Chapter 4
Asa lugged a heavy cardboard box down from the attic, set it on the floor, and pulled on the flaps, which had been tucked under one another. Inside the tattered old box was a smaller box, simply marked, NOAH. He lifted it out just as Noah came in trailing a long string of popcorn and cranberries. “Dad, can you help me with this?”
“Yup ... but I think you’ll need a chair.”
Noah laid the string carefully across the afghan blanket that was on the back of the couch and ran back into the kitchen. He returned with the chair and with Maddie, who was carrying another long string of popcorn.
“Dad, can we take the tree back with us and put it outside for the birds to hide in? That’s what we used to do—they love the popcorn and berries.”
“Sure,” Asa replied with a smile ... but suddenly feeling oddly sad.
That’s what we used to do
... the innocent words had an odd sting ... he hadn’t thought of Noah’s previous Christmas memories that didn’t include him.
Maddie looked over at Asa and seemed to read his mind. “You and Noah will have lots of time to make memories of your own,” she said as she passed the string back and forth with Noah around the tree.
Noah looked up from trying to untangle his end and said, “And you, too, Maddie!” Maddie paused thoughtfully. . .
I hope so, Noah! I hope so!
They continued to work from top to bottom, gently draping the popcorn string over the limbs. Meanwhile, Asa tried to determine if all the lights worked and, when he was certain they did, they hung those on the tree, too.
“Moment of truth!” he declared as he plugged them in.
“Uh-oh, Dad!” Noah said in dismay. “The bottom ones aren’t on.”
Asa tried unplugging and plugging the string back in, with no better results.
“They were just working!” he exclaimed in frustration.
Maddie walked around the tree to see which light might be the culprit. She pulled out the first unlit bulb and the whole string came on.
“What did you do?” Asa asked in surprise.
“I just unplugged the first dead one,” she said with a shrug. “Do you have any replacement bulbs?”
“I don’t know,” Asa answered.
“I’ll go ask!” Noah said, running to the kitchen.
Maddie grinned at Asa and teased, “Guess you have to have the magic touch!”
“Hmmm,” he surmised, “and I guess
you
do!”
Noah returned with Samuel in tow. “I think there are replacement bulbs somewhere in here,” he said, squatting down next to the box. He started to look and then spied Noah’s box. “Noah, here’s your box. Why don’t you open it?”
Noah knelt down next to his grandfather and pulled up the top of his box. “Hey!” he cried. “Here’s my stocking!” Asa watched Noah unfurl the soft red felt. “Dad,” he said, hopping up, “can you help me hang it?” Asa nodded and lifted Noah so he could hang the stocking on a painted hook that was tapped into the mantel. He looked at Noah’s name embroidered across the snowy white trim and thought back to the first time he’d seen that stocking ... before a name was embroidered on it. He leaned on the mantel and closed his eyes. “What’s wrong, Dad?” Noah asked.
“Nothin,’ pal ... just thinking ...”
“Okay,” Noah said, shrugging, and turned his attention back to his ornaments.
Maddie watched Asa and knew that he was struggling with long-ago memories ... memories that she wasn’t a part of. She began to wonder if it had been a mistake to come ...
Samuel, sensing a somber mood descending on the room, turned to Maddie, handed her a new bulb, and said, “So, Maddie, tell me what you’re cooking up with those potent ingredients.”
Maddie laughed. “Oh, it’s just an old Swedish recipe that my family always makes on Christmas Eve. I thought you guys might like to try it.” Maddie slipped the new bulb in place and added, “It’s called
Glug
.”
Noah laughed. “Glug? That’s a funny name! Can I try it?”
Maddie smiled. “
That
will be up to your dad!”
Asa looked up. “I don’t know ... I think you might just have to savor the fragrance.”
“When are you making it, Maddie?” Noah asked.
“Probably when we get home from church.”
Just then, Sarah came in and, spying the tree, proclaimed, “Oh, my! That tree looks beautiful!” She walked around it and admired it from every angle. Then she turned to Samuel, who’d recently found a seat in the rocking chair and appeared to be contemplating a nap. “Are you coming back to the kitchen, dear? I need you to make cocktail sauce.”
He opened one eye. “Do you mean my
world-famous
cocktail sauce?”
Noah looked up with a grin. “Are we having shrimp?!” Sarah nodded and he let out a little whoop of excitement.
“Can I help, Grampa?”
“You sure can!” Samuel replied.
Asa eyed Noah. “Watch out, Dad, he doesn’t like to measure ingredients ...”
“Coleman men don’t measure!” Samuel said indignantly, resting his hands on Noah’s shoulders. “We’re going to make it so it puts hair on your chest! Right, Noah?”
“Right!” Noah agreed.
Maddie hung up the last two ornaments, folded tissue paper that was strewn about, laid it in the boxes, and stacked the boxes in a corner behind the piano. “Too bad we have to take all this down in a couple of days,” she said gloomily. “That’s the saddest part of Christmas ... putting the ornaments away.”
Asa nodded. He was quiet as he knelt down on the hearth and stacked kindling and small logs on the andirons.
Maddie sat on the couch and watched him. “I think it’s harder for you to be here than it is for Noah.” Asa didn’t reply. He just finished tearing up an old egg carton, crumpling newspaper, and stuffing it all under the andirons. Then he brushed off his hands, stood up slowly, and sat next to her.
He gave her a half smile. “It
is
hard to be here. This old house is so full of memories ... and not just memories of my relationship with Noelle ... but memories of when I was Noah’s age ... when my parents’ best friends, Nate and his first wife Annie were both still alive.” He paused and looked around. “Maddie, this was
their
house and they used to hang Christmas stockings on those hooks for Isaac and me. We would sit right there,” he motioned to the braided rug in front of the hearth, “and open their gifts for us ...”
“Got some eggnog!” Noah announced cheerily, coming through the kitchen door. He stepped carefully around the couch and presented his offering to them on a tray. “Grandma put nutmeg on yours.”
Maddie smiled and took a glass. “What service! Thank you!”
“Thanks, buddy!” Asa said, tousling Noah’s hair.
“You’re welcome!” Noah replied with a little bow, which almost upset the remaining glass on the tray. He put the tray on the coffee table, took a sip from the glass that didn’t have nutmeg, and wiggled onto the couch between them.
Asa took a sip, too, and looked over at Maddie. “Hmmm ... tastes like there’s more in here than nutmeg.” Maddie took a sip and nodded in agreement.
“When’re you starting the fire, Dad?” Noah asked, noticing the wood.
“Oh, probably later ... after church.”
Noah suddenly looked worried. “Maybe you should wait ’til tomorrow.”
“Why?” asked Asa in surprise.
“Well ... because Santa’s coming ...”
Asa caught on to Noah’s concern. “Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. A fire in the fireplace won’t stop Santa Claus.”
“Are you sure?” Noah asked doubtfully.
Asa nodded. “Positive. When I was your age we always had a fire on Christmas Eve and it never stopped him from coming.” Noah looked relieved, leaned back between them, jiggled his feet, and took another sip of his eggnog.
From the kitchen Samuel called, “Any volunteer taste testers in there?”
Noah’s face lit up. “I will!” he hollered, sitting up so quickly that he spilled eggnog on his pants.
“Easy, Noah!” Asa scolded. He reached quickly for Noah’s glass.
“I’m sorry, Dad ...”
Asa looked up from the spill and realized that Noah was on the verge of tears. “It’s okay ... I only said to take it easy.”
“I know ...”
With a gentle smile, he handed Noah his glass. “Now, go make sure that cocktail sauce will put hair on our chests ... I’m sure Maddie will appreciate that!” Noah nodded, put his glass on the tray, and carefully carried it back to the kitchen. Asa called after him, “And don’t forget to bring some shrimp back with you!”
“Okay!” Noah hollered as the kitchen door swung closed.
Maddie looked at the tree and wondered if Asa would say anything more. She didn’t want to press him. She never did. If he wanted to talk about it, she was always willing to listen. He smiled. “I’m sorry to be in a bit of a mood. I’m not very merry, am I?”
“That’s all right,” she consoled. “I know this house holds a lot of memories for you. It would be hard for anyone the first time they returned to ...” she hesitated, not sure what to say.
Asa looked at the dark fireplace. “... to the scene of the crime ...” he finished softly.
Maddie smiled gently. “Well, that’s not what I was going to say ...”
“It’s true though. The relationship I had with Noelle when I was eighteen betrayed Nate, ended tragically, and changed all of our lives. It happened in this house ... in this room ... and the only good that came from it was Noah.”
Just then, Noah came bumping back through the door with his replenished tray.
“Got shrimp!” he announced, stepping carefully around the couch and standing in front of them. Maddie reached for a napkin that was on the tray and wiped cocktail sauce from Noah’s chin. “You’ve already had some,” she surmised with a smile.
Asa studied him with a serious face. “Well, any hair on your chest?”
Noah put the tray down and pulled up his shirt, exposing his smooth baby skin. “Nope! Not yet.” He pulled down his shirt. “Guess I’ll just have to have another!” he said with a grin. He dipped a big fat shrimp into the cocktail sauce and began to lift it to his mouth. Maddie, realizing that another spill was imminent, hurried to slip her napkin under his hand. Almost immediately, a big red glob splattered onto it.
“Good catch!” Asa said, eyeing Noah. “Maddie just saved you!” Noah nodded, squeezing the tail like a pro and popping the whole shrimp into his mouth.
“Whew—that’s hot!” he exclaimed, waving his hand in front of his mouth, and running back to the kitchen.
Asa held the tray out to Maddie. “You first!” Maddie took a shrimp, gave it a conservative dip, and took a dainty bite. Almost immediately, her eyes began to water. “What do you think?” Asa teased, eyeing the top of her blouse. “Any hair sprouting?”
Maddie blushed and shook her head. She took a sip of her eggnog and looked away, embarrassed by the question.
Was he just teasing ... or flirting?
She looked up and he was smiling. She was completely caught off guard by Asa’s unexpected question. She laughed, trying to regain her composure. “I guess you’ll never know!”
Asa popped a shrimp dripping with the spicy sauce into his mouth, and appeared to be completely unfazed. With a grin, he said, “I already have hair ...”
Chapter 5
An hour later, Maddie was helping Sarah in the kitchen and supervising Noah as he arranged rows of marshmallows on top of the sweet potatoes. When he was finished, he popped the last one in his mouth, grinned at Maddie, and, with his speech impaired by the gooey substance, asked, “Doyooowanun?”
Maddie laughed. “No, thanks.”
Asa peered around the kitchen door. “Would you ladies like a cocktail ... or the whole rooster?”
Sarah smiled. “A glass of white wine would be good.”
Asa nodded and looked questioningly at Maddie. She had never been posed this question before so she took advantage of the opportunity to speak her mind. “I’d like the
whole
rooster, please.” Asa raised his eyebrows and she grinned at him. “White wine sounds good!” He nodded and, as the kitchen door swung shut, Maddie felt her cheeks blush and wondered if it was because the kitchen was so warm.
“Shall I put the sweet potatoes in the oven?” she asked.
Sarah looked up. “Yes ... if you can find room!”
Asa returned with two glasses of wine and gave them to Maddie and to his mother. Then he looked at Noah. “And, what can I get for you, sir?”
Noah, who was still standing on a chair, put his finger on his chin thoughtfully and tried to remember the name of the drink he always had on special occasions. “I can’t remember what Dad called it ... I mean I can’t remember what my other da ...” He stopped short and his bottom lip quivered as his eyes filled with tears. Asa’s heart ached at Noah’s sudden grief and Sarah, realizing what he had just said, looked up.
She smiled gently. “Noah, honey, it’s okay to have two dads.” She wiped her hands on her apron, held his face in her hands, and looked in his eyes. “You can’t forget someone you loved.” She gave him a hug and whispered. “You can talk about your other dad anytime you want ... especially if you’re missing him. We miss him, too.” Noah nodded. “Now, was that drink called a Roy Rogers?”
Noah looked relieved and wiped his eyes. “Yes! That’s it.” He looked at Asa. “I’ll have a Roy Rogers.”
“You got it!” Asa replied, giving him a thumbs-up and trying to shrug off the moment. He rejoined his father at the wet bar and started to make Noah’s drink. “Do we have any cherries?” Samuel reached into the little refrigerator and took out a small jar. Asa popped open a can of Coke and poured it into a small fancy glass while Samuel looked for the grenadine.
“Asa, I’ve been meaning to talk to you about something.”
Asa looked up with a puzzled expression and said, “Can I deliver this first?”
“Of course,” Samuel replied.
When he came back in, there were two crisp Tangueray and tonics with lime on the bar. Asa eyed his father. “Do I need this?”
Samuel laughed. “No, no ... it’s nothing like that.”
“Well, I think I might be sorry tomorrow ... between gin, rum eggnog, and Maddie’s recipe.”
Samuel smiled. “That’s true ... I forgot you were such a lightweight. Even so,” he said, holding up his glass in a toast, “Merry Christmas!”
“Merry Christmas, Dad.” Asa replied, sitting on one of the stools.
Samuel cleared his throat and took a sip.
“Well, I’ve been meaning to tell you ... or rather,
ask
you.” He paused. “Your mother thinks we should have asked first ... and she’s probably right ... but we wanted it to be a surprise for both of you. Now that the time is drawing near, though, I can see her point. We don’t want it to be an unhappy surprise. So, she thought I better, at least, give you a heads-up.” Samuel studied Asa’s face to see if his message was getting across.
Asa’s heart pounded as he absently wiped the condensation on his glass. “Dad, how ’bout you just tell me.”
Samuel gave him a funny look. “I
am
telling you.”
“Well, you’re kind of beating around the bush,” Asa said.
“Okay, well, it’s just that your mother and I have a special Christmas present for Noah and ...”
Just then, Noah pushed through the door hollering, “Okay, I’ll tell ’em ... Dad, Grampa, dinner’s ready! Guess what we’re having?” He waited until Asa responded appropriately and then went on. “Everyone is having their own chicken! Even me!”
“You mean Cornish hen?”
Noah nodded and pulled on Asa’s hand. “C’mon! Grandma said, ‘Right now or it’s goin’ to get cold.’ ”
Asa allowed himself to be pulled to the kitchen and Samuel followed. As he did, he clapped Asa on the shoulder. “Don’t worry, son. You’re gonna love it ... it’s nothin’ you can’t handle.”
Asa glanced over his shoulder. “Well, you still need to tell me ...” Samuel just chuckled. He was obviously quite pleased with himself.
They sat down to dinner and reached around the table to hold hands. Samuel offered a long grace of thanksgiving and asked for a special blessing on Isaac and his family. When he finally said, “Amen,” Noah looked up, puzzled, and asked, “How come Uncle Isaac didn’t come here for Christmas?”
Asa passed the cranberry relish to Maddie and said, “Because he and Aunt Nina are spending Christmas in Providence.” He scooped some sweet potato onto his plate and continued, “But they might be coming to our house for New Year’s.”
Noah nodded and held out his plate for a scoop, too. “Extra marshmallows, please.” Asa reached over and plopped a big orange and white mountain on Noah’s plate and then held up the serving spoon and looked around the table questioningly. “It’s too hot to pass,” he said. “Who wants some?”
Sarah held out her plate and said, “We’re so glad you decided to spend Christmas with us, Maddie. It’s not easy to be away from family. I know Isaac had mixed feelings about being with Nina’s family.” She looked at Samuel. “I think they’re going to try alternating holidays so, hopefully, they’ll be with us next year.”
Samuel nodded. “Well, I still miss seeing that cute little redhead.”
Asa knew what his dad meant. Isaac and Nina had wasted no time starting a family and their little girl, Kate, was the cutest, most good-natured baby he’d ever met. It would’ve been fun to watch her open presents on Christmas morning.
Oh well, next year ... and, since Nina was pregnant again, there’d be two little ones to watch.
Asa couldn’t wait to see his brother with two babies. He knew Isaac was hoping for a son—he’d already announced that he wouldn’t give up until he had one. But Asa would love it if his brother ended up living in a house full of women.
If anyone deserved such a blessing, it was Isaac!
Sarah turned back to Maddie. “Does your mom cook a big dinner?”
Maddie nodded, as she passed the green beans to her. “Yes, everyone comes to my parents’ house. It’s quite an event.”
“How many are there?”
Maddie thought for a moment, trying to calculate the size of her family. “Thirty-three ... and there’re two more on the way.”
“Thirty-three people?!” Noah exclaimed. “Where does everyone sit?”
Sarah and Samuel both shook their heads in amazement and Maddie smiled. “Well, we have two big farm tables, and several card tables that all the kids like to sit at. Everybody helps and everyone brings food. Sometimes we serve it buffet style and other times we just keep passing.”
“Wow!” Noah exclaimed. “Are there any kids my age?”
Maddie nodded. “There are two that are six, one that’s five, and four that are seven ... or maybe eight. Then there’re some older and younger, too.”
“How old are Mikey and John-John?”
“Mikey is fifteen and John-John just turned fourteen.”
Noah grinned. “That sounds like a lot of fun!”
Maddie nodded. “It
is
fun!” Her voice sounded a bit nostalgic.
Noah was quiet for a minute and then added, “And don’t forget Sadie.”
Maddie agreed. “Yup, Sadie, too. There’re lots of dogs in the family, but they don’t all come to the house for Christmas ... except for Sadie. John always brings her.”
Noah looked at Samuel and Sarah and said, matter-of-factly, “Sadie is in love with Dad, and John says she’s just gloomy when he leaves.”
“What kind of dog is she?” Samuel asked.
Asa smiled. “She’s an old black Lab ... like Martha.”
Samuel nodded and caught Sarah’s eye. “Well, Asa’s always had a penchant for Labs ... and they, for him.”
Noah looked puzzled. “Grampa, what’s a
penchant
?” Samuel smiled. “It’s a fondness. It means he’s always liked them.”
“Me, too,” Noah agreed. “I’ve always had a penchant for Labs, too.”
Samuel nodded and took a sip of his drink ... both he and Sarah tried to hide their smiles behind their drinks, but Asa looked suspiciously from one to the other. “Are you two okay?” he asked.
Samuel almost choked on the question and tried to keep a straight face. “Of course,” he sputtered, picking up his knife and focusing on his hen. Sarah took her cue from her husband and did the same. And Asa just looked at Maddie and shook his head; the look on his face said,
I have no idea what’s going on
...
Noah took a bite and said, “Grandma, this chicken’s really good.”
Maddie nodded in agreement. “Yes, Mrs. Coleman, everything’s delicious.”
Sarah smiled. “Thank you. The stuffing recipe is Annie’s. I’ve always wanted to make it, but I never had the recipe before; I came across it when I was looking to see what spices I needed to bring over.”
“Are there apricots in it?”
Sarah nodded. “Apricots ... and Grand Marnier.”
“Mmmm ... I wondered what that flavor was,” Maddie said. “It’s very good. My mom would love it. She likes anything made with dried fruit.”
“I’ll give you the recipe,” Sarah said, sounding pleased. Noah leaned back in his chair, pushed his half-finished plate away, and groaned. “I’m stuffed!”
“I think you had too many shrimp,” Asa said. “And I guess you won’t have room for dessert either ...”
Noah perked up. “Oh, yes, I will. I have a separate dessert stomach.”
Asa laughed. “Where’d you hear that?”
Noah grinned. “That’s what Grampa said
you
used to say.”
Asa eyed his father. “I guess no secrets are safe with you!”
Samuel grinned. “Oh, I don’t know ’bout that.”
Maddie watched Asa interacting with his parents ... his father teasing him ... and his mother obviously just loving having him home. It was evident that his easygoing manner carried over into all of his relationships.
Before they’d met, Maddie had caught herself, on several occasions, watching Asa push his cart up and down the library stacks, and she’d found herself drawn to the easy manner in which he did things ... the way he held several volumes in his hand, glanced at their call numbers, and slid each book back into place; the soft-spoken way he had with people who needed help finding something; and even the casual way his faded Levis and unironed oxford shirts hung on his slender frame. One time, he’d looked up and caught her watching him, but he’d just smiled and nodded, and she had smiled and quickly looked away ... but not before noticing the color of his sky blue eyes. Maddie had never paid much attention to boys before Asa—she’d always been too busy with school and studying, so, when he walked into her hometown library that summer, she had been caught completely off guard.
Now, she smiled as she watched Asa put his arm around Noah.
They look so much alike,
she thought as he tousled Noah’s hair. Noah grinned and leaned against him. Asa still had that same easygoing manner ... but, in other ways, he had changed. His hair, still streaked with blond, was longer now and it fell over his eyes so that he had to sweep it back with his hand; his face, still young and boyish, conveyed that life’s lessons hadn’t always been easy; and his eyes, still blue and intense, revealed a sad wisdom that was older than his years. Asa looked up and saw Maddie watching him. He smiled and winked at her, and Maddie’s heart sang ...
oh, Asa, if you only knew ...
Sarah watched the silent exchange ... and realized that the beautiful girl sitting across from her son was in love. The thought of Asa in a relationship with someone new warmed her heart and she wondered how long it would be before he realized it, too. She glanced up at the clock. “Oh, my goodness! When did it get so late?” she exclaimed, standing up and reaching for several plates to clear.
“I guess we’ll have to wait on dessert,” Samuel said, looking over his shoulder at the clock and standing, too. They hurriedly carried plates, silverware, serving dishes, and glasses into the kitchen. Sarah pushed dishes aside to make room on the counter for the last pile that Asa had in his hands, untied her apron, and said, “I think we should just leave everything. I’m sorry ... I should’ve been paying better attention.”