Mary’s Christmas Gift Chapter 10
By Chris Cade | Christmas Short Stories on Oct 15, 2008 in Inspirational Christmas Stories
Mary felt her excitement building as she followed Route 92 into Wahoo. The familiar landmarks she had seen along the way seemed to set off something inside her, like she had found the pieces to a puzzle she hadn’t even known she was working on.
This was only an observation trip. She and Jill had had a two-hour discussion about the pros and cons of Mary taking Mildred’s job in the Omaha plant and moving back to Wahoo.
Although they were both saddened about not seeing each other every day, Jill had concluded that it would be a good way for Mary to start over, to start fresh. Mary had kept it to herself, but she wanted to avoid seeing Mollie McAllister grow up.
Even though Elizabeth had resigned from Midwest Milling, there was still the possibility that she might change her mind and return in some other capacity after their adopted daughter started school.
Giving up the baby was the hardest thing Mary had ever done, and it still hurt. Pastor Don had been so right that the ache would lessen but would never completely go away. She felt the truth of what he had said. Mary had flown into Omaha and rented a car. She planned to stay overnight in Wahoo, then drive to the Omaha plant in the morning and meet with Mildred Stansky. Mildred would go through all of her job duties so Mary could get a better idea of what she was getting into. Mary knew that although she had started in Omaha, Mildred had become a fixture there, someone that everybody loved and respected. Mary knew she would have to prove herself able to do the work, but she never expected to equal the reputation that Mildred had earned.
By the time Mary reached the outskirts of Wahoo, late afternoon was melding into a dark winter evening. Snow had been sputtering across the fields since she left the Omaha airport, with two inches on the ground already. It didn’t look like the full-fledged Nebraska blizzards she remembered so well, but it did make her drive more cautiously.
She turned off Chestnut onto Fifth Street, toward Wahoo’s small business district, a collection of old but well-maintained brick buildings. The trees around the courthouse still sparkled with Christmas lights, and there, just as she remembered it, was the torpedo, commemorating the sailors who were lost on the submarine U.S.S. Wahoo during World War II.
Mary eased the rental car into a parking place and got out. Snow was still drifting down in big, dime-sized flakes, putting a clean white covering on everything that wasn’t moving. She walked down the sidewalk and went into the Wigwam Café, Wahoo’s unofficial gathering place since the 1930s.
As usual, the place was noisy, filled with the sounds of clattering dishes, conversation, laughter, and people enjoying each others’ company. She took off her gloves and coat and sat at an empty table.
“Mary! Mary Chapman!” A loud voice greeted her. Mary looked up to see a waitress approaching her.
“Jolene! I haven’t seen you for ages. How are you?”
Jolene Jennings, a former high school classmate of Mary’s was still blonde, buxom and bubbling with personality. She put the menu and glass of ice water down and gave Mary a hug across the shoulders.
“Oh, you look great, Mary. Haven’t changed since high school.”
Mary shook her head, blushing. “If you’re not wearing contacts, you need to get some eyeglasses, girl,” she shot back. “I’ve gained twenty pounds. Can’t you see it?”
“Nah! You look fine to me. Are you in town for the holidays? ‘Cause if you are, you’re a couple days too late.”
Mary laughed. “No. I’ve been offered a job at our Omaha plant. I came back to scout it out, to see if I want to take it. How about you, Jolene? What’s up with you?”
“Oh, Rick and I—you knew I married Rick Cavanaugh, didn’t you?—we’ve got three kids now. Our oldest started junior high this year. Rick’s still trucking and I work here part time. But look at you, Mary. You went off to college, got a big job in Chicago, and now you’re thinking of coming back here? I always envied you, Mary. You were always the smart one in our class.”
Mary frowned. “Not so smart. You’ve got a nice family, you’re happy. You knew what you had here. I didn’t.”
“Yeah, I admit it. I do love Wahoo. It’s small and sometimes things are kinda dead here, but it’s a great place to raise our kids.” Jolene scratched her head with the end of her pen, then was silent for a moment, as if she were deep in thought.
A cryptic smile slowly spread over her pretty face. “But you must be hungry or you wouldn’t have come in here. What can I get you, kid?”
Mary scanned the menu quickly. “How about that roast beef sandwich and a cup of decaf coffee, with cream and sugar.”
“I’ll be back with your coffee in two shakes.” Jolene took the menu and hustled back toward the kitchen.
In a sense, Mary felt as if she had never left, but in another sense, she felt as if she’d been gone for a hundred years instead of six. Stores came and went, new houses had been built, old ones torn down, but some things about Wahoo—its friendly, first name atmosphere and slower pace—would never change.
After Mary got her coffee and food, she realized that she was hungrier than she had thought. She had finished her coffee and wanted another cup. She looked toward the back, but Jolene wasn’t there. Then she turned in her chair and saw the waitress at the front of the café by the cash register, absently touching the nose on a green bust of an Indian chief while she talked on the telephone. Mary caught her eye, pointed toward her coffee cup, and Jolene smiled and nodded. In a few seconds she hung up the phone and came over to the table.
“More decaf, Mary?”
“Would you, please?”
Jolene returned with the pot and filled Mary’s cup. She picked up the empty plate. “How about some dessert, Mary?”
“Jolene! I’ve gained twenty pounds and you’re talking dessert?”
“We’ve got some pumpkin pie with whipped cream that’ll make you wanta shout.”
Mary giggled. “I shouldn’t, but I didn’t get any pumpkin pie over the holidays, and it really sounds good. Okay. A small slice, and easy on that whipped cream.”
Jolene wrote the dessert on the bill and retreated toward the kitchen. When she didn’t return after five minutes, Mary checked the clock on the side wall. She wanted to get back to the motel, check in, unpack, and relax for a while before she went to bed. Where was Jolene with that pie?
Finally the waitress came back, bearing pumpkin pie with a round dollop of whipped cream on top. “Sorry it took so long,” she apologized, glancing toward the front door.
As she ate the rich pie, Mary thought of her mother, how she had taught her to bake and all of the secrets they had shared working in the kitchen together. She missed her parents so much. Some hurts never healed.
Jolene appeared again. “More coffee?”
“No, I’ve got to get going. I’m staying at the motel tonight then I’ll drive in to Omaha in the morning.”
“Gee, it’s sure great seeing you. I wish we could talk more.”
“I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble,” Mary said, putting her coat on. “You’ve got other customers here.” For a second, Jolene had a strange expression on her face that Mary couldn’t quite read.
“I’ll check you out,” the waitress said, taking Mary’s check and payment to the cash register. Mary got her change and gave Jolene a tip. Then, as Mary looked up after putting the money in her purse, she saw that Jolene had broken into a huge smile and was looking toward the front door. Mary turned.
It was Jeff!
His face and ears were red from the cold. On his baseball cap and the shoulders of his work jacket was a light dusting of snow. His face was more rugged—and seemed even more handsome than the last time Mary had seen him. Then he broke into that crooked smile, and it took her breath away.
“Hi, Mary.”
“Jeff!” She couldn’t think of what to say. In a moment she remembered all that he had meant to her, and she had to fight back tears.
“I thought you’s never gonna get here,” Jolene cut in. She erupted into laughter. Then Mary realized who Jolene had been talking with on the phone and why she had tried to stall her.
“I’d like to talk,” Mary said to him.
“I’d like that too,” Jeff replied quietly.
He led the way outside. They stood next to each other under the green canvas yawning, absently watching the snow drifting down.
“I almost didn’t make it,” he said. “As soon as Jolene called me at work, I got in my truck and headed for town. I was going too fast, and I slid off the road into a ditch.”
“Are you all right? Did you get hurt?”
“No, no. I’m okay. But the truck was stuck up to its fenders. I couldn’t back it out. I was just about to call one of the boys back at work on my cell to come get me, when this car comes along.”
“You’re still at the farm supply?” she asked.
“Yeah. But I’m half owner now, Mary,” he replied, beaming. “Anyhow, I’m standing on this back road, out in the middle of nowhere, when this car stops. A 1950 Buick Special. It was weird.”
“What do you mean?”
“You know how I like old cars. But I’ve never seen that one around town before.
So this old guy rolls down the window and asks if I need a ride. Normally I’d be a little leery, but he looked okay, so I went around to the other side and got in.
“Mary, this car was perfect, like it just came out of the showroom. I’ve never seen a 56 year-old car in that condition. Then I told him I needed to go to the Wigwam, and he says, ‘I know where that is.’”
“Yeah?”
“He dropped me off right in front here. A few seconds later, and I would’ve missed you.”
“I’m staying out at the motel,” Mary said. “Why don’t you ride out there with me, we can talk, then I’ll bring you back or you can call one of your buddies to pick you up?”
He nodded. “I was stupid,” Jeff told her. “I said a lot of mean things and I hurt you, Mary. I’m so sorry.”
“No,” she began. “I was wrong too. I thought that…” Then they both turned to their left at the same time as a big, mint green car
approached.
“Hey! That’s him!” Jeff shouted. “That’s the guy who gave me a ride!” As the big Buick neared, the street light lit up the interior of the car just enough for Mary to recognize the driver. He smiled and tipped his black hat to her as he drove by.
It was the same old man who had rescued her and Jill from the accident! As they silently watched the car’s tail lights disappear into the winter night, Jeff reached over and took Mary’s right hand in his left. They entwined their fingers and put both their hands in his coat pocket, just as they had done when they were dating.
When Jeff kissed her, Mary felt warm and happy to the core of her soul. And she knew, with breathtaking sureness, that in his amazing, unexplainable, tenderhearted way, God had given her his perfect answer to all of her prayers.
—the end–
[Chapter 1] [Chapter 2] [Chapter 3] [Chapter 4] [Chapter 5] [Chapter 6] [Chapter 7] [Chapter 8] [Chapter 9] [Chapter 10]
- Jack Zavada
©2006 by www.inspiration-for-singles.com
This a just a chapter of a free ebook entitled “Mary’s Christmas Gift” which can be downloaded from http://www.inspiration-for-singles.com/mary.html
Jack Zavada’s new ebook, Single and Sure, not only shows single people how to rescue themselves, but how to become a happier, more confident person in the process.
