The Christmas Blessing Read online

  “And that’s when you learned he’d been killed?”

  Amelia just nodded.

  “So . . . do James’s parents know about you?”

  “I doubt that James had a chance to write to them. He barely had time to write to me. And it won’t be easy telling them.”

  “Oh, my. You are a brave woman, Amelia.”

  Amelia wished that were true. She would need an extra-large portion of courage for this trip, and even more to face James’s parents. But she thought she could do it—for little Jimmy’s sake she’d have to face them. It looked like her only option. And it was the right thing to do.

  2

  Despite Amelia’s claims that she could get herself and Jimmy to the train station via taxi, Claudine insisted on driving them. Because she lived within walking distance of Alliette’s Beauty Parlor, it wasn’t often that Claudine had an excuse to drive her rickety old Ford coupe. Claudine also insisted on caring for Jimmy while Amelia went into the drugstore to get formula and a few other things for her trip.

  As Claudine was dropping them off in front of the train station, the reality of the situation kicked Amelia in the stomach. “Well, this is it,” Amelia said in a shaky voice, blinking back tears as she put the strap of her oversized bag over one shoulder. Was she ready to leave her one true friend behind?

  Claudine set Amelia’s suitcase down on the sidewalk, then opened her arms to hug her. “You’ll be just fine.” She reached over to brush a loose strand of blonde hair away from Amelia’s face, tucking it into the little black velvet hat. “You’re the kind of girl who lands on her feet, Amelia.”

  Amelia sighed as she leaned down to scoop up Jimmy from the car, holding him close. “I don’t know what makes you think that.”

  Claudine patted Amelia’s cheek. “I could say it’s because you’re so beautiful. And I still think you look like Donna Reed. So sweet and wholesome. If not for those blue eyes and your lighter hair color, you could be mistaken for her twin. But it’s about more than just your looks, little darling. You’ve got spunk and resilience and gumption.” She slowly shook her head. “Even more than I knew . . . after hearing the truth about you and James. I’ll venture to say you’re going to do just fine in Montana. And if you don’t like it there, you come back here. I’ll take you and Jimmy back.” Claudine landed a kiss on top of Jimmy’s blond head.

  “I’m going to miss you terribly.” Amelia felt the lump growing in her throat but was determined to be strong. “Thanks so much for everything.” She leaned down to pick up her suitcase, but first looped the bulky winter coat over her arm. It felt like a balancing act. She just hoped she could get this load onto the train without an incident.

  Claudine leaned over to kiss Amelia’s cheek. “Something else you have, that I’ve observed—you have faith, Amelia. You’ve challenged my own.” She slipped something into Amelia’s coat pocket. “Something for later.” She blinked almost as if she was tearing up too. “Now don’t take any wooden nickels, darling—and you two take care!”

  Amelia thanked her again. Then, feeling like a pack mule, she began to make her way through the station and toward the platform. Her load was more challenging than she’d expected, but it wasn’t too long before she was safely aboard the train. To her relief, a helpful porter quickly prepared her sleeping car.

  “I’m sure you and the little one will want to get settled in,” he said kindly. “You let me know if you need anything. Food for you or bottles warmed for him. I am pleased to help you, ma’am.”

  Unsure if she should tip him, Amelia made her brightest smile as she thanked him, which—to her relief—appeared sufficient. He politely tipped his head as he quietly closed the door. He’d probably suspected, based on her shabby suitcase, that she was poor. She hung up the secondhand coat that Claudine had insisted she would need in Montana. It was in fairly good shape but smelled faintly of cigarette smoke.

  Although Amelia would be on the train only until tomorrow morning, she unpacked a few things with the goal of making Jimmy and herself as comfortable as possible. To her delight, this cozy sleeping car felt just right for the two of them. Not only that, but as the train began to move, Jimmy relaxed and settled in. Almost as if he were glad they were finally on their way. Maybe he instinctively knew that life was about to get better for them. Perhaps he would enjoy meeting his paternal grandparents. At the moment the train pulled out of the station, anything seemed possible.

  The train ride passed by blissfully and uneventfully throughout the day. Other than her sniffles, signaling that she probably was coming down with a cold, the trip so far was blessedly peaceful. The scenery, going from desert to mountains to timber country, improved by the hour. Amelia, who’d never been outside of Southern California, delighted in the beautiful sights she was witnessing along the way. The porter, true to his promise, was so attentive and helpful that she never had to leave her sleeping car for anything. He brought her lunch and dinner and checked frequently to see if Jimmy needed a bottle warmed.

  In fact, it was all so perfectly serene that she honestly wished this trip might never end. From what she could tell, Jimmy—relaxed and content—probably wouldn’t mind being a permanent resident on this train. But by bedtime her head was starting to throb from her cold and, knowing the porter would be knocking on her door at six in the morning, Amelia decided to go to bed early. Hopefully her cold would be on its way out by tomorrow.

  It took Amelia a few seconds to get her bearings after waking to the sound of knocking on her door. But calling out a thank-you to the porter, she tumbled out of bed. She’d barely slept all night. Partly because of her fear of rolling over on Jimmy and partly because her mind had been spinning as quickly as the train wheels. What would happen when she got to Rockford? How would she get by?

  As she fumbled about the snug sleeping car trying to get herself and the baby ready to disembark from the train, the small space suddenly felt confining and awkward. It was a good thing they were nearly done with their trip. Trying to find what she needed in her jumbled suitcase was a challenge. Not to mention her attempt to bathe poor Jimmy in the tiny sink. By the time she got him cleaned and dressed in one of the little outfits she’d sewn for him before he was born, she was exhausted.

  Wedging him in a corner of the narrow unmade bed and ignoring his fussing, she got herself dressed and attempted to repack her bag. She was just sitting on the lid, getting it to close, when the porter knocked again.

  “Can I take your bag, ma’am?”

  She snapped the fasteners shut and opened the door. Thanking the porter for his help, she grabbed her handbag and picked up Jimmy, who was starting to cry even louder, and made her way out. “I’ll take the baby to the coach car and try to quiet him,” she whispered to the porter, “in case anyone is still trying to sleep.”

  He nodded with a grateful expression as he took her bag.

  To her dismay, Jimmy’s cries got louder as she sat down in the coach car, which thankfully was nearly empty at this early hour. She knew he was hungry but had hoped he could wait until they disembarked. Still, noticing the man glaring at her from across the aisle, she realized it would be selfish to force this stranger to endure her baby’s wails. Judging by the man’s rumpled brown suit, he’d probably been sitting up all night—probably more tired than she and no doubt in a foul mood.

  Amelia opened her handbag, extracting the bottle she’d prepared earlier but hadn’t had time to warm. Hopefully it would help calm her baby. But poor Jimmy took one eager sip and threw back his head, screaming louder than ever over the chilly temperature of his formula. She stood and, walking up and down the aisle, avoided the scowling face of the man in the brown suit as she tried to hush Jimmy’s aggravated cries.

  “Want me to warm that for you?” the porter offered as he hurried toward her.

  “Yes, please.” She eagerly handed him the bottle, then continued to walk up and down the aisle, trying to calm her son. To her relief, the man in the rumpled suit had left b
y now, and the porter soon returned with the warmed bottle. Thankfully, this did the trick for Jimmy and she was able to sit back down, taking a deep breath as she looked out the window to see golden rays of morning sunlight filtering through the majestic evergreen trees. She couldn’t remember when she’d seen anything so lovely. All in all, this felt like the beginning of what was going to be a very good day.

  Jimmy was just finishing his bottle as a quaint western town came into sight. It had to be Rockford—and it looked perfectly enchanting. Of course, it couldn’t be more different than the warm beach town of San Diego, but it looked just like James had described it to her. “Like something out of a Western movie—like you expect to see John Wayne or Gary Cooper sauntering down Main Street,” he’d told her with a grin.

  Thoughts of James—or perhaps it was her head cold—made her eyes mist up. She used a clean diaper to dab away the tears, then settled it and Jimmy onto her shoulder, gently patting his back to bring up any air bubbles. With each pat, she tried to count her blessings. After all, they were almost there. Jimmy would be meeting his grandparents soon. Maybe not for a few days—not until she had a chance to get the lay of the land. But she felt that James would have been proud of her for making it this far. At least she hoped he would have.

  As the train slowed down, the porter returned to help her and Jimmy disembark. “I have something for you,” she said before standing up. It was an extravagance for her meager budget, but she was so grateful for his generous assistance that she’d tucked a five-dollar bill into the side of her wallet. A sacrifice, yes, but this porter’s help had been worth it. She reached into her purse, feeling around for her wallet, but it was missing.

  “Oh no!” She laid Jimmy down in her lap as she used both hands to dig through her oversized purse, trying to find the misplaced wallet. “I must’ve lost it!” She quickly described the wallet to the porter as the train came to a stop. They looked all around and beneath her seat.

  “Let’s get you off the train and I’ll go look in your sleeping car,” he said as he led her to the door, helping her down the steps. “I’ll tell the engineer to hold the train until I find it. You and junior wait right here.”

  Following his instructions, Amelia stood on the platform, where a cold, bitter wind was whipping through. She stared up at the sleek silver train, hoping that the porter would soon emerge with her wallet. Surely the kind, helpful man would soon find it—and then she would gladly tip him.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said as he bounded down the steps. “I looked everywhere for it. In your sleeping car. Down the aisles. Back in the coach car.”

  Amelia felt her heart pounding in fear. “But I can’t go without—” The train whistle blew, snuffing out her words.

  “I’m sorry, ma’am.” He jumped back on the train. “We gotta go. Have a schedule to keep.”

  She solemnly nodded, her eyes filling with tears as she watched him waving sadly. As the train slowly rumbled away, Amelia noticed a grim face peering out the window of a car toward the rear. The man in the rumpled brown suit—and he looked guilty! Had he stolen her wallet? She hated to think anyone could be so heartless, but he’d been right there while she was distracted with Jimmy, trying to hush him. She started to walk in the direction of the train, as if she could somehow stop it, but then realized it was pointless.

  Standing on the end of the platform and watching the train getting smaller, Amelia felt the wind chilling the hot tears that spilled down her cheeks. It was icy cold out here! She pulled the knitted blanket more snugly around Jimmy, hurrying to gather her suitcase and get them both into the warm train station. The image of that selfish thief kept burning in her mind’s eye. He had left her penniless. Everything she’d been able to save during the past several weeks, plus what she’d stashed away after selling her engagement ring and the few things left to her by her grandmother. It was all gone. Just like that. Her start-up funds for getting them settled in Rockford were gone. She and little Jimmy had nothing.

  3

  Amelia felt sickened—and not just from her head cold—as she carried her baby and suitcase into the train station. Going to a bench against the wall, she sat down and attempted to think. What was she going to do? Her original plan had been to find an inexpensive hotel room—a spot where she and Jimmy could acclimate themselves to Rockford for a few days. She could get her bearings, possibly do some investigative sleuthing into the mysterious Bradleys, and maybe even find gainful employment.

  Due to her changed circumstances, she wondered if she’d need to revise her plan. Did this mean she should go directly to the Bradleys? How awkward would it be for them to have an unexpected guest showing up on the eve of Thanksgiving? Why hadn’t she timed this differently? And yet James’s parents might be glad to meet her. It was possible. She suspected they were good people—after all they had raised James—but the problem was she just didn’t know this for sure.

  Based on her experiences with her own mother and stepfather, she knew that people could look perfectly fine on the exterior, but be perfect monsters underneath. Amelia had no intention of exposing her baby to anyone who might possibly hurt him. And the truth was she knew next to nothing about Jimmy’s paternal grandparents. She looked down on her now sleeping baby and, wrapping the thick knitted baby blanket more snugly around him, she gently laid him down on the bench beside her, using her handbag as a barrier to keep him from rolling. Just in case.

  What to do? What to do? Amelia felt more helpless and hopeless than ever before. This dilemma wasn’t only about her livelihood. She glanced down at her sweetly slumbering son and cringed. She was responsible for his sweet, innocent life as well. To find herself in such desperate straits was one thing—but to drag along a helpless infant . . . well, that was something else entirely.

  Not for the first time Amelia wondered . . . Was she just incredibly unfortunate? Or was she—what her mother used to say—“dumber than dirt”? Maybe she was both. And perhaps Amelia deserved this nasty dark cloud that followed her everywhere. But Jimmy didn’t!

  Amelia knew she had a choice. She could either give in to despair and allow the black cloud to smother all traces of hope . . . or she could pray. Choosing to do the latter, she placed a steadying hand on Jimmy. Then, closing her eyes, she silently prayed, pleading with God to help them. There was no denying it was a frayed prayer of desperation—but stitched together by delicate threads of faith.

  Amelia said a quiet “amen,” then opened her eyes to glance around the train station. It appeared busier than when she’d first come inside. Perhaps this was due to the upcoming holiday. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving, and people were getting ready to head off on a journey or welcome someone just arriving. But no one was there for her. To her relief, none of them showed interest in the weeping woman and her baby occupying the bench against the wall.

  She vaguely wondered if any of these people might be acquainted with James’s family. According to James, when she’d quizzed him about his hometown during one of their few dates, Rockford was a pretty small town—a fraction of the size of San Diego. “But not so small that everyone knows everything about everybody,” he’d assured her.

  James hadn’t shared very much about growing up in Rockford, or about his family. Just the bare-bones basics. He had two parents as well as an older sister named Grace who was married to a serviceman, and they had a little girl. But even knowing Grace’s name wouldn’t be much help since she’d be known by her married name.

  And what if James’s parents weren’t the only Bradleys in town? Amelia certainly didn’t plan to go knocking on doors, questioning strangers, or making a general nuisance of herself. In fact, she had no intention of showing up on James’s parents’ doorstep unannounced at all. She suddenly envisioned a desperate image of herself—the poor tattered woman with babe in arms as the harsh winter wind ripped mercilessly. Such a pitiful image might’ve been humorous. Except she was in no mood for humor.

  She’d probably seen that melodramat
ic scene in some old silent movie as a child. Fine, maybe she was similar to that pathetic character—but she did not plan to present herself like that! It wouldn’t be fair to her or her baby . . . and certainly not fair to James. She wondered if he’d ever written to his parents about her. But even if he had, he wouldn’t have known about the baby.

  With her face still damp from recently shed tears and her nose dripping from her cold, Amelia fumbled in her coat pocket in search of the fresh handkerchief she felt certain she’d tucked in there yesterday. As she extracted it, a white envelope tumbled out as well. It was slightly dog-eared and bent, and she wasn’t sure where it had originated. Perhaps it was from the previous owner of the secondhand coat—a garment she was most grateful for now. Just then she remembered Claudine . . . Her friend had slipped something into Amelia’s pocket yesterday, saying it was “for later.”

  Amelia dabbed her tears, then opened the envelope, expecting to find a sweet little note of encouragement. Instead, she pulled out five crisp five-dollar bills. Clutching this unexpected treasure to her chest, she thanked God for Claudine’s kind generosity. Though not nearly as much as she’d lost in her stolen wallet, it was still enough to tide her and Jimmy over for a few days. Perhaps long enough for her to figure things out or even find work. But where to begin? She knew a cheap hotel would probably run around three dollars a night. And a taxi might eat up the equivalent of one night’s lodging.

  Still clutching her precious cache in her fist, she decided to walk to town. She had no idea how far it was to the nearest hotel, but right now she needed to pinch every penny. She tucked her money into a pocket inside her handbag, then secured the strap over her shoulder. Relieved that Jimmy was still sleeping, she wrapped the blanket more tightly around him and gently pulled his little blue knit cap down over his ears, then gathered him into her arms. Feeling, once again, somewhat like a pack mule, she grasped her heavy suitcase and slowly but steadily made her way to the front of the station, going outside to stand on the sidewalk and determine which way to go. Seeing taller buildings to her right, she started to walk.