Page 171 of The Blessings of Christmas
Josie was almost relieved to be interrupted. “Come on in,” she called out. The door opened and Eileen stood there. She looked from Malcolm to Josie. “Bad time?”
“Not at all.” Josie waved her in. “What's up?”
Mumbling something about excusing himself, Malcolm disappeared. “I'm just wondering if you've seen the Spanish translation forHow the Grinch stole Christmas? I can't find that book and I was supposed to read it over at the clinic this afternoon.”
“Tell you what. I'll be right out and we can find it together.” Her breath felt so tight. Why did it feel so warm in her office?
“Everything all right?” Eileen asked hesitating in the doorway.
“Perfect. Everything is perfect.” Josie felt as if the top of her head was about to blow off.
“All right then. See you in a minute.”
The door closed behind Eileen. The pencil snapped in Josie's hands. She began to sob.
CHAPTER 15
His mother's flight had been canceled once, and the next flight Malcolm could book was delayed twice. “Finally,” she huffed as Aurelia Sutter stormed up the ramp, towing a designer carry-on. “Thought I'd never get here.”
“I'm glad you made the effort, Mother. I had no idea the flight would be so miserable.” He kissed her on the cheek and was surprised when she looped one arm around his neck in a tight hug. She wasn't a woman who gave in easily to her emotions.
“Wouldn't have missed it for the world.” Backing away, she patted his chest. “I think my son needed me.”
“R-really? You thought I needed you?” he sputtered. Maybe she was right. In any case, Malcolm was used to her surprises. When he was growing up, he’d seen his father glance over at his mother as if to say,who is this woman I married?
“Which way to the luggage?” She glanced around. “What I meant to say was, after that miserable debacle with Darcy Hightower you might want some bolstering.”
“Let's put that behind us.” He hoped they wouldn't have to hash over his disastrous engagement during her visit. Takingher elbow, he steered her to a bench. “Stay here and I'll get your bag.”
Throwing him a benevolent smile, she sat down. He had to admit his mother had a certain air about her. Regal. Imperious. And it was the last quality that usually got her into trouble.
Fifteen minutes later they were in the jeep and headed for Sweetwater Creek. Head swiveling from side to side, her mother took it in. “It's all rather provincial, isn't it?”
“If you mean simple and peaceful, then yes, it is provincial.” He heard the defensive note in his voice.
His mother threw him a crooked smile.” I'm not being critical, son, I just meant that it was, you know, healthy. All these open fields.”
He burst into a chuckle. How would she react to this little town? Malcolm had tried to prepare her for his apartment. He’d told her that it was a work in progress. After they’d trudged up the steps and he’d thrown open the door, he watched her eyebrows disappear into the silver hair that waved back from her forehead.
Taking her bag to the guestroom, he was glad that he’d made some changes. At least the room had a bed and a dresser and he’d cleaned out the closet. When he returned to the living room, she was standing in the center of the small room, staring at the purple sofa.
“Of course I intend to make some changes,” he said quickly. “This furniture all belongs to Victoria, the woman who owns the building and the pantry downstairs. She lived here for a while.”
His mother tapped one finger against her lips. Was she hiding a smile? “Oh yes, the pantry.”
“I expected Darcy to kind of take hold here and make some changes.”
When his mother swung her eyes his way, Malcolm saw the laughter in them. “Oh my poor, deluded son. Darcy would never have ‘taken hold’ of this.”
Hmm. Really?Malcolm was so glad that Victoria wasn't there to see his mother dismiss the furniture with one quick motion. “I mean, really Malcolm. This is a little bit of Versailles mixed with Alice in Wonderland.”
Laughter tickling his throat, he looked at the room with new eyes. Then he roared while his mother chuckled. “You do have a way with words, Mother.” He swiped at his eyes. This visit might be more fun than he’d anticipated. “Now come to the window and look at the square. You're going to love it.”
Edging to the long windows, she took in the square with one cursory glance. “Very nice, very nice. Now, about those baked goods. Did you say they were downstairs?”
“Right this way.” Malcolm had a feeling that this visit was going to be a real eye-opener for her.
“Oh, how very mysterious to go in through a back door,” his mother commented as he led her down the stairs and in through the pantry’s rear door. Her nostrils flared as she seemed to breathe in the smell of croissants and cookies and Christmas cakes. When they came to the busy room where Christmas gifts were heaped around a tree and ladies visited around the circular tables, she looked positively delighted. The tension in his neck eased.
