A Mrs. Miracle Christmas - Debbie Macomber Page 0,50
at the long table set with the bingo cards. Helen found it amusing. Laurel observed her grandmother with a new set of eyes—she truly was an attractive woman.
“Your grandmother has been turning heads ever since she set foot in the center,” a woman commented, coming over to greet Laurel. “I’m Mary Lou. I used to live three houses down the street from where you live now. Your mother, Kelly, and my Julie used to play together as children. We moved when the girls started high school.”
Laurel smiled indulgently, pleased that her grandmother had reconnected with her friend.
“I was happy to find Helen coming to the center. It’s been so good getting reacquainted with her.”
“I’m pleased to meet you,” Laurel said, glancing around the room, which was filling with seniors carting their bingo gear. This was apparently a hot game.
Mary Lou offered to drop Helen back at the house following bingo, so after a few minutes to make sure Nana had settled in with her friend, Laurel returned home.
* * *
—
There would be no tubs of licorice for Helen today, as Lady Luck wasn’t on her side. She and Mary Lou chatted all the way home. Mary Lou promised to collect her after the holidays were over for the Zumba class being held every Monday morning at the senior center.
That night, Helen’s dreams had been full of Robert. As she slowly awoke in the morning, she clung to remnants of the dream, letting them linger. How she missed her husband. He’d always made Christmas special for her, decorating the outside of the house with a multitude of lights. Helen had loved how they brightened the house, and how, in the darkest part of winter, the lights cheered her and brought her joy. Robert knew that and was willing to put in long hours in the cold, climbing up and down the ladder, stringing lights around their roofline and all of the outside trees, because he loved his wife.
When it came to gift-giving, Robert had sincerely tried to find something special that he knew would please her, even when their budget was tight. Helen had never complained when he’d chosen household appliances as gifts instead of something more personal. The real gift, in Helen’s mind, was his love and those outside lights.
This was the same love she now saw flowing between Zach and Laurel. No matter what the future held, she knew that it would be with them as it had been with her and Robert, the man who had been her soulmate, the love of her life.
Helen joined the young couple for breakfast, and she felt she needed to let Zach know that she’d invited her home companion to the upcoming Christmas Eve candlelight service.
“I hope you don’t care that she’ll be joining us.”
“Why would I? Mrs. Miracle is more than welcome.”
Reaching for a slice of toast, Helen kept her eyes lowered to hide a smile. “I understand the choir is in tip-top shape, rehearsing their hearts out. We bumped into one of the ladies from church on our walk the other day, and she said the choir had never sounded better.”
“Really?” Laurel replied. “The last I heard, Mrs. Nelson was desperately searching for additional altos. Mrs. Murphy is joining her children in New York for the holidays, and both Alice Knight and Brenda Nichols have that awful flu bug that’s going around.” Their neighborhood church choir was small, and a few missing voices could make a world of difference.
“Someone must have stepped in,” Zach said. “I always look forward to the music on Christmas Eve.”
“Last Sunday, Pastor Warren announced that a trumpet player would be playing at the Christmas Eve service,” Laurel added.
Helen could almost hear the triumphant sound now. There was nothing like the sound of a trumpet accompanying the choir to her favorite Christmas carol, “Joy to the World.” It gave her chills just thinking about it.
* * *
—
That evening after dinner, the three settled in front of the television for a Hallmark Christmas movie. Helen watched as Laurel and Zach snuggled together. It seemed the two couldn’t get close enough. It made her think back to when she and Robert were young, and it gladdened her heart. She continued to knit the baby blanket. A sense of urgency had filled her, as Mrs. Miracle said Laurel’s baby would be arriving anytime now. With every available minute, she’d picked up her needles. She ended the row and held it up to gauge the size.
“What knitting