“I’m getting a late start.”
“I’ll say. You’re usually at the office an hour ago, but since you’re here, I’d like to take your car by the dealership and have your brakes checked. I’ll leave you my truck if you need it.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No. It’s just a precaution. We’re forecasted to get some ice over the next few weeks, and I want to make sure you’re good to go.”
She smiled at the way he thought of such things. She never had to worry about car maintenance or house repairs. He handled those things without complaining or making a big deal out of them. She also realized, a little ashamedly, that she was more likely to complain about being without her vehicle than to acknowledge his good intentions. “Thank you, David. You always take such good care of me.”
He smiled. “I’m your husband. It’s my job to take care of you.” He started down the hall. “I’m just going to jump in the shower.”
Guilt flooded through her. It had been four days since the nativity, and she still hadn’t managed to find a good time to tell him about the baby.
She had to just do it. It would be a shock, but this was David, her David. He’d been a good husband and a good father. He was always looking out for her and the boys. And she knew he would be there for this baby, too. After the initial shock, he would probably even be happy about having another child.
She hoped.
While David was in the shower, Myles phoned with an updated agenda for the meeting with the selectmen. While Kate was going over several details with him, her phone beeped then dropped the call. She glanced at the screen and saw her battery had died.
She rummaged through the kitchen drawer for her phone charger. Not finding it, she picked up David’s phone and was dialing Myles’s number when a text message popped up on the screen. The text was from “Marcia,” and the message stopped Kate cold.
READY FOR A TROPICAL PARADISE? THE TICKETS ARE READY.
Who was this Marcia? And where and why was David taking a trip with her to some tropical paradise?
Was it possible she didn’t know her husband as well as she thought she did? Was David having an affair with this Marcia?
Kate rubbed her stomach, but this time she couldn’t blame her ill feeling on morning sickness. This was a different kind of illness, a my-near-perfect-life-is-falling-apart kind of illness. Her mind refused to comprehend that David was being unfaithful. Other men cheated on their wives, but not David.
But why shouldn’t he cheat on her? She shuddered, remembering all the times she’d chosen work over him and all the times he’d openly expressed his agitation about it.
Panic gripped her. A few days ago, she’d been worried about his reaction to a baby. Now she was worrying about the future of her marriage.
God, this can’t be happening.
He emerged from the bedroom, clean-shaven and his hair still wet. He smelled like aftershave, and Kate inhaled the masculine scent of him. Suddenly, the thought of losing this man, her rock for so many years, was more than she could bear. Tears pooled in her eyes, but instead of crying, she got angry.
“Who is Marcia?” she demanded.
He shot her a guilty look, and she waved the phone at him.
“Marcia…who is she? And why is she texting you about tickets to a tropical paradise?”
He grabbed his phone from her, a flush in his cheeks. “Kate, you weren’t supposed to see that.”
“David, I would like an answer.”
He gave her a wry smile. “Okay, I confess. It was supposed to be a Christmas present, but now I guess the surprise is ruined.”
“A present?”
“Marcia works at a travel agency.”
She felt the heat of embarrassment warm her face. How silly it was to even think for a moment that David would be unfaithful.
“It’s a little close to Christmas to be snooping, Kate.”
Relief flooded her. Of course David wasn’t cheating. But the incident had opened her eyes. David was a good man, decent and caring, and she too often took him for granted. What would she do without him if he ever chose to leave her?
She rubbed her stomach again, realizing that David would remain a good and faithful husband even if he was desperately unhappy with their marriage. She was suddenly overwhelmed with the desire that he stay because he was happy, not out of a sense of obligation.
But how could she convince him to be happy about a baby he knew nothing about?
Kate zippered her coat and walked downtown toward Bethlehem Café for a cup of hot chocolate. She enjoyed the ambience of their historic downtown. Their little community used to be flooded during the summer months with tourists enjoying the coastline and beaches, but in the last few years business had been slowing down. They needed a revival. Bethlehem was an undiscovered treasure for the state of Maine, and Kate was confident that its charm and quaintness could attract tourists to the area if they could only get the word out. They had a small but naturally made harbor and plenty of activities. If Bethlehem was to grow and prosper, they would need the exposure this live nativity could bring.
The aroma of fresh pastries met her as she turned on the block where the café was located beside a small cove. Kate opened the door and stepped inside, swept into the wave of warmth and pastries that greeted her.
“Good morning, Kate.” Melissa Harris and her husband, Doug, had started this café six years ago, and Kate knew they were struggling to keep it afloat.
“Good morning.” She placed her order then asked Melissa about the preparations they were making for the weekend, hoping this nativity would help bring in some much-needed income for all the town’s businesses.
“We’ll be staying open later the nights of the nativity and offering hot beverages. We even had a call from the Bangor Daily News wanting to do a story on the businesses in Bethlehem. It’s exciting to see the publicity we’re receiving because of this nativity. It’s wonderful.”
Kate smiled and wished Melissa well as she walked out of the shop. It was encouraging to hear such feedback from a business that was being affected by the nativity. These small businesses were the heart and soul of the town. She texted Lisa to find out more about this newspaper article and to offer any assistance they might need.
She rounded the corner, her mind still focused on her phone, and bumped into Murray Samuels, one of the selectmen who had appointed her. Mr. Samuels was a buttoned-up, old-fashioned man with old-fashioned ideas, who’d at first been concerned about a woman as town manager. Kate wished she felt more put together this morning if she were going to have to confront Mr. Samuels. She was sure she looked as weary as she felt.
“Good morning, Mr. Samuels.”
“Good morning, Mrs. Walters.” He pulled a newspaper from his coat. “Did you see we made the front page of the Augusta Journal?”
“Yes, I saw that. It’s wonderful.” She gave Mr. Samuels a recap of the discussion she’d had at the café and about the article being written for the Bangor Daily News.
Mr. Samuels eyed her then did something Kate had rarely seen him do…he smiled. “We’ve been pleased with your work, Mrs. Walters. Some in the community were hesitant when we appointed you, given your lack of work experience. I realize your years away from the work force gave you a disadvantage, but you’ve proven yourself a capable town manager. I see big things in your future. Big things. Perhaps even a state appointment.”
Kate remained calm outwardly, but inside she was screaming with excitement. Mr. Samuels was the selectman she’d been most concerned about when she accepted this position. He was from the old school and believed women weren’t cut out for jobs in politics. To hear such praise from him was a boost to her ego…and to her career.
Yet as she walked toward her office, she wondered what his opinion would be when he discovered she was going to have another child. He’d made no bones about the fact that it was only because her boys were older that he’d even given consideration to a working mother. W
ould he now expect her to step down because of this baby?
Worry suddenly flooded her as she realized even her career might be in jeopardy.
“Kate?”
She opened her eyes and saw David hovering over her as she lay on the sofa in her office. His worried expression spoke volumes. “Kate, are you okay?”
She sat up and he sat down beside her. “I’m not feeling well today.”
He took her hand and squeezed it. “I think you should see a doctor.”
She pushed his hand away and stood. “I’m fine. I’m tired, that’s all.” She got up and moved to her desk, but her hands were shaking as she slipped on her glasses and tried to concentrate on the papers in front of her.
David leaned over the desk. “I have a difficult time believing that. You’ve been working too hard on this live nativity. You’re worn out.”
She smiled. “You’re right. I have been working too hard. That’s why I’ve been trying to delegate to Myles and others. I suppose I’m finally beginning to believe I can’t do it all.”
He gave her a wry grin. “That’s not the Kate Walters I know. She would never admit such defeat.”
“I’m trying to think of it more as macro-management.” The phone on her desk rang, and she reached to answer it then stopped and looked at David. “I should probably get this.”
“Delegate it.”
“It might be important.”
“Kate, you just said that you need to delegate more. You don’t have to handle everything yourself.” He went to the closet and retrieved her coat. “Come on, I’m taking you home. You’re taking the rest of the day off.”
She hesitated, thinking of all the things she needed to handle…important things. But when she glanced up at the determination on her husband’s face, she relented. It felt good to let him take charge, and she realized she’d missed letting him take the lead. Why did she always have to be such a control freak? She grinned, wondering what kind of politician she’d be if she weren’t a control freak. What kind of wife or mom?
“What’s so funny?” David asked, noticing her smile.
“I was thinking of arguing with you, then I realized how silly it would be to resist.”
“I only want what’s best for you, Kate.”
“I know that, David. You’ve always taken good care of me. Sometimes I forget to be appreciative of how well you look after me and our boys.”
His face lit up at her praise; then a bewildered look crossed his face and he laughed. “Who are you? And what have you done with my wife?”
Truly, what she wanted to do was fall into his arms and allow him to smother her with his warmth and kindness.
“I’ll go get the car. Meet me downstairs in five minutes.”
She nodded her agreement and watched him walk out.
She touched her hand to her stomach and marveled that something so small at this stage could make her so sick. And David was being so kind. The thought of upsetting this temporary truce between them bothered her, but she knew she had to tell him about the baby soon. Today was the day he would get the news that their lives would change forever.
She took a deep breath and slipped into her coat. She wrapped her scarf around her neck and headed out, giving Lisa a list of directives for calls and issues that might come up.
She walked down the steps of the courthouse and saw David’s car pull up. He got out and walked around, opening the door for her and helping her onto the seat.
Today was the day. He had to know.
Lord, please let him be happy about this baby.
Chapter 6
David decided to do a few chores around the house while Kate napped. He was still in awe that she’d heeded his advice and left work. And she’d actually seemed pleased at this intervention and his concern. He settled her on the sofa in the living room with a blanket and a cup of hot tea. All he wanted was what was best for her. Was she finally starting to see that? He couldn’t even pinpoint the moment when Kate had stopped looking to him for advice or support. Was it before she’d dipped her foot into politics and taken on the role of town manager? He’d certainly had no input in that decision, and while he wouldn’t have stopped her from pursuing it, it would have been nice to have his opinion considered.
He walked out to the garage and saw John’s car parked there. It was a good time to perform some maintenance on it before John returned to school. He was only home for the weekend and would make the two-hour drive back to campus tomorrow.
David slid into the driver’s seat and started the engine, noticing as he did an envelope with what looked like a court seal tossed on the passenger seat. He picked it up and saw it was from the Franklin County District Court. The envelope was open, so he pulled out the letter. It was a summons for John to appear at court in January.
Why was John being summoned before a judge? David scanned the letter and found the charge listed at the bottom—shoplifting, a class E offense that could result in a $1,000 fine or up to six months in jail.
He gut clenched. John was being accused of shoplifting?
When?
Where?
And why hadn’t his son told him?
David stuffed the letter into his pocket then continued checking John’s car, but his thoughts were completely occupied by the situation with his son. John was in trouble and hadn’t told them. That bothered him more than anything. He was certain the charge itself was a mistake. John was a good kid, and he had no need to shoplift. If he needed something, he knew all he had to do was ask.
David closed the car hood and headed back inside.
He didn’t know what was going on with his son, but he was going to find out.
He poured himself a cup of coffee and stood out on the deck watching the sky as a gentle snow began to fall. Maine in winter was beautiful but could be brutal. A gentle snow could quickly become a thick blanket. He made a mental note to check their emergency supplies in case of a power outage.
Kate fidgeted on the sofa, and David walked back inside.
He knelt beside her. “Are you warm enough?”
“I’m fine, David. Thank you for taking care of me.”
As she reached for her cup of tea, he saw her phone.
“Would you like me to put that on the charger for you?”
She shook her head. “Nope. I’m not going to need it.” She picked it up and turned it off.
His eyes widened. “Are you certain this town can survive without you for a day?”
“They’ll have to.” She reached for his hand. “I have an idea. Let’s put up the Christmas tree.”
They had a tradition of waiting until a few days before Christmas, but he couldn’t deny the enthusiasm in her face…or the fact that she was choosing to spend time with him over going back to work.
“That’s sounds like a great idea.”
He made certain she was warm enough as they piled into her SUV. He drove to the Christmas tree lot on the highway, and Kate picked out a large, full evergreen.
They managed to get it inside, and after much effort, the tree was in place in front of the big living room windows. Kate rummaged through the storage room and found the decorations, and together they went through them.
Kate ooh’d and ahh’d over each ornament the boys had made in their younger days, and David enjoyed the trip down memory lane. This might be the last year they would celebrate Christmas in the house, and this seemed a nice send-off.
He watched his wife in her socks and flannels as she reached to hang a handprint ornament Keith had made in second grade. She glowed with happiness. She curled up beside him on the sofa and leaned back into his arms, and they sat in silence for a while, watching the lights on the tree. He savored the moment, basking in the knowledge that she chose to be here with him.
“We’ve shared a lot of Christmases in this house, haven’t we?” she asked.
“Yes, we have.”
“Do you remember that year we bought both boys bicycles and we had to stay u
p all night trying to put them together?”
He laughed at the memory. The boys had been young then, only six and nine, and the store had wanted to charge thirty dollars a bike to put them together. Money had been scarce then and David had insisted on doing it himself. He’d finally finished around three Christmas morning. But it had been worth the effort when he’d seen the way his boys’ eyes had lit up at seeing their brand-new bikes.
They were good memories, but he was thankful they weren’t still at that point in their lives. “Can you imagine us staying up all night putting together bikes now?”
“It might be fun to do those things again.”
“Are you kidding? I’m happy those days are behind us. You know, Mike dropped a bomb on me the other day. Tina’s pregnant.”
“Really?”
“Can you believe it? Starting over at their age? All I can say is I’m glad it’s them and not us.”
“Would it be so bad if it were us, David?”
“Are you joking? It would be the worst. Diapers, homework, adolescence. I’m not certain I could handle it all again.”
She seemed to stiffen, and he realized his words sounded harsh. She was in a nostalgic mood, and although this had been an incredible day together, he suddenly wished they’d never taken this trip down memory lane.
He remembered the tickets in his pocket. Perhaps this was the perfect time.
“Besides, Kate, we’re at the best time in our lives.” He reached for his coat and pulled out the tickets. “Here,” he said, handing them to her.
“What’s this?”
“It’s an early Christmas present for you.”
Surprise covered her face when she realized what they were.
“They’re tickets for a cruise next August. Isn’t it great? Two weeks alone, just you and me. Won’t that be wonderful?”
She stared up at him, tears wetting her brown eyes. “David, I—”
“You like them, don’t you, Kate? We’ve always talked about doing this when the boys were older. Now’s our chance.”
Christmas Comes to Bethlehem - Maine Page 4