A Mrs. Miracle Christmas(24)
The support columns were decorated with greenery and covered with large, bright ornaments of all shapes and sizes, while other displays hung down from the ceiling, greeting the shoppers. Tall Christmas trees dominated the entrance to each department, beautifully decorated.
Zach wound his way through the throng of shoppers and found himself in the women’s section. He looked at a mannequin in a beautiful red-and-white-plaid dress with gold buttons down the front and pictured his wife in it. Laurel was beautiful. He never fully understood how a woman as sweet and lovable as she was found herself attracted to a computer nerd like himself.
They’d met in college at a party where he’d felt out of place and awkward. He’d been sitting alone, nursing a beer, when she’d sat down next to him. He wanted to say something smart or funny, but his tongue seemed glued to the roof of his mouth. Laurel had taken the initiative and introduced herself, drawing him out of his shell. Their first date was in the library, studying together. Later they rode bikes around Green Lake and talked for hours. Laurel had done most of the talking, and that suited him. Zach liked the sound of her voice and marveled that she seemed to enjoy his company. He’d fallen for her immediately, and he counted his blessings every day that she’d agreed to be his wife.
With his head full of babies and the secret he was keeping from Laurel, he made his way through the store until he found himself back in front of the mannequin with the lovely dress on. It would be perfect for her. Perfect.
After he tracked down a salesclerk, he was pointed toward the appropriate rack. Zach found the size Laurel wore and swallowed hard at the price, deciding to buy it anyway. She would look stunning in it, and she deserved something new and pretty.
Pleased with his purchase, he decided to look for a special gift for Nana. He paused by the escalator to get his bearings when he realized he was next to the infant and toddler department. Pain tightened his chest.
Laurel had loved dressing Jonathan, and Nana had never been happier than when she rocked that precious baby in her arms. For a moment, he found it hard to breathe. The sense of loss felt like a kick in the gut as memories came back…memories of Jonathan being escorted from their home. He had wanted to shout at the unfairness of it all, but one of them needed to remain strong. On the outside, he’d put on a good front, but internally, he’d felt everything his wife had felt at that very moment, and more.
Before he could find the escalator going down, a salesclerk appeared at his side.
“Merry Christmas!” she said cheerfully, acting like he’d been the only customer that she’d had all day. “How may I help you?”
At this point the only thing Zach was thinking was how best to get out of there. This was the last department he wanted to wade through.
“Where would I find robes…robes like the one a grandmother would wear?” Laurel would appreciate him finding something special for Nana. She’d recently mentioned she wanted to buy her grandmother a warm robe for the winter months, with a new pair of cozy slippers, so he may as well save her the time while he was here.
The clerk sighed. “That’s up on the next level, but unfortunately, the escalator broke a few minutes ago, and they’ve roped it off as a precaution. Something electrical, I overheard a supervisor saying. It’s put quite a damper on things, with our customers all rushing around to do holiday shopping. Maintenance is on it, and hopefully it will be up and running momentarily.”
“All right, then, which way to the elevator?”
“The elevator is at the opposite end of this floor, but I heard it’s taking people several minutes to get on. Patience is in short supply—I’m giving you fair warning,” she added sympathetically.
It appeared that this exit strategy wasn’t going to work for Zach, either.
“Come with me,” the saleswoman said, as though she was about to lead him to a secret passageway. She turned and fully expected Zach to follow.
Thinking the salesclerk was leading him to the stairwell, Zach obediently trailed behind her.
“As you can see, we’re having a sale to end all sales. Just look at this delightful outfit.” She held up a pink ruffled dress so small it could be sized only for a newborn. “Isn’t this the cutest dress you’ve ever seen?”
Despite his discomfort, Zach smiled. The dress resembled something Scarlett O’Hara might have worn in Gone with the Wind. He had to admit that it was the perfect outfit to melt a daddy’s heart.
“It’s adorable, isn’t it?” the clerk asked.
“But I…”
“The best part is the price tag,” the clerk said, showing it to Zach.
Zach didn’t have any choice but to glance at the label. It was only a few dollars. That couldn’t be right. Seeing how much he’d paid for Laurel’s dress, this was a mere pittance. Then again, it was for a baby, and what did he know about the cost of baby clothes?
“Who in their right mind could refuse a deal like this?” she asked.
“Yes, but as I started to say, my wife and I don’t have children.”
“Perhaps for a friend, then?” the woman suggested. “You’re young, and I’m sure you have family or friends starting families.”
Zach hesitated. Laurel had recently mentioned that one of her teacher friends was pregnant. He didn’t know if the baby’s sex had been determined, but he reasoned that there would likely be an opportunity down the road to give this dress away as a baby shower gift. Besides, it would be less painful for him to pick up something instead of Laurel having to.