A Hero for the Holidays
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Syndi Powell
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CHAPTER ONE
MONDAY MORNINGS MIGHT be dreaded by most of the world, but in Christopher Fox’s experience, nothing good happened on Tuesdays before noon.
This morning had been no exception. He opened one eye to peer at the alarm clock and then opened the other to stare at the blank screen. Hadn’t the alarm gone off? Checking his phone, he saw that it was almost seven thirty, and he had to wake up the kids, then get them dressed and fed before taking them to school. Groaning, he jumped from the bed and ran down the hall to knock on their bedroom doors and rouse his children. “Get up! We’re late.”
His six-year-old daughter, Daisy, groaned and dived under the covers as he ran into her bedroom to wake her. “But I don’t want to go to school,” she whined. She’d gotten pretty good at whining lately. “Can’t we start Thanksgiving break today instead of tomorrow?”
“You’re going to school. Now get dressed. And no cape.”
Last year, Daisy had dressed up for Halloween as a superhero. Since then, she had worn the cape most days for at least a portion of the day. It was something that he and the family counselor had started to address with her in their therapy sessions. While he could understand her desire to live in a fantasy world where superheroes could save dying mothers, the reality was much different. People did die and nothing would ever change that. He gave his daughter his stern face. “I mean it, Daisy. Leave the cape at home, where it belongs.”
She grumbled as she got out of bed and stood staring into her closet. Half convinced she would obey him, he poked his head into Elijah’s room. The boy was still lying on his bed, covers up to his hairline. “Come on, buddy. Time to get up.”
A groan from the pile of blankets and a stirring that meant his son would obey. Eventually. On his own timetable. He was only nine, but acted more like a surly teenager the closer he was getting to double digits.
Taking a deep breath, Christopher returned to his own bedroom and dressed in his typical work uniform: white oxford shirt, dark pants and one of the many ties he’d received over the years. He didn’t even look as he pulled out one now and put it around his neck, then stood in front of the mirrored closet door to knot it. He barely glanced at his face, not caring what he looked like. Who was he trying to impress? The hundred or so senior citizens who lived in the assisted-living home he managed? Certainly none of the doctors or nurses who visited regularly. No, his heart had been buried along with his wife almost two years ago, so there was no one to dazzle with his appearance.
Downstairs in the kitchen, he pulled out boxes of cereal, bowls, spoons and the nearly empty gallon container of milk. The light bulb in the fridge was out. He’d have to remember to buy more milk and light bulbs on his way home after work. Footsteps above him assured him that his children would soon join him.
He glanced at his watch. No time for cereal even. He left everything on the counter, except for the milk, which he returned to the dark refrigerator. And then realized that he’d forgotten to make the kids’ lunches last night like he’d planned. No time to make them now. He’d have to give them money for the school cafeteria instead.
Elijah was the first to make an appearance downstairs. His hair looked as if a brief attempt with a comb had been made, but a cowlick in the back kept the boy’s dark hair from lying flat. It must be genetic, Christopher thought, as he reached up to smooth his own hair. “Where’s your sister?”
The boy shrugged and started to sit at the kitchen table. Christopher sighed. “No time for breakfast this morning. Grab a box of granola bars from the cupboard and get in the car. I’ll find your sister and be right behind you.”
Elijah rolled his eyes and walked to the cupboards. Christopher left the kitchen and took the stairs two at a time to retrieve Daisy. He found her in her bedroom stuffing something into her backpack. “We’re running late, sweetie. Let’s go.”
“You should have gotten us up earlier.”
“The alarm didn’t go off.” He put his hand on top of her head and herded her out of the room. “I’m trying to get better.”
“You said that last time we were late.”
Truth was that he meant to get better at being a single dad, but after almost two years, he still struggled. There was never enough time and always too much to do. “Things have been a little better since then, haven’t they?” When his daughter gave him a look, he sighed and held up his hands. “I’m trying here, sweetie. Please help me.”
He marched Daisy out to the car, where Elijah had taken the front seat. His daughter tugged on the car door. “It’s my turn for the front seat, not Eli’s.”
Great. Just what he needed to add to this morning’s fun. “You can get the front after school.”
“But it’s my turn.”
“Daisy,” Christopher said in what he hoped was an authoritative tone. “We’re late. Get in the back.”
Christopher didn’t miss the look of triumph on his son’s face as Daisy got in the back seat. He glared at his son. “You’ll be in the back seat the rest of the week.”
His son’s jaw dropped. “But that’s not fair. I got here first.”
The children bickered back and forth as he backed the car out of the driveway. Looking up at the house, he saw their dog, Caesar, watching them from the front window. He raised a hand to bid the dog goodbye, then felt foolish for doing so. But in many ways, he wanted to stay home with the dog rather than getting the kids to school and himself to work. Just one day, he’d like to do something for himself.
But he’d promised Julie that he’d always put the children first, and Christopher never broke a promise.
Once the kids were dropped off at school with lunch money in hand, he headed to the assisted-living complex across the Detroit suburb town of Thora. Because of this morning’s troubles, he arrived a half hour late. His assistant, Brenda, met him at the front door. Never a good sign. “We lost two residents overnight.”
Though death was a natural part of working with senior citizens, Christopher still took it hard. “Who?”
“Mrs. Kensington in three-oh-one and Mr. Edwards in two-twenty-four.”
He recalled the woman who had a fondness for chocolate and the man who always called him “Sonny.” “I’ll contact the families.”
Brenda followed him into his office. “I already notified them. And EMS delivered the bodies to the funeral home.”
“Still, I think I should call them. Express my own condolences.” He hung his coat on the hook behind his office door. “What does today look like?”
She handed him a sheet of paper that listed his commitments. “And Dr. Watson wants a few minutes of your time at some point today. Preferably after she completes her rounds this morning.”
The young doctor seemed to have taken an interest in him lately. Something he needed to nip in the bud. And quickly. He didn’t want Brenda sending him those knowing looks, like the one she’d been giving him for the last few moments. “Stop looking at me like that. I’m not interested.”
“But she obviously is.”
A quick check of the schedule proved that a full day loomed, including a staff meeting at three. They needed to get their holiday rotation finalized so that everyone could spend some time with family and friends. Also, Brenda wanted to plan the staff Christmas party. He rubbed his face, frowning. “Coffee. I need lots of coffee.”
“Bad morning?”
“We’ve had quite a few lately.” He excused himself and walked to the cafeteria’s beverage station to pour himself the first of many cups of caffeine.
By the time he met with Mrs. Tepperman and her daughter at eleven, Christopher contemplated quitting his job. He looked across his desk at the women sitting there, the older one frowning even as the younger one patted her hand. “It’s a good place, Mom. And your friend Sylvia lives here. Didn’t she tell you that she loves it?”
“I don’t want to move out of my home. Your father and I lived there for fifty-two years.” She glanced at her daughter again. “That’s over fifty years of memories that you want me to walk away from, Deborah. I can’t do it.”
“You can bring the things from home that mean something to you,” Deborah said.
The daughter peered at him as if asking for help to convince her mother to move into the assisted-living home. He took up the proverbial baton. “As your daughter stated, we encourage residents to bring items from home to make the apartment more comfortable and familiar. To put your own stamp on it.” He leaned closer to the desk. “Our goal is to make you feel at home, Mrs. Tepperman.”
He paused, deciding what tack to take with her. “What exactly does your friend Sylvia say about why she likes living here?”
“That she loves all the activities. She’s even doing chair aerobics.”
Christopher nodded. “It’s a very popular exercise class. We also have game nights, live music on Sunday afternoons and planned outings to different places around Detroit. And if you’re a knitter, we have a club that meets together and works on their projects.”
Deborah touched her mom’s hand. “You said that you wanted to get back to knitting again.”
The older woman sniffed and glanced away. Christopher didn’t blame her. He knew the fear of moving away from a place that held too many memories and starting over somewhere else. Even if he hadn’t succeeded in doing it for himself, he was more than capable of helping others get to that point. That was why he’d been made director after almost four years of working at the home. He had what his former boss called “the touch” when it came to dealing with the doubts and worries of the older residents.
Mrs. Tepperman pulled the brochure closer to her and flipped through it. “I could bring my bedroom set here? My husband bought it for me on our first anniversary.”
“Absolutely.”
The daughter rubbed her mother’s hand. “We’ll hire movers to bring it over.”
“Movers?” Mrs. Tepperman waved her hand. “Why pay for movers when I have grandsons with muscles?”
Christopher pulled out the application and handed it to Mrs. Tepperman just as his office door opened, and Brenda burst inside. “There’s an urgent call for you.”
Christopher motioned to his clients. “I’m in the middle of an appointment.”
“You’ll want to take this now.” Brenda picked up the phone on his desk and thrust it at him.
Worried that it might be about one of the kids, he accepted the receiver. “This is Christopher Fox.”
“Mr. Fox, your house is on fire.”
He frowned, thinking this was some kind of sick joke. “Excuse me?”
“This is Sarah Taylor from down the street. Your house is on fire. You should get down here quickly.”
Christopher bolted upright in his office chair. “What? On fire?”
“I’ve already called 911, and they’re on their way.”
He thanked the concerned neighbor, but she had already hung up the phone. He looked over his desk at the clients. “I apologize, but I need to cut our appointment short. There’s been an emergency.” He swallowed. “My house is on fire.”
Mrs. Tepperman put a hand to her mouth. “Don’t worry about us. Go.”
He opened the middle desk drawer to retrieve his keys. What else did he need to do? He looked at Brenda and saw that she had his coat in her arms. He thanked her as he took it from her and promised to try to be back by the three o’clock staff meeting. She shook off his words. “I’ll take care of Mrs. Tepperman and the staff meeting. Just go.”
He gave a short nod, then rushed out of the office and through the lobby, taking the side door that led to the staff parking lot. He searched for his car, trying to recall what he drove. The red sedan under the maple tree beeped as he pressed the button to unlock the doors. Details of his normal life seemed to be fleeing from his mind as he put the car in Reverse and struggled to recall the best route home. All that his brain could focus on was the fact his house was on fire.
Before he turned onto his street, he could smell the fire and see the smoke rising in the sky. Emergency vehicles crowded the street, and he had to park a few houses down from his and jog the rest of the distance to the scene. Flames licked at the air from windows, while the roof and front door were also on fire. A firefighter in full gear stopped his approach, his arms spread out. “You can’t go in there, sir.”
“That’s my house.”
“We’re doing everything we can to bring it under control. Is anyone inside?”
“The kids are in school.” He paused, then pointed. “But the dog is in there!”
The firefighter muffled a curse, turned and ran into the inferno. Christopher watched the flames progress and wished he’d taken Caesar to the doggy day care like he’d originally thought. But they’d been running behind, and he had left the little shih tzu at home.
Seconds, then minutes passed as more firefighters directed water at the flames and others entered the conflagration with axes. More minutes went by as the fire seemed to be winning the war and eating the house with its fiery jaws.
How was he going to tell the kids that they’d lost their house and their dog in a single day? Caesar had found them at their lowest point just after Julie had died. A stray dog had stolen their hearts and made the grief a little easier. And now this? Christopher closed his eyes and hung his head.
A shout brought his head back up, and he saw a firefighter run out of the flames holding the still figure of the dog. Christopher broke past the barrier and gasped as the firefighter laid the dog on the ground, then removed his helmet and face gear.
Not his. Hers.
She started to administer mouth-to-mouth to the unmoving dog. Please let him be okay. Christopher knelt beside them, willing the dog to live. The dog’s belly expanded as the firefighter blew her breath into the dog’s nostrils. Once. Twice. On the third attempt, the dog’s legs twitched. “Come on, Caesar. Breathe.”
The woman blew for the fourth time, and Caesar opened his eyes and gave a weak yelp. Christopher broke into a smile and wiped at his wet cheeks. “That’s it, buddy. Keep breathing.” He looked at the woman, this blonde angel with bright blue eyes. “How can I ever thank you?”
The woman gave the dog’s head a pat, then looked up at Christopher. “You’ll probably want to take him to your vet to get him checked out, but I think he’ll be okay. Just inhaled too much smoke.”
“What’s your name?” he asked, but she quickly placed her helmet and face mask back on and ran into the fire again, her ax in hand.
Christopher scooped the dog into his arms and cradled him close as he watched the fire consume the rest of his house.
Yep. Nothing good happened on Tuesdays before noon.
WITH THE FIRE now contained and her air tank running low, Penny Cuthbert took a second glance before walking out of the charred remains of the house. As she returned to the ladder truck, she could still hear her fire chief shouting orders, even as she removed her face gear and helmet to stow away on the truck. One of her colleagues thrust a cold bottle of water in her hands, and she took off her thick gloves to twist off the top and pour the water down her throat. Smoke gave her a sore throat and raspy voice if she didn’t hydrate right away.
She glanced over at the distraught homeowner. Even though he was grieving over the lost house with a haunted look in his eyes, he was kind of cute. Tall and lean. Dark hair. Dark eyes. Totally her type. But he’d mentioned his kids being in school, so he was off-limits, married or not. She didn’t date single dads. Not anymore.
Barnes nodded toward the homeowner. “I heard you saved the family dog.”
“Yep. I’m the hero of the day.” She took another swallow of water before focusing on Barnes. “Did you get an idea of where the fire started?”
“We’ll have to wait for the official inspector’s report, but my guess is the large chest freezer in the basement. Scorch marks seemed to radiate from there.” Barnes glanced at the fire chief, who was still issuing commands. “Try to stay on Mac’s good side today. I’m not in the mood to spend hours scrubbing down the truck.”
Penny bristled at the suggestion. It had only been that one time, and she’d paid for her offhand remarks more than any other newbie on the team. Could she help it if she wanted to prove to everyone that she had what it took to be the best firefighter in Thora? She had her father’s big shoes to fill, after all.
The fire chief, Dale MacKenzie—or Mac, as the crew referred to him—crooked a finger at her. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that he was a longtime friend of her father’s and had her best interests at heart. “Hey, Mac.”
“Cuthbert, is it true that you ran into the house to rescue a dog?”
No use lying since he obviously knew the answer. “Yes, sir. The homeowner indicated that the dog was trapped inside. I assessed the risks before entering the home and found the dog hiding behind the sofa in the living room.”
“And you gave the dog mouth-to-mouth?”
“Yes, sir.” She’d been taught by her cousin Jack, a veterinarian who had a soft spot for all animals, especially dogs. He would have been proud of her today.
The chief peered over his glasses at her. “Penelope, what am I going to tell your father?”
“That I’m one of your top team members, of course. I’m a hero. I saved that dog.”
“To be the top and even to be a hero, you need to learn a little more humility, Cuthbert. And maybe a little teamwork.”
Great. Here it comes. She knew that tone of voice. What would it be this time? Checking all the hoses on the truck and at the station by herself? Kitchen duty for the rest of the month?
He eyed her, then shook his head. “Let’s see how heroic you feel after you clean the station’s bathrooms with a toothbrush.”
Penny frowned. “A toothbrush?” She’d be spending the rest of her day on her hands and knees cleaning, a task she’d never been fond of. When Mac raised an eyebrow at her, she gave a short nod. “Yes, sir. Happy to do it.”
He grunted and walked off. She sighed. Her father had warned her that her impulsiveness would be an obstacle to her career. It wasn’t like she acted without thinking first, though. She assessed the risks, but teetered along the wrong side of caution at times. Saving the dog had been the right thing to do, and she wouldn’t back down from that.
IT SEEMED LIKE he’d been watching his life go up in flames for days, although he knew it hadn’t even been an hour since he’d gotten the call that changed his life. Again. He’d been working so hard to give his kids a new life after the death of their mom, and yet he didn’t feel he’d achieved it. Now, on top of everything else, he had to deal with this loss?
At least he still had the dog. He nuzzled Caesar, closing his eyes and turning his back on the devastation that had once been his house. Thankfully that firefighter had saved his dog. He could rebuild a house. He could replace things. But knowing the kids were safe at school and him holding the dog in his arms—those were positives that he could cling to in the days, weeks, months ahead.
A hand touched his arm, and he opened his eyes to find his elderly neighbor, Miss Taylor, standing next to him. “Thank you for calling 911, Miss Taylor.”
“Of course. It was what any good neighbor would do.”
“Your house is half a block down from mine. How did you know it was on fire?”
Miss Taylor gave a shrug. “I was taking my morning walk later than usual, and I noticed the smoke coming from the windows. And where there’s smoke—”
“There’s fire.” He turned his head to glance once more at the smoldering house. “I’m just grateful no one was hurt. It’s only stuff, right?”
“And it can all be replaced.” Miss Taylor looked up at him, her gray eyes seeming to assess him. “Where will you and the children go tonight?”
That was the big question, wasn’t it? Where would he find somewhere for them to stay? It was two days before Thanksgiving. So many motels would be full of holiday visitors. And then he’d have to find a place that would take not just him and the kids, but the dog, as well. “I honestly don’t know.”
“Well, I have an idea about that. You’ll all stay with me.”
A generous offer, but one he should refuse. Miss Taylor didn’t need them all descending on her house. “I couldn’t do that to you.”
“Why not? I have a house with plenty of room. And I’m certainly not going to let you sleep on the streets.”
“It’s not as desperate as that. There are plenty of options.”
“And most of those are booked for the holidays.”
He had to admit she was right, but he didn’t feel comfortable accepting her offer. He knew her in passing, but to open her house to his family? He shook his head. “I can’t impose on you.”
“It’s not an imposition if I’m offering. Come on, Christopher. It’s the neighborly thing to do.”
“Neighbors loan out lawn equipment or give extra vegetables from the garden. They don’t invite a whole family to stay overnight.”
“Well, this neighbor does.” She eyed him, and he felt as if he couldn’t tell her no to whatever she said next. “And I’m talking about more than overnight. I’m talking about you staying until you can find proper accommodations for the long term.”
“But that could be days or weeks.” He shook his head again. “Miss Taylor, I really do appreciate the offer, but I don’t think this is a good idea. You’re—”
“If you say ‘old,’ I’ll kick you in the shins. I’m not sick, young man. I’m not past it yet. And besides, I would enjoy the company. I haven’t had anyone living in the house with me since my sister died...” Miss Taylor glanced away for a moment, and when she turned back, she had a determined gleam in her eyes. “You and the children will stay with me.”
“And what about Caesar? Where we go, he goes, too.”
Miss Taylor frowned at him, then put a hand on the dog’s head, giving him a scratch behind the ears. “Then he’ll come with you. I’ve never lived with a dog, but I always thought it might be nice to have one.”
“A firefighter saved him, you know.” The image of the firefighter giving the dog mouth-to-mouth resuscitation came to mind. “She ran into the house to find him and saved him.”
“She?”
“I never got her name, though.”
“It’s Penny Cuthbert. She’s my great-niece.” Miss Taylor called to the woman, indicating she should come over.
Penny. It seemed a fitting name for the blonde angel who had been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal day.
PENNY THOUGHT SHE heard her name and lifted her head to find her great-aunt Sarah standing by the homeowner. Sarah gave her a wave, which Penny returned. She went to join them.
“I was just telling Christopher here that you worked for the Thora Fire Department, and here you are.” Great-Aunt Sarah beamed at her. “He told me that you saved little Caesar.”
The dog in question moaned softly from his owner’s arms. The man snuggled him closer and asked, “Is there any way I can repay you for saving him?”
Penny shrugged. “Just part of my job. No repayment necessary.” She glanced behind her. The rest of her team had started to wind hoses and store the equipment on the truck. She didn’t want to get called out for anything else by the fire chief. “I should really get going.” She pointed at her great-aunt. “We’re still on for dinner after my shift tonight?”
Great-Aunt Sarah nodded. “Would you mind picking up an extra loaf of garlic bread to go with the spaghetti? Christopher and his children will be joining us.”
Penny wasn’t surprised at the generosity of her aunt, since Sarah had a tendency to open her dining room to anyone who needed a meal. “That’s really nice of you.”
“Well, it seems like I should cook dinner for them since they’ll be moving in with me. At least temporarily.”
Wait... Penny snapped her head in the man’s direction. “What?”
“He needs somewhere to stay, and I offered my house. You know I have all those extra rooms.”
Christopher shook his head. “I never said I would, Miss Taylor.”
Her aunt shrugged. “You didn’t agree yet, but you will.”
No. That was not going to happen. The last thing her elderly aunt needed was to be catering to some guy and his kids. “He’ll move in with you when farmers can get chocolate milk from cows.”
