Tucker stepped aside.
But no one moved.
Jack lifted little Johnny from Diane’s hip and took a tentative step forward. The rest of the children piled close to Diane as she followed, squeezing Jack’s biceps, with Bananas looking a little worried and hanging close to their heels.
Nelle must have felt the tension too, because she scooched closer to Sheila.
One more step and Diane and Jack were peering into the kitchen where Nelle, Sheila, and Natalie stood.
“Surprise!” Nelle yelled. “I’ve got breakfast ready foreveryone! I hope you brought your appetite.” She spread her thick arms out, revealing the wordsHOME SWEET HOMEon her red and white apron.
Jack laughed. “You know how to make a man happy, Miss Nelle.”
“This is your kitchen,” Nelle said. “I won’t be in here all the time, but my small gift to you is that every day I’m cookin’ at the counter for the next month, Jesse and I will be dropping off the meal of the day, enough for you and your whole family, so you’ll come home to a hot meal, and your sweet missus can take a little break from the kitchen.”
“Nelle, that’s so kind of you.” Tears streamed down Diane’s cheeks.
Betty Jo hugged her daughter. “Nelle, that is so generous.” She sniffled back a tear too.
“Honey, don’t be wasting those tears on my food. Wait until you see this place. Show ’em, girls.” Nelle pushed Natalie and Sheila forward. “These two have been busy as bees.”
“Sure.” Sheila hopped into open-house mode. “As Nelle said, this is your kitchen, and Diane, you’ll be able to not only fix meals, but see the children right out these two windows while you prepare them. Maybe not a perk right now when it’s as cold as all get-out, but this spring, they’ll be chasing butterflies and bullfrogs and that’ll be heaven. Follow me.”
Sheila and Natalie walked out of the kitchen and the Jacob family stepped aside.
“The bathroom is across the hall. It’s tiny, but well appointed. I thought that was a great idea. And that stool is adorable! I swear I’d buy a dozen of them if I knew where to find them.”
Jack shook his head. “I made that.” He swept a finger beneath his nose. “I know exactly who outfitted this bathroom. I made that stool for their baby shower six years ago.”
“Well, you and I are going to talk, Jack. I’ve got a side job for you to make me a few,” Sheila said.
“Happy to.”
When everyone paraded into the sanctuary, which didn’t look like one at all anymore, soft Christmas music was playing. The long table, borrowed from the fire station, had been covered in a red tablecloth and set for breakfast. The mishmash of different-patterned plates looked welcoming. In the center of the table, another plate was filled with red, green, and gold plastic ornaments.
“This is unbelievable,” Diane said.
Betty Jo cried out, “Look at the Christmas stockings on the fireplace!”
“Will Santa know where we are?” asked Avery.
“Absolutely. Look, he already put stockings up for each of you.”
“Christmas tree!” The children jumped and squealed, then stood in awe of the colorful tree and the lights dancing off the walls, and Bananas raced around the room, finally coming to a stop in front of the bunk beds.
“How are we ever going to thank you?” Diane said.
Then someone spoke as they walked into the building.
“You’ll take good care of each other and enjoy the holidays. Interrupt worry with gratitude. Everything is going to be okay.” Paul Grandstaff stood in the doorway. “Merry Christmas.”
“Mr. Grandstaff, I can’t believe… This is so generous.”
“No, ma’am. I’m grateful to be able to do this small part, but your friends, the community, my granddaughter and her friends, they’ve given you the real gift of turning it into a home. Well done.” Paul Grandstaff clapped his hands. “I look forward to feeling the good energy of your family over here.”
“You’ll get plenty of that,” Diane said with a laugh.
Jack walked over and shook his hand again. “From youngest to oldest, this is Johnny, and we’ve got Avery, Jimmy, and Annabelle, who is my oldest and best helper.”
