I'll Be Home for Christmas (34 page)

“Okay, okay,” Angie said, sitting down on the second step from the bottom. She was aware Josh was holding her hand. She squeezed it. “I found this woolen mill in Portland, Oregon, that's going out of business. We can buy up their entire inventory. Their entire inventory, Josh! You can go online to see what I'm talking about. It's up to us to truck it here. The mill and the manufacturing end of it is all family-owned. The last surviving member of the family just sold out to a developer for big bucks. He was almost giddy that he could unload his warehouse in one swoop. All he wants to do is take his money and go. You need to call them right away and make an offer. They're expecting your call. Here's the number. The man's name is Samuel Eikenberry. Hurry, before he changes his mind, Josh.”

“Stay right here. I have to go to the office for my cell phone. Wait for me. I want to make this deal in my…here on the steps. Will you wait?”

“Of course.” A nanosecond later, Angie felt his lips brush hers.

“I promise to do better next time,” Josh grinned.

“I'll hold you to it.”
Oh, Bess, my line has a nibble
. Angie clapped her hands in glee at what had just transpired.

Twenty minutes later, Josh snapped the phone shut. His clenched fist shot in the air. “We have a deal, and Mr. Eikenberry is going to truck it here at my expense. I snapped up the offer. The latest styles, the best of the best and all wool. He asked if I wanted the blankets, and I said yes.”

Josh's excitement was contagious. “You can never have enough blankets.”

Then she was being kissed like she'd never been kissed in her life. Her world rocked, righted itself, and then rocked again. “You didn't lie. You did do better. Wanna try for perfection?”

Josh was about to give her his definition of perfection when his cell phone rang. Thinking it might be Mr. Eikenberry, he answered it. His father's voice boomed over the wire. All he heard was five hundred handmade quilts; tons of jams, jellies, preserves; and two thousand Amish cookbooks. He laid the phone on the step and proceeded to show Angie his version of perfection.

When the couple came up for air they could hear Angus and Eva talking.

“I don't know what it is, Angus. It sounds like two cats fighting with each other. Of course, my hearing isn't what it used to be. What does it sound like to you?”

“Like someone is in pain and is moaning and groaning. Must be a bad connection.”

Angie clapped her hands over her mouth so she wouldn't laugh out loud. Josh snapped the phone shut and reached for her again.

I've got the fish on the line, Bess.

Eva and Angus rocked contentedly in the rockers in what would be the temporary day care center for Eagle's Department Store.

“Isn't it amazing, Angus, how this all came together in three weeks? Angie did a wonderful job with all the vibrant colors, the mobiles, and the colorful play tables and chairs. She got everything secondhand and just spruced it up. Speaking of my daughter, have you seen her?”

“You mean that harried, overworked young lady who is burning the candle at both ends? That daughter?”

“Yes, that one.”

“She said she had to talk to Josh about an important matter. Something about Halloween items for this little center. I think I heard her say they were supposed to be delivered this morning and they didn't arrive. We lost three weeks of revenue, Eva. That's how long the store has been closed,” Angus said, changing the subject. “It was supposed to be two days, then five days, then a week. Three weeks!”

“I know that, Angus. When the store opens next week, you'll make it up.” Eva's voice turned anxious when she said, “You didn't say anything to Josh, did you?”

“No. I think he's waiting for me to lambaste him. I know, I know. Not a word. He knows what he's doing. At least that's what he's telling me a dozen times a day.”

“Then believe it,” Eva snapped. “Where is that daughter of mine? Stay here, Angus, I'm going to see if I can find her.”

Angus waved her off and continued to rock in the new chair he had come to love. He wondered what it would feel like to rock a baby. Eva said he was going to love the feeling. Eva seemed to be right about most things, he thought happily. In a short period of time he'd come to trust her judgment completely.

Eva walked out to the main section of the second floor. Her startled gaze took in two things instantaneously. Her daughter looked like she was frozen in time as she stared at Josh Eagle and a tall woman who was kissing him. She blinked, and then pinched her arm as she walked up to her daughter to place a motherly hand on Angie's shoulder. She could see tears in the corners of her eyes.
This is not good, this is not good, this is not good. A mind's eye picture in real time will never go away.

“I'm sure it's not what it looks like, Angie. She's probably someone he used to know. You young people tend to kiss hello, good-bye, and everything in between. She probably just stopped in to see what's going on. Everyone in town wants to see what's going on. Come along, dear,” Eva babbled.

Eva thought it was magical how her daughter could talk without her lips moving. “Really, Mom! How do you think she got in here when all the doors are locked? She called Josh ‘darling' and was reminding him that they had a date for the Harvest Ball on Saturday. She pinched his cheek and was so cutesy cute she made my hair stand on end. Josh…Josh just smiled. He smiled, Mom. You're right, let's get out of here.”

Josh took that moment to look in their direction. He looked so guilty even Eva had a hard time defending his actions.

Together, mother and daughter marched off, Josh calling their names. “Walk slower, Angie. I cannot run. And if you run, he'll know you're upset.”

“Damn it, Mom, I
am
upset. I'm here busting my butt, working round the clock for that jerk so he can prove to his father that he knows what he's doing. We have a date on Saturday. Won't it be interesting to see how he wiggles out of it. I was starting to trust that jerk! Did you hear me, Mom?”

“Sweetie, I think the whole store can hear you.”

“Guess what, Mom, I don't care! I'm going home. Don't worry, I'll be back at some point. If that Halloween stuff I ordered arrives, just unpack it. I'll see you later.”

“Angie, I don't think going home…”

“Don't say it, Mom. Don't call me, either. I'm going to try and catch a few hours of sleep. I was here all night.”

Eva, her heart heavy, watched her daughter as she made her way down the dim hallway that led to the Eagle's loading dock. She looked behind her to see if Josh was anywhere in sight. He wasn't.



Angus had only to look at Eva's face to know something was wrong. “Do you want to tell me about it, or are you going to wear a hole in this new carpet?”

“Your son! He's a cad! He's out there on the floor kissing some long-legged woman who looks like she's been varnished, then shellacked. It seems he has a faulty memory. He has…I guess I should say,
had,
a date with Angie for Saturday evening, and that shellacked person stopped by to confirm her date with
your son
for the Harvest Ball on Saturday. I'm going home. You can have
your son
take you home. I don't know if I'll be back or not.”

“Eva…wait!”

“Don't talk to me right now, Angus. Talk to that son of yours.”

Angus heaved himself out of the rocker. He wondered how in a few short moments things could go from wonderful to terrible. He looked up to see the terrible end of things approaching at breakneck speed, a look of pure panic on his face. For some unexplained reason, the panicked expression on his son's face pleased Angus.

“Where's Angie, Dad? Did you see her? Is Eva here?”

“Is something wrong, son?” Angus asked.

“Hell yes, something is wrong. Angie caught—saw Vickie Summers kissing me. At least I think that's what she saw. Don't even ask me how Vickie got into the store. That woman can do anything she sets her mind to. I don't know how long Angie…What I mean is I don't know what she heard…She wanted…She thinks…I'm not doing it…She won't take no…Where the hell is Angie? I know her mother said something to you. You two are joined at the hip these days. What'd she say, Dad?”

A devil perched itself on Angus's shoulder. “You don't want to know, son. It will only upset you. You can't dangle two women on a string, Joshua. I think I told you that when you were sixteen, and girls were throwing themselves at you. You should have listened to me back then. Sit down, Joshua.”

Josh recognized the iron command. In no way was it an invitation. He sat down in one of the rockers. “What? I think I'm a little old for a lesson on romance. Where did Angie go, Dad? She was pissed off, wasn't she?”

“No, son, she was hurt and humiliated. If the situation were reversed, how do you think you would feel?”

“Okay, okay, I get the point. Look, I didn't invite Vickie here. Like I said, I don't have a clue how she got into the store. I haven't seen her in…months. Actually, the last time I spoke to her was back in April. I did not invite her to the Harvest Ball. I didn't, Dad. That's the truth. Before I knew what was happening, she planted a lip-lock on me and I had a hell of a time pushing her away. That's when I saw Angie watching. If you know where Angie is, you better tell me, Dad, or I'm walking out of here and never coming back. I'm serious. She's my girl! I want to get to know her better. Hell, I think I want to marry her. I can't pull this off,” he said, waving his arms about, “without her. Will you help me out already for God's sake?” Josh pleaded.

Lip-lock? It must be a new term for kissing.
The devil on Angus's shoulder started a lively dance. Marriage. Maybe he'd get to rock in a chair with his very own grandchild. He just knew he was going to make a wonderful grandfather. Then he remembered the look on Eva's face and the way she'd said,
your son,
like he was the Devil incarnate.

Angus pulled his pipe out of his pocket and stuck it in his mouth. He chewed on the stem, his eyes on his son. “I'm too old to be offering advice. You're on your own, son!”

“That's it? I'm dying here, and you're telling me I'm on my own? What's wrong with this picture? Thanks for nothing, Dad.”

Angus removed the pipe clenched between his teeth, and stared at it. “In my day, which was a lifetime ago, a fella would crawl on his knees, flowers in hand and the truth on his lips. If that didn't work, then the fella would throw a pebble at her bedroom window at night, and when she opened the window he'd sing her a song. Doesn't matter if the fella sounds like a frog. It's the thought that counts.”

Josh was listening intently. “Yeah, yeah, what else would that fella do?”

Angus shrugged. “I never got beyond the singing part.” He watched his son out of the corner of his eye and was pleased at what he was seeing.

“How far did you have to crawl?”

Angus wanted to laugh out loud, but he didn't. “Up the walkway, up the steps, across the porch, and into the foyer. She kicked me out. I got two holes in my trousers for my efforts.”

Josh looked down at his jeans. They were sturdy.
What's a few holes? I can always buy another pair.
“Thanks, Dad! I knew I could count on you. Take care of things, okay? I don't know when I'll be back.”

Angus was so pleased with himself he made his way out to the loading dock, where he fired up his pipe and smoked contentedly. There was a lot to be said for experience.



Eva opened the front door. How quiet the house was. The first thing she saw was the brown envelope on the foyer table. It had enough stamps on it to go around the world at least three times. Eva's heart fluttered when she looked down at the address on the envelope. In a few minutes the mailman would be here to deliver the mail.

“Angie!”

“I'm up here, Mom. Do me a favor,” she called down. “I see the mailman coming up the street. Give him the envelope on the table.”

“Sure, honey.” Eva picked up the envelope and slid it into the drawer of the table. The only way Angie could see the mailman was if she was sitting on the window seat in her room. Crying, from the way she sounded. Carrying out her charade, Eva opened the door a few moments later to accept the mail. She commented on the weather for a minute, then closed the door.

She called upstairs. “Angie, come down and talk to me. You know I can't do the stairs comfortably. Please.”

Eva was right, she saw as Angie descended the stairs and stood next to her—her daughter had been crying. “How about a nice cup of hot tea? Tea always makes things better. At least that's what my mother always said.” She wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder and led her into the kitchen.

“I don't want to talk about this, Mom.”

As Eva bustled about the kitchen, she said, “Well, I for one can certainly understand that. Men are so callow. They don't have the same feelings women have. I guess that might be a good thing. I think I would be remiss as a mother if I didn't point out to you that there are two sides to everything. You should ask yourself how that young woman got into the store. If she came uninvited, then you can't blame Josh for that. Ask yourself if Josh acted like he was enjoying the meeting. He looked kind of stiff to me, like he didn't want her there, but that's just this old lady's opinion. I didn't see him return her kiss. He just stood there. That's the way I saw it. You only heard the young woman say they had a date for the Harvest Ball. You didn't hear Josh agree, now, did you?”

“Whose side are you on, Mom?” Angie sniffed.

“The right side. I happen to think Josh is a stand-up kind of guy. He didn't beat around the bush the day he eavesdropped on you. He fessed right up, didn't he? It's when things fester that the problem gets out of hand. In short, my dear, I think you saw something you never should have seen. Having said that, it probably meant nothing. That's why you shouldn't have seen it—because you reacted without giving Josh a chance to explain or defend his actions. Now, drink your tea.”

Angie picked at the fringe on the green-checkered placemat. “So what you're saying is I should go back to the store and wait for Josh to come to me and…explain what I saw.”

“See! Now you're getting it! Yes, in my opinion, that's what you should do. If you don't, you'll always wonder what he would have said. You did tell me you really liked Josh. You told me you dream about him. He might be
the one,
Angie.”

“She kissed him. You saw her. Kissing is…Kissing is…”

“Quite wonderful, depending on who is doing the kissing. I did not see Josh returning the kiss in question. There was no passion there that I could see. No reciprocity. That's about all I have to say, Angie. Think this all through, and don't throw away something on a jealous whim that could otherwise turn out to be wonderful.”

The doorbell rang, cutting off whatever Angie's response was going to be.

“I'll get it, and then I'm going back to the store,” Eva said. “Finish your tea. By the way, I won't be home for dinner this evening. Angus and I are going out for Japanese. He loves the knife show the chefs provide.”

Outside, after Josh Eagle had run up to the Bradfords' front porch and rung the bell, he ran down the steps and out to the walkway, where he dropped to his knees. He sucked in his breath and proceeded to knee-walk his way to the Bradford front porch the moment the front door opened.

“Angie! Angie! Come quick! Hurry, dear!”

Thinking her mother fell or banged her knee, Angie barreled to the foyer. She almost screamed in relief when she saw that Eva was all right. She turned and looked where her mother was pointing. Her jaw dropped at what she was seeing. Josh waved. Angie, more or less, wiggled her index finger as she watched the man's progress. She could tell it was slow going for the tall man on his knees.

Eva tactfully withdrew and left by the kitchen door. She peeked around the corner of the house. He was still crawling. She laughed all the way to her car.

Angie walked out to the porch, her arms across her chest to ward off the October chill. By the time Josh reached the steps, Angie took pity on him and motioned for him to get up. “Do you mind telling me what you're doing?” There was a bit of frost in her tone that did not go unnoticed by Josh.