Nothing Short of a Miracle (4 page)

The door opened wide and a rotund, middle-aged woman greeted her along with a great stream of warm, tantalizing holiday spices. The woman’s colorful Christmas apron, decorated in tiny gingerbread cutouts along the edges, was dusted with flour. It was obvious she’d been in the middle of baking.

“Hello, I’m Gabriella Rumsey. I’m here to interview for the health aide position with Mr. and Mrs. Hempstead,” Gabriella spoke in a rush. “I’m sorry I’m so late.”

“That’s okay, Dearie, the Hempsteads are expecting you. I’m Ethel, by the way.” The woman welcomed her with a lilting voice and a ready smile. “Come on in here out of the cold.”

The entranceway was decorated for the holiday season with a wide ribbon of green velvet intertwined along the curved banister of the formal stairway—it took Gabriella’s breath away. Boughs of evergreens hung at measured intervals. The foyer, carpeted in an intricate wild dusty rose pattern, ran the length of the stairway leading to the second floor.

“Here, let me take your wee bundle while you get out of your coat.” Ethel lifted Nina out of Gabriella’s arms with tender care, and drew the blanket back. “Oh, what a sweet babe,” the woman crooned.

Nina opened her eyes and let out a wail.

Great.
What a way to start an interview.
The job was as good as gone.

“I’m sorry. She doesn’t like strangers much,” Gabriella said, reaching for the infant.

Ethel started bouncing Nina in a gentle, swaying motion, side to side. To Gabriella’s amazement, Nina stopped crying. And gurgled and cooed up at the smiling woman for all she was worth.

“Why, she’s just a bit tired from being all bundled up in this weather.” Ethel held Nina tight against her ample chest and patted and rubbed her back at the same time. “Follow me, now. Mrs. Hempstead is in the library. It’s her favorite spot next to the fire. I’ll have tea and fresh muffins ready in just a moment. Why don’t I keep this wee one with me so you can have a nice chat without being disturbed?”

Gabriella followed like a puppy, relieved for the moment that Nina wasn’t fussing.

“You just go on in while I tend to tea,” Ethel said. “They’ll be waiting for you.”

Gabriella’s breath caught when she entered the huge lovely library. A soothing, healing sensation of homecoming enveloped her. Shelves of books lined two of the walls, and a large floor-to-ceiling picture window trimmed in solid oak filled another. But it was the enormous stone fireplace that dominated the room with its bright, cheery fire crackling in the open grate. Gabriella had a quick flashback of pilgrims standing next to a big kettle of soup with bread baking on the hearth.

She didn’t see the couple sitting to the side of the room until the gentleman spoke.

“The fireplace has the same effect on everyone the first time they see it.” The tall gentleman stood and stretched out his hand. Gabriella’s hand disappeared in his large, sturdy, yet gentle clasp. Without a doubt, Mr. Hempstead was king of his castle and dominated the room with his presence. But in a nice way. He smiled, making her feel welcome. The agency had informed her he’d recently had gall bladder surgery—he didn’t look as if he’d undergone anything more serious than the removal of an ingrown nail. His warmth and ready smile put her at ease.

“It’s breathtaking,” she said, referring to the fireplace. “I’ve never seen anything quite like it.”

“No need to apologize, my dear. As I said, we get the same reaction from everyone who sees it for the first time. The house was built in the early 1800s, and this was probably the main meeting room, as most kitchens would have been either downstairs or off in another building. We’ve added the bookshelves and the large window right after we moved in almost twenty-five years ago. It’s our favorite room. Come. Take a look out the window. We have a great view of the lake.”

Gabriella followed Mr. Hempstead over to the large window and gazed in amazement at the panoramic view of Cayuga Lake. The lake stretched north for miles.

“No wonder you love this room. The view is fabulous.”

“You should see the lake when it’s lit up on the Fourth of July during the annual Lights Around the Lake event. It’s spectacular. Anyway, with Helen stuck in a wheelchair now, this is a splendid room for her to spend the day recuperating. Isn’t that right, my dear?” Mr. Hempstead turned toward the fireplace.

A small woman huddled in an oversized wheelchair, a lap rug tucked over her knees smiled warmly at them. Mrs. Hempstead wheeled her chair out from around one of the high-back chairs. She was dressed in a burgundy sweater, and every single strand of her snow-white hair was styled neatly in place, forming a bob around her delicate, angelic face.

“I’m pleased to meet you. Excuse me if I don’t get up,” Helen Hempstead said with a warm, welcoming smile.

Gabriella walked toward Mrs. Hempstead as the woman pushed her wheelchair forward to meet Gabriella halfway.

“You must be Gabriella Rumsey. I hope you found the place without too much difficulty.”

Gabriella took the hand Mrs. Hempstead offered only to have Mrs. Hempstead clasp her other hand over top of hers, cupping them. Comforting warmth flowed between them, and Gabriella relaxed. She liked this couple very much. They reminded her of her parents.

“Have a seat, my dear,” Helen offered. “Come. Sit by the fire. It’s such a windy day today as you can see by the whitecaps on the lake. Now then, why don’t we get started before Ethel comes in with our tea?”

Gabriella followed Mrs. Hempstead back toward the fireplace and sank into one of the overstuffed chairs. It would be so easy to close her eyes, snuggle into the deep folds of the seat and take a nap. Having a baby in her room made for a few sleepless nights. Instead, she sat up straight on the edge of the chair, and placed her hands in her lap.

“You don’t have to worry about me,” Mr. Hempstead told her, looking sideways at his wife. “I’m recovered enough to go back to the office on Monday. Been away too long as it is. Just can’t take sitting around here while there are things to be done at the office. Now, Helen on the other hand…”

“Chadwick, you know you shouldn’t be returning to work so soon,” his wife interrupted. “It won’t hurt you to take another week off to make sure your health isn’t affected. That old stuffy office of yours can wait a little longer.”

“I’m fine, dear. You just like having me around the house to wait on you and keep you company.” He turned to Gabriella and smiled. “We made up our minds to hire someone to keep Helen company so I can go back to work without a guilty conscience. I’m not good at sitting around all day—even at my age.”

“I do have Ethel, dear. But you’re right. She is busy enough as it is keeping up with everything now that the holidays are here and our son has come for a visit. I’m usually very active,” she said. “But this hip has set me back making more work for everyone else.”

Her eyes twinkled, her lips a broad grin defined the fine bone structure of her rosy cheeks. The woman reminded her of Mrs. Claus.

“I do need someone to help out on occasion and of course, to keep me company while Chadwick is at the office. Now, what can you tell us about yourself?”

Gabriella looked back and forth between the two during their obvious loving married-couple banter. She smiled, liking them even more, and wondered if they would terminate the interview once they found out she was a single parent.

Regardless of whether she had a chance at this position or not, Gabriella needed to be honest. She gave them a brief run down on her situation. About to tell them about Nina, Ethel entered the room maneuvering a teacart loaded with a heaping platter of pumpkin muffins and a steaming pot of tea with one hand. In the other, she tugged a small bassinet-type carriage on wheels behind her. Gabriella marveled at her ease at dealing with both at the same time. She caught the strong aroma of ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg and her taste buds started to water.

Mrs. Hempstead spotted Nina.

“A baby! Oh, my, Chadwick… a tiny baby,” she clapped her hands together in front of her chest. “Why, you didn’t say you had an infant with you.” Mrs. Hempstead scolded and beamed at the same time, all but clapping her hands together. “We just love babies, don’t we Chadwick?”

For a moment, Mrs. Hempstead looked to be on the verge of tears; she was so excited—truly overcome with joy.

“Thought you might be ready for your wee-one,” Ethel said, lifting Nina from the bassinette. “She’s been a real good baby, she has.”

“Well, you just bring her right on over here to me,” Mrs. Hempstead said. “Do you mind if I hold her? I just love to hold sleeping babies. Chadwick, I think this is going to work out just fine. Just fine, indeed.”

Mrs. Hempstead didn’t wait for Gabriella’s permission to hold the once-again sleeping infant. Ethel, with careful but firm movements, placed Nina in Mrs. Hempstead’s waiting arms. The petite woman, clearly in her element, cuddled the tiny baby who snuggled in her warm welcoming arms.

“Having a baby in the house again is going to be wonderful,” Mrs. Hempstead cooed.

Gabriella wasn’t sure what had just happened. Had she just been offered the position?

“I thought we’d never have another baby in the house, dear.” She looked at her husband. “You know how Chad feels about marriage.”

Mr. Hempstead stood shaking his head at his wife, not saying a thing. His smile, however, showed his amusement. And his love for his wife sparkled in his smiling eyes.

Helen Hempstead’s eyes were glued to the sleeping baby in her lap. “This is so wonderful, my dear. You can move in this weekend, can’t you?” She turned to Gabriella, her eyes pleading.

Move in? Was Mrs. Hempstead asking her to move in with them? This was way beyond her expectations. She hadn’t contemplated a live-in position. Especially, having Nina. But it would solve a major problem she hadn’t wrestled with yet. Her roommates were going home for winter break. She and Nina could stay with Mr. and Mrs. Hempstead and not be alone during the holidays.

“Now, Helen. Don’t get yourself all worked up over this baby. It’s only to be a temporary situation. Besides, there’s Sheila and Sean’s new baby, Devon.”

“I know. I know. But they live clear the other side of town, and since I’ve been in this darn contraption I don’t get out and about as much as I’d like.” The wheelchair-bound woman turned to Gabriella. “I have several grandchildren, and Sheila and Sean just had a new baby boy, but they don’t come over much at the moment so I can get my fill of that sweet baby boy. And my girls don’t bring my grandchildren to visit because they’re afraid the kids will get underfoot and become a nuisance since I broke my hip. But with you here, I’m sure things will change.”

Gabriella didn’t know how her being there would change things, but she liked Mrs. Hempstead. And it didn’t look as if the job was beyond her capabilities.

Mr. Hempstead rolled his eyes at his wife and continued to shake his head.

“Gabriella, you’ll have to excuse my wife. She is besotted with babies, even if they aren’t family. As you can see by the pictures scattered around the room, we are a close family.”

It was hard not to be affected by the warmth filling this house—this home. Oh, how tempting it would be to take this job during the winter break. Until after the holidays. It would be heaven to have time to rethink her life, and determine what was best for Nina.

Mr. Hempstead led Gabriella over to the mantel lined with framed photographs surrounded by sprigs of evergreen, and red and gold bows.

“These are our three children when they were babies,” he said, a smile in his voice. “And here’s one of each of them when they were in kindergarten. Now, here’s when they were in high school—that’s Sheila, and Jodi and here’s Chad.”

On the opposite side of the mantel, photos of the children when they were in high school and college were also displayed. But before Mr. Hempstead continued, the library doors flew open.

All heads turned as one to see a tall handsome man with ice-blue eyes, and dark curly hair, standing rigid, hands on hips, with a frown on his face sure to freeze hell over in a heartbeat.

“Chad,” Mrs. Hempstead called out.

“Son,” Mr. Hempstead said, pleased.

Oh, no! It couldn’t be!
Gabriella gasped and almost choked on the warm dry air caught in the back of her throat. The man who had rear-ended her car the other day was none other than Chad Hempstead.

What were the odds?

The hands of fate had just dealt her another unlucky blow.

Gabriella wanted to crawl under the chair with Nina and disappear.

Chapter Three

“You!”
Chad blustered. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?” The unexpected Norman Rockwell-type family Christmas picture he’d walked in on crumbled around him.
How the hell had she found out where he lived?

He waited for her reaction. Her shaking hands flew to her chest. Her eyes grew round.
Damn, she was just as beautiful as he remembered.
He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her, but to see her here, with his family as if she belonged, made him wonder what she was up to.

“Don’t tell me, you’ve come to set up a date after all?”

“What? A date? What are you talking about?” she stammered.

“Don’t you remember? You certainly can’t be after more money. I gave you enough to take care of any damages I may have caused.”

“Money?”

“Yes, money. Do you have to repeat everything I say?”

Money. Of course she had to be after more money. With women it was always about money. Well, she wasn’t going to get any more of his money.

“Of course not—you’ve just caught me by surprise.”

“I just bet I have. So, how much are you asking?”

“Asking? I’m not after your money. I’m here to see about a job.”

“Job? What job?” Chad turned to his mother and father who were both staring at him as if he were an alien come to take over the world.

“Mom? Dad? What is she doing here? What job is she interviewing for?”

“This is your home? These are your parents?”