A Christmas Home: A Novel (21 page)

George was doing his best to calm Mary Ann down, but it was not going well.

“So all you know is he bought a suit and they’re going to spend the day together. George, something is up. Todd took all his money out of the bank. Do you think they’re going to do something crazy like elope and move to France?”

“That idea did occur to me. Not a bad plan.” He took his wife’s hands in his own. “Would you like to elope with me and move to France? I make a mean grilled
fromage
.”

She thrust his hands aside. “George, this is no time to joke.”

“You’re worrying too much. It’s Christmastime. Todd was asking me about gift-giving. Maybe they’re driving to Kansas City and he’s treating her to a nice day on the town.”

Worry returned to her face. “A three-thousand-dollar nice day on the town, dressed in a suit? How do you spend that much money in Kansas City?”

“Mary Ann, he is a twenty-four-year-old man entitled to do what he wants with his own money. We’re going to have to trust him. We’ll know soon enough.”

Todd had never been to Disneyland. The Heartland School for Dogs was the next best thing. He more floated than walked through Heartland’s facilities with a strong sense of having arrived at some crucial place on his life path. The buildings and kennels were spotlessly clean. Hayley would have approved.

On a good day at the shelter, Todd might have an hour or two to really work on training dogs. Most of his time was spent caring for and feeding the animals. Here the priorities were different. The dogs at Heartland were not waiting in pens hoping to find a place to call home—a place where they could belong and be accepted. Dogs were the kings at the Heartland School. Because they had a purpose and
a calling, they enthusiastically embraced each day of their lives.

Julie couldn’t resist pulling one of her favorite goldens out of the kennel. As she briefly worked Lily, any observer would be able to see that a sense of purpose emanated from the very core of her canine soul; the retriever was focused and happy to do her job. Like the dog he was watching, Todd was nearly overwhelmed with joy. He felt more at home than when he was at home. He just kept saying, “Wow!” Laura could feel his excitement and reached out to squeeze his hand.

After the tour Julie asked Todd to show Lyle some of the things that he had taught Gracie. They went into a huge training room that was filled with props—wheelchairs, mannequins, pull toys, and boxes of objects to be identified and retrieved. Todd shot for the moon. He recognized the room from the training video. He looked around until he found what he was searching for. He took the lead from Laura and walked Gracie out into the center of the room. He faced west, said her name softly to get her attention, and gave the first of many commands.

“Refrigerator!”

Gracie sprang into action. For the next ten minutes, she executed command after command. She was flawless.

And so was Todd.

After Todd completed his demonstration with Gracie, Lyle ushered him into his office, where he conducted the formal interview for the next hour. Julie knew enough to
make her decision, so she spent the time with Laura talking about Laura’s work with Gracie in the Wellness Center.

When he was finished, Lyle ordered in lunch—sub sandwiches magically delivered from right across the street—and they all ate together in the facility’s dining space, which was located in one corner of the large training room.

Lyle eased into what amounted to his only remaining concern. “Todd, to become certified as a service-dog trainer takes most of our new employees three years. It’s like a college degree. Except with us, you do the work and don’t read about how to do it. You’re way ahead of where we expect most new hires to be, so it might not take that long for you. Still, it’s a big commitment.”

Todd was comfortable enough to be honest. “I learn better doing and not reading.”

Lyle put it out there: “Is this something you want? Are you willing to make a three-year commitment?”

“Yes, sir, it’s something I want. More than anything.”

Lyle glanced at Julie, who nodded. “In that case, Todd, let us talk and we’ll try to get right back to you.”

TODD DROPPED
his keys on his kitchen table and checked his cell phone for messages. There were several—all from the same person. He hurriedly dialed the number.

“Hi, Mom—got your messages.”

“I’ve been calling you all day.”

“Sorry, I muted the ringer and forgot to turn it back on.” Todd felt a little guilty after hearing her worried tone on his voice mail.

“So are you home now?” Mary Ann asked.

“Yes. Do you want me to come to the back door and wave at you?” He wasn’t sure what he’d say if she asked him where he’d been all day, so he was relieved when she didn’t ask.

“No, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” She was dying to know where he’d disappeared to, but she was trying very hard to follow George’s suggestion and leave
Todd alone. “I’m glad you’re home. I need to finish getting ready for the party.”

“I’ll come up to the house in a few minutes to help out.”

He’s safe, that’s all that matters, and that’s all I need to know for now
, Mary Ann told herself as she hung up. She willed herself to relax and finish her last-minute party preparations. It was just after six on Sunday when the first cars started to arrive.

The ground was frozen hard enough that the partygoers could park in the barnyard without getting stuck. George had wired a pair of outdoor speakers to the exterior wall of the back porch so that holiday tunes floated across the night air to greet their guests. Todd and Mary Ann had created a Christmas song list on her already outdated MP3 player. Creating the playlist was the easy part; getting mother and son to agree on the songs that went on the playlist was harder. They finally compromised with a mix of Todd’s country favorites and Mary Ann’s more traditional selections.

When she heard a knock, Mary Ann yelled out to George and Todd. “They’re here!”

Still wearing her apron, Mary Ann opened the back door and greeted the first guests. Only city people ever came to the front door. It was Principal Wallace and his wife.

“Merry Christmas! Thanks for coming.”

Mr. Wallace, nearly sixty, sighed happily. “We wouldn’t miss it. Been coming out here since I was a little boy.”

Because the kitchen would soon be jammed with visitors, Mary Ann ushered her guests toward the living room. “By the way, thanks again so much for lending me those volunteers. The McCray shelter is up and running.”

“I’d like a tour of our students’ handiwork after I’ve had one of these little fancy sandwiches.”

“I’m sure Todd would love to lead a tour. But I’ll warn you, we still have nine dogs left, and Todd’s not shy about filling out adoption papers!”

By six-thirty the house was beginning to fill. With minimal coaxing, and recognizing that her guests expected a music teacher to do such things, Mary Ann sat down at the piano and started leafing through her Christmas songbook. She was willing to play, but only if others gathered around and sang with her.

After leading her guests through a few Christmas standards, she looked out the window from her piano bench. “Laura and her parents are here,” she called. “Now we have professional singers on board!”

Todd’s eyes suddenly lit up when he heard Laura’s name. He went to the window. Right behind the Jordan car he noticed the unmistakable old blue Chrysler Imperial. “Doc Pelot is here, too,” he added.

As they got out of their cars, the vet spoke to Laura’s father. Laura, her mother, and Doc Pelot came into the
kitchen where George and Todd were, but John Jordan lingered outside.

“Merry Christmas, George!” the vet said. “I told John to park right in your yard, close to the house. I hope you don’t mind. It’ll make it easier for him to unload his cargo. Go on out there now. He’ll need your help.”

“His cargo? My help?” George didn’t know what to make of the strange comments and looked to Todd for a clue, but Todd was busy escorting Laura and her mom into the living room. Shrugging, George did as Doc directed. Minutes later he and John Jordan returned with a large, but thin, rectangular object hidden beneath a green blanket.

George looked at Doc Pelot as they entered the house through the kitchen. “Thanks, Doc, but I’m not sure we have space for another Rembrandt.”

Doc Pelot motioned toward one of the back bedrooms, where guests had been depositing their hats and coats, and said, “Just put it in there for now.”

After George set it down, he returned to the kitchen and grinned at Doc Pelot. “Anything else you have up your sleeve for me this evening?”

“Yes, there is an old man in a wheelchair who just pulled up and he might need your help to get inside.”

Before George could inquire about the name of the mystery guest, Dr. Wilson, the young staff physician at the Wellness Center, approached the back door pushing a wheelchair.

George was shocked but pleased, quickly helping Dr. Wilson get the chair over the threshold of the back door and fussing over his surprise guest. Doc Pelot looked down at his friend in the chair. “Merry Christmas, Hank.”

“Let’s get this party started,” Hank said.

George pushed Hank’s wheelchair up to the piano. Mary Ann could hardly believe her eyes and stopped playing, rising to give her old sick friend a hug.

Earlier, Doc Pelot and Hank had had to promise Dr. Wilson that it would be a short outing for his patient, so now they needed to work quickly. The vet went over and stood beside Hank and cleared his throat. “Could I please have everyone’s attention for a moment? Hank and I, the designated old geezers of Crossing Trails, have hijacked this Christmas party to make an announcement.”

A blanket covered Hank Fisher’s legs and he looked truly old, but there was still fiery excitement in his eyes. “I’ve not missed a single McCray holiday party since George’s grandparents held the very first one,” he said. “I didn’t want to ruin my perfect attendance record.”

One guest started clapping, and soon there was a round of applause for their plucky elder. They knew the last year had been rough. Hank held his hand up. With use, his voice gained in strength. “Thank you, but there is another reason I’m here, and I want to get to it before Doctor Wilson revokes my hall pass.”

Hank surveyed the room to make sure that everything
and everyone had taken their assigned spot. He looked up at his friend and said, “This old man standing next to me …”

Doc Pelot tapped the floor with his cane and picked up a foot and set it back down again to let it be known that he was still on his own two feet. The vet gave Todd a wink.

Hank continued, “Anyway, us old codgers decided something a few days back, and we want to share it with you tonight. We thought this was a fitting time and place.”

The room suddenly fell very quiet as everyone realized that the joking was over. All eyes were on Hank. “Susan, would you come over here, please? Susan, as most of you know, is my attorney.”

Susan Reeves moved beside his wheelchair. “I asked Susan to come with me tonight for a very special reason. Susan has set up a little charitable company—she calls it a not-for-profit foundation—and it’s meant to help us deal with a serious problem here in Crossing Trails. Hank and I decided that we’re too old to have anything named after us, so, Doc, why don’t you share what we decided to call it?”