The Doctor's Christmas Read Free Page A

take the risk of letting him know about the kids. He’s the type to call social services the minute he knew.”
    Aunt Elley fitted the top crust over apple slices from her own McIntosh tree. “So you been saying, child. But you don’t know that for sure. Might be good to have a doctor handy with three rambunctious kids in the house.”
    â€œI can take care of them. Besides, Nella will be back soon.” She wouldn’t give in to the fear that Nella Bascom, having lived with an abusive husband for too many years, just didn’t have it in her to raise her kids alone.
    â€œYou heard anything more from her?” Aunt Elly slid the pie into the oven and closed the door.
    â€œThree cards and one phone call.” She nodded at the Christmas card she’d taped on the refrigerator where the children could see it every day. “She says she’ll be back for Christmas. That’s what she said in the note she left with the kids in the office.”
    Shock had hit her when she’d opened the office that morning and found the Bascom kids in the waiting room. Tacey and Robby had been curled up like a pair of kittens, sleeping since Nella had left them at dawn. Joey had been watching over them.
    â€œNella will come back,” she said again firmly, as if Aunt Elly had argued with her. “Once she gets used to the idea that her husband isn’t around to hurt her anymore, she’ll adjust.”
    â€œYou could go looking for her.”
    She could. The postmarks told her Nella had run to the small West Virginia town where she’d once lived. “I’ve thought about it. Prayed about it. But—”
    Aunt Elly nodded. “You figure if Nella’s going to have strength enough to raise those youngsters on her own, she’d best come back on her own.”
    â€œShe will. And I’m not going to let those kids get sucked into the system in the meantime. Nella would probably never get them back if that happened.”
    They both knew what Maggie had experienced in the foster care system. It lay unspoken between them.
    â€œI reckon Button Gap can take care of its own,” Aunt Elly said. She glanced out the kitchen window.“But it looks like you’ll have to tell the new doc something.”
    â€œWhy?” She slid off her stool, dusting her hands on her jeans.
    â€œâ€™Cause here he comes, and he’s got ahold of Joey by the collar.”
    Before Maggie could move, a knock thundered at the door. Shooting Aunt Elly an appalled look, she moved to open it.
    Grant stood on her step, holding Joey by his frayed jacket collar. “This kid belong to you?”
    â€œNot exactly.” She grabbed the boy, pulling him inside the kitchen. “He’s a friend. What are you doing with him?”
    â€œI found him in the cellar.” He stepped inside without waiting for an invitation. “He was trying to dismantle my furnace.”
    â€œHe can’t have been.” Her rejection was automatic, but her heart sank. Actually, he could. Joey was fascinated by all things mechanical. Worse, he might have heard her earlier and decided to help the new doctor go away.
    â€œYes, he was.” Grant planted his hands on his hips, glowering at her. Then he seemed to become aware of Aunt Elly, watching him with what might have been an appreciative twinkle in her eyes. And of Tacey and Robby, standing in the doorway, looking scared. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had company.”
    â€œNot company.” Aunt Elly wiped her hand on the sprigged apron she wore over a faded housedress,then extended it to him. “I’m Aunt Elly. I guess you’re the new doctor.”
    â€œGrant Hardesty.” He sent Maggie an annoyed glance. “I thought you said you didn’t have any family. Your aunt—”
    â€œNope, not her aunt.” Aunt Elly was obviously enjoying herself. “Ellenora Glenning, if you want to be