in Laurel’s heart. Helen had been desperate, doing everything she could to bring a smile to that grieving child. Nothing had worked, until they’d baked those gingerbread men.
Stepping out of the cold, Helen and Mrs. Miracle walked into the mall and took the escalator to the second floor, to Laurel’s favorite stationery store. Helen wanted to purchase a box of high-quality stationery for her granddaughter, knowing how much Laurel would treasure this gift.
As she was about to head to the cashier, Helen’s eyes landed on a shelf displaying baby announcements. Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled at Mrs. Miracle. “It’s a girl, you say?”
Mrs. Miracle grinned and nodded.
Helen added a box to the basket on her arm, knowing that Laurel would love to use her own beautiful handwriting for the exquisite announcements rather than spend money for the online version. “Should I put those under the tree? Or wait until after Christmas to give them to her?”
“The tree,” Mrs. Miracle advised with a twinkle in her eye.
Helen’s heart swelled. Laurel had to hold on only a while longer.
They ate lunch at a lovely Italian restaurant, both savoring the ravioli. Splurging, Helen enjoyed a glass of wine with their meal and felt light-headed again for an entirely different reason.
“You shouldn’t have let me order that Chianti,” she chastised her friend.
“No worries. I’ll make sure we make it home safe and sound.”
Once they finished lunch, Helen wanted to stroll down to Pike Place Market. She’d always loved the unique market, which happened to be the longest-running farmers’ market in the States, a fact that all of Seattle was proud to boast.
As they walked past the shop that sold Beecher’s cheese, Helen noticed a line extending out the door for the original Starbucks. It amazed her to see so many willing to wait for the experience of paying five dollars for a cup of coffee. Several were looking at their phones, hardly aware of the moving line.
They stepped across the street and into the market. Pike Place Market was a wonderland of sights and sounds, of fishmongers tossing salmon, and of colorfully displayed fresh vegetables and fruits. Booth after booth of craftspeople were selling their wares, from leather goods to flavored honeys, spiced nuts, and beautifully arranged Christmas bouquets.
Mrs. Miracle paused long enough to look over the figurines crafted out of ash from the 1980 eruption of Mount Saint Helens. Thinking Zach might use the collectible as a paperweight on his work desk, Helen purchased one shaped like an orca, knowing how much he liked whales.
The crowds were thick and the two stayed only long enough to make their way through the upper floor. A walkway from the market led down to the waterfront, but by then Helen had grown tired, and they made their way by bus back to the house.
* * *
—
When Laurel returned from school, she found Helen sitting in her chair, knitting. “How was your day?” Helen asked her granddaughter.
“Busy. What about you?”
“Mrs. Miracle and I had a wonderful day,” Helen said, sharing a satisfied smile with her Caring Angel.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Helen watched as Laurel left the house to return to school for the meeting with the parents regarding the holiday program. As soon as the door closed, Helen looked toward her companion.
“I want so badly to tell her about the baby that’s coming,” she said with a disgruntled sigh.
Mrs. Miracle joined her in the living room, delivering a fragrant cup of Christmas tea along with a plate of cookies. She sat next to Helen and gently patted her hand. “Now isn’t the time, dear.”
Helen trusted her angel friend. How could she not, seeing that Mrs. Miracle had been sent specifically for this mission? Her granddaughter was certain to think this news was yet another sign of Helen’s dementia.
“She would pretend she didn’t hear me, wouldn’t she? She might even laugh it off,” she said, knowing the subject of a baby was the last thing her granddaughter would want to discuss.
“Sarah did, too, if you recall.”
“Sarah?” Helen couldn’t recall anyone in her acquaintance with that name.
“Yes, Abraham’s Sarah. When the angel of the Lord came to Abraham and told him he would have a son at that time in the following year, Sarah overheard and did her best to smother a laugh.”
Ah yes, the Bible story. Helen knew it well. While Helen understood that her granddaughter might doubt her sanity, she wished there was a way she could infuse Laurel with faith. She badly wanted to