Tales from Grace Chapel Inn

by Sunni Jeffers

  She was going to call Mark that evening. His support always meant a lot to her, and he loved animals as much as she did, although his favorites tended to be big, dangerous carnivores.

  In the kitchen of Grace Chapel Inn, Jane was putting the finishing touches on a batch of cutout Christmas cookies.

  “You just missed sprinkling colored sugar on the frosted ones,” Jane said. “Did you have to work overtime?”

  “No,” Alice said, eager to tell about her activities since leaving the hospital.

  “It's an ambitious plan,” Jane said thoughtfully after hearing what Alice had done so far. “I've tried to think of ways I can help, but I really don't know many people who might be receptive to taking a pet over the holidays. I can imagine what an untrained dog or cat could do to pretty packages and decorated trees.”

  Alice sighed. Jane was right, of course, but pets didn't have to be given the run of the house. All they really needed was food, water, and human compassion.

  “I'm sorry we can't take in a cat or two,” Jane said, “but I'm afraid Louise is right. This isn't a good time to introduce a newcomer into the family. If it were summer..”

  “I understand,” Alice said. “But surely there are people in town who've been thinking of getting a pet but haven't done anything about it yet.”

  At dinner, Louise was sympathetic about the pet project but equally determined not to introduce a new animal to life at Grace Chapel Inn.

  “You're gone all day, and I'm much too busy getting ready for the Christmas concert here,” she said in her usual practical way. “The responsibility would fall on Jane, and she already has more than enough to do.”

  Alice had to agree, but she still hoped to place all the pets at the shelter in homes before Christmas. After helping Jane clean up after dinner, she was eager to call Mark. He would understand what she was trying to do and might have some helpful suggestions.

  He answered on the second ring, and the warmth in his voice made Alice glad she'd called.

  “What's going on in Acorn Hill?” he asked.

  After explaining her goal of placing all the shelter animals for the holiday, there was a long silence on his end of the line.

  “You don't think it's a good idea, do you?” she asked in a disappointed voice.

  “I think it's a wonderful idea and typical of the way you care for God's creatures,” he said. “I was just trying to come up with ways to help you.”

  “Your encouragement has helped me already,” Alice said. “I know this isn't the best time of year to ask people to temporarily adopt a pet, but it was heartbreaking to see all those lonely animals in cages.”

  “I understand,” Mark said. “Even zoos are trying to get away from the practice of caging their exhibits. Whenever possible animals should be allowed to live in a setting as close to their natural environment as possible. I do have one suggestion.”

  “Tell me,” Alice urged.

  “Why don't you talk to your local vet? He would know about any pets that have passed away lately. Their owners might want to replace them.”

  “That's a great idea,” Alice said. “I know how sad I'd be if something happened to Wendell. A new kitty might console me. I'll call Dr. Blair tomorrow and see if we can talk to him after his office hours. Viola Reed agreed to make some calls with me.”

  After they chatted about other things for nearly half an hour, Alice hung up, glad she'd gone to Mark for encouragement. She had ten days until Christmas, and she was going to place all the dogs and cats if it took every free moment she had.

  True to her word, Viola was ready and waiting when Alice got back to Acorn Hill after her shift at the hospital.

  “I have a few prospects for you,” Viola said as she entered the passenger side of Alice's car. “I wrote down their addresses. Where do you want to start?”

  The bookstore owner carefully adjusted her long woolen skirt so it wouldn't pick up dampness from her dainty, high-heeled boots. Light snow had been falling all day, turning to slush as the temperature rose. It wasn't a pleasant day for house-to-house canvassing, and Alice was afraid her friend would soon be shivering in her forest-green waist-length jacket. Viola would fit in well in one of the Victorian novels she loved, but her outfit wasn't very practical for December in Pennsylvania. In fact, much as Alice appreciated her company, she was afraid her friend might fall in the impractical footgear.

  Fortunately, she had an alternative plan.

  “I called Dr. Blair. He's expecting us any minute now. Mark gave me the idea of talking to the vet first.”

  “Good plan!” Viola said enthusiastically. “Maybe he'll take a few himself. He's so good with my cats. Even Gatsby seems to like him.”

  When they got to the vet's parking lot, Alice came around the front of the car and gave Viola her arm. Much as she appreciated help on her project, she didn't want to be responsible for her friend falling. Although they were close to the same age, Viola was considerably heavier and not as steady on her feet.

  Still wearing his white lab coat, Dr. Casey Blair greeted them in his empty waiting room. He led them to his small office opposite the examining room.

  “Thank you for waiting for us,” Alice said.

  “No problem,” he said, pushing up his wire-framed glasses. “I have a surgery patient who needs watching for a while yet. In fact, there's so much hustle and bustle at my house, I'm in no hurry to go home. My in-laws are coming this weekend for the holiday, and my wife's mother is allergic to cat and dog dander. Kristin is doing all she can to make the house safe for her mother.”

  “That's a worry at the inn when we have a guest who's allergic,” Alice said. “We haven't had much success getting rid of Wendell's dander, but we try to keep him confined to areas where guests don't need to go.”

  “Well, I'm afraid Kristin's mother will have to rely on her allergy medicine, but my wife is cleaning from top to bottom,” Dr. Blair said. “Now what can I do for you?”

  “I've taken it upon myself—with help from Viola—to place all the cats and dogs at the animal shelter in homes for the holidays,” Alice explained.

  “Temporary adoptions?” The vet pursed his lips and looked skeptical. “I wish you luck, but this isn't a good time to introduce a pet into a household.”

  “I know,” Alice said. “But I can't get those poor caged animals out of my mind.”

  “It's worth a try, isn't it?” Viola asked.

  “Of course, and I'd be the first to take at least one cat if my mother-in-law wasn't coming. Is there any other way I can help you?”

  “We were hoping to get names of pet owners who suffered recent loses,” Viola said. “I know a new kitty is always a comfort to me when one of my cats passes on.”

  “Oh dear,” Dr. Craig said sounding distressed. “There's nothing I'd like better than to help you that way, but professional ethics won't let me reveal the names of people in my practice.”

  “Yes, I certainly understand medical ethics,” Alice said, trying to sound cheerful about it. “There's no reason why the rules shouldn't apply to a veterinary practice.”

  “Well, I wish you the best of luck. It's great of you ladies to take on a project like this. I know the shelter doesn't have the personnel to do it.”

  Walking back to the car, Alice tried not to be downhearted. Mark only worked in a zoo setting, so he couldn't know how conscientious their local vet was about privacy. Nonetheless, his idea had been worth a try. She still thought people who'd lost a pet would be ideal candidates to adopt a shelter animal.

  “What next?” Viola asked as she buckled the seat belt.

  “Let's make one more call. Whom do you think is most likely to say yes among those on your list?” Alice asked.

  “Maybe a family with children old enough to care for a pet themselves,” Viola suggested. “My neighbors certainly qualify, but perhaps I should speak to them alone. It would seem more casual, and I could give them time to think it over. If we both show up on their doorstep, I'm
afraid they'll immediately say no.”

  “Is there anyone on your list we should see together?” Alice asked, trying to rally her own enthusiasm.

  “I'm nearly out of my favorite blend of tea,” Viola said. “Why don't we stop at Time for Tea. Wilhelm Wood is a lovely man. Maybe he'd like to bring a cat home for Christmas.”

  Alice doubted the owner of the shop would be interested in a pet since he traveled extensively, but she parked near his store and again helped Viola navigate the slush that was beginning to freeze solid on the street and sidewalks.

  The shop was empty except for a young clerk, but Alice did enjoy inhaling the exotic fragrance.

  “Is Mr. Wood in town?” Viola asked after selecting several boxes of tea.

  “No, I'm sorry. He's spending the holiday season in Iceland. Something about wanting to see a hotel carved out of ice,” the girl said. “Will there be anything else?”

  While Viola paid for her purchases, Alice decided to buy a box of chamomile tea. At the moment she couldn't imagine anything more pleasant than a long soak in a hot tub and a fragrant cup of tea.

  “You wouldn't like to adopt a cat or dog for the holidays, would you?” Viola asked the clerk.

  “Ah, no,” the startled young woman said. “I'm afraid my birds would be a tempting lunch for anything with fur.”

  Viola left the shop in high spirits, but Alice couldn't share her enthusiasm. Obviously they needed a better system for finding potential people to adopt pets.

  “Shall we try the bakery?” Viola asked. “I might pick up some of their delicious poppy-seed rolls for dinner.”

  “If you like,” Alice agreed.

  As she expected, the clerk at the Good Apple bakery had no interest in a pet, but Viola got a bag of nice rolls. She was happy to let her friend shop, but it wasn't getting them any closer to success with the shelter animals.

  “It's nearly dinnertime,” Alice said, giving up for the day and driving Viola to her shop to get her car.

  Snow was coming down harder, and the leaden sky above matched Alice's mood. It was going to be very hard to persuade people to take a temporary pet when her own sister didn't see merit in the plan. Jane hadn't objected, but she was obviously snowed under with decorating the inn and baking cookies, including some for Louise's concert.

  “Did you have any luck placing shelter animals?” Louise asked over a simple meal of baked fish and roasted vegetables.

  “Afraid not,” Alice admitted.

  “If it were summer–” her older sister started to say.

  “Yes,” Alice agreed. “It is going to be hard to convince people at this time of year. I wish I could show animal lovers how dismal it is for friendly pups and abandoned kitties to be caged up at the shelter for Christmas.”

  “I don't think the animals know it's Christmas,” Jane commented mildly.

  At that moment Wendell pranced into the kitchen with his tail held high. In spite of her discouragement, Alice had to smile at his antics. He was king of the inn, no doubt about that. It would require a lot of patience and work to introduce a rival into his domain, but she liked to believe the inn was large enough for family, guests, and a visitor from the shelter. Jane adored cats and wouldn't be hard to convince, but she couldn't blame Louise for not wanting a new pet when she was working so hard on her concert.

  “What are you going to do next?” Jane asked.

  “I can't do much until I begin my vacation next week,” Alice conceded. “But I fervently believe the Lord looks down with favor on those who care for the least of his creatures. I'm not going to give up.”

  “Somehow I didn't think you would,” Louise said with a broad smile while Jane nodded agreement.

  “The results are disappointing so far,” Alice said as she and Vera conferred with Viola on Saturday, the first day of Vera's winter vacation.

  Although the store had just opened, several people were already browsing the well-stocked shelves. It was easy to see that Viola wasn't going to have much time to think about the shelter pets one week before Christmas.

  “How many are left?” Viola asked between helping customers locate what they wanted.

  “All but one,” Alice said. “I did persuade a nurse on my shift to take a cat for her aunt. She's going to stop by the shelter and pick the one she wants.”

  “So that's one down, fifteen to go, if you count cats and dogs,” Viola said with a worried frown. “I wish I could help you more, but as you see, this is a really busy time for me.”

  “I'm glad to see it,” Vera said. “Books make wonderful gifts. In fact, I may come back later to see if I can finish my Christmas shopping here.”

  “You've already been a big help,” Alice said, smiling at the cat flyers tacked on the framed pictures of Viola's favorite classic authors. “The black cat does look a little like Poe if you look at it just right.”

  Both of her friends chuckled, then Viola had to scurry away to help a potential buyer.

  “Let's finish our walk,” Vera suggested. “Maybe the crisp, cold air will inspire us.”

  “More likely it will freeze our toes and fingers,” Alice said, not in her usual cheerful mood. She picked up her canvas bag with the extra supply of flyers, but obviously Viola didn't need more yet.

  “One of the clerks at Fred's store is tempted to take a cat,” Vera said as they walked, “but her husband isn't keen on the idea. We'll see what happens there.”

  “Oh dear,” Alice said. “I knew placing pets would be a hard sell, but I didn't expect it to be impossible. I prayed about it, but I'm still fresh out of good ideas.”

  Walking beside Vera in the downtown area, Alice suddenly came to a stop.

  “Isn't that a wonderful display?” Vera asked, following Alice's gaze to a store window decorated with angel figurines.

  “That's what the shelter animals need,” Alice said, excited by a new idea. “Guardian angels.”

  Vera gave her a puzzled look but didn't say anything.

  “And I know just where to find them,” Alice said, feeling more optimistic than she had in days.

  “Guardian angels for dogs and cats? I know you love animals, but–”

  “My ANGELs!” Alice exclaimed.

  “Do you mean the middle-school girls in your church group?” Vera asked. “Yes, I can see where they might be helpful if their parents approve.”

  “I've had wonderful support from parents in the past,” Alice said. “I'll ask their permission before I get the girls too involved, but this could be the answer.”

  “Yes, children seem to have a natural affinity for animals, especially cute cuddly ones like our kitties and pups,” Vera said. “Are you meeting with the ANGELs this week?”

  “Not officially, although most of them are signed up to help with Christmas festivities at Grace Chapel. As soon as I get home,” she said, resuming their walk, “I'm going to make some phone calls.”

  The rest of the walk went by quickly, and Alice hardly noticed her numb toes and stinging fingers. She was heated up by enthusiasm and could barely wait to enroll her ANGELs in the project.

  When she and Vera parted near the inn, Alice decided to talk to the Matthews family in person if they were home. They lived fairly close to the inn, and she was too fired up to mind a few extra blocks of walking. Their daughter Sissy was a sweet, helpful girl who regularly attended ANGELs' activities. She might even be willing to call a few of the group for Alice. Making ten calls could take quite a while, and Alice would feel a bit guilty if she didn't help Jane for at least part of the day. They still had guests booked through Wednesday.

  When she got to the Matthews' cozy clapboard house with a picket fence surrounding their lot, Alice couldn't help but see the yard as a good place for a dog to play. Whether they were willing to take a pet on a trial basis was another thing, but at least it was worth a try.

  Sissy's brother answered the doorbell and invited her into the front room. He was around ten, with reddish-blond hair and a sprinkling o
f freckles that made him look mischievous, but he couldn't have been more polite. It was a good beginning, though Alice really needed to talk to his parents.

  “Are Sissy and your parents home?” she asked when he looked inclined to leave her by herself.

  “Yeah, Mom is.” He gave a loud yell, and Mrs. Matthews quickly came into the room.

  “Oh, Miss Howard, Sissy is out back taking out the trash. I'll call her.”

  “Just a minute,” Alice quickly said. “There's something I should ask you first.”

  After briefly explaining her goal of placing shelter animals for Christmas, Alice held her breath for a reaction.

  “That's a lovely idea,” Sissy's mother said.

  “I can show you some photos with information about them,” Alice said, glad she had a supply with her.

  Sissy came into the room, her cheeks bright red from the winter chill, and dropped her vibrant pink jacket on the nearest chair so she could look at the picture with her mother.

  “We've been wanting a dog for ages,” Sissy said with a beseeching look at her mother.”

  “It's a big decision,” Mrs. Matthews said. “I would only adopt one if both you and Charles promised to be responsible for it.”

  Her son crowded close to go through the pictures, and the two siblings began picking favorites.

  “That's the nice thing about this idea,” Alice pointed out. “You're under no obligation to keep the animal after Christmas. Think of it as a temporary adoption. There has to be a good fit between people and their pet, so there's no pressure to keep one if it doesn't work out.”

  “I have to admit I like the sound of that,” Mrs. Matthews said.

  “Look at this one, Mom,” Sissy said, holding up a flyer for her mother to see.

  “It's a pointer-setter mix,” Alice said, “so we've decided to call him ‘Pointsetter' in honor of the Christmas plant.”

  “I love him already,” Sissy said, echoed by her brother.

  “Well, if it's only for a week or so, I guess we could have a trial visit if both of you promise to do all the work yourselves,” their mother said with a loving glance at her children.