Cupid's Christmas (Serendipity #3)(36)

Barbara, who by now had stopped sobbing and cleaned most of the mud off her face, nodded. Once calmed down, she explained how her car had died on Route 70 and she’d had to walk the last half mile to the office. On the way, three trucks and a Mercedes had driven through puddles and drenched her with mud. “It was horrible,” she moaned. “I was petrified walking so close to the highway and the wind from the trucks…”

Lindsay listened to the story then brought Barbara a cup of steaming chamomile tea. “This will calm you,” she said and stirred in two heaping teaspoons of sugar.

That morning the tumor removal on an aging Bulldog didn’t start until eleven-thirty and when the surgery room door was closed, Lindsay oddly enough had no thoughts of Phillip. In fact, she was so energized that she completed two weeks of billing and sent out twenty-three overdue vaccination notices.

A month after they’d begun dating, Lindsay asked Eleanor and her father if she could invite Matthew for Thanksgiving dinner. “A wonderful idea,” John said. He gave her a wide grin and added, “It’s high time I got to know this young man.”

Eleanor agreed and suggested they also invite Ray and Traci. A few minutes later she added Matthew’s dad to the list. “With Gracie gone, he’s all alone,” she sighed.

“We probably should also include Lorraine and Frank,” John said.

That prompted Eleanor to remember Matthew had a great uncle who lived in Rochelle Park with his third wife, and the neighbors two door down whose children lived someplace in Idaho. When the list was complete they had fourteen names. “Oh dear,” Eleanor sighed. “We’ve only got twelve place settings.” She eyed the list again, but by then she’d already convinced herself that every single person on the list had to be invited. “It wouldn’t be right for someone to have to spend Thanksgiving all alone,” she said and everyone agreed.

Since the Macy’s in Philadelphia stocked her dinnerware pattern, Eleanor declared the best solution was for her to drive in on Saturday morning and pick up a few extra place settings.

“I’ll go with you,” Lindsay said. “I’d like to get a new dress for Thanksgiving, and I really need another pair of jeans.” Once they decided to go together, both women came up with a lengthy list of things they could most likely use.

That evening Eleanor made several telephone calls to invite the dinner guests, the last call she made was to Ray. Traci answered the phone. “Hi Mom,” she said brightly.

Eleanor explained that she and John were having a special Thanksgiving dinner and wanted to include them.

“Mom, I’m not sure that’s such a good idea,” Traci’s voice grew lower and apprehension was threaded through every word. “Ray’s been in a bad mood lately and the truth is, he’s none too fond of John.” she tried to soften the sound of the words, but no matter how they were spoken they had the same ugliness stuck to them.

“Well, perhaps if I spoke to him…”

“Um,” she hesitated, then whispered, “I probably think it’s better if you don’t because…” before she could finish the sentence, Ray’s voice blasted its way through the wire.

“What?” he snapped angrily. “You think my wife is gonna side with you? I’m not coming over there for another fiasco like Labor Day! If that’s what you’re thinking, think again!”

“But Ray, I thought you—”

“You thought what?” he interrupted, “You’re not thinking, that’s the problem!”

“Why are you acting like—”

“Me? It’s not me, it’s you. You’re acting like a lovesick school girl. For God’s sake Mother, you’re fifty-eight years old!”

“Just because I’m a bit older doesn’t mean—”

“You’re old enough to have some sense! You’re not stupid! You should know better than to get involved with some—”

“Wait a minute Ray, this isn’t just an affair,” Eleanor said. “John and I are planning to—”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. That’s what they all say. I see it on television every day.”

“You see what on television?”

“Stories about women like you. Women duped into letting some jerk take everything—”

“John is not like that—”

“You know what Ma, I take it back—you are stupid! Stupid enough to let that jerk take advantage of you. If that’s what you want to do, fine! But don’t call me again until you come to your senses!” Ray slammed the receiver down with such force that it left Eleanor with a ringing in her ear.





This is the problem I told you about and trust me— it will get much worse before it gets better. If it gets better. From where I stand the future for Eleanor and John looks very bleak—that is, if they have a future.





Lindsay was searching animal rescue sites on the computer in the den, but she’d heard the phone call. Although she couldn’t make out the words, she recognized the angry sound and knew it was Ray. When there was only silence, Lindsay got up and went into the kitchen. Eleanor was sitting alone.

“Are you okay?” Lindsay asked, but when Eleanor looked up, she saw the tears rolling down her cheeks and knew the answer.