told her as he slid into the driver’s seat.
“I’m happy to help,” Faith said, and she meant it.
At Sam’s invitation, seconded by Tony, Allen and the others, Faith joined him up front; the six elves took the two rear seats.
“Is Leavenworth out of your way?” she asked.
Sam shook his head. “A little, but you won’t hear me complaining.” He glanced over at Faith. “We have a performance this afternoon in north Seattle at a children’s hospital. If you need to be in Leavenworth before tonight, I could let you take the van with Tony. He has a license, but—”
Theresa hadn’t mentioned a performance that day, but then she probably hadn’t known about it either. Faith hesitated. No doubt Tony should be there for the show. Yes, she was tired and yes, she wanted to see her friend, but nothing was so pressing that she had to be in Leavenworth before five that evening.
“I’m surprising a friend,” she admitted. “Emily isn’t expecting me. So I don’t have to get there at any particular time.”
“You mean she doesn’t even know you’re coming?”
“Nope.” Faith nearly giggled in her excitement. “She’s going to be so happy to see me.”
“Then you don’t mind attending the performance with us?”
“Not at all.” Although she was eager to get to Leavenworth, Faith didn’t feel she could deprive children of meeting Tony.
As it turned out, Faith was completely charmed by the performance. Santa and his helpers were wonderful with the sick children, and Tony even enlisted her to assist in the distribution of gifts. The performance was clearly the highlight of their Christmas celebration.
It wasn’t until after four that they all piled back into the van. The elves chatted away, pleased everything had gone so well. Faith learned that Sam and his friends had been doing these charity performances for years. They all worked regularly as actors—with roles in movies, TV productions and commercials—but they took a break at Christmas to bring a bit of joy and laughter into the lives of sick children and lonely old people. Faith felt honored to have been part of it.
“I’m starving,” Allen announced not long after they got on the freeway.
Erica and David chimed in. “Me, too.”
Not wanting to show up at Emily’s hungry, she agreed that they should stop for hamburgers and coffee. Sam insisted on paying for Faith’s meal.
“You guys were just great,” she said again, biting into her cheeseburger with extra pickles. Emily was going to love them, especially when she learned that they were performing at children’s hospitals and retirement homes.
“Thanks.”
“What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?”
“We aren’t due in Spokane until three,” Sam told her.
Spokane was a long drive from Leavenworth, and they’d be driving at night. “Do you have hotel reservations?” Faith asked.
“Not until tomorrow,” Sam confessed. “Our original plan was to spend the night in Ellensburg.”
Faith mulled over this information and knew Emily would encourage her to ask her newfound friends to stay at the house overnight. The place had two extra bedrooms that were rarely used.
“Listen, I’ll need to talk it over with my friend, but I’m sure she’d want me to invite you to spend the night.” She grinned. “What if you all arrived in costume? I’ll be her Christmas surprise—delivered by Santa and his elves. Are you game?”
“You bet,” Sam said, and his six friends nodded their agreement.
They all scrambled back into the van, and Tony chuck-led from the back seat. “One Christmas delivery, coming right up.”
Eight
Emily was bored and sad and struggling not to break down. There was only one thing left to do—what she always did when she got depressed.
Bake cookies.
But even this traditional cure required a monumental effort. First, she had to locate a grocery store and because she didn’t have a car, she’d have to haul everything to the condominium on her own. This was no easy task when she had to buy both flour and sugar. By the time she let herself back into the condo with three heavy bags, she was exhausted.
On the off chance that she might be able to reach Faith, she tried phoning again. After leaving six messages, Emily knew that if her friend was available, she would’ve returned the call by now. Faith must be at her sister’s because she certainly wasn’t at home.
Heather’s roommate had apparently left town, too, because there was no answer at the dorm. Emily had to accept that she was alone and friendless in a strange city.
Once she began her baking project, though, her mood improved. She doubted Charles had so much as turned on the oven. In order to bake cookies, she’d had to purchase every single item, including measuring cups and cookie sheets. Once the cookies were ready, Emily knew she couldn’t possibly eat them all. It was the baking, not the eating, that she found therapeutic. She intended to pack his freezer with dozens of chocolate chip cookies.
Soon the condo smelled delectable—of chocolate and vanilla and warm cookies. She felt better just inhaling the aroma. As she started sorting through her Christmas CDs, she was startled to hear someone knocking at the door. So far she hadn’t met a single other person in the entire building. Her heart hammered with excitement. Really, it was ridiculous to be this thrilled over what was probably someone arriving at her door—Charles’s door—by mistake.
Emily squinted through the peephole and saw a man in a wool overcoat and scarf standing in the hallway. He must be a friend of Professor Brewster’s, she decided. A rather attractive one with appealing brown eyes and a thick head of hair, or what she could see of his hair. She opened the door.
All he did was stare at her.
Emily supposed she must look a sight. With no apron to be found, she’d tucked a dish towel in the waistband of her jeans. Her Rudolph sweatshirt, complete with blinking red nose, had been a gift from her daughter the year before. She wore fuzzy pink slippers and no makeup.
“Can I help you?”
“Where’s Charles?” he asked abruptly.
“And you are?”
“His brother, Ray.”
“Oh…” Emily moved aside. “You’d better come in because this is a rather long story.”
“It would seem so.” He removed his scarf and stepped into the apartment. As soon as he did, he paused and looked around. “This is my brother’s place?”
“Technically yes, but for the next two weeks it’s mine. I’m Emily Springer, by the way.”
“Hmm.
