Free Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn Page A

closer.
    “All right. I will stay, if you’re sure it’s okay.” I was, in a way, asking the question of Katharine as much as I was asking
     it of Ellie. My glance went to Katharine first.
    She closed her eyes only a moment and gave her head a slight nod. It seemed as if she was granting me approval.
    Ellie was much more effusive. “Of course it’s okay. The more the merrier! Katharine already knows this about me, but I don’t
     know if you do, Andrew. When I was a university student, I hadthe romantic notion of spending a semester in Portugal. I was alone in Lisbon over the holidays, and it was the worst Christmas
     of my life. The thought of you going to London but not meeting up with family or friends once you get there, well, I’m not
     one to tell you what to do. I can only say that, when I spent a Christmas by myself, it was desperately depressing. So you
     see, I have my own reasons for wanting you to stay.”
    I knew this group of kind-hearted people would be stunned to know that most of my Christmases had been spent alone. Ellie’s
     invitation was offered from her heart, and from a frightened yet awed corner of my heart, I accepted.
    “Now that we have that settled, we’ll be on our way, then.” Andrew said. But he and Katharine chatted a few more minutes with
     Ellie about joining the Whitcombes for Christmas dinner after the morning church service. All the plans were set, and the
     two of them made their way to the front door, along with most of the other guests.
    I followed, not sure what else to do. At the door, Katharine turned and gave me a look that I interpreted to be reassurance
     that I had made the right decision and everything was going to be okay. I raised my hand in a good-bye wave as she followed
     her kilted Christmas Present out into the drifts of snow.
    “The guest room is upstairs, third door on the right.” Ellie explained that she would gather a few overnight items for me
     and leave them on the bed. She also said she and Edward would be up for a while longer because she had a few more gifts to
     wrap.
    “Christmas services are at ten thirty. Christmas dinner will be at two o’clock.”
    The awkwardness that should have been present whentrying to fit a stranger into a family’s holiday schedule was absent around Ellie. That grace was due, I think, to her easygoing
     manner. She seemed content to let the rest of the night and the holiday roll along at its own pace.
    “Is there anything I can do to help clean up?” I asked.
    All but two of the guests had gone, and one of them was clearing the serving table and carrying the dishes into another room.
     The other guest was leaning against the mantel, deep in conversation with Edward, who looked respectfully concerned about
     what the older man was saying.
    “Whatever would make you feel the most comfortable, Miranda. That’s what you should do. And just for your reference, the kitchen
     can be reached through the hall and to the far right.”
    Ellie took my coat from me once again and flitted off. I stood in the almost empty drawing room and didn’t know what to do.
     Edward was still occupied with the man wearing a tweed jacket and a red woolen vest underneath. I should have been ready to
     head to the isolation of the guest room but, in that moment, helping to clean up seemed the right thing to do.
    The other woman, a white-haired worker bee, gave brusque directions to me, as if I were her servant girl. I didn’t mind. She
     seemed to have a system going. She also seemed to be the sort who lived to serve and loved to be commended for her service.
    I cleared all the plates that had been left in the drawing room on end tables, chair arms, and bookshelves. The bee woman
     had a tray ready for me to stack all the plates and carry them to the kitchen. I followed the directions Ellie had given,
     out into the large entry hall, then to the far right.
    The kitchen was well lit and surprisingly modern compared to everything else I had