10

Lucy smiled at each of her family members around the table. Isabel, Ava Kathryn, and Ava’s husband Henry. It was good to be with family.

“Mom, that was delicious. Thank you.” Ava Kathryn rubbed her belly.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I appreciate your cooking much more now that I’m out on my own. Now it’s my job to cook dinner. Somehow it tastes better when I’m not the one cooking it.”

Henry laid his napkin on the table. “Your cooking is great, honey. Certainly better than anything I could do. I see where you learned it from.”

Ava gave him a grin. “Nice. Trying to butter both of us up, I see.”

Isabel turned toward Henry. “You’re a wise man. It’s always good to be nice to a pregnant woman.”

Henry laughed. “Yes, that’s good advice.”

“What do you two want to do while you’re here in town?” Isabel asked.

“Oh, not too much,” Ava Kathryn said. “We’re here to visit with you and Mom.”

“And eat your cooking,” Henry added with a grin.

“In that case, how about a card game?” Isabel asked.

All agreed, and they spent the evening in friendly competition. The next morning, as Lucy sat at the table drinking a cup of coffee, Henry rushed in, all out of sorts.

“What’s wrong?”

“I got a call from work. They’re having some serious problems at the job site. I’m sorry, but I need to leave.”

“Is Ava Kathryn staying?”

“If you don’t mind. I’ll come back to pick her up in a couple of days. My parents are coming Wednesday afternoon. I’ll either come back late tomorrow night or early Wednesday morning. I’m sorry to dash off like this, but…”

“It’s fine, Henry. Go take care of what you need to do. We’ll take care of Ava Kathryn for you.”

Henry gave Lucy a quick hug and dashed out the door.

Sometime later, Ava padded out of the guest room in her robe and slippers.

Lucy was immediately on alert. “Are you OK, honey?”

“I’m tired. I didn’t get a great night’s sleep last night, and then Henry’s phone went off early this morning. I’m not sure I’ll be the best company today.”

“That’s fine. Come in here and sit down. I’ll make you some herbal tea and toast.”

“Sounds great, Mom. Thanks.” Ava moved into the living room and eased onto the couch.

Lucy came back and found Ava studying the tree.

“Why didn’t Aunt Isabel decorate the bottom?” Ava asked.

Lucy shook her head. “We did. But Flick keeps absconding with the ornaments.”

Ava laughed. “That adorable little kitten is a thief? She and Roscoe seem to be getting along well,” She nodded to the pair who lay on the carpet by her feet.

“It really is amazing. Roscoe is like a different animal with Flick around. He’s hardly nervous at all, and he doesn’t mind when I leave the house.”

“That’s great.”

Isabel shuffled into the room. “Where’s Henry?”

“He had to rush home for a work thing,” Ava said. “Looks as though it’s us girls for the next couple of days.”

“Unless your mother’s admirer comes to visit.”

Lucy’s cheeks heated as Ava whipped her head towards her. “Your admirer?”

“Your dear aunt is exaggerating. Her next-door neighbor is a friendly person who was kind enough to take me to an event the other night. He was merely being a good host, showing me around town.”

Isabel raised her eyebrows at Lucy. “You don’t really believe that, do you? He’s clearly sweet on you. And you care about him, too. I can tell.”

Ava Kathryn’s eyes widened. “Are you dating again, Mom?”

Oh, no. This was not going well. “No, no, no, dear. Don’t worry. I’m not trying to replace your father.”

Ava sat up from her position on the sofa. “Mom, come here.”

Lucy took the seat next to her daughter. “What is it?”

Ava took Lucy’s hand. “I want you to be happy. I know you loved Dad, but he’s gone now. If you want to find someone else, that’s OK. Dad would want you to be happy. You’re still plenty young. And you won’t get any complaints from me or from Audrey. We want you to live your life.” She turned to Isabel. “When do I get to meet this mystery man?”

Isabel’s grin was mischievous. “We’ll devise a plan to get him over here.”

“You’ll do no such thing,” Lucy protested. “I told you already, he’s been married before. What if he and his wife would reconcile?”

“Do you think that’s likely?” Ava asked.

“Of course not,” Isabel said. “She’s making excuses.”

Indignation rose. “I’m doing no such thing. The bible says…”

“Yes, yes. You quoted it to me already. I think you should give Noah a chance to explain the situation with his ex-wife. Don’t write off a good man.” Isabel shuffled towards the kitchen. “I need some breakfast.”

Lucy turned back to Ava, eager to change the subject. “Eat your toast, dear.”

“I’m trying, but I’m not feeling great.”

Nursing instincts took over. “What’s wrong?” Lucy laid a hand on Ava’s belly. The baby kicked, and Lucy grinned. “Well, it’s not your little one. The baby seems plenty active.” Lucy pressed a hand to Ava’s forehead. “You’re a little warm…”

“I don’t have a fever. I’ve been hot this whole pregnancy. Thank goodness this baby will come before spring. I couldn’t imagine being nine months pregnant in the summer in Tucson. Our air-conditioning bills would be astronomical.”

“So what is it?”

“It’s hard to explain. I just feel ‘off.’ My back is sore, but that’s not strange considering this giant beach ball I’m carrying around. Oooh!” Ava’s hand shot to her abdomen.

Lucy’s adrenaline spiked. “What?”

“I think that was a contraction.”

“More Braxton-Hicks?”

“Probably, but it was a strong one.”

“We’ll monitor them. For now, put your feet up and relax. I’ll find a Christmas movie to watch.”

“Oh, that sounds nice.”

Lucy flipped through the channels until she found one of her favorite classics. She pulled the ottoman over for Ava’s feet, then headed back to the kitchen where Isabel was sitting with a bowl of oatmeal.

“What’s wrong?” Isabel asked.

“Ava is having contractions.”

“Do you think the baby will come early?”

“We’ll wait and see. It’s probably a false alarm. But we’ll sit and watch a Christmas movie, if you’d like to join us.”

“I’ll be out after I finish my oatmeal.”

“Sounds good.” Lucy re-joined Ava on the sofa.

They watched together, and Ava seemed to be doing OK. Every once in a while, she’d press her hand to her abdomen, but the times were few and far between.

Lucy finally relaxed and enjoyed the movie with her family.

Later that afternoon, the doorbell rang. Lucy shot Isabel an accusing glare. “Is that who I think it is?” She bounced between feelings of excitement at seeing Noah and irritation at her sister’s meddling, to anxiety about how she could ever manage to forget him if they kept crossing paths.

Isabel had the good sense to at least look a little guilty. “It could be. I asked him to stop over and help me with something.”

Ava sat up. “Oh, good. I’m excited to meet him.” She straightened in her seat.

Huffing at the two of them, Lucy answered the door. “Hello, Noah. I’m sorry my sister bothered you. I’m sure you have better things to do than to come over here and do favors for her. After all, that’s why I’m here.”

Noah’s eyes sparkled. “I’m happy for any excuse to see you lovely ladies.” His words spoke in the plural, but his eyes stayed focused on Lucy.

She cleared her throat. “Uh, come on in. This is my daughter, Ava Kathryn.”

As Ava struggled to rise to her feet, Noah hurried across the room. “Please, don’t get up on my account. I’m happy to shake your hand while you stay on the sofa.” He took Ava Kathryn’s hand, and she smiled up at him.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

“Likewise.” Noah turned to Isabel. “What did you need me to do with your walker?”

Lucy shook her head. Isabel was unbelievable. Still, she couldn’t deny what the man did to her pulse rate.

Noah fiddled with Isabel’s walker for a few minutes, then motioned for her to give it a try.

“Oh, that’s much better. Thank you for tightening it up. I think Lucy was about to take Roscoe for a walk. Why don’t you join her? I’m sure she’d enjoy the company.”

“I’d love to.”

Lucy sucked in a deep breath through her nose. Isabel’s matchmaking skills couldn’t be any more obvious if she held up a banner. “I’ll get his leash.”

At the mention of the words ‘walk’ and ‘leash’ Roscoe hopped to his feet as fast as his old joints let him. Lucy clipped his leash on and followed Noah out into the bright sunshine. She shielded her eyes with her hands. “I can’t get over how much sunshine there is in the winter.”

“It’s sunny all year round, but it’s much more pleasant this time of year.”

“I suppose that makes sense.”

They walked for a few minutes in companionable silence.

“I’m glad your daughter could visit. I’m sure it’s difficult for you to give up all your Christmas traditions this year.”

Lucy waited for the moisture to form in her eyes, but none came. She must be getting used to life out here. “I thought it would be a bigger deal than it has turned out to be. No, I’m not attending the church I’ve been a part of for 35 years, but at this new church, my sister re-dedicated her life to the Lord. I’m adjusting much better than I thought I would. It turns out this place kind of grows on you.”

“It does. I’ve been all over the world, but this place feels like home.” Noah jammed his hands in his pockets while he walked, and his voice took on a softer tone “I’m sorry if I’m forcing my presence on you.”

“You’re not, Isabel is,” Lucy joked.

“Seriously, though. I don’t want you to feel pressured to spend time with me. I understand you might not want to get too attached to someone who lives two thousand miles away.”

“That’s only part of it,” Lucy admitted. “We don’t know each other very well.”

“True. I believe I owe you a story. You asked me why I gave up the life of touring as a professional violinist. Are you ready to hear why?”

Lucy nodded.

They paused while Roscoe sniffed every inch of the bottom of a lamppost.

Noah drew in a deep breath. “As I told you before, I spent a lot of time away from home. I met my wife Giavanna in Italy. We had a whirlwind courtship, leading to a brief engagement. When we got married, she traveled with me all over the world until Betsy was born. When Betsy left for college, Giavanna moved back to Italy and remarried. I felt like such a failure. I never believed in divorce, but what could I do about it when Giavanna was halfway around the world? With Betsy away, I toured even more, devoting everything to my music.”

Noah’s eyes clouded. “When my wife left me, I realized I’d put music before my family. I missed much of Betsy’s childhood, leaving Giavanna to raise Betsy on her own. It wasn’t until Davy was born I realized God was giving me a chance to be part of a family again. I stopped touring, bought the house next to your sister, ten minutes from Betsy and David, and became the ice cream truck-driving Grandpa I am today.”

“Wow. There’s a lot more to you than meets the eye. I admit, I judged you when you told me you were divorced. I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re right. Divorce doesn’t make God happy, but I couldn’t force Giavanna to come back to me. She’d gotten in touch with an old boyfriend online, and fell back in love with him while I was on the road. I returned from a trip to Germany to find our condo empty of all her things and a note saying her lawyer would be in touch.”

“That’s sad.” Lucy followed along after Roscoe, who’d tired of the lamppost.

“Now she’s married and I don’t expect we’ll see very much of her. I’m sorry for Betsy’s sake, but Giavanna made her choice. She visited Betsy when Davy was born, but hasn’t seen him since. Her new husband likes to keep her at home.” Noah scrubbed a hand down his face. “Anyway, enough about that.”

Lucy studied Noah’s profile as they strolled down the street. One of her biggest objections to spending time with Noah evaporated. She wouldn’t be the reason Noah didn’t reconcile with his ex-wife. But was she ready to make a commitment to moving out here?

“What’s going on in that pretty little head of yours?” Noah asked.

“I’ve been thinking about spending more time with my sister.”

“Oh?” Noah’s eyes lit with pleasure. “What do you mean?”

“She’d probably be furious if she knew I told you this, but the other day she had a panic attack brought on by a nightmare. She’s afraid to be alone.”

“Seriously? Isabel is a strong and capable woman. I wouldn’t be surprised if she lives to one hundred.”

“Yes, but she doesn’t want to live to one hundred all by herself. We’ve grown close the past few weeks. God has been dealing with my heart lately. I think it’s time to make a change. I wasn’t sure what that change was, but I’m considering moving in with Isabel. I think it will be good for both of us. I’ll be farther from Audrey Christine, but Ava Kathryn is less than two hours away, and I’d like to be around for her and the baby. Besides, now that Roscoe has Flick, I’ll be able to leave him once in a while. I could always fly back to Pennsylvania to see friends or to New York to visit Audrey.”

Noah reached for her hand. “I’d love for you to be my next-door neighbor.”

Lucy grinned. “I haven’t talked with Isabel about it yet, but it feels like the right thing to do.” She allowed Noah to take her hand as they continued their stroll. “I will miss having a white Christmas. But God is starting to teach me all my traditions aren’t important.”

Lucy’s cell phone rang in her pocket. “Isabel, what…”

“You need to come back now. Ava needs you. Her contractions are getting closer together, and…”

“I’ll be right there.”

Lucy disconnected and turned toward Noah. “I need to get back. Ava might be going into labor.” She whirled on her heel and jogged back toward the house, Roscoe struggling to catch up. “Come on, buddy, let’s go.”

“Let me take him. I’ll bring him back at a pace he can handle. Go.”

“Are you sure?”

At Noah’s nod, Lucy took off back down the street. All else flew from her mind. Her baby girl needed her. Moments later, she burst into the living room, breathless.

“Wow, mom, you didn’t need to run. I’m o...” Ava’s sentence was cut off as she grabbed her stomach, moaning.

Lucy hurried to her side. “You’re going into labor.”

“But it’s too soon.”

“Your doctor said you were farther along than your original due date. You and the baby will be fine.”

Ava grabbed Lucy’s hand. “Call Henry. He has to be here. And my doctor.”

“I’ll call Henry. Give me your phone.” Isabel shuffled out of the room to call, while Lucy opened the stopwatch on her phone. She pressed start as another contraction rocked Ava.

The contraction passed and Ava sank back against the sofa. “Do you want me to drive you back home?” Lucy asked.

“No. I need you to stay with me and help me breathe. I’m supposed to relax. But I’m not. I’m scared.”

“Honey, I’ve delivered babies before. There’s no need to be scared. I promise I’ll take care of you.” Lucy brushed a damp strand of hair from Ava’s face. “You and this baby will be fine.”

Ava bit her lip. “Thanks, Mom.”

Several minutes later, another contraction came and went. “Your contractions aren’t regular yet. There’s a long way to go, especially since it’s your first. Do you want to turn another Christmas movie on?”

Ava shrugged. “I guess. Can you call my doctor?”

Isabel returned to the room. “I left a message with Henry. I told him to come back here as soon as he could.”

Lucy left Isabel with Ava and moved into the other room to call the doctor. They agreed it was best for Ava to stay where she was for the time being, but if her water broke, she was to get to the hospital quickly. Lucy called the hospital to try to smooth the way for when they’d get there.

When she returned from making the calls, Noah appeared with Roscoe.

Lucy’s heart did a little flip. She’d left Roscoe with him and Roscoe hadn’t complained. In fact, he seemed to enjoy Noah’s company. That was a good sign. Could she really consider staying and developing a relationship with this man?

“Mom…”

Lucy’s attention snapped back to Ava, and Noah disappeared from her mind. She spent the next few hours focused on Ava, letting her squeeze her hands as the contractions came, and wiping her forehead in between.

“Mom, I’m glad you’re here with me. I couldn’t imagine going through this alone.”

Lucy pressed a kiss to Ava’s forehead. “There’s nowhere I’d rather be. I’m sorry it took Isabel breaking a hip for me to get down here, but God knew exactly where I needed to be.”

The doorbell rang again, and Isabel moved to answer it.

“Did you call Noah again?”

Isabel waved a hand at her. “Relax. I ordered dinner. I’m doing better, but I’m not up to standing for long periods of time in the kitchen. I figured you’d need something to eat to keep up your strength.”

Touched by her sister’s thoughtfulness, Lucy took a break while Isabel watched over Ava. She ate her fill of the takeout, and then switched places with Isabel again.

Finally, at 7:00, Henry called to say he was on his way. Ava sagged against Lucy in relief. “Do you think he’ll make it in time?”

“Since your contractions are still ten minutes apart, there’s time. Let’s pray. Would you like that?”

Ava nodded, and Lucy prayed. “Dear God, thank You for this little one. Please keep the baby safe and let the delivery go smoothly. Please be with Henry as he drives back here. Let him get here in time to be with Ava as she delivers their baby. Please help Ava be strong through this. In Jesus’s name, Amen.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

As Ava’s contractions grew closer together, Lucy decided it was time to check her progress. “You’re still only about 6 centimeters dilated. If you want to get to the hospital…”

“Not without Henry.”

“Understood.”

When Henry burst into the house, he made a beeline for Ava. The concern on his face for his young bride touched something deep inside of Lucy. “Are you OK, my love?”

Ava nodded and reached for him, tears running down her cheeks. Henry whispered in her ear, and her face relaxed.

“Thank you, Lord,” Lucy murmured. “It’s probably time to get to the hospital.”

“You’re coming with us, right, Mom?” Ava asked. “I need you.”

How could she say no? “Of course, dear.”

After a long night at the hospital, Ava gave birth to a beautiful, six-pound baby girl.

Lucy slumped in the chair next to Ava’s bed, completely exhausted after being up all night. “Congratulations, you two. She’s perfect.”

“She really is,” Ava stroked her newborn daughter’s cheek.

“What will you name her?”

“Well, we had a couple of names in mind for a girl, but we hadn’t completely decided,” Henry said. “We were talking about some family names…”

“I think since she decided to show up on Christmas, she helped us decide, though,” Ava said.

Henry’s eyes lit. “You’re right.”

Lucy glanced from one to the other, confused. “Oh my goodness. With all the excitement, I forgot. Tomorrow is Christmas. What’s her name?”

Ava grinned at Henry, who nodded. “Carol Marie. Carol was Henry’s grandmother’s name, and…

“And Marie was my mother,” Lucy touched her hand to her chest. “That’s precious.”

“She’s Carol, like a Christmas carol,” Ava explained.

“I love it. And I’m proud of you. You did so well. I’ll give Isabel a call and share the news.”

Lucy headed back to Isabel’s house, dead on her feet, but full of excitement at the birth of her newest grandchild. After filling Isabel in on Ava’s condition, she got some breakfast and called Audrey Christine and Hadessa with the news, and wished them both a Merry Christmas. By the time she finished making calls, the excitement had worn off, and she curled up in bed to take a nap. When she woke, the room was dark. She went out to the living room, rubbing her eyes. “What time is it?”

“Nine o’clock.”

“Why didn’t you wake me? We were going to the Christmas Eve service tonight.”

“Honey, you were up all night. You needed to sleep. Noah took me to church at seven. We came back a little while ago. It was a lovely service. Lots of wonderful music.”

“I can’t believe I missed it,” Lucy said. “I’ve never missed church on Christmas Eve.”

“There are a lot of things different about Christmas this year.”

“Yeah, I guess so. I can probably watch something online.”

“I think the church was having an 11:00 PM service. I’ll be sound asleep by then, but you could watch it.”

“I think I will.” Should she go to the 11:00 PM service? She hadn’t been up that late in years. Early mornings as a nurse always had her in bed by ten. How could tomorrow be Christmas already? Sure, she’d decorated two trees now, but she hadn’t done any of the usual Christmas preparations. Speaking of which, she hadn’t even made any Christmas cookies! That was supposed to be the plan for yesterday. She’d hoped to make cookies with Ava and Isabel. Instead, she spent the whole day guiding Ava through labor. She glanced up to find Isabel studying her.

“What’s on your mind?” Isabel asked.

“I’m not ready for Christmas at all. I usually put together a big meal, and make cookies, and…”

“And instead, you were blessed with a new granddaughter. I’d do anything to trade places with you.” Isabel’s wistful expression made Lucy’s heart ache for her.

“The doctor said they can go home tomorrow. They’ll come back here before driving back to Tucson. You’ll get a chance to hold Carol Marie.”

“Oh, that’s wonderful,” Isabel said. “I think I’ll go read a bit before going to sleep. If you’re hungry, Noah brought a casserole his daughter made.” Isabel maneuvered her walker back to her bedroom.

Lucy made her way back into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Sure enough, front and center was an appetizing casserole. How thoughtful.

After eating, Lucy mixed up a batch of cookies as quietly as she could. She couldn’t make as many kinds as she normally did, but they’d at least have some cookies to eat for Christmas. By the time she pulled the final tray from the oven, it was nearly 11:00 PM. She opened the browser on Isabel’s computer and found the website for Pastor Micah’s church.

She listened to the music, but it wasn’t the same as being there. It was better than nothing, though. She straightened in her chair when once again, it seemed like Pastor Micah was speaking directly to her.

“How many of you have certain expectations for Christmas?” Pastor Micah took a moment to gaze around the congregation. “I’m sure Mary and Joseph did, too. I can’t imagine Mary ever expected to deliver the Savior of the world amongst animals. She certainly didn’t expect shepherds to be the first to greet her newborn child, or for him to be laid in a feeding trough miles and miles from home.”

“We have certain expectations about Christmas as well. And some of those are good. But keep in mind, God’s plans for you might be different. Life isn’t always about our plans. I encourage you this Christmas to open your heart to what God has planned for you.”

When the service ended, Isabel powered down the computer, Pastor Micah’s words echoing through her mind. How did he always know exactly what she needed to hear?

The next morning, Lucy awakened late, still off-kilter from her altered sleep schedule. She glanced at her phone and found a voicemail from Noah.

“You’re getting the day off from cooking. Betsy and David’s oven is on the fritz, so she’s cooking over here. You are all joining us for dinner at 1:00 PM. I won’t take no for an answer.”

Lucy stared at the phone in her hand. She couldn’t think of a nicer way to spend Christmas than to listen to Noah’s voice first thing in the morning. She was still smiling when she joined Isabel at the kitchen table.

“Merry Christmas. It seems we’re having Christmas dinner next door.”

“Oh, he convinced you, did he?” Isabel said. “He floated the idea to me last night. I think it sounds wonderful. Between his family and ours, it will be a grand celebration.”

“It will. I’m glad. I hope Ava and Henry can bring the baby home before then.”