The Christmas Portrait (13 page)

“Daddy's home.” Chesler's voice was like a trumpet all the way up the stairs.

“Coming!” Uncle Luke walked over and held out his hand to Miss Lisa. “Come on, you two artístes. It's almost lunchtime, and that tub of chili's smelling real good.”

Uncle Luke was right, Daddy's chili smelled real good. Everybody was so hungry Daddy skipped making the corn bread and got out the box of saltines. Next thing I knew, Uncle Luke and Daddy were passing out bowls and crackers and root beer like it was the soup kitchen down at the Methodist Church.

Once we were settled at the table, Daddy asked Chesler if he wanted to say the blessing. Mistake. He didn't say the one Uncle Luke taught him, but he thanked God for every person in our family by name, and then he thanked God for our house, and for the Christmas tree and for the bowls of chili, and when he started telling God he hoped Miss Applegate would marry Uncle Luke, Daddy interrupted and said, “Amen.”

From what I heard Daddy telling Uncle Luke, Chesler should have been praying for Laramie. She didn't have anything on Chesler's list she could thank God for, and she had nowhere to go, because Uncle Don and Aunt Susannah Hope had said no to taking her in.

C
HAPTER
T
WELVE

A
T THE LUNCH
table Miss Lisa said she was going Christmas shopping that afternoon and asked Uncle Luke to go with her. He just sat there and didn't say a word. I jabbed him in the ribs with my elbow, and he looked at me funny before turning back to her. “What would you think about catching a movie later because I have some shopping to do myself?” Then he wiggled his eyebrows like he did when he tried to be funny or cute.

Lucky for him she said, “Okay.”

I made sure to give her my sketchbook before she left. When I was hugging her good-bye, she whispered, “I'll get them framed and wrapped, and you'll have them under the tree on Christmas morning.” I thanked her and hugged her again real tight.

Daddy pulled on the sleeve of my sweater. “So what's all the whispering about?”

Before I could answer him, Miss Lisa said, “It's Christmas, John. The season of peace and joy and secrets. So don't ask.” She gave Daddy a hug and walked out on the porch with Uncle Luke right behind to see her off.

I wished I could hear what they were saying, but Daddy marched Chesler and me back to the kitchen. “Dishwashing time, Kate. I washed up the big nasty stuff and just left you the glasses and bowls.”

“Thanks, Daddy.”

He sent Chesler to the den and told him to watch a video. “Kate, what are you doing this afternoon?”

“I don't know. Sounds like Uncle Luke won't be here. You gotta work?”

“Nope, not today. What would you say about you and me going to the hospital to visit Laramie? Maybe we can get Uncle Luke to take Chesler with him shopping.”

“Or maybe we can leave him at Aunt Susannah Hope's.” I liked the idea of leaving Chesler somewhere else for a while, but I couldn't tell Daddy I didn't want to go to the hospital. Not that I didn't want to see Laramie, but the last time I went to the hospital, Mama was there.

“Your aunt is not up to it today, so we'll count on Uncle Luke. I think Laramie would like it a whole lot if we came to see her. She's in that hospital room all by herself. I called Pastor Simmons and asked him to stop by and see her, but that's not the same as seeing somebody she really knows.”

“Okay. Maybe I should make her a card before we go.”

“Great idea, daughter. How'd you get to be so thoughtful?” Daddy smiled and walked out of the kitchen.

I was rinsing the glasses when the redbird lit in the cedar tree. I looked at that redbird, just wishing I had a camera so I could take a picture. Only five more days 'til Christmas, and then maybe I'd have one.

I finished the dishes and went to my room. It took a little while to draw the picture on the card, and then I had to color it with pencils because I was almost out of paint. Maybe I should have asked for more paint for Christmas.

Daddy and Uncle Luke were talking at the kitchen table when I came back downstairs. Chesler was still watching the video and playing with his Matchbox cars, so I just sat down on the sofa with my card pretending to watch too, but I was really listening to Daddy and Uncle Luke talk.

Daddy sighed. “Yeah, Susannah Hope's just not up to taking Laramie right now. We may need to bring the girl here for a few days until they release her dad or they find her mother.”

“Okay by me.”

“I wish you'd check on Susannah while you're here, Luke. When I was over there this morning, she was pale and listless, and just didn't have much energy. I don't like that look. Reminded me of—”

He didn't finish his sentence, but I knew who he meant. Mama.

“Don't go jumping to conclusions. I mean, I can see why you would, but what Diana Joy had is not necessarily hereditary. I'll check on Susannah. The best I can do is to persuade her to see her own doctor.”

“Just tell her I asked you to stop by. Think you can do it on your way to town to do your shopping this afternoon?”

Uncle Luke was sounding like a real doctor. “All right, if you insist.”

“Thanks, Luke, just want your medical opinion. Now, little brother, when are you going to buy that sweet Lisa Applegate a ring? I think you've strung her along long enough.”

“You don't have any problem saying what you think, do you, big brother?”

Daddy ignored him and just went on. “You're about to finish school. Now's the time to buy Lisa a ring before somebody else puts one on her finger.”

“I don't know, John. I was thinking of waiting till I was done with my residency. I hear the hours are long.”

“Well, why not just wait till you're fifty-two?”

“But, John, I mean . . . this a big decision.”

“Look, Luke, take it from me. Don't waste one day. I'd give all I have for one more day with Diana Joy. You know you love Lisa, and she loves you. You're so good for each other. Well shoot, we all love her. Just buy the bloomin' ring and ask her to marry you.”

“I hear you. But how can I be sure she's the one?”

“Simple. Three questions. Do you think about her all the time?”

“Well, mostly, when I'm not in class or studying for a serious exam.”

“Do you think about anyone else more than you think about her?”

“No, I don't even think about anybody else except you and the kids and maybe a couple of my professors.”

“Okay then, can you imagine your life without her?”

“Now, that you ask it like that, no, I can't.”

“You're as sure as anyone ever can be, Luke. Just do it.” I heard chairs scraping along the floor as they pushed back from the table. “I'm taking Kate to the hospital this afternoon to visit Laramie. Could you watch Chesler for an hour before you shop?”

“Sure thing.”

Steps crossed the floor, and I buried my head in my book, pretending like I hadn't been paying any attention to them. Here I was again, hearing things I wasn't supposed to hear and having to keep it all to myself. Now I knew Aunt Susannah Joy was sick and Uncle Luke wanted to marry Miss Lisa, and I couldn't talk to anybody about it because I wasn't supposed to know.

Daddy came into the den. “Ready to go?”

“Just a minute, Daddy. Let me finish this page first.” I said that so he wouldn't think I had been listening.

“Well, excuse me for interrupting.” Daddy pinched my toe when he walked by the sofa. “Read it in a hurry. We need to get to the hospital. Uncle Luke's staying with Chesler, and we can't be gone long because he's still got shopping to do.”

I set aside my book. “Okay, then. I'm ready. I'll get my coat.” Before we left, I showed Daddy the card I made. He liked it.

When we drove past Aunt Susannah Hope's on our way to the hospital, I asked Daddy why Chesler couldn't stay there.

“Your aunt's a little under the weather.”

“Yes, sir, she didn't eat her lunch yesterday, and she didn't look too good. I thought it was because Chesler and I are just too much for her. She's not like Mama.”

“Nope, nobody's like your mama. She was one of a kind.”

I was hoping Daddy would say something else about Aunt Susannah Hope so I could get rid of that secret. But he didn't. Daddy must have thought she was bad sick, and Daddy didn't like to talk about bad things.

“What would you think, little peep, about bringing Laramie home with us for a few days, maybe just through Christmas?”

“You mean all the way through Christmas Day?”

“Well, yes, she can't go home until they release her daddy, and she doesn't have relatives around these parts. So she has nowhere else to go, and I don't think we'd feel good about her being in a shelter for Christmas when we have a big house and family to share.”

“But where will she sleep?”

“Oh, I thought she could share your room. Uncle Luke's home, so we can't put her in his bedroom.”

I nodded. “This could be our birthday present to Baby Jesus, taking care of Laramie.”

“You sound like your mama. That'll be a great present. Then let's ask Laramie when we get to the hospital. That'll make her feel better than any medicine. But I need to check on one thing at the hospital before we ask her, okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

We stopped at the nurse's station so Daddy could talk to Dr. Rushing. Daddy told me to go down the hall and sit in the family waiting area until he finished talking to the doctor.

I remembered this room from when Mama was sick. It was uncomfortable and sad looking then, and nothing had changed. There were gray chairs and a gray floor, and three tables with old magazines and only one window. It was always cold, even in the summer when I had to sit in here and wait for Daddy. And it smelled like medicine or cleaning stuff.

I was just sitting there, squinching my eyes like that would get rid of my sad memories about being here with Mama, when I heard footsteps. I looked up, hoping I'd see Daddy, but it was an old man, older than Granny Grace.

He was standing right next to me in front of the table. His old gray coat almost touched the floor and looked like he had been wearing it forever, and his white hair poked out from under his wool cap. He coughed, cleared his throat, and said, “Mind if I sit here, little one?”

Now Mama and Daddy always taught me not to talk to strangers, but he didn't seem much like a stranger, and besides, I could outrun him to the door. “No, sir, it's okay,” I said.

When he took off his gloves, I noticed they were old and worn like Daddy's work gloves. He took off his wool cap and stuffed his gloves and his cap in his coat pocket, and then he brushed his long white hair back and smoothed it down. That's when I saw his wrinkled face. His eyebrows looked like the bristles on a worn-out toothbrush, and his eyelids sagged a little bit like they were tired. His eyes were big and round and kinda gray and blue.

He had a quiet, kind voice, just like my grandpa's used to be. He unbuttoned his coat and sat down. That's when I noticed he wasn't dressed so good, and Granny Grace would have sent him straight to the shower before he could sit on her sofa or come to the table. I could see he was holding something under his arm inside his coat. It looked like books, but I wasn't sure. He kept his distance, and I was glad.

Surely Daddy would be here in a minute, but I thought I should say something. “Are you visiting somebody?” I asked.

“Well, you might say that.”

I didn't know what to make of that, so I just said, “I used to come here a lot when my mama was sick, but today I'm visiting my friend. That is, when my daddy comes to take me to see her.”

“Well, I'd say that's a mighty nice thing you're doing, visiting your friend.” He fumbled under his coat and brought out a bright green book of matches out of the pocket of his ratty-looking sweater. I could read the words Haven of Hope printed in gold on the front before he started twirling it through his fingers. “It's a good thing to have friends. Now take me, I just mostly move around making new friends. But I find moving around is a good way to meet folks, just like meeting you here today.”

“Yes, sir.” He seemed nice, so I thought it was okay to keep talking to him. “We're taking care of my friend Laramie during the holidays. She's all by herself. Her mama's gone, and her daddy's in jail. I don't know if I was supposed to tell you all that, but anyway, I told Daddy that taking Laramie in would be our gift to Baby Jesus this year.”

The old man stopped twirling the matches and rubbed his hand across his scruffy beard. “Little one, it's okay to tell me whatever's on your mind. Your thoughts are safe with me, and I'll say to you I think that's a mighty worthy present to give to Baby Jesus.”

“I hope so, because I'm not so sure we can get a real present to Him up in heaven.”

“Well now, that's an interesting idea.” His voice was real gentle, and I was beginning to think he was a nice man. I thought Daddy would understand this time about me talking to a stranger.

“What's your name, Mister?” I asked.

He didn't say straight out. It was like he had to remember his own name, and then he just said, “You can call me Mr. Josh. What may I call you?”

“My name's Katherine Joy Harding.”

“Like your mama?”

“How do you know my mama's name?”

“Well, I just figured it was Mrs. Harding.”

“Oh.”

“So I should call you Katherine Joy Harding?”

“No, sir. Kate'll do. That's what my friends call me.” I don't know why I said that, but it just felt all right to say it.

“Katherine Joy, you look a bit worried, child.” He didn't call me Kate. “What put that serious look on your face?”

I didn't know why, but I told him that my mama had died and Laramie's mom had left, and that I didn't understand why such bad things had to happen. I hoped he couldn't tell I was about to cry.