"Speaking of a Christmas surprise, do I have one for you!" Florence's eyebrows wiggled up and down in anticipation as she scooted closer to the dress shop's oversized worktable. "You'll never guess who is playing Hope Valley's very own Santa this year."
"Oh, have the men already played their little dart game to decide?" Rosemary fingered the paper patterns and fabric laid out for the children's Christmas costumes. Funny, Lee hadn't mentioned a thing to her about it. Perhaps he wasn't participating this year?
"I know it seems impossible, but didn't we all think it would be Jack this year?" Dottie's face grew serious at the mention of their dear Mountie.
Rosemary nodded along with Florence. Yes, like the rest, she had assumed it would be Jack. How much could change in a year. Now Jack was off fighting in the North, hoping with all his heart to return home to both his sweetheart, Elizabeth, and his town this Christmas. "For Elizabeth's sake, I hope he makes it back for Christmas Eve."
"Christmas won't be the same without him." Florence picked up the scissors.
The women all released a collective sigh.
Dottie reached for the scissors. "Bill was last year's Santa. Who are this year's candidates?"
"I say we bring back Henry and make him dress up in the suit. Wouldn't that be the sight?" Rosemary chuckled. What she wouldn't give to see their former mayor gone rogue sporting the Santa suit. Florence joined her in a giggle.
"Goodness, no. I hope we have seen the last of Henry Gowen. That man had more dirty tricks up his sleeve than most know." Dottie clicked her tongue in all seriousness, not even a hint of a smile crossing her face.
"I don't know. It seems to me he was truly starting to soften, just when they carted him away to jail." Oh, she truly did wonder how the old nasty coot was faring.
"Perhaps we will never know." Florence didn't look like she cared one way or the other. Rosemary shrugged then picked up a box of pins and started pinning a section of the pattern down.
"Let's see. Is Hickam this year's Santa?" Dottie guessed as she reached for a piece of the pattern.
Florence shook her head. "Goodness no. He'd be the skinniest Santa we've had yet."
"Jesse?" Again, Florence shook her head.
"Pastor Frank?" No.
"Or what about Lee?" Dottie continued to throw names out.
Florence clapped her hands. "You guessed it!"
"Lee is this year's Santa?" Rosemary dropped the box of pins, causing them to scatter across the tabletop.
"He sure is. He's now the proud, temporary owner of the Santa suit. You do have it around somewhere, right, Dottie? I'm sure it will need a good cleaning out after last year."
Dottie nodded her head. "I already have it on the rack. Just needs to be steamed."
Rosemary could barely hear their conversation over the roar in her ears. Lee? Santa? She tried without success to collect the scattered pins, but couldn't see for the tears in her eyes. "I really doubt Lee will be a good Santa this year."
"Whatever does that mean?" Florence threw a questionable look her way.
"What I mean is…Good luck trying to wrangle him down."
Dottie promptly laid the fabric aside and put a hand on Rosemary's shoulder. "Has something been amiss with Lee? I know you mentioned he's been preoccupied but are things more serious?" Rosemary sniffed and swiped a stray tear from her cheek.
"Oh, it's just…something's off. Lee's hiding something. Usually I am good at getting to the bottom of things, but between dealing with this" Rosemary motioned to her midsection "and the fact that Lee is barely at home, I haven't been able to put my finger on it. But I know something us up. At present, he feels more like a stranger than the man I married."
"Oh you poor dear." Florence walked around the table to join them and patted Rosemary's back.
"What's been different about his behavior? What makes you think he's hiding something?" Dottie questioned.
"Like I said, he's been gone more than usual lately and on my last visit to his office, he hid a few drafts or paperwork of some kind from me. It was strange. So unlike him. Numerous times he's told me he's had an extra business meeting, but each time he's left the house in his work clothes and work boots. He's even taken to trekking in the woods, a job he's usually reserved for the sawmill workers."
"What on earth? That does sound completely out of character for Lee." Florence's eyebrows knit together in a frown.
"I'm just all tied up in knots. I just hope…" what she was about to say was no one's business but her husband's, but a girl had to share with someone now, didn't she? "I just hope he isn't in some serious financial trouble. I have never seen his pants so mud soaked, his shirts stained. What would drive my sophisticated and cultured husband to become a physical worker in his own business? It must be that he has had to cut back. He's now doing the hired men's jobs. That's all I can figure. And the hidden paperwork? Perhaps they are payments he's behind on. I don't know…"
"Oh you poor dear. How will you two get on? I hope you aren't in too much danger of losing the row house." Florence interjected.
Rosemary gulped. Could trouble in his business affect their personal lives as well? Hadn't Lee safeguarded them from that? They never spoke of such matters. Lee always seemed to have his business, and their personal finances, in his very firm and capable hands. But now those hands seemed to sport more callouses and dirt than security.
"There, there. I'm sure everything will be okay. It sounds like you and Lee need to sit down and have a good chat. That will clear things up for you, in more ways than one." Dottie winked, reminding Rosemary of their earlier chat. "And I have just the idea…"
Two hours later, Rosemary felt considerably better thanks partially to the fact that three of her dearest friends- Dottie, Florence, and Elizabeth- now shared her special news, and also due to the fact that a plan was in motion. They had brainstormed as they cut wisemen costume patterns from the fine fabric. Oh they had talked about Lee and what he could be up to, but had come to the conclusion, that no matter why his behavior was so odd, he must be told Rosemary's news, and the sooner the better. Yes, with every snip of the scissors, her confidence grew. Yes, it was time. Tonight Lee Coulter would find out the news that he was to be a father for the first time. Rosemary's belly rolled over at the thought. What would he think? Oh, she was pretty sure he'd be delighted. It was what he always wanted. What he whispered to her about in their most intimate moments. A tiny niggling fear rose in her heart that perhaps he wouldn't react the way she thought, after all, he'd been acting so secretive here recently. But just as quick she pushed that thought away, if she knew one thing it was that Lee Coulter was a good man and couldn't wait to have a household full of children. She imagined his smile, as big as the moon, when she told him. Yes, she'd go forward with the plan and tell him tonight. Finally, the pressure of carrying this secret on her own would be relieved.
Across from her, Dottie neatly folded the completed wisemen costumes. Elizabeth, who had come by the dress shop after school, worked with Florence on the Santa suit, inspecting it one final time.
"See if you can get that wrinkle out." Florence leaned closer and pursed her lips.
"I don't see a wrinkle." Elizabeth smoothed the suit with her hand.
"Right there. It's as big as your nose." Florence huffed and pointed to a slight rise in the red velvet.
Elizabeth looked offended then must have dismissed it, for she reached for the iron and promptly handed it to Florence.
"I don't see it, but by all means, go right ahead, Florence."
Florence held the iron a few inches above the suit and paused as the steam worked through the fabric. After it had cooled, she smoothed her hand over the costume once again. "Much better."
Elizabeth located a sprig of holly and pinned it to the lapel of the suit. Both the ladies nodded and then stowed the suit carefully within a garment bag.
Rosemary gathered her own coat and satchel. "Thank you, Dottie, for allowing me to leave early today."
"Don't you mention it." Dottie twittered. "It's not every day a woman gets to surprise her husband with news of this sort. Now, remember the plan. Supper first, news second. A man is always ready to receive good news, but especially after his favorite meal."
Florence walked up and draped the Hope Valley Santa suit over her arm. "Remember, as tempting as it might be, tonight's not the night to approach the topic of his business or work. Tonight's about the baby."
"Oh, Rosemary, I couldn't be happier for you! You'll have to tell us every last detail." Elizabeth enveloped her in a hug.
This sure wasn't the way she imagined all this coming about. But now, with the love and support of her dearest friends, she knew the time had come. The Coulter baby would be announced in a grand and memorable fashion, just like he or she deserved.