CHAPTER 23
After they ate, Dr. Fenton insisted on clearing the dishes and loading the dishwasher. He rolled up his sleeves and said, “It’s the least I can do.”
After opening several cabinets, Adam found the coffee and steered Madison toward the living room. “Go sit. I’ll make more coffee.”
As she picked up pieces of Christmas wrapping, Madison spotted the red velvet dress. “We forgot your dress. Come with me, Betsy.”
With her mother’s help, Betsy changed into her new holiday dress. Madison took several photos of her daughter posing like a toddler model and uploaded them to Facebook and Instagram.
Impatient to get back to the party, Betsy held her hand in front of the lens. “Enough, Mommy.”
“Okay, okay.” Madison kissed her daughter. “You look so beautiful I want all of my friends to see. Grandma’s at another party today, but if she’s on her phone, she’ll see your new Christmas dress.”
“Goody.” Betsy reached for her mother’s hand as they retreated to the living room.
Seeing them in the hallway, Adam’s eyebrows shot up. “Look at that pretty dress. It’s almost as beautiful as you, Betsy.”
The little girl twirled and curtsied.
“What do you say?” Madison asked.
“Fank you.”
When they entered the living room, both Madison and Betsy screeched to a stop when they spotted three more wrapped presents under the tree.
Betsy jumped up and down. “Mommy, Santa came again.”
Madison glanced at Adam who gave an innocent shrug. Knowing this was her cue, she said, “Hold on. I’ll be right back. Don’t open anything yet.”
After rummaging through several drawers, Madison found white tissue paper and a long red ribbon tucked away on a laundry room shelf. She smoothed the paper and tied the ribbon into a huge bow.
Betsy poked her head around the door. “Whatcha doing, Mommy.”
Madison lowered her voice and said she had a special gift for Adam.
Betsy toddled into the room. “What is it, Mommy? I can keep a sec-wet.”
Madison whispered in her daughter’s ear. Afterward, she said, “Don’t tell anyone, especially Adam.”
“I won’t.”
Holding the gift high, Madison returned to the living room with Betsy on her heels. She set the gift on the coffee table.
“Hmm.” Adam raised his eyebrows. “I wonder who that’s for?”
Madison ignored his question. “Who goes first?”
Grinning, Adam said, “Betsy, of course.”
The little girl clapped her hands. “I get more pweasants?”
“Uh huh. I guess you’ve been such a good girl Santa thought you deserved one more.” Adam handed her a badly wrapped rectangular box. Instead of holiday paper, the wrapping featured birthday candles.
Madison chuckled under her breath but Betsy didn’t seem to notice the candles.
Grabbing the gift with her tiny hands, Betsy tore into the paper. When she saw the box, she squealed. “Twaining wheels! Now I can wide my bike.”
Madison’s mouth fell open. She turned toward Adam. “How did you know?”
He put his finger to his lips.
Betsy chimed in, “Adam didn’t know; Santa did.”
“That’s right. Santa knows everything.” Adam placed Betsy’s bike on its side. “Want me to put them on?”
“Yes, pweaze.”
“I’ll need a wrench.” Adam hesitated. “Shouldn’t your mom and Bruce open their gifts first?”
Bobbing her head so fast her curls bounced, Betsy said, “I can wait.”
Adam handed Madison another badly wrapped box covered in birthday paper.
She laughed. “You amaze me.”
“You don’t even know what it is.” Adam leaned forward. “I didn’t exactly know your sizes, so this is sort of a one-size-fits-all type of gift.”
Madison ripped the paper and removed the outer lid. She noticed three boxes nestled inside a large container. Unwrapping the first box, she grinned when she saw three tickets for the Redbud Canyon Movie Theater. She stared at Adam. “Three tickets?”
“I had hoped you’d invite me to go with you and Betsy.” He motioned toward the other two gifts. “Keep going.”
Madison removed the paper from the next box which revealed a day spa gift card including a massage, mani-pedi, facial, and a hair styling session. Her eyes bulged. “I’ve never done anything this extravagant.” She reread the folded brochure. “This is for a whole day of beauty? I wouldn’t know what to do with myself.”
“Just enjoy being pampered,” Adam said.
She continued, “This is too much.”
“No, it isn’t. You’re a hard-working single mom. You deserve it. Keep going. There’s one more gift.”
Madison’s heart pounded as she opened the last gift. Inside was yet another gift card. Her mouth fell open when she read the amount hand written on the card. It was a five hundred dollar gift card for the local grocery store. Her eyes filled with tears. “I can’t accept this. It’s way too much.”
“Not if you invite me over for dinner after you buy all of those groceries.” He winked. “I’ll help cook and clean up.”
Madison jumped up and hugged him. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your gifts were perfect and extremely generous.” Her face fell. “Now I don’t want you to open yours.”
He reached for her hand. “If it’s from you, I’ll love it. You didn’t have to get me anything. But I want Bruce to go next. I think you’ll like his gift, too. In fact, I know you will.” He handed Bruce a tiny wrapped box.
The dentist scratched his head. “I didn’t know we were exchanging presents. I don’t have anything for any of you.” He hung his head. “I’m only thinking of my sorry self these days.”
Waving his hand as though he were swatting a fly, Adam said, “’Tis the season for giving. Enjoy, my friend.”
Turning the box over and over and rattling it like a kid, Bruce finally—and very carefully—peeled the tape off. He painstakingly removed the paper and lid. Then, he placed his hand over his heart and gasped.