by Nan Rossiter
Chapter 5
An hour later, Maddie was helping Sarah in the kitchen and supervising Noah as he arranged rows of marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes. When he was finished, he popped the last one in his mouth, grinned at Maddie, and, with his speech impaired by the gooey substance, asked, “Doyooowanun?”
Maddie laughed. “No, thanks.”
Asa peered around the kitchen door. “Would you ladies like a cocktail ... or the whole rooster?”
Sarah smiled. “A glass of white wine would be good.”
Asa nodded and looked questioningly at Maddie. She had never been posed this question before so she took advantage of the opportunity to speak her mind. “I’d like the whole rooster, please.” Asa raised his eyebrows and she grinned at him. “White wine sounds good!” He nodded and, as the kitchen door swung shut, Maddie felt her cheeks blush and wondered if it was because the kitchen was so warm.
“Shall I put the sweet potatoes in the oven?” she asked.
Sarah looked up. “Yes ... if you can find room!”
Asa returned with two glasses of wine and gave them to Maddie and to his mother. Then he looked at Noah. “And, what can I get for you, sir?”
Noah, who was still standing on a chair, put his finger on his chin thoughtfully and tried to remember the name of the drink he always had on special occasions. “I can’t remember what Dad called it ... I mean I can’t remember what my other da ...” He stopped short and his bottom lip quivered as his eyes filled with tears. Asa’s heart ached at Noah’s sudden grief and Sarah, realizing what he had just said, looked up.
She smiled gently. “Noah, honey, it’s okay to have two dads.” She wiped her hands on her apron, held his face in her hands, and looked in his eyes. “You can’t forget someone you loved.” She gave him a hug and whispered. “You can talk about your other dad anytime you want ... especially if you’re missing him. We miss him, too.” Noah nodded. “Now, was that drink called a Roy Rogers?”
Noah looked relieved and wiped his eyes. “Yes! That’s it.” He looked at Asa. “I’ll have a Roy Rogers.”
“You got it!” Asa replied, giving him a thumbs-up and trying to shrug off the moment. He rejoined his father at the wet bar and started to make Noah’s drink. “Do we have any cherries?” Samuel reached into the little refrigerator and took out a small jar. Asa popped open a can of Coke and poured it into a small fancy glass while Samuel looked for the grenadine.
“Asa, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”
Asa looked up with a puzzled expression and said, “Can I deliver this first?”
“Of course,” Samuel replied.
When he came back in, there were two crisp Tangueray and tonics with lime on the bar. Asa eyed his father. “Do I need this?”
Samuel laughed. “No, no ... it’s nothing like that.”
“Well, I think I might be sorry tomorrow ... between gin, rum eggnog, and Maddie’s recipe.”
Samuel smiled. “That’s true ... I forgot you were such a lightweight. Even so,” he said, holding up his glass in a toast, “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, Dad.” Asa replied, sitting on one of the stools.
Samuel cleared his throat and took a sip.
“Well, I’ve been meaning to tell you ... or rather, ask you.” He paused. “Your mother thinks we should have asked first ... and she’s probably right ... but we wanted it to be a surprise for both of you. Now that the time is drawing near, though, I can see her point. We don’t want it to be an unhappy surprise. So, she thought I better, at least, give you a heads-up.” Samuel studied Asa’s face to see if his message was getting across.
Asa’s heart pounded as he absently wiped the condensation on his glass. “Dad, how ’bout you just tell me.”
Samuel gave him a funny look. “I am telling you.”
“Well, you’re kind of beating around the bush,” Asa said.
“Okay, well, it’s just that your mother and I have a special Christmas present for Noah and ...”
Just then, Noah pushed through the door hollering, “Okay, I’ll tell ’em ... Dad, Grampa, dinner’s ready! Guess what we’re having?” He waited until Asa responded appropriately and then went on. “Everyone is having their own chicken! Even me!”
“You mean Cornish hen?”
Noah nodded and pulled on Asa’s hand. “C’mon! Grandma said, ‘Right now or it’s goin’ to get cold.’ ”
Asa allowed himself to be pulled to the kitchen and Samuel followed. As he did, he clapped Asa on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, son. You’re gonna love it ... it’s nothin’ you can’t handle.”
Asa glanced over his shoulder. “Well, you still need to tell me ...” Samuel just chuckled. He was obviously quite pleased with himself.
They sat down to dinner and reached around the table to hold hands. Samuel offered a long grace of thanksgiving and asked for a special blessing on Isaac and his family. When he finally said, “Amen,” Noah looked up, puzzled, and asked, “How come Uncle Isaac didn’t come here for Christmas?”
Asa passed the cranberry relish to Maddie and said, “Because he and Aunt Nina are spending Christmas in Providence.” He scooped some sweet potato onto his plate and continued, “But they might be coming to our house for New Year’s.”
Noah nodded and held out his plate for a scoop, too. “Extra marshmallows, please.” Asa reached over and plopped a big orange and white mountain on Noah’s plate and then held up the serving spoon and looked around the table questioningly. “It’s too hot to pass,” he said. “Who wants some?”
Sarah held out her plate and said, “We’re so glad you decided to spend Christmas with us, Maddie. It’s not easy to be away from family. I know Isaac had mixed feelings about being with Nina’s family.” She looked at Samuel. “I think they’re going to try alternating holidays so, hopefully, they’ll be with us next year.”
Samuel nodded. “Well, I still miss seeing that cute little redhead.”
Asa knew what his dad meant. Isaac and Nina had wasted no time starting a family and their little girl, Kate, was the cutest, most good-natured baby he’d ever met. It would’ve been fun to watch her open presents on Christmas morning. Oh well, next year ... and, since Nina was pregnant again, there’d be two little ones to watch. Asa couldn’t wait to see his brother with two babies. He knew Isaac was hoping for a son—he’d already announced that he wouldn’t give up until he had one. But Asa would love it if his brother ended up living in a house full of women. If anyone deserved such a blessing, it was Isaac!
Sarah turned back to Maddie. “Does your mom cook a big dinner?”
Maddie nodded, as she passed the green beans to her. “Yes, everyone comes to my parents’ house. It’s quite an event.”
“How many are there?”
Maddie thought for a moment, trying to calculate the size of her family. “Thirty-three ... and there’re two more on the way.”
“Thirty-three people?!” Noah exclaimed. “Where does everyone sit?”
Sarah and Samuel both shook their heads in amazement and Maddie smiled. “Well, we have two big farm tables, and several card tables that all the kids like to sit at. Everybody helps and everyone brings food. Sometimes we serve it buffet style and other times we just keep passing.”
“Wow!” Noah exclaimed. “Are there any kids my age?”
Maddie nodded. “There are two that are six, one that’s five, and four that are seven ... or maybe eight. Then there’re some older and younger, too.”
“How old are Mikey and John-John?”
“Mikey is fifteen and John-John just turned fourteen.”
Noah grinned. “That sounds like a lot of fun!”
Maddie nodded. “It is fun!” Her voice sounded a bit nostalgic.
Noah was quiet for a minute and then added, “And don’t forget Sadie.”
Maddie agreed. “Yup, Sadie, too. There’re lots of dogs in the family, but they don’t all come to the house for Christmas ... except for Sa
die. John always brings her.”
Noah looked at Samuel and Sarah and said, matter-of-factly, “Sadie is in love with Dad, and John says she’s just gloomy when he leaves.”
“What kind of dog is she?” Samuel asked.
Asa smiled. “She’s an old black Lab ... like Martha.”
Samuel nodded and caught Sarah’s eye. “Well, Asa’s always had a penchant for Labs ... and they, for him.”
Noah looked puzzled. “Grampa, what’s a penchant?” Samuel smiled. “It’s a fondness. It means he’s always liked them.”
“Me, too,” Noah agreed. “I’ve always had a penchant for Labs, too.”
Samuel nodded and took a sip of his drink ... both he and Sarah tried to hide their smiles behind their drinks, but Asa looked suspiciously from one to the other. “Are you two okay?” he asked.
Samuel almost choked on the question and tried to keep a straight face. “Of course,” he sputtered, picking up his knife and focusing on his hen. Sarah took her cue from her husband and did the same. And Asa just looked at Maddie and shook his head; the look on his face said, I have no idea what’s going on ...
Noah took a bite and said, “Grandma, this chicken’s really good.”
Maddie nodded in agreement. “Yes, Mrs. Coleman, everything’s delicious.”
Sarah smiled. “Thank you. The stuffing recipe is Annie’s. I’ve always wanted to make it, but I never had the recipe before; I came across it when I was looking to see what spices I needed to bring over.”
“Are there apricots in it?”
Sarah nodded. “Apricots ... and Grand Marnier.”
“Mmmm ... I wondered what that flavor was,” Maddie said. “It’s very good. My mom would love it. She likes anything made with dried fruit.”
“I’ll give you the recipe,” Sarah said, sounding pleased. Noah leaned back in his chair, pushed his half-finished plate away, and groaned. “I’m stuffed!”
“I think you had too many shrimp,” Asa said. “And I guess you won’t have room for dessert either ...”
Noah perked up. “Oh, yes, I will. I have a separate dessert stomach.”
Asa laughed. “Where’d you hear that?”
Noah grinned. “That’s what Grampa said you used to say.”
Asa eyed his father. “I guess no secrets are safe with you!”
Samuel grinned. “Oh, I don’t know ’bout that.”
Maddie watched Asa interacting with his parents ... his father teasing him ... and his mother obviously just loving having him home. It was evident that his easygoing manner carried over into all of his relationships.
Before they’d met, Maddie had caught herself, on several occasions, watching Asa push his cart up and down the library stacks, and she’d found herself drawn to the easy manner in which he did things ... the way he held several volumes in his hand, glanced at their call numbers, and slid each book back into place; the soft-spoken way he had with people who needed help finding something; and even the casual way his faded Levis and unironed oxford shirts hung on his slender frame. One time, he’d looked up and caught her watching him, but he’d just smiled and nodded, and she had smiled and quickly looked away ... but not before noticing the color of his sky blue eyes. Maddie had never paid much attention to boys before Asa—she’d always been too busy with school and studying, so, when he walked into her hometown library that summer, she had been caught completely off guard.
Now, she smiled as she watched Asa put his arm around Noah. They look so much alike, she thought as he tousled Noah’s hair. Noah grinned and leaned against him. Asa still had that same easygoing manner ... but, in other ways, he had changed. His hair, still streaked with blond, was longer now and it fell over his eyes so that he had to sweep it back with his hand; his face, still young and boyish, conveyed that life’s lessons hadn’t always been easy; and his eyes, still blue and intense, revealed a sad wisdom that was older than his years. Asa looked up and saw Maddie watching him. He smiled and winked at her, and Maddie’s heart sang ... oh, Asa, if you only knew ...
Sarah watched the silent exchange ... and realized that the beautiful girl sitting across from her son was in love. The thought of Asa in a relationship with someone new warmed her heart and she wondered how long it would be before he realized it, too. She glanced up at the clock. “Oh, my goodness! When did it get so late?” she exclaimed, standing up and reaching for several plates to clear.
“I guess we’ll have to wait on dessert,” Samuel said, looking over his shoulder at the clock and standing, too. They hurriedly carried plates, silverware, serving dishes, and glasses into the kitchen. Sarah pushed dishes aside to make room on the counter for the last pile that Asa had in his hands, untied her apron, and said, “I think we should just leave everything. I’m sorry ... I should’ve been paying better attention.”
Samuel smiled as he quickly covered several dishes with foil. “That’s all right, dear, we forgive you.” He looked at Asa. “Why don’t you three go on ahead in the truck ... your mother and I have a quick errand to run on the way home.”
Asa eyed his father suspiciously. “I think I should probably go with you.”
“Oh, no!” Samuel said with a grin. “You have to hurry back here so Maddie can start cooking.” He nodded his head toward the door. “Go on ... and save some seats. We’ll be right along.”
Chapter 6
“Dad, look! It’s snowing!” Noah whispered. Asa looked out the window and nodded. The old New England church was filled to overflowing, but Asa, standing in the once familiar sanctuary after so many years, hardly noticed. He gazed at the falling snow and his mind filled with memories. He thought back to his boyhood summers on the Cape, sitting in church on Sunday mornings, longing to be on the other side of the magnificent many-paned windows ... and then he recalled the sad occasion when he had stood there last ... it had been for Noelle’s funeral after she died giving birth to Noah. So lost in thought was he that Maddie had to nudge him twice before he realized his parents were standing in the aisle, waiting for him to make room.
As they squeezed into the pew, an older gentleman with white hair came over to greet them. Samuel stood to shake hands and they exchanged a few friendly words. The man turned to Sarah and took her hands in his. As they spoke, Asa tried to place the gentle smile and kind, gray eyes ... and then he realized it was the minister who had served the church for many years.
The minister looked up, as if on cue, and nodded to Asa and Maddie, and then leaned toward Noah. “This must be Noah—all grown up!” Noah nodded shyly and the old gentleman continued. “How would you like to help with the service tonight?” Noah smiled and nodded again and the minister handed him a program highlighted with notes. He pointed to one of the highlights and then to the front of the sanctuary and explained what the job entailed. Noah listened carefully, clutching the program in his lap. The minister stood up and winked at him, clapped Samuel on the shoulder, and walked to the front of the church. Moments later, a hush fell over the sanctuary as the first chords of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” were played.
The service was beautiful and, just as Samuel predicted, perfect for young families. Carols were sung and passages from the New Testament were read; between each hymn and reading, a youngster from the congregation tiptoed to the front, picked up a small wooden hammer decorated with a red bow, and tapped a shiny brass Christmas bell that had been set out just for the occasion.
Noah followed the program carefully with his finger. There was an asterisk penciled in the space between the reading of Matthew 2:9–12 and the hymn, “We Three Kings of Orient Are.” His heart pounded as he listened ... “And having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they left for their own country by another road.” Just as the reader finished, Maddie gently nudged Noah and he stood up resolutely and squeezed to the aisle.
The congregation watched expectantly as the little boy in the handsome red sweater made his way shyly to the front. He picked up the wooden hammer, hesitated briefly, feeling
the weight of it, and then gave the bell a resounding clang. Everyone smiled at his enthusiasm and then there was a rustling of pages as they stood to sing. Noah hurried back to his seat, bursting with pride and delight. Asa gave him a thumbs-up and Noah returned the gesture with a grin that showed off his missing tooth. Asa smiled ... still amazed that this little wisp of a boy, so full of love and excitement and promise, was his son.
After the hymn, Noah promptly put his head on Maddie’s shoulder and listened to the final reading.... But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart ... and the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen ... A hush fell over the congregation as the lights dimmed. Each person held a small white candle and waited as the flame was symbolically passed from one to another. When his turn came, Noah solemnly tipped his candle into Asa’s flame and then turned to Maddie and held his candle steady. She smiled gently as she dipped her candle into his. The candle illuminated her face in a soft warm glow and Asa suddenly felt as if he were seeing her for the first time ...
Soon the entire sanctuary was shimmering in radiant light and a chorus of reverent voices joined together in singing “Silent Night.” Maddie looked over and caught Asa’s eye and noticed that he wasn’t singing. She gave him a funny frown and he smiled and joined in softly ... almost mouthing the words ... so he could hear Noah’s innocent voice mixed with her sweet soprano.
How is it, he thought to himself, that I’ve known Maddie all these years ... and I never realized she had such a beautiful voice?! Am I really so self-centered that I never paid attention? He shook his head in dismay. I must have learned a dozen new things about her today. How could that be? How did I not consider that she was missing a big family celebration to spend Christmas with us? Or that thirteen children who love her and call her Aunt were counting on her to play Christmas carols ... and would miss her when they realized she wasn’t coming? How is it that I didn’t know she had a Christmas tree planted in her honor? Or that her mom liked things that were made with dried fruit ... or that her family always made a festive drink on Christmas Eve? And ... why in the world did this sweet and selfless woman give all that up ... to spend Christmas with me?