Chapter 9
As Victoria hung the Christmas wishes on the tree in Victoria’s Pantry, warmth flooded through her. Her customers had brought in their ornaments when she asked them. They would probably approach these gifts with the same generosity.
Behind her in the busy shop, things got quiet as she hung up one red tree after another. “What have you got there?” Miss Charlotte finally asked when Victoria stepped back to take in the full effect.
“Aren’t they sweet? Christmas wishes for the children of the people served by the Open Hearth Clinic.”
Maisy had come closer. “A toaster oven,” she read.
“The adults are allowed to have wishes too.”
“Makes sense, but what exactly is this clinic?” Miss Charlotte asked.
So of course Victoria had to go into an explanation.
Her enthusiasm may have told the whole story, especially when she came to Big Mac and Friskie.
The clinic had carved a special place in her heart.
..and so had Dr. D. Sure, the man could be stubborn, but she had to admire a guy who would care about others as much as he did.
He did so much more than just talk about their needs. Derek Darling was a man of action.
As Maisy returned to the counter to fill an order for spritz cookies, she smiled. “Why, Victoria, I think you’re getting a soft heart for those folks.”
“I think you’re right.” Backing away, she studied the tree, now hung with the Christmas wishes.
“You’re spending an awful lot of time over there.”
“Are you handling everything here with Darla? Do you need me?” She didn’t want to ignore her own business. After all, this was their first Christmas.
Thank goodness Maisy shook her head.
“You’re so efficient.” How Victoria wished she’d had Maisy’s common sense and confidence when she was her age.
Just then Emily burst through the door, a bag dangling from one arm and her cheeks flushed from the chilly wind outside. She made her way through the tables to the tree.
“What have you got there?” Victoria asked, joining Emily at the Christmas tree.
Reaching inside the plastic shopping bag, Emily whipped out three colorful ornaments. “I loved these when I was a little girl. Mama said I should hang them on your tree. She’s downsizing her tree this year.”
“You don’t say?” Victoria was flabbergasted. Downsizing Christmas? Now that was a novel idea.
While Emily fooled with the tree, adding a reindeer and two elves, Miss Charlotte drew closer. Maybe her mother had a point about Miss Charlotte’s lilac perfume.
“We talked about your tree at Sunday dinner,” Miss Charlotte whispered. “Afterwards, your uncle and I had a nice talk about, well, Christmas things and such.”
Hmm. She needed details. Taking her hand, Victoria led her to the only empty table in the place. She really had to work on that outside seating.
“You don’t say,” Victoria murmured as they huddled together. Oh, she hoped Uncle Vinny would not get his heart broken. “What did Uncle Vinny say?”
“He was not a happy man.” When Miss Charlotte shook her head, Victoria’s heart clutched. “But I explained why I felt this way.”
“You said you wanted your freedom?” Victoria tried to imagine Uncle Vinny’s reaction to that. How had Miss Charlotte become so modern?
“Oh, my. No, no. This is not about freedom.” Whipping out a hankie edged in lace, Miss Charlotte fanned herself.
“Well then, how did you put it?” Victoria had to know. She wondered if her parents were aware of this conversation.
“I just said that for now, I was very content with our relationship the way it was, dear. That’s all.”
“And how did he take it?” She almost hated to ask.
Miss Charlotte’s sweet face folded into a frown.
“He was more upset than I expected. Vinny really thought we’d be making this official.
Forever.” A wistful expression drifted over Miss Charlotte’s delicate beauty and disappeared.
“But we’ve only been keeping company a few months or so, even though we went through grade school together. ”
Were matters of the heart this rational? “Gee, Miss Charlotte. I’d love to have you for an aunt.”
Miss Charlotte reached out to squeeze her hand. “Wouldn’t that be fun?”
“Absolutely.” She wasn’t ready to give up on getting the two of them together. Not yet, anyway.
When Miss Charlotte went back to study the Christmas wishes on the tree, Melinda Sue and Genevieve joined her.
If only Dr. Darling and Phyllis could see this.
All three women plucked a couple of wishes from the tree and tucked them into their handbags.
Drawn to the activity, other customers joined them.
“If you could have your gifts ready by December 23rd, that would be great.” She picked the date from thin air. “Then I can take them to the clinic.”
“How?” Maisy whispered. “I thought you weren’t going to be here for the holidays?”
Well, there was that. Victoria had some serious thinking to do.
That Sunday, dinner was just as bad as Victoria had feared. Her mother had invited the Hutchinsons, along with their very eligible son. Probably a desperation tactic. The moment Victoria arrived, Mama dragged her up to her old bedroom, where long gowns were spread out on her queen-size bed.
“They’re beautiful, Mama.” But Victoria felt exhausted just looking at them.
Really? Did Christmas demand this kind of expensive finery?
So she would parade through cocktail parties, perch on velvet banquettes or stand against stone walls overlooking the Atlantic while cool breezes made her look like an ad in Vogue?
What was the point?
And when had she started thinking like that?
“Maybe after dinner?” she said softly. She could hear voices downstairs.
“You don’t like them?” Mama wasn’t moving.
“Thank you for going to all this trouble, Mama.” Hugging her mother, Victoria wondered how many immunizations each gown could buy. “They’re beautiful. And in blue, my favorite color. Maybe later?” She edged toward the door. They needed a sit-down discussion, but she was dreading it.
The evening went downhill after that. Facing Spencer Hutchinson II across the dinner table, Victoria didn't know what to say. Her grandmother’s silver shone against the white linen tablecloth, set with festive red napkins.
“So you’re home for the holidays, Spencer?” Her mother jumped right in as the gravy was making the rounds.
“From law school in Boston. Right.” Spencer had a killer smile. She remembered it from the halls of Country Day High School. When she was a freshman, Spencer was a couple years ahead. She’d adored him, and he didn’t even know she was alive.
“Are you studying any particular area of the law, son?” Daddy sank the serving spoon into the mashed potatoes.
How Victoria wished Daddy would not use the word “son.” Was that a deliberate wish on Daddy’s part?
“Estate planning. I figure I'll never run out of clients.”
“Oh, my. I should say so.” Mama threw Spencer’s parents an approving smile, as if their son had made a very wise decision.
Although Victoria didn’t know exactly what estate planning was, she thought it had to do with people leaving obscene amounts of money to their children so they wouldn’t have to work themselves.
Again, when had her world spun around?
As Victoria helped herself to green beans, she smiled to herself, thinking of the canned beans at the clinic.
She’d gotten used to them. It was the conversation that mattered, or so she’d discovered.
Not the food, as long as there was enough to go around.
Right now, she wished Friskie was at her feet.
“That sounds very purposeful, Spencer.” Her mother was staring daggers at Victoria. “Don't you think so, dear?”
“Purposeful?” She searched her mind. “Sounds as if you’re setting out to make big bucks.”
Her mother’s gasp brought her back to reality. She could almost hear the lecture after dinner. Those who had money never spoke about money.
Looking pleased with himself, Spencer grinned at her across the table. “I’ll be profiled in the newspaper next Sunday as an Up and Comer.”
“Up and Comer? I have no idea what that is but good for you. Beans, Spencer?” Victoria extended her grandmother’s silver bowl across the table.
Her face red, Mama was signaling to Daddy.
Time to call in the troops, but Daddy was deep in conversation with Spencer’s father.
Victoria had to talk to her father about the article. How could she have forgotten?
Apparently Spencer didn’t want any beans. “None for me, thank you. I’m a meat and potatoes man.” He patted a stomach that was probably very fit. “I'm in training. Marathons.”
“Running is so in now, isn’t it?” her mother said while Mrs. Hutchinson nodded.
“Mama, I think it's always been popular.” Imagining Derek in running shorts, sweaty with his hair crazy as he stood in the clinic kitchen, Victoria had to remind herself to breathe.
“I suppose so.” Mama was staring at Daddy, as if asking for help with this conversation. But Daddy was pouring more gravy from the silver gravy boat. He knew his wife would never cause a scene about his diet in front of company.
“Victoria why don't you tell Spencer about your new venture?” Mama threw her an encouraging smile.
“You mean the clinic? Happy to.”
“What clinic?” Mama frowned.
Daddy jumped in. “I believe your mother’s referring to your pantry, Victoria.”
Time to switch direction. “Oh, I’d hate to bore you with Victoria’s Pantry. Just more wonderful cookies and coffee. That kind of thing.” She paused for a dramatic effect. “Lately I've been volunteering at the free clinic over in Amblebury.”
Sputtering, her mother put down the water glass. Daddy’s chewing slowed. His eyes swung toward her with a blank look, as if they’d just been introduced and he was trying to figure out who she was.
“Free? What are they giving away? Vitamins?” Spencer thought he was being clever.