I do not own these characters and make no profit from them. This is the second in a trilogy of Christmas miracle stories. Look for the miracles, big and small, as the story progresses.
Santa's Workshop
Prologue
Catherine and Rob had been determined that they would help Phoebe manage the busy household now that she and Hal were married. It seemed that there was no end to the constant comings and goings of the children between scouts, teams, science clubs, and theatre classes. Running a household with four active children was a lot more than cooking, cleaning, and helping with homework. With his busy university career, Hal was not home often enough to make a difference in the workload and parenting. Catherine could now see why before Phoebe came, it had been impossible for Hal to keep a full-time housekeeper.
The children had not helped. They had wanted more than someone to just cook and clean. They didn't know it, but they were looking for someone to take a more active role in caring for them as well. Hal wasn't really around often enough to meet their needs. When he was around, he didn't want to have to deal with all the difficult issues that raising children entails. He wanted to have fun with them. Sometimes, he forgot that the children weren't on the same page with him. Because he seemed to let things slide, when he finally did notice something was wrong, he tended to blow up in anger and frustration.
However when Phoebe had come to the family as their nanny, she had given them the attention they wanted and helped Hal to build bridges to understanding all three children. She modeled the ideals of love and family that she held dearly, never realizing that one day she would become a permanent member of the family. She had said that she would stay with them until the family was "settled," Hal remarried, and a new, loving stepmother in place.
Falling in love with Hal had never been part of the plan and she was as shocked as anyone when it happened. The exception was Hal's mother Catherine. When she had met her, it was not simply that she recognized that this woman would make any man a loving wife and mother. She felt that there was a spark of attraction between the two that went beyond the physical. Despite what seemed to be their best efforts to deny it and the obvious differences between them, their minds seemed very much in tune.
One year earlier, when her attempts at matchmaking had failed, she had no idea that the following year she and her husband would be renting a house up the street from the family and intersecting with their lives on a daily basis. The sweet young nanny had become her son's beautiful young wife. Now her oldest grandson's desire to create a handmade gift for his new mother had very literally turned their new home in a veritable Santa's workshop, complete with four little elves and two somewhat larger ones, working busily to prepare for the big day. It was proof to her that miracles could happen.
Santa's Elves
When Catherine had agreed that she and Rob would help the children make Christmas gifts for Phoebe, she had no idea of the gift that she was giving herself. Once the suggestion was made, the children were all eager to make things rather than buy them. In emulation of their older brother, each wanted to make something special that she would use on a daily basis. Prudence laughed at one point and said that she hoped that Mommy's face wouldn't hurt from so much smiling when she thought of them all. Catherine assured her that no mother would ever find it painful to smile because her children loved her.
Prudence had least skill and experience, however it was a simple enough task to help her make a couple of potholders with matching dish towels that said "love" and "family." Trelawney, who proved to be quite a gifted seamstress, decided that she would make matching aprons. Catherine was impressed with her abilities with a sewing machine and embroidery. She needed no instruction, just a place to work in secret. She was happy to spend time with Catherine and Prudence up in one of the guest rooms that Catherine was using to double as a sewing room.
Butch was surprisingly good with woodworking tools and Rob was helping him to make a spice rack that he would then stain. Hal however had the most complicated gift. The children all had a variety of chores that they rotated among themselves. Hal was making a board with the four children's names. It was a unique and inventive gift, just the sort of thing that Hal would think of to make her life easier, but without any danger of a mess to clean up later.
It would have slots into which pre-made chores listed on individual boards that could be inserted each week for the proper name. It was a fairly complex piece of carpentry, but Hal was very handy and inventive. He liked to solve his own problems. He was also a perfectionist and detail oriented. Mischievously, he created a few extra slots, with space for more names. Catherine knew that both Phoebe and Hal would be touched by this little indication that more siblings would be welcome additions to the family.
The children had also decided to make something for their father to help him stay organized. The boys would work together to build a special shelving unit with compartments for his various files and office supplies. The girls would then paint and label the various parts. Then the older kids also wanted to make a special gift for Prudence. Rob helped the boys craft a canopied doll bed and Trelawney made sheets, pillows, curtains etc. to decorate it.
The fact that the children had a couple of days off for parent conferences at school meant that they could enjoy spending the time at their grandparents' house to work on all these projects. That would give Phoebe the chance to rest up a bit and spend some time with Hal who was on a reduced work schedule because finals had started. It gave him the freedom to set his own work hours when he didn't have an exam scheduled to proctor. Thus they had a couple of days to themselves.
The children recognized that they missed the time alone with one another that they were used having because of Hal's heavy end of the semester workload. When young Hal had made the suggestion that the kids spend more time with their grandparents, he had slyly added that it would give his Dad an early Christmas present. But Catherine knew that it was really a gift for them both.
For Catherine and Rob, it was treasured time with their grandchildren and the little girl who had become very close to their hearts. Trelawney was a sweet child. Catherine could see that although she and Phoebe were devoted to each other, she was missing a mother-figure in her life. It was only a matter of time before Phoebe had children of her own and Trelawney would be left as the little girl on the outside.
Much as she and Hal were devoted to one another, they were really in-laws and did not have a father-daughter relationship of any kind. Although Hal had at one point seriously considered adopting her, he had finally reached the conclusion that it would not work. He already had three children and once there were more, there was no doubt that his young sister-in-law would get lost in the shuffle.
Whereas at one time, Hal had been her gallant knight, once married to her sister, the girl recognized that his focus properly belonged to her. Fortunately, there was someone to whom she could transfer her affections. Trelawney had developed a great trust in Rob and when no one else could get through to her, he often could. She also had more respect for him than Hal, whose density in understanding human relationships at times clearly amused her.
She saw Catherine as her "good queen," a guardian mother-figure to whom she could run when the "lovely lady," her sister, was "otherwise concerned." With these fanciful constructions of the relationships in her life, she was able to make her own safe haven. She was eating and sleeping better and the horrifying nightmares that had stalked her earlier had disappeared. For the first time since Catherine had known her, she seemed to be at peace.
Catherine and Rob had also found themselves up to their eyeballs in the production of the Christmas pageant. It was one of those things that had started out as a simple idea, but by the time a couple of over-enthusiastic parents got involved, it had morphed in to a grand production. It didn't help that Fr. Bob at St. Peter's had a theatrical bent and said "yes" to every suggestion made. By the time Catherine became involved with the costumes, they needed about thirty angels and twenty-five shepherds, plus wise men, Mary, Joseph, and even a little drummer boy. Fortunately, she discovered a cadre of other women, mothers and grandmothers, who were happy to help with the sewing.
Rob found himself creating a set for the stable scene and a backdrop of the hills of Judea and the night sky. He was pleased to find that he was working with a relatively skilled construction crew of boys and girls. He also got a kick out of seeing Butch and his buddy Tim, although much younger than the teenagers, as equal members of the crew nicknamed "Tom and Huck." It was the one area where Butch was able to outshine his older brother and that was also good for him.
Now that he had other things to think about, his behavior settled down in school. Phoebe also wisely used his participation in the project as an incentive for getting him to complete his homework in a timely way.
However, even before the project started, things had begun to move in an upward trajectory for his younger grandson academically. Secretly, Rob liked to think that he was at least partially responsible. When report cards had come out a couple of weeks ago, everyone, no one more so than Butch, was shocked to discover that his grades rivaled those of Hal and Trelawney. In fact he beat her in science.
"Well done, Butch!" she had cried enthusiastically and given him a hug.
"Oh, man!" he had responded, rolling his eyes. Nevertheless, he was clearly happy because he got positive attention at report card time. While Trelawney, who didn't seem to care in the least about grades, was delighted for him, Hal's response was a little different. He of course had gotten straight A's in his very tough program of honors classes. The fuss being made over Butch's accomplishments seemed to bug him.
"Man!" he said. "You would think that no one ever got a B before."
"Have you?" asked Trelawney with a hint of mischief in her eyes.
Hal fell into her trap and rolling his eyes, replied, "Of course not!"
"Maybe you should try it," she suggested. "Then we'll make a fuss about you."
Butch and Prudence laughed and Hal turned red. Surprisingly, however, he didn't have a come back or get mad at her. Somewhere in Rob's head, alarm bells started to go off. There was something that was definitely not right when he failed to pick up the gauntlet she had tossed down.
But this project was also having positive effects in other areas, particularly. Part of the idea was that once built, the sets could be used each year and the four churches that had banded together to work on a service project could rotate hosting the event. This year St. Peters would host it. Rob enjoyed working with the youth on the sets. When his own boys had been kids, he had been heavily involved with their scout troops and for a time had even been a scoutmaster. But it had been years since he had done anything with kids.
However, he was pleased to discover that not only did he like working with the kids, but they liked working with him. Young Fr. Bob commented to him one afternoon, "You know Rob, you should really consider working with the scouts or one of the local mentoring programs in town. You have a real gift with young people. So many of these kids have parents, most of whom work at the university, that are so busy with their careers that they don't get enough time with their moms and dads. Things being what they are, it's usually the dads."
"I've noticed that," replied Rob. "Even with my own grandkids. We're seriously considering settling down here to be closer to them."
"That's great!" answered the enthusiastic young priest. "I wish there were more like you! If you do decide to move here I am sure that it will benefit not just your own family, but the whole community."
Rob liked the sound of that. He might be retired, but he still had lots of energy and most importantly, time to give. He also knew that Catherine was ready to move to town permanently, in a heartbeat to be closer to the family. Being the thoughtful person that he was however, he did not want to do anything on impulse. He wanted to make sure that the timing was right, and that it was the best decision for all concerned.
Little Girl Lost
The whole event was being run by the Columbiettes, a women's service organization in the Catholic Church. Following the pageant there would be a party that would also be a reunion for all those who had participated in the service project that summer, although of course, everyone was welcome. The president of the Columbiettes, a woman named Lois Lenihan, had befriended Phoebe. When she met with them to discuss the costumes, her eyes lighted up when she realized the close friendship between Phoebe and Catherine and the active role that Catherine was now taking in the family.
Before she knew it, Catherine had invited Lois to lunch at her home. Phoebe couldn't be there, but she quickly figured out that Lois didn't want her there anyway. After they had chatted about a variety of local topics, Lois broached the topic of Trelawney.
"Phoebe's younger sister is really quite a talented little girl," she started off.
"Yes, she is," agreed Catherine. "In addition to her musical talent, she is very skilled in homely crafts such as sewing and embroidery. She's a smart little thing too. She is quite a little reader. I used to teach high school English and her knowledge of British literature would put some of my best students to shame."
"My older son Mike works with her on Saturdays at the community theatre program," added Lois. "He says that she is a very fine actress. She's a very imaginative child, not to mention creative. She enjoys creating roles and then getting lost in them."
"I can believe that," said Catherine. "Prudence loves to play with her. They have the most wonderful adventures with their dolls. I get a kick out of eavesdropping when they play. You would think that a girl Trelawney's age wouldn't like playing with a six-year-old, but when she's not doing "big girl" stuff with Francine, she's a terrific companion for Prudence."
Lois was silent for a minute. Catherine could see that she wanted to tell her something, but didn't seem to know where to begin. She decided that she might as well encourage her to put her cards on the table.
"Lois," she said. "This is a pleasant conversation, but I get the feeling that you've come here with a purpose. And it has nothing to do with persuading me to make any more costumes."
Lois looked serious. Catherine had feeling that whatever she had to say, it had something to do with Trelawney and it was probably not good. However, she was the child's legal guardian along with her husband. It was probably better that she hear whatever the issue might be, rather than Phoebe at the moment.
"Catherine, my son is very concerned about Trelawney and so are her friends Francine Fowler and Sarah Tucker," she replied.
"In what way are they concerned?" asked Catherine. "Things have been very quiet at school since the Gorgon incident over two months ago. We figured that since Phoebe and Hal had gotten married and we secured her custody and legal status here that she was pretty much on an even keel."
"I'm afraid that things are not what they seem. I tried to talk to Phoebe about it a week ago, but she brushed it off," Lois explained. "After all the upset last summer, I didn't want to worry her again. And she is so happy now. I don't want to disturb her peace of mind, but I feel that I need to tell someone. To be perfectly honest, I tried talking to Pastor Jason, but he said that he couldn't get involved. He sent me to you."
"Well, if Pastor Jason sent you, I suggest you tell me," said Catherine. "If there is something going on with Trelawney, it needs to be dealt with before it turns into something that will really upset Phoebe."
"You're right," she replied. "I hadn't thought of that. Mike is worried because she is so thin. She always looked like a little waif, but Francine and Sarah came to him during the theatre program a couple of Saturdays ago because they are really concerned. They said when the girls change for gym, she is so thin that her ribs and other bones stick out. She dresses like Phoebe with the long sleeves, high-neck blouses and knee length skirts so it's not really that easy to tell. When I brought it up to Phoebe she just said that she eats like a bird and she's so tiny that it doesn't take much to fill her up. But the girls say that she just picks at her lunch in school and really doesn't eat it."
Catherine's heart sank. This was exactly what she had feared might happen. Emmeline Figalilly was coming shortly for Christmas and would be sharing her bedroom. If she noticed, the family might challenge her custody. Additionally, she was now worried that the child might be really ill. She wondered when the last time was that she had been to a doctor.
"We have noticed that she is thin and we talked to her about her eating habits," she replied. "I thought that she was doing better at home, but I didn't know that she wasn't eating at school. The poor child has had a great deal of upset in her life in the past year. She has lost her parents, moved to a new country with a new family, her sister has gotten married, her family in England want to bring her back there, and she was forced to revisit a great trauma last summer. She went through a period of horrifying nightmares but she seems to be over that. Rob and I have taken over her custody, but she still lives with Phoebe and Hal. I suspect that she is having trouble coping with everything, but doesn't want to bother her sister."
"Catherine," said Lois. "I am going to be blunt. The girls talked about some mental disorder that young girls could get when they hit puberty called anorexia. They have decided that Trelawney has it and could starve herself. Now it's important to remember that these girls are only twelve themselves, so who knows if what they are saying is accurate or not, in terms of the diagnosis that is. The behavior they are describing however is not normal."
"It doesn't sound like it. I've never heard of this anorexia, so I'm not really sure of what you are talking about," she replied.
"Apparently the girls learned about it in health class," said Lois. "I did some reading on my own and found out that although it is about eating and body image, it's root causes are psychological that are completely unrelated. They are about control. Part of it is about the girl keeping herself in a childlike state, since undernourished girls will not develop. Another part of it is about being the perfect little girl, and doing everything right to please everyone. When a girl feels out of control in her life and unable to meet these expectations, this becomes something that she can control. Now you know Trelawney better than me. Does that sound like her?"
Catherine thought that it sounded exactly like the little girl. She was presently living under some very great expectations by her family with regard to her behavior and her ability to stay with Phoebe. Something would have to be done before something tragic happened to her. As she contemplated the possibilities she began to realize just how much she had come to love the girl. She also knew that if the family tried to take her away from Phoebe, she might try something even more drastic. That could have traumatic consequences for Phoebe. She was suddenly very grateful to Lois.
"Lois, I want to thank you for bringing this to my attention. My husband and I will discuss it. Because we have legal custody that gives us the ability to make sure that her physical well-being is maintained. I also appreciate the fact that you didn't pursue this with Phoebe and that you brought it to me. This is our first Christmas together as a family and I want to make sure it is a happy one," she stated.
"When Hal and Phoebe go to Hawaii for three weeks," she continued. "Then hopefully we can address it so that we can have her on the mend by the time she gets back. This is going to be very difficult for Phoebe. She swore to her parents that she would care for her sister if anything ever happened to them, as she was holding her as a newborn, literally minutes old, baby. She renewed that promise about one year before they died. If anything happens to her, she would be devastated."
"I know that," said Lois softly. "I recall her anxiety this summer for her. I would not like to see her again like that. And I think that you should all enjoy a very happy Christmas together. I was just telling her the other day how lucky she was to have family close by to help. I know that it means a lot to her."
"Phoebe means a lot to us," replied Catherine. "She has taken my broken-hearted son and given him his life and his family back, and not just the children. She is such a caring person that she brought us back into our son's life. It's funny, because as difficult as things are for her sister, the reason that we moved down here was that Trelawney asked for us. I feel rather guilty that we stayed because she needed us, but we haven't done much for her."
"I don't think that you should feel guilty at all," said Lois. "She's such a private person that it's pretty hard to tell whether she might not be worse off if you weren't here."
"That's true," replied Catherine. "At least we have found out before anything really bad has happened to her. We can take care of her now and make sure that Phoebe doesn't have the added worry. Believe it or not, that will mean a lot to Trelawney. The strongest motivational force in her life is her sister."
"Good," said Lois. "Now I have to be on my way. Good luck with the girl and let me know if I can help. There's something about her that seems to bring out the protective instincts in people. There is a sweetness and simplicity about her that makes one feel that she is unequipped to deal with life in the complex modern world. Especially when she starts to speak in her quaint little way about music and literature. She seems to be as much of an ethereal creature as the angels and fairies she talks about. Mike just adores her and would be very upset if anything happened to her."
After Lois left, Catherine went upstairs to the sewing room where all of Trelawney's projects were laid out. Looking at the stitching and beautiful hand sewing in the pieces, it was difficult to believe that they had really been made by an eleven-year-old girl. Hearing Lois talk about the potential hazards in her psychological, not mention physical, health brought tears to her eyes. They all knew that she was a little fey. Was it also true that perhaps she not equipped to deal with modern life in what Phoebe called the larger world?
Wiping her eyes, she went downstairs to look for Rob, her wise gentleman. Rob would know what to do. Like her, keeping the child happy and safe was no longer just about helping Phoebe to him. They had both fallen in love with the sad little orphan girl. She remembered the child throwing herself in her arms that night and begging for her protection. They would not let her down.
Little Girl Found
That afternoon, Hal and Trelawney came over to work on their Christmas gifts for the family. It was amusing because at this time they were actually making gifts for each other. Trelawney had noticed that the boys did not have bedspreads on their beds, just blankets. With Catherine's help, because the fabric was so heavy for the child to manage she was making a spread for Hal from fabric decorated with rockets and outer space images and one for Butch, with of course, baseball images.
Rob was helping Hal to make a small bookcase for her. She didn't really own any books, but after discovering how uncomfortable she felt getting toys back in October, she, Rob and their sons had decided to buy her a small library of books by American authors. Bob and Ben were concerned that the amount of money spent on each child be equal. Catherine doubted that Trelawney thought of gifts in terms of monetary value. But she thought of the joy that the girl would get from reading the wide selection of books that they were able to purchase, many of them her own childhood favorites. She herself was helping Prudence make a special pillow that she could lean on when she read in bed.
One of the things that she was enjoying about Hal's idea that the children would make, rather than buy, things for Phoebe was that once they got started, they began to think about things that first their father and then their siblings would like that they could make. It had gotten them thinking of one another in new ways about their likes and interests. For example, Hal was making for Butch a small holder for the carpentry tools that Ben was giving him for Christmas, since he had taken so well to woodworking. For her brothers, Prudence was making pencil holders with their names.
The most difficult child to engage with his siblings was Butch. Not only was he a boy, he was a nine-year-old boy who was not especially observant of his siblings' likes and dislikes. However, he was able make a pair of nice bookends for Hal and a sewing box with lots of compartments for Trelawney. But this was after a very long conversation with Rob who suspected that left to his own devices he would not have done anything for them. But, since they would have gifts for him, he knew that Butch would be upset if he had forgotten them. Butch was a rather sensitive little soul, once you got past tough boy image that he liked to project to the outside world.
While they were working on the spreads, Catherine broached the subject of eating with Trelawney, as elliptically as possible.
"These spreads are heavy," commented Catherine. "It's difficult for both of us to lift them, isn't it?"
"Well, I am quite thankful that you have this most large sewing machine," said the girl. "Mum and I had a smaller one at home. We could never have managed this double fabric and wee bit of quilting. I do believe that it would all have needed to be hand sewn."
"You are probably right," replied Catherine. "All of this work is making me hungry. Perhaps we should take a break for some tea."
"Oh the tea would be lovely," answered Trelawney with a smile. "But I am not hungry thank you."
"But I baked some blueberry scones this morning from the recipe that Phoebe gave me," encouraged Catherine. "I know that they are your favorite and since this is the first time I am trying the recipe I would like your opinion."
"Just a wee taste," replied the little girl, smiling. "I would not wish to spoil my dinner. Phoebe doesn't like it when I don't clean my plate."
"Of course," said Catherine. "Just a wee taste."
She was hoping that she could convince her to eat more. She would then have her grandson, who was very good at keeping confidences pay attention to what she ate at dinner. For now however, she was enjoying spending time alone with the little girl. She had always wanted a daughter, but instead had been blessed with three sons. She had developed a close relationship with Phoebe, but that was not the same.
Theirs was a mother-daughter relationship of another sort, one between adult women. Catherine was looking forward to the days when she and Phoebe would share the time of her first pregnancy and birth. She had gifted Phoebe on the day of her marriage blessing with the tradition of passing down an heirloom cameo that she had previously given her. Phoebe was also becoming the holder of all of the family traditions.
Trelawney however was a little girl who had lost her mother right before she reached the age of puberty, the age when little girls need their mothers to help them with the difficult transition through adolescence. She had lost the woman who had given birth to her and loved her whole-heartedly despite her failings and foibles. Despite her desire to raise her sister on her own, Phoebe was not really equipped to do it.
Trelawney and Phoebe quite definitely had a sibling relationship. And in many ways, Trelawney was an annoying little sister, sticking her nose in where it didn't belong and teasing her. Phoebe was busy with actual motherhood and Catherine was beginning to suspect that Trelawney was moving down the list of her priorities, unintentionally, but nonetheless it was happening.
So now they sat down together for tea. They both liked it the same way, with cream and sugar. Trelawney definitely had a sweet tooth. She assured Catherine that the scones were scrumptious and had a second. However, then she looked a bit worried.
"Phoebe will be most concerned when I don't eat my dinner," she said nervously.
"Perhaps after we sew a bit more, you will feel hungry again," suggested Catherine.
Trelawney looked doubtful, so Catherine changed the subject and asked her to tell her all about school. After a few minutes, it was clear that the child was thrilled to have her undivided attention. She chattered happily about her classes, her friends, and all of the other things going on in her life. The rest of the afternoon passed by pleasantly and when it was time for the children to leave, the girl was clearly reluctant.
"Goodbye, Mrs. Everett," she said and gave Catherine a big hug. Catherine held the child tightly and could feel how thin she was. It was obvious to her now that Sarah and Francine had not been exaggerating. Then Trelawney extended her hand to Hal, who took it up and they walked down the street holding hands. She thought it was very unusual. Although Hal's demeanor with her had taken on a protective aspect, it seemed odd that he would hold her hand to walk her home as if she were Prudence.
After they walked away she turned to her husband. Rob put his arm around her and they went back into the house. They sat down together in the living room and for a moment Catherine didn't know what to say. They had discussed the information that Lois had given her earlier and decided that as she was trying to get a handle on Trelawney's present mindset, he would see if he could get anything out of Hal.
"Okay, dear," said Rob. "Out with it. I know that you have something on your mind and you need to get it off your chest."
"You know me so well, Rob," said Catherine, trying to smile. "It's about our little Trelawney."
"I figured as much," he replied. "She still hasn't found her place in our world, has she? She still doesn't know how to fit into school, or for that matter, the family. I'm afraid that after almost a year of living with them, she's still on the outside looking in. It must be very hard for a little girl who was once the focus of her parents' lives."
"She doesn't complain," responded Catherine. "But I believe that it is. I noticed that this afternoon she was just hungry for attention and loved having me all to herself. I suspect that that rarely happens at home."
"Well," said Rob. "I've noticed the same with Hal and Butch, but it's to a much lesser degree with Hal because he is so much like his father. And I also get the sense that before Trelawney came and Hal and Phoebe realized that they were in love, the Prudence had a lot of her attention."
"But Trelawney is different," said Catherine. "It's not just that she doesn't fit into the nuclear family, she is a very different kind of a child. And I think that she misses her parents, especially her mother, much more than she lets on."
"I'm not so sure about that," answered Rob. "It seems to me that every time she reaches out to you that she is letting on that she is missing her mother. It seems that it is more within her nature to act out, rather than speak of her emotions. And of course when she does talk, it is only through her allegory. She is not a demonstrative child, but she does lean on you physically, as well as emotionally."
Catherine sighed. "Yes, she does. And I have to admit that I encourage it. She is so sensitive that I believe that she can see how much more deeply her sister is falling in love with Hal. I'm sure that the other children sense it, but it's not the same for them. They are gaining the security of the mother that two of them do not, and the other just barely, remembers having. Trelawney has lost all that security."
"But there's something else. You were right to be concerned after your lunch with Lois," said Rob. "Before you say it, I want you to know that Hal and I did have a conversation about her this afternoon. In fact, he brought it up. Apparently he has heard some talk in school about how thin she has become. Even the girls who think she's odd are worried. None of the other kids are teasing her anymore. Considering that she is as 'weird,' to quote Hal, as ever, that is, in and of itself, a cause for concern. Children may not understand these things, but they sense them."
"That is it, such as it is," said Catherine. "But if the other kids are talking, sooner or later someone from the school is going to contact Phoebe and that will worry her."
"I think that we can avoid that," replied Rob. "There is something that I have been thinking about doing and I was thinking that it is something that we should take care of it before Emmeline comes anyway. Since we have all the official documents giving us legal custody of Trelawney, we should bring them to the school and anywhere else that she is officially listed as Hal's ward and change her status. If the family wants to make trouble, that is certainly an avenue that they could pursue to prove that our custody is nominal."
"I hate to upset Phoebe with this, but I think that it would be much more upsetting for her if she were called in by the guidance office and confronted with this," added Catherine. "You realize that to further protect her, we may have to take physical custody of Trelawney as well. Pastor Jason suggested that a couple of months ago."
"I can see where this conversation is leading," said Rob. "And for now you should put it out of your mind. Focus on building her trust and confidence in you, but don't say or do anything that might undermine her sense of well-being, such as it is. If we reach the point where we need to step in, I will fully support you. I promise that we will do everything to keep the girl happy and safe."
Catherine knew that he was right, but she still wanted to step in now. Deep down she knew that Trelawney was not ready to take that step, but she would continue to worry about her until she was.
Settling
And so as time drew closer for Christmas, Rob and Catherine were pleased with the way that their new home was filling with gifts that the children had made not only for Phoebe, but Hal and each other. As each gift was completed, it was wrapped and stored in another empty guest room. Since Mrs. Kaufman's house had four bedrooms, they actually had three guest rooms, one of which doubled as a sewing room for Catherine and the other an office for Rob.
The both enjoyed the constant comings and goings from their home. The children of course still had their tree house/club house in the large tree on the edge of the property. This meant that they were getting to know the other children in the neighborhood, and their parents, as well. To avoid confusion with the two Mrs. Everetts on the street, the kids had picked up the name "Grammy" for Catherine and before Rob knew it, he had a couple of dozen kids calling him "Grampie." They insisted that the adults who lived on the street call them Rob and Catherine.
They also found themselves more actively involved in the church. Catherine began to teach Sunday school, something that, like Rob with the scouts, she hadn't done in years. She thus found herself connecting with a new group of friends, "the church ladies," as they were called by Pastor Paul. The next thing she knew she was baking for coffee hour every Sunday. Rob had filled in one Sunday when the reader for the service and everyone had liked his reading so much that he agreed to become a regular reader.
Because they were renting her house, the Everetts also made friends with Mrs. Kaufman and her three good friends at the nursing home. Jim and Rob hit it off right away and spent hours discussing various building projects that they had worked on throughout their careers. Rob had not fought in the "Great War," in fact he had been in college at the time, but Jim "forgave" him for choosing books over battles.
Rob also found Jim to be a fountain of wisdom and insight into both Butch and Trelawney.
"She is a little fey, you know," said Jim. "But an amazing pianist for such a simple child."
"I've noticed," commented Jim. "I understand that your wife was a fine pianist."
"Yes, she was," answered Jim proudly. "Rob, I must admit that when I look at you with your Catherine, I'm jealous. I lost my Juliet to the cancer a few years back. Life has never been the same."
"Makes perfect sense to me," said Rob sympathetically. "I can't imagine what life would be like without her."
"Well, you do have the kids and grandkids," said Jim. "I don't even have that. But I tell you, if I did have a grandson, I'd want one just like Butch."
"Really," said Rob. "Why is that?"
"Kind of a sentimental thing in a way," said Jim. "I was a younger brother too, so I know what's it's like to always be compared with the older one. My brother was like Hal, real good with his books. Yes, he sure was smart. He went into the army as an officer, being a college man and all. I was regular army. I barely made it through high school, but I could build things. That's how I made my living, you know. I was a contractor."
"Yes, I had heard that," said Rob. "Well, Butch would be better with his books if he would stop comparing himself to Hal and worry more about himself. I've been spending a lot of time with him and I know that grandparents aren't supposed to have favorites, but I do prefer him to Hal, myself."
"And why is that?" asked Jim.
"Butch is a fun kid, he's what they call 'all boy,'" replied Rob. "Hal takes himself a little too seriously and he's very impressed with his own talent in math and science. I think that his way of getting his father's attention is to shine in the things that he knows that his father values. His natural interest doesn't hurt either. Butch gets his father's attention by getting into trouble. But since I share more interests with him than Hal, the playing field has been leveled in the last two months."
"I'm glad to hear it," said Jim. "Butch may not be big on book learning, but he's real good with his hands and he's a real hard worker. He's also a very loyal kid. He's very protective of his new Mom. Last summer, he never told anyone but me, but he was real worried about her there for a while. We all were, but Butch took it harder than anyone realized."
"Well, I'm glad that you were there for him," said Rob.
"Always will be," answered Jim. "But we better get over there and rescue Catherine from those two old busybodies. No doubt they're pumping her for information about Phoebe. Poor girl. Seems like everyone has always got to be in her business."
Rob smiled to himself at the thought. He could see that Jim was just as interested in his son's family as Rosemary and Lottie were. Of course in the case of the women, they were just plain nosy. He must admit that he enjoyed spending time with them himself. They were all good people at heart and full of colorful stories about the turn of the century. He knew that all the kids loved to listen to them, and that they had been very supportive of the family when things got tough.
He also thought about what Jim had said about Butch. He knew that he was right and he was beginning to realize that if he and Catherine made the decision to resettle themselves in town permanently then they would have their own place in helping to raise the kids. Life in the twentieth century was unique in the history of families, especially here in the States where people moved around so much. Phoebe knew it because she had grown up amid generations of family in her home village.
Catherine liked to compare Phoebe with Helen because Phoebe so obviously enjoyed their relationship. However, Phoebe's cultural background had primed her, so to speak, to view her as an ally in raising the children, not a threat. Helen hadn't known any better than the way that she had been brought up. In her own way she had been a devoted wife and mother. Hal had loved her very much and it wasn't, as Catherine liked to think, blind admiration and infatuation. That would not have been enough to sustain a strong marriage for over ten years.
When he thought back to the years of their marriage when Hal was in graduate school, then seeking tenure and then establishing his reputation as an academic, he could see that Helen had been the right wife for him at that time. He had needed someone who could keep the home fires burning independently and wasn't looking for the same kind of partner that Phoebe was. He doubted that Phoebe would have had any interest in him at that earlier time of his life, nor he in her.
What they were building together now was right for both of them for the time in each of their lives. Like the children building and dreaming in his home for a beautiful Christmas where they would share their love and talents with each other, Hal and Phoebe were looking to the future to create a beautiful life together. True miracles don't come out of nowhere. They come from love, patience, and hard work. He was very happy for his role in this present, on-going miracle of family.
Decisions
Rob knew that now the time had come to make their move, literally. Now that they had seen how well their lives were meshing with those of their son's family, they decided that they would sell their house up north and buy Mrs. Kaufman's. They decided that they would make the announcement at Christmas dinner. Now that they had completely taken over custody of the child, it would be a way of showing Phoebe and Trelawney that they would never take her away.
Trelawney had accepted the news of the full transfer of guardianship at school better than Phoebe. In her simple way of thinking she said that she would gladly put herself under the protection of the good queen and the wise gentleman.
When Phoebe became a little tearful, she had taken her hands and said, "Do not weep, lovely lady. You will soon be otherwise concerned. Just as your gallant knight shall always keep you from harm, the good queen sits watch over me. If the wise gentleman has made this judgment then we must follow it."
"My fair maiden," answered her sister. "I fear that I have failed you."
Trelawney then looked at her with her odd little countenance that she had when about to make one of her pronouncements. She stood very straight, with her hands neatly folded in front of her.
"The fair maiden is here, but she is not here. Only the good queen knows," she said. "The angel has made things clear. I must obey the decisions of the wise gentleman to keep my lovely lady safe."
Then she turned and looked directly at Hal, and said, "Well done!"
Turning away from them she went towards the stairs, but before she went up she said, "The wee fairy is in need of help with her homework. I must attend."
There was silence in the room after she had left. Hal had an odd little smile on his face. Catherine looked at Phoebe who was still looking up the stairs after her. She then looked at Rob who said, "She knows that Emmeline is coming in a few days. But I think that she feels safe now. You need to focus on getting ready for your honeymoon and leaving all this behind. We will keep her safe for you. She would be very upset if she thought that you were upset by this."
"Dad's right, Phoebe," said Hal. "This is a legal formality, but a necessary one. It actually sets my mind at rest that nothing will happen to her while we are away."
"You all are right," replied Phoebe. "I hate to admit it, but I was afraid that if we left her, we might come back and she would be gone."
"That will NOT happen," declared Catherine. "When you come back she will still be here to tease you about your relationship with Hal and pick fights with the boys."
Phoebe smiled. Catherine was pleased. She would be much happier after she had time to think about all of the advantages of the new circumstances. And doubtless Hal would also help her figure it out. She was determined that Phoebe's first Christmas as an Everett would be a happy one.
Epilogue
It was several days before Christmas when Rob got a call from Tom Williams. Apparently he had learned of the Christmas pageant during a phone call with Hal and wanted to know when and where. He promised that Bernice would not be coming, but he would like to see the children by himself. He also promised not to impose on their hospitality. He simply wanted to see his grandchildren involved in a church project.
Rob was glad that he had taken the call. There was no doubt in his mind that Catherine would have been less forgiving for the years that Bernice had cut them out of the children's lives. However, he knew how Tom felt and sympathized with him. He also knew that the children liked Tom and that having another grandparent in their lives could only benefit them. He knew that unless there was ever some kind of reconciliation with Bernice, that Phoebe would always feel needlessly guilty. But bringing Tom back into their lives was the first step. He gave him the time of the event and the directions to St. Peter's.
At Tom's request, he did not tell Hal, Phoebe, and the children. Tom wanted to play it by ear so as not to create any uncomfortable situations, especially with the extended family. His purpose in coming was to the see the children. If necessary, he would unobtrusively enter and exit. He would then have the pleasure of seeing the children, without disrupting the family's holiday.
Rob hoped that he would see his way clear to at least wishing them a Merry Christmas. He knew that it would mean a lot to Phoebe. He decided to keep a lookout for him and encourage him to greet the family at the party afterwards. Even if he didn't stick around, it would be a demonstration of how much he really did care for his grandchildren. It would also help keep the door open for reconciliation with Bernice.
Catherine was not pleased when she found out, but he eventually brought her around to his way of thinking. It was all in keeping with the spirit of the season and they both knew that it would please Phoebe to see some progress on that front. Rob knew that more than anything else that Phoebe and Hal both wanted the situation with Bernice resolved by her coming around to see Phoebe as the children's new mother and welcoming her, as Tom had, into the family.
The children were intransigent, but he knew that they would very quickly change their minds, as children are prone to do, if Bernice could bring herself to show a little genuine kindness and affection towards Phoebe. Rob was beginning to feel some real concern about what would happen when Phoebe began to add half-brothers and sisters to the brood. That would no doubt be the tipping point for all concerned, especially the children who were already hoping for more siblings.
If Bernice did not become reconciled with Phoebe before the first child came along, chances were that it would never happen. She would need to accept the mother before she could accept the child or children. There was no doubt in his mind that the children would be every bit as devoted to their new brothers and sisters as they were to their new mother.
He thought of the Santa's workshop that his home had become. If only it was as easy to craft a relationship between Phoebe and Bernice as it was to make a spice rack or bookcase. But that was one gift that Santa or his surrogates could not bring to Phoebe. Considering all of the other miracles he had seen happen since meeting the lovely young woman, perhaps this one was not too far out of reach, if not for this Christmas, then maybe the next. There is never a time limit on miracles.
The End
To be continued . . .