Chapter 6

Thanksgiving

“My presence has been requested elsewhere.” Christian smirked, adjusting his jacket.

While some families watched the parades on television on Thanksgiving morning, the Andersens were sitting in the pews of a packed church, giving thanks for all they had. After the hour-long service, the Andersen sons made their way over to their childhood home in the West suburbs of St. Louis County.

Nathan matched Christian’s smirk with a lopsided grin of his own. Folding his arms, he leaned against his mother’s kitchen counter. “Is your host about five feet seven, pretty and has an equally beautiful daughter? Yeah, I saw you trying to get your mack on.” Nathan roared.

“I’ll be in the company of at least two beautiful ladies, and you’re stuck here with—”

“His charming mother,” Dorcas Andersen interrupted without missing a beat as she pulled one of her pies from the oven and set it on the counter.

Christian squeezed his mother’s shoulders and planted a soft kiss against her cheek. “You know I wouldn’t miss your cooking for just anybody, but I’m interested in getting to know this undeniably gorgeous woman.”

His mother smiled. “Then maybe this gorgeous woman wouldn’t mind spending Christmas with us.”

“Maybe.” If Joy truly was the one for him. Christian had been ready to settle down for a while. Actually, his brothers were too, even though their tastes in women varied.

His older brother, Nathan, preferred tall, sophisticated, educated and saved—the most important requirement being at the bottom of his list. David was a sucker for the quiet and beautifully saved women of God. Christian liked a combination of both, but he was attracted to women who were just as giving as him. Was Joy the one? Christian couldn’t wait to leave and begin to find out.

After wrapping one of her prized pies in foil, Dorcas handed it to Christian.

Nathan smirked. “An early Christmas present,” he teased.

“Oh hush. I wish all my sons would bring me a Christian present that walks in heels, dresses like she has some sense and with a bright smile.” Dorcas good-naturedly scolded her eldest. “This young lady has to be special if your brother accepted her invitation.”

“She’s special all right,” David grumbled after taste-testing the stuffing. “Thanks to your son’s generous offer, we delivered thirty extra boxes of turkey dinners. My muscles still ache.”

His mother’s eyes were filled with questions that Christian knew she would ask when they had some privacy. He saved her the trouble.

“Joy’s sister died and she’s taking care of her children.” At least I’m assuming the other three children are her sister’s. I’m about to find out. “She needed a helping hand.”

“Poor dear. She could’ve been our guest. Her name is Joy?”

“Joyce Knight, but she prefers Joy.”

“Joy to the World, or Silent Night.” Dorcas hummed a few choruses of each song.

Nathan balked. “Are you kidding me? It appears your middle son made sure she had enough food for a month.”

“Well, making sure the food pantry was fully stocked for the holiday was my project and mission accomplished. Nobody went home empty handed.” Christian glanced at his watch. “And I’ve got to go. A man should never be late on the first dinner date.”

Kenneth, Christian’s father, entered the kitchen before he could make his escape to see what the holdup was on the food being set on the table. “Be careful.” Kenneth chuckled. “I accepted a beautiful woman’s dinner invitation thirty-seven years ago and then I married her.” He winked at his wife, causing Dorcas to blush. Clasping his hands, Kenneth eyed everyone standing in the kitchen. “Well, let’s have our Thanksgiving prayer before you head out, son.”

Resting the pie on the counter, Christian joined the others in a loose circle and bowed his head.

“Father God, in the name of Jesus, we thank You for favor and the blessings in our lives. We have no complaints today because You have supplied our needs so that we can bless others. May this day be about kindness and peace toward one another as we thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.”

“Amens” echoed among them before Christian scooped up his dessert and made a beeline for the door of his parents’ Town & Country estate home.

Once he was in his SUV, he placed the pie on the floor. He spied the two red-stemmed roses in the backseat—one for Joy and one for Bethani. Not knowing the ages or sexes of the other children, Christian took a chance and purchased a cartoon DVD for them—bribes.

In a hurry to get to his host’s home, Christian tapped in Joy’s address on his GPS. Although he knew the vicinity, he didn’t want to waste a minute looking for her address. Christian turned the ignition and exhaled. “My Thanksgiving will never be the same after today.”

It didn’t take long for Christian to arrive at the Birchwood subdivision in Maryland Heights. Turning into the entrance, he admired Joy’s upper-middle-class neighborhood with manicured lawns and trees not quite mature. Locating Joy’s house number, Christian parked.

Getting out his car, he grabbed the dessert and gifts. Christian activated his alarm and hiked up two steps that landed him on a short pathway to a brick-covered porch. An expertly carved wood-lacquered door waited to greet him. From all outward appearances, which could be deceiving, Joy wasn’t hurting for money based on her vehicle and polished clothing—even her niece was dressed nicely. Now from her manicured lawn to the neat bare flowerbed, the woman was doing something right—or wrong to need assistance.

A foot long homemade straw man hung from the door, holding a welcome sign. Christian smirked, wondering if that was the handiwork of Bethani. Seconds after ringing the doorbell, Christian recognized childish screams of excitement and Joy’s shouting a warning before opening the door.

“Who is it?” Bethani sweetly asked on the other side of the door.

“It’s Mr. Andersen.”

“Okay.” Bethani fumbled with the locks before opening the door. She grinned. Three small ones stood behind the girl with curious eyes. They were like stepping stones in height. All three were dressed in colorful play clothes and each girl’s hair was neatly combed. The lone boy in the bunch was missing a shoe.

Planting one boot on the hardwood floor, Christian moved farther into a foyer, which was swallowed up by an open living room floor plan—nice, functional and surprisingly organized. No doubt, Joy had her hands full without another parent around.

“This is for you.” Christian handed Bethani a long-stemmed rose.

“Thank you, Mr. Andersen,” she said, blushing.

Joy rounded the corner, wiping her hands on a towel. The business attire and heels were gone. In their place was a casual outfit that flattered her shape and enticed his senses. She rounded off the look with furry house slippers that were copycats of one of his client’s inventions. Christian couldn’t linger on her feet as his eyes traveled back to her face. It was void of makeup or had very little on.

She was refreshing and beautiful. More words were in his vocabulary, but Joy had him all jumbled up at the moment. He struggled to speak. “Hi.” He handed her the pie and then remembered the flower. “For you, and I brought some DVDs for the kids. I hope you don’t mind.”

“That was so sweet of you,” Joy acknowledged almost with a hint of surprise. “We have company, so be good,” she informed the children as she took his jacket.

“What’s your name?” the tallest little girl asked while the other children eyed the small gifts in his hands.

He squatted. “I’m Mr. Christian Andersen. What’s your name?”

“Darla. I’m four,” she said proudly then crossed her arms behind her back, rocking one of her tennis shoes on one side.

“That’s Bethani’s sister and my niece,” Joy offered.

“I’m Jada and I’m…I’m…three.” The child struggled with her fingers to get three of them to cooperate.

“That one is mine,” Joy said proudly with affection.

Then the boy pushed them out the way. His eyes were bright and alert. “What’s your name?” he asked again as Joy identified him as her nephew.

“Shane.”

Okay, so that’s the makeup of this family, Christian concluded as Shane stuttered with his last name, so Christian added a mister in front of his first name. It came out Mr. Christmas to Shane, and the other two small children chanted it.

Christian glanced at Joy who was also smiling. She quieted the children and waved him to a sectional sofa. Standing, he followed her.

“That was nice of you to bring everyone gifts, but you didn’t have to do that. You already forced your mother to make dessert,” Joy said as he took his seat. The children climbed on the sofa next to him as if he were a magnet.

An unreadable expression crossed Joy’s face as she apologized. “Besides the postal carrier and the FedEx delivery driver, we don’t have many male visitors.”

“That’s good to know. I like children,” he replied, especially those who are well-mannered as these appear to be. “I was once one myself.” “I would’ve never guessed.” Joy scrunched her nose, flirting back. “You’ve been warned. Dinner is just about ready,” she said as the aroma drifted into the room. “I hope you don’t mind eating in the kitchen. I know that’s not traditional, but when my daughter and nephew decide to have a food fight, it’s easier to clean. Once I get their table manners in check, then we’ll move to the dining room. Hopefully, next year.”

“Joy, relax. I’m fine. Do you need any help?” He might like children, but he liked Joy more. He hoped the DVDs would buy him some one-on-one time.

The doorbell rang and the children scrambled toward the door before they could answer. “Ask who it is Bethani,” Joy instructed and the child did.

An older woman with the kindest face entered and the children screamed for her attention. She didn’t disappoint as she bent and hugged and kissed each one. Christian stood to meet the newest guest.

“This is Mrs. Thomas, my neighbor, babysitter and friend,” Joy made the introductions. “Meet Mr. Andersen. He’s the one responsible for—”

“The strawberry ice cream.” Her eyes twinkled as if she knew a secret about him.