Mrs. Miracle Part 12

Seth was busy tabulating a long list of numbers when the phone on his desk pealed loudly, breaking his concentration. He frowned and absently reached for the receiver, irritated with the interruption. He wanted to get away from the office on time that evening, and it had nothing to do with meeting Reba. All right, so it had everything to do with Reba.

"h.e.l.lo," he muttered.

"Seth? I hope it's all right that I called you at the office."

"Sharon?" The last person he expected to hear from was his mother-in-law. "Is something wrong?"

"No...everything's just wonderful, as always."

It didn't sound that way. Her thin voice sounded fragile and unsure, which wasn't like her.

"I apologize for interrupting you at work, but I needed..." She hesitated, and he could hear her taking in a deep breath as though she needed to calm herself before continuing. "It's about me coming up for Christmas."

Christmas? She was calling him at work to confirm Christmas? Something was definitely up.

"I was wondering if you had any objection to my coming a few days early."

"Sharon, you know you and Jerry are welcome any time."

"Jerry won't be coming."

Seth couldn't believe his ears. Sharon was planning to visit on her own? That made no sense whatsoever. It took him a moment to recover enough to respond. "What's happened to Jerry?"

"He's decided not to. I realize I'm arriving a few days earlier than what I mentioned and that...that you weren't antic.i.p.ating my arrival until next week, but if it wouldn't be too much of a problem, I'd appreciate..." She paused when her voice wobbled to the point that he could barely understand her.

"Sharon? Are you all right?"

"Yes, of course.... What could possibly bewrong?"

"You tell me." Seth couldn't recall a time when his mother-in-law had been anything but the Rock of Gibraltar. After Pamela's accident she'd been the voice of reason in a world that had suddenly turned chaotic. Seth didn't know how he would have coped without her.

"I'm fine," she insisted, her words pleading with him to believe her.

Seth knew a lie when he heard one. "What time does your flight land?" he asked, reaching for a pad. "I'll pick you up at the airport."

"Pick me up...Yes, please, I'll need someone there." She gave him the flight number and the time.

Seth glanced at his watch. "But that's less than an hour from now."

"Yes...I know, I'm calling from the plane."

"The plane?" His echo revealed his shock.

"If I couldn't have stayed with you, I'd have found a hotel room. You'll be there, won't you, Seth?"

"Yes, of course. Don't worry about a thing. This will be a wonderful surprise for the twins." It would play havoc with his schedule, but that couldn't be helped. Something was drastically wrong, and after the way his mother-in-law had stepped in and helped him, he could hardly refuse her now.

Seth sat with his hand on the telephone receiver, uncertain whom to contact first, Reba or his housekeeper. Mrs. Merkle, he decided. She'd need to make up the guest bedroom. After he'd talked to her, he'd call Reba and tell her that he wouldn't be able to stop in after work the way he'd planned.

The vacation packages Reba had a.s.sembled for his review were only an excuse to see her again, Seth acknowledged freely. He was scheduled to meet with her after work before she went to church for Christmas practice with the kids. He'd seen her every night that week.

On Monday she'd gone Christmas shopping with him, and on Tuesday she'd been to the house for dinner. Mrs. Merkle had done herself proud with a fried chicken succulent enough to tempt the Colonel.

Jason answered when he rang the house. "Hi, Daddy."

"h.e.l.lo, sweetheart, is Mrs. Merkle there?"

"Yup." He heard Jason drop the phone, the sound of the receiver clanging in his ear. He returned breathless a moment later. "Mrs. Miracle's real busy getting the extra bedroom all cleaned up," his son told him. "Who's coming?"

"Ask Mrs. Miracle," he suggested, frowning.

"Mr. Webster, I'm sorry to keep you waiting." The housekeeper came on the line, breathing hard.

"I'm calling to let you know I'll be picking up the children's grandmother at the airport this afternoon." He waited, half expecting his housekeeper to explain why Sharon was arriving a full week early and without Jerry. If anyone knew, it would be Mrs. Merkle. The woman apparently possessed some form of telepathy.

"Ah, I wondered."

"Sharon phoned the house?"

"No."

"Then how'd you know she was coming?"

"I didn't," she answered cheerfully. "It never hurts to have the spare room freshened up now and again. I had a few extra minutes this afternoon and decided to give it the once-over. How fortuitous in light of Mrs. Palmer's unexpected arrival."

"I don't know if it'd be a good idea to say anything to the twins just yet," Seth cautioned, wondering how much he should say. "My mother-in-law seems to be feeling a bit under the weather."

A short pause followed his announcement. "Do you need me to drop the kids off at practice at the church, then?"

Seth had forgotten all about that. "Yes, please, if it isn't too much of a problem."

"None at all. I'll stay and visit with the women's group as well and leave the house to you and Mrs. Palmer."

"I appreciate it," Seth murmured, trying to think if there was anything else he'd forgotten.

"I'll put two dinners to warm in the oven. Don't you worry, Mr. Webster, everything is going to work out just fine." Don't you worry, Mr. Webster, everything is going to work out just fine."

She spoke as if she knew more about the situation than Seth did himself. "Good," he muttered, hoping she was right. He didn't know what was wrong between Sharon and Jerry or if he was reading more into the matter than he should. Perhaps Jerry was ill.... No, that couldn't be it. Sharon would be the first one to stand at his side through any health problems. She'd sounded shaken to the core, rattled and shocked. Seth certainly hoped he knew what to say in order to help.

A glance at the wall clock told him he barely had time to call Reba. He dialed and, while he waited for someone to answer, stood and slipped into his suit jacket.

"Reba, please," he said when her a.s.sistant answered.

"Seth?" She was on the line a moment later.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to see you tonight." As he said the words he realized he was more disappointed than he'd thought. Perhaps a bit of a break was for the best with them. It wouldn't take much to become accustomed to spending time with Reba each and every day. She was fast becoming addictive. A good kind of addictive. She made him feel again, dream again, hope again.

"Is something wrong?"

He explained the situation with Sharon, hoping Reba might have some insights to give him. "Mrs. Merkle is driving the kids to practice. I hope all Sharon needs is some time away." Merkle is driving the kids to practice. I hope all Sharon needs is some time away."

"I'm sure you're right. And don't worry, I can give you the price quotes any time."

He wasn't worried, but he'd been looking forward to seeing her all day. Every now and again he found himself staring at the time, mentally tabulating how long it'd be before he'd be with her. He wanted to suggest she stop off at the house after church, but he couldn't. Not knowing what was happening between his in-laws was one thing, but Reba was sure to be physically and emotionally exhausted after her time with the kids. From what he understood she'd already received her share of bad news.

The baby Jesus had come down with a bad cold, and one of the shepherds had broken his leg. This was terrific news as far as Judd was concerned, since he preferred that role over being an angel.

"I've got to scoot," Seth told her with regret, and then, because this brief conversation wouldn't be enough to see him through until he could be with her again, he added, "Can I call you later?"

"Yes, please do. I hope everything's all right with your mother-in-law."

"I hope so, too."

The words echoed in his mind some forty minutes later as he was at Sea-Tac, waiting for Sharon to step out of the jetway. He knew the instant he saw her that something was drastically wrong. She looked straight past him, as pale as death, stricken and sh.e.l.l-shocked. saw her that something was drastically wrong. She looked straight past him, as pale as death, stricken and sh.e.l.l-shocked.

"Sharon." He stepped forward and took the carry-on bag out of her hand.

She looked at him as if seeing a stranger. "Seth. Thank you for coming. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it." She hugged him briefly, and he could tell she was struggling not to weep.

"It's good to see you." He studied her, wondering what had happened and how much he should urge her to tell him. "How much luggage do you have with you?" he asked, leading the way to the baggage claim area.

"Luggage...Oh, my, I don't think I brought any. I have my carry-on, but I don't seem to remember packing.... I suppose I should have. No, I did have a suitcase, but I left it at the house. Oh, dear."

"Don't worry, you can buy whatever you need."

Seth carried the conversation as they walked toward the parking garage. She answered him, but only when he asked a direct question, only when absolutely necessary.

Seth helped her into the car and stuck her carry-on bag on the backseat. As he set it on the cushion, the bag fell open, exposing one slipper and a novel. She'd come for the holidays, arriving ten days before Christmas, with one shoe? He closed his eyes, wishing he were better at handling this sort of situation. He wanted to help but feared he was grossly inadequate.

Once they were home, he placed Sharon's bag in the spare bedroom and took the two heaping dinner plates out of the oven. He set them on the table and sat across from her. He might as well have served Sharon mowed lawn for all the interest she showed in it.

"How's Jerry?" he ventured.

Her gaze narrowed, and tears moistened her eyes. "Fine, I suspect, just fine."

"He's in California?" No telling where Jerry was, with Sharon here.

"Yes." She looked away.

"Is there a problem with you two?" he asked next, gently exploring with questions the way a physician carefully examines a painful wound.

Sharon was saved from answering when the phone rang loudly and unexpectedly. Seth answered it with a certain reluctance.

"h.e.l.lo."

"Is Sharon there?" his father-in-law asked without any preliminaries.

"Jerry?"

Sharon's eyes rounded. "Don't tell him I'm here."

"I want to talk to my wife," Jerry demanded, loudly enough to be heard on the other side of the room.

Seth's mother-in-law squared her shoulders and glared across the room, her pain-filled eyes as sharp as the polished edge of a sword. "You can tell Jerry Palmer that as of twelve-thirty this afternoon, I ceased being his wife." as sharp as the polished edge of a sword. "You can tell Jerry Palmer that as of twelve-thirty this afternoon, I ceased being his wife."

Seth didn't want to be trapped as a go-between in this situation. "Perhaps it would be better if you talked to him yourself."

"No," she said with conviction. "I don't ever plan to talk to that man again. Maggie's welcome to him."

"Maggie!" Jerry exploded on the other end of the line. "What the h.e.l.l is she talking about?"

Chapter 17

People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care.-Mrs. Miracle

Reba lay on the carpet next to the fireplace, her head propped against a decorator pillow, her legs bent and crossed and the phone cradled against her ear. Christmas music played softly in the background.

"I wish I'd been able to see you tonight," Seth said, his voice low and seductive.

"I wish you could have, too." She knew he was worried about his mother-in-law. "How's Sharon?"

"Not good." The unexpected arrival appeared to mystify him. "Jerry phoned, and the two got into a shouting match with me holding the phone. As best I can make out, Sharon saw him with another woman."

Reba bit into her lower lip, remembering the time she'd walked in and discovered her fiance and her sister together. The shock, the horror, and the pain of betrayal by two people she loved had overwhelmed her until it was all she could do to remember to breathe.

"Jerry would never cheat on Sharon," Seth said confidently. "I'd bet my life on it. He's just not the type."

"Is Sharon the kind of woman who'd jump to conclusions?"

"No," Seth admitted, and she heard the reluctance in his voice. "There's got to be an explanation, but all she does is blast out at Jerry. The poor guy can barely get a word in edgewise."

"She has a right to be angry." Reba was all too familiar with the anger that followed the shock of such a discovery. She'd carried hers around with her for four long years. It burned as brightly now as it had the day she'd stumbled upon John and Vicki in bed together.

At first, when she'd been numb with shock, John had tried to reason with her, explain it all away with the sweetest of lies. Vicki's eyes had said it all. They'd been filled with horror and regret, but it was too late. Much too late for apologies or forgiveness.

"Of course she has a right to be angry, but she isn't even giving Jerry a chance to explain himself. It's like she wants to believe he'd purposely hurt her."

"Perhaps he already has." Reba's hand tightened around the telephone receiver. Eventually she'd need to tell Seth about her strained relationship with her family. In the years since her broken engagement she hadn't related the story often, but she felt Seth had a right to know this painful part of her past. She cared about him, wanted with all of her heart for this relationship to work. Wanted it enough to bare her soul. The irony of it was that she could tell him only over the phone. She needed the separation, the protection of distance, in order to relate the details of what had shaped the last few years of her life.