If Wishes Were Magic

by Barbara Baldwin

  “I haven’t seen you in a while. How have you been?” She opened the conversation.

  “About the same. I still miss my folks something terrible.”

  Chanti nodded. “Me too. Do you have other family in the area?”

  Noel shook her head. “Everyone’s gone now.” She looked straight at Chanti, took a deep breath and pursed her lips. Chanti wondered if there was something she wanted to say but didn’t know how.

  “Is there anything I can help with?” she asked.

  “I’ve actually been meaning to call and talk to you,” the young woman continued. “I started modeling because I thought that was what Mother wanted, and I do enjoy working for your company. But lately,” she shrugged, “I’m thinking I should do something more with my life. You know, finish my college degree.”

  “What were you studying?” Chanti still wasn’t sure how to approach the reason for this visit.

  “I was pre-law. Now I think I’d like to combine that in some way with social services. Maybe work with adoption agencies or orphanages.”

  Chanti’s heart beat faster. “Why adoption?”

  Noel looked down at her lap then back up. “I suppose it doesn’t make any difference now, but you see, I was adopted. I was so fortunate. My parents were wonderful. I’d like to do something to help other children who haven’t found someone to love them.”

  Chanti’s mouth dropped open, then she quickly snapped it shut. “Noel?” she hesitated, then decided she might as well take the plunge. “Have you ever thought about finding your biological parents? Your mother?”

  Noel’s eyes misted. “You know, when Mom first told me I was adopted, I was so angry and thought that my birth mother must not have loved me. But seeing the way some of my friends’ real parents treated them while growing up, I realized that I was very lucky. There are all kinds of reasons why she may have given me up, but I want to believe it was because she loved me enough to want a better life for me.”

  “You really didn’t answer my question,” Chanti said softly.

  Noel tilted her head in thought. “When my parents were alive, there was no need. Now?” she smiled sadly. “It would be nice to have someone to share the holidays with; someone to call and talk to. But as far as I know, adoption records are very hard to get your hands on. Maybe in the back of my mind, that’s the reason I want to finish my schooling – to make a difference in that world.”

  Chanti decided at that moment to help make two women’s wishes come true. “Noel, since you want to help kids, how would you like to be one of Santa’s elves for our party on Sunday?”

  “The one you’re having for all the kids who wrote in by mistake because of the advertisement?”

  Chanti grimaced. She hadn’t made an announcement in the company newsletter or anything, but she should have figured that the word would spread. “That’s the one. It’s grown to be so much more than I ever thought and we’re expecting a couple hundred children, and their parents.”

  Noel’s face lit up. “I would love to. Do you need me to wear a costume?”

  Chanti laughed. “No, what you have on would be fine. It’s very casual, and chances are we’ll have kids and puppies all over the floor. No sense in getting dressed up.”

  “It sounds like fun. I wasn’t looking forward to the holiday at all.”

  Chanti hoped that after Sunday, both she and Mabel Johnson would find Christmas a holiday to celebrate. As she walked Noel to the door, another thought surfaced. “If you do decide to go back to school, you know you’ll still have a place with us. We can always adjust your shoot schedule to your classes. Besides, I don’t want to lose you, and you’ll need tuition money.”

  Noel laughed. “You’re certainly right about that. I’ve been researching the schools in the area and everything’s so expensive.”

  “Well, keep it in mind. I’ll see you Sunday in the atrium downstairs.”

  As soon as she knew Noel was on the elevator and out of hearing, Chanti was on the phone with Mabel Johnson, asking her to also be a Santa’s helper on Sunday. Her plan was for them to surprise each other. She did a little dance when Mabel agreed to be there. It was so exciting and rewarding to make happy things happen for good people.

  She just had to find a way to make it happen for her and AJ.

  * * *

  Chanti came bursting into the conference room, a huge smile on her face, but when she started to speak, AJ held up a finger to silence her, his attention on the phone conversation he was having with his wayward politician. Chanti’s face fell, and he hurriedly walked to where she stood, circling her waist and giving her a hug.

  “Just give me a second,” he whispered and kissed her cheek. She gave what sounded like a long-suffering sigh, but she stayed close to his side, sliding a hand along his back.

  “Okay. I’ll get the equipment. You have everything arranged from the other end?”

  “Yes, and I want you to know how many strings I pulled and how many favors I called in,” the man grumbled.

  “But don’t you just have such a good feeling because of it?” AJ sarcastically replied. Men like the one he was talking to didn’t feel the need to do good unless it got them somewhere in their political career. “You’ve got them all – everyone on the list I gave you?”

  “Three o’clock. Call the technician at that number I gave you. And make sure they spell my name right when they send out the press release.” The phone clicked loudly in AJ’s ear as the man hung up. He flipped his phone shut and tossed it on a stack of papers on the table.

  “What was all that about?” Chanti asked.

  AJ didn’t want to talk business at the moment, not when he had a soft, beautiful woman in his arms. He turned so they were chest to chest, slid a hand up under her hair and tugged her head back to kiss her. She tasted delicious – alive and fresh and…innocent. Her scent and feel helped erase the bitter taste of having to deal with a crooked politician. He would never have done it if it hadn’t been to get the assistance he needed to make a transatlantic teleconference happen – one between Chicago and a war zone.

  “AJ, we’re in the office,” Chanti protested weakly when he broke the kiss, but she remained firmly nestled against his chest.

  “That’s the one and only reason that I don’t already have you stripped to your beautiful bare skin,” he whispered seductively as he nibbled on her ear lobe.

  “Is that all you ever think of?” She pushed playfully at his chest and he let her go. If she remained too close for too long, he would find the secret door to her apartment and lock it behind both of them for the rest of the day.

  “No, it’s not all I think about. Sometimes I think about you stripping me.”

  He watched her blush, loving the dreamy look in her eyes and her pouty lips that now frowned at him. She was one passionate woman, both in the bedroom and in her professional life. She had restored his confidence in the goodness of people, and helped erase the jaded perspective he’d had since coming to Chicago. He needed her in his life on a daily basis – just like a vitamin tablet to keep the germs away. It was a horrible comparison, and Chanti was so much more that most times AJ was at a loss for words.

  Realizing the time had come to lay his cards on the table, regardless of whether she had spoken the word love out loud, he took her hand and led her over to the table. “We need to talk,” he said, holding the chair out for her. She had no sooner sat down than Annie knocked and entered the conference room.

  “The ladies are all here for the committee meeting. Where should I put them?” She looked from AJ to Chanti and blushed, apparently realizing she had interrupted something. “Sorry.”

  AJ just shook his head. Why did he think anything would get resolved with Chanti until this party was over? There were just too many final details to get worked out.

  Chanti stood, throwing an apologetic glance his way. “Let’s take everyone down to the Atrium, Annie. We might as well get a feel for how everything will fit. I’ll do that if yo
u’ll contact maintenance and have someone meet us there so we can figure out the table and chairs we need so they can get them out of storage.”

  Annie nodded and backed out of the door, leaving it ajar. Chanti took a step in that direction before AJ caught her wrist and pulled her back.

  “We do need to talk,” he said softly, capturing her gaze in his, “but it looks as if we’re both going to be too busy for the next couple of days.”

  “I know,” she replied, drawing little circles on his chest with her finger, driving him nuts. “I wanted to tell you about Noel and Mabel Johnson.”

  “And I wanted to tell you about the two-way teleconference for the kids with parents overseas.”

  Her eyes lit up at his words. “Oh, my gosh, you did it?”

  “I have to run out and rent the equipment, but I think everything will be ready to go on Sunday. And hopefully work on schedule,” he added, just in case it didn’t.

  She threw her arms around his neck. “You are so wonderful! I love you!” She kissed him soundly and then, before he could stop her, she slipped away, dashing through the door and out of sight.

  Well, he thought, that certainly made his life easier!

  Chapter 15

  Oh, my gosh, I can’t believe I just blurted out that I loved him. Chanti cringed as she practically ran to the elevator. What would he think of her? Would he think she was just saying that because he had gotten the videoconference link for the children with parents in the service?

  She pushed the stop button on the elevator before the doors opened to the atrium, willing her cheeks to quit flaming and her heart to slow down. Just maybe, he would think exactly what she had meant – she loved him. She hadn’t intended to just blurt it out, but since they both seemed to keep skirting the issue of their relationship, at least this would bring it out in the open.

  She closed her eyes, drawing a deep breath. She knew AJ had feelings for her, because he had never wanted a one-night stand. At the same time, she didn’t know exactly how strong those feelings were, and whether they were permanent-type feelings. She dropped her head into her hands. Oh, this was so confusing! A dozen ladies waited right beyond the elevator doors and she didn’t have time to sort it out. All she could hope was to have the chance to visit with AJ this evening. He had said it was time to talk, and now that she knew exactly what she wanted, she was anxious for that to happen.

  Okay, let’s focus. She giggled, thinking of the amount of time she had been spending talking to herself, something she had never done before AJ entered her life. She had always been assertive and knew exactly where she was headed business-wise. Well, maybe it was time to be just as assertive in her personal life.

  She punched the button and the elevator doors opened to the chatter and hum of the committee members. She put a smile on her face and stepped out, quickly getting caught up in their conversations.

  “I’ve just finished visiting with your maintenance man,” said one middle-aged woman with brown hair. Chanti didn’t remember everybody’s name and wondered where Annie was. She mentally made a note to get everyone nametags. “We’ve decided the refreshment tables will go over there,” she pointed off to the left, “and there are probably already enough small round tables and chairs to accommodate the adults. We figure the children are going to be too busy and excited to sit down anywhere.”

  “What about to eat?”

  Another committee member chimed in. “All the food we’ve ordered is finger food – hot dogs, hamburgers, bags of chips, cookies. Nothing too messy or too hard for little kids to handle.”

  Chanti smiled. “You must be very familiar with children.”

  The woman returned her smile. “I have three of my own and four that we adopted. Dinner time around our house is always mass chaos.”

  Her staff had already decorated the Atrium with twinkling lights on the trees and small centerpieces on the tables where employees ate lunch and took their breaks. The Atrium was a favorite place for all, and everyone helped take care of it. But something was missing. Chanti spun around in a circle, looking it over. What was wrong?

  “A Christmas tree! We don’t have one,” she said.

  “It will be here on Saturday,” said yet another woman, dressed in jeans and a flannel shirt. “Betsy here,” she pointed to the brunette, “talked to me about what you were doing, and my husband and I decided we wanted to get involved. We own some land west of the city, and there’s some huge pines that need to be thinned anyway. You just tell me how big you want, and Davey will cut one down and haul it in here.”

  “That’s very generous of you, Mrs…?” Chanti was usually good with names, but some of the faces were new. All of the original committee members had apparently followed Betsy’s lead and recruited others.

  “It’s Zook, but just call me Toni,” the woman replied.

  “Well, it appears you ladies have everything well in hand. Is there anything you need from me?” Chanti had served on numerous committees before, and now realized just how much the work they did helped the overall projects to end successfully.

  “I’m on the gift committee,” said one -- a lady in a pretty red dress with her blonde hair done up in a loose knot. “Cathy Mills,” she added quickly so Chanti didn’t have to ask. “I spoke with your assistant, Annie, and the stockings are ready to be picked up. The animal shelters have been contacted and all your pet kennels delivered to them so they will bring the puppies and kittens early Sunday morning.”

  The thought of all those poor lost baby animals getting homes brought a smile to Chanti’s face. “Thank you for taking that over. I’ve been laid up this past week and almost forgot about all that.”

  “Well, your very nice assistant, Mr. Anderson, didn’t. He personally delivered all the kennels for me.” The woman gave a sigh, echoed by numerous others in the room, and suddenly the conversation shifted.

  “He is a dream, isn’t he?”

  “Have you ever seen such gorgeous eyes?”

  “And so polite. I could listen to him say y’all and ma’am all day, I swear!”

  Chanti’s mouth dropped open. All these women, middle-aged and older, the majority married, were hot for AJ! She would have laughed except that everything they were saying was exactly what she thought every time she looked at him.

  “If you haven’t already snatched him up, you’d just better hurry,” said one lady, old enough to be Chanti’s grandmother.

  All she could do was shake her head. “While I certainly agree with your feminine appreciation of my assistant, perhaps we should get back on task.”

  “Will Mr. Anderson be at the party on Sunday?”

  Well, so much for having any control over the proceedings. “I don’t know. Would you like me to call upstairs and have him come down here so you can ask?” She said it good-naturedly and the ladies all laughed.

  “Heavens, no. We wouldn’t want to bother him.” Another collective sigh went through the group.

  “Okay, ladies. Mr. Anderson isn’t the only one with things to do. I have a hungry family waiting for me at home,” Cathy Mills stated. “Ms Morrison, we have loads of presents, not including the puppies and kittens. Where are all of them going to go?”

  Chanti thought for a minute. “Anything that’s wrapped can be put under the tree. Santa can also bring in a bag.”

  Cathy shook her head. “More than that.”

  “Oh, dear. Well, I know the maintenance people have a wagon they use to haul tools around. How about if we borrow that and clean it up, add some decorations, and put it over by the tree?”

  Cathy smiled. “Wonderful!”

  When all the questions were answered and everyone had finished chatting, they decided to meet again on Saturday afternoon. Employees wouldn’t use the Atrium on the weekend, which was one reason Chanti had decided to have the party there. Some of the women said they would bring their husbands and older children to help put it all together and Chanti promised to have sandwiches or pizza delivered for everyone
.

  Once everyone left, the quiet was so wonderful, Chanti sat down on a glider and just soaked it in. It occurred to her, having not been in the office for the past week, that she had gotten used to the peace and quiet of home. While she loved Mori Cosmetics and thrived on the competitive nature of the business, she realized she was ready to start a new chapter in her life. One that included AJ.

  Anxious to tell him, she hurried back to her office only to find that he had left. When she asked Annie where he had gone, she didn’t know.

  That night and the next day, all she could think about was that her declaration of love had scared him off.

  * * *

  AJ found himself driving all over creation to get the right kind of equipment for the videoconference from a company who could guarantee it would be ready on Sunday and who would have a technician available at Mori Cosmetics in case there were problems. When he finally found them, he didn’t even quibble about the price; just wrote the man a check and headed for Hattiesville.

  He had hated to leave Chanti but knew she would be safe with the security at her building. He hadn’t told her where he was going, but there were several things he needed to do before Sunday, and he wanted it to be a surprise. Her declaration had floored him, and by the time he’d gathered his wits, she had disappeared. He grinned when he remembered her reaction. For just an instant, her eyes had widened, as though she were just as surprised as he that she had said the words, then her love shone through. A happy smile had curved her lips, she had kissed him quickly – too quickly – and then she was gone.

  Now, it was up to him to make her just as happy as she had him. She was investing time and resources to make so many children’s wishes come true this Christmas, he wanted to see that her holiday was special, too.

  He stayed with George and Wilma that night, too exhausted to drive back to the city. He thought about calling Chanti, but was afraid he would give away the secret. If he wondered why she hadn’t contacted him, it was a passing thought because he knew she was busy with the last minute plans.