Thinking for a moment, her new neighbor shook his head. “I’d say that you would be paying for it. I don’t know much about childcare expenses, but I can imagine that overnight care and taking a child to and from school would be expensive. Much more expensive than a jacket.”
“Jackets like that are almost a hundred dollars. I can’t really afford it, but his is ruined, and I don’t want him to feel like he is ‘in trouble’ with me. I thought it might be nice.”
Amber piped up, her voice thick with disgust. “He deserved to lose his jacket. He was foolish.”
“Amber!” Grace was at a loss. The two children that she loved most had an extreme disdain for each other.
“Well, he did. It’s stupid to walk between cars like that. I know that and I am almost a whole year younger than he is.” Amber crossed her arms defiantly across her chest.
“Amber. I think you should go hang up your school clothes and cool off. You’re out of line.” Grace was calm and matter of fact. Many children would have taken her lack of visible anger as an indicator that they didn’t need to obey, but Amber was well aware that Grace was not pleased.
“Yes, Miss Grace. I’m sorry.” Amber left the room and shuffled down the hallway.
Nolan watched the byplay curiously. “Wow. I’ve seen moms and kids at stores, churches, and restaurants… I’ve never seen a kid so quickly subdued. What’d you do?”
“She knows I mean business.” Grace savored another bite as she considered the jacket situation once more. Maybe Marci and Nolan were right. She was doing what she was generally being paid for, and the price of the jacket would likely be much cheaper in one of those outlet stores where Marci liked to shop.
“So most parents don’t mean business?”
Grace thought about that. “I don’t know about that… I just think that a lot of parents spend more time negotiating good behavior rather than requiring it.”
“What would you have done if she hadn’t complied?” Nolan was taking swift mental notes. Mike and Traci were always looking for help with their kids. Perhaps Grace had insight that might help his friends.
“Well, I probably would have told her that dinner would now be served in her room only and to go immediately.”
“And if she refused?” Nolan had seen similar scenes in Mike’s house numerous times.
“Well, with my own child, I would have more leeway. I don’t keep children if the parents don’t agree to pick up the child immediately if they refuse to obey.” Grace sounded sad even to think of such a thing actually happening.
Nolan thought of something. “How would Marci be able to get Amber immediately? I mean, she’s hundreds of miles away.”
“Marci would get on the next flight, even if it meant missing her meeting and Amber knows it. I know I wouldn’t want to go home with a mom who had to fly home from a business meeting that puts food on the table. It’s a deterrent. And they know I’d do it without thinking twice.”
Nolan thought about the idea as he stirred his food together and took another bite. Swallowing quickly, he asked, “So, what you are saying is that you have to make them want to obey you?”
“Not quite, but that is a good goal as well. You just have to make any undesired behavior counterproductive. If they do something that you don’t like, make them want to never do it again.”
Before the conversation could continue, the phone rang again. Grace jumped up and answered it excitedly. “Craig?
Mel!
Are you ok? Is everything ok? Is the baby there? What is her name? His name—”
Nolan laughed as Grace became immediately silent. Her head bobbed and shook as she gave silent squeals and jumped around. “Amber… come in here… the baby is here!”
Absentmindedly, Grace hung up the phone and grabbed her jacket. She grabbed Amber’s hands and danced about the room in excitement. “We have a new baby girl to see! Visiting hours are over in an hour. Craig is coming right now to get us. Would you like to come, Nolan?”
Nolan considered going, but the idea of being that close to a little baby was too much for him. “I’ll stay here and clean up my mess. I’ll lock the door on my way out. Give my best to Craig and Melanie.”
Grace headed out the door only to pop back in quickly. “Can you call Mrs. Crenshaw and ask her to tell Cade to help Amber get the right bus after school tomorrow? Her number is on that sheet by the phone in there.”
Nolan nodded and waved her off. Picking up the phone, he made the call for Grace and relayed her message, as well as the good news about the baby. He then cleaned her kitchen and put Amber’s plate of food in the fridge. A quick glance around the kitchen showed nothing out of place. As he snapped off the light, he prayed that no unwelcome visitors would invade while she was absent.
On his way out the door, he saw a photo album, and his curiosity got the better of him. Sitting on the floor, Nolan thumbed through the pages. The album was arranged in chronological order and he watched as Grace and Craig were born, grew, and changed. Grace had been an adorable little girl, and Craig appeared to have been a local football hero.
Nolan snapped the book shut sharply. Thoroughly ashamed of his invasion of Grace’s privacy, he turned off the lights and shut the door. Testing to assure that the door was locked, Nolan stepped out into the night and walked home praying.
A baby, Lord. A baby girl. Keep the family safe, happy and in Your care, always.
Chapter Seven
“Is this your classroom?” Grace looked through the little window in the door.
“Yes, that is Mr. Minchin. He says that he is a great decadent of Miss Minchin in
A Little Princess
. I think he’s joking ‘cause that’s just a story.”
Grace managed to stifle a chuckle over Amber’s malapropism. “Ahh. A descendent of the right, dishonorable Miss Minchin, huh? Is he nicer than she was?”
Amber nodded, and waving cheerfully, skipped into her classroom. Grace grinned as the teacher sent Amber back to the door to walk in properly. Turning to leave the school, Grace sighed to herself. “Some things never change.”
Grace eagerly rode to the hospital on the ‘dial-a-ride’ bus to practice her new role as a doting aunt. She found Melanie taking a shower and getting dressed, while Craig sat in the chair and held his sleeping daughter. “How is Mel feeling?”
“The doctor says it’s been over twelve hours, the pediatrician has agreed to release her, and everything looks good, so we’ll be going home in about an hour.”
Grace took her niece from Craig and cooed over her. “They made me scrub up before coming in so I’m all clean, sweetie. You’re one blessed little girl. My big brother is your daddy, and he picked out the sweetest mommy in the world for you.”
“Let’s ask your daddy what they’ve decided to name you.” Grace looked pointedly at her brother. She knew that they had considered many forms of Anna and Grace and had tentatively settled on Hannah as a compromise.
Craig shrugged his shoulders in mock annoyance. “We haven’t come to an agreement yet. We’re still deciding.”
“What are the options today?” Grace traced the baby’s features with her fingers as she listened to the great debate begin again, in earnest.
“I want Hannah Grace, but Craig says that’s like naming someone Grace Grace since Hannah means grace.” Melanie, walking in with a towel wrapped head, sounded ready to cry. Grace rocked the baby with slight exaggeration to hint to her brother that the new mother might need a little more understanding.
“What do you want, Craig?” Though hesitant to ask, Grace was curious.
“Anna Grace. After Mom. I’d like to name her after both mothers, but I don’t like Adeline or Lynn with Grace or Anna.”
“Doesn’t Anna mean grace too?” Grace winked at her sister in law.
They tossed names about the room until the doctor came to sign the discharge papers. Melanie began to act a little panicked at the idea of leaving the hospital without a name for her child. With an air of resignation, Melanie took the baby from Grace and sat in a chair next to her husband. “Name her anything, Craig. I just want the birth certificate filled out before I walk out that door.”
Grace stepped outside the room and pulled the door shut behind her. A nurse came with more papers for them to sign, but Grace waved her off. “They need a moment to discuss something; I’ll let you know when they are ready.”
Ten minutes later, the door opened with a grand flourish. “Grace… May I formally introduce you to your first niece, Graceanna Lynn Buscher.”
Grace took her niece from the little one’s proud papa. While Melanie signed papers, Craig gathered Melanie’s and the baby’s things and headed to their car. Walking down the hall, Craig listened to his sister crooning over his little daughter and was happy with his lot. God had given him a beautiful wife, a loving sister, and now the world’s sweetest baby. With a heart full of gratefulness, he thanked the Lord for His blessings and prayed for wisdom in the coming months and years. To a Buscher, family is a sacred trust and Craig was feeling a new weight of responsibility in that trust.
~*~*~*~
Warm cookies cooled on a rack next to the oven as Cade and Amber burst into the house that afternoon. Grace welcomed the children, listened to their tales of their days, and sighed as they competed for her attention. In her no-nonsense manner, she settled several squabbles almost before they began. Once full of cookies, the two children worked on their homework, and Grace prepared supper for herself and Amber.
“Oh, Amber…they named the baby today. Cade, would you like to see a picture of her?”
Cade looked at the baby’s red, wrinkled face and laughed. “She looks like a chicken with no feathers.”
“She does
not
!” Amber was indignant.
“Enough you two. You are both being deliberately unpleasant, and I’ve had enough already. When you’re ready to behave, I’ll tell you the baby’s name.”
Grace continued her food preparations and told the children to finish their homework. Several minutes later Cade came over and apologized. “I’m sorry. She just bugs me, and I let her. I should be better ‘cause I’m older.”
“You owe her an apology too. You’ve been picking on her since you walked in the door, and I imagine all the way here.” Grace gave him a pointed look.
Cade obviously hadn’t counted on women’s intuition to get him into trouble. He turned to Amber and hesitated a moment before squaring his shoulders and offering his apology. “I am sorry. I’ll be nicer.”
Amber’s little chin shot up as if to reject his apology, but a glance at Grace stopped her short. “Me too. I tried to bug you. That was rude.”
After Cade went home with his mother, Grace and Amber ate dinner, cleaned up, and then began packing Amber’s things in readiness for her mother’s arrival. “Amber? Why do you and Cade have such a hard time with each other?”
“I don’t know. I try to be nice to him… I do! But…”
Grace looked concerned. “What is it, Amber? I need to know.”
Amber shrugged. “He’s just a boy and boys are mean to girls. I don’t like it, so I pick back. I’m sorry”
Grace knew that there was more to the problem than Amber shared, but her little friend seemed bothered by the conversation. As Grace watched her carefully fill her little suitcase, Amber pretended to be very busy with her task and avoided looking into Grace’s eyes. Her silence was extremely surprising to Grace. Amber was known for being exuberantly talkative.
~*~*~*~
Grace answered her phone cheerfully. “Good Evening!”
“Feel up to a game of checkers?”
“Sure! Your porch or mine? We have to enjoy it while we can. The weather is going to send us inside soon.” Grace began searching for her cardigan and knit cap.
“Oh, let’s give Mr. Wirth a show. He has a better view from your porch. I’ll bring some nuts and a thermos of hot chocolate. Mom’s recipe.” Nolan grabbed his snacks as he hung up the phone and started across the street.
Grace had warm blankets, gloves, and two cups arranged on the porch when Nolan arrived. While Nolan set up the playing board, Grace settled into one of two beanbag chairs that she dragged out onto the steps for a more comfortable game. When everything was arranged, Nolan took one black and one red checker and shuffled them in his hands. Holding out his fists, Grace chose.
“Red. You go first.” Grace turned the board so that the red checkers were on her side and began to plan her strategy.
For the next twenty minutes, they carefully plotted and executed moves. Grace made strategic moves to indicate that she ‘missed’ a good opportunity and tried to set up a surprise attack. Nolan countered and stopped her cold. Eventually, after whittling each other down to one king, the match was tied. To win, one or the other would have to deliberately put themselves in harm’s way, and neither would concede.
“Good game. What do you think? One more, or is it too cold?” Nolan watched, concerned that his opponent was too chilled for another game.
“We can’t quit without a winner! I want either to know I failed or to make you taste defeat. Ties are unacceptable!” Grace’s lighthearted tone gentled the fierce competitiveness of her words.
The next game was fierce and swift. Much thought and deliberation dragged some moves out, while the next might be executed without hesitation. In the end, Nolan was victorious. “Rematch tomorrow night?”
Grace’s smile was the only answer necessary, yet she assured him that she would be on her toes and there would be no chance of him beating her again. “I have to lose now and then so that winning is ‘worth’ it. Does that sound believable?”
“That sounds like an excuse, Miss Buscher… and I don’t accept excuses.”
~*~*~*~
Grace greeted her friends as she neared the retirement home. Couples walking to the center of town, elderly gentlemen shuffling to the park to feed the birds, and silver-haired ladies out for a bit of fresh air and gossip, waved and called out greetings as she passed. She never wondered if Aunt Fran would be inside. Aunt Fran never left. Her father’s sister’s hobby was languishing in misery in Brunswick’s finest, and only, retirement home.
Tara Boyer shook her head and made a slicing motion across her neck as Grace entered. She squared her shoulders, held up a stack of photos of the baby, and made praying hands motions as she slipped past the reception area and headed toward Fran Bucher’s apartment. Obviously, this wasn’t a good day to visit Aunt Fran. She knew that no matter what choice she made, her aunt would be difficult. Came too soon, stayed away too long—it didn’t matter what anyone did; Aunt Fran just liked to complain.