Lee McKenzie - The Christmas Secret

Marlie glanced up from her notepad. “She wants you to pick up milk on your way home.”

Sam sighed.

Marlie laughed. “Let me guess. You’re not out of milk.”

“We’re not. She’s having tea with … she’s having tea this afternoon and she probably didn’t think to check the fridge before she called.”

Instead of asking for more details, Marlie gave her a sympathetic hug. “How is she these days?”

“No change so far. The doctor said it could take several weeks before we’ll know if the new medication will make a difference.” Providing there’d be a difference. The doctor had warned there was no guarantee, but given how outrageously expensive these new meds were, Sam sincerely hoped there would be.

“You’re a good girl,” Marlie said. “It takes a special person to do what you do.”

“She’s my mom. I’d do anything for her.” Which was true, and she really did love her mother in spite of the almost-daily challenges. There were days, though, when she secretly wished their relationship was less of a dead-end one-way alley and more like a two-way street. Like today. Today it would have felt good to hear someone say “I love you, too.”

Marlie patted her arm and returned to the reception area. “I see you dropped off your receipts for the work on the Matheson house. Is this it or will you have more expenses?”

“No, I’m finished and Kristi should be, too. It’s in Claire’s hands now.”

As if on cue, the door flew open and Claire breezed in, quirking an eyebrow to indicate she’d heard her name. Good morning, she mouthed. With her briefcase slung over one shoulder and her Bluetooth in her ear, carrying on a one-sided conversation, she moved purposefully through reception and into the office and, in one fluid motion, slid her bag onto the desk, took out her iPad and started keying in information. The woman had more multitasking skills in her baby finger than all of Sam and Kristi put together.

“That’s two angels accounted for,” Marlie said, glancing at her glittery gold bangle wristwatch. “I wonder what’ll hold Kristi up this morning.” She said it with affection, not criticism.

Any number of things could delay Kristi. Her daughter, Jenna, couldn’t find her homework. The dog had barfed on the carpet. The minivan was out of gas. Kristi could march into the most cluttered and disorganized home and have it shipshape in no time. Her own life was a different story, though, and Sam suspected she thrived on the chaos.

Sam retrieved her clipboard and jacket and perched on the corner of Marlie’s desk, checking her notes and to-do list while she waited for Claire to wrap up her phone call.

She had already checked her notes at least three times this morning and was sure she hadn’t missed anything. They’d come up with a three-week timeline for this project and she wanted to finish by then, if not sooner. No surprises.

“You look like you’ve been to the gym,” Sam said when Claire emerged from the office.

Claire shook her head without taking her eyes off the screen of her iPad. Her dark shoulder-length hair had been swept back into a ponytail and she was wearing slim-fitting black exercise pants and a bright yellow tank top. “Not yet. I don’t have any appointments this morning, though, so I’ll go right after our meeting. Want to come with? I have a couple of guest passes.”

“Tempting, but I have to get to work as soon as our meeting’s over.” Too bad, because the only way she could afford to set foot in Claire’s gym was as a guest. “I went for a run first thing this morning, though.” She loved to run, especially early in the morning when the city hadn’t fully woken from its slumber. After ten minutes or so she got into the zone. With her feet pounding the pavement and her heart pounding in her chest, after her breathing went from ragged to fast and controlled, she would fix her gaze on something in the distance and her only thought was getting there. Then she’d focus on another distant spot, and another, letting her mind go blank while her stride devoured the miles. Eventually her body would tell her when it was time to quit and she had learned to listen, even though it brought her back to reality.

“Good for you. Oh, that reminds me, I signed up for the half marathon next summer. Are you entering?”

“Ah … I hope to, but I’m not sure yet.” If she did, she’d run the whole race, but as always it would depend on whether she had time to train for it.

“We should talk Kristi into signing up, too.”

Sam tried to imagine Kristi running to the end of the block. No, not going to happen. “First you’ll have to convince her to roll up her yoga mat and buy a pair of running shoes.”

Claire set her phone down and checked her watch. “Speaking of Kristi, I wonder what’s keeping her—”

Marlie waved at them with the backs of both hands. “I have work to do so why don’t you two run along down to the coffee shop and get out of my hair.” In typical Marlie fashion, it wasn’t a question. “I’ll call Kristi and tell her to meet you there.”

“Good plan.” Claire slipped her iPad into her briefcase. “Do you have everything you need?” she asked Sam.

Sam waved her clipboard and nodded. “All set.”

The late-November mist shrouding Pioneer Square made it seem even quieter than usual for that time of the morning. Several people in business attire purposefully made their way to their office buildings, a few tourists wandered around, waiting for the shops to open, and a bag lady sat on a bench feeding a gaggle of pigeons.

By the time they reached the coffee shop, Claire had taken another phone call. She nodded and pulled out her wallet when the clerk asked if she wanted her usual. Claire’s “usual” was a large mocha and a toasted bagel with cream cheese. “Sorry, can you hold on a moment please?” She pressed the mute button on her Bluetooth. “I’ll take a pot of green tea and a slice of banana loaf, as well. For Kristi,” she said to Sam. “That way we can get to work as soon as she gets here.”

“Sure thing. Large dark roast for you, right?” he asked Sam. “No room for cream?”

“That’s me.”

“Anything else?” He always asked.

Her answer was always the same. “No, thanks. I’ve already eaten.” She deliberately avoided looking at the pastries in the display case, though. She could buy half a dozen muffins at the grocery store for the cost of one of these.

Claire paid for her order and dropped a generous handful of change into the tip jar. Sam handed the clerk a pair of ones to pay for her coffee and pocketed her change. After paying for her mom’s new medication, she was back to pinching pennies. Claire, who still lived in the luxury penthouse condominium she owned with her soon-to-be ex-husband, had always been more comfortably off than either Sam or Kristi. Probably better off than Sam and Kristi put together. And although Kristi complained about her ex’s lack of financial support, she wasn’t afraid to spend money. Sam preferred to put hers away for a rainy day than spend it on coffee shop pastries.

The young man behind the counter grabbed a tray. “Have a seat. I’ll bring everything over when it’s ready.”

Claire was already seated and had ended her phone call and pulled out her iPad by the time Sam joined her and set her clipboard on the table. “I’ve gone over my notes from last week’s meeting, and I think everything we discussed has been covered.” She swiped a neatly manicured finger across the screen to bring up a fresh slate.

The young man arrived with their order.

“Sorry I’m late!” Kristi dashed in, all smiles and flyaway blond hair, lugging an oversize and overstuffed handbag and an armload of fabric and wallpaper samples. “I was going over the photos I took at the Harris house yesterday and lost track of time.” She plunked herself into a chair, dug out her laptop and a bulging leather-bound organizer, rummaged in her bag for something to write with. “There has to be a pen in here somewhere …”