“Everything’s been arranged,” he announced to Mrs. Lewis the following morning.
She responded with a brief nod. “So you have decided to travel.”
“I have.”
She held up her hand. “Don’t tell me any of the details.”
He stared at her. “Why not?”
“In case your mother asks, I can honestly tell her I don’t know.”
“Excellent idea.” He beamed at the brilliance of her suggestion. For once, he was going to outsmart his dear, sweet matchmaker of a mother and at the same time blot Christmas from the calendar. School was closing for winter recess and if she couldn’t reach him, she’d assume he wasn’t answering his phone, which he rarely did, anyway—even before caller ID. And suppose his mother found some way to get hold of Mrs. Lewis during the Christmas holidays? It wouldn’t matter, because Mrs. Lewis didn’t know a thing! This was more satisfactory by the minute.
For two blessed weeks in December, he was going to escape Christmas and his mother in one fell swoop.
No question about it, life didn’t get any better than this.
Three
The bell rang, dismissing Faith Kerrigan’s last junior-high literature class of the afternoon. Her students were out of the room so fast, anyone might think the building was in danger of exploding. She could understand their eagerness to leave. When classes were dismissed for winter break at the end of the week, she’d be ready—more than ready.
“Faith?” Sharon Carson stuck her head in the doorway. “You want to hit the mall this afternoon?”
Faith cringed. The crowds were going to be horrendous, and it would take a braver woman than she to venture into a mall this close to the holidays. One advantage of being single was that Faith didn’t have a lot of Christmas shopping to do. That thought, however, depressed her.
She was an aunt three times over, thanks to her younger sister. Faith loved her nephews, but she’d always dreamed of being a mother herself one day. She’d said goodbye to that dream when she divorced. At the time she hadn’t realized it; she’d blithely assumed she’d remarry, but to this point she hadn’t met anyone who even remotely interested her. She hadn’t guessed it would be that difficult to meet a decent man, but apparently she’d been wrong. Now thirty, she’d begun to feel her chances were growing bleaker by the day.
“Not tonight, Sharon, but thanks.”
Her fellow teacher and friend leaned against the door of her classroom. “You’re usually up for a trip to the mall. Is something bothering you?”
“Not really.” Other than the sorry state of her love life, the only thing on Faith’s mind was getting through the next few days of classes.
“Are you sure?” Sharon pressed.
“I’m sure.” Faith glanced over at her and smiled. She was tall, the same height as Faith at five foot eight, and ten years older. Odd that her two best friends were forty. Both Emily and Sharon were slightly overweight, while Faith kept her figure trim and athletic. Emily was an undiscovered beauty. She was also the perfect kindergarten teacher, patient and gentle. She looked far younger than her years, with short curly brown hair and dark eyes. Unlike Faith, she wasn’t interested in sports. Emily felt she got enough physical exercise racing after five-year-olds all day and had no interest in joining the gym or owning a treadmill. Come to think of it, Faith wasn’t sure Leavenworth even had a gym.
Faith ran five miles three times a week and did a seven-mile-run each weekend. She left the races to those who enjoyed collecting T-shirts. She wasn’t one of them. The running habit had started shortly after her separation, and she’d never stopped.
“You haven’t mentioned Emily lately. What’s up with her?” Sharon asked and came all the way into the room. The summer before, when Sharon and her family had taken a trip north to Washington State, Faith had suggested they visit Leavenworth. As soon as Emily learned Faith’s friend would be in the area, she’d insisted on showing them the town. Emily was the consummate host and a fabulous cook. Sharon had come back full of tales about Leavenworth and Emily.
“I talked to her on Sunday.” Faith began erasing the blackboard, but paused in the middle of a sweeping motion. “Funny you should mention her, because she’s been on my mind ever since.”
“I thought you two emailed back and forth every day.”
“We do—well, almost every day.” Faith had sent Emily an email the day before and hadn’t heard back, which told her Emily was especially busy. No doubt there’d be a message waiting for her once she got home.
She turned to face Sharon. “I think I might’ve offended her.” Now that she thought about it, Faith realized she probably had. “Emily phoned, which she rarely does, to tell me Heather won’t be coming home for Christmas. I told Emily it was time Heather had her own life and to make the best of it.” Given the opportunity, she’d gladly take back those words. “I can’t believe I wasn’t more sympathetic,” Faith said, pulling out the desk chair to sit down. She felt dreadful. Her friend had phoned looking for understanding, and Faith had let her down.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself,” Sharon said. She slipped into one of the student desks.
“Emily doesn’t want to be alone over Christmas, and who can blame her?”
“No one wants to be alone at Christmas.”
Faith didn’t; in fact she’d made plans to visit Penny and join in the festivities with her nephews. “I was completely and utterly insensitive. Poor Emily.” No wonder she hadn’t answered Faith’s email.
“What are you going to do?” Sharon asked.
“What makes you think I’m going to do anything?”
A smile crept over Sharon’s face. “Because I know you. I can tell from the look in your eyes.”
“Well, you’re right. I have an idea.”
“What?”
Faith was almost beside herself with glee. “I’m going to surprise Emily and visit her for Christmas.”
“I thought you were spending the holidays with your sister.”
“I was, but Penny will understand.” The truth, Faith realized, was that Penny might even be grateful.
“It’s pretty hard to book a flight at this late date,” Sharon said, frowning.
“I know… . I haven’t figured that out yet.” Booking a flight could be a problem, but Faith was convinced she’d find a way, even if it meant flying in the dead of night. There had to be a flight into the Seattle-Tacoma airport at some point between Friday night and Christmas Day.
“My sister-in-law works for a travel agent. Would you like her number?”
“Thanks, Sharon.”
They walked to the faculty lounge
