The Christmas Star

by Donna VanLiere

  “I didn’t think I would be late.” She is crying harder and Gabe squeezes her shoulder. “I stopped to go to the bathroom. I never should’ve done that. I’m so slow!”

  He kneels down in front of her. “You shouldn’t have gone to the bathroom?” She shakes her head, tears welling in her eyes again. “You told me some things about Florence Nightingale that I didn’t know. Now I’m going to tell you some things that apparently you don’t know. Everybody is late at one time or another for something in their life and everybody has to go to the bathroom.” She begins to smile. “This might really blow your mind but everybody inside the school today has gone to the bathroom. Trust me, I know!” She begins to laugh and he stands, patting her on the shoulder. “All right, let’s find out how to get you to Glory’s Place.”

  Mrs. Kemper is behind the counter in the office, talking with the school nurse when she glances up at the opening door. “Maddie? Are you hurt?”

  “She goes to Glory’s Place after school,” Gabe says.

  A look of realization crosses Mrs. Kemper’s face. “And that van already left.” She purses her lips and then mumbles, “How in the world did that driver leave a student behind?” Gabe can’t tell if she’s frustrated or angry or maybe both.

  “I didn’t mean to do it,” Maddie begins to confess. “I had to go to the bathroom.”

  Mrs. Kemper smiles, looking over the countertop at her. “Well, that is not a big deal at all. Everybody has to go to the bathroom.” Maddie looks up at Gabe and he smiles, shrugging as if to say, I told you so. “Maddie, I would be happy to get you over to Glory’s Place.”

  Maddie peeks over the counter at Mrs. Kemper. “You can drive me there?”

  Mrs. Kemper nods. “I have my driver’s license and everything.”

  Maddie looks at Gabe and then at Mrs. Kemper. “Can Mr. G. drive me there?”

  Mrs. Kemper looks surprised. “Well, I…” She glances at Gabe. “Is this something that you could do, Gabe?”

  He peers down at Maddie. “Sure!”

  Mrs. Kemper begins riffling through files on her computer. “I will need to print out a transportation waiver that you’ll need to take with you. It will be proof that this is a secondary means of transportation in order for Maddie to get to Glory’s Place.” She clicks print and they can hear the printer working behind her. She stands up and snatches it from the printer, grabbing a pen lying nearby. “Gabe, fill out this information about your vehicle.”

  He sets the flag on top of the counter. “Could you put this under the counter for me? I’ll put it away when I get back.”

  As he fills out the waiver Mrs. Kemper asks, “Is your vehicle insured?” He nods. “And your insurance information is inside?” He nods, pushing the paper toward her. “It is. It’s a safe, good truck.”

  “All right,” she says, taking the waiver. She logs the information into her computer before signing the waiver and handing it back to Gabe. “Thanks so much for helping out. And Maddie, we’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Maddie smiles and takes hold of Gabe’s hand as they leave the office.

  They walk down the sidewalk, heading to the staff parking lot. “Thanks for taking me, Mr. G.”

  “You’re welcome,” he says, taking her backpack from her. He fishes his keys out of his pocket and holds the fob in the air, unlocking a blue Ford truck.

  “This is your truck?”

  “It is,” he says, opening the back door for her.

  “This is really nice.”

  “Thanks! It’s eleven years old and doesn’t have any bells or whistles but you’re right, it is nice.”

  She puts her seat belt on and looks over the seat at him as he slides behind the wheel. “Now I can tell you all about Miss Jenson.”

  He puts the key into the ignition. “Who?” Then he looks at her. “Oh! The woman that you said…”

  “That you should go out with.”

  He grins as he looks in the rearview mirror to back up. “Did you miss the van on purpose? Just so you could tell me about … What’s her name?”

  “Miss Jenson. She’s brand-new at Glory’s Place and is really sweet and really pretty, with glasses. She’s also single. She told me.”

  He shakes his head. “She told you, or did you coerce the information out of her?”

  She lifts her shoulders. “I don’t know what that means. But she looks around your age.”

  He glances back at her. “I hate to ask but how old do you think I am?”

  She studies him. “Fifty.”

  He slaps the steering wheel, laughing. “And you think she looks fifty?”

  She nods. “She looks your age, so yeah! She’s single and nice and you are single and nice and I’m going to tell her about you too.”

  He holds his hand in the air. “Hold on! You’re killing me here! This typically isn’t how people meet. Through some sort of seven-year-old matchmaker.”

  She crosses her arms. “You said you were married but you’re not anymore. How did you meet your wife?”

  He looks over his shoulder, checking the front of her coat. “Just seeing if you’re wearing a journalist badge. My dad and I had done work for the company that she worked for and we were invited to their annual Christmas party. She was there and I thought she was cute and started talking to her.” He stops at a red light and can feel her looking at him. “What now?”

  “How long were you married?”

  “Four years.”

  “Why aren’t you married anymore?”

  The light turns green and he begins to drive again, glancing over his shoulder. “The truth?” She nods. “I wasn’t a good husband.”

  “You mean you were a bad husband?”

  “Yeah, that’s what I mean.”

  She shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s true.”

  He nods. “It is. You could ask my ex-wife. She would agree with me.”

  Maddie looks out the window and then back at Gabe. “How were you a bad husband?”

  “I had a bad temper. I was angry a lot. I said things that a man shouldn’t say to his wife and was just a jerk all the way around.”

  “I don’t think you’re like that anymore.”

  “I don’t think I am either.”

  “People change.” She says it with such finality that it makes him laugh.

  He agrees, slapping the steering wheel for emphasis. “They can and sometimes they do change!”

  “Maybe your ex-wife would like you again now.”

  He smiles. “My ex-wife has moved on.”

  “She moved away?”

  “Yeah, she did, but what I mean is that she moved on with her life. New relationship and all that. Engaged. Maybe married by now. Not sure.”

  Maddie smacks her hands down on her thighs. “Well, then that means you definitely need to meet Miss Jenson.” He drives around the town square and Maddie points out the window. “Look at that star on top of the gazebo! That’s new!”

  He looks up at it through the windshield. “Yep. That’s new this year.”

  Her face is glued to the window as they approach the gazebo and star. “That’s a sign.”

  “For what?”

  “A star led the Wise Men to Jesus.”

  He chuckles, driving past the gazebo. “I’m aware of the story.”

  Her face falls flat as she looks at him. “All I’m saying is be wise and keep your eyes open. That star is a sign for you and Miss Jenson.”

  Gabe shakes his head and reaches behind him, squeezing her ankle. He pulls in to the driveway for Glory’s Place and parks in front of the entrance. He gets out and runs to the other side, opening Maddie’s door before getting her backpack off the backseat.

  “One more thing about Miss Jenson,” she says.

  He holds up his hand. “I appreciate your efforts to help me but I—”

  “Have moved on?” she says, looking at him. He can’t answer that, not truthfully, anyway. “Can you just walk inside with me so that I can point her out
to you?”

  Gabe realizes that she will never take no for an answer and sighs, waving his arm in front of him for her to lead the way.

  “Maddie!” Heddy says, swooping to her side. “I thought maybe you were sick today.”

  Maddie shakes her head. “I missed the van. But Mr. G. brought me.”

  Heddy extends her hand to shake his. “I’m Heddy. Thanks so much for bringing her. If that ever happens again you can call us here and we will come pick her up.”

  “Is Miss Jenson here yet?” Maddie says, craning her neck to scan the big room.

  “Who?” Heddy says, shaking her head. “I don’t think there’s anyone here who … it’s just me and Dalton, Gloria and Miriam right now.”

  Gabe exhales, relieved that this experiment has ended. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Maddie.”

  She wraps her arms around his middle, hugging him. “I think once you see her you’ll want to stop moving on.”

  He pats her shoulder and heads through the front door for his truck. There is no way to stop something that has never started in the first place. He drives away from the entrance as Amy pulls in to a parking space.

  FIVE

  “You just missed Mr. G.,” Maddie says, as Amy takes off her jacket.

  “Who?”

  “Mr. G.,” Maddie says, following her through the door of a room where she hangs her jacket and purse inside a locker. “He dropped me off today and he’s single like you.”

  Amy snaps her head as if she’s being hit at every angle. “This is only my second day here. Will you be bringing in a minister to marry me and Mr. Wonderful on my third day?”

  Maddie shrugs. “If I have to.”

  They hear Gloria raising her voice so that she can be heard in the big room, and Amy opens the door, leading Maddie out.

  “We are just days away from the fund-raiser,” Gloria says. “The choir sounds beautiful!” She spreads her arms out in front of the children. “I am so proud of all of you. Let’s listen to Stacy and Lauren to see how they’d like to practice with you today. Lauren?”

  Lauren steps into the middle of the children, folding her hands in front of her. “We will be separating you into smaller groups to work on some minor issues with each song, but before Stacy and I do that, I wanted to let you know that…” She looks around at their faces. “Travis and I are engaged!” The room erupts in gasps, clapping, laughter, and cheers.

  “When did this happen?” Gloria says, hugging her.

  Dalton and Heddy Gregory are next in line for hugs. They have been a huge part of Lauren’s life at Glory’s Place for the last year. “We couldn’t be happier,” Dalton says, squeezing her. Lauren tears up as he kisses her on top of her head. This wonderful man with his gentle, easy ways feels more like a dad than anyone she’s ever known.

  “Where is the engagement ring?” Miriam says, grabbing Lauren’s hand to look at her empty finger.

  “I don’t have it yet, Miriam. It all happened so fast that Travis wasn’t prepared.”

  Miriam makes a groaning noise inside her throat and rolls her eyes. “One should always be prepared. Especially with diamonds!”

  “Would you keep your big nose out of their business,” Gloria snaps. She smiles at Lauren. “Now tell us all about it.”

  Maddie grabs Amy’s hand. “I did that! Last night I told them they should get married and now they’re going to do it!”

  “And that was because of you?” Amy says.

  “Of course it was! That’s why you should listen to me and meet Mr. G.”

  “Stacy, did you already know about this?” Gloria says.

  Stacy smiles. “She lives with us. When she and Travis walk through our front door beaming, you have to know that something’s up.”

  “And when will you get married?” Gloria asks.

  “We don’t know,” Lauren says.

  “There’s so much to do to prepare!” Miriam says, clapping her hands together.

  Gloria slaps her head. “Run! Elope now before Miriam becomes the most unwanted wedding planner in America.”

  Lauren knows that she doesn’t need a fancy dress, a cake, or a ring to make a wedding. All she needs and wants is Travis and these people gathered around her.

  * * *

  When Gabe reaches the front of Clauson’s he heads for the shortest line, before realizing that the longer line is for the bagger who puts a note into a bag for each customer. Gabe has received a few notes over the last year and figures why not, stepping out of the short line into the longer one. Gabe doesn’t know anything about the bagger, a young man around nineteen or twenty, he assumes, but by the length of the line each time this young man is bagging, he knows there must be something special about him. He takes his place in line and watches as the bagger shuffles through a stack of notes in his hands before inserting one into a bag for each customer, with notes like:

  Christmas came as LOVE in a manger! Merry Christmas, Ben

  If we let it, Christmas will lead us home. Hope you’ll be home for Christmas! Love, Ben

  You are someone’s best gift this Christmas! Happy Christmas, Ben

  “There’s a shorter line over here if anyone would like to step over,” the manager says, smiling at those in the longer line.

  “We’re fine, Les,” an older woman says. “You suggest that every time and every time someone tells you that we’re not moving. We want our note from Ben!”

  “It’s my job to make sure the customers are taken care of,” the manager says, smiling.

  “We’re fine right where we are,” the woman replies.

  The manager chuckles and straightens up the candy bars and gum at the entrance to one of the lines.

  Ben riffles through his notes and finds the perfect one for the woman in front of Gabe: Grandmas are gingerbread cookies, chocolate fudge, and spicy nuts all rolled into one and the best memory of Christmas! Love, Ben.

  “I love it, Ben!” the woman says, patting his arm. “And I’ll bring in some fudge on my next trip!”

  Gabe watches Ben as he puts his groceries on the conveyor belt. “I haven’t seen you in a long time,” Ben says.

  Gabe is impressed by his memory. “I don’t get here very often. It’s easier to go to a grocery store on the other side of town.”

  “That’s okay,” Ben says. “We understand. We like all the grocery stores in town.”

  Gabe pays and reaches for his bags, looking closely at the bagger’s name tag to make sure he heard his name right. “Thanks, Ben.”

  “Have a great day,” Ben says, busy with the next customer’s groceries.

  Walking toward the doors, Gabe reaches inside one of the bags and pulls out a small, square note. Stars seem to shine brighter at Christmas. I hope you see how beautiful the stars are in your life. Merry Christmas, Ben.

  Gabe smiles and slips the note into his back pocket.

  * * *

  Gabe sits at a bench table inside Betty’s Bakery and waves when he sees Travis walk through the door. He stands and gives him a hug before pointing out the window. “I like the star on top of the gazebo. Parks and Rec is really stepping up the decorations.”

  “We put it up but it’s not ours,” Travis says. “A woman and her kids bought it and wanted it put up right away.”

  “Who was the dope who got roped into climbing up there with a star on his back?”

  “That dope would be me!” Travis says, sitting opposite him.

  Gabe laughs. “Excellent work. Better you than me.” He reaches for his coffee cup. “What’s so important that you can’t leave a message?”

  Travis rests his hands on the table, smiling. “I was just wondering if you’d be my best man?”

  Gabe’s eyes widen. He extends his hand, shaking Travis’s. “You did it!”

  Travis nods. “Last night. I didn’t plan on it. It just happened. So … will you?”

  “You know I will! You are my favorite cousin! When’s the day?”

  Travis shrugs. “Not sure yet. I say
the sooner the better.”

  Gabe laughs. “I’m sure you do! I’m happy for you. Lauren’s great. I dropped a student off at Glory’s Place today and kind of looked for her but I didn’t see her. I was trying to get out of there as fast as possible.”

  “Why?”

  He shakes his head, smiling. “A little girl at school is trying to set me up with some new woman who works there. Do you know her?”

  “No. But by the time I get there each day everybody has left except for Lauren and a few kids who are there for late pickup. But I’ll keep my eyes open and let you know what she looks like.”

  Gabe grins. “You are off the hook. Trust me, I’m not interested.”

  Travis looks at him. “Really? You got divorced, what, six years ago? You’re not interested in getting back out there?”

  Gabe sips his coffee. “I’ve been out there. I stink at it.”

  Travis nods. “What about the woman at AA?”

  “We went out two times, like, eight months ago! As you know, my track record is less than stellar.”

  Travis chuckles. “Hey, I’m your family and I have to love you but I can agree that you were an idiot a few years ago.”

  “Thanks, man. I’m feeling the love.”

  Travis bangs the table. “You know what I mean. You were out of control. But you’ve cleaned yourself up. You’re the guy that I knew before you started drinking.”

  Gabe looks around the restaurant, thinking. “You know … She never knew the real me. The night we met I was almost drunk and by the end of the party I was smashed. That’s how she knew me.”

  “Yeah, well, the next woman will know the real you. You’re sober for how long now?”

  “Five and a half years.”

  “In five and a half years you’ve changed. You have a job that you love and you’re taking college classes at night to become a teacher. You! A teacher!” Gabe nods, chuckling in agreement that it sounds absurd. “The old Gabe could never be a teacher but this Gabe, the real Gabe, can and will be a teacher! You’re a good man and I bet the woman you meet will be a good woman.”

  “I think you got the last good woman. Everybody loves Lauren.” He slaps his hand on the table. “So what can I do to help?”