Page 163 of The Blessings of Christmas
She stared down at her feet. Would she ever wear sandals again? “Pretty good. But my ankle is feeling better, and I don't think I'll be wearing this wrap for long.”
“Good. Then you can start running with me again.” They left the town behind.
“Miss me, do you?”
For a second Malcolm didn't say anything. Then a smile lifted his lips. “Yeah. Haven't been running since that day, in fact.”
“What a surprise. I should feel flattered.” She felt secretly pleased. “But I think I've been keeping you too busy at the library.”
“That must be it.”
“You’ll make a wonderful father someday.” The words came out of nowhere. Seeing him with the children had left an impression on her. One she would not soon forget. Darcy was one lucky girl. And so were the children who would someday have Malcolm as their dad.
But Malcolm had become strangely quiet. What? No funny comeback? This wasn’t like him. “I've been thinking,” he finally said.
“You do that a lot?”
He laughed and they were back on their familiar, carefree footing. “I try not to make a habit out of it. It struck me that today the children were understanding the pictures and my expressions but maybe not all the words.”
He had a point. “Funny, but the same thing occurred to me.”
“I could try to translate it for them in Spanish as I read.”
“Not all of them are Hispanic,” she reminded him.
“True. But reading the book in Spanish might help make them become bilingual, right?”
“Let's present this to the group back in the library. Eileen is the next one scheduled to go to the clinic to read. She might have some ideas.” A lot was turning in Josie’s mind. Only later, would she think back on Malcolm's strange silence after she’d made that comment about him being a father. Didn’t Darcy want children? The thought made her furious.
CHAPTER 11
Later that night, Malcolm wandered out into the square and took a seat on one of the benches. This was becoming a habit. Off to one side sat the gazebo, Mary and Joseph patiently waiting. The square had become his peaceful place. He settled back.
When the phone rang he took it from his pocket, half expecting it to be Josie. They’d had such a good time that day at the clinic. She fit in so naturally, always ready to meet another need. He could tell that Phyllis and the other women respected the time and the attention Josie gave them.
Maybe this was her on the phone with another idea. But no, it was his mother calling. Malcolm was in a good place that night. Lately he'd been so abrupt with his mom. Although he didn't agree with the role she’d taken with his ex-fiancée, didn't all mothers want the best for their children? He clicked to answer the call. “Hey, Mom. What's up?”
A startled laugh was her reply. “What's up?” she repeated, as if he'd spoken in a foreign language.
Malcolm had to laugh. “Sorry. It's been one of those days. I’m in a fog.”
“A bad day?” She sounded so disappointed.
“No, no. Not at all.” Malcolm thought back over the clinic and all the good work he’d seen there that day. The folks at the library had been so excited to hear about how the first reading had gone. And Eileen had immediately gone online to find Christmas stories in Spanish. They should arrive soon. “It's all good.”
He smiled when his mother eased out an audible sigh. “Thank goodness.”
Parents must get sick of having their children unload on them. All the worries and the bad days. Malcolm had always tried not to do that. But lately he’d slipped. “I'm sitting in the town square,” he told his mother. “It's so beautiful here. I wish you would come for Christmas so you could see all this.”
“Well maybe I will.”
Malcolm sat up so straight, he nearly fell off the bench. “Really? I would love that.” And he meant it.
“Good, I'll check flights.” His mother sounded flustered. “I would like to see you. If I've almost made a mess of your life, then I feel I should at least make some effort.”
The response was so her. Malcolm held back his laughter. “You haven't totally messed up my life.” No way did he want his mother to feel like that.
“I'm glad you admit that. I did give it the––what do people call it––the old college try.”
