“They are. I should’ve warned you.” She nibbled on one. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so fulfilled as I do here. I think a lot of that has to do with the things we’ve done as a community.”
“Well, I won’t argue with you there.” Taking the last spoon of her soup, she stood. “Why don’t you let me clean up these bowls so you can relax before you pull that all-nighter with Tucker?”
“Thanks, Orene.” Sheila rose, and stood there watchingOrene begin to busy herself. “Orene. Thank you for being like a mother to me.”
“It’s my honor, darling. You are a wonderful young woman. I’m sorry your mother can’t see you shine right now.”
That night, Sheila packed her car full of the gifts she’d wrapped for the Jacob family, then drove over to Tucker’s house. She knocked on his door, hoping he’d go with her to deliver them.
She stood there waiting, suddenly wishing she’d texted him first.
He opened the door. “You’re early.”
“I am.” She grimaced. “Is it okay? I’m not interrupting, am I?”
“No, come on in.”
She stepped inside. “I was hoping you’d help me with something.”
“Sure. What’s up?”
“I went a little wild with gifts for the Jacob family,” she admitted. “I wanted to kind of sneak up to the chapel house and leave them on the doorstep.”
“That’ll be tricky unless they aren’t home.”
“I know.” Her confidence dipped. “Maybe it’s a silly idea.”
He looked like he was thinking about it. “Unless it’s not. Hang on.” He pulled his phone out and dialed someone. “Hey, Doris. Do you happen to know what the Jacob family is up to tonight?”
He nodded, and Sheila was dying to know what they were saying. “I wondered about that. When will they be back home?”
He glanced up at the clock. “That’s actually perfect. Thanks.”
“What? What did she say? What’s perfect?” Sheila asked.
“They aren’t home,” he said. “They won’t be for about another hour.”
“Then let’s go. Hurry.”
He put on his shoes and they took off in her car.
“I’m so nervous. I feel like I’m breaking the law,” she teased.
“Imagine how Santa must feel breaking into houses all across the country on Christmas Eve.”
“You’re right.” She lifted her chin. “If he can do it, we can do it.”
“We have plenty of time,” he said.
“But we don’t want to get caught.”
“We won’t,” Tucker assured her.
They pulled through the gates and drove up the path to the chapel house. All the lights were on, making it look a little heavenly.
“I could live there,” she said. “It’s so pretty.”
As soon as they pulled up to the front she punched the button to lift the falcon-wing doors. “Let’s do this.”
