Debbie Macomber - Call Me Mrs. Miracle

“Then why are you worried?” Jake pressed.

Instead of answering, the older woman patted his back. “I’m leaving in a few minutes. Would you like me to wrap Gabe’s robot before I go?”

“Ah, sure,” he said.

“You are taking it with you when you go to Holly’s for Christmas, aren’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll wrap it for you. I’ll get some ribbon and nice paper from the gift-wrapping kiosk.”

“Thank you,” Jake said, still wondering what she’d meant about J.R.

The older woman disappeared, leaving Jake standing in the toy department scratching his head. He valued Mrs. Miracle as an employee and as a new friend, and yet every now and then she’d say something that totally confused him. How did she know so much about him and his father? Perhaps she’d met his parents years ago. Or…

Well, he couldn’t waste time trying to figure it out now.

Jake was walking to the customer service counter when his cell phone rang. Holly. He answered immediately.

“Can you talk?” she asked. “I know it’s probably insane at the store, but I had to tell you something.”

“What is it? Everything okay?”

“It’s my boss, Lindy Lee. Oh, Jake, I think I’m going to cry.”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, alarmed.

“Nothing. This is good. Lindy just called me into her office. I spoke with her this morning about a Christmas party. I saw what a great time your employees had. I thought it would help morale, so I mentioned it to Lindy Lee.”

“She’s going to have a party?”

“No, even better than that. I can have a real Christmas dinner now with a turkey and stuffing and all the extras like I originally planned. I…I’d decided to make fried chicken because I couldn’t really afford anything else, and now I can prepare a traditional meal.”

“You got your bonus?”

“Yes! And it’s bigger than last year’s, so I can pay for the robot now.”

“That’s fabulous news!”

“It is, Jake, it really is.” She took a deep breath. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to call your father and invite him personally.”

Jake’s smile faded. “I should tell you I already talked to Dad about joining us on Christmas Day.”

“I hope he will.”

“Don’t count on it.” Jake felt bad about discouraging her. “I think he’d like to, but he can’t let go of his grief. He feels he’d dishonor the memory of my mother and sister if he celebrated Christmas. For him, their deaths and Christmas are all tied together.”

“Oh, Jake, that’s so sad.”

“Yes…” He didn’t say what he knew was obvious-that, until now, the same thing had been true of him.

“I’m looking forward to spending the day with you,” Jake said, and he meant every word. “Can you meet me for lunch this afternoon?” he asked, not sure he could wait until Christmas to see her again.

When she agreed, he smiled, a smile so wide that several customers looked at him curiously…and smiled back.

That same morning Lindy Lee called Holly into her office again. Saving the document she was working on, Holly grabbed a pad and pen and rushed inside. Gesturing toward the chair, Lindy invited her to sit. This was unusual in itself; Lindy Lee never went out of her way to make Holly comfortable. In fact, it was generally the opposite.

“I’ve given your suggestion some thought,” she said crisply.

“You mean about the Christmas party for next year?”

Lindy Lee’s eyes narrowed. “Of course I mean the Christmas party. I want you to organize one for tomorrow.”

“ Tomorrow? But-”

“No excuses. You’re the one who asked for this.”

“I’ll need a budget,” Holly said desperately. It was a little late to be organizing a party. Every caterer in New York would’ve been booked months ago. Finding a restaurant with an opening the day before Christmas would be hopeless. What was she thinking when she’d suggested the idea to Lindy Lee? Hadn’t she emphasized that she was talking about the following year? Not this one? Holly hardly knew where to start.

Lindy Lee glared at her. “I’m aware that you’ll require a budget. Please wait until I’m finished. You can ask your questions then.”

“Okay, sorry.” Holly wasn’t sure how she was supposed to manage this on such short notice.

Lindy explained that she’d close the office at two, that she wanted festive decorations and Christmas music, and that attendance was mandatory. “You can bring your nephew if you like,” she added, after setting a more than generous budget.

“In other words, the family of staff is included?”

“Good grief, no.”

“But Gabe’s family.”

“He’s adorable. He even-” Lindy Lee stopped abruptly.

Holly was in complete agreement about Gabe’s cuteness, but it wouldn’t go over well if Gabe was invited and no one else’s children were. “The others might get upset,” Holly said, broaching the subject cautiously. “I mean, if I bring Gabe and no other children are allowed, it might look bad.”

Lindy Lee sat back and crossed her arms, frowning. “If we invite family, then the place will be overrun with the little darlings,” she muttered sarcastically. She sighed. “ Should we include them?”

Holly shook her head. “There are too many practical considerations. People with kids would have to go home and pick them up and… Well, I think it’s too much trouble, so let’s not.”

“Okay,” Lindy said with evident relief.

“I’ll get right on this.”

“You might invite Gabe to the office again,” Lindy Lee shocked her by saying. “Maybe in the new year.”

Holly wondered if she’d misunderstood. “You want me to bring Gabe into the office?”

“A half day perhaps,” her boss said, amending her original thought.

“Okay.” So Gabe had succeeded in charming Lindy Lee, something Holly had once considered impossible.

Lindy Lee turned back to her computer, effectively dismissing Holly. Head whirling with the difficulty of her assignment, Holly returned to her own desk. She immediately got a list of nearby restaurants and began making calls, all of which netted quick rejections. In fact, the people she spoke with nearly laughed her off the phone. By noon she was growing desperate and worried.

“How’s it going?” Lindy Lee asked as she stepped out of her office to meet someone for lunch. “Don’t answer. I can tell by the look on your face.”

“If only we’d scheduled the party a bit sooner…”

“You shouldn’t have waited until the last minute to spring it on me,” she said, laying the blame squarely on Holly.

That seemed unfair and a little harsh, even for Lindy Lee.

“We could have our event here in the building,” Lindy Lee suggested, apparently relenting. “The sixth floor has a big open space. Check with them and see if that’s available.”

“I’ll do it right away.”

“Good,” Lindy said, and turned to leave.

“I’ll make this party happen,” Holly promised through gritted teeth.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Lindy Lee tossed over her shoulder on her way out the door.

As soon as she’d left, Holly called the sixth floor. As luck would have it, the only time available was the afternoon of Christmas Eve-exactly what she needed. That solved one problem, but there was still an equally large hurdle to jump. Finding a caterer.

Despite the urgency of this task, Holly kept her lunch date with Jake. These last days before Christmas made getting away for more than a few minutes difficult for him. Yet he managed with the help of his staff who, according to Jake, were determined to smooth the course of romance. Mrs. Miracle, God bless her, had spearheaded the effort.