A Mrs. Miracle Christmas(4)

    The woman hesitated. Laurel could hear the clicking of her computer keys in the background. She didn’t know how much longer she could wait. The situation with her grandmother was quickly becoming critical.

“I can’t see anything opening up before the first of the year.”

“That long?” Another month, Laurel thought to herself. All she could do was hope that someone would become available sooner, rather than later. The one bright spot was that with Christmas nearly upon them, she’d be home from school for a couple weeks around the holidays. Thankfully, she wouldn’t need to return until after the first of the year.

“Should I put your name on the list?”

Seeing that she had no other option, Laurel agreed. “Please.”

After giving the agency all the pertinent information, Laurel hung up the phone and called two other agencies. They had longer waiting lists than the Caring Angels agency. She phoned Zach to give him the news.

“What did you find out?” he asked.

“We’re on a waiting list. They expect to have someone available after the first of the year.”

    Zach didn’t hide his concern. “Do you think she’ll be all right by herself until your Christmas break?”

“Do we have a choice?”

“I guess not,” Zach said, sounding as defeated as Laurel felt.

“I can always drive home to check on her during my lunch,” Laurel said, although she wasn’t sure how that would work. If she got caught up in traffic and was late returning, it would cause major problems, possibly even the loss of her job. She couldn’t leave the children unattended, and staffing was so tight that it was unfair to ask someone to watch her class until she got back. It didn’t help that she had signed up to organize the Christmas program at school.

How did my life get so complicated? Laurel pondered. Yet she knew in her heart that she would never ignore her grandmother’s needs. Nana had been there for Laurel when she’d needed her the most, and Laurel was determined to do the same for Nana.

At the end of the school day, Laurel hurried home without staying to do her normal paperwork, afraid to leave her grandmother alone any longer than necessary. To add to her list of things to be done that evening, Laurel had intended to bake cookies for the small party the staff was throwing for the main-office secretary’s birthday. A week earlier, Laurel had bragged about her grandmother’s recipe for snickerdoodles, and she’d been volunteered.

    When Laurel came through the door, she found Nana sitting in her favorite chair, watching a rerun of Antiques Roadshow, with her fingers busily knitting. As a matter of habit, her grandmother usually picked up her needles and yarn at least once a day, but as of late, she was making little to no progress on any particular project. Helen looked up and smiled. Laurel noticed that she looked better than she had the previous day.

“You’re home from school already?” Nana asked, surprised at Laurel’s earlier arrival time.

Hanging up her coat, she sat down near her grandmother, pleased to see that she was looking more like herself. “What are you working on?”

Her grandmother stared down at the yarn for a long moment.

“Hmm, let me think. It doesn’t come to mind right away, but don’t you just love the yarn?”

Laurel patted her hand. “Don’t worry, Nana. It’s not important. The yarn is gorgeous, and so soft.”



* * *



—

Zach returned home a little more than an hour and a half later, and together, the three sat down for dinner. Just as Laurel was about to take her last bite from her meal, the doorbell chimed. Zach looked at Laurel and she at him.

    She shrugged in response. “I’m not expecting anyone. Are you?”

“Nope. I’ll get it.” Zach slid back his chair and headed to the front door.

Laurel watched from the kitchen. An older woman stood on the other side of the threshold. She was dressed in a full-length wool coat with a thick scarf wrapped around her neck. She carried a basket on her arm and had a wide smile on her face.

“Good evening,” she greeted cheerfully. “I’m Mrs. Miracle.”

“Mrs. Miracle,” Zach repeated, sounding puzzled. “How may I help you?”

“I believe I’m here to help you. I understand you put in a request for a Caring Angel.”





CHAPTER TWO




“Caring Angels sent you?” Laurel asked, coming out of the kitchen after she had overheard the initial exchange. “When I called earlier, I was told no one was available.”

“The office hadn’t been informed that I was free to accept another assignment. When I heard your situation was urgent, I came as quickly as I could. I trust I haven’t arrived at a bad time?”

“No, of course not. Please come in.” Looking relieved and grateful, Laurel quickly brought the older woman into the house.

Helen sat quietly, observing the arrival of this stranger. She sensed an immediate connection to this woman who had entered her home, yet she couldn’t understand why. It appeared that she and this Mrs. Miracle weren’t far apart in age. Somehow, though she couldn’t explain it, Helen instinctively knew that this woman had a warm heart, and that the two of them would get along famously.