Songs of Christmas (25 page)

“Yes, yes, I’m sure,” Lillian hastily cut her off. She didn’t need the play-by-play. She just wanted the bottom line. “What should a person do? Where do they apply? Can they get a little apartment somewhere, or maybe a motel room? Just until they get back on their feet.”

“Mother, what is all this about? Why are you asking me all these questions?”

“No reason in particular,” Lillian insisted. She paused, drumming up an excuse. “I’ve been watching the news and am just wondering about all these poor souls. It’s quite distressing.”

The news had disturbed her on a deep level, though no one she knew well had been so devastated. Her own family, thank heavens, had gotten through the storm with relatively few damages.

But now she did know someone firsthand. It wasn’t just pictures of strangers in their washed-out homes, sifting through soggy possessions, everything ruined and washed away. It was someone she saw every day. Who lived under her own roof.

“Well, they have to apply for assistance, and we have counselors working to match them up with appropriate programs,” Emily explained. “There is some temporary housing, but everything in Cape Light is pretty much filled by now. There are still some motel rooms available in Peabody, I think, and a little farther north.”

Motels? Farther north? Lillian didn’t like the sound of that. Estrella might not want her family so far from Cape Light, even though she wasn’t with them much during the week. As long as they were in Cape Light, she did have proximity if an emergency arose with her children. Lillian knew that was important to her.

Lillian sighed. “I see. You’ve been very helpful. Thank you for your time.”

“Mother? Are you all right? Maybe you should put the newspaper aside and not watch so much TV today.”

“I hardly watch that idiot box at all. It rots your brain. I’ve always told you that,” Lillian insisted.

“Yes, I know. But all this bad news can be . . . overwhelming. It does make some people depressed. Especially since it’s almost the holidays.”

“Well, I’m not one of them. So put your mind at rest,” Lillian snapped back. “Can’t a person be curious?”

“Yes, Mother, a person can be curious.” Lillian could hear Emily shuffling papers and even talking sotto voce to someone nearby.

She hated to be double-tasked by her daughters. That really got under her skin. “I think you’re busy. I’d better go. Have a good day.”

“You, too, Mother. Oh . . . how is Estrella doing? I know she came back this morning. I didn’t get to talk to her yet.”

“She’s doing fine. Ezra is over the moon at their reunion . . . and the Dish ran away with the Spoon,” she finished tartly.

Emily laughed softly. “Thanks for the update. I’ll see you later.”

Shortly after the call, Lillian made her way down to the kitchen. Estrella was folding laundry and talking on the phone to her mother. She looked a bit wary when Lillian walked in and seemed about to cut the call short.

Lillian waved her hand indulgently. “You can talk. I just wanted a glass of water.”

As Lillian took the water pitcher from the refrigerator, a glass magically appeared nearby. Estrella was somehow able to fold laundry, talk to her mother, and anticipate Lillian’s needs. Some juggling act. One had to admire that, Lillian thought grudgingly.

Lillian sipped her water and looked over the mail, which Estrella had brought in earlier and left in the appropriate spot on the counter. Estrella was speaking in Spanish. Lillian could barely make out a word, but sensed that she was trying to calm her mother down. Lillian couldn’t tell what the problem was exactly. Probably their housing situation. What else could it be?

Estrella finished her call, put the laundry aside, and smiled at Lillian. “Did you have a good rest, Mrs. Elliot? I was just about to check on Dr. Ezra and make the lunch.”

“I looked in on him. Let him sleep a little more . . . I was wondering, Estrella, have you applied for any temporary housing? Or some sort of assistance? My daughter Emily might be able to help you . . . and we have a lot of extra furniture around here. I mean, when you get a new place. Our church, the one on the village green, is giving out clothes and all sort of things . . .”

Her voice trailed off. She didn’t know what else to say. She was trying to help, wasn’t she?

“Thank you, Mrs. Elliot. I have made some calls. I need to fill out papers. The offices are only open nine to five. I will have to take some time off to go there. My mother tried today, but she doesn’t speak the language well enough to take care of these things. She’s very upset, and I am just talking to her about all of this.”

“Oh, I see. Yes, there would be paperwork.” If Estrella was here all day and night, how could she apply for help with her housing situation? Lillian had not thought of that. “Well, you should look into it. I can give you some time off. Someone in the family can cover for you.”

Estrella seemed surprised by the offer. “Thank you, Mrs. Elliot. I will make more calls and let you know what I find out.”

“What are you talking about in there? I’m awake, you know, and I’d like to be part of the conversation.”

The two women heard Ezra’s voice, loud and clear, shouting at them over the monitor.

“Dr. Ezra, I will be right in with your medicine,” Estrella said.

“Keep your shirt on, Ezra. No reason to make a fuss,” Lillian added. She glanced at Estrella and shook her head. “I think he’s very spoiled now, with all this attention you give him. Very spoiled.”

Estrella had all the medications set out on a tray and was pouring a glass of water and marking her chart. “
Sí
, Mrs. Elliot. But he is a good man, your husband. I like to help him.”

Lillian tried to maintain a disapproving face, but couldn’t quite manage it. “You have helped him,” she said finally.
Even more than I’m able to,
she added silently, though she would never admit that out loud.

A few minutes later, Estrella had given Ezra his midday pills and checked his vital signs. “How’s my blood pressure?” he asked.

“Very good. One hundred twenty over seventy-five. That is good because, I think, the last few days, you have not been keeping so salt-free, Dr. Ezra?”

“I slipped up a little here and there.” Lillian noticed a guilty look on Ezra’s face.

“My family was cooking for us,” Lillian explained, coming to his defense. “It wasn’t his fault, really, but now he has to get back on the straight and narrow. We both do. Right, Ezra?”

Ezra glanced at her. “That’s right.”

He was still annoyed at her. Keeping his distance, at least. Lillian decided to just ignore it.

“I have prepared a nice lunch for you, all salt-free,” Estrella reminded him playfully. “Do you want to eat in the dining room?”

“Oh, I don’t care,” Ezra waved his hand. “Listen, before you run off, what were you both talking about in the kitchen before? That monitor is on, you know,” he reminded them.

Lillian blanched. Had that infernal monitor broadcast their conversation into Ezra’s room? It was possible. More likely he had turned up his hearing aids to superhero level in order to eavesdrop on them.

Estrella glanced at her. Lillian could tell she was wary of replying.

“We were just talking about Estrella’s situation,” Lillian began. “I got some information from Emily. Estrella can apply for temporary housing for her family.”

Though she might end up at some distance,
she declined to add.

“I see.” Ezra’s eyes narrowed. Lillian could tell he was not pleased with her. He glanced at Estrella, his gaze softening. “Have you done that, dear? Filled out any forms and whatnot?”

Estrella shook her head. “Not yet, Dr. Ezra. Maybe tomorrow I can go in the morning. Mrs. Elliot said she would find someone to help you both here.”

Ezra looked back at Lillian. “I see. We’ll discuss that,” he told her. Lillian answered with a shrug.

“I suppose we can eat lunch in the kitchen,” Lillian said, hoping to change the subject. “Ezra, can you get up with your crutches or shall we get the chair?”

“I can use the crutches. I need the exercise,” he insisted.

“Very good. I’ll be back to help you. Don’t try by yourself, Dr. Ezra,” Estrella warned. She picked up her chart and medical equipment and left them alone.

Estrella had brought Ezra the newspaper, and he snapped it open, hiding himself behind it, as if it were a partition.

“Come out from behind there, Ezra. I know what you’re doing.”

“Reading the news . . . so much loss and grief. It’s overwhelming. Makes a person want to help . . . in some small way . . . Most people do,” he said pointedly, putting the paper down to look at her.

Lillian was so frustrated with him, she felt her teeth grind together and her hands clench into fists. She took a deep, steadying breath and exhaled. The way Dr. Newton had taught her once to calm herself.

It didn’t help much.

“I know what you’re thinking, Ezra Elliot. Now think about this: If they move in, there’s going to be a racket around here, young children running around the house, the TV going night and day—”

“She only has two children, Lillian, and I suspect they are very well-behaved. When they watch TV, you can close your door.”

“I can close my door? They can close their door,” she countered. “We’ll be stuck with them for Christmas. Did you consider that?”

“Of course I did. I think it would be great fun to have children in the house at Christmas. I think Estrella’s little girl still believes in Santa. How can children have any sort of Christmas in a shelter or some cramped motel room? It seems heartless to let that happen, Lily, when we could prevent it. You and me. Not some faceless, anonymous government office somewhere.”

She wanted to reply but felt her lips pinch together, anger welling up inside.

“This is a chance for us to extend ourselves, to be kind,” he continued. “To take action on our Christian values . . . ‘For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you took me in.’ Matthew 25,” he noted, tacking on one of his favorite Bible quotes.

Ezra and that relentless memory of his. Lillian swallowed hard.

“Yes, I know the Book of Matthew, thank you very much. You win the blue ribbon in Bible class.”

He was letting loose the cannons on her today, wasn’t he? Well, she had taken a few hits, but she wasn’t going under yet.

“I’m very sorry for them, truly I am. And I do try to be a good Christian . . . which is not for you to say. ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged,’” she fired back. “I just don’t believe that means you must invite strangers into your home to prove it. I’m sure I’m not alone in this. You know how I feel about my privacy. I’m sure they can find some help. I’ll see to it personally.”

Ezra shook his head, looking disgusted. “You could see to it very personally. You just don’t want to. And what is so sacrosanct about your privacy, may I ask? Is that so important to you? At this stage in my life, I want to be anything but private and alone. I want to be connected to people, even strangers, for as long as I’m able. That’s what being alive is about. Don’t you get it?”

Lillian stood up. She wasn’t going to be lectured to like this, not even by her husband. “I have tried to meet you halfway, but this conversation is pointless, Ezra. You don’t want to negotiate.”

“There is nothing to negotiate here, Lillian. I’m right and you are wrong. Very wrong,” he insisted.

Lillian was about to reply when Estrella appeared in the doorway with Ezra’s crutches. “The lunch is served. I can help you out of bed, Dr. Ezra.”

Ezra glanced at her, then at Lillian. “I don’t feel very hungry, Estrella. Thank you. I think I’ll just stay here and take another nap.”

He rolled to his side, pulled the cover over his shoulder with his good hand, and shut his eyes.

Estrella looked surprised and stared at Lillian. Lillian shook her head and put her finger over her lips, signaling it wasn’t worth trying to coax him.

How long was he going to carry on like this? She had never seen anything quite like it.

Lillian went into the kitchen and called Emily. “Emily? Do you have a minute?”

“What’s wrong? Is Ezra all right?”

“It’s not Ezra exactly. It’s Estrella. Well, he’s out of sorts, mad at me. But let’s not get into that. Estrella’s lost the cottage she rents. It flooded. Can you talk to her? Give her some pointers about where to find some help?”

“Oh dear, how awful for them. Yes, of course I’ll help her. Is she there?”

“She’s right here. I’ll put her on.”

Estrella had gone back to the pantry to bring out another bottle of spring water. She looked surprised when Lillian handed her the cell phone. “It’s my daughter, Emily. She wants to help you.”

“Hello? Mayor Warwick?” Estrella took the phone and began talking to Emily. She found a pad and started writing things down, standing at the counter. A good sign, Lillian thought. She felt encouraged and began eating her lunch. Maybe by the time Ezra gave up this pout, Estrella would know what to do and where to go. Everything would be settled.

She certainly hoped so.
Dear Lord above, with all I’ve been through lately, with Ezra being sick and Mrs. Fallon disappearing on us, please don’t make me take these people in. I just couldn’t bear it. “The Lord doesn’t give you a burden heavier than you can carry.”

She had heard that motto many times. The thought gave Lillian some hope she would be exempt from taking on this one.

Lillian allowed Estrella to use the phone for the rest of the day, calling government offices and trying to make headway on her situation. Ezra was still in a dour mood and would not play gin rummy or Scrabble. He didn’t want to leave his room and would barely speak to her when she went in.

Old grouchy pants.
Well, suit yourself,
she told him silently. Still, his silent reprobation stung. Was she really being so awful and heartless?

She still didn’t think so.

* * *

“WELL . . . ANY PROGRESS?” LILLIAN WALKED INTO THE KITCHEN. IT
was late afternoon, and Estrella was about to start dinner. “I mean with the housing offices. Did anyone call you back?”