A Christmas Star

by Judith Keim

  “Do you remember what they were called?”

  “Ginger cookies. My mother was a wonderful baker. I love cookies.”

  Noelle pulled her cell phone out of her pants pocket and punched in the cell number Brett had given her.

  “Yes, boss lady?”

  “We need to add ginger cookies to the list. Molasses, too. Althea loves cookies. Thanks!” Noelle clicked off the call before Brett could tease her again. She wasn’t that bossy, was she?

  Althea stared at the cell phone. “I used to have one of those. But I like the kind that hangs on the wall, like the one I had at my old house.”

  “Where was that?” Noelle asked, allowing Althea time to drift in the past.

  “We lived outside the City, on Long Island. Jacob used to come there on the weekends. The hotel business is very busy he always used to say.” Althea closed her eyes.

  When Althea remained quiet, Noelle rose to her feet. “I’ll get you a snack now. Lunch will be a few minutes later.”

  “Ginger cookies. I like cookies.”

  “I’ll do my best, Althea, and then we’d better take care of you.”

  Althea nodded. “Thank you, Mrs. Bertram. I told Mama you’d help.”

  ###

  Silas sat at the kitchen table eating lunch while Noelle put away the groceries with Brett’s help.

  “For someone who doesn’t know how to cook, you sure know how to organize the kitchen,” said Brett, munching on a slice of ham.

  “I can cook a little,” Noelle admitted. “I just don’t like doing it. But I don’t mind doing all the rest.”

  “My Dad is a good cook,” said Silas.

  Surprised, Noelle glanced at Brett.

  He grinned and nodded. “One of Jake’s many talents. See why I never bothered to learn beyond the very basics?”

  “How much older is Jake than you?” Noelle asked.

  “Five years. But don’t remind him. He hated turning forty.” He straightened. “This has been fun, but I’ve got to get to work. I’ll be using the office here near Nana. Okay with you two?”

  “Can Noelle and I go swimming now?” said Silas.

  “Sure. If anything comes up with Nana, I’ll come get you.”

  “Yay!” cried Silas. “C’mon, Noelle, let’s get changed.”

  “Okay,” said Noelle, smiling when Duke got to his feet and gazed up at her with expectation. “You can come too!”

  Duke wagged his tail and trotted toward the porch as Silas tugged Noelle up the stairs.

  Inside the master bedroom, Noelle changed into her bathing suit—not the skimpy two piece she’d brought for sunbathing, but a one-piece with sexy cutouts that revealed nothing.

  She found where the beach towels were kept and grabbed two.

  Silas stood beside her, rocking back and forth on his feet with excitement. Observing him, tenderness filled her for the young boy who seemed so alone. “Let’s get sunscreen on you, and then we’ll be ready to go.”

  In the kitchen, Silas showed her where the sunscreen was kept. She helped him rub it onto his fair skin.

  “How about you?” Silas said.

  “Yes, I need some too.”

  “Can I help you?” said Brett walking into the room and giving her an appraising look.

  Heat filled her cheeks. Noelle knew she wasn’t ugly, but she wasn’t close to being one of those bathing suit models on the cover of one of the magazines guys seemed to like. The best compliments she got were centered around “cute.”

  “Hand me the spray can and I’ll do your back,” Brett said. The grin he gave her was playful.

  With no other choice but Silas, she handed it over.

  Feeling his hands on her back, she wondered about his love life. He’d made no mention of any other women. In fact, he’d told her almost nothing about his life in Miami, New York, or London.

  He patted her on the back. “That part’s done. If you want help with any others, I’m here.”

  She shook her head. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve got it.” She turned to find him grinning at her. The kind of sexy grin that caused her to blush again.

  Silas tugged on her hand. “Hurry, Noelle. I want to get outside.”

  Brett looked at Silas. “Okay, I’ll leave you two alone.”

  Intrigued by the way he’d made her feel, Noelle watched Brett until she reminded herself that this vacation was about being nice to herself. That didn’t include being attracted to the kind of guy who’d hurt her in the past.

  Outside, the sun shone brightly, lightening her mood. The boy and the dog running beside her on the white sand reminded her of summer days in her youth when the family would vacation on Cape Cod. Silas broke into a run toward the water. “Hold on!” She picked up her pace and met him at the water’s edge.

  The beach in front of Althea’s house on this weekday was empty of sunbathers, giving them room to play with the dog. The minute Silas held up the ball in his hand, Duke barked and pranced anxiously for Silas to throw it.

  Noelle took a seat on one of the towels. Observing Silas and Duke at play, she wondered what it would be like to have a family of her own. At thirty-two, she felt her biological clock ticking. Yet, she wouldn’t, couldn’t, rush into anything.

  Duke’s racing after the ball started to slow down. Noelle checked the time on her phone and was surprised to see how late it was. She called to Silas, and he reluctantly followed her up to the house. Tonight, she was responsible for making dinner and she wanted to make sure it would be a decent one.

  After Noelle was dressed and saw that Silas had changed into his clothes, she headed downstairs to check on Althea. When she walked into her room, Althea smiled at her.

  “Hello, Noelle.”

  Surprised and pleased, Noelle responded. “How was your nap? You look refreshed.”

  “Very nice. That other woman gave me too much medicine.”

  “I think so,” Noelle responded. She’d make sure Jake was aware of that too. Someone like Betty Wickstrom shouldn’t be allowed near patients, much less take care of them.

  Noelle helped Althea to the bathroom and got her settled in a rocking chair in the living room. “I’d like to see you out of your wheelchair as soon as possible. I’ll talk to Brett about getting a physical therapist to help you.”

  Althea’s eyes widened and then filled with tears.

  Noelle realized then that Althea’s mental issues may have been compounded by too much medication. She turned on a television program and found one that Althea wanted to see and left the room to fetch her a healthy snack.

  She passed the office door and turned around. She knocked on the French door and waited for Brett to acknowledge her. He lifted his head, smiled, and waved her inside.

  “What’s up?”

  Noelle told him of her suspicions Althea might not be as mentally impaired as they’d previously thought, that the medications she’d been given had muddled her mind more than usual, and a physical therapist might be able to help Althea move better.

  Brett leaned back in his desk chair and gazed at her. “You sure know how to stir things up, but it’s all good. I’ll make a few calls to find someone to come in. I also have hired a new housekeeper. She’ll start on Monday and will watch over Silas too. Over the weekends and on her off days, kitchen cleanup and watching Silas will be part of the nurse’s job. Does that sound reasonable?”

  “Yes. Make sure Silas is comfortable with both before hiring. If he’s to be left here alone, it’s important.”

  Brett frowned. “Jake had no choice but to leave Silas here for his school’s winter break. I told him I’d help, and Jake will come to Florida as often as he can. It’s the best idea the two of us could come up with. Silas’s school has cooperated. His teacher has given him homework and projects for the couple of weeks he’ll miss class.”

  “With all that’s happening in your business and with the worry of your parents, it certainly has to be difficult.”

  Brett looked at her though
tfully. “Silas loves you. Would you consider being a nanny of sorts? You know, spend several hours a day with him? We’d compensate you well to do it.”

  Noelle clamped her hands on her hips and glared at him. “What is it with you Bellingham men? I love Silas and had planned to do things on my own with him. And I don’t need your money to make me do it. Understand?”

  Brett held up his hands to ward off her reply. “Whoa! I didn’t see that coming. That’s not how people usually respond.”

  “Well, I can’t help how I feel.” Noelle turned and left the office. People with money sometimes thought they owned the world. Well, they don’t own me!

  ###

  Dinner that night turned out to be one of Noelle’s better attempts—a chicken casserole that her mother liked to make. It was super easy and downright delicious. Maybe because it was one of the first things she’d learned to make back when she had the time to fuss over meals for herself.

  She was pleased when Brett asked for seconds. And when Silas declared it was the best meal he’d ever eaten, she was thrilled by the praise. Maybe cooking wasn’t as bad as she’d thought.

  Later, when she was preparing to go up to her room to read, Silas hurried over to her. “Will you read me a story?”

  “Of course. Why don’t you brush your teeth and get in your pajamas, and then I’ll come to your room? Pick one of your favorite books.”

  “A big, thick book?” Silas shot her a mischievous look.

  “If it’s a really long story, we’ll read a couple of chapters each night until it’s time for me to leave.”

  “Leave? But I don’t want you to leave. I want you to stay here,” Silas said. His lower lip jutted out quivering a bit.

  Noelle put an arm around him. “We’re friends, right?”

  He gazed at her and nodded.

  She smiled down at him. “We can be friends here or elsewhere. Don’t worry, we’ll work things out.”

  His green eyes settled on her with hope.

  She hugged him, wondering how this little boy had wheedled his way into her heart so quickly.

  Upstairs, Noelle sat in a chair next to Silas’s bed, reading aloud a story about a boy named Harry. Silas listened intently and then his eyes began to close. Noelle closed the book and quietly rose to her feet.

  Silas’s eyelids fluttered. Then he opened his eyes. “Noelle? Do you believe in Christmas magic?”

  Taken aback, Noelle said, “I used to. Why?”

  “My mother loved Christmas the best of all. Will you help me decorate a tree for Christmas? Dad and I haven’t had a Christmas tree since Mom died.” The pleading in his voice and the beseeching look on his face made her uncomfortable. This was her time to be free of Christmas and all the memories of the one that had gone bad.

  “We’ll talk about it tomorrow,” said Noelle. Maybe by then she’d come up with a reasonable excuse to bow out of it gracefully.

  “Okay,” Silas said with resignation. Noelle knew by the sound of his voice and the way his shoulders slumped that he missed doing a lot of things he’d done in the past. Was Jake Bellingham so busy, so unfeeling he couldn’t see what his son needed?

  Noelle bent over and kissed the top of Silas’s head. “Good night. See you tomorrow.”

  “No! Say that thing about the ’gator,” said Silas.

  “Oh, okay. See you later, alligator.”

  Silas smiled and rolled over in his bed.

  Later, lying in the large bed in the master suite, Noelle stared up at the ceiling fan whirling slowly above her. Being with Silas and his family had turned what should have been a vacation into a bucket-load of worries. And it was all her doing.

  ###

  Noelle awoke to gray skies and a stiff Gulf breeze off the water. A perfect day to stay inside,” she thought, climbing out of bed. She put on a robe and ran a brush through her blond curls, bemoaning the way the salt air had formed them tighter. Wondering how Althea had fared in the night, she hurried downstairs.

  At the bottom of the stairway she heard deep voices in the kitchen and went to investigate.

  “Here she is,” said Brett. He was wearing jeans, a T-shirt, and a smug smile.

  The man next to him was dressed in tan slacks and a button-down shirt that looked newly pressed. He was taller and broader than Brett—an imposing figure. His dark-brown hair held a touch of red and was slicked back above chiseled, classic features. Steely-gray eyes settled on her with a steady, cool stare.

  Straightening, doing her best to seem professional while in her pajamas, she held out her hand. “You must be Silas’s father. Glad to meet you, Mr. Bellingham.”

  He gripped her hand. “Ah, I get to meet the bossy nurse at last. It’s been what? Three days? And you’ve changed everything around. I went to climb into my bed late last night only to discover my bedroom is now upstairs, and it isn’t the master suite.”

  “I put her there,” said Brett coming to her defense. “But the other stuff is on her.” He winked at her.

  Noelle pressed her lips together. His actions were something one of her brothers would do—help her out and then shove her under the bus.

  “I need to talk to you about a lot of things,” said Noelle, striving to be businesslike, while her hand burned in his.

  “I bet you do,” said Jake, studying her with an expression that wasn’t all that friendly.

  Noelle swallowed hard and then spoke in what she hoped was a strong voice. “Before we talk, I need to check on Althea. I’ll be right back.”

  The surprise on Jake’s face was almost comical. Clearly, no one got away with telling him anything.

  Noelle hurried out of the room before he could call her back.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  When Noelle returned to the kitchen some forty minutes later, Jake was sitting at the kitchen table with Silas. Still in her robe, she realized it was not a suitable appearance for a business discussion, but what choice did she have?

  “I’m sorry it’s taken so long,” she told Jake, “but Althea wanted to get dressed and now I have to take breakfast to her.”

  Silas leaped off his chair and rushed over to her. “Hi, Noelle. Dad’s here. I told him I want you to be my new mother.”

  Noelle’s jaw dropped. It took her a few seconds to recover. “Silas, honey, I’m just a visitor here on vacation for a few weeks.”

  “I know,” said Silas, giving her a warm smile and hugging her around the waist.

  Noelle gave Jake a helpless look.

  “Silas, enough. Come finish your breakfast,” Jake said in a commanding voice that made Silas drop his arms and turn away from her.

  Silent, still shaken, Noelle began to put together a simple breakfast for Althea.

  Jake cleared his throat. “Why don’t we meet in, say, twenty minutes in my office? We’ll have more privacy there.”

  “Me, too, Dad!” cried Silas.

  “As soon as Noelle and I are through with our talk, you and I will have time for a talk of our own.”

  “Okaaay,” said Silas. “Then can we play a game together? I’ve learned a new one.”

  “We’ll see, buddy. I have work to do.”

  Disappointment washed over Silas’s face, but he nodded. Noelle was sure Silas heard this a lot, and her heart went out to him.

  ###

  After Althea finished her meal another forty minutes later, Noelle raced into the shower and dressed quickly. She told herself it didn’t really matter what she looked like, she was merely the help. But that didn’t stop her from taking extra care with her hair or putting on lipstick in a warm coral shade.

  When she walked into the office, Jake eyed her and nodded. “That’s better. Now, let’s get to that talk. Brett and I discussed the changes in the room arrangements and we agree that it’s much nicer for Nana to be on the ground floor. I understand he’s also hired a housekeeper. What we need to do now is hire a nurse or two. By the way, I checked your credentials, and I must say, they’re impressive. But Brett informed me
that you are not interested in a job here, that you’re in Florida for a vacation as you told me.”

  “Right. And when a new caretaker is hired, you will make sure it’s with Silas’s approval, won’t you?”

  Jake frowned at her. “His approval?”

  Noelle hesitated for just a second or two. “This isn’t a great place for a young child alone, with no active family members around. He’ll want to be comfortable with the staff, especially after dealing with Mrs. Wickstrom. Are you aware he had to hide under the bed to avoid her bad temper?”

  The color drained from Jake’s face. “No, I’m not. Why didn’t Silas tell me about what was really happening at here?”

  “I suspect Betty Wickstrom took care to see that you weren’t told. She threatened Silas with harm to Nana if he told you.”

  Jake slapped a hand down on the desk. “That’s unacceptable! I’m filing charges against her and the agency. And I’ll have a talk with Silas too.”

  “Good. Silas is a wonderful little boy. He’s really touched me in the short time we’ve known one another.”

  “He misses his mother, I know.” He gave her a steady look. “But I have no intention of marrying again.”

  “I’m sorry about all that’s happened to your family. I understand your parents are missing in dangerous conditions.”

  Jake stared through the window at the greenery outside. When he faced her again, the sadness etched on his features was heartbreaking.

  “I think you ought to know that after you get a housekeeper and nurses on board, I intend to see Silas now and then. It has nothing to do with what your brother offered me. I turned him down flat. I don’t want your money.”

  Jake’s look held interest as he gazed at her. “You sure are a prickly, bossy little thing.”

  Noelle decided to let his name calling go unanswered. He was a man under tremendous pressure, and so far, he’d been kinder than she’d thought he’d be.

  “Silas tells me you’re going to help him celebrate by decorating a Christmas tree this year. Since Claire died, we haven’t done much to celebrate the season, other than exchanging gifts. My parents decorated their house, but Silas and I didn’t bother with ours.”