Fruitcakes and Other Leftovers & Christmas, Texas Style Read online

  “I am so mad at myself,” Harriet complained. “We all missed Christmas Eve Candlelight services at church.”

  George glanced at Beth, smiling. “Not a very pleasant way to spend Christmas, is it? But at least the lady’s going to be all right.” He patted Harry’s foot.

  Beth shook her head. Without Russ, her Christmas would be shadowed anyway. “No, not a very pleasant way. Merry Christmas, George.”

  “Merry Christmas, Beth.” George leaned over the dinner tray and planted a kiss on Harriet’s cheek. “Merry Christmas, woman.”

  “For Heaven’s sake, George!” Harriet spooned cranberries into her mouth. “Behave yourself.”

  RUSS’S PLANE touched down in Morning Sun at 5:50 p.m., Christmas night. Striding through the terminal, he glanced at his watch. Still officially Christmas Day. There was still time to spend part of the holiday with Beth.

  He passed the gift shop, and veered in. Gifts. He needed gifts for his family. He liked the sound of that—his family. Beth, Dave, Carol, Aunt Harry. That dumb dog. He had family again. It felt darn good. He scanned the display of cups, magazines, Tshirts and candy. Gift choices were limited, mostly overpriced tourist junk. He made his purchases, and left the building.

  Snow lay in soft banks against the Quonset hut that served as the terminal and car rental desk. Because it was Christmas evening, a single rental car was available from a teenage clerk.

  He paid the fee and slowly drove the old turquoise car toward town, wondering if it would make the trip. Arriving at Beth’s house, he pounded on the door hard enough to wake the dead. Apprehension crept up his spine when he realized no one was home.

  He pressed his face against the front window, and seeing no movement, he decided Beth and Harriet must still be in the hospital. That didn’t bode well for Aunt Harry. He got back into the Pinto and drove there.

  There were a couple of empty spots near the Emergency entrance. He parked and went in. The Emergency was crowded with a collection of patients and family, ambulance crew and police. Nurses were practically running from patient to patient. The slick roads had resulted in a number of auto accidents, ranging from fender benders to a couple of head-ons.

  Russ scanned the room for Beth. People sat in a row of chairs lining one wall while others sat on the floor. He recognized a couple of faces, but didn’t remember any names. Sidestepping two policemen, Russ approached the nurses’ desk.

  The blond woman glanced up. “Yes?”

  “Harriet Davis? She was brought in last night.” The hospital smell made his stomach roll. What was that stuff? Anesthetic? Illness?

  The nurse scanned a sheet of paper. “Miss Davis was admitted. Room 312.”

  “Thanks.” Russ located the elevators, his heart pumping. He was close to seeing Beth, closer than he’d been in three weeks. Adrenaline pulsed as he stepped onto the elevator and punched the third-floor button.

  The double doors opened, and he spotted George dozing on a chair outside a room, holding a wilting handful of what looked to be violets.

  “George?”

  Russ knelt beside the elderly man whose head nodded with weariness.

  George opened his eyes, and smiled. “Well durn if you didn’t get that plane after all. You flew all the way from South America?”

  “Just got in. How is Harriet?”

  “Don’t know. She’s not lost any of her spunk, that’s for sure. Doctors don’t think anything’s broken, but they won’t let her go home until all the tests are back.”

  Russ’s eyes scanned the corridor. “Where’s Beth?” Where are you Beth? I need to see you, I don’t want to wait any longer to hold you.

  “In there.” George pointed to the closed door. “I think she’s trying to catch a nap—she was up all night. Harriet’s sawing logs, too. I thought I’d wait out here, nod off a little myself.”

  Russ stood up, and pushed open the door to 312. The sight of Beth hit him like a sledgehammer. Oh yeah, he made the right decision. If he never drew another paycheck, he was where he belonged. She was the one who made his sun shine, jerked his chain, rang his bell. She and she alone. She was sitting beside Aunt Harry’s bed, her head resting on the edge. Her pale face was turned toward him, her eyes bruised with fatigue.

  “Beth?” He hated to wake her, but he could wait no longer to hear her voice.

  He touched her shoulder and she slowly opened her eyes. It took a moment for her to focus.

  “Russ?” She raised her head and blinked. Her eyes widened. “Russ! What are you doing here?”

  He drank in the sight of her. How he loved her. How he wanted to be alone with her, kiss her until she was senseless, and tell her he would never leave her again. “It’s Christmas, isn’t it? Christmas is the time to be with family and loved ones. I’m here to be with you.”

  Slipping out of the chair, she lunged into his arms. Their mouths came together and the kiss lasted until Aunt Harry shifted in bed. They both watched her for a moment, then kissed again.

  When their lips parted, Beth smacked him on the chest. “You jerk! You promised to call me—” His lips on hers silenced the outburst.

  A moment later she lifted her mouth and whispered. “You better have a good explanation for why you haven’t called.”

  He thought of all those busy signals. “I tried, Beth, believe me, I tried. Your phone has been busy constantly.” He explained about his growing frustrations. “I tried to explain it all on your machine at the bookstore.”

  “Oh…I was afraid of that. Aunt Harry erased my messages by mistake. I’ve been so worried,” she conceded. His mouth took hers again, stilling her complaints. They could talk later. Right now, he wanted her in his arms.

  “How’s Aunt Harry?” he murmured between snatched kisses.

  “I’m fine,” Aunt Harry answered for herself. “See there, Beth, now David did call you. I told you that. He asked about his dog—told me he was going out of town and wouldn’t be back for a couple of weeks. I told you, dear. You must not have been listening. I even hung up on the codes yesterday so he could call again. They’ve been very regular the past two weeks. I figure it’s the holidays.”

  Beth and Russ exchanged glances. “It was you who called? Aunt Harry said it was David.”

  Harriet frowned at her niece. “It was David! Are you daft? Just ask him yourself.”

  Russ smiled, stepping to the bed. “How’s it going, Aunt Harry?”

  “The pits. I’m not hurt. If somebody would only confirm that, we could go home and have our Christmas. I want out of here!”

  Beth smiled, holding tight to Russ’s arm. “There’s no reason she can’t go home. All the tests but one are back, and it’s for blood analysis. She doesn’t want to spend another night here.”

  “You want to go home Aunt Harry?”

  “Yes, David. Can you sneak me out of here? I think we could make it to the stairs and escape if you’d just—”

  “Wait here.”

  Stepping back out of the room, Russ headed for the nurses’ station.

  “Excuse me—”

  “Someone will be with you in a moment,” the harried nurse said without looking up.

  “It’s Christmas, and my aunt wants to go home,” he said. “Would you please check to see if she can? Because if there are no broken bones, and she isn’t complaining of pain, I’m going to take her home and we’re going to enjoy what’s left of the holiday.”

  “Sir—”

  Russ smiled. “Let’s not be difficult about this. We’re both tired. We both want to go home and spend time with our families. Now, just find me a doctor who can sign a release form, and I’m out of your hair.”

  The woman closed her eyes, then opened them. “Just a moment.”

  He settled himself against the counter, keeping his gaze pinned on the nurse until she went to talk to a young man just coming out of a curtained cubicle. The two had a brief exchange.

  “May I help you?”

  “Yeah, Harry wants to go home.”<
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  “Harry?”

  “My aunt. She’s in 312. She needs your signature on a release form.”

  Russ followed the doctor into Harriet’s room. Smiling at Beth to reassure her, he waited while the doctor read the chart hanging from the end of the bed.

  Satisfied Aunt Harry was about to be set free, Russ turned to Beth. “Can I have a word with you out in the hall?”

  He directed her toward the end of the corridor, out of the way of traffic.

  “What are you—?” she began.

  He cupped her face in his hands and his nose lightly rubbing her nose against his. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered. “Really missed you.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.” She hugged him tightly. “Although I was ready to pinch your head off for not calling. Do you have the holiday off?”

  A corner of his mouth lifted in a half smile. “No, but since you won’t come to Washington, I’m moving back to Morning Sun.”

  She shook her head. “Russ, you can’t do that. Since you’ve been gone I’ve thought a lot about us. If you are serious about your proposal, there’s no reason I can’t sell the bookstore and move to Washington. I certainly don’t need the income. The thought of being a housewife intrigues me. Aunt Harry can come with us, or we can find a suitable nursing home there for her. She’s been hinting she’d like to be with others her age. Then, she just flat out told me the other day she was looking for a place.”

  He laid his finger across her lips. “Shhh, listen a minute. There’s no need for that. It’s going to take some working out, but I can work for the Service here in Morning Sun. I’ll ask that they assign me to a special task force.”

  “A different job? You want a new job!”

  “The Service has been after me to do this for a long time. I didn’t have a reason to want a job that kept me in the same place all the time, then. Now it’s different.”

  “What will you do now? There’s nothing for a federal agent to do here.”

  He hugged her. “Stop asking so many questions. I don’t even know if I can swing it. But all I’d need for the new position is experience and a computer. It isn’t as adventurous as what I did before, but that would suit me fine. I’ll be able to live in Morning Sun, and that suits me even better.” He held her back from him slightly. “Now will you marry me?”

  “But what if you can’t swing it?”

  “Then, I’ll do something else. Will you?”

  “Russ…you’re not making sense—”

  He cut her off. “I don’t need to make sense. I know what I want, and where to find it.”

  “Mr. Foster?”

  They turned toward the doctor and walked back to Harriet’s door.

  “Your aunt is fine. Bruises and abrasions mostly. She does have some strained muscles, principally in her lower back. She’ll be sore for several weeks. I’ve prescribed a muscle relaxant and pain medication. From what she tells me, it could have been much worse.” He looked at Beth inquiringly. “She says she fell on a dog?”

  “Jasper.”

  She turned to George as he walked toward them. “I forgot to ask about Jasper.”

  “He’s still at the vet’s. He’ll be all decked out when we pick him up.” George chuckled.

  “How’s that?” Beth and Russ asked in unison.

  “Well, when the vet examined the leg, he asked me if Jasper was my dog. I told him about the accident, and he agreed the leg was broke.”

  “And?”

  It was Aunt Harry’s voice from inside her room. They all moved through the door and gathered around her bed.

  “And,” George continued, “the doctor smiled and said, ‘Hey, it’s Christmas. I’ll set the leg. What color cast would he like?’ So I told him green. It’s Christmas. And tie a red bow around his neck.”

  Everyone including the doctor laughed.

  “Well, let’s get you out of here so you can get on with Christmas.” He wrote on Harry’s chart as an aide came in pushing a wheelchair.

  “Who’s that for?” Aunt Harry asked.

  “Merry Christmas,” the aide said. “You get a free ride to your car.”

  “Well, since you put it that way, guess I can’t refuse a present, now can I?” She glanced around at everyone waiting to follow her out. “Good to see you, George. Where’d you go? ’Bout time you got your worthless hide back in here.”

  “You doin’ all right, Harriet?” he asked quietly and stepped toward the wheelchair. “Are you truly all right?”

  “George? Where were you? I needed you.”

  George glanced at Beth then smiled down on Harry. “I’m sorry lovey. I’ve been sittin’ in the hallway.”

  “I’ll be playing bingo before you know it,” she assured him, reaching for his hand.

  “Here.” He extended the wilted violets. “I brought these for you. Had a heck of a time finding violets this time of the year.”

  “Oh, you dear.” Harriet sniffed them. “Violets are my favorite.”

  The old man nodded. “I know.”

  Beth and Russ looked at one another.

  “I was worried about you, old gal.”

  “I’m just fine,” she reassured him softly. “Just fine, George.”

  “I—Well, I was gonna wait until tomorrow, but Christmas is nearly over.” He fished around in the pocket of his wrinkled jacket.

  “Wait for what, George?”

  “Harriet, will you marry me?” George blurted out and held out a ring.

  Russ’s mouth fell open in surprise. George and Aunt Harry? He had no idea.

  “Pshaw, George! You know I don’t want to get married.” Aunt Harry laughed merrily and signaled the girl she was ready to go. The group started down the hall. “I tell you that every time you ask.” She glanced toward Beth. “You’d think he’d get the idea after all this time.”

  “Oh. Will you at least play cards with me?”

  “Yes, yes, I’ll play cards with you, you old fool.”

  George smiled and patted her hand. “That’s my woman.”

  They all had to run to keep up with the chair and Aunt Harriet. “Looks like we’re not getting an uncle,” Russ whispered to Beth.

  “What do you mean, we?”

  “Us—you and me.”

  “Are you serious about moving back to Morning Sun, taking a new position?”

  “Moving back, yes. New position? We’ll see. Meanwhile, I’m home to stay. I discovered that what I thought I wanted, wasn’t what I wanted at all. The job is great for a single man, but not for me. The past few weeks served to open my eyes.”

  “How?”

  “I’ve always had one goal in mind. To advance in the Service. I did that, faster than most men do because I had no ties. I’ve always liked my work, but in the past couple of years I’ve grown…restless is as good a word as any. I didn’t recognize it for what it was. Dissatisfaction. A need for more than an exciting job.

  “It took you, and the people in Morning Sun, and then being away from you, and them, to make me realize how empty my life was. And what it would take to fill it.”

  “And—that’s what?”

  “You. You fill all my empty places, Beth.” He pulled her closer as they walked down the corridor.

  She sighed. “You’re not the only one who’s been thinking. I’ve put the bookstore up for sale.”

  “You have? I thought you loved owning it.”

  “I do love it, but I found out it was no substitute for family. I was selling it so I could come to Washington to be with you.”

  “Wait a minute, hold on here. You were selling your store to be with me?”

  Beth nodded.

  “What about Aunt Harry?”

  Harry herself answered. “What about me? I miss my friends and bingo. If I can’t play bingo, then I’m gonna go where the fun is.”

  Russ glanced at Beth.

  “She wants to move into the Adult Care Facility now that she has money. She’s heard they play bingo every Saturday night, in
addition to cards and various other activities.”

  They had reached the door and George went to bring his car to the door. When he pulled up, Harry didn’t want any help. Jerking the door open, she got into the front seat. Russ helped Beth into the back. “I’ll pick up the rental car later.”

  The aide leaned into the car and buckled Harry’s seat belt. “Merry Christmas to you all,” she said as she closed the door.

  Beth lay her head on Russ’s shoulder. “I don’t know what I’ll do without her. No more exotic meat loaf, no more strange recipes, no more prizes arriving by the truckload. Right now, there are ten fruitcakes on the kitchen counter.” She laughed. “Oh, my gosh. No more leftovers.”

  Russ laughed, tipping her chin up with the point of his forefinger.

  “I brought you a Christmas present.”

  “Another one?”

  He took a package out of the bag he’d bought from the gift shop. “Merry Christmas.”

  Harry turned to look over the back of the seat. George peered into the rearview mirror.

  The box was small but wrapped in bright-red paper with a big red ribbon and bow. Beth hesitated, then unwrapped it. Taking the lid off, she looked inside, frowned, then lifted out a View-Master.

  “Look through it,” he encouraged.

  Beth lifted it to her eye and focused on the scene inside. “Swaying palm trees, beautiful beaches.”

  Russ reached over and clicked to the next frame.

  “Sailboats on a bright-blue ocean.”

  “Like it?”

  “Love it. What is it?”

  “Our honeymoon, if you’ll marry me.”

  “Oh Russ…of course I’ll marry you.” She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. “I’ve waited most of my life to hear you ask me.”

  “Sorry I took so long,” he whispered, stroking her back. “We should make a good team, now that we both know what we want.” He grinned, holding her close as the tires on George’s big Caprice Classic sedan hummed down the interstate.

  Harriet turned to smile at them. “Merry Christmas, David. I have a nice big fruitcake waiting for you at home.”

  “Merry Christmas, Aunt Harry.”