Gloria takes Lauren’s coat, hanging it on the hall tree, and then walks to the stairs of her home. “I’ve been thinking for the last couple of days,” she says, leading her to the second floor. “When my first husband died, I was going through his things and found something from our wedding day. I thought I should get rid of it, because no one in my family wanted to use it, but for some reason I held on to it.”
She walks into the bedroom at the end of the upstairs hall and opens the closet, pulling out something on a hanger, covered with a long garment bag. She removes the bag and holds up an ivory fifties-style straight skirt, which looks to reach mid-calf, with an ivory brocade jacket, dotted with pearls. “I wore this for my wedding.” She looks at Lauren, smiling. “As you can see, I was thinner then.” She examines the skirt and jacket. “I know it doesn’t look like much, but if you think that you could use it, you’re welcome to wear it for your wedding.” She sees the look on Lauren’s face and says, “I know, it looks old and—”
“No!” Lauren says, stepping closer to touch the fabric. “It’s beautiful! I can’t believe you’d let me wear this.”
Gloria hands it to her. “Would you like to try it on?” Lauren nods and Gloria steps out of the room into Marshall’s study, where she uses her finger to wipe dust from the lamp base, computer screen, and edge of the desk. She straightens books on the shelves, and turns pictures to just the right angle.
“Okay, Gloria,” Lauren says a few minutes later, opening the door.
Gloria stands in the doorway and her face loses its expression. She shakes her head, entering. “I knew it was beautiful but after all this time I never imagined it would look like this.” She reaches out to touch the jacket. “It looks like it was made for you.” Her eyes mist over, taking in the jacket and skirt. “So many years ago,” she says, examining the fabric. “My word! The threads in this have held up much better than I have!” Lauren laughs and Gloria shakes off the tears. “Such memories! I was just a child myself.” She looks at her. “And so in love. Much like you.” A tear rolls down her cheek and she wipes it away.
“Gloria, I can’t wear this.”
“I’m not crying because you’re going to wear it.” She pats her face. “I’m crying because that’s what old people do when they see a couple setting off on a journey of marriage together. When I look at this dress, it reminds me of how young and naïve I was. When I put this on that day, I thought that everything would come up roses from that day forward. Walt being out of work, the death of our parents, a runaway child being gone for years, sickness, standing at Walt’s grave. None of it entered my mind that day. But I’d go through all of it again with Walt.” She smiles, looking at her. “That’s why old people cry at weddings. We know the road that’s up ahead and what it takes to travel it, and are so happy that you have someone to travel it with. It’s quite the ride!” She puts her hands on Lauren’s shoulders. “What a beautiful bride you’re going to be.” Lauren leans into her, hugging her. “We can have Heddy take a look at it and bring this waist in a little bit and she can reinforce these little pearls so they won’t fall off, and it looks like something will need to be done to the sleeves, then I can take it to Jenny at the dry cleaners for some TLC.”
Lauren’s eyes are wide with questions. “Did you tell Miriam about this?”
Gloria shakes her head. “No. As soon as Marshall left for the store, I called you.”
“What will she think?”
“She’ll think it’s old and worn out and make some crack that likens its age to me. Then I’ll make some cracks about the highfalutin words she uses and, in the end, she’ll say that she loves it, and that you are beautiful in it.”
“Are you going to tell her today or should I?”
Gloria cocks her head, looking at her. “Oh, let’s just watch her stress over finding another dress for a couple of days. Watching Miriam squirm at Christmas is really one of the great joys of the season for me.” Lauren laughs out loud as she and Gloria look in the mirror together.
* * *
Gabe and Maddie each work on creating a Christmas card at Beside Me that will be given to local police or firefighters. Penny, from Grandon Craftworks, is leading the group in how to make an origami Christmas tree for the front of each card.
Gabe works at folding a tiny piece of paper and groans, looking at it. “My fingers are too big for this. Something is going to have to change pretty radically in order for this to look like a tree.”
Maddie giggles, looking over at it. “It looks like a doghouse.”
He turns the card sideways, tilting his head. “You’re right! I could write something like, ‘Have a doggone good Christmas.’”
She shakes her head, giggling. “That’s awful.”
He studies it. “I can’t give this to anyone, let alone a police officer. He might arrest me because it’s so bad.” He thinks. “It’s so bad it’s criminal.”
“Just start over and give that one to me.”
He hands it to her. “Here you go. Have a doggone good Christmas.”
She rolls her eyes, setting it aside. “Mr. G.?”
“Yeah.”
“Will you keep doing this with me?”
He looks at her. “You mean, being part of Beside Me?” She nods. “Absolutely!”
She looks down at her work. “I’m so glad you can. You’re one of my favorite people.”
His heart aches inside him a little as he reaches for more paper to begin his tree again. “What do you want for Christmas?”
“I’m still thinking about that.”
“Still thinking about it? You told that bully kid that you wanted a ring.”
“Not anymore.”
“Because of what he said?”
She shrugs. “Just don’t want one anymore.”
He glances at her without turning his head. “When I was a kid I knew what I wanted for Christmas months ahead of time.”
She shrugs. “Kids change.”
“Okay. Well, what are you doing for Christmas?”
“Me and Linda will be at her house. What will you do?”
“Hmm. I don’t know.” He leans over, whispering. “Between us, I was kind of hoping that maybe Amy would want to spend it with me.”
She slams down the card she’s working on and looks at him. “Do you mean that you and Amy are…” She doesn’t know how to say it.
He smiles. “Maybe. I sure hope so.”
She jumps up from her seat and hugs him. “From the first time I saw her I wanted you to marry her!”
He opens his mouth in surprise, pushing her away to look at her. “Whoa, whoa, whoa! Who said anything about marriage?”
She crosses her arms, smiling. “I just did. I told you right from the beginning that I found the perfect woman for you. Remember?”
He nods. “She is perfect for me.”
She puts her hands on each of his cheeks, pushing so hard that his mouth is misshapen. “Don’t blow it this time!” He laughs and she slaps his cheeks with each breath. “I’m serious! Don’t! Blow it! With her!”
“I won’t! I won’t!” he says, laughing.
She sits down, satisfied with herself. “That’s what I want for Christmas.” He raises an eyebrow. “I want you and Amy together for every Christmas.”