by Susan Rohrer
With that, Joan guided Merry out back. She grabbed a wad of tissue along the way and handed it to Merry. “There you go.”
Merry wiped her face. She blew her reddened nose. “Thanks for letting me come here. I didn’t know where else to—”
“You can come here anytime,” Joan assured.
“No matter what dishes he buys?”
“No matter what,” Joan replied. “Always. You hear me?”
Merry stepped away, out of the class’s earshot. “I really thought we were connecting, but I...I must have read him all wrong,” she rued. “Guess I just got caught up in this ridiculous hope that he could actually love me, that I could somehow be part of this family.”
Joan took Merry’s face in her hands and looked her square in the eyes. “You are part of this family,” she insisted. “Just a couple of weeks and... Look at this.” Joan showed Merry a shelf of freshly thrown plates, drying on a nearby rack.
Merry looked on, amazed. “You made those?”
“That’s right. I made them because of you,” Joan replied. “And there’s a piece of you in every one they’ll eat off, every single Christmas from now on. China or no china, Merry, you’ve already put your fingerprints all over us.”
The faintest kind of hope broke through Merry’s tears. “I have?”
Joan nodded. “We’ve needed you, Merry. We still need you. Whether my blind-as-a-bat son can see it or not.”
♥ ♥ ♥
Later that afternoon, Tara and Ollie led a blindfolded Merry up the attic stairs.
“Are you taking me where I think you’re taking me?” Merry inquired.
Ollie replied in his deepest belly-shaking voice. “Ho, ho, ho! Might be someplace secret!”
Tara whipped around to her brother. “Shhh! Hayden will hear.”
Feeling her way toward the landing at the top, Merry tripped, and then righted herself.
Ceremoniously, Tara reached to untie Merry’s blindfold. “And now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for,” Tara announced with a signal to Ollie. “Cue the silent drum roll.”
Ollie beat his leg like an imaginary drum, then hit an air cymbal. “Ching!”
Tara adopted a dramatic air, “Presenting...” Then she ripped off Merry’s blindfold and flicked on the lights.
Merry scanned the completely redecorated attic, agape. Tara had done absolute wonders. “It’s like...a Christmas miracle!” Merry exclaimed.
Tara shrugged with wry confidence. “Not exactly my taste, but I think the cave-dweller will like it.”
That evening, the Bells served up dinner off the stove as Merry gathered her things to head to the diner for a couple of hours work.
Joan ladled a hearty chili into the family’s waiting bowls. “You sure you can’t stay, Merry?”
“Gramma made brownies for dessert,” Ollie enthused.
“Come on, Merry. Stay,” Tara coaxed. “Why not?”
Daniel picked up an extra bowl and offered it to Merry. “Please. There’s plenty.”
Merry put up a polite hand of refusal. Staying for dinner would be too hard for her on this particular night. “Thanks, but Friday nights are busy at the diner and I promised Arthur—”
“Ooh, Arthur,” Hayden teased. “Who is this Arthur?”
Merry shook her head, “Oh, no. No, no. He’s...”
Merry could feel Daniel watching as she exchanged an awkward glance with Joan. Tara gave Ollie an “I dunno” shrug.
Daniel smiled inquisitively, “Merry, have you been keeping something from us? Mom, what do you know?”
Feigning sincerity, Hayden pretended to swoon. “Is he super-duper dreamy?”
“No, really,” Merry defended. “He’s just my other boss.”
“Oooh...workplace romance,” Hayden toyed. “Scandalous!”
“Guys!” Merry blurted. “I’m not interested in Arthur.”
A hopeful look crossed Ollie’s face. “So, who are you interested in?”
Suddenly, the teasing stopped as everyone waited for an answer to Ollie’s question. Merry shot a panicky look at Joan as Tara smacked Ollie upside the head.
Joan grabbed some tongs, “Ollie, dear, don’t you want some salad?”
Grateful for the reprieve, Merry backed toward the door. “You know what? I’m just going to go. But I will see you all bright and early, dressed and ready for a little hunting expedition. You, too, Daniel. Remember, this is a whole family deal.”
“Wouldn’t miss it,” Daniel replied. “I invited Catherine, too. I hope that’s okay.”
Merry polled the family’s faces. Hayden rolled her eyes. Tara grimaced. Ollie gagged. Even Joan’s expression was lackluster. With everything she had, Merry willed herself to muster support. “As they say, the more the merrier.”
Daniel turned to his kids. “I know you’re all just getting to know Catherine, but give it a little time,” he assured. “She’ll fit right in.”
When it had rained overnight, Merry had been a little concerned about the outing she’d planned, but the showers had given way to the brightest of blue skies by Saturday morning. How long it had been since the family had gone anywhere together, Merry didn’t know, but from the sounds of things, it seemed as if it’d been a very long while. At any rate, there was no shortage of animated chatter in the Range Rover as Daniel drove them out of town to their destination: a large hillside Christmas tree farm.
As soon as Daniel parked, the Bell clan burst out of the auto and onto the softened sandy road by the farm’s gate. Old sneakers and hiking shoes hit the ground running. As Merry and the family set out, Daniel circled the car and opened the passenger door for Catherine. He offered her his hand as she stepped out onto the road, shod in high-heeled calfskin boots.
Squish!
“Oh, my,” Catherine reacted as her designer footprint sunk into the moist roadbed.
“Here. Take my arm,” Daniel offered.
Joan grabbed the photo op with her camera. “Lovely boots, dear. You’ll have to tell me where you got them.”
As they started down the road, Merry and Joan shared a knowing glance as Catherine attempted to keep up with the kids, who were already heading toward the hillside tree farm. Daniel willingly extended his arm for Catherine, but with each step, her slender heels sunk deep into the soft dirt.
Catherine turned penitently to Daniel. “I don’t know what I was thinking.”
Daniel offered his arm. “That’s quite all right. Here. I’ll help you.”
Galloping ahead, Ollie called back to the family. “Come on! Hurry!”
“Plenty of trees here, Ollie,” Daniel called.
“Yeah, but we have to get the best one,” Ollie reminded.
Feeling awful for Catherine, Merry sidled up to her. “You can wear my boots if you want.”
Catherine took a gander at Merry’s thrift store combat boots. “Oh, no. I couldn’t,” she demured.
“My socks are plenty thick,” Merry explained. “I can just wear them and throw them in the wash later.”
Catherine waved Merry off. “No, no. You go. Please.” Catherine turned to Daniel, clearly embarrassed. “I’m so sorry, Daniel. Go on. Find something wonderful. I’ll wait here.”
Minus Catherine, the Bells happily tromped up the tree-covered hillside. Merry conducted them in song as they hiked, her voice ringing across the hillside:
O, Christmas tree
O, Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches
Ba-da-dee-da-dee-da-dee-dah
I do not know the other words
“Everybody!” Merry called out, returning to the familiar lyrics of the chorus. All the Bells joined in singing. Even Hayden, a little:
O, Christmas tree
O, Christmas tree
How lovely are thy branches
It was a wonderland of balsam and fir, but Ollie’s eyes lit up, seeing a towering scotch pine. “Dad, look! Look! That’s it!”
Daniel shielded his eyes from the sun as he surve
yed the sky-scraping selection. “Impressive, but we’d have to vault the ceiling for that one.”
Suddenly, Tara stopped in her tracks. “Oh, seriously. Everybody freeze!” Tara ordered. “There it is. That’s our tree. It’s just like Mom used to get us.” Tara pointed joyfully to a lovely balsam fir, fanning her brimming eyes. The family gazed at the tree with fond recognition. Tara was right. In the best sort of way, it brought Amanda’s memory into the season.
Moments later, Merry set up a family photo around the Bell’s chosen tree. “Closer, everybody. You, too, Hayden.”
“I’m leaving space for you,” Hayden explained.
“That’s okay. I’ll just take the picture,” Merry replied.
Quickly, Joan called out. “Set the timer and run over.”
Daniel motioned Merry over enthusiastically. “Yeah. You should be in this, too.”
Shyly grateful to be included, Merry set the timer. She dashed over as the family counted down.
“Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two...”
Merry slid into place, just in the nick of time. Though the air was brisk, something in her melted inside as Daniel put a hand on her shoulder and the camera snapped the shot.
Back at the foot of the hill, Merry stood with Daniel as he settled up for their purchase. As soon as Merry saw the tree farmer reach for a sprig of mistletoe, she saw it coming. She tried to wave the farmer off, but before she could, he playfully dangled it over them.
“Should I throw in a little mistletoe for you and the missus?” he teased.
Merry took an awkward step away.
Daniel quickly sputtered, “Oh, she’s not...we’re not—”
“Just the tree is fine, thanks,” Merry replied before wandering aside.
The tree farmer laughed heartily at his gaffe. “She’s a honey, all right. The tree, that is. I’ll have her dug, bagged up, and delivered by sundown tomorrow.”
Ollie pulled at Merry’s coat. “Aren’t we going to chop it down?”
Merry leaned down to Ollie. “These trees stay alive. We’ll plant it in the yard after, to grow, maybe tall as that other one you spotted.”
As they all headed toward the car, Daniel turned to Merry. “This is so much better than a cut tree lot. How’d you find this place?”
Merry exchanged a grin with her collaborator. “Actually, Hayden found it for me. On the Net. Her gift to the family.”
Pleased, Daniel took a gander at his melancholy baby. “Well, how about that. Getting into the swing of things after all, aren’t you?”
Hayden shuffled along, chagrined. “Maybe a little.”
Merry poked Hayden playfully. “There it is, again. Blinding, that smile!”
Hayden broke into a snarky grin as Ollie bounded ahead with glee. “Ho, ho, ho! Merrrrrrry Christmas!” he shouted.
As they headed down the dirt road to the car, Joan and Merry brought up the rear. Joan threw an affectionate arm around Merry’s shoulders. “You really are quite something,” Joan assured.
Merry walked arm-in-arm with Joan, all the way to the car. Joan drew Merry especially close as Daniel greeted Catherine. “You okay?” she whispered.
Merry nodded, then climbed into the back seat. She realized that, despite her disappointment with Daniel, something very meaningful had taken root with Joan. Never in all of her life had Merry felt so cared for by an older woman. Joan was right. There was something very special between them, a kinship that transcended the seasonal bounds of temporary jobs or even blood relations. Maybe this is what it feels like to be adopted, Merry thought. Maybe this is what it’s like to have a mother.
ten
What exactly it was about classic carols that made it feel all the more like Christmas, Merry didn’t know. But as soon as she brought the turntable in from the garage and began to play their old holiday albums, something palpable changed in the Bell household. The sound of those songs filled the living room and the Spirit of the season came with them.
It might have been three years since they’d decorated a Christmas tree together, but as soon as their chosen fir was set in place, each family member found a way to contribute to the festivities. Tara helped her Dad wire the tree with vintage bubble lights. Joan tucked a skirt her mother had quilted around the tree’s base. Merry and Ollie hung ornaments, blending family favorites from years past with their new broken china creations. Hayden connected the train cars and set them up to circle around the perimeter. Catherine settled into a soft chair, stringing cranberries together with popcorn.
Once the lights were in place, Daniel pulled out the old star they’d always put at the top of the tree. “So, who’s going to do the honors?” he asked.
Ollie raised his hand immediately. “I will! I will!”
“You should, Daniel,” Merry suggested.
“No, no,” Daniel insisted. “Their mom always had us settle this by acclaim.” With that, Daniel raised the star over his son’s head. “Everyone for Ollie.”
Ollie egged on enthusiastic clapping. Merry put two fingers in her mouth and added a sharp whistle. Next, Daniel moved the star over his mom, then Tara and Hayden. One by one, all received supportive hoots and hollers. Even Catherine got a modicum of polite applause.
Daniel stopped and scanned the group. “Now, let’s see. Who haven’t we tried?”
“Merry! Try Merry!” Ollie exclaimed.
Merry shyly deferred. “No, really.”
Suddenly, Tara began to chant Merry’s name. Ollie, Joan and Hayden joined in. “Mer-ry! Mer-ry! Mer-ry! Mer-ry!”
“The tribe has spoken,” Daniel joked, and with a polite bow, he handed the star to Merry.
Merry shot a concerned glance at Catherine. “Don’t you want to do this?”
Catherine masked her feelings well. “No, no. Go ahead. I have my hands full here.”
Joan took a seat by Catherine. “Here, let me help you with that,” she offered.
Daniel steadied the ladder beside the tree as Merry climbed. When she reached the next to the last step, Merry saw that the treetop was still out of reach. “Remind me to ask for stilts next year,” she said.
“Hey, you could borrow Catherine’s boots,” Hayden teased, enjoying the snickers it drew from her siblings.
“Okay, okay. I know I deserved that,” smiled Catherine.
Daniel looked up at Merry. “We’ll get you there,” he promised, turning to his daughter. “Hayden, hold this, will you?”
Hayden secured the ladder. Daniel extended his hand to Merry, steadying her to mount the top step. “Here you go,” he offered.
“Here I go,” Merry echoed, climbing to the tiptop. “Oh, boy...” Merry stretched to set the star. It was still a bit precarious.
“Wait a sec,” Daniel instructed. “I got you.”
Daniel took hold of Merry’s waist to steady her, wreaking jolly havoc on her heart. Supported by Daniel, Merry leaned to place the star. She slid it into place, provoking a round of jubilant cheers.
But... As Merry turned, beaming, she started to wobble.
“Wuh-oh!” Hayden blurted, grabbing for the ladder too late.
Merry swung her arms to right herself, but it was to no avail.
“Timber!” Ollie shouted. As if in slow motion, the Bells tried to prevent the inevitable. Catherine jumped out of the fray. Daniel dove as Merry tumbled headlong from the ladder, the light cord pulling the tree down. Daniel caught Merry as she fell, and the whole family dominoed to the floor, convulsing with laughter.
The next thing Merry knew, she was flat on the carpet, face to face with Daniel, entwined in his arms, the tree on top of them. Merry couldn’t help the sparks that flew inside her.
Daniel held Merry’s gaze while Joan helped the kids pull the fallen tree off of them. “You okay?” he checked.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Merry answered. “I’m good.”
In seconds, the tree was righted. Merry sat up and Daniel rose to help the kids reset the tree. It had only been a momen
t, but Merry had seen the look on Catherine’s face.
Catherine had been gracious. She’d resumed stringing popcorn with cranberries without a word. Still, Merry knew that the incident had far from escaped her notice.
♥ ♥ ♥
Catherine parked her Mercedes outside Arthur’s Downtown Diner. Warily, she eyed the sketchy neighborhood. Sparse streetlights cast an amber glow over a part of town Catherine never visited at night, not unless absolutely necessary. She sat for a moment, hoping against hope that the homeless man out front would go away.
He didn’t.
As scary as it was to contemplate leaving the safety of her car, it was all the more frightening for Catherine to let her mission go unaccomplished, so she opened the door and got out. Immediately, the homeless man took a step in her direction and held up his “Will Work For Food” sign. Spooked by him, she quickly set her alarm.
“Name’s Skeeter, Ma’am. Sure is a pretty car,” the homeless man noted. “I’ll wash the windshield for you, if you want.”
Catherine snugged her purse under her arm. “No, but thank you,” she answered. Unnerved, she hustled into the diner, more than a bit ruffled.
As she entered the diner’s door, Catherine startled to the ho, ho, ho! of the kitschy plastic Santa by the register. Rankled all the more, Catherine scanned the diner. Seeing her, Kiki approached.
“Hello,” Catherine started. “I won’t be dining. I just—”
At that moment, Merry exited the kitchen and Catherine quickly caught her eye. Merry waved congenially, then poured coffee for her customer.
Catherine glanced out the window, checking on her car. She spoke in confidential tones to Kiki. “I don’t mean to... Is my car safe? That man out there, he—”
Kiki interrupted with a chuckle. “Skeeter? Oh, he’s harmless.”
“Well, would you mind keeping an eye out?” Catherine requested, handing Kiki a ten.
Kiki slyly accepted the cash. “Let’s just ask him to.” With that, Kiki took Catherine’s money and leaned out the front door, setting off the plastic Santa’s ho, ho, ho-ing yet again. “Hey, Skeet,” Kiki called. “Watch this lady’s car.”