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“We’ll have to change that, right, Jack?” Tom asked without taking his eyes off his granddaughter.
“Yeah, we will. She needs to get used to both of us.”
Elizabeth didn’t say anything.
Jack had served himself and started eating, but he noticed that Elizabeth didn’t come down after taking Jenny back upstairs. After a few moments he excused himself and went to get her. He found her in Jenny’s room, slowly rocking the sleeping baby.
Instead of saying anything to Elizabeth, he sat down on the small bed and waited a minute. Then he called her softly. “Elizabeth?”
Her eyes opened and she cleared her throat before finally responding. “Yes, Jack?”
“I wondered when you were coming down for lunch. It’s getting cold.”
“I was just rocking Jenny.”
“She seems sound asleep. I’ll put her in her bed.”
Elizabeth wanted to protest, but he was being helpful.
After he’d put the baby down, he pulled her up from the rocker and led her out of the baby’s room. “Were you planning on skipping lunch?”
“No, but it’s so peaceful, holding a sleeping baby. Today had a lot of disturbing situations.”
“Yeah. I’m glad you thought of the pregnancy test.”
“I’m sorry it caused you some embarrassment.”
“It irritated me most of all.”
“I’m glad we now know.”
“Yeah, she didn’t seem the mothering type.”
“People change. She might have turned into a good mother.”
“Yeah, right.” He took her hand and led her down the stairs.
“Did you think I couldn’t find the table without your assistance?”
“You seem all too ready to skip meals. I think you need to eat a good lunch.”
When they entered the kitchen, Carol made her a plate and Tom pulled out a chair for her.
“What is everyone going to do this afternoon?” she asked as she sat.
“I’m going to be sure you eat your lunch.”
“Jack, you don’t need to help me.”
He just looked at her but he didn’t budge from the chair opposite her.
Carol offered her plan. “I’m going to actually do some work. I didn’t get anything done besides making the beds.”
“There’s too much else needed, Carol. I think you should relax and entertain Tom. Brady is going to take his nap, and Tom won’t have anyone to talk to.”
“Aw, Mommy, I don’t need a nap,” Brady said as he tried to hide a big yawn.
Everyone chuckled.
“I’ll come up and cover you up, sweetie.”
Jack spoke up. “Not until you finish your lunch. I’ll go tuck him in.”
When she started to protest, Brady expressed enthusiasm about Jack helping him. So she remained seated as the two males went upstairs together.
“That was nice of Jack,” Carol said.
Elizabeth said nothing.
“Do you have some laundry ready to be washed?” Carol asked her. “I could do some laundry for you.”
“Yes, I do. You always have laundry when you have children.”
“I’ve heard that,” Carol said, a wistful look in her eyes.
Poor Carol had never had children after losing two babies. Elizabeth’s heart went out to her. She felt even more grateful for her children.
“Do you need to get home early tonight, Carol, or will you stay for dinner?”
Carol turned bright red. “You don’t have to include me for dinner.”
“You always stay for dinner, Carol,” Tom said. “Though I appreciate you asking her, Elizabeth.”
“I’d love to stay, Elizabeth. Thank you.”
“Okay, I’ll get started on cleaning the kitchen, if you’ll gather the laundry. Be sure to look under Brady’s bed.”
“Just like the other two men!” Carol chuckled.
“Hey, we try,” Tom assured both women.
“We know,” Elizabeth said.
Jack knocked quietly on Tom’s door.
“Tom, are you asleep?”
“No. Come in.”
Jack opened the door and found him in the wing chair. “I was thinking about Christmas. Brady was telling me about not having had a Christmas tree yet. He said his mommy promised that one day they’d have one.”
“He’s never had a Christmas tree?” Tom asked, incredulous.
“Yeah,” Jack said. “I told him maybe we could have a tree this year. I was thinking tonight after dinner would be a good time to go shopping for one.”
“Good thinking. Shall we keep it a secret? We could decorate it tonight, too.”
“I think that would be good. We can show Elizabeth what we have and maybe she could buy what else we need.”
Tom smiled. “I’m so glad they’ve come. It will be fun to have a real Christmas again.”
“You will, Tom. You’ll have a Christmas and so will Elizabeth and the kids. I’ll make sure of it.”
“A Christmas tree!”
Brady could hardly contain his excitement when Jack mentioned the possibility of going for a tree that night after dinner.
“Where do we go to get one?” Brady asked him.
“At the Christmas tree lot in town. Do you want to go?” Jack asked casually.
“Can I, Mommy? Please?”
“I don’t know, Brady. Maybe they want to pick out their tree without us—”
“It will be our Christmas tree, Elizabeth,” Tom said.
“And I think Brady would give good advice about the tree,” Jack said. “In fact, as cold as it is, I’m not sure Tom wants to wander around looking at all the trees.”
“Won’t it be too cold for Brady?” Elizabeth asked anxiously.
“No. I’ll keep an eye on him.”
Jack waited for her response.
After a quick look at Brady, Elizabeth agreed that her son could go. “Go get your coat and hat and gloves, Brady, and bring them to me.”
“Any requests?” Jack asked.
“Yes,” Tom said. “I think you should invite Elizabeth to go. I’ll help Carol clean the kitchen and we’ll babysit Jenny.”
“Oh, no!” Elizabeth protested. “I wanted Carol to stay so she could enjoy a nice meal, not to babysit.”
“I think you should go,” Jack said. “We might need help choosing the right tree.”
Brady came running down the stairs, holding his coat, gloves and hat out to his mother.
“I