A Mrs. Miracle Christmas(18)

    When she reached the front door, Nana greeted her. “What do you think?” she asked Laurel, her eyes bright and smiling. Tugging on Laurel’s arm, she brought her granddaughter into the house, dragging her over to stand in front of the tree.

Laurel was afraid she looked like a bass out of water, mouth wide open, hardly able to take it all in. “It’s…stunning.”

“It’s the most beautiful Christmas tree ever,” Nana agreed, clapping her hands together.

“You two did all this yourself? You didn’t hire elves to help you?”

“We did,” Mrs. Miracle answered, winking at Laurel’s grandmother.

“And, Laurel, look what we found.” Nana pointed at an old, worn bell-shaped ornament—the very one that Laurel had made years ago with her mother.

“How…How is this possible?” she whispered, even as tears gathered in her eyes. “This ornament fell apart years ago. Just last night, I told Zach how I wished I’d been able to salvage at least one that Mom and I had made.”

Both women looked at each other, then at her, and smiled.

    “Mrs. Miracle found several other boxes in the garage,” Nana said. “Your grandfather must have set it aside.”

“I can’t believe it.” Laurel had been through that garage several times. She didn’t recall her grandparents having more than a few storage tubs of Christmas decorations, all stored in the attic. She was certain she wouldn’t have overlooked something so precious to her, even though to another’s eyes, it had no value.

“Yet here it is,” Nana said. “Aren’t you pleased?”

“Oh yes.” It was the season, after all, and this year, for sure. The season of miracles.





CHAPTER SIX




Laurel woke early the following morning and wandered from her and Zach’s bedroom to the kitchen. She paused as she passed by the living room, instantly drawn to the Christmas tree and the sad-looking ornament that only a mother could love—the one that she’d crafted all those years ago. She had to practically look cross-eyed to reimagine its original bell shape. Tucked near the shiny glass ornaments and glittering lights, that handmade, battered plaster-of-paris bell with pink sparkles looked like it’d been made by the clumsy hands of a nine-year-old, which indeed it had been.

The craft and beauty of the tree was above and beyond anything she and Zach could have managed. This was more than a simple family tree, it was a work of art. Again, she marveled at how Mrs. Miracle and her grandmother had been able to pull it off.

    Zach joined her for a quick moment, sipping his coffee before he headed out the door. They’d spent an extra ten minutes cuddling in bed after the alarm went off. For the last two nights, they’d made love late into the night, holding each other closely, neither speaking of the strange events taking place around them. Nana’s remarkable improvements, the supposed angel in their home, the magical reappearance of that formerly lost and now found precious tree ornament. Laurel suspected something was going on with Zach, but she hadn’t the courage to confront him, not when she knew the answers might endanger their marriage.

Only those who had faced the same infertility issues as she had could relate to the doubts and feelings of inadequacy that she felt every day. Opening her own heart to even the possibility was beyond her. She couldn’t bring herself to do it. She simply couldn’t.

“I’m off to the coal mines,” Zach said as he kissed her cheek. He’d be working late tonight and wouldn’t be home until after dinner.

“Don’t forget that I’ll be home briefly after school, then I head back to meet with the parents who are helping with the holiday program.” The December school production had been in the works for more than two months now. Several parents had volunteered to help. Before Laurel had agreed to oversee the production, she’d planned for her neighbor to stay with her grandmother when she had rehearsals. But now Mrs. Miracle was available and willing to extend her hours.

    “We’ll connect later then,” her husband replied. “I’ll probably get home before you.”

“Have a good day.”

“How can I not have a great day, after the night we shared?” he whispered back, for her ears alone.

Laurel blushed as she stood before the tree, unable to appreciate its beauty. It could be her insecurities, her imagination, but she sensed that Zach was trying too hard to convince her that all was well with him, to assure her that he’d reached the same acceptance she had.

Shaking these thoughts from her head, she looked at their Christmas tree again and was mesmerized at the sight. Nothing from her childhood compared with it. She’d admired the professionally decorated trees in all the downtown window displays, but this one put even those to shame. It was hard to believe that the two older women had managed this.

Mrs. Miracle had arrived and was already busy in the kitchen, getting breakfast ready for Nana. Laurel joined her and set her coffee mug in the sink.

    “Were you an interior decorator in another life?” she asked Mrs. Miracle.

The older woman paused and looked over her shoulder, surprise showing in her eyes. “What makes you think that?”

“The Christmas tree. It’s stunning. I’ve never seen anything like it, and trust me, I’ve seen a lot of showstopping trees. You must have had some sort of professional experience.”