A Mrs. Miracle Christmas(32)

Zach was right. There was good reason for Laurel to contact the agency and find out what she could about her grandmother’s caregiver.





CHAPTER TWELVE




Helen lingered in bed that morning. It was warm and cozy under the blankets, and she didn’t feel much incentive to get up and get dressed for some reason.

“Helen?” Mrs. Miracle called from the living room. “It’s almost ten.”

Helen glanced at the clock, surprised to see how quickly the morning had evaporated. She realized she had been drifting in and out of sleep.

“How did you sleep, dear?” her companion asked upon entering Helen’s room. Mrs. Miracle sat on the edge of Helen’s bed with a concerned look on her face.

“Lazy,” Helen admitted, stretching her arms above her head and yawning.

    “Then rest. I’ve led you on a merry chase the last few days. We might have overdone our walk to the senior center yesterday.”

“The fresh air did me good,” Helen replied, “and I enjoyed reconnecting with old friends.” It’d been wonderful to see so many of her friends. Helen hadn’t realized how isolated she’d become. She’d been afraid to venture out on her own even though the senior center was within easy walking distance.

In the short time she’d been with Helen, Mrs. Miracle had expanded her world. The senior center was full of activities and events. Before Mrs. Miracle had arrived, Helen had hibernated in the house alone, growing wary and depressed without realizing what was happening or why. No wonder her brain cells were dying off. They hadn’t been fed anything more than daytime television. Just yesterday, while playing bingo, she’d run into her dear friend, Mary Lou, who’d once lived in the neighborhood. It’d been delightful to reconnect.

“Oh goodness,” Helen exclaimed when she suddenly realized what day it was. “Is this Laurel’s big day at the school? I need to get up and get ready.” Helen knew how important this holiday program Laurel was overseeing was to her granddaughter.

“That’s not until tomorrow, love.”

“Oh good. No way am I missing it. Laurel would never forgive me, and I wouldn’t forgive myself!” Helen tossed aside the covers and climbed out of the bed with some help from Mrs. Miracle. Laurel had talked of little else but this massive production involving the entire elementary school. Each class contributed in some way, with either a skit or a singing performance. The school band, as young as the children were, would be playing as well. Her granddaughter had worked hard, spending countless hours of her own time to ensure that the performance would be entertaining not only for the students but for the myriad family and friends who would be attending.

    Helen finished dressing. She felt energized and excited for Laurel, and for Christmas. She’d done more this year to prepare for Christmas than she had in recent memory—baking cookies, preparing the Christmas cards, decorating the tree, socializing with old friends and new—and it was all due to her angel friend. The Christmas tree, however, stood out above all else.

Funny thing, that tree. Helen had wanted to work right alongside Mrs. Miracle with the decorating. She’d tired quickly, however, and decided to rest in her chair. She’d only briefly closed her eyes—or so she thought. When she looked up again, the entire tree was finished and marvelously decorated.

In mere minutes. It would be impossible for that to have happened in such a short time, yet Helen had witnessed it herself. She decided that it had to be a trick—some sort of angel trick. She would have doubted such a thing were possible if it hadn’t happened right in front of her.

    Once in the kitchen, Helen took a seat at the kitchen table. Ever helpful, Mrs. Miracle placed a cup of tea in front of Helen, along with a single slice of toast, smothered with her favorite raspberry jam.

“You’d better eat something if we’re going to be gallivanting off to new adventures.”

“That is a perfect description of what we’ve been doing ever since you arrived, isn’t it? Gallivanting,” Helen said, smiling over the top of her teacup. The warm liquid soothed her throat. Oh, how she enjoyed her morning tea. Orange pekoe. She must mention it to Mary Lou, who she knew loved tea as much as she did.

Mrs. Miracle sat across from Helen. “How are you feeling today?”

“Wonderful. I’ve made plans with Mary Lou to stop by after the holidays, and we’ve made a date to play Scrabble. She’s a knitter, and from what she says, she has quite the stash of yarn.” But then, in her opinion, one could never have too much yarn.

Mrs. Miracle wore a silly grin, holding back some amusement, then covered her mouth and giggled before shaking her head at Helen.

    Helen stared at her quizzically and raised one delicate brow.

Setting the teacup aside, her companion saw the look. “You need to forgive me. I was thinking about something rather entertaining. Laurel will be calling the agency today to check on my references and employment history.”

“She’s doing what?” It was far from humorous to Helen. She was upset that her friend’s credentials would be in question. “Whatever for?”

“Zach and Laurel have concerns about me.”

Helen noticed that Mrs. Miracle showed no signs of distress. “Concerns about what?” She wished Laurel had asked for her opinion. Helen had no complaints at all. In fact, she was eternally grateful for Mrs. Miracle, and now considered her a close friend. It distressed her that those two had gone behind her back about this.