A Holiday Proposal (8 page)

“Oh, no. I’m from Chicago. I came in early this morning on the train.”

“Cool. Do you have family in town?”

A shadow crossed the woman’s face, and she looked down quickly. “No. My daughter lives in Chicago. I’m passing through on my way to Seattle. I’ll catch the morning train.”

“Where are you staying?” Holly had a feeling the woman was a transient, but couldn’t be certain.

Elsa shrugged. “Oh...you know...that place by the river.”

“The Blackbird Inn or do you mean someplace else?” Holly didn’t want to embarrass the newcomer and call her out on her fib, but it was obvious she couldn’t afford those accommodations. Hopefully forcing Elsa to name the hotel would make her tell the truth. Holly wanted to help the woman, but couldn’t if she wasn’t honest.

“Yes, the Blackbird Inn.” She looked down and shoved mashed potatoes into her mouth.

Holly frowned. “How did you get here?”

“Walked.”

Holly let the information sink in and visited with her for the remainder of the meal. The woman’s kind and gentle spirit drew Holly to her, in spite of her fib. “It’s snowing outside. Can I give you a ride someplace?”

“Oh, that’s kind of you, but no. I’ll walk. I’m used to cold winters.”

“Just the same, I’d feel better if you’d let me drop you by your hotel.”

Elsa tilted her head. “Truth is this was an unplanned stop. I’d read about Leavenworth once, and when I saw that the train was stopping here I hopped off. Probably not the smartest thing I have ever done. Especially considering the weather.” She sighed. “I don’t have money for a hotel. I plan to walk back to the train platform and wait in the covered area. I noticed it was heated, so it won’t be so bad.” Her voice faded, and she looked down.

Holly’s throat thickened, and she swallowed back tears. “I have a guest room in my apartment. It’s not much, just a single bed that belonged to my landlord’s young son, but you’re welcome to it for the night. I can drop you at the train platform in the morning.”

Elsa’s eyes watered. “I’m fine. I hate to impose on you.”

“It’s no imposition—promise. How about you get another cup of coffee and meet me by the glass doors in, say, twenty minutes. I need to make sure everything is taken care of here before I leave.”

“Well, if you’re sure.” A slow smile lit Elsa’s face. “You know, I believe the Lord led me here today to meet you. He must’ve known you’d take in this old woman. I’m sorry I lied earlier about my accommodations, but I was ashamed to admit my situation.”

Holly pondered Elsa’s words. Did God really plan their meeting? “No worries, Elsa. Hang tight. I’ll be back soon.”

* * *

“Unca Matt. I want more bread.”

Matthew glanced at his sister, and she shook her head. “Looks to me like the only thing you ate was the bread. How about trying some of the turkey?”

She wrinkled her nose. “I not like it.”

April leaned toward her daughter. “Ava, Mommy told you no seconds until you at least taste everything on your plate. You haven’t tasted the turkey or the mashed potatoes.”

Ava sighed and slumped. “I not hungry.”

Todd strutted into the fellowship hall and stood against the wall. What was he doing here? Hopefully he hadn’t come to cause trouble. Maybe Holly had invited him. Something about the man rankled him. Maybe it was because Todd had taken a swing at him. But no, Matthew hadn’t cared for him before that.

It might be the possessive attitude he had toward Holly, in spite of the fact they weren’t a couple. Whatever the case, Matthew accepted that Holly wasn’t interested in anything other than friendship. If that was all she had to offer, he’d accept it, but not happily. Why did he have to be attracted to a woman who wasn’t the slightest bit interested in him?

From across the room, Matthew watched Holly speak to a woman. He didn’t recognize her, but she could be someone’s grandmother. Teens were beginning to clear centerpieces from the tables and some of the men were stacking chairs. They would need to pack up Ava’s food to go.

He looked down at the munchkin and grimaced. Tiny tears rimmed her eyes. Undoubtedly someone was ready for a nap. Too bad April had to wait for him. “You know what?”

Ava shook her head.

“I baked the rolls. I’ll make more for our Thanksgiving dinner. How does that sound?”

A wobbly smile touched her lips. “Okay.” She reached for his hand. “We go now?”

“Soon. I promised to help put the tables and chairs away. Give me about fifteen minutes.”

Holly strode by his table seemingly oblivious to his presence. He almost called out to her, but she seemed on a mission. He sighed and stood. Time to get busy before his niece had a meltdown.

He sauntered to where the other men were tearing down tables and joined in. A few minutes into the work someone tapped his shoulder. He turned. “Todd.” His body tensed. His hand tightened, ready for anything. Surely the man wouldn’t make a scene in church?

“You have a minute?”

Matthew studied Todd. The man seemed subdued and uncomfortable. Curiosity made Matthew nod his head. “I only have a moment. My family is waiting.”

“I understand.” Todd turned and walked away from where the men were working.

Matthew followed and stood at attention. He didn’t trust Todd, no matter how passive he appeared. He’d proven he had an explosive temper.

“I need to apologize for the other day. I was out of line.”

“Agreed and forgiven. Is that it?” He didn’t care to be buddies with Todd, even if the man was willing to humble himself and apologize.

“No. You need to know that Holly is great, but she’s focused on her job. Don’t be fooled. She’s not interested in me or anyone else, including you.” He looked past Matthew and lowered his words. “I really like her. I’d warn you not to hurt her, but I have a feeling she’ll be the one doing the hurting.”

Matthew frowned. “Why are you telling me this? Holly and I aren’t dating. We’re only friends and then just barely.” He was a realist, and theirs was a tenuous friendship, at best, even if she did say she’d like to go skiing sometime. Then again, they’d become very friendly earlier today.

“I see the way you look at her. It’s a familiar feeling. Figured I owed you after trying to take your face off. Just be careful.” Todd nodded, then lowered his head and walked away.

Matthew stood, slack-jawed. What had just happened? Was Todd actually a decent guy after all? He turned and nearly ran into someone. Holly. His eyes widened. “Oh, hey there. If it’s okay with you, I’m going to head out. Ava is desperate for a nap.”

She nodded. “Sure. I saw you talking with Todd. Did he want anything in particular?”

Matthew thought for a moment. They said honesty was the best policy. “He was warning me that you’re a heartbreaker, but I assured him my heart is safe.” At least he prayed that was the case.

Holly’s eyes widened and her face turned cranberry-red. “I see. Well, uh, I guess you should go find your family. Thanks for your help.”

Matthew frowned. “That didn’t come out right. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.”

“No, I think you said it perfectly. It’s okay, Matthew. Don’t worry. I won’t be breaking any hearts in the near future.” She spun around and rushed into the kitchen.

Shoulders sagging, Matthew headed for the exit. He should go after her, but to what end? Uncertainty ruled—the hurt on Holly’s face and in her voice made his stomach clench. How could he have fumbled that so badly? He’d hoped she’d pick up the hint that he trusted his heart with her, and she’d believed the opposite. It seemed as if all he did was fumble when it came to Holly, and he had no idea how to correct it without coming right out and telling her exactly how he felt. And clearly, she wasn’t interested in that kind of declaration.

Chapter 10

H
olly unlocked the door to her apartment. Warm air rushed out, drawing her into the comfortable space. “Here we are.” She stepped inside, followed by Elsa.

Her guest closed the door and stood still. “Your place is lovely, Holly.”

“Thanks. It’s small and only has the essentials, but it’s homey.”

“Exactly.”

Holly kicked off her boots and draped her coat on a bar stool. “Make yourself at home. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

Elsa set her overnight bag beside the door and hung her coat on the hook. “You know what sounds good? Hot cocoa. My daughter and I make that on snowy days like this one. I can’t believe it’s snowing so early in the season. From what I understand, this isn’t normal.”

Holly grinned. “This is the craziest November I’ve ever seen, but it’s not all that uncommon to have snow in November. We’ve had it in October, too, but to my knowledge it’s never stuck around that early in the season.” She poured milk into mugs. “Two hot chocolates coming up.” Maybe all Elsa needed was a little TLC. Holly placed the mugs in the microwave.

Elsa wandered to the front window and gazed out.

Holly’s insides warmed. The picturesque view drew her every day. She sidled up to the woman and took in the bustling street below. The shops would close soon. Christmas lights hung from the pine trees in front of the shops, and a crew used a cherry picker to hang more on the building that housed shops across the street. The village would be decked out in Christmas decor, and thousands of tourists would flood the small town for the annual light festival the first weekend in December.

Holly felt a soft smile touch her lips. “My sister and I looked forward to seeing Father Christmas every year when we were children. Our parents would bring us to the village, and we’d watch the tree-lighting ceremony and drink hot chocolate and eat roasted chestnuts.”

“Sounds perfect.” Elsa turned from the window, and a sad look haunted her eyes. She moved to the couch and sank into the corner.

The timer on the microwave dinged. Holly waved toward the living room. “I’ll grab the cocoa.” She poured prepackaged mixes into the mugs of warm milk and stirred in the chocolaty deliciousness. She sniffed. “This smells so good.” She walked over to the couch and handed a mug to Elsa, then curled onto the other end.

Elsa sipped the treat and swiped at the corners of her eyes.

“What’s the matter?”

“Just getting lost in my thoughts. This reminds me of home, or at least, what home used to be.”

“If only life were as simple now as it was when we were kids.” Holly sipped her cocoa.

Elsa laughed drily. “Sometimes it helps to talk things out. Tell me about it.”

Holly eyed her guest and realized she actually meant the words. “You first. What’s making you so sad?”

The woman shrugged and looked down at the mug she held between her hands. “It’s a long story, but let’s just say I’ve made some poor choices and my daughter has paid the price.”

Holly caught her breath. It seemed she wasn’t the only one with family issues. “I know firsthand how a strained mother–daughter relationship feels, and I’m sorry you are going through this.”

“You’re a sweet girl.” Elsa’s eyes lit with compassion, but the sadness still haunted her expression. “I really don’t want to talk about me, though. Tell me about you and your mom.”

Holly took a deep breath and let it out slowly. The clock on the wall ticked the seconds as she bolstered her courage. “I don’t want to burden you with my problems, but it’s nice of you to take an interest.”

“I insist. You’ve been beyond kind to take me in for the night. The least I can do is be a listening ear. Who knows, maybe I will be able to help.”

“Okay, since you insist.” Holly drew the mug to her lips and gulped the lukewarm drink, then set it on the floor at the foot of the couch. “As I grew older, I realized my mom favored my sister. It made things...strained between us.”

“Between you and your mom or you and your sister?”

“Both, at times, I guess. But I was mostly speaking of my mom. She thinks the world of Jessica, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t measure up.”

Elsa
tsked
. “Child, I don’t know your mother, and if what you say is true, shame on her. But my mother’s heart tells me that she loves you as much as your sister, just differently.”

Silence settled over the room. “What do you mean?”

“It’s like your favorite drink or clothing, or whatever it is you are into. Pretend you have a black polka-dot skirt that you love, but you also love your other plain black skirt. You like them both for different reasons. Maybe you enjoy the fun nature of polka dots on the one and the other is practical and goes with everything.”

Was she saying that her sister was fun and she was boring? No, that couldn’t be; Elsa had never met Jessica. Holly sipped her cocoa and chewed on her guest’s words. Was it possible to love equally, but differently?

Elsa chuckled. “I see I gave you something to think about.” She stretched and stood. “It’s been a long day. Do you mind if I turn in early?”

Holly jumped up. “Not at all.” She took the woman’s mug and set it on the kitchen counter. “Your room is this way.” She opened the door to the left of the bathroom and flipped on the light. “As you can see, it’s a child’s room, but I saw no need to make changes. I rarely come in here.”

“It’s fine.” A wistful smile lit Elsa’s face.

“I’ll set fresh towels on the bathroom counter. Let me know if there is anything else I can do for you.”

“You’ve done more than I dreamed. Thanks for inviting me to stay.” Elsa rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “This is a whole lot better than sleeping outdoors. It didn’t occur to me when I stepped off the train in Leavenworth that there was no station here that I could sleep in, only a platform with covered benches.”

Holly reached out and grasped Elsa’s hand. “I think you were right when you said the Lord brought us together.” She gently squeezed the thin hand. “Sleep well. We have to get up early to get you to the Seattle-bound train.” She hesitated. From the look of her guest, Elsa didn’t have the money for another ticket, which she would need since she’d forfeited her original ticket by getting off the train where she wasn’t supposed to.

The emergency fund hidden in the cookie jar on the counter would cover the ticket and more. “Elsa, I don’t mean to pry, but feel I must. How will you pay for the train ticket?”

Elsa pursed her lips. “Don’t you worry, dear child. The Lord will take care of me.”

Holly let the subject drop, unwilling to embarrass her guest. “Good night, then.” She returned to the living room and snuggled into the couch with a book.

* * *

Holly dragged herself from bed at four-thirty in the morning. The train departed Icicle Station at 6:08 a.m., and she wanted to make sure Elsa had a hot meal before leaving. She quickly showered and tossed on a pair of jeans and a thick cream sweater, then applied makeup. She tilted her head to the side as she considered her hair. It might be nice to wear it down.

She opened the door of her room promptly at five-fifteen and spied her guest sitting at the kitchen bar holding a mug with the tag of a tea bag hanging over the rim. “Good morning. I hope you slept well.”

“Actually, I was restless most of the night. Guess it was too quiet.” Elsa shrugged and looked down.

Holly moved past Elsa. “Do you like eggs?” She filled the coffeemaker with water and scooped in her favorite rich roast of ground coffee beans, then flipped the power on.

“Love them.”

“Good. I thought we’d have eggs, toast and coffee for breakfast.” She pulled eggs from the fridge and placed a pan on the burner.

“Sounds perfect.” She looked down again and pursed her lips. “Uh...Holly. I did a lot of thinking last night, and I’ve decided to return home to Chicago.”

Holly stopped in the middle of her reach for the cooking spray. “Really? Why?” She turned off the burner and leaned against the counter.

“My daughter lives there. Our talk last night got me to thinking. I left home angry and said some things I shouldn’t have. It was wrong for me to try and escape my problems and not deal with them head-on.”

“Your daughter is a problem?”

“No, I am. I lost my job several months ago. At my age it’s tough to find work. Anyway, I’ve been living with my daughter and her family. I overheard her talking with her husband.” Elsa’s voice caught. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “He was frustrated that I was a drain on their finances. My daughter stood up for me, and then he told her it was either him or me. I left that morning after they went to work. I couldn’t come between them.”

“That wasn’t very nice of him to pit you against your daughter. What did she say to his ultimatum?”

Elsa shrugged. “I didn’t stick around to find out. I couldn’t come between the two of them. Even though it doesn’t sound like it, he really is a good man. I would never want to ruin my daughter’s marriage. I went back to my room and tossed a few things into this bag.” She nodded toward the backpack sitting on the stool beside her. “I’ve never been a rich woman, so I didn’t have much to pack. Then I waited until I heard them leave.” A tear slid down her cheek.

“Oh, Elsa. I’m so sorry. And here I was complaining about my family when you were hurting.”

“Don’t be sorry. I pulled it out of you. Remember? Besides, you made me rethink my hasty decision. I felt guilty for leaving the way I did. I scribbled a nasty note and left it on the kitchen table for my daughter to see when she got home from work. That was two days ago.” Her voice caught. “I’ve never regretted anything more.”

“Did she call you?”

“I don’t have a cell phone. Had to drop it when my paltry savings ran out.” Her cheeks reddened. “I hope you don’t mind, but I used your cell to call my daughter early this morning. We had a good talk, and she begged me to come home.”

“What about her husband?”

“Apparently after I stopped eavesdropping, he said he didn’t mean what he’d said about me leaving. He wants to talk with me about a job that just opened up at his office. It’s only minimum wage and entry-level, but at least it’s something.”

“I take it you’re overqualified.”

Elsa shrugged. “It’s income and that’s what’s important. I still won’t be able to live on my own, but I will be able to contribute to the family. He bought my return ticket to Chicago.”

Holly walked around the counter and embraced her new friend. “I’m so happy for you. And you know what?”

“Hmm?”

“You were right. God did take care of you. Not exactly the way I thought, but you get to go home, and He provided the funds for your ticket.” She’d doubted Elsa when she said God would provide, but He’d not only provided, He restored her relationship with her family. Did it make Holly a bad Christian to doubt that God would provide the ticket for her new friend? Well, perhaps not, but she definitely needed to work on trusting Him more.

“How about those eggs? I’m starving.” Elsa’s eyes twinkled.

“Scrambled or fried?”

“Fried, and thanks so much for everything. You can’t begin to imagine what an answer to prayer you are.”

Holly cracked two eggs into the pan and put bread into the toaster. Had God really used her? “You mentioned not having much and that’s why you only had the backpack. I just cleaned out my closest and have a bag of clothes I was going to donate. If you’ll be working in an office there are some blouses you might like that are practically brand-new. Maybe you’d like to take a look. There are some nice things in there that my mom gave me that don’t fit right.”

“That’s kind of you, but I’m fine.”

Holly finished up their breakfast and poured them each a mug of coffee. She slid the meal across the counter and offered up a blessing for the food.

“You planning to stand and eat?”

She was, but plainly her guest didn’t approve. Instead, Holly moved to the seat beside Elsa and dug in. “You’re welcome to hang out here today. I’ll be home from work a little after five o’clock. I can make us dinner and then take you to the station in time to catch the eight o’clock train.”

“I don’t want to impose further.” Elsa took a sip of coffee. “I’ll just hang around town and call a ride. My son-in-law suggested I take the shuttle.”

Holly clamped her lips shut. The shuttle wasn’t expensive, but why turn down a free ride? “I’ll tell you what. Do whatever you want today, and meet me back here for dinner at six. We’ll discuss how you get to the train then.” If she remembered correctly, the shuttle needed to be booked in advance, so Elsa would need a ride regardless.

She took her plate to the sink, rinsed it and left it there for later. “I work across the street at Cascade Medical Center. It’s the local hospital. If you need anything at all, come find me. Okay?”

“Sure. Now, don’t let me keep you.”

Holly puttered in the kitchen for a few minutes then changed into scrubs and brushed her teeth. She dragged out the bag of clothes she’d told Elsa about and left it beside the couch. Red fabric grabbed her attention, and her pulse quickened. Her mother should have known better than to buy her a coat from an all-sales-final sale. The too-small coat still had the tags attached. She pulled the bag open and held up the new jacket. “Elsa. What do you think?”

Elsa turned and her face brightened. “It’s nice.”

Holly stepped toward her. “It would make me very happy if you would take it.”

Her friend stood and reverently slipped her arms into the winter jacket. “It’s a perfect fit. But how? We aren’t the same size.”

“It was a gift, and the giver forgot to notice anything but the price tag.” She pulled on the tag still hanging from the sleeve.

“Seven dollars? That’s a steal!”

“Well, it’s all yours.” Holly pulled scissors from the kitchen drawer and snipped off the tag.

“I always thought I’d find someone to give this to, so I hung onto it.”

Elsa’s face glowed. Although Holly wasn’t sure if it was from pleasure or from being overheated since she still wore the jacket.

Holly glanced at the wall clock. “I have to leave now. Make yourself at home and lock up if you decide to go out. You know where to find me if you need something before I get home.”