Just a Little Christmas by Janet Dailey

Author:Janet Dailey [Dailey, Janet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2017-08-02T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 10

Ellie sat at the breakfast table in her bathrobe, doing her best to enjoy the eggs that Clara had scrambled for her. She knew her mother meant well, but all she really felt like this morning was coffee.

“Bad night?” Clara looked up from her morning crossword puzzle with a sympathetic smile.

“Not great. The baby was tap-dancing, and I swear Beau jumped up and barked every time the wind rattled that loose shutter outside my window. He must’ve thought somebody was trying to get in, and he needed to protect me.”

“I’ll ask Ben to fix it. Where’s Beau now? I don’t see him.”

“He was so tired from guarding me all night that, when I got up, he went to sleep in my bed.” Ellie sprinkled pepper on her eggs. “Sorry to be such a grump. I’m aware that every woman who has a baby goes through times like this, when she’s as big as a house and all she wants to do is lock the door and bawl her eyes out. Sometimes I can’t wait to have this baby. Other times, when I think about it, I’m scared to death.”

“That’s perfectly normal, dear. Believe me, you’ll be fine. One look at that sweet little girl, and you’ll know exactly what to do.”

Ellie forced down another bite. Her mother wasn’t helping.

“Remember, tomorrow’s your baby shower,” Clara continued. “The ladies there will have lots of good advice to offer you, along with their nice gifts.”

Ellie sighed. Jess had gone to so much work to plan the shower and send out the invitations. She should be looking forward to it. Instead she was dreading the event, sitting there looking like a fat, pregnant heifer in front of women who’d all brought her presents, even though they scarcely knew her. How could she be so ungrateful? What was wrong with her this morning?

“Cheer up, sweetheart, it’s almost Christmas,” Clara said. “A week from tomorrow will be the Christmas parade, with the ball that night, and everyone celebrating.”

“Don’t count on me for the ball,” Ellie said. “Something tells me I won’t feel up to going.”

“That would be a shame,” Clara said. “If you don’t want to be on your feet, I know they could use help at the ticket table. By the way, I finished Gracie’s dress early this morning. There wasn’t much left to do, just the side seams. If you don’t have other plans, maybe you could drop it off for her at the ranch.”

“I have a ten o’clock appointment for a checkup at the clinic. I could go after that, I suppose, but I’m not sure anybody’s going to be home. Jubal could be working on the ranch, and Gracie’s in school.”

“You could call Jubal.” Clara gave her a knowing look. “Something tells me he’d be glad to see you.”

“Mother—”

“What? I’m not blind. I saw how you two were looking at each other last night.”

“Jubal and I are friends—and barely that. After the way I treated him, he’ll never trust me again. I’m surprised he’s even speaking to me.

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