Truly Yours Contemporary Collection December 2014 Read online

  “I loved reading it to you,” Eleanor told her honestly, giving her a hug. “Maybe we can read another book tomorrow.”

  “Soup’s hot!” Bob strode into the room and, after motioning his daughter off her lap, placed a tray on the coffee table in front of Eleanor.

  Eleanor gave him a grateful smile. “It smells wonderful.”

  Bob seated himself on a nearby chair. “Let’s pray.”

  Eleanor awkwardly bowed her head.

  “Thank You, Lord, for bringing Eleanor safely through that accident. We know, without Your protection, she could have been seriously injured. Thank You for her willingness to come to our home and for the privilege she’s given us of taking care of her these next few hours. And most of all, thank You for this food Kari so willingly prepared for us. In Your name I pray. Amen.”

  Eleanor gulped hard at the lump in her throat, his words touching her deeply. Privilege? He looked at taking care of her as a privilege? After placing the paper napkin on her lap, she gave him a demure smile and picked up her bowl.

  The soup was good, even better than the soup at her favorite restaurant. Soon she had consumed the entire bowl’s contents.

  “Would you like more?” Bob asked, reaching out his hand.

  “No, thank you. It was delicious, but I couldn’t eat another bite.”

  “The room’s clean, and the bed has fresh sheets,” Kari announced, smiling, as she and her sister came bounding back into the room. “We put clean towels, washcloths, and a new bar of soap on the dresser. Everything is ready for you, Mrs. Scrooge.”

  “Thank you, girls. I hope I’m not being too much trouble.”

  Kari’s smile broadened. “No trouble at all. We love having company. Just let us know if you need anything else.”

  Eleanor thanked them, but couldn’t help noticing how Ginny hung back, letting her sister take charge and speak for both of them. How awful it must be for her to go through life with that horrific port-wine stain on her face. Though Eleanor had seen others with such birthmarks, she’d never personally known anyone with one. It would take very special parents to raise a child with a birthmark like that, and her heart went out to Ginny.

  In some ways, she and Ginny were alike. Not that Eleanor had any idea what it was like to face life with a birthmark; she didn’t. But she knew about rejection. Rejection by her parents, her classmates, even her teachers, because she was so poor and came from one of the few dysfunctional families in their school district. Words hurt. She had felt their sting many times and had wished to die. Ginny must feel like that, too. If only there were something she could do for the child.

  You can, a small voice said from within her. You have the power to help her, but only you can make the decision to do it.

  Eleanor shifted nervously in her seat. Maybe she could help Ginny.

  Bob rose and clapped his hands, getting everyone’s attention. He lifted little Janelle from her place on the floor and handed her to Ginny then kissed each one after telling them how much he loved them. “Now! Say good night to Mrs. Scrooge then off to bed with all of you. Tomorrow is a busy day. We’ll be celebrating Jesus’ birthday.”

  “Good night, Mrs. Scrooge,” they said in unison, each giving her a smile that told her she was indeed welcome in their home.

  Feeling very special, she answered, “Good night, children.”

  Once the room was empty and only the two of them remained, Eleanor turned to Bob. “I need to go somewhere. Will you take me?”

  He stared at her. “Now? It’s nearly nine o’clock! Nothing is open on Christmas Eve. And didn’t the doctor tell you to rest? I doubt he wanted you out gallivanting around this evening.”

  “Please, Bob, humor me. This is important to me.”

  His expression hardened. “No, Eleanor. It’s Christmas. Surely you don’t expect us to work on your Valentine project on Christmas Eve!”

  Laughing, she shook her head. “No, the Valentine project is the last thing on my mind. It’s something else. Something I have to do, and I need your help.”

  “Well. . .” He paused and stared at her for a moment before going on. “I know how stubborn you can be. If you really feel whatever this errand you want to run is important, and if you’re sure you feel up to it, I guess—”

  “Thank you, Bob. It is important to me.”

  “But, whatever it is, it isn’t going to take long, I hope. I’m going to see to it you get your rest.”

  “It won’t take long. I promise.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “To Scrooge’s. I need to do something of extreme importance.”

  He frowned. “But not to work on the Valentine project?”

  “No.” She gave him a slight smile. “Not the Valentine project or any other promotion, I promise.”

  ❧

  With the streets nearly empty, it took them hardly any time to reach Scrooge’s.

  “I’m sorry I had to ask you to bring me here on Christmas Eve when you probably have presents to wrap for your children.”

  He climbed out of the car, opened her door, and reached out his hand. “As usual, El, your wish is my command. I’ve never been good at refusing anything you’ve asked of me.”

  Her expression sobered as she slipped her hand into his. “I have been that demanding, haven’t I, Bob? I’m so sorry.”

  Grinning slightly, he pulled her to her feet and cupped her elbow as they walked up to the door. “I’d prefer to call it being persistent rather than demanding.”

  “I mean it, Bob.” She pulled a ring of keys from her purse and inserted one in the keyhole of the big glass door, giving it a turn. “I am sorry. I’ve only now begun to realize how rude and unreasonable I’ve been. Not just to you, but to everyone I know.” Overcome with emotion as they moved inside she lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze. “I’ve been selfish, self-centered, and egotistical, with no regard for anyone but myself. I—I don’t know how any of you could stand being around me.”

  He closed and relocked the door before slipping a finger beneath her chin and lifting her face to his. “El? What’s going on? I’ve never heard you talk this way.”

  Remembering Charity’s words, Eleanor fought back tears of regret as they moved into the dimly lit store. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you. Let’s just say I’ve recently had a long, hard look at my past, and I don’t like what I’ve seen. If I could. . .” Pausing, she bit at her lip. “If I could change things, I would. I’ve missed so much of what life has to offer.”

  “But, El, think of what you’ve achieved. You’ve made a name for yourself in the fashion world. You own a successful business. You have more money than you could possibly ever spend. You’re—”

  “None of those things really matter, Bob. I can see that now. You’re the one who is successful. You’re a kind, gentle, wonderful, caring man. Everyone loves you, and you have a family who adores you.”

  Bob stared at her, evidently amazed by her behavior. “None of those things really matter? Those are the things you’ve wanted, El. The things you’ve worked for. You left me to go find them in New York!”

  “I was wrong! So wrong! I should never have left you!” Gently touching his face, she gave freedom to her tears. “Do you think you could ever find it in your heart to forgive me for being such a fool?”

  ❧

  Bob stood mesmerized, not sure how to respond to her confession. Could these words actually be coming from El’s mouth? He couldn’t remember the last time Eleanor Scrooge had owned up to being wrong—about anything! “Aren’t you feeling well, El?”

  She gave him a look of frustration. “Oh, Bob, can’t you see? I feel fine, physically; it’s my heart that hurts. To think what I’ve done to you and the others—”

  “Perhaps you should see a doctor.” He reached out and placed his hand on her forehead. “You do seem a bit warm.”

  Eleanor rolled her eyes and pushed his hand away. “Why can’t you understand, Bob? I’ve changed! I’m tired of t
he old Eleanor. I want to be more like you. I—I want people to like me—not for what I can do for them but for the kind of woman I am. I have so much to make up for—to so many people I’ve wronged.”

  “I’m not sure what you mean—changed.” None of this made any sense. “How could this be, El? Just a few hours ago you were snapping at your employees and begrudging the menial Christmas bonuses I’d put in their checks. You even griped at me for not wanting to work on Christmas Day.”

  “I know, and I apologize for my insolent behavior. I’ve been thinking about that Christmas bonus. I want you to quadruple the amount when you make out their next paycheck and add a note telling them it’s a New Year’s bonus.”

  “Quadruple their bonuses?” He shook his head sadly. “Now I know something’s wrong. You’re delirious.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with me but an attack of guilt. I’ve wronged so many people, and I plan to make amends—starting with you.”

  “You owe me nothing, El.” Bob moved to a row of switches, flipped a few, and the massive room filled with light.

  Eleanor reached out and cupped his shoulders with both hands, giving him a slight shake. “No! I owe you everything. My life! Even my success. You were always there, working quietly in the background, encouraging me, standing by me when no one else wanted anything to do with me. You’ve always been my hero.”

  Embarrassed by such words of praise, Bob pulled from her grasp and gazed at the many items displayed on the counters and racks around them. “Why did we come here, El? What was so important that you needed to come to Scrooge’s on Christmas Eve?”

  Her eyes now sparkling, Eleanor turned and grabbed a large, flat cart from a storage room and headed for the children’s wear department. “Here. You push this and follow me. I have lots of shopping to do, and you’re going to help me!”

  Mystified by her words and her newfound enthusiasm, he allowed her to drag him along. “You expect me to help you? I don’t know anything about fashion and such.”

  “Sizes, Bob; I need sizes,” she said, her voice fairly tinkling with excitement. “I want to give your children the best Christmas they’ve ever had. Fancy dresses and shoes for the girls. . . Shirts, ties, pants, and shoes for Bob Jr. . . Jeans, T-shirts, tennies, underwear, socks, toys—everything a child could want or need.”

  “But—”

  Eleanor pressed a finger to his lips. “Don’t even say it. I’m doing this because I want to. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to watch their faces as they open their presents Christmas morning.” Turning back to the vast selection before them, she grinned. “Come on! Hurry; we have much to do!”

  Bob watched in amazement as the woman turned into a human dynamo, rushing from counter to counter, rack to rack, stuffing clothing and other items into bags and handing them to him. After they’d stuffed five large bags, one for each child, she hustled him off toward the toy department.

  “Enough, El!” he told her, shaking his head as they stood in the midst of toys, dolls, games, and other items any child would enjoy. “The clothing alone is way more than they need. My kids will be thrilled with new things to wear. You don’t need to get them any toys.”

  Eleanor threw back her head with a joyous laugh. “Surely you wouldn’t deny me the pleasure of giving them toys, would you? Aren’t you the one who always told me it was more blessed to give than to receive? I’ve only now begun to understand what that means.”

  “But, El—”

  He flinched as she tossed him a football.

  She giggled. “Good catch! That’s for Bobby. Now I want to select a bicycle for him. What kind of a bicycle do you think he’d like?”

  Speechless, Bob placed the ball on the cart.

  After Eleanor selected the most expensive bicycle the store carried and convinced Bob to put it onto the cart, she fairly danced as she moved from one counter to another, pulling off the type of items that would top any child’s wish list and handing them to him. “I don’t know when I’ve had so much fun!” she said, her face shining with excitement.

  “You are feeling all right, aren’t you? That was a pretty nasty bump you had.”

  She whirled around, her laughter echoing through the store. “I’ve never felt better! Oh, Bob, if only you could have been with me, heard what Faith, Hope, and Charity told me, you would understand and—”

  Something was definitely wrong. “Faith, Hope, and Charity? What are you talking about, El?” He latched onto her hand and tried to maneuver her to a nearby chair but she shoved him away.

  “I know you think I’m crazy, but I’m not! Honest! When I was in the hospital, I had a vision, a dream, or something. I’m not really sure what—but three women came to me and took me through my life. Faith took me to my past. Oh, Bob, I actually saw you save my life and keep me from drowning as you scooted across the ice and pulled me back to safety. You were so brave. You—”

  “Maybe you’d better let me call your doctor.”

  “It did happen, Bob. Really it did. Then Hope took me to my present life and for the first time I realized how little I actually had. Oh, I had money and fame and a big fancy house but no one to share it with. No one who loved me and wanted to be with me.”

  Bob wanted so much to pull her into his arms and tell her he loved her and wanted to be with her forever, but he knew that wasn’t possible. She could never love him like he loved her. Hadn’t she proved that when she went to New York?

  She began to cry. “I’ve never even known the joy of holding a baby to my breast.”

  Unable to stand it any longer, Bob reached out his arms, and she ran into them. “It’s okay, El. Don’t cry, please.”

  Pressing her face against his chest, she sobbed openly. “Then Charity came. She showed me what my life could have been if I’d made the right choices.”

  Fearing perhaps Eleanor had suffered a concussion and the doctor had misread the tests, with great concern Bob gently placed a kiss on her forehead. “Why don’t I take you back to the hospital? Perhaps they should have kept you overnight for observation.”

  Eleanor pulled free of his grasp. “You’re patronizing me. Why can’t you believe me?”

  A frown creased his forehead. “You tell me of three women named Faith, Hope, and Charity who took you to visit your life while you were in the hospital, and you ask me why I don’t believe you? El, you were unconscious for only a short time. Are you sure you didn’t imagine this whole thing?”

  Placing her hands on her hips, she glared at him. “I’m really not sure how they came to me, but this I do know: Because of their visits and what they showed to me, I’m a changed person, Bob—changed for the better. I’m going to do things differently from now on. I’m going to be a better person, one who people will respect, and I’m going to share my wealth with those who are in need.”

  Still doubting she was her true self, Bob gave her a skeptical look. “You’re talking about a pretty drastic change.”

  Taking her hands from her hips, she nodded. “I know. And you probably don’t think I mean it, but I do.”

  “I want to believe you. I’ve always thought, under that independent, self-made woman was that shy little girl I once knew.” He leaned against a counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “I know you think it’s silly, but I’ve always felt responsible for you, El. Ever since that day at the pond. I can’t help it.” Unable to hold it back, Bob gave her a shy grin. “I don’t know what I would have done if you’d fallen through the ice and drowned. You—you were my first love. A man never gets over his first love.”

  Eleanor’s expression softened and suddenly she looked like the eight-year-old child he remembered so well, the one he’d risked his life to save.

  “You were my first love, too, Bob. But there’s one big difference between the two of us. I’m not very proud to admit it, but I never loved Everett. Not like a woman should love the man she marries. I was so selfish and self-centered. I married him because of what he could do for me—and the
honor and prestige that went with being the wife of a wealthy businessman. You married Lydia because you loved her. I’ve never experienced that kind of love with another person.”

  “I did love her, El. I loved her deeply. I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed her. She was a wonderful wife and a terrific mother.”

  “Do you—do you think you could ever love another woman?”

  Surprised by her strange question, Bob stared at her. “I know Lydia wanted me to marry again someday. Why do you ask?”

  “Because. . .” With trembling lips and her eyes filling with tears, Eleanor reached out and took his hand. “Because I’ve never stopped loving you.”

  He watched as her hand flew to cover her mouth, as if she’d never meant to let those words slip out. “I—I love you, too, El. You’re my best friend.”

  Her brows rose. “That’s it? Only as a friend?”

  He let out a long, slow sigh before answering. “Okay. More than as a friend.”

  “How—how much more?”

  The crushed look on her face tore at his heart. He backed away a step and stared at her. “You’re putting me on the spot, you know. I’m not sure the two of us should be talking about such things.”

  Eleanor rushed to him and threw her arms around him. “Please, Bob, I have to know. Could you ever love another woman? Could you ever love me?”

  “Come on, El, don’t ask me a question like that. You and I—we could never spend our lives together. You wouldn’t be happy with me. We—we come from different worlds, but that’s not the main reason.” Warily, he placed a placating hand on her shoulder. “I don’t mean to offend you, but—well—even if we could work out our differences, you’ve drifted a long way from God, and God is the center of my life. I could never—”

  Cupping her hand over his, she smiled up at him through misty lashes. “But you don’t understand! Charity convinced me I was a sinner! I’ve already asked God to forgive me, and He did! I’ve turned my life over to Him. I didn’t understand what that meant when I was a child. But I do now, and I want to live for God like you do!”