he considered what he might make himself for lunch. A sandwich, probably, if bread was in reach. Or maybe just some salad with anything he could grab from the fridge.

  His plans were interrupted by a crashing sound coming from the kitchen. Were Jessica and the kids home? He wouldn’t mind having someone make him a sandwich. “Jess, are you back?”

  He turned his wheelchair to face the doorway. Three white cockatiels swooped overhead, crossing in mid-air, like fighter jets in an air show. Sam ducked and covered his head with his good hand while the birds gained altitude and circled near the ceiling.

  Even more alarming was the parade of animals hopping, ambling, and tumbling down the hallway, many of them turning into his office—puppies chasing kittens, mother dogs chasing puppies, several guinea pigs running for their lives. He recognized Pinky, the piglet, and Buster, the cable-chewing rabbit.

  He rolled toward the doorway to get a better a look. It was slow going, since he didn’t want to run anyone over. He could barely make it close enough to the door to get a look down the hallway.

  It was animal mayhem. All the crates and corrals Jessica had set up in the house must have fallen down, or opened somehow. The animals were taking over the house. Sam could hear them barking, hissing, and quacking at each other, and in between that, objects around the living room and dining room being knocked down. Including the sound of breaking glass.

  He grabbed his cell phone and called Jessica. When he heard her pick up, he shouted into the phone. “Jess? Where are you?”

  “On the way to Carlisle. I just got a call about some lambs at a fiber farm. Are you all right?”

  “No, I’m not. Not at all. I mean, I’m not hurt or anything. But the animals are all over the place. I can’t even get out of my office. You have to come home and put them back in their cages. Better yet, put them back outside, where they belong.”

  “Calm down, Sam. And stop shouting at me. Which animals got loose? The birds? I put some extra wire on their cage but it must have come loose.”

  “The birds are the least of my worries. You don’t understand. They’re all loose. I heard a big crash in the kitchen. The cages must have fallen down or something.”

  “Oh, dear . . . I’m sorry . . . But we just reached the farm. I’ll grab the lambs and come right home. The kids will be so disappointed if we don’t save them, Sam.”

  What about me? I need saving, too! he wanted to say. But he doubted even that would persuade her.

  “Sit tight. I’ll be home in less than an hour,” Jessica said.

  He doubted that. But he had no choice. He peered over the edge of his chair and saw a duckling waddle by. “I could not be sitting any tighter, believe me.”

  • • •

  Jessica found him asleep in his wheelchair. He had managed to back it into his lair and had turned on the TV, then fell asleep watching a news talk show. He heard her come into the office and opened his eyes.

  “Sam? We’re back. Sorry for the mess. I think those pesky cats unlatched a few crates and it caused a chain reaction. I can’t leave the cats loose. They’re too smart for their own good.”

  He yawned and stretched his good arm. “Pesky cats, huh?”

  “The kids are putting all the animals back in their crates and cages,” she said calmly. “I’ll clean up later. Were you able to get any lunch?”

  The last question made him even more annoyed. His stomach was growling so loud, he was sure she could hear it. “How could I get anything to eat? You don’t understand. I’ve been trapped in this room for hours. I was afraid to roll my chair and run something over. Then I’d really be the bad guy.” He tried to hold on to his temper, but he couldn’t help venting.

  Jessica put a hand on her hip. “Was it really that bad?”

  “Yes, it was. I’m not sure this animal rescue thing is working out, Jess. It’s like chaos around here.”

  Her expression fell. “But you said it was the right thing to do. That you fully supported me and I should follow my bliss,” she replied, an edge to her tone. “Didn’t you say that?”

  “I did,” he agreed. “But I never thought it would be like this. There’s no peace in our house anymore. I like animals. You know I do. But I don’t want to live in a zoo.”

  She looked like she might cry, and he immediately felt a surge of regret. Still, he had to speak his mind. He and Jess were open and honest with each other.

  Jessica took a calming breath. “I know I’m not managing things perfectly, Sam. But there’s a learning curve here. The reason we’ve got so many animals in the house is because I thought the heat in the barn would be finished by now. I can’t let the poor little things freeze. What kind of rescue center is that?”

  “The heat isn’t finished because it’s not even started,” he pointed out. “I thought you were taking care of that.”

  “The estimate I got from that plumber you told me to call was too high. I’m sure I can get the work done for less.”

  “No rush. It will be spring soon. Then we won’t need to worry about it at all.”

  “Very funny.” He could tell she was mad at him now. “I can’t help it if these animals need attention. I thought you understood that. Many of them have been abused or are ailing and need extra care.”

  “What about me? I need attention. I need extra care. Pinky the piglet gets more attention than I do.”

  “You know that isn’t true, Sam. You get more than your share around here.”

  Sam couldn’t deny it. He was running out of arguments.

  “I’ll go back to a job in a bank. Is that what you want?” she asked.

  “No . . . that’s not it, Jess.” He meant it, too. “I don’t want you to go back to a bank job. To any office job.”

  “Then what do you want?”

  She sounded exasperated and he felt the same. He shook his head and grabbed the controls of his chair. “I just want to be able to roll my chair into the kitchen and make myself a sandwich.”

  She frowned at him. “Stay there. I’ll make it for you.”

  “No, thank you. I can do it.” He heard his voice get loud again. He took a calming breath. “I need to get out of this room a little today. As long as the coast is clear.”

  “The coast is clear,” she promised. She gave him one last look, then turned and left the room.

  Sam turned his chair on and followed very slowly, scanning his path for stray critters who might still be on the loose. He hated to argue with Jessica. Especially when it didn’t accomplish anything but leave them both with hurt feelings.

  • • •

  Sam would have been happy to forget about his outburst, but it seemed Jessica could not let go of it that quickly. Even after he apologized. Or at least tried to.

  On Tuesday, the atmosphere between them was still tense. Never mind the poor creatures in the barn, Sam was feeling a distinct chill in his own house.

  He had just finished talking to a client when he heard the doorbell ring. He rolled his chair into the hall just as Jessica opened the door. Reverend Ben was on the doorstep. Sam was happy to see him.

  “Good morning, Reverend,” Jessica greeted him.

  “I just stopped by to look in on Sam. If he’s busy, I can come back another day,” their minister said.

  “I’m the least busy guy in town, Reverend,” Sam called from the hallway. “Come on back to my man cave and see for yourself.”
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  Reverend Ben laughed and handed Jessica his hat and jacket. “We all need a room of our own.”

  “Some of us more than others,” Sam heard Jessica reply quietly.

  Sam rolled into his office and turned his chair. Reverend Ben soon appeared in the doorway. “How are you doing, Sam? Looks like you’re very mobile in that chair.”

  “I can get around the house well enough, but it’s hard to go out anywhere. I’ll be glad to get rid of these wheels. The doctor said I should be ready for a smaller cast on my legs and crutches by next week.”

  “That’s good progress. You must be healing well.”

  “I guess so. Yesterday was two weeks since my fall. It seems much longer,” Sam admitted. “I’m going stir-crazy cooped up in the house. Especially with the snow. On Sunday, I was actually trapped in this room for hours.”

  “Trapped? How so?” Reverend Ben took a seat on the sofa, next to Sam’s wheelchair.

  Sam explained how everyone had gone out and he was fine being alone, at first. Until all the animals got loose and Jessica was too far away to come back and rescue him.

  “I know it sounds funny, but it wasn’t amusing to be trapped in here while Jessica’s menagerie took over the house. And when she got home,” he added, in a quieter voice, “we had a big argument. I tried to apologize, but she’s still mad at me.”

  Reverend Ben’s expression was thoughtful and concerned. “You argued about the animals getting loose or about her rescue work?”

  “One thing led to another,” Sam admitted. “It’s not that I want her to go back to an office job. I really don’t,” he insisted. “But this is not what I expected. She’s working even longer hours with the animals than she ever did at the bank. Running off at all hours to rescue sheep or ducks or a pony that turns out to be pregnant. I know that I told her it was fine with me to quit her job and try this, but I’m not sure anymore. It feels like a lot right now, on top of my accident and being stressed about our finances.”

  “I understand. You certainly have a lot on your plate, Sam,” the reverend said. “How is Darrell working out? Has he been able to supervise for you?”

  “I had my doubts, I’ll admit it. But he’s doing a great job, managing the crews and keeping the jobs on schedule. And he’s a real natural at handling the clients when problems pop up.”

  “So the business is running smoothly?” Reverend Ben replied. “And you have an income from the work, the same that was expected when you were well?”

  Sam suddenly realized what Reverend Ben was getting at. “Yes, we do. And I did tell Jessica that we’d be fine, and we didn’t need the rescue center to turn a profit for a while.”

  “I’m sure she appreciated you saying that. She seems to have a real calling for caring for these creatures who would otherwise be abandoned or left sick to die. Or even slaughtered. She is truly doing God’s work, watching over His creation. We have to give her credit for that.”

  “She sure is. And with amazing patience and compassion. It’s rubbing off on the kids, too. Lily wants to be a veterinarian and says we have to stop eating meat.”

  Reverend Ben laughed. “How’s that campaign going?”

  “I might be the only holdout left.” Sam smiled then sighed. “Maybe I just lost it Sunday because I feel so cooped up and unproductive. It’s hard for me to be stuck in the house all day while everyone is out having a life.”

  Reverend Ben reached over and patted his shoulder. “But you do have a life, Sam. A good life and a family who loves you. You need to be more patient with yourself. You said it yourself. It’s only been two weeks. Healing is a process. Perhaps this time of inactivity will be good for you.”

  “Good for me? How?” Sam couldn’t see that.

  Reverend Ben shrugged. “I don’t know exactly. You’ll have to wait and see. But it’s all part of God’s plan. You’ll find the gifts, the things you can be grateful for in this challenge, if you look for them.”

  Sam considered his words. “A long time ago, you told me Darrell was a godsend, a wild card I didn’t expect. I guess that’s been a gift in all this mess. To see how mature and capable my son is.”

  Reverend Ben nodded. “God has a way of dealing a wild card when we need it most.”

  Sam thought a moment. “Maybe this experience is supposed to teach me to have more patience. Jessica needs to manage things a little better, but I was out of line on Sunday, blowing my top the way I did.”

  Reverend Ben looked pleased to hear Sam’s admission. “You said that you apologized and it didn’t help?”

  Sam sighed. “I sort of apologized . . . I think I did, anyway. I’ll try again. I’ll be more sincere this time,” he added.

  “Good plan. If she doesn’t make up with you, give her time. Try again after that, if you have to,” Reverend Ben advised.

  “I don’t think it will come to that. Jess and I can usually talk things out. In a month or two, I’ll be up and out of the house again. It won’t matter if she has elephants roaming around the living room. I won’t be here to see it.”

  Reverend Ben agreed with a grin. “It’s important to focus on the big picture . . . and hide the peanuts.”

  Sam laughed. “Good point. I’ll try to remember when the time comes.”

  Sam waited for a chance to talk to Jessica, but she was busy all morning in the barn and then had to speak with a vet who was nice enough to make a house call to examine the pregnant pony.

  While the vet was visiting, Sam worked in the kitchen. He managed to set the table for two, heat up some soup, and even make two turkey sandwiches. He saw the vet’s truck drive off and noticed a text on his phone from Jessica. Vet just left. I’ll be right in to make your lunch.

  Sounds good, Sam texted back. I’m waiting in the kitchen.

  A few minutes later, Jessica came in the side door. He heard her hang up her jacket and kick off her boots. He could tell by her body language that she was still annoyed with him. But he greeted her with a smile.

  She looked at the table and the food he had made and then looked back at him. “You did all this? By yourself?”

  “Slowly, but surely,” he replied. “It’s just soup and sandwiches. I couldn’t reach the chips or the pickles.”

  “I’ll get the rest.” Jessica washed her hands and was soon sitting at the table across from him. She took a bite of the sandwich. “What’s up, Sam? The last time you cooked for me, you wanted to buy a new truck.”

  Sam laughed and felt color rise in his cheeks. “Did I actually do that?”

  “Yes, you did.”

  “This is not about a new truck,” he assured her. “It’s a peace offering. I’m sorry I blew up at you on Sunday. I said a lot of things I didn’t really mean. Since the accident, I’ve been feeling really cooped up. With the snowstorm and then getting stuck in the office . . . I just hit a wall. I know you love this work and you’re great at it. The last thing I want to do is spoil it for you.”

  Jessica put her sandwich down. “I appreciate you saying that, Sam. I know you feel cooped up and frustrated. But I’ve been thinking that maybe this isn’t the right time for me to try the rescue work. The well-being of our family and your well-being and peace of mind are more important, don’t you think? I can go back to an office job for now and try the rescue work full-time someday in the future.”

  Sam shook his head. “I don’t want you to, Jess. I’m sorry if I made you feel that’s what I think you should do. I’m not worried about keeping our income going while I recover, honestly. Darrell really is keeping the business on track.”

  “Yes, I can see that he is,” she agreed. She met his gaze and Sam felt a little better. It looked as if her anger at him was melting.

  “I know things have started off a little rockier than we expected,” she went on. “I should have realized that the barn needed heat, for one thing. And I can’t take
in every homeless animal on the planet,” she added, making him grin.

  “Thank goodness you realized that,” he replied. “You’ll get it under control soon, I’m sure. In the meantime, I can be more patient. A lot more patient.”

  Jessica looked pleased to hear that. “And you’ll stop making jokes about eating them? I know you think it’s funny, but Lily takes you seriously.”

  Sam smiled. “Agreed. No more eating-animal jokes. Especially no cracks about Pinky and craving pigs in a blanket. It would be okay to eat some, though, don’t you think? If we call them tiny hot dogs wrapped in biscuit dough?”

  Jessica laughed and took his hand across the table. “I think that would be all right.”

  “Good. Everything’s settled. We’re back on track.”

  Jessica smiled and nodded. “We’re back on track, Sam. But since you’re actually so able in the kitchen, despite that chair, I wouldn’t mind if you started dinner?”

  “Rats. I knew this fixing-lunch scheme was going to backfire.” Sam laughed and Jessica did, too.

  Sam doubted that Jessica was serious. But it sure felt good to laugh with his wife again.

  • • •

  Late Wednesday afternoon, Grant and Cynthia sat at the kitchen table, going over the list of repairs he had completed and a few more that were needed. Jean had made everyone mugs of hot tea and stood at the counter, sipping from her own and making a shopping list. It suddenly struck her, as she listened in on the conversation, that Grant would soon be finished working on her mother’s house. What would happen then? Jean had grown accustomed to seeing him every day, though they didn’t get to talk much, and when they did, her mother was usually in the room.

  She would never admit it to anyone, but just the sight of Grant around the property and the possibility of spending some part of the day with him cheered her. It would feel lonely when he was gone, with just every-other-day visits from Barbara and her mother for company. Very lonely.