Marie hummed in the kitchen as she made their dinner. One week until Christmas with her best friend and husband. She was happy and excited and a whole lot of other feelings all wrapped up together.
Once she put the lid on their beef stew, she sat down to finish knitting the blanket she was making. She had always been good at sewing and that saved her a lot of money being able to make her own clothes. Knitting wasn't as easy but the more she did it, the better she got.
She looked up when she heard the knock on the door. She put her knitting down and walked over to open it, unprepared for what waited on the other side.
"Marie? Oh my, you are beautiful."
Marie stared at the woman outside the door, unable to believe she was actually standing there. After eleven years.
"Marie, it's me, Mama."
"I know who you are, Mabel. I don't want to see you. Please go."
She attempted to close the door but Mabel raised her hand to stop it. "Marie, please. I just want to talk to you."
"Why? After eleven years of not communicating with me, why now?"
"I love you."
"No, you don't. You have no idea what love is. Please go." Marie succeeded in closing the door this time.
Marie sat quickly so she wouldn't fall down. Her happiness had vanished. Now it was replaced with anger and resentment. She didn't want to feel that way again.
"Hon? I'm home." Mason walked into the kitchen a few minutes later and saw her face. "What's wrong?" He sat down next to her and wiped the tears she wasn't aware she had cried. "Babe? What is it? Do you need the doctor?"
She leaned forward into his arms, burying her face in his neck. "Hold me."
He pulled her over to his lap and held her tightly. "Marie, please tell me."
"She came back."
"Who did?"
"After eleven years….she left me all alone, Mase. I was six. How could she…?"
"Your mother? She's here?"
"I made her leave. I hate her. I don't want to feel this way but I do."
"Did she tell you what she wanted?"
"No, she said she loved me. How could that possibly be true? Leaving your child to fend for herself at six years old, with an alcoholic father, is not love!"
"Marie. Please stay calm for our baby. Please."
She took a deep breath and leaned against his chest again. He was right. The baby was what was important. She didn't need to waste time and energy on Mabel Patrick.
…..
MADDIE AND NATE'S HOUSE, THE NEXT MORNING
Elizabeth kissed the top of Kiki's head. "Sweetie, you ok?"
"Sure, Ma." Kiki gave her a half-hearted smile.
"Missing Cam?"
"Yes. I wish he was here or we were there." She missed everything about him.
The way his blue eyes lit up when he looked at her. The way his hair fell into his eyes and her hand itched to brush it back. His strong arms holding her close. His kisses…oh she definitely had never imagined the feelings that went along with those.
"Why don't you write him a letter?"
"Maybe. I think I'll take Lydie for a walk. Wanna go, little sister?"
"Yes! Can we go to the store?"
Kiki smiled at the look on her face. "Yep, let's go."
Lydie held her hand, swinging it back and forth and skipping as they walked. "I'm gonna buy a present for Mama."
"You are? You got money?"
"Yup! Been saving all year."
"What are you going to get her?"
"Don't know yet. Will you help me pick something out, Kiki, please?"
"You bet."
After about a twenty minute walk, they arrived at the store. Then they heard the storekeeper and a woman yelling.
"Here? What do you mean she's here!?" the storekeeper yelled.
"You don't even know your own daughter is here?"
"I haven't seen her in almost a year. She said she was moving to Buxton to be with her boyfriend. Why would I think she was here?"
"She apparently moved back."
"And the boyfriend?"
"No idea except she is wearing a gold ring on her finger and is apparently with child."
"Pregnant! She better have married that boyfriend or she'll be sorry!"
Kiki realized just then that these must be Marie's parents. What a pair.
"You don't touch her, Donald Patrick, or I'll have you arrested!"
Kiki pulled Lydie back outside. "Um, let's come back later."
"But, I want…"
"I know, but it's not a good time. Let's go see…"
She stopped talking when the woman from inside stormed out and walked away. "Can we go back in now?"
"I suppose."
"Yay!"
Kiki nodded at Mr. Patrick as they walked in. "Good day," she said.
"Miss."
After a bit of time looking, Lydie found a light purple crocheted shawl. "Mama would love this."
"Its three dollars. Do you have that much?"
"No." Lydie looked on the verge of tears.
"How much do you have?"
"One dollar. I thought it would be enough."
"I could loan it to you and you could do extra chores to pay me back."
"Ok! Thank you!" Lydie hugged her waist and grinned up at her. "I love you, Kiki. You are the best big sister."
"I love you too, Lyd."
After they made the purchase and Kiki paid the extra nickel to wrap it in brown paper and a bow, the girls walked back to the house.
"I can't wait until Christmas!"
Kiki couldn't wait until the day after Christmas when they went home and she would see Cam.
….
Marie was grateful for her grandmother-in-law. Elizabeth visited a few days after Mabel had shown up.
"Grandma."
"Hi, sweetie. How are you doing?"
They walked in and sat on the couch to talk. "Do you want any coffee?"
"No thanks. I just came to see you and the baby."
"Did Mason talk to you?"
"No. Is he at work?"
"Yes." Marie felt the flutter of the baby causing her to touch her tummy, almost without thinking.
"Did you feel the butterflies?"
"Yeah. It's amazing to know something Mason and I made is alive and safe inside me."
"One of life's greatest blessings." Elizabeth moved closer and wrapped her arm around Marie. "What's worrying you?"
"Did anyone mention to you about my childhood?"
"No, not really. Just that it was hard on you."
"When I was six, my mother took my brother and sister and left. My father is an alcoholic and was rarely home. When he was home, he drank, so basically…"
"You raised yourself?"
"Yes. My mother came to see me a few days ago."
"Had you been in contact with her?"
"No. Not in the eleven years since she left."
"Did she tell you why she came back now?"
Marie closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I didn't give her a chance. She said she loved me and I made her leave. Grandma, I have this anger and resentment toward her. I thought I had moved past it. I've been so happy with Mason, but the moment I saw her, it came rushing back."
"Is she still in town?"
"I have no idea."
"Maybe you should find her and talk to her."
"I don't want to."
"I understand, sweetie, but unless you find out why she did what she did, you may not be able to move past it. You don't have to go alone. I'm sure Mason would go with you."
"Will you go?"
"Of course I will." Elizabeth stood up.
"Now?"
"No time like the present."
Marie stood up, her hand protectively on her stomach. "Ok."
The first place they went was the boarding house, figuring she was staying there if she was still in town.
The owner told them there was a dark haired woman staying in room 4 but she didn't know her name. Marie assumed it was her and the two ladies walked down the hallway.
After knocking, they waited.
"Marie?" Mabel stood eyeing them with red puffy eyes. "I didn't expect you….I mean, I'm glad…please, come in."
"Can we maybe take a walk?" Marie nervously asked her.
"I'm not really dressed to go anywhere." Mabel was in her nightgown and robe, her long dark hair in a braid over her shoulder. "Can you give me a few moments?" Marie and Elizabeth nodded and walked back to the entry of the boarding house.
"I don't know if I can do this," she muttered.
"Yes, you can. Just the simple fact that you are a strong woman, Marie, tells me you can."
She wrapped her arms around her rounded middle. "I'm not strong." That was the last thing she felt.
"Oh, but you are, dear. You raised yourself. You moved to Buxton alone, not knowing how you would get money or where you would live. Now you are facing the unknowns of bringing your own child into this world. You are a strong Thornton woman and you have many others behind you."
Marie walked forward and hugged Elizabeth. "Thank you."
"You're welcome, dear."
Mabel appeared a few moments later and Elizabeth suggested they go to the café for coffee.
"Actually, I think we should go to my house," Marie told them. She knew that the conversation they were going to have would be an emotional one and sitting in the café was not the place to have it.
The ladies walked to the small home on the edge of town. "Would anyone like coffee or tea?"
"Thank you. Yes, coffee please," Mabel told her.
They sat at the table drinking coffee a few minutes later, not speaking. The tension could be cut with a knife, it was so thick.
"What brings you to town, Mrs. Patrick?" Elizabeth started.
"Actually it's Reynolds now." Marie's eyes met hers quickly but she didn't say anything. "I heard that Marie's father was living here so I hoped she was too."
"How did you find him?" Marie wondered, finding her voice.
"I did some digging. I sent telegrams to every town in this area."
"Why?"
"I wanted….no, I needed to find you, Marie."
"After eleven years? Why?"
"I suppose I better start at the beginning." Mabel took a sip of coffee and folded her hands. "Eleven years ago, I made a choice. It wasn't a wise one, and I can't go back and change it. I have wished every day for the last eleven years that I'd taken you with me that day, Marie."
Marie felt tears fill her eyes as she remembered Mabel and her brother and sister walk out the door that day.
"Why didn't you then? You knew he was an alcoholic and he didn't love me. Why leave me there?"
"I told your father that morning that I was leaving him. He told me in no uncertain terms that I couldn't take all three of you. He told me if I did, he'd have me arrested for kidnapping and I'd never see any of you again."
"I was six! Mama, this doesn't make sense! I could never leave my child." Marie touched her tummy and then took a deep breath to calm herself.
"Marie, I've regretted that choice every day but I didn't want to lose all of you."
"So you picked me? He never loved me. He never rocked me or held me or fed me or told me he loved me. Those things are what parents are supposed to do. Do you realize how hard it was on me?" Tears rolled freely now. Elizabeth grabbed her hand and squeezed.
"Mrs. Reynolds, my name is Elizabeth Thornton. My grandson is Marie's husband."
Mabel nodded. "Its kind of you to be here for her. I'm not here to upset you, especially now that I can see you are carrying a baby, Marie. Like I said, I regret my decision but I can't take back what I did. I'm so sorry that I left you."
Mason walked in the door then. "Marie?"
Marie wiped her cheeks and looked up as he walked in. "Hi, Grandma," he greeted, placing a kiss on her cheek.
"Hey, Mase."
Mason looked at the other woman and smiled. "I'm Mason Thornton."
"Mabel Reynolds. I'm…"
"Marie's mother? I see the resemblance in your eyes. Nice to meet you." He bent down and kissed Marie's cheek. "Hi, sweetie."
"Hi." He sat next to her and took her hand in both of his. "I'm sorry, I haven't started dinner."
"Its ok. I'm early anyway."
Mabel watched the two, love passing between them with looks and touches. It made her very happy to see. "How long have you two been married?"
Mason answered with a smile. "Since June. I'm still not sure how I got so lucky."
"I'm the lucky one," Marie told him, kissing his cheek. "Mason saw past my brokenness and loved me anyway. I'm grateful to have him. And his family…they have overwhelmed me with love and kindness. They helped me to be happy again. I don't deserve them but I'm thankful they are mine now too."
"Everyone deserves love, Marie," Mabel told her. "I'm happy you found it."
"What about Helen and Paul? Where are they?" Marie had often wondered about her siblings, especially since marrying into a huge family.
"Helen lives with her husband in San Francisco. Paul lives in Shadow Springs where I live with my husband Steven. He's fourteen now and trying to grow up fast."
"Do you have any other children?"
"Yes. One, John. He's eight." Marie saw the proud, loving smile pass over her mother's face and instantly she was jealous.
"I think I need to lay down," Marie said, standing quickly and started walking out of the room. "I hope you have a good Christmas, Mabel. Please don't come back here. I have everyone I need now."
Mabel stood and placed her cup in the sink. "Thank you both for allowing me to be here. It's nice to meet Marie's family and to see that she's cared for and is loved. Honestly, that's what I was hoping for."
Mason put his hand on her arm. "Mrs. Reynolds, I'm grateful you came to see her, even if it didn't go very well. She at least got some answers. Maybe now, she can move past it."
Mabel nodded at him and Elizabeth and walked out of the house.
