The Christmas Promise(45)
Donovan was shocked to see that not only did Santa deliver presents under his Christmas bush, but that there were presents for him at my house as well. “How’d he do that?” he screamed, opening a small plastic case filled with dinosaurs. Carla opened a package of press-on nails and Donovan yelled out, “I told Santa you wanted those!” Carla’s shoulders bounced when she laughed, and I hoped that this time she could get her feet on the ground for good.
Andrew handed Matt a small box wrapped with green foil paper and a velvet ribbon. Matthew slid the bow off the box, ripped back the paper, and lifted the lid. He picked up the red spiral notebook and looked at me. “I figured you’d want it back now,” I said. I watched Matt’s eyes scan one page and then another of the notebook. “Take it in small bites,” I whispered.
After the presents were opened, the doorbell rang and I maneuvered through the debris to the door. I threw the door open when I saw who it was. “I’m so glad you could come,” I said, taking Gabe from Erin’s arms.
“Since Mom’s working, I knew we’d be awfully lonely today,” she said.
I pressed Gabriel to my cheek and walked with him into the kitchen. “Come meet Matt.”
Matt was cutting another piece of coffee cake, and glanced up to see me with the baby. “Who’s this?” he said, licking his fingers.
“This is little Gabe. Miriam and I practically delivered him ourselves. And this is…” I turned to see Erin. “Where’d she go?” I covered Gabe’s ears and yelled over his head. “Erin!”
She and Miriam walked into the kitchen and Matt’s eyes beamed when he saw her. Erin blushed but I was too occupied with Gabe to notice. “This is my son Matthew,” I said, pulling his face to me for a kiss. “And this is Erin. The gal we told you—”
“Hi,” Matt said, smiling. He offered her a piece of coffee cake. “I won’t knock that out of your hands.” She laughed and took the cake and a cup of coffee from him. He led her into the living room and I hovered in the doorway, watching them. Miriam stood at my side with her hand on Gabriel’s head.
“Am I missing something?” I asked.
“Yes,” she said. “But that’s beside the point. I knew all along that he was the handsome young man she met downtown.”
I snapped my head to look at her. “Do you think?”
She leaned over and kissed Gabe’s face. “I don’t know. But it would make a lovely story for their grandchildren.”
After the dinner dishes were washed and put away and the children were testing their new toys, I saw the envelope in the branches and crossed over boxes and books and tiny bodies to the tree. “Merry Christmas, Walt,” I whispered. I caught Matt looking at me and took the envelope off the tree for good, smiling.