Barbara Hannay - Little Christmas Miracles

“No, but my mommy was going to read it to me if Santa brought me it.”

“Okay. Well, tonight, we’ll stick to the Berenstain Bears. Go hop in and take your bath. I’ll go see if your uncle will loan you a T-shirt for the night. We should be able to get one of his over your casts.”

“Do you think he’ll mind?” Toby asked hesitantly.

“Why do you ask that?” She was afraid her attitude toward Richard might have been passed on to Toby without her realizing it.

“He—he scares me a little bit.”

“I think that’s just because you don’t know him well yet. I’ll be right back.” Molly smiled at Toby and left his room. She didn’t know how to avoid speaking to Richard. She wished she did. But she couldn’t make a big deal about it. Otherwise, she might think about him like Toby did. As the enemy.

She ran downstairs, but she didn’t find Richard in the dining room. She went into the kitchen and asked Louisa if she knew where Richard had gone.

“Yes, ma’am,” said the Mexican woman about her own age. “He went upstairs to his room.”

She got directions from Louisa and ran back up the stairs, turning to the right until she reached the bedroom opposite Elizabeth’s. She tapped softly on the door and waited. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was like Daniel about to enter the lion’s den.

Richard settled in a comfortable chair in front of his fireplace, warmed by the fire. He had some legal reading to catch up on.

But his mind was filled with the evening he’d just spent downstairs. There was no question that Toby’s arrival had changed the dynamics of the household. He was rethinking his plan of turning the little boy over to his nurse and continuing on with his life. After all, he had just about completed his reworking of his father’s law firm. Instead of personal injury cases, he had changed the focus to corporate law.

He thought he’d finally be able to return to the pleasant life he’d always led. For the past eighteen months, he’d dealt with the law firm and with his mother. While he and his father had not agreed in many things, he had truly mourned his death. And feared he’d soon lose his mother. Tonight, as she’d focused all her attention on Toby, she appeared to have grown younger before Richard’s very eyes.

He wondered if Molly had come to that same conclusion. He’d noticed how closely she’d watched his mother. It would be nice to be able to talk to her about his mother. After all, she was a nurse.

He shouldn’t be thinking about Molly as a friend. He was paying her salary. That would be like asking Delores for advice. Of course, he’d done that. After all, Delores had been with them for more than twenty years. And Molly didn’t look anything like the plump, dark-haired Delores, either. He immediately shut that thought away.

But thoughts of Molly persisted in spite of his efforts to concentrate on other things. Her hair had glinted in the light from the chandelier in the dining room, sparking more red tonight than he’d noticed before. Concern had filled her green eyes when Toby had made his statement about the puppy he was expecting. Richard had been tempted to laugh until he’d seen Molly’s reaction.

With a sigh, he tried again to put away all thoughts of Molly. As beautiful as she was, she had no place in his life. Unfortunately, for the last eighteen months no woman had had a place in his life, except his mother.

Prior to his father’s death, he’d enjoyed a nice social life. However, with his father’s death had come the opportunity to change the law firm’s focus, which demanded most of his time. His mother had demanded the rest of it.

That was the problem, he realized. He was thinking of Molly because he missed…he missed having a woman in his life.

Just as he managed to focus on his reading, he heard a knock. With a frown, he rose and went to the door. Delores or Albert must have a problem. Normally they didn’t disturb him after he’d gone upstairs.

Swinging open the door, he discovered his caller to be the woman he’d had on his mind. He could only think of one reason she would be there, and it wasn’t one he was willing to cooperate with. At least not here.

“Molly?” he said, frowning at her.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Richard, but I have a favor to ask.”

“I don’t think I’ll be willing to grant that favor, Molly. It would be rather improper with my mother across the hall.”

Her green eyes widened in shock as she took in his meaning, which made him realize he’d made a mistake.

“What do you want?” he asked, hoping she’d forget what he’d implied.

“I wanted to borrow a T-shirt from you for Toby. I’ll buy him a couple tomorrow, but his shirts are too small to fit comfortably over his casts.”

Her stiffened demeanor told him she hadn’t forgiven him for the beginning of their conversation.

“Yes, of course, I’ll get one for you,” he said, leaving the door open. As he crossed the room to open a drawer, he tried to figure out how to apologize for his initial words without admitting what he’d actually thought. Or how his pulse had raced.

When he got back to the door, a white T-shirt in his hand, he said, “I’m sorry I, uh, reacted in the, uh, wrong way.” He thought he sounded like a teenager speaking to a teacher.

“I can assure you I won’t bother you in the evenings again, Richard.”

Her words were cool, distant, and told him his apology hadn’t gotten him very far.

“I’m glad to be of assistance, Molly.”

She took the T-shirt from him and walked away with a muttered thanks. He watched her until she entered Toby’s bedroom.

Damn, he’d messed up big time. He’d have to make it up to Molly tomorrow.

But how?

Molly and Toby came to breakfast after Richard had left for work. Elizabeth came down just a couple of minutes after them and they all enjoyed breakfast in a small room off the kitchen. It was a cozy room to eat in, and both Molly and Toby were more relaxed.

“Mrs. Anderson, can—”

“Please, dear, you must call me Elizabeth.”

“Oh, thank you, Elizabeth. I wanted to ask if Albert could take me and Toby to a store to buy coats this morning, and maybe to a Christmas store to buy some ornaments for the tree?”

“Of course he can, and I’ll go with you. Richard gave me strict instructions to pay for all your purchases today.”

“Oh, surely not all of them. I’ll pay for my own coat and anything else I buy for myself.”

“He was quite clear in his instructions.”

“Well, we’ll see. Not having bought a coat before, I’m not sure what they cost.”

“Are you thinking about a fur coat?” Elizabeth asked.

Molly stared at her. “Fur? Oh, no, not at all!”

“But a fur coat will last longer than a cloth coat. I’ve had a mink coat my husband bought me thirty years ago, and it still looks good even now.”

Molly smiled. “But I’m going back to Florida. I wouldn’t have any use for a fur coat. Nor could I afford it. I thought we’d go to Target and find reasonably priced coats.”

“I usually go to Neiman’s for clothes.”

“I don’t think Neiman’s would have what we need, Elizabeth, but you don’t have to accompany us. We’ll be fine.”

“Oh, but I want to go with you. It’ll be fun. Richard left you a note to explain everything. I put it in the pocket of my robe so I wouldn’t forget it. Here it is.”

Molly unfolded the note. In it, Richard assured her, as his mother had done, that they would pay for whatever she wanted. He also cautioned her not to let his mother get too tired.

She could definitely follow that caution, but Molly didn’t think she could let him pay for all her purchases if they were for her. She’d find a way around that order.