“It is.” Natalie started the truck and drove the short distance back to Orene’s.
When they got there, Tucker was sitting on his tailgate with packages in a blur of colors and patterns stacked up behind him.
“Hey there,” Sheila said.
“Hi. Thought you two might want to deliver presents to the Jacob family with me.” He gave Sheila a wink. “A little less covertly than before. I told them we’re coming.”
“I’m going to run in and see Randy.” Natalie ran up the porch steps, calling his name before she even hit the door.
“Count me in.” Sheila patted her coat pocket, where the check and note were safely tucked inside a little Christmas card. “Can you give me a minute, though? I just need to talk to Orene. It shouldn’t take long.”
“Take your time,” he said. “I’ll be right here.”
“Great.”
Sheila went inside. It always smelled like home here. She could hear Natalie talking up a storm to Randy about the visit with Ms. Ferebee. “Orene, can I talk to you for a minute?”
“Sure, honey. What’s on your mind?”
“I have a favor to ask of you, but promise me you will say no if it’s not convenient.”
Orene chuckled. “Well, that’s an intro. What do you have up your sleeve?”
Chapter Thirty-two
“Ready?” Tucker said as he slid off the tailgate and closed it.
Sheila said, “Yep.” Then walked into his arms. “I am very ready.”
“Nice.”
He and Sheila drove up to the chapel house and quietly helped the Jacobs pile the presents under their tree.
Then Jack and Diane walked with them out to the truck. “I don’t know how we’ll ever thank you for everything,” Diane said.
“You’ll pay it forward,” Tucker said. “That’s how things work.”
“I have one more thing.” Sheila pulled the card from her pocket and handed it to Jack. “I want to help. I wish I could just give you this money. I can’t, but Icanloan it to you. Interest-free. You take however long it takes. It’s the deductible for your insurance.”
“No. That’s too much. You can’t.” Jack pushed it back toward her.
“I can. I am. You will get through this. Sometimes we just need a hand up and I want to do this for you. Please allow me to.”
“But you don’t even know us,” he said.
“This is too generous,” Diane said.
“Please. We’ll work out the details over the next few months, but you need to be able to pull the trigger with the insurance company and not worry about this one part of all the recovery ahead of you.”
“Thank you.”
Diane hugged Sheila. “Thank you. So much. We will make this up to you. I promise.”
“You’re welcome. I know you will.” She stepped toward the door. “We’ve got to run. We’ve got family waiting for us, and you’ve got to get some sleep. Those babies are going to wake you up at the crack of dawn to see what Santa brought!”
“You’ve got that right,” Jack said. “Thank you. Sincerely. We really appreciate this.”
“Merry Christmas,” they said as Sheila and Tucker hopped back in his truck.
