“Oh...well, that's very...love is a wonderful thing.” Noel stuttered over her words, uncertain what to say.
John looked at Noel and forced a smile to his sad eyes. “My name is John Winters, Noel. I guess we'll be seeing a lot of each other while you're here at the lodge. Uh...will you be staying through Christmas?”
“I will.” Noel nodded. “Maybe longer. I'm not sure yet.”
John stood up. “Well, I better get back to my room. I have a lot of writing to do. It was nice talking to you—”
“Well, I might hire you on to make breakfast every morning,” a cheerful voice cut John off.
Noel looked up. December hurried into the dining room wearing a warm, blue sweater with little Christmas lights on the front. Dan followed behind her, throwing a black sweater over a gray t-shirt that had an ugly, purple-haired rock singer on the front. “Good...coffee and donuts,” Dan muttered through a rude yawn.
“You go into the kitchen and start breaking the eggs,” December ordered. “We have two guests that need a decent breakfast.”
“I'm good, December,” John promised. “Two donuts and a cup of coffee is my limit this morning.”
“John, you barely ate anything last night during dinner. As a matter of fact, you've been eating like a pigeon ever since you arrived,” December spoke in a worried voice. “Please, eat a decent breakfast.”
“Really...I'm full.” John took a quick sip of coffee and excused himself.
December sighed. “That is one lost man.”
“A loser,” Dan grumbled and then hurried over to the donuts. “You want some eggs?” he called out to Noel in a rude voice.
Noel sighed. Dan was going to be a real problem. “I'll cook breakfast with your mother, boy. You stay out of the kitchen.”
“Works for me.” Dan grabbed a handful of donuts and left the dining room. “I'll be up in my room. Ring me when breakfast is ready.”
December could have strangled her son, but a mother's love and patience kept her from carrying out the act. “My son.” She laughed, sitting down across from Noel.
“That boy needs someone to take him behind a woodshed,” Noel pointed out.
“I could only wish. Dan's dad let's him get away with murder and it's hard for me to set boundaries with him.” December shook her head. “Dan will be eighteen soon and then he'll be on his own. All I can do is love him between now and then and pray for the best.”
“Prayer is powerful.” Noel pushed a spare donut toward December. “Donut?”
“I prefer solid food.” December smiled. “I...uh, see that you and John were talking. John is a nice man.”
“Reminds me of Mister Rogers.”
December laughed. “Me, too...but he's a very nice man.”
“A very troubled man,” Noel pointed out.
“You noticed that, too, huh?”
Noel nodded. “His eyes are so sad and troubled,” she explained.
“John is registered to stay in North Winds with no check-out day,” December confessed. “He's been here two weeks...he pays week per week...cash money. When I took some towels up to his room, I noticed a laptop sitting on his bed and a Bible.” December stood up. “Well, it's not my business to poke my nose where it doesn't belong. Ready to make breakfast?”
Noel downed the rest of her coffee and stood up. “I'm ready.” She smiled, feeling her appetite starting to wake up. “From the sound of that storm outside, all we'll be able to do today is cook and eat.”
December laughed and took Noel's hand. “My new best friend,” she told Noel. “Sitting around and getting fat together sounds just fine with me.”
Upstairs in his room, John sat down on the edge of a bed, bowed his head, and began to pray. “Dear Lord...show me what to do. I love Jennifer...but the promise...I'm chained up in misery...please show me the way.”
John didn't know it, but the answer to his prayer was downstairs helping December cook up a warm breakfast. A Christmas miracle wasn't so far away...or was it?
Outside, a pair of hidden eyes searched the lodge and then vanished into the storm.
