“I suppose those are okay, then.” He leaned on his cane and stood, still slightly stooped. They walked toward the Tesla, and Sheila hit the button for the falcon-wing back doors to lift.
“Oh my!” Paul bent forward, peering in the side window at Sheila. “Haven’t seen a car with these doors in a while. You might not know, but I represented Clark Gable in Hollywood a lifetime ago. He drove a Mercedes with gull-wings, but I’m sure these have come a long way since then. This car is sexy as all get-out. If I were about forty years younger…”
Sheila burst out laughing. There was something about an old man talking about a sexy car that just absolutely tickled her funny bone. “Well, hop on in, superstar. I’m your chauffeur today.”
He climbed in and Natalie hopped into the passenger seat. Sheila hit the button and all the doors closed themselves around them.
“Here we go, Pops!” Sheila pressed the accelerator, and they were off.
“Never have been in an electric car. I guess this is the new generation.”
“Enjoy it while I’m here. I don’t plan to keep it long. I only bought it because it was a good deal and I knew I could turn it into a profit.”
“Well, done, Sheila. I respect sharp business minds.”
“Thanks, Pops.”
His face brightened. She had a feeling he liked the nickname. Which was good because she felt weird calling him Paul, even though that’s what Natalie called him.
The church was decorated with fresh garlands on the railings and wreaths on the doors. Inside, each pew was decorated with a sprig of pine with a red poinsettia and bow. Sheila slid into the pew next to Natalie, who was nudging her before they even got seated.
“What?”
Natalie nodded toward the fifth pew from the front.
Sheila followed Natalie’s line of sight, and there sat the entire Jacob family. Jack Jacob on the outside, Diane, all those kids, and Betty Jo on the other end. Jack’s arms were bandaged, and so was the left side of his neck, but it was so good to see that Jack was recovering well enough to be out and about.
During the service, the pastor included prayers for the Jacob family and their recent loss, and following the offering they passed a coffee can around for extra donations for the family.
“It’s the third Sunday of Advent, and we see that despite troubles, God has not deserted us and we are still blessed. I’m going to speak from Matthew 11, verses 2 to 11, today, but we’ve seen how, despite a terrible catastrophe, the Jacob family losing their home and everything in it, they were blessed. Jack is back on hisfeet and here with his family, and this community, you’ve come together to be the feet and hands, helping your neighbor. A blessing indeed.”
A Christmas miracle.
After the service, they were getting into the car when Jack Jacob walked over. “Sir,” he said to Paul. “I can’t thank you enough for opening up your property to accommodate my family.”
“Yes, you can. You just did.” Paul took a stuttering step turn. “Thank these ladies. It was their idea. A very good one. They’ve worked tirelessly to make it quite wonderful for you. As have many others in this town. Good folks.”
“Yes, sir.”
He lifted a knobby finger. “I didn’t realize you were the family in need. I’ve watched your family grow. Child by child. You don’t see so many big families these days. I’m glad I could help you.”
“I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you for your generosity, but I will. You can count on it, sir.”
“You take care of your family. The rest, well, it has a way of all working out.”
“Well, I just wanted to thank you. When they told us…” Diane had slipped under his arm, her eyes full of tears, but smiling as her husband spoke. “We couldn’t believe it. Thank you.”
“Yes, sir,” Diane added. “Thank you so very much.” She turned to Sheila and smiled.
Sheila felt like a schmuck driving the fancy car, embarrassed by the frivolity of it.
“And you, Sheila, you don’t even know us. You have no idea how your support the night of the fire helped me through it all.”
“’Tis the season, and treating your neighbor like family—well, that took on a lot more meaning being there.” Sheila felt a lump in her throat. “The news, television, it all desensitizes us to the true impacts the calamity has on people. At the core, we’re all people, struggling to do what is right.”
“We look forward to welcoming you tomorrow morning,” Paul said. “Nelle told me she plans to have a big family breakfast ready for you all.”
“I plan to go back to work,” Jack said, “but Diane will be sure to save me some.”
