Better Off Thread, page 2
“And Sunday,” he said. “If you can.”
“I can.” I smiled a little uncertainly. “You can count on Angus and me.”
“Thank you so much. You don’t know how much I appreciate this.”
After Captain Moe had left and we’d nestled back onto the sofa, Ted turned to me with a mischievous grin. “He doesn’t know how much I appreciate this! I can hardly wait to see you in your elf costume.”
“Ted . . .”
“He said it was for anyone who wanted to join in the fun. I want to join in the fun.”
I whacked him with a throw pillow.
“You know what we should do? We should watch some Christmas movies so you can pick up some pointers.”
I hit him again. He was laughing so hard, I don’t even think he noticed.
Chapter Two
I did manage to get to work early on Saturday morning. I tidied up the bins of floss and yarn, dusted all the shelves, and cleaned the windows. I vacuumed while Angus hid in his bed under the counter, and then I took the trash out to the Dumpster.
“Good morning!”
I turned to see Blake coming out of MacKenzies’ Mochas with a large black garbage bag.
“Hi, there! Did you guys have a good turnout yesterday?” I asked.
“We did. We were busier than cats covered in tartar sauce all day long.” He tossed the bag into the Dumpster. “How about you?”
“I was busy—a lot busier than I’d expected to be. Angus and I were totally wiped out when we got home.” I smiled. “Thank goodness Ted was there and had dinner ready.”
“He’s a good guy. Then again, I’m a pretty good guy, too. I let Sadie sleep in this morning.”
“You are a good guy.”
“Why don’t we get together for dinner this evening?” he asked. “I’m sure Sadie would love it.”
“I can’t. I have a . . . thing.”
He raised his brows. “You have a thing? You’re ditching Sadie and me for a thing?”
I sighed. “It’s a prior commitment. To Captain Moe.”
“Does Ted know about this commitment to Captain Moe?”
“I’m afraid so,” I said.
“Well, you’ve got to spill it now.” Blake put his hands on his hips and waited.
“Just suffice it to say I can’t do dinner tonight. We’ll do it one night next week, okay?” I started to go back inside, but Blake blocked my path.
“I’m not going to let this go. You should know me that well by now.”
He was right. I’d known him since I was Sadie’s college roommate. He was like a bloodhound with a scent to follow. He wouldn’t give up until he’d found what he was after.
“Fine. Captain Moe is being Santa at the Tallulah County General Hospital this evening, and he needs my help.”
“Doing what?” he asked. “Being an elf?”
I didn’t answer.
His eyes widened. “You’re being an elf? For real?” He laughed and slapped the side of his leg. “Oh, my gosh. This I’ve gotta see.”
“No, you do not. I’m doing a favor for a friend. I’ll make a great elf.”
“Oh, I know you will. You’ll be adorable. Wait until I tell Sadie.” He took his phone out of his pocket. “See you later, Marce! Really, we will.”
I went back into the Stitch, where Angus was waiting for me. He was prancing around in a circle. He’d heard me talking with Blake and had wanted to be in the alley with us.
“Don’t worry, Angus,” I said. “I’ve got a feeling you’ll be seeing Blake later. And I didn’t even tell him you’re going to be a reindeer.”
Satisfied that the Seven-Year Stitch was tidy and ready for customers, I unlocked the front door. Then I retrieved my tote bag from behind the counter and took it over to the sit-and-stitch square. I was making small cross-stitch Christmas ornaments to give to friends. I could make one in approximately two hours and then put it in a hoop frame and embellish it with ribbon or lace. I’d made five so far: a drum, holly, bells, a Christmas tree, and a nutcracker. The one I was currently stitching was a snowman.
Vera, a sophisticated widow who’d become one of my dearest friends in Tallulah Falls, breezed into the shop. “Good morning!” She hugged Angus before coming to sit beside me on the sofa facing the window.
“Good morning. How are you?”
“I’m great,” she said, looking at my snowman. “He’s going to be adorable.”
“Thank you. I have a piece of snowflake-patterned blue ribbon I’m going to use to make his scarf.”
“That’ll be precious. So, did you have a lot of customers yesterday?”
“I did,” I said. “I could hardly believe how busy we were.”
Before we could discuss it further, Sadie came in. I knew from the expression on her face what she was about to say. I cut my eyes to Vera and gave my head a little shake, but either Sadie didn’t notice or she chose to ignore my silent plea.
“So, tell me all about this elf gig,” she said with a wide grin.
“I’m going to kill your husband,” I said.
“Elf gig?” Vera leaned forward. “What elf gig?”
“Captain Moe came by my house last night and asked me to play an elf tonight and tomorrow at a hospital event he’s doing as Santa Claus. Plus, he said we could put antlers on Angus and have him be a reindeer. He said the children would love it.”
“Of course, they will.” Vera clapped her hands together. “How wonderful this is! I must let Paul know so he can be sure and get you in tomorrow’s newspaper. We’ll come by tonight, and he can take photographs and interview Captain Moe and you and maybe some of the hospital staff. Where did you say it’s going to be?”
“Tallulah County General,” I said. I was beginning to think it was my lot in life that my fifteen minutes of fame would be as an elf. I hoped that at least the costume would be cute.
“I’ll go talk with Paul now.” She stood and smoothed out her beige slacks. “See you tonight.”
Vera’s boyfriend Paul Samms was a reporter for the Tallulah Falls Examiner.
After Vera left, I gave Sadie the look.
“Sorry,” she said, although she didn’t sound contrite to me. “I guess I wasn’t thinking. But come on. The story will make a nice personal-interest piece for the newspaper. It’ll be especially good for Captain Moe.”
“I know.”
Sadie was right. I’d agreed to be an elf; now I simply had to have fun with it. Captain Moe loved playing Santa. I should love being an elf. After all, it was for children . . . and for Captain Moe.
I’d first met Captain Moe soon after Angus and I had moved to Tallulah Falls. We’d gone to the beach in Depoe Bay and then had stopped by Captain Moe’s diner for something to eat. I’d left Angus in the Jeep and was planning to run into the diner and get some food to take home. Captain Moe always closed the diner on Sunday, but that day he was there taking inventory and had left the door unlocked. Despite being closed, he invited both me and Angus inside and made us cheeseburgers. We’d been friends ever since.
* * *
Ted brought grilled-chicken sandwiches and kettle-cooked chips for lunch. I put the cardboard clock on the door indicating that I’d be back in twenty minutes, and then we went into my office to eat.
“Have you been busy today?” he asked, as I handed him a bottle of water from the mini fridge.
“Moderately. Nothing like yesterday.” I nodded toward the toaster oven that was taking up entirely too much room in my small office. “I need to remember to take that back home this afternoon.”
“I’ll take it,” Ted said. “I know you’ll be rushed this afternoon.”
“Thank you.” I told him about spilling the beans to Blake and then Sadie mentioning my being an elf in front of Vera.
He smiled. “Oh, well. You know you’ll be the most beautiful elf in the world.”
“Hmmm. Flattering me and offering to take the toaster oven back home. What’s up?”
“I’d like to bring Jackson to see Captain Moe at the hospital this evening.”
Jackson was Ted’s sister Tiffany’s little boy.
“Captain Moe is the most realistic Santa I’ve ever seen,” Ted continued. “And I think Jackson would love him.”
“I’m sure he would. Who wouldn’t love Captain Moe?” I smiled.
“And who wouldn’t love Marcy the Elf?”
“And Angus the reindeer?” I added.
Angus wagged his tail, thinking we’d mentioned him because he was going to get a chip or a bite of chicken. I pinched off a piece of my sandwich for him.
“I’m sorry I laughed last night,” he said. “But, honestly, I’m looking forward to seeing you in that costume.”
“You and Vera and Blake and Sadie.”
He looked down to try to hide his grin.
“It’s okay,” I told him. “I agreed to be Captain Moe’s elf, and I’m gonna be the best darn elf you’ve ever seen.”
* * *
Angus and I got our fair share of double takes when we walked into the hospital. Of course, we generally did whenever we went somewhere—the petite woman with her enormous dog. And this was without our Christmas costumes. Wait until they got a load of us all decked out in elfin regalia and antlers.
I smiled to myself as I led Angus down the corridor toward the conference room. As we approached, we heard a heated discussion. One of the people speaking was Captain Moe. I realized I’d never heard Captain Moe raise his voice before.
“I won’t do it, and that’s final,” he said. “If that’s what you want, you can get yourself another Santa.”
“You know good and well it’s too late for me to do that now,” a woman said. “And this is not an unreasonable request. I’m only asking that you show some extra attention to Dr. Carstairs’s son.”
“And I’m telling you that I will treat all the children the same.”
The woman—a middle-aged woman in a red silk suit—noticed Angus and me standing in the hall. “May I help you?”
“Yes, I’m Marcy Singer. I—”
“The elf,” she said. “Of course.”
Captain Moe, already in his Santa Claus suit, managed a tight smile in my direction. “Thank you again for doing this.”
“You’re welcome.”
The woman thrust a bag into my hand. “You need to change into this. Moe, can you watch the dog?”
“Of course.”
I handed Captain Moe the leash. “Is everything all right?”
“Everything’s fine, Tink. You go ahead and get changed. Angus and I will be okay without you for a few minutes.”
I hesitated. Angus didn’t seem comfortable given the tension in the room, and neither did I.
“Very well. I’ll leave you to it.” The woman left the room and strode down the hall.
“Who’s she?” I asked.
“She’s the hospital administrator, Sandra Vincent. She wants me to show preferential treatment to one of the board member’s children, and I refused. She even wants me to give this child a present when all the other children will be getting the standard coloring books and candy canes. All the children deserve to be treated the same.”
“I agree.” I looked around the room. “Where can I get changed?”
“There’s a ladies’ room down the hall about eight feet and to your left.”
I nodded. “Be back in a jiffy.”
I went into the bathroom and changed my clothes in the handicapped stall. My elf costume was a green velvet dress with white plush trim, a wide red belt, green-and-red striped tights, green shoes turned up at the toes and adorned with jingle bells, and a green hat trimmed with white faux fur.
By the time I got back to the conference room, Captain Moe had the antler headband on Angus. Angus didn’t like it. As I walked into the room, Angus shook the antlers off his head.
“I don’t think this is going to work,” Captain Moe said. “We might have to settle for a North Pole puppy rather than a reindeer.” He turned, looked at me, and gave a resounding “Ho, ho, ho. You look fantastic!”
I held out my skirt and curtsied. “Thank you, kind sir.”
Captain Moe looked at his watch. “They should be here by now.”
“The children?” I asked.
He shook his head. “The maintenance men. They have just over half an hour to turn this room into a Christmas setting.”
I glanced around at the conference table, chairs, and oak-paneled walls. The men had their work cut out for them. And they’d better get here soon.
I’d no more than finished the thought than a group of men entered the conference room. Captain Moe and I stood out of the way as they began stacking the chairs and moving them out into the hallway. They pushed the table into a far corner.
One of the men called, “You can bring it in now!”
Two men in coveralls brought in a red sleigh with a long, wide bench seat.
“The seat is sturdy,” one of the men told Captain Moe. “You can easily sit there with a child or two on your lap.” He nodded toward me. “And even her and maybe the dog. But the rest of the sleigh is just plywood. Be careful that none of the kids fall into it or anything. It might break and hurt someone.”
“All right. I know the drill from yesterday.”
“So, they take this down and set it back up for every appearance?” I asked.
Captain Moe nodded. “Pretty impressive, huh?”
The men continued working, and before the half hour was up, they’d transformed the room into a winter wonderland. On the back wall, they’d put up a large poster of a snowy meadow with trees, a small cabin with smoke rising from its chimney, and a plump, happy snowman. White felt batting had been spread onto the floor to simulate snow, and round mosaic stepping stones led up to the sleigh.
Ms. Vincent returned with a large basket of peppermint sticks and a stack of coloring books. She placed them on the conference room table that had been pushed into the corner of the room.
“If you’re ready, I’ll let the children start coming in,” she said.
It was showtime.
Chapter Three
I wasn’t prepared for the first group of children who came into the room. Of course I’d realized we were doing this primarily for the kids admitted here at the hospital, but it was heartbreaking to see them so frail and weak. Some were in wheelchairs, a couple of them wheeled oxygen tanks beside them, and a few had limbs in casts. And yet, when they saw the room and Captain Moe and Angus—and even me—their faces brightened. Their eyes filled with wonder, and they smiled and laughed.
Marcy the Elf came to life. I looked over at Captain Moe, and he grinned and gave me an exaggerated wink. I laughed.
“Welcome!” I said to the group. “Thank you for stopping in to see Santa!”
“Is he the real Santa?” asked a little boy with his arm in a cast.
“Yes. He really is.” The boy was first in line, so I asked him if he’d like to go on over and say hello to Santa.
The child stepped forward shyly, almost reverently.
“Hello!” Captain Moe’s voice boomed out cheerily. “What’s your name, young man?”
“I’m Jeffrey.”
Captain Moe nodded. “Jeffrey! Of course! You’ve grown so much this past year that I didn’t recognize you at first.”
“I’m getting big,” Jeffrey said. “Mommy says I’ll be even taller than my dad.”
“Oh, I think you will. You dad wasn’t as tall as you when he was your age.”
Jeffrey’s eyes widened. “Really? You knew my dad?”
“Of course. And your mom, too.”
I had Angus by my side. I was concerned at first about how he’d react to so many children at once—and how they’d feel about him—but they all seemed fine. In fact, Angus pulled me over to a tiny girl of about six years old who was in a wheelchair.
The nurse who was pushing the wheelchair raised her eyebrows at me when Angus approached, but I nodded slightly to let her know I thought everything would be okay.
Angus walked up to the child, sat down, and placed one huge paw on the arm of her chair.
She giggled and patted his paw. “He’s funny! Is he a dog?”
“He is,” I said.
“Like Clifford.”
I knew she was talking about the big red dog from the children’s book series. “That’s right. Only his name is Angus.”
“Are all dogs this big at the North Pole?”
I considered her question. “A lot of them are.”
She leaned over and kissed Angus on the nose. “I love you.”
“He loves you, too,” I said.
“Is he a therapy dog?” the child’s nurse asked.
“Only to me,” I said.
“Well, he’s wonderful with the children,” she said. “You should consider training him for therapy.”
* * *
After the children from the hospital visited Santa, the general public was allowed to come in. That’s when Ted, Tiffany, and Jackson—Tiffany’s two-year-old son—arrived. Jackson recognized me from the day before and ran to me with open arms. Ted smiled and took Angus’s leash.
I scooped the boy up. “Hi, Jackson! How are you?”
“Santa?”
“You’re here to see Santa?”
He nodded, blue eyes enormous as he peered past me to Captain Moe.
“Hello, Jackson,” Captain Moe called. “Ho, ho, ho!”
Jackson looked back at me, his mouth forming an O.
“Would you like for me to take you to see Santa?” I asked.
He nodded.
I walked over to the sleigh where Captain Moe sat.
Captain Moe patted the seat beside him. “How’d you like to help me drive this sleigh, Jackson?”
Jackson nodded. I eased him down onto the seat beside Captain Moe.
