Free Jingle Bell Blessings by Bonnie K. Winn Page B

in college. Took all my classes in the evening.” Chloe hesitated. “I’m sensing you asked for a reason.”
    â€œNot really. Just that we’re shorthanded at the moment. One of our regulars is out on maternity leave. And, frankly, we can’t afford a temporary replacement. We need to holdthe job open for Melanie because her husband lost his job. He stays home with the kids, at least until he finds some thing else.”
    â€œI’d be happy to help.” The words flew from her mouth before she gave them thorough consideration. “I do have a lot of time on my hands. I would need to leave every day in time to pick up Jimmy from school, but in between…”
    Mr. Perkin studied her again. “I might just take you up on that offer.”
    â€œI hope you will.” As she spoke, Chloe realized it was true. Accustomed to being busy, she was restless between the time she dropped Jimmy off at school and then picked him up. Without anything concrete to fill the time, she found herself worrying about him. What if the other kids didn’t treat him kindly? What if he got scared? Each day when Chloe picked Jimmy up, he felt more and more comfortable.
    But the idle time allowed her thoughts to drift. And often in directions she didn’t want—Evan intruded constantly on her thoughts. Chloe rationalized that it was because he was the one she had to convince, the one standing between Jimmy and his happiness. But, today, as she had stared into Evan’s eyes, she’d wondered.
    Drawn by her own thoughts, Chloe raised her face, trying to casually gaze around the room. But when her gaze stopped on Evan, she felt a peculiar pit in her stomach. Her breath shortened. Not wanting him to see her reaction, she turned suddenly. Fortunately, she turned in Jimmy’s direction. Even though he stood next to Gordon, he looked overwhelmed by the crowd of strangers. Especially since Gordon spoke in turn with his guests.
    Needing to reassure Jimmy, Chloe wove between the crush of people until she reached him. He immediately grabbed for her hand.
    â€œHey, big guy. I hardly know anyone here and I’m feeling a little lost. Mind if I hang out with you?”
    He pressed closer. “It’s okay.”
    Thelma raised her voice, and the crowd hushed. “Turkey’s on the table!”
    As people segregated into different parts of the dining room, Chloe anxiously looked for where she and Jimmy had been assigned to sit. She wasn’t above switching some place cards if they had been separated. However, she was relieved to see that Jimmy had been seated on Gordon’s right and her spot was beside her charge.
    Gordon and Evan stood behind the chairs at each end of the table as their guests seated themselves. Chloe was relieved when Perry Perkin sat beside her. She guessed that Thelma had ferreted out the few people Chloe had met. Smoothing a linen napkin in her lap, she then helped Jimmy with his.
    Glancing up, her gaze rested on Evan as he walked around the table, then paused behind two elderly ladies, stopping to talk to them and making both smile, then giggle.
    Perry followed her gaze. “That’s Gertrude Heine and Matilda Depson. Both are widowed.”
    â€œDid their husbands work for the Mitchells?”
    â€œNo. Evan knows them from church. Gertrude and Matilda are great friends, but as they’ve gotten older, their circumstances declined. Neither drives and they lived more than two miles apart. Physically, they couldn’t walk that distance any longer. And living on only Social Security, they didn’t have much money. Evan suggested they move to Orchard House, the Rosewood retirement home. But neither of the ladies could afford it. So, Evan insisted on paying their monthly fees.”
    Chloe knew how much that could be, what a relief it must be for the elderly widows. It was an incredibly generous gesture on Evan’s part.
    â€œMatilda and Gertrude