Page 2 of Christmas In The Presidential Suite

“January 25th. But I think the baby will come early. Lauren seems huge already. Maybe because I’m used to seeing her thin. And Gemma? She’s still floating in the air after her September wedding. She’s enthralled to be part of Tony’s family. They treat her like a pampered princess. I’m happy for her. She was always Earl’s baby girl. I thought maybe she’d outgrow that role, but it’s been transferred to Tony’s family.”

Kate gave her a sympathetic look. “I have the opposite trauma going on with my two boys. Hank, like your Lauren, is very busy with his computer company. We hardly see him. And Jared thinks he’s in love with a woman neither Brad nor I care for. We’re hoping it’s not serious, like the others he’s dated before her. Hopefully, he’ll settle down after he chooses someone who loves him as he is, not as someone to be changed.”

“I’ve always loved both of your boys, but there’s something special about Jared that I adore—his free spirit, his tenderness, and his boldness,” said Emmie.

“His work at the commercial real estate company is going well because he has such an attractive personality,” Kate said. “Still, as his mother, I wish he’d be more discerning about the women he dates.”

Emmie lifted her glass for another sip of wine. She and Kate, whose children were the same ages, had gone through all their growing phases together. She couldn’t imagine a better, more honest friendship.

The salads they’d each ordered arrived, and it grew quiet as they sampled them.

“Delicious, as always,” said Kate. “I’ve tried to get the recipe for their salad dressing, but I’m told it’s a family secret.”

Emmie laughed. “Me, too. When they wouldn’t give it to me, I told them they ought to sell it commercially. But the family is superstitious about exposing it to the public.”

“What else is going on?” Kate asked.

“Lauren and I are turning Earl’s office into a nursery for her baby boy. She wants him to feel welcome when they come to visit,” said Emmie.

“You’re lucky to have Lauren want you to be a big part of the baby’s life,” said Kate. “Hank’s wife, Janelle, isn’t interested in starting a family. As a part-owner of the new yoga studio in town, she says she’s too busy. Personally, I don’t think she likes the idea of a pregnancy changing her body. I can’t say anything, of course. Not with me in the physical shape I’m in. I’ve given up on losing the last fifteen pounds that would bring me back to my weight as a bride.”

Emmie shook her head. “You don’t need to lose that weight. Think of it as knowledge you’ve gained since then.”

Kate laughed, bringing a smile to Emmie. Kate was adorable and well-loved by her husband.

They finished dinner, paid, and then Emmie drove them home. Having Kate as a next-door neighbor made their friendship easy.

###

The next day, Emmie decided to wait to tell the girls about Earl’s unexpected gift to her until she’d cleared it with the hotel. She went online and was delighted to read about the upscale, very highly rated hotel. Photos of the place were inviting, and reviews couldn’t be better. She also read about the owners, Ann Sanders and Rhonda Grayson. She loved their story of meeting one another when their daughters were roommates at college and deciding to change Rhonda’s seaside mansion into a boutique commercial property.

More excited, she called the hotel and asked to speak to one of the owners.

Ann Sanders picked up the call. “Morning! How can I help you?”

Emmie told her about the letter and the reservation.

“I remember,” said Ann. “It was such a moving gesture. Let me check with the reservations office right now to confirm it.”

Left on hold, Emmie felt a sting of tears. Earl’s thoughtfulness meant the world to her.

Ann returned to the call. “Yes, it’s all set. You’re in the Presidential Suite from December 23rd until January 1st. A large deposit was made, but you’ll be charged the difference at our regular rates. Is that suitable?”

“Yes,” said Emmie. “That will be no problem.” She was grateful that Earl had taken steps to ensure she was comfortable after his death.

“Okay, then,” said Ann. “We can’t wait to welcome you as our guest. Rhonda and I always try to accommodate arrangements for such thoughtful circumstances. As the time draws closer, if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to call. We’re here to make your visit as outstanding as possible.”

“Thank you,” said Emmie, ending the call and letting fresh tears come before she went back to the project of cleaning out Earl’s office.

After going through the files and other drawers in his desk and clearing them out, she opened the closet door and stared at the boxes inside. The office closet had been used to store not only Earl’s things, but items the girls might use one day. Dishes inherited from her mother were in one box. She wasn’t sure about the rest.

Emmie pulled out the box with the dishes and opened it. Royal Doulton gold-rimmed china was neatly packed inside. She’d ask both her daughters, of course, but she thought of Gemma, who was now part of a family where food was important, and family gatherings were weekly recurring events.

Another box was marked “kitchen items,” and she pulled it out. She found a treasure trove of implements, pots, and pans that she’d set aside when she decided to change brands. Maybe Lauren could use these, she thought, though New Yorkers in the city often tended to order in.

A box of office papers contained duplicates of clients’ tax records from those filed with the accounting company Earl had once been a part of. Emmie put them aside to be shredded.

In another box, Earl had kept trophies from high school football games. It had always amused her that her red-haired, football player boyfriend had ended up working in an accounting firm. But while Earl was athletic, he had a sharp mind that loved dealing with numbers. One of the sad things about his stroke was seeing this strong, stalwart man being reduced to someone who couldn’t fend for himself.