Chapter Fourteen – Vivianne #2
Jason and Mike were in the family room playing a video game they’d gotten the night before, with four other kids their age.
One was a young girl. David sat on the sofa with an older man who looked to be in his sixties, and a younger guy who was about my age.
The young girl sitting across from them seemed around my age, as well, maybe a few years older.
Nellie had mentioned they always had a few friends over to celebrate, and I was guessing these were those friends.
David glanced up and smiled when he saw me.
“Good morning, and Merry Christmas,” I said as I made my way into the room.
Standing, David walked over and gave me a quick hug. “Hey, Merry Christmas to you too!” He stepped back and turned to the others.
“Vivianne, this is Ralph Mitchell and his son, Charles, and his daughter, LouAnne. They own the ranch next to ours.”
Ralph and Charles both stood and shook my hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Vivianne.” Ralph smiled.
“The pleasure is all mine.”
LouAnne also stood and shook my hand. “I’ve heard a lot about you from David.”
Turning to David, I winked. “I hope it was all good.”
She laughed. “Oh yes. He said you make Ladd very happy.”
“Well, he makes me equally happy.”
David cleared his throat. “Speaking of Ladd, he’s in the kitchen.”
“Thanks. It was nice to meet you all,” I said as I turned and walked that way. The smell of tasty foods only intensified as I got closer.
“Wow! It smells so good,” I enthused as I walked in and went straight to Ladd. I reached up and kissed him softly on the lips. “Merry Christmas.”
He smiled at me. “Merry Christmas.”
I glanced around at the people in the kitchen. Everyone was moving about, busy doing something. “I’m so sorry I overslept. I had my alarm set, but I see I was way off the mark!”
Gus grinned. “Ladd snuck into your room and changed it. We wanted you to sleep in since you’re our guest.”
My mouth dropped open. I hadn’t even paid attention to what the clock said when I slapped it to turn the alarm off.
I turned to Ladd with a raised brow. He just grinned. “I knew you’d be up at the crack of dawn to help. I wanted you to get some sleep. Today is going to be busy.”
“He’s right,” Lilith said, walking up and kissing me on the cheek. “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”
“Merry Christmas, Lilith.”
“Vivianne,” Nellie said, “I’d like you to meet Rachel Mitchell.”
“Oh, I just met your husband, son, and daughter,” I said as we shook hands.
“I’ve heard so much about you, Vivianne.”
I felt my cheeks heat as everyone in the kitchen turned their focus on me.
Rachel smiled at me. “Everyone is so happy about the engagement and thrilled to have you become part of the family. I’m looking forward to getting to know you.”
“Thank you so much, Rachel. I’m looking forward to getting to know you and your family, as well.” Glancing around, I asked, “What can I do to help?”
Nellie looked about the kitchen, then back to me. “You can start bringing the food to the dining room and setting it on the table, I suppose.”
I jumped into action. I’d never seen so much food in my entire life.
Even at events I was allowed to attend with my father and mother, I never saw such an abundance.
Those usually just had hors d’oeuvres. There was a platter full of waffles, one with pancakes, cinnamon rolls that Ladd said had gingerbread spice in them, a hash brown casserole, ham and cheese croissants, bacon, a few different quiches, biscuits, deviled eggs that resembled little Christmas trees, sausage balls, and bowls of fruit.
“Do you think there’s enough food?” LouAnne joked as she set a platter down on the large sideboard in the formal dining room. It was set up buffet style. A small table had been added at the end of the sideboard, holding paper plates and plastic silverware.
“I don’t think I’ve seen so much food.”
She laughed. “We wanted to be sure we had enough for the kids from the orphanage.”
My heart soared. “That’s wonderful!”
“They’re here,” Jason called from somewhere in the house.
“That’s them,” LouAnne said, squeezing my arm and motioning for me to follow her. “Let’s get the rest of the food out.”
Following her back into the kitchen, we brought out all the food, with Ladd and David’s help.
Chatter quickly filled the house as a group of children came into the dining room, led by Nellie.
“It smells so good!” a little girl with curly blonde hair said as she walked in, holding Lilith’s hand, followed by someone who I assumed worked at the orphanage.
The little girl couldn’t have been more than five.
My heart ached knowing she was just a bit older than what my own daughter would be.
What was she doing today? Was she having fun celebrating the holiday?
Were her adoptive parents spoiling her? I closed my eyes and I drew in a deep breath before opening them once again and surveying the kids.
They didn’t have any parents or family to love them.
I instantly felt a connection with all these kids.
I walked over and bent down to her eye level. “Hi, I’m Vivianne. What’s your name?”
She smiled brightly. “My name is Logan.”
“It’s so nice to meet you, Logan. And Merry Christmas!”
Bouncing on her toes, she replied, “Merry Christmas to you too! I’m so excited! I heard Santa came and left us gifts in the barn. Is that true?”
I nodded. “It sure is. But first, we have to eat Christmas breakfast. Are you hungry?”
“I am! I’m always hungry!”
Laughing, I stood and introduced myself to the woman who looked to be about my age. “Hi, I’m Vivianne Pennington.”
“Lily Waters. I work at River Falls Haven.”
“What do you do there?” I asked as we got Logan settled in a seat.
“I’m a teacher.”
My eyes widened. “You are? What do you teach?”
Logan pulled on Lily’s sweater. “Ms. Lily, may I have waffles?”
She bent down. “Yes, darling. You can have whatever you’d like. Once everyone gets their seat, we’ll get up and make you a plate.”
That was when I looked around and saw the kids all sitting down. My heart broke in two. They were all really young, ten years old and younger, if I had to guess.
My hand went to my chest. “Oh dear,” I whispered. “They’re all just babies.”
Lily gently touched my shoulder. “The older kids have their own Christmas celebration that they do back at the center. The Wilde family makes a big donation for food and decorations for their event.”
I noticed she didn’t call it an orphanage. “I’m not surprised to hear that. Did you call it a center?”
Leaning in, she whispered, “I just hate calling it an orphanage.”
I nodded. “Do they not come to the barn?”
“They do,” she replied. “But it’s become a tradition that they all spend the morning together, preparing gifts for the little ones. Even though they know they’ll receive other gifts today, they make them dolls.”
“Nellie told me about the dolls. That is so sweet.”
She nodded, and tears formed in her eyes before she quickly blinked them back.
“They all like to have something to hug when they go to sleep.
Years ago, kids used to get a doll when they first arrived, but budget restraints eventually made it impossible.
So the older kids started making them. They spend most of the year doing so.
And it evolved into gifts they give them on Christmas morning.
“With the Wildes now inviting the younger kids over for breakfast, the older ones decided it would be the perfect time to put the dolls on their beds. That way, when the kids come back, it’s like Santa’s left them all a surprise.
And with the Wilde family doing Christmas here, the center can use those funds we’d normally use to buy them each a present and put it toward the classrooms. We try to make it feel like the kids have their very own school at River Falls Haven. ”
A lump formed in my throat and I pressed my lips together tightly to keep from crying. This information made me fall even more in love with my future in-laws.
Nellie clapped her hands. “The food is all ready, so we’ll have the children come up first and make their plates.”
Turning to Lily, I asked, “How can I help this morning?”
She grinned. “Pick a little one.”
“Ms. Lily, can she help me?” Logan asked.
Lily looked at me, and I replied, “Of course I can.”
I was stunned to see how smoothly the breakfast line went.
After the kids and the people from River Falls Haven sat down with their plates, the family and friends followed suit.
I wanted to stay and eat with Lily and the kids, but didn’t want to ignore Ladd and his family, or their guests.
So I ate half of my breakfast with them, then excused myself and finished eating with the kids.
I spoke with each one, trying to learn a little bit about them and the staff members who’d brought them.
When breakfast was over, and Ladd, David, Jason, Mike, and LouAnne went outside with the staff and kids to play for a bit, I asked Lily if I could speak with her.
“I won’t keep you long,” I started. “I’m going to be moving to River Falls after I graduate from school this spring.”
She smiled. “I heard you’re engaged to one of the Wilde boys. Congratulations.”
“Thank you,” I replied. “I plan on trying to get a teaching job, but I’d love to volunteer at the…center.”
Her eyes lit up. “That would be amazing. I’ll give you my phone number, and we can chat about it more. Would you be interested in teaching there? It wouldn’t be full time, but maybe you could do a couple days a week?”
I felt my heart soar. “I love that idea. We’ll talk again as the date of graduation approaches. Thank you, Lily. I’ll let you go. I need to get to the kitchen to help clean up.”
Lily reached for my hand. “Thank you, Vivianne. These kids are so wonderful, and to have people like you and the Wilde and Mitchell families take the time to show them love like this…well…it means a lot to them.”
I squeezed her hand before she turned and headed to get her coat to go outside and play with the kids.
When I turned to make my way into the kitchen, Ladd was standing behind me.
“Oh, hey!” I said as I walked up to him.
“Everyone has been telling me how lucky I am.”
Raising my brows, I asked, “Why is that?”
“Because you said yes.”
I laughed. “I’m the lucky one.”
He shook his head. “Viv, seeing you with the kids this morning, and how you took the time to talk to every one of them. Plus, you made sure to spend time with us first…it didn’t go unnoticed by me or anyone else. Your heart is so beautiful.”
I chewed on my lower lip before I exhaled.
“I know how those kids feel. The only difference between me and them is that my parents were around. As far as they were concerned, I was just a prop that was only good for when they needed me. But at least I had a home, food, and clothes. These poor kids…”
My voice faded, and he took my hand and drew me to him. “My mother was nearly in tears as she watched you. This event means so much to her. I love you both for how much you care for others.”
“I’m so glad I came home with you this Christmas.”
He chuckled. “Me too!”
“We’d better get in there and help clean up.”
Lacing his fingers in mine, we walked hand in hand to the kitchen where we were immediately put to work.