The Christmas Promise(33)

“You never told me to turn left!” I spun the car around and Miriam toppled into me.

“I most certainly did,” Miriam shouted. “Didn’t I, Erin?”

Erin groaned and threw her head back against the seat. “I don’t care! Drive faster!”

I pushed the pedal while groping for my seat belt. “Everybody buckle up!” I turned to look at Erin. “You need a seat belt.”

“I can’t,” she said.

“Miriam! Buckle her seat belt.”

Miriam unsnapped her belt and it whizzed back into place. She crawled over the back of the seat and reached for Erin’s. “My robe is caught,” she said. She yanked on her robe, trying to free it. I felt through the folds of fabric and Miriam smacked my hand away. “Are you some sort of masher?!”

“It’s in the door!” I said, turning onto Post Avenue.

Miriam opened her door ajar, tugged on the robe, then closed the door again. She crawled over the back of the seat and wrapped Erin’s seat belt around her, snapping it in. She locked her own belt into place and looked up in time to scream as I raced in front of a delivery truck when I turned onto Grand.

Miriam held her stomach. “I think I’m going to throw up.”

“Be quiet, Miriam,” I said, bearing down on the wheel. She crossed her arms in a huff.

I swung into the front entrance of the hospital and threw the car into park. We lifted Erin from the backseat and threw an arm over each of our shoulders, running for the door. “We’re having a baby!” we shouted.

“She’s having the baby,” I said as a woman in scrubs ran toward us with a wheelchair.

The woman helped Erin into the chair. “And you’re the grandmothers! Will you be joining her in Delivery?”

Our answer rang throughout the hall as the nurse wheeled Erin to the elevator. “No!”

“Yes!” Erin shouted over them as the doors closed in front of her.

I rummaged through my purse, pulling out the contents in massive handfuls. “What are you doing?” Miriam asked. I was annoyed, and continued to dig to the bottom, retrieving several battered cough drops, nasal spray, and some tattered coupons. “Is there a reason for such behavior?” Surely, I hadn’t left what I was looking for at home. I would be so angry with myself if I’d done something so stupid. In desperation I emptied the entire purse onto the floor and poked through the pile.

“Ah ha!” I said, holding a piece of paper in the air.





At twelve thirty Chaz found Carla cleaning up around Santa’s workshop. She looked worse than she had the previous night. “He’s sleeping,” Chaz said over the vacuum. She nodded but wouldn’t turn off the vacuum. Whatever was bothering her, she planned to keep it to herself, so he walked away.

“Could Donovan go home with you tonight?”

He turned to look at her. “Why?”

“Because I’m sick,” she said.

“What’s wrong?”

She held up her hands in a stopping motion. “I’m too sick to care for him right now. I just need someone to watch him tonight. That’s it.” She waved him off and clicked the vacuum back on.

He grabbed her arm, turning off the vacuum. “Wait a second!” he said. “Do I just keep him all day tomorrow, or do you come and—”

“I’ll pick him up tomorrow. I just need to keep him out of the apartment tonight.” She seemed panicked, but her voice grew calm. “I don’t want him to get sick. If I’m not feeling better tomorrow, I’ll take him to Miss Glory’s.”

Chaz agreed to let Donovan stay, but couldn’t imagine what he’d agreed to; he’d never even taken care of a cat before.





At the end of his shift, Chaz carried Donovan into his apartment and laid him down on the futon. He rubbed his eyes in the glow of the Christmas lights from across the street, and Chaz tried to turn his face away from the window. “Am I at your house?” Donovan asked.

“Yes,” Chaz said, whispering.

“You don’t have any furniture.”

“I know.” Chaz closed Donovan’s eyes and Donovan flung an arm over his leg. Chaz tried to get up; he needed to get to the refrigerator.

“Lie down,” Donovan said, half asleep.

Chaz moved Donovan’s hand and pulled off his shoes. “I’ll be right back.”

“It’s time for everybody to be asleep,” Donovan said. “Even I know that.” Chaz sat down on the futon, hoping Donovan would drift off again. Donovan put his hand in Chaz’s and pulled it toward him. “Lie down and go to sleep.” Chaz lay down next to Donovan and waited for him to fall asleep. Donovan put his hand on top of Chaz’s chest and patted it. “I love you, Spaz.”