left in stock and there were no train sets. This season had been record-breaking in more ways than one; not only the robot but a number of other toys had sold out. The trains, a popular new doll, a couple of computer games... “Exactly where is there a train set?” he asked. “Unless you mean the one in the window...”
“Not the display train. A brand-new one. Except that it’s twenty-one years old.” J.R. swallowed visibly. “I have it,” he said. “It’s still wrapped in the original paper. Your mother bought it for you just before...” He didn’t need to finish the sentence.
“Mom bought me the train set I wanted?” Jake asked, his voice hoarse with emotion.
J.R. grinned. “You were spoiled, young man. Your mother loved you deeply. And your little sister adored you.”
A sense of loss hit him hard and for a moment that was all Jake could think about. “You kept the train set all these years?” he finally asked.
J.R. nodded solemnly. “I always meant to give it to you but I could never part with it. In a way, holding on to it was like...having your mother still with me. I could pretend it was Christmas Eve twenty-one years ago and she hadn’t died. Don’t worry, I didn’t actually believe that, but I could indulge the fantasy of what Christmas should’ve been. That train set made the memory so real....”
“And you’re willing to give it up for Gabe?”
“No” was his father’s blunt reply. “I’m willing to give it up for you.”
Jake smiled and whispered, “Thanks, Dad.”
“You’re welcome. Now we’ve got a bit of digging to do. I don’t remember where I put that train set but I know it’s somewhere in the condo. Or maybe the storage locker. Or...”
“Do we have time? Did you change your flight?”
“Flight?” J.R. repeated, then seemed to remember he was scheduled to fly out that evening. Shaking his head, he muttered, “It’s fine. I’ll catch one tomorrow if I have to.”
Jake didn’t want to pressure his father, but he’d promised Holly he’d invite J.R. to dinner at her apartment. Although he’d already tried once, he’d ask again. If he was going to disappoint her on one front, then the least he could do was surprise her on another.
“Since you’re apparently staying over...” he began.
“Yes?”
“Have Christmas dinner with Holly and Gabe and me tomorrow afternoon. Will you do that, Dad?”
His father took a long moment to consider the invitation. Then, as if the words were difficult to say, he slowly whispered, “I believe I will. Something tells me your mother would want me to.”
Chapter Eighteen
God isn’t politically correct.
He’s just correct.
—Mrs. Miracle
Holly set the phone down and forced herself to keep the smile on her face. Gabe’s robot was missing. Because Gabe was in earshot, she couldn’t ask Jake the questions that clamored in her mind. He’d said something about Mrs. Miracle, but Holly had been too disheartened to remember what followed.
Adding to her distress, Jake had said there was something he needed to do with his father, which meant he’d have to renege on dinner that night. In addition to the bad news about the missing robot, Jake had passed on some good news, too. Evidently his father had changed his plans and would be joining them on Christmas Day, after all, which delighted Holly and greatly encouraged her. She recognized that this was no small concession on J.R.’s part.
“Isn’t Jake coming for dinner?” Gabe asked, looking up from his handheld video game. He lay on the sofa as he expertly manipulated the keys.
“I... No. Unfortunately, Jake has something else he has to do,” Holly explained, doing her best to maintain an even voice. “Something really important,” she emphasized.
Gabe frowned and sat up. “What’s more important than Christmas Eve?”
Again Holly made an effort to pretend nothing was wrong. “We’ll have to ask when we see him tomorrow,” she said airily.
Her nephew slouched back onto the sofa. His downcast look prompted Holly to sit beside him. She felt as depressed as Gabe did, but was trying hard not to show it. In the larger scheme of life, these disappointments were minor. Nevertheless, she’d hoped to give Gabe a very special gift this year. And she’d hoped—so had Gabe—to spend Christmas Eve with Jake.
“Did Jake promise to come tomorrow?”
“He’ll be here.”
“But he said he’d come for dinner tonight, too—and he didn’t.”
“We’ll have a wonderful time this evening, just the two of us.” She slipped her arm around his small frame and squeezed gently.
Gabe didn’t seem too