Christmas Medley, page 30
“Thank you…this is the first time in years that I am actually looking forward to Christmas. I have one more present to pick up tomorrow.” She winked at El. “It's for you,” she whispered.
“Hmm, really? Care to give me a hint?”
“No.” Ruth laughed and hit El's shoulder in a playful manner. “I need to go shopping and pick up something for a proper Christmas Day meal.”
“Sounds yummy.” El rested her forehead on Ruth’s. “I guess I’d better get you home so I can get packed for my trip. Omaha in the winter makes Concord seem like a tropical climate.”
“Come with me.” Ruth motioned for El to stand under the mistletoe. “It would be a shame to waste this opportunity.”
When they finally pulled apart, both women wanted more.
“God, I wish I didn’t have to go out of town,” El growled. “If I could, I would chuck work and stay with you.”
“Nice thought but unfortunately that can’t happen. We have time to get to know each other and when the time is right to go further, we’ll know. I’m going to call a cab.” Ruth saw the protest in El’s eyes and face.
“You don’t need to go out into the cold. Stay here where it is warm and get your stuff packed.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Will you call me when you get home so I don’t worry about you?”
“That’s nice.” Ruth kissed El’s cheek.
“What?”
“That you worry about me.”
Once the call for the taxi finished, El and Ruth stood again under the mistletoe as they kissed in a promise of what was to come. When they heard the toot of the taxi’s horn, El accompanied Ruth to the waiting vehicle. El closed the back door, opened the front one, and handed the driver a fifty-dollar bill.
“This should cover the meter with a nice tip for you. Make sure she gets there safe,” she said in a commanding voice.
The driver looked at the bill in his hand and nodded. “No problem…and Merry Christmas.”
El watched until the taxi’s red taillights turned at the corner then went inside. Ten minutes later, her phone rang.
“Hi, are all the doors locked?”
“Yes, Mom,” Ruth said with a laugh. “Will you do something for me, Elyse?”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Please be careful on your trip. I’ve seen reports on the news about how much snow they have in Omaha and how treacherous it is to get around.”
“Now who’s the mom?” El asked.
“It goes both ways. Have a safe journey…” El heard a hitch in Ruth’s voice. “…will you call me when you get there?”
“That goes without saying. Good night, Ruth.”
After saying goodnight, El hung up and wrapped her arms around her midsection. After all the years of feeling so alone, she was happy—deliriously happy.
†
It was the best night of sleep that Ruth could remember ever having. When she opened her eyes, she felt a smile cross her face before she hopped out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower. The day before, Ruth had taken the bus downtown and found the perfect gift for El—a music box. The only problem was that it played a Chopin piece and Ruth wanted a different piece of music. The proprietor told her to give him a day to find the right one.
Ruth stepped off the bus and smiled when she saw the sign for the Music Box Collectors. She rapidly walked to the shop, went in, and the owner immediately greeted her.
“Hello, Mrs. Arnold. I have your music box ready for you.” He placed a wooden box on the counter.
“It’s wonderful.” Ruth picked up the rosewood box with a flower inlay. She lifted the top and heard the melodious ping of the song she wanted.
“Thank you so much. This is perfect.”
Once the man gift-wrapped the music box, Ruth headed out of the store. Her mind was an array of images of what El’s face would be when she opened the gift and heard the music.
When Ruth looked up, she saw the restaurant that she and El had breakfasted at the Saturday before and she smiled. As the memory of the day washed over her, she glanced in the window. Her face went ashen and she felt a cold chill race through her body when she saw El, sitting at a table, holding a woman’s hand. For a moment, her brow knitted in disbelief as she looked again. Surely, that can’t be her she’s on her way to Omaha. But it was and the blow to her heart made her clutch her chest.
She turned and briskly walked blindly down the sidewalk. Her body was numb as her mind raced with one thought—she was a fool.
“How could I let myself be dragged in like that? What an idiot I was to let her lead me on…and…and… for what…why did she do this to me?” Her feet seemed to fly down the street and soon she found herself in front of her apartment building.
Her shaking fingers fumbled with the key to the building as she cursed the door, her life, and Elyse Baxter. Once she was inside her apartment, she dropped the wrapped music box before a flood of tears began. The blow she had felt when Craig disappeared was nothing compared to the bleak loneliness that now invaded her every thought and movement. She slid into her bed and pulled the covers over her head as she closed herself off from the world.
Later that day, she heard her phone ring and was grateful that she didn’t have an answering machine. Over the next several days, her phone rang dozens of times but Ruth was steadfast in her resolve to stay in bed with her head covered. On Saturday morning, she threw the covers off and ventured into the kitchen.
Just as the kettle of water whistled, Ruth heard the buzzer for the front door and froze. Over the last few days, she had gone through all the scenarios of what she would say to El when she saw her again. Now, she knew that the time had come and she felt her stomach churn as she pressed the button.
“Who is it?”
“Ruth, it’s me…are you okay…I’ve been worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Ms. Baxter. Please go away and leave me alone.”
“Ruth all my calls to you went unanswered and I couldn’t help but worry about you. Can’t we talk?”
“Just go away,” Ruth said as she tried to squelch her tears. The vision of El and the other woman flashed in her mind. No longer did she feel hurt—anger superseded everything else.
“Ruth, I don’t understand what’s happened. Please let me in so we can talk.”
“Talk, why on earth would I want to speak with the likes of you, Elyse?” Ruth screamed into the small speaker.
All went silent and Ruth gulped down the fear that El had left. The tears that dried up with her rage fell again.
“Good riddance…I’m glad she’s gone.” When she heard a light tap on her door, she undid the locks and pulled the door open. What she hadn’t counted on was seeing Elyse Baxter.
“I thought you left! How did you get in the building?”
When the neighbor across from her opened her door she asked, “Are you okay, Mrs. Arnold?” Ruth nodded and pulled El inside before closing the door with a bang.
“What’s going on, Ruth? I called you and called you and you never answered, and that worried me so I came here directly from the airport.”
“Oh yeah, you were so worried…I bet you didn’t go out of town at all…you probably spent the time with that blonde woman!” Ruth swiped at the tears on her cheek.
“I was in Omaha…I told you that before I left. What blonde woman?” El cocked her head and frowned.
“The one I saw you holding hands with Tuesday morning.”
“Is that what this is all about?” A raucous laugh filled the apartment. “You saw me with someone and didn’t bother to ask me who it was. You just assumed it was a lover?”
“What else could I think? You were sitting practically on top of each other.”
“Do you have any idea of how worried I’ve been about you?” El whispered. “I guess not since you didn’t bother to answer your phone. Not to worry, Ruth, I won’t trouble you again.” El blew out a breath and flicked a tear from her cheek. “I really thought we had something, Ruth. I guess I was wrong.”
El placed her fingers on the doorknob.
“Wait, you’re right. I should have asked you.” Ruth touched El’s shoulder. “Please tell me.”
With a slow turn, El faced Ruth. The tear stains that glistened on her face seemed etched in her makeup.
“After you left Monday night, I took your advice and called my sister to wish her a Merry Christmas. She was on her way to New York and made a detour through Concord. We met for breakfast.”
Ruth closed her eyes and hung her head. “What a fool I’ve been. Can you ever forgive me?”
A thumb and forefinger cupped Ruth’s chin and lifted her head and two sets of watery blue eyes met.
“Already done, Ruth.”
They stood wrapped in each other’s arms for several minutes until Ruth pulled back slightly and kissed El’s cheek. She gazed at the tired expression on El’s face as her thumb ran under each eye.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered before she cupped a cheek in a caress.
“I thought you were hurt or in trouble,” El said as she let her face lean into Ruth’s gentle embrace. “When I heard about the snow storm upstate and the power outages, I hoped that you weren’t answering your phone because the line was out. I realized that, other than you, I had isolated myself so much that there was no one that I could call to check on you.”
“How can I make it up to you?” Ruth asked as she let her hand fall before she disengaged from their embrace. She took a step backward. “Will you tell me about your visit with your sister?”
El took Ruth’s hand and led her to the lumpy couch. “After you left Monday night, I decided to give her a call since she was the one who I thought might talk to me and wouldn’t judge me.”
“What happened?”
“She cried.” El rested her head on Ruth’s shoulder. “She said that she always tried to keep track of me but hadn’t known where I was for over three years.”
“What about your folks?” Ruth felt moisture on her shoulder. When she heard no answer, she looked down and saw that El was asleep.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” she said softly. “Come on, let’s get you comfortable.”
Ruth led the sleepy woman into her bedroom, pulled back the sheets, and gently coaxed her to lie down. For a long while, Ruth just looked at the sleeping woman.
“What a fool I am.” Bending down, she placed a gentle kiss on El’s cheek then headed for the bathroom and a shower.
†
El stretched and moved her head back and forth and heard her neck crack. She didn’t open her eyes as her fingers ran over the soft sheet below her. I’m in bed. Her eyes flew open. Her eyes flashed around an unfamiliar room before they closed. Oh god, who did I take to bed? When her hand rested on her stomach, she realized that her clothes were still on. The heady smell of something wafted up her nose and she opened her eyes again. Taking a good look at her surroundings, she thought, Ruth…this is Ruth’s room.
“Hey there, I thought I heard you stirring,” Ruth said with a smile.
El looked at the woman’s face before her gaze drifted down.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I made homemade chicken noodle soup for you.” Ruth neared the bed. “Sit up please.”
Without thinking, El rose up and rested her back on a pillow jammed up against the headboard.
“That sure smells good.” As Ruth placed the tray over her legs, El’s stomach rumbled. She picked up a spoon, dipped it into the bowl and carefully brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth. Her mouth was watering as she blew a breath over the steaming broth. Her eyes captured Ruth’s after she slurped the contents of the spoon.
“That is wonderful. Thanks, I didn’t realize how tired I was.”
Ruth felt her face redden and she looked away. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I should have gone into the restaurant and spoken to you instead of assuming.”
El put her spoon down and moved the tray to the other side of the bed. “Will you sit here?” She patted the bed.
Ruth didn’t move.
“Please.”
Ruth, refusing to make eye contact, sat on the edge of the bed.
“Let’s start again.” With shaking fingers, El brushed away Ruth’s tears. She cupped Ruth’s chin and turned her head to face her. “I’ve never in my life worried about anyone the way I did about you. I care about you so much more than I ever thought I could.” When Ruth’s eyes met hers, she smiled and pulled her closer.
“I want you in my life, Ruth Arnold.”
Their kiss was soft yet insistent as they melted into each other. Soon their bodies were humming the tune of excitement that begged for satisfaction. El broke away then moved an arm’s length away from Ruth.
“What…what’s the matter.” Ruth placed a hand over her heart. “Have I done something wrong?”
“No, never,” El said. “Christmas Eve is two days away and if we continue I won’t leave and that would be bad.”
Ruth’s eyebrows lifted and her forehead creased. “Why? I don’t understand.”
“I have been gone most of the week and I have a mountain of work that needs to be done before I can take time off.” El saw the disappointed confusion cross Ruth’s face and moved closer before she gently caressed her face. “If we are going to start a new Christmas tradition, I need to have everything done at the office so I can leave it behind and enjoy our time together.”
“Hmm, El, won’t it still be there after Christmas?”
“Yeah, along with a ton more…insurance fraud doesn’t take a holiday. In fact, this time of the year, we find the most proof of deception. I need to do this, Ruth, can you understand that?”
“I don’t like it, but yeah, I understand.” Ruth sighed and closed her eyes.
“Thank you. I will pick you up Monday morning and we can go to the market, get all the food we’ll need for our celebration, and then go back to my place to begin our holiday.”
“Although I’m frustrated I do understand your motives. Our first time together should have no distractions.” Ruth stole another kiss. “I’ll give my kids a call, that way they won’t worry when I don’t answer on Christmas Eve.”
With one more kiss, El sealed the bargain.
Chapter Seven
True to her word, El arrived in front of Ruth’s apartment building early Christmas Eve morning. When she saw Ruth exit the building, she couldn’t squash the passionate feelings that bubbled around her heart. She laughed as she remembered the numerous calls they had shared in the two days since she arrived on Ruth’s doorstep. I should have just brought her with me.
“You look wonderful,” El sighed when the door was flung open and Ruth stepped inside.
“Bet you say that to all your girls.” Ruth laughed, tossing a bag with her special gift for El in the backseat.
“Nope, only to this special girl,” El said, unable to keep her eyes off Ruth. “What’s in the bag?”
“You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out.”
“Tease,” El said as she shifted into drive. “I thought we’d go to Fannelli’s for the groceries.”
“Good idea. Oh, I don’t have anything to give them. I’ve been only focusing on my own actions and I forgot to get them anything. I always bring them something for Christmas.” Ruth looked over at the happy smile on El’s face. “What? Why are you smiling like that?”
“Because I am one step ahead of you…I have a bottle of wine for them.”
“Oh, Elyse, you’re wonderful,” Ruth gushed.
El guided the Lexus into a parking spot right in front of Fannelli’s Market. “Must be our lucky day, Ruth.” El reached for the bottle of wine on the backseat. “Here you go. I will join you in a minute. I need to call my sister and find out the best time to call my folks tomorrow.”
†
Ruth walked into the market and the proprietor Giorgio Fannelli instantly greeted her. “Merry Christmas, Ruth,” he said with a bright smile as he pulled a bag out from under the counter. “I have something for you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Fannelli.” Ruth could feel her face heat. “And, I have something for you.” She handed the gift bag and watched as he pulled out a bottle of wine encased in what looked like a Christmas sweater for the bottle. Ruth giggled as she thought of how unlike El the present was but, at the same time, it was so appropriate.
Sophia joined her husband. “This is so thoughtful, Ruth. Did you knit the bottle cover yourself?”
“No, I didn’t.” Again, Ruth blushed. She looked at the floor and studied her boots as she tried to get her emotions under control.
“You are welcome to spend Christmas with us, Ruth.” The grocers made the same invitation each year but Ruth always declined. “You don’t have to spend the day alone.”
“Oh, I won’t be alone, Sophia.”
The older woman’s face brightened. “Are you spending it with the same person you made dinner for?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
The smile that crossed Sophia’s face seemed never ending. “I hope we get to meet your special someone.”
Sophia’s smile paled in comparison to the one crossing Ruth’s face as El walked in the door. She couldn’t take her eyes off the woman who had bumped into her and changed her life.
“Here she is now,” Ruth said as El walked toward her. “Giorgio and Sophia, this is my good friend, Elyse Baxter.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” For her part, El didn’t take her eyes off Ruth.
If the husband and wife said anything neither Ruth nor El noticed for, they were lost in each other’s gaze. When the bell above the door rang, Ruth broke the contact.
“We’d better get shopping.” They both walked away.
Giorgio looked at his wife who looked confused. “She’s happy, Mama.”
With a grin, Sophia said, “Yes. It is the miracle of Christmas.”
†
“Hmm, really? Care to give me a hint?”
“No.” Ruth laughed and hit El's shoulder in a playful manner. “I need to go shopping and pick up something for a proper Christmas Day meal.”
“Sounds yummy.” El rested her forehead on Ruth’s. “I guess I’d better get you home so I can get packed for my trip. Omaha in the winter makes Concord seem like a tropical climate.”
“Come with me.” Ruth motioned for El to stand under the mistletoe. “It would be a shame to waste this opportunity.”
When they finally pulled apart, both women wanted more.
“God, I wish I didn’t have to go out of town,” El growled. “If I could, I would chuck work and stay with you.”
“Nice thought but unfortunately that can’t happen. We have time to get to know each other and when the time is right to go further, we’ll know. I’m going to call a cab.” Ruth saw the protest in El’s eyes and face.
“You don’t need to go out into the cold. Stay here where it is warm and get your stuff packed.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. Will you call me when you get home so I don’t worry about you?”
“That’s nice.” Ruth kissed El’s cheek.
“What?”
“That you worry about me.”
Once the call for the taxi finished, El and Ruth stood again under the mistletoe as they kissed in a promise of what was to come. When they heard the toot of the taxi’s horn, El accompanied Ruth to the waiting vehicle. El closed the back door, opened the front one, and handed the driver a fifty-dollar bill.
“This should cover the meter with a nice tip for you. Make sure she gets there safe,” she said in a commanding voice.
The driver looked at the bill in his hand and nodded. “No problem…and Merry Christmas.”
El watched until the taxi’s red taillights turned at the corner then went inside. Ten minutes later, her phone rang.
“Hi, are all the doors locked?”
“Yes, Mom,” Ruth said with a laugh. “Will you do something for me, Elyse?”
“Sure. Anything.”
“Please be careful on your trip. I’ve seen reports on the news about how much snow they have in Omaha and how treacherous it is to get around.”
“Now who’s the mom?” El asked.
“It goes both ways. Have a safe journey…” El heard a hitch in Ruth’s voice. “…will you call me when you get there?”
“That goes without saying. Good night, Ruth.”
After saying goodnight, El hung up and wrapped her arms around her midsection. After all the years of feeling so alone, she was happy—deliriously happy.
†
It was the best night of sleep that Ruth could remember ever having. When she opened her eyes, she felt a smile cross her face before she hopped out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower. The day before, Ruth had taken the bus downtown and found the perfect gift for El—a music box. The only problem was that it played a Chopin piece and Ruth wanted a different piece of music. The proprietor told her to give him a day to find the right one.
Ruth stepped off the bus and smiled when she saw the sign for the Music Box Collectors. She rapidly walked to the shop, went in, and the owner immediately greeted her.
“Hello, Mrs. Arnold. I have your music box ready for you.” He placed a wooden box on the counter.
“It’s wonderful.” Ruth picked up the rosewood box with a flower inlay. She lifted the top and heard the melodious ping of the song she wanted.
“Thank you so much. This is perfect.”
Once the man gift-wrapped the music box, Ruth headed out of the store. Her mind was an array of images of what El’s face would be when she opened the gift and heard the music.
When Ruth looked up, she saw the restaurant that she and El had breakfasted at the Saturday before and she smiled. As the memory of the day washed over her, she glanced in the window. Her face went ashen and she felt a cold chill race through her body when she saw El, sitting at a table, holding a woman’s hand. For a moment, her brow knitted in disbelief as she looked again. Surely, that can’t be her she’s on her way to Omaha. But it was and the blow to her heart made her clutch her chest.
She turned and briskly walked blindly down the sidewalk. Her body was numb as her mind raced with one thought—she was a fool.
“How could I let myself be dragged in like that? What an idiot I was to let her lead me on…and…and… for what…why did she do this to me?” Her feet seemed to fly down the street and soon she found herself in front of her apartment building.
Her shaking fingers fumbled with the key to the building as she cursed the door, her life, and Elyse Baxter. Once she was inside her apartment, she dropped the wrapped music box before a flood of tears began. The blow she had felt when Craig disappeared was nothing compared to the bleak loneliness that now invaded her every thought and movement. She slid into her bed and pulled the covers over her head as she closed herself off from the world.
Later that day, she heard her phone ring and was grateful that she didn’t have an answering machine. Over the next several days, her phone rang dozens of times but Ruth was steadfast in her resolve to stay in bed with her head covered. On Saturday morning, she threw the covers off and ventured into the kitchen.
Just as the kettle of water whistled, Ruth heard the buzzer for the front door and froze. Over the last few days, she had gone through all the scenarios of what she would say to El when she saw her again. Now, she knew that the time had come and she felt her stomach churn as she pressed the button.
“Who is it?”
“Ruth, it’s me…are you okay…I’ve been worried about you.”
“I’m fine, Ms. Baxter. Please go away and leave me alone.”
“Ruth all my calls to you went unanswered and I couldn’t help but worry about you. Can’t we talk?”
“Just go away,” Ruth said as she tried to squelch her tears. The vision of El and the other woman flashed in her mind. No longer did she feel hurt—anger superseded everything else.
“Ruth, I don’t understand what’s happened. Please let me in so we can talk.”
“Talk, why on earth would I want to speak with the likes of you, Elyse?” Ruth screamed into the small speaker.
All went silent and Ruth gulped down the fear that El had left. The tears that dried up with her rage fell again.
“Good riddance…I’m glad she’s gone.” When she heard a light tap on her door, she undid the locks and pulled the door open. What she hadn’t counted on was seeing Elyse Baxter.
“I thought you left! How did you get in the building?”
When the neighbor across from her opened her door she asked, “Are you okay, Mrs. Arnold?” Ruth nodded and pulled El inside before closing the door with a bang.
“What’s going on, Ruth? I called you and called you and you never answered, and that worried me so I came here directly from the airport.”
“Oh yeah, you were so worried…I bet you didn’t go out of town at all…you probably spent the time with that blonde woman!” Ruth swiped at the tears on her cheek.
“I was in Omaha…I told you that before I left. What blonde woman?” El cocked her head and frowned.
“The one I saw you holding hands with Tuesday morning.”
“Is that what this is all about?” A raucous laugh filled the apartment. “You saw me with someone and didn’t bother to ask me who it was. You just assumed it was a lover?”
“What else could I think? You were sitting practically on top of each other.”
“Do you have any idea of how worried I’ve been about you?” El whispered. “I guess not since you didn’t bother to answer your phone. Not to worry, Ruth, I won’t trouble you again.” El blew out a breath and flicked a tear from her cheek. “I really thought we had something, Ruth. I guess I was wrong.”
El placed her fingers on the doorknob.
“Wait, you’re right. I should have asked you.” Ruth touched El’s shoulder. “Please tell me.”
With a slow turn, El faced Ruth. The tear stains that glistened on her face seemed etched in her makeup.
“After you left Monday night, I took your advice and called my sister to wish her a Merry Christmas. She was on her way to New York and made a detour through Concord. We met for breakfast.”
Ruth closed her eyes and hung her head. “What a fool I’ve been. Can you ever forgive me?”
A thumb and forefinger cupped Ruth’s chin and lifted her head and two sets of watery blue eyes met.
“Already done, Ruth.”
They stood wrapped in each other’s arms for several minutes until Ruth pulled back slightly and kissed El’s cheek. She gazed at the tired expression on El’s face as her thumb ran under each eye.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered before she cupped a cheek in a caress.
“I thought you were hurt or in trouble,” El said as she let her face lean into Ruth’s gentle embrace. “When I heard about the snow storm upstate and the power outages, I hoped that you weren’t answering your phone because the line was out. I realized that, other than you, I had isolated myself so much that there was no one that I could call to check on you.”
“How can I make it up to you?” Ruth asked as she let her hand fall before she disengaged from their embrace. She took a step backward. “Will you tell me about your visit with your sister?”
El took Ruth’s hand and led her to the lumpy couch. “After you left Monday night, I decided to give her a call since she was the one who I thought might talk to me and wouldn’t judge me.”
“What happened?”
“She cried.” El rested her head on Ruth’s shoulder. “She said that she always tried to keep track of me but hadn’t known where I was for over three years.”
“What about your folks?” Ruth felt moisture on her shoulder. When she heard no answer, she looked down and saw that El was asleep.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” she said softly. “Come on, let’s get you comfortable.”
Ruth led the sleepy woman into her bedroom, pulled back the sheets, and gently coaxed her to lie down. For a long while, Ruth just looked at the sleeping woman.
“What a fool I am.” Bending down, she placed a gentle kiss on El’s cheek then headed for the bathroom and a shower.
†
El stretched and moved her head back and forth and heard her neck crack. She didn’t open her eyes as her fingers ran over the soft sheet below her. I’m in bed. Her eyes flew open. Her eyes flashed around an unfamiliar room before they closed. Oh god, who did I take to bed? When her hand rested on her stomach, she realized that her clothes were still on. The heady smell of something wafted up her nose and she opened her eyes again. Taking a good look at her surroundings, she thought, Ruth…this is Ruth’s room.
“Hey there, I thought I heard you stirring,” Ruth said with a smile.
El looked at the woman’s face before her gaze drifted down.
“What’s that?” she asked.
“I made homemade chicken noodle soup for you.” Ruth neared the bed. “Sit up please.”
Without thinking, El rose up and rested her back on a pillow jammed up against the headboard.
“That sure smells good.” As Ruth placed the tray over her legs, El’s stomach rumbled. She picked up a spoon, dipped it into the bowl and carefully brought a spoonful of soup to her mouth. Her mouth was watering as she blew a breath over the steaming broth. Her eyes captured Ruth’s after she slurped the contents of the spoon.
“That is wonderful. Thanks, I didn’t realize how tired I was.”
Ruth felt her face redden and she looked away. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I should have gone into the restaurant and spoken to you instead of assuming.”
El put her spoon down and moved the tray to the other side of the bed. “Will you sit here?” She patted the bed.
Ruth didn’t move.
“Please.”
Ruth, refusing to make eye contact, sat on the edge of the bed.
“Let’s start again.” With shaking fingers, El brushed away Ruth’s tears. She cupped Ruth’s chin and turned her head to face her. “I’ve never in my life worried about anyone the way I did about you. I care about you so much more than I ever thought I could.” When Ruth’s eyes met hers, she smiled and pulled her closer.
“I want you in my life, Ruth Arnold.”
Their kiss was soft yet insistent as they melted into each other. Soon their bodies were humming the tune of excitement that begged for satisfaction. El broke away then moved an arm’s length away from Ruth.
“What…what’s the matter.” Ruth placed a hand over her heart. “Have I done something wrong?”
“No, never,” El said. “Christmas Eve is two days away and if we continue I won’t leave and that would be bad.”
Ruth’s eyebrows lifted and her forehead creased. “Why? I don’t understand.”
“I have been gone most of the week and I have a mountain of work that needs to be done before I can take time off.” El saw the disappointed confusion cross Ruth’s face and moved closer before she gently caressed her face. “If we are going to start a new Christmas tradition, I need to have everything done at the office so I can leave it behind and enjoy our time together.”
“Hmm, El, won’t it still be there after Christmas?”
“Yeah, along with a ton more…insurance fraud doesn’t take a holiday. In fact, this time of the year, we find the most proof of deception. I need to do this, Ruth, can you understand that?”
“I don’t like it, but yeah, I understand.” Ruth sighed and closed her eyes.
“Thank you. I will pick you up Monday morning and we can go to the market, get all the food we’ll need for our celebration, and then go back to my place to begin our holiday.”
“Although I’m frustrated I do understand your motives. Our first time together should have no distractions.” Ruth stole another kiss. “I’ll give my kids a call, that way they won’t worry when I don’t answer on Christmas Eve.”
With one more kiss, El sealed the bargain.
Chapter Seven
True to her word, El arrived in front of Ruth’s apartment building early Christmas Eve morning. When she saw Ruth exit the building, she couldn’t squash the passionate feelings that bubbled around her heart. She laughed as she remembered the numerous calls they had shared in the two days since she arrived on Ruth’s doorstep. I should have just brought her with me.
“You look wonderful,” El sighed when the door was flung open and Ruth stepped inside.
“Bet you say that to all your girls.” Ruth laughed, tossing a bag with her special gift for El in the backseat.
“Nope, only to this special girl,” El said, unable to keep her eyes off Ruth. “What’s in the bag?”
“You’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out.”
“Tease,” El said as she shifted into drive. “I thought we’d go to Fannelli’s for the groceries.”
“Good idea. Oh, I don’t have anything to give them. I’ve been only focusing on my own actions and I forgot to get them anything. I always bring them something for Christmas.” Ruth looked over at the happy smile on El’s face. “What? Why are you smiling like that?”
“Because I am one step ahead of you…I have a bottle of wine for them.”
“Oh, Elyse, you’re wonderful,” Ruth gushed.
El guided the Lexus into a parking spot right in front of Fannelli’s Market. “Must be our lucky day, Ruth.” El reached for the bottle of wine on the backseat. “Here you go. I will join you in a minute. I need to call my sister and find out the best time to call my folks tomorrow.”
†
Ruth walked into the market and the proprietor Giorgio Fannelli instantly greeted her. “Merry Christmas, Ruth,” he said with a bright smile as he pulled a bag out from under the counter. “I have something for you.”
“Thank you, Mr. Fannelli.” Ruth could feel her face heat. “And, I have something for you.” She handed the gift bag and watched as he pulled out a bottle of wine encased in what looked like a Christmas sweater for the bottle. Ruth giggled as she thought of how unlike El the present was but, at the same time, it was so appropriate.
Sophia joined her husband. “This is so thoughtful, Ruth. Did you knit the bottle cover yourself?”
“No, I didn’t.” Again, Ruth blushed. She looked at the floor and studied her boots as she tried to get her emotions under control.
“You are welcome to spend Christmas with us, Ruth.” The grocers made the same invitation each year but Ruth always declined. “You don’t have to spend the day alone.”
“Oh, I won’t be alone, Sophia.”
The older woman’s face brightened. “Are you spending it with the same person you made dinner for?”
“As a matter of fact, I am.”
The smile that crossed Sophia’s face seemed never ending. “I hope we get to meet your special someone.”
Sophia’s smile paled in comparison to the one crossing Ruth’s face as El walked in the door. She couldn’t take her eyes off the woman who had bumped into her and changed her life.
“Here she is now,” Ruth said as El walked toward her. “Giorgio and Sophia, this is my good friend, Elyse Baxter.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” For her part, El didn’t take her eyes off Ruth.
If the husband and wife said anything neither Ruth nor El noticed for, they were lost in each other’s gaze. When the bell above the door rang, Ruth broke the contact.
“We’d better get shopping.” They both walked away.
Giorgio looked at his wife who looked confused. “She’s happy, Mama.”
With a grin, Sophia said, “Yes. It is the miracle of Christmas.”
†
