I pretended to sleep because I didn't want to walk any more. Then I did fall asleep and woke up when the world exploded. That's all I remember."
"The letter is from your mother," Polly said. "If you want to go into the bedroom to read it, I understand."
Marian looked into her husband's eyes and he shrugged. She opened the letter and her lips moved as she read through it. Sam followed along and his arm reached around her shoulders as Polly watched her eyes fill with tears.
"Oh Sam," Marian said and slumped into him.
Polly turned around and the apartment was empty. She assumed Lydia had corralled them elsewhere. When she turned back, Marian Maxwell was brushing the tears from her eyes.
"I didn't know anything about my past. The Garrisons were wonderful to me, but they didn't have any information about my family. It is so good to know who I was named after. My son gave his little girls my names as their middle names. Now I can tell him that they are from two other women in my family."
"I'm so sorry that I have a house full of people tonight," Polly said. "If you want to go home, we will all understand."
"No!" Marian said. "I would love to meet your friends. This is a celebration! You've given me an amazing gift this Christmas. It's been over fifty-five years and I want to share this."
She looked around, "Where did they go?"
Polly smiled. "They are probably in the hallway. Lydia Merritt is a genius at knowing when not to be in the way. Let me get them." She went to the front door and found everyone milling around. Lydia had baby Salvador in her arms and smiled.
"How are things in there?"
"Things are great," Polly responded. "Come on in and meet the Maxwells. They are looking forward to celebrating tonight."
CHAPTER NINE - EPILOGUE
Room at the inn. Polly thought about how fortunate she was to be able to offer space for the Living Nativity and for animals who needed a home and for a young family whose car had broken down. This was the last night of the Living Nativity. Sycamore House was finally quiet. Polly had driven Jeff to Des Moines earlier in the day so he could catch a flight to Ohio for Christmas with his family. Her friend, Sal, was at Mark Ogden's house decorating for the onslaught of his family from Minnesota. She promised Polly they would spend time together, but Polly wasn't holding out much hope and that was fine.
Jose, Maria and Salvador were still here. The baby was healthy and laughing. Nate and Henry had gotten the car working again and it was parked out front. Jose and Maria had been a huge help to Eliseo and Sylvie throughout the busy week and decided that they would stay until after Christmas. Polly and Eliseo worked out a fair salary for them and she'd let him be the one to pay Jose.
Yesterday morning, when everyone had been down at the barn, Mark showed up with a crate. He opened it and introduced Hansel and Gretel. Hansel, the male cat, was pure black and beautifully sleek. The female, Gretel, was a gorgeous dark calico. They made their way around t he barn, cautiously sniffing until they found Tom and Huck's stall. The donkeys were already out in the pasture and both cats climbed through the straw until they found a place to curl up. It had nearly killed Andrew to stay away, but Polly asked him to be quiet so he wouldn't scare them.
According to Mark, the cats had come from another barn and were more comfortable being here than inside. As long as there was food, water and shelter, they would be content and happy. Polly had already added a large bag of cat food to the feed room.
While they worked, they tried to ignore the cats, hoping they would get comfortable enough to explore the barn. Andrew was sitting on a bench when Tom came back in looking for some affection. Before they knew it, a black cat was standing beside Andrew. He tentatively reached out his hand and the cat brushed his face on him. Tom got closer to the cat and Andrew grew still. The moment
"The letter is from your mother," Polly said. "If you want to go into the bedroom to read it, I understand."
Marian looked into her husband's eyes and he shrugged. She opened the letter and her lips moved as she read through it. Sam followed along and his arm reached around her shoulders as Polly watched her eyes fill with tears.
"Oh Sam," Marian said and slumped into him.
Polly turned around and the apartment was empty. She assumed Lydia had corralled them elsewhere. When she turned back, Marian Maxwell was brushing the tears from her eyes.
"I didn't know anything about my past. The Garrisons were wonderful to me, but they didn't have any information about my family. It is so good to know who I was named after. My son gave his little girls my names as their middle names. Now I can tell him that they are from two other women in my family."
"I'm so sorry that I have a house full of people tonight," Polly said. "If you want to go home, we will all understand."
"No!" Marian said. "I would love to meet your friends. This is a celebration! You've given me an amazing gift this Christmas. It's been over fifty-five years and I want to share this."
She looked around, "Where did they go?"
Polly smiled. "They are probably in the hallway. Lydia Merritt is a genius at knowing when not to be in the way. Let me get them." She went to the front door and found everyone milling around. Lydia had baby Salvador in her arms and smiled.
"How are things in there?"
"Things are great," Polly responded. "Come on in and meet the Maxwells. They are looking forward to celebrating tonight."
CHAPTER NINE - EPILOGUE
Room at the inn. Polly thought about how fortunate she was to be able to offer space for the Living Nativity and for animals who needed a home and for a young family whose car had broken down. This was the last night of the Living Nativity. Sycamore House was finally quiet. Polly had driven Jeff to Des Moines earlier in the day so he could catch a flight to Ohio for Christmas with his family. Her friend, Sal, was at Mark Ogden's house decorating for the onslaught of his family from Minnesota. She promised Polly they would spend time together, but Polly wasn't holding out much hope and that was fine.
Jose, Maria and Salvador were still here. The baby was healthy and laughing. Nate and Henry had gotten the car working again and it was parked out front. Jose and Maria had been a huge help to Eliseo and Sylvie throughout the busy week and decided that they would stay until after Christmas. Polly and Eliseo worked out a fair salary for them and she'd let him be the one to pay Jose.
Yesterday morning, when everyone had been down at the barn, Mark showed up with a crate. He opened it and introduced Hansel and Gretel. Hansel, the male cat, was pure black and beautifully sleek. The female, Gretel, was a gorgeous dark calico. They made their way around t he barn, cautiously sniffing until they found Tom and Huck's stall. The donkeys were already out in the pasture and both cats climbed through the straw until they found a place to curl up. It had nearly killed Andrew to stay away, but Polly asked him to be quiet so he wouldn't scare them.
According to Mark, the cats had come from another barn and were more comfortable being here than inside. As long as there was food, water and shelter, they would be content and happy. Polly had already added a large bag of cat food to the feed room.
While they worked, they tried to ignore the cats, hoping they would get comfortable enough to explore the barn. Andrew was sitting on a bench when Tom came back in looking for some affection. Before they knew it, a black cat was standing beside Andrew. He tentatively reached out his hand and the cat brushed his face on him. Tom got closer to the cat and Andrew grew still. The moment
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