The Christmas Promise(17)

Miriam crossed her arms and sulked, reading a plaque I kept on the wall next to the fireplace.





May those who love us, love us.

And those that don’t love us

May God turn their hearts:

And if He does not turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles

So we’ll know them by their limping.





Miriam shook her head and moved farther away from me.

I smiled at Erin and sat down. “Just to put your mind at ease—I’m not a psychopath. Are you?”

She laughed. “No.”

“Good. The jury’s still out about Miriam but maybe we’ll all manage to sleep through the night.” I attempted to tilt the recliner back, and Whiskers bolted from underneath it up the stairs. Miriam growled at the sight of him. “That was Whiskers. My roommate. He’s afraid of his own shadow and my grandson’s brown toy horse, Pink. Whiskers is terrified of Pink. I have no idea why. I’ve tried to get Whiskers counseling, but this is clearly something he needs to work through on his own.” She smiled and I leaned back in the recliner, resting my hands on my stomach. “I’ve blabbed on long enough. You’re probably still freezing. Would you like something warm to drink?” Erin nodded. “Miriam, can I get you something to drink?”

“No,” Miriam said, an icy chill filling the living room as she sighed.

I got up and walked to the kitchen. “When are you due?”

“Four more weeks,” Erin said.

I popped a mug full of water into the microwave and pulled out a package of cocoa mix from a drawer, shaking it. “Is this your first baby?”

“Yes.”

“Are you married?” Miriam asked. Erin shook her head. “Where is the father?”

“I’m not sure,” Erin said.

Miriam made a long, grinding noise at the back of her throat and stepped closer to the sofa. “I see.”

“Will you be keeping the baby?” I said, leaning into the doorway.

“I want to, but…I don’t know.”

I walked back into the kitchen and Erin spoke louder. “My boyfriend bolted after he found out I was pregnant,” she said. “He just up and left town.”

“Well, he’s not exactly top-drawer, is he?” Miriam said, sitting. “Men are horrible creatures. They’re all the same, I’m afraid.”

“That’s not true,” I said, calling out from the kitchen.

“Well, yes, I agree,” Miriam said. “My first husband was horrible. An actor. A horrible actor, I might add. His mother was worse, a horrendous person with the face of a hawk. But my second husband was pure gold. An English professor. We met when he brought two of his classes to see a play I was in. We had a lovely marriage, but then he took it upon himself to die and leave me a widow at forty-seven.”

“When did he pass away?” Erin asked.

“Four years ago.”

I coughed and choked in the kitchen, leaning onto the counter for support. “Are you okay, Gloria?” Erin asked, leaning over to see me inside the kitchen.

“Something was hard to swallow,” I said.

“Things blew up with my mother when she found out I was pregnant,” Erin said. “She put me through college by herself. She can’t believe I let this happen.”

“Does she know you’re in town?” Miriam asked.

Erin nodded. “We haven’t talked much, though. I moved here and was living with my best friend from college. I didn’t have anyplace else to go. But a couple of months ago her boyfriend moved to Colorado for his job and she followed him there.”

“Leaving you to pay the rent alone,” Miriam said. She shook her head, slapping her thighs. “You can’t trust anyone anymore. Remember that next time. You can’t even trust—”

I popped my head inside the living room, talking over Miriam. “And you have no idea where your boyfriend is?”

“I’ve tried to find him through former employers and the Internet, but haven’t had any luck.”

“He’s a ninny and a dolt,” Miriam said. “A worthless combination.”

I topped Miriam’s voice as I took the cup out of the microwave. “Was he a serious boyfriend, or just…” I let my voice trail off.

“I thought we were serious,” Erin said, her voice rising. “You can see what he thought of me. How stupid am I?”

I poured cocoa into the mug and stirred it, adding marshmallows to the top. “You’re not stupid.” I handed the cup to Erin and sat beside her. “You just wanted to believe in love. Who doesn’t want that?”

Erin shook her head. “Not him. Not any guy today.”