Miss Kane's Christmas (2 page)

“Can I help you?” he asked.

“Hello, Mr. Hanson.” The stranger smiled.

Ben’s mind raced to place the woman’s face. He wasn’t overly friendly with the neighbors but he was fairly sure this young woman wasn’t a neighbor. He’d remember if he’d seen her before. Yet she knew him. Or at least his name, which put him at a disadvantage.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know you.”

“I’m Carol Kane.” She looked at him expectantly.

“What can I do for you Miss Kane?” As innocent as she looked, Ben kept his hand on the door knob, ready to slam it shut should she tell him she was there to recruit him for her cult.“I’m the new au pair.” She smiled. “May I come in?”

Au pair? This wasn’t right. “You aren’t supposed to be here until January,” he said.

“I’m here now.” Another smile. “May I come in?”

Ben hesitated. What on earth was she doing here in the middle of the night? At least a week early?

“Do you have any documentation? Proof of who you are?”

His question didn’t appear to faze her. In fact, she seemed very prepared as she reached into her purse and pulled out a sheath of papers. She slipped them through the door crack.

“Here you are, Mr. Hanson. My letter from the agency, my resume and my passport.”

Ben quickly flipped through the papers. Carol Kane, age twenty-four, five feet five inches tall. He opened the passport and immediately recognized the cheery face in the photo as the same young woman who now stood on his doorstep. He handed the papers back to her through the barely opened door.

“Thank you, Mr. Hanson. May I come in?” she asked again.

“Yes, of course, sorry.” Ben undid the chain and opened the door. He stepped back as Carol entered the hallway. She had one small, round, red vintage Samsonite suitcase with her. Her wool coat, her suitcase and handbag were vintage as well. But there was nothing shabby about Carol Kane. Quite the opposite, she was young, pert, cheery and, he had no doubt, quite enthusiastic in everything she did.

He started to wonder if he hadn’t just made a huge mistake.

“I apologize for my late arrival,” Carol said. “Transportation from where I come from isn’t quite as reliable as you’d imagine.”

Ben shook his head. “You’re not late, Miss Kane. I wasn’t expecting you until early January.”

“I thought I’d come in time for the holidays.”

Ben stared at her. Huge mistake it was. Granted she was the first au pair he’d ever hired, and heaven knew he needed help with the kids, but he hadn’t expected a hired babysitter to show up looking as if she were a long lost relative finally home for the holidays.

“We don’t really celebrate the holidays,” he managed to say.

Carol looked around the hallway and over his shoulder into the living room. “I can see that. Is it a religious issue?”

“No. I just don’t like Christmas.” He pushed his glasses up higher on the bridge of his nose.

“Hard to imagine,” Carol said. “I love Christmas. It’s a joyous time of the year. I’m sure we can manage to celebrate-”

Ben held up his hand. “Stop right there, Miss Kane. We won’t be having any part of Christmas this year.”

“Why not?” Her expression wasn’t judgmental but more curious than anything. “Does it make you sad?”

Her words set off alarm bells in Ben’s mind. This wasn’t going to work. She needed to go. “Miss Kane, I’m afraid there’s been a huge misunderstanding. I’m not going to be needing help with my children after all. Let me call a taxi for you. There’s a hotel not far from here.”

He turned to the hall table and picked up the address book. He flipped through it, trying to remember if he’d put the number under C for cab or T for taxi.

He looked up in surprise when she laid her hand on his sleeve.

“Surely you don’t mean to send me out to a strange hotel in the middle of the night?” Carol asked. “Wouldn’t it be possible for you to put me up for the night at least?”

Ben hesitated, torn between the desire to do the right thing and the desire to reclaim his quiet, predictable, orderly household. What had he been thinking, hiring a stranger to live in his house?

“I would be perfectly content to sit in the kitchen if you don’t have a room ready,” she said. “Please.”

Ben felt like a heel. “I’m sorry, Miss Kane. Of course you can stay the night. The guest room is right down the hall.” He picked up her suitcase, surprised at how light it was. “Follow me.”

He led Carol down the hall, dropped her case in the guest room and then showed her where the bathroom was. “Well, I guess I’ll see you in the morning.” He stood in the doorway uncertainly. “I am sorry about the change in plans.”

Carol’s smile was bright. “Don’t worry, Mr. Hanson. I’m sure things will work out just as they’re meant to.”

Chapter Two

As she did every day, Carol awoke the next morning ready to greet the world with a million watt smile. She loved the early mornings at the North Pole, especially the way the sun shone on the ice as if it were anointing the landscape with a golden light.

Carol drew back the curtains in the guest bedroom, then the living room, and finally the kitchen before she made a cursory inspection of the Hanson’s home. Neat and orderly, tidy to a fault actually, their home was nonetheless depressing. There was not one sign of Christmas anywhere. No tree, no manger, no stockings hung with care. Nothing. Nada. Zippo. Carol shook her head. This was no way to live.

She’d arrived just in time.

First things first. She switched on the tiny built-in radio under the microwave and scanned until she found an all holiday music channel. As an instrumental version of Sleigh Bells played she stood and surveyed the kitchen. No one else was yet awake but she was hungry. She bit her lip. Perhaps it would be overstepping to start cooking when poor Ben Hanson still didn’t realize he was going to allow her to stay. No, she’d best wait until he caught up with the situation.

Ignoring her stomach’s loud calls for her usual morning meal of Christmas cookies and a peppermint laced latte, she helped herself to a piece of paper and pen from beside the telephone. She’d start on the shopping list.

Cookie cutters, ingredients for the dough, and sprinkles received top billing. Coffee, mint tea and eggnog came in a close second. Candy canes were a must, and her personal favorites, red and green M & M’s, rounded out the list of immediate needs.

On to a decorations list. The children would know best what color lights to buy for decorating the outside of the house. She’d leave that choice to them, but she couldn’t help but think that as the neighbors seemed to favor colored lights, it would be nice if the children chose white icicle ones. Of course they needed some Christmas music. She added candles to the list. She didn’t think it was proper to live in a house without an evergreen, cinnamon, or mint scent.

Decisions about the tree were a little trickier. Carol tapped the tip of her pen against the table. Tree decorations were so personal, here she was reluctant to overstep.

“Hello,” a voice called out.

Carol whirled around in her chair. A sleepy little boy stood in the doorway, holding tight to a raggedy blanket. Carol smiled. “Well, hello. You must be Patrick.”

The little boy nodded. “Who are you?”

“My name is Carol,” she told him.

“What are you doing here?” he asked.

Carol smiled. In looks and demeanor the child reminded her of his father. In fact, Patrick looked like a miniature Ben Hanson. He had the same light brown hair, the same intense gaze, and an aura of sweet bewilderment that pulled at her heart.

“I’ve come to help take care of you and your sister. I met your father when I arrived last night but you and Hillary were already asleep.”

Patrick entered the kitchen and sat at the table across from Carol, all the while keeping a tight grip on his blanket. She was relieved to see he didn’t seem frightened by her presence, merely curious.

“Shall I help you find some breakfast?” Carol asked. Her actual face to face experience with children was quite limited she realized. Because so much of her family’s life revolved around bringing joy to children at the holiday time she felt like she knew a lot about children. But now, as she sat across from Patrick, she realized she wasn’t quite as prepared for this experience as she’d thought. “Are you hungry?”

Patrick shook his head. “No.”

“Do you have school today?” Carol asked.

Patrick shook his head again. “We’re on break.”

“Oh, that’s quite nice, isn’t it?” Carol smiled again, wishing that the little boy would do the same. “What sort of fun do you and Hillary have planned for your days off?”

“We don’t have fun here.”

Carol tried not to stare. But really, this was the last response she’d expected to hear. “How old are you Patrick?”

“Six,” he said. “I’m in kindergarten.”

“Then isn’t having fun technically your job?” Carol asked.

Patrick was saved from having to answer by the arrival of his sister. Hillary shared her brother’s resemblance to their father. But unlike her brother, who was attired in his pajamas still, Hillary was fully dressed in a red argyle sweater worn with brown corduroy pants. Her outfit was completed by a pink tulle skirt worn over her pants.

“Good morning, Hillary. I’m Carol.” She smiled, and was relieved when Hillary smiled back. “I’m here to help take care of you.”

Hillary stuck out her hand and shook Carol’s. “It’s nice to meet you. What is your last name?”

“Kane,” she supplied. “My full name is Carol Candy Kane but no one calls me that. I think it would sound awfully silly, don’t you?”

Both children nodded and giggled. Candy Kane had been Santa’s idea of a little joke when she’d been born. But it came in handy now as going by Carol Claus was just a little too obvious.

“Now, shall we get down to some serious business?” Carol asked.

Wide eyed, the children nodded.

“Wonderful. Let’s find a deck of cards.”

* * *

“Good morning, Miss Kane.” Ben stopped in the entrance way to the kitchen, caught off guard by his children’s laughter. It wasn’t a sound he often heard, especially in the mornings. He looked from his son to his daughter. “What’s so funny?”

They smiled at him but it was Carol who spoke next, and it didn’t escape his notice that she neatly sidestepped his question.

“Good morning, Mr. Hanson. The children and I were just getting acquainted.”

Ben looked at the children in turn. They seemed remarkably composed considering they’d awoken to find a stranger in the kitchen. But his children were usually composed, which was one of his worries. He frowned.

“Ah, I take it you must be a first-thing-in-the-morning coffee drinker,” Carol said. “If you could point me in the direction of the right cupboard I can make a quick pot.”

He glanced at his watch. “No time. We need to get going if we’re to drop you off at the airport in time.”

“In time for what?” Carol asked. “I don’t have a flight scheduled.”

Ben stared at her. Her composure was remarkable. She seemed perfectly at ease sitting in his kitchen, playing cards with his children as if she were an old family friend. The fact he was in an obvious hurry to be rid of her didn’t appear to faze her at all.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “That’s easily fixed, tell me what city you need to end up in and I’ll book a flight.” He flicked his finger across the screen looking for an airline schedule. “I’m sure we can find you something.”

“Even with holiday travel being as busy as it is?”

He fixed yet another curious glance on Carol. She was young as far as nannies went, but certainly she was old enough to know when she wasn’t wanted? In every other way she appeared to be socially appropriate. He must have been crazy to think that the solution to his child care problems was inviting a stranger into his home. He glanced between Hillary and Patrick. No, not crazy. Just desperate.

“Which airport did you say would work best for you?” he asked again.

“I didn’t.” Carol stood and gathered up the deck of cards and handed them to his daughter. “Hillary, dear, why don’t you and Patrick go set the game up in the living room. I’ll be right there. And remember, six cards for each of us.”

Ben moved aside as the children obediently left the kitchen. He couldn’t deny that the children looked perfectly at ease with Carol. He, however, was quickly becoming disquieted by the ease with which she was fitting into his household.

“Mr. Hanson, first let me say that I completely understand your qualms about leaving the children with someone you don’t know well, but please do remember that you reviewed my resume, references and clearances yourself. You must have been satisfied enough to engage me to watch the children. Might I know why you’ve changed your mind?”

He hesitated, feeling slightly on the defensive. “I just feel that, well, it seems that I underestimated how great the change would be if someone actually moved in here.”

“Ah, you’re nervous then.” Carol nodded her head as if the entire situation suddenly made sense. “I’m sure that after a few days we’ll have settled into a routine. When you’re home with the children I will be in my room or I’ll arrange to be out so that you don’t feel uncomfortable.”