Page 73 of Fourth Heartwarmers Trilogy
Colin waited in the doorway while Jaqueline wandered into the kitchen, finally finding the purse she searched for. His gaze traveled their surroundings, and he didn’t hold back his worries. “Looks to me as if the family is poor. Everything’s very basic, don’t you agree?”
“Yes. I was thinking the same thing. I’ll go into the bedroom and get extra clothes for the kids. Theirs were soaked when the ambulance arrived.” Both made their way into the smallest of the two pocket-size bedrooms to find matching small beds along one wall, and a set of shelves where a few precious toys were stacked neatly.
The tiny closet covered by a piece of cotton material featuring colorful kitties held an array of shelves where small clothes, an extra pair of shoes, and slippers for each were neatly arranged. What caught Jaqueline’s attention were the walls decorated with cheerful photos taken from a magazine. Scattered everywhere were pictures of bunnies, butterflies, puppies, and lambs. Interwoven… a happy array of various scenes had been carefully cut out and placed to separate the animals. It dressed the room with brightness and a lovely sort of perception, depicting incredible scenes of lakes, mountains, and flower filled valleys.
Turning to the shelves, Jaqueline found clean, folded pants and tops for both children while Colin rifled through a basket filled with socks which could be worn by either of them. They poked into the second bedroom, one even more meager than the children’s and saw a cot-like bed and a small dresser. In this room the pictures she’d chosen were more landscapes showing a beautiful world.
Filling a ragged backpack that Jaqueline had found hanging on an old clothes rack in the corner, she chose the woman’sslippers and robe. Ones that had been left on the chair beside the bed. A surface Gisele obviously used as a night table.
Soon, they had what they considered essentials, and they wandered back into the kitchen where Jaq watched as Colin opened the fridge door. The small amount of food shocked them both. Then he went to the cupboards, where they found the same lack of groceries.
He turned to her, his face registering his discomfort in their findings. “This family is very poor.”
Jaq nodded. “I thought the house looked a bit decrepit but many of the older homes around here appear this way, which doesn’t necessarily mean the furnishings inside are the same. Unfortunately, I believe Gisele and the kids are suffering from a lack of income. She mentioned that her husband died last year. I’m thinking she must be supporting them on her own, probably with government assistance and widow benefits.”
“Which doesn’t amount to much.”
“I know. I’ve been living with my mother to help her keep her old home. After my dad passed, she could barely make it on the pension they thought would last their lifetime. My grandmother is furious with the situation, thinks I should be on my own, and Mother should sell the house and move into a senior’s residence. Can’t say I disagree but how can one force their stubborn parents to do something they refuse to do… even if it’s for their own good?”
“Tell me about it. I used to deal with a cantankerous old man who insisted he did just fine alone in his house until the day he didn’t answer his daily phone call. Guess he died happy enough, sitting in his chair in front of the TV. But I always felt bad because he’d been alone.”
Jaqueline sent a smile of sympathy toward Colin, knowing he understood her struggle and the choice she’d been forced to make. Then Jaqueline picked up a notebook from the table,one where a child – probably Charles – was doing basic math equations. “I’d bet money Gisele’s a stay-at-home mom. I think at six and a half Charles is school age, but I doubt if Maisie is.”
“Agreed. Gisele, probably has no way of getting him to the school.” He stopped walking and looked at her. “Did you see how protective Charles is over his sister. Sure melted my cynical soul.”
“A cynic wouldn’t have stopped to help.” Jaq shot back. “And yes, it is kinda nice to see children who care about each other more than themselves.”
Colin nodded and then sighed, a long drawn out breath that Jaq sympathized with. Finally, he put into words what she’d been thinking. “This place is depressing, isn’t it?”
Jaq knew her expression showed she agreed with his conclusion. “I feel it too. Did you notice there are no signs of Christmas anywhere?”
Colin stared into her face, his own troubled. “Could be Gisele’s the type who decorates closer to the holiday.”
“True. Or maybe they don’t celebrate Christmas at all.” A few seconds passed in silence before Jaq added, “How sad. In fact, this whole situation is sad, don’t you think?” Her voice resonated with the sympathy she couldn’t hide.
“It is.” As if he came to a decision, Colin swept his hand out in front of him. “Maybe it’s unreasonable, but I want to help. Only I’m not sure how I can… well without stepping on toes and hurting feelings. Do you think if I went and shopped for groceries and stocked up the kitchen, Gisele would be grateful or furious at the charity? I wouldn’t want her to feel I was interfering.”
“I don’t know, but I want in. Personally, I think it’s a great idea. Just don’t know what she’ll say. Maybe if we stick together, she’ll accept our help without taking it as charity and be grateful for the kids’ sake.”
“Okay, partner, you’re on. We’ll follow through later. Right now, we should head for the hospital.”
***
They made their way in the same rental car Colin had been in when he drove past the scene earlier. As he’d explained, hearing the screams had forced him to stop, though many others had kept driving. Jaqueline took a small writing pad from her handbag and together they made a list of what they could purchase and deliver to the family before the end of the day.
Like a dog with a favorite toy, Jaqueline kept coming back to the insistence that the kids needed some kind of Christmas. “The least we can do is get them a small tree and decorate it, bring some presents and-and ornaments to cheer up the house.”
“Okay. I’m all in.” Colin chuckled at her obvious happiness with his decision, and Jaqueline caught the difference immediately. His earlier attitude struck her as a man with little humor, an intellect who could be boring. That had been her first impression of him. But now she saw his good looks, taking the time to appreciate his dark brown eyes and short haircut that kept the mass of brown curls controlled.
Seeing his questioning gaze, she turned away without speaking. The man leaked a sexy vibe that had been missed because of the circumstances. Sneaking another peek, Jaq found herself searching for a wedding ring. Happily, she found only a signet ring, and not on his left hand.
Biting the bullet, she did something that shyness would normally stop her from doing. She asked a personal question to be sure her assessment of his marital status had been correct. “So… how many kids do you have to buy presents for?”
Again, Colin chuckled before answering. “Who me? None. Not married. In fact, my former fiancé of seven years is marryinga colleague later today. One of the reasons I decided to have a holiday away from home. He happens to be a close friend – used to be a close friend. Rather than being forced to go to the wedding, I opted to be away. Best for all of us. Figured with me gone, they could have all the other staff there with no discomfort.”
“I’m sorry.” Though she meant it, Jaqueline found herself wondering if she’d have been quite so compliant.
“I’m not. Sorry I mean. At first I suffered a lot of emotions until I realized most were anger… not hurt. That’s when I accepted what she’d been trying to tell me for the last year. I wasn’t nearly as invested in our relationship as a man in love would have been.”
