Colin cleared off a cupboard on the side of the living room and soon the twinkling lights from the trees and each reindeer glowed as pretty as they had in the shop. Not wanting the kids to get bored, Jaqueline suggested that Charlie show her where Gisele kept the laundry and that they might help her sort the clothes to be washed.
She’d seen the pitiful few things hanging in the closet and hoped there would be more in the basket, only to be disappointed. Neither one of the kids had large wardrobe choices and so she sat with her laptop open to the page where it showed children’s clothes, but the delivery dates were too closeto Christmas or after the big day. Which meant, she needed to sneak off on her own to do some holiday shopping.
Motioning Colin close, she showed him her dilemma, whispering, “They have pathetically few clothes. I want to buy them each new outfits as Christmas gifts, but I can’t depend on them to be delivered by December twenty-fifth. Do you think I could sneak off for a while later on my own and shop here in town?”
“Sure. I’ll tell them you’re going to the hotel to fetch some of your things.”
“Can I stay here again tonight? Maisie woke up a few more times and called for me. I do believe she’ll settle better if I’m in the room.”
“I was praying you’d agree to stay. Look, as soon as we deal with the social worker who should be here soon, we can make plans. I’ll take the kids around the city, maybe go for groceries while you do the shopping you need to do.”
Feeling an anxious premonition, she spoke her thoughts out loud. “That’s if we get custody to look after them here.”
He grimaced, showing his worry. “Yes. If we get custody. My lawyer called and said he’s working on the papers to be filed. He’s sending them online for my signature.”
“It’s all happening so fast, isn’t it?”
“I suppose. But that’s life, right. Time doesn’t stop for us just because we wish it would.”
Before she could answer, the doorbell rang, and both kids stiffened at the table where they were coloring.
“I’ll get it.” Colin’s voice sounded firm and confident. “Keep your fingers crossed. We need this to work.”
“What to work?” Colin left the room, so Charlie turned to Jaqueline. “Jaq, what to work?”
She put her hands together like saying a prayer and admitted, “For them to agree that you and Maisie can stay here… with us.”
“They have to. It’s what we want.”
Maisie caught on and her face crumpled, showing her distress. “I want to stay here wif you and Cowin.”
“I know sweetie. It’s what we want too. But the courts have to agree.”
“Is that wady the courts?”
“Kind of. She’s in charge of what happens today.”
Voices were heard in the distance, and all three sat at attention, looking toward the room where Colin had disappeared.
“Can me and Maisie tell them we w-want to stay with you?” Charlie’s voice broke before he finished his thought. “Cause we talked, and we both want to.”
“Sure. And Charlie, it’s good that you feel that way.”
“Will it help them to say yes if we tell them?”
“I hope so, Charlie. It can’t hurt.”
Maisie’s eyes filled, and her lip began to tremble. “Charwie, I don’t want to-to go away.”
“Shush, Mais. You can’t cry now. We have to be good. I’ll tell you when you can cry. Okay?”
The little cherub sniffed back her tears and used her chubby hands to wipe away the signs, “Okay. I be good.”
Not too long after, Colin called for them to join him and the visitor in the living room. When Jaqueline saw the thin, stoic looking woman, with her no-nonsense attitude – dressed in a dark suit and not even a necklace or earrings to give her a bit of cheerful humanity – turn to face them, she all but wept. This short-haired, older female could be a male if not for the protrusions on her chest. Even her voice sounded harshly masculine.
But for the interested clarity of her gaze, and the softening of her features upon sight of the children, Jaqueline would have broken down right there and then.
Once the introductions were done, they took their seats, and Charlie automatically went to Colin to be lifted up while Maisie came to Jaqueline and lifted her arms like being held close was the most natural position for her to take.
