Potato Flake Christmas

By Cathe Swanson

It seemed like such a good idea at the time…

 

Her grandmother's invitation came at the perfect time to rescue Claire Lucas from the consequences of her good intentions. With no reason to stay in Minnesota, she turns her back on the ice and snow and heads for the Golden Sun Oasis retirement community in Arizona.

 

Jeffrey Koa is at loose ends after finishing college. He hasn't found a job yet, and his parents are on their way back to their exotic mission fields, so when his great-uncle calls to ask for his help, Jeffrey leaves the sandy beaches of Hawaii and heads for Arizona.

 

It doesn't take long to realize they've been set up, but the clumsy matchmaking scheme appears to be working - until Claire realizes that her secret will put an end to Jeffrey's dreams.

 

Can they be just friends, or are their hearts stuck on a happily-ever-after?

 

A heartwarming story of friendship and romance, with plenty of laughter as they turn the tables on their matchmaking relatives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cathe Swanson
• Release date: Oct 15, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201445577

Book preview

Chapter 1

Why couldn't the pastor be made to understand that old bones needed warmth? Vivian Lucas pulled her sweater closer and peered through the acrylic box over the air conditioner control panel. It must cost the church a fortune to drop the air temperature by forty degrees, anyhow.

I think there's a hammer in the storage room, Molly offered.

We can't break the box. Vivian pulled a plastic bag of keys from her purse. I brought some keys with me. John always kept keys.

And now you do, Molly said. She accepted a key from Vivian and tried it. No luck. Next.

Vivian handed her another key. I gave away most of John's things, but the keys don't take up much room. He always said one of them might come in handy someday. Maybe today's the day.

Not this one, Molly said. She looked toward the door. Uh oh.

Vivian turned in time to see the exasperated expression on Pastor Tom's face before he replaced it with a friendly smile.

Can I help you ladies?

Molly stepped in front of him, loyally shielding her friend as she shoved the keys back into her purse. Hello, Pastor. I'm glad you stopped by. You know our sewing group is meeting here this morning, and we've asked several times to have this room kept a little warmer.

Ah, yes. The man rocked on his heels. The Sassy Stitchers. The thing is, the whole system is computerized. It's programmed. I don't even know how to change it.

Molly pointed into the box. See that little knob? If you pull it down, it shuts off the programming and we can set it manually. My grandson showed me how. It's not hard at all.

Maybe if it's such a fancy computer setup, Vivian said, they can set it to be seventy-six degrees on Tuesdays from nine to noon.

The pastor shook his head. Apparently not, he said, but we do want you ladies to be comfortable.

The women waited, brows raised, and he sighed. I'll ask the service company again if we can set up a schedule like that, but they told me no, last time. We can't shut off the whole system just for this room, for a few hours.

Molly shook her head, setting the white curls bobbing. You're going to have to do something. The windows are too hard to open, and the last time we left the door open, a couple of those bark scorpions got inside.

The back door would have been more convenient, but it set the alarm off, Vivian said. This place is a mess.

He rubbed the back of his neck. Are you really cold?

Yes, we are. Vivian pulled at her sweater again. You young people have different internal thermometers. The Sassy Stitchers are all over seventy-five, you know. We get colder than you do.

I'm sorry. I'll call the company today. He stepped forward, not looking at her purse. Maybe I can help you get the windows open a crack, just for today.

Behind his back, Vivian gave Molly a thumbs-up. The woman sat at a table and heaved her knitting bag onto the table, pulling out skeins of yarn and a handful of crochet hooks.

Oh, for goodness sakes. A woman entered the room, thumping her walker on the tiled floor. I'm glad I brought a sweatshirt. She moved out of the way to let two more women pass. Can you believe this?

Did I die and get transported back to Nebraska? Paula Young asked.

Sorry, ladies. The pastor returned and moved a chair out of Joyce's path. I've opened a window, and I'm going to call the air conditioning people right now.

She huffed and stomped toward a chair. We'd better not get wasps in here.

Vivian watched the pastor go. He moved pretty fast for a man in his fifties. There was no reason the Sassy Stitchers shouldn't have access to the thermostat and adjust it for their own comfort. The deacons had control issues.

Only six of us today? She dug her devotional book from her bag and sat down next to Molly. Is Nancy coming?

Jake has a doctor's appointment down in Phoenix, Joyce said. Their daughter drove out from California to take them down there. They're spending the night at a hotel and will be back tomorrow.

She is such a good daughter. Barb Finch pulled a cushion from her bag and set it on the padded chair before sitting. Always attentive whenever Nancy or Jake need anything. She just gets in her car and drives out. Do you have enough room, Paula?

Oh yes, I'll squeeze in here. Paula sat. Your sons are attentive, too, Joyce. They're so generous. Flying you out to California for a Disneyland family Christmas... first class! That will be fun. Vivian, did you bring that pattern you mentioned?

Vivian nodded. I did. If it's just the six of us, let's get started. She opened the book and waited for everyone's attention. Their devotions had become somewhat perfunctory over the last few months; maybe she'd do something better next week. The devotional book was easy because it had the story, the lesson with a Bible verse, and a prayer to read aloud.

The women listened, eyes on the table, and thanked her when it was finished. When it was over. She really needed to switch things up and find a new way to do devotions. They were in a religious rut.

We have some business, she announced. The school district sent us a thank you note for the tote bags. They say they don't need any more this year. The Police Department thanks us for the teddy bears and says they have enough to last them for a while.

Good! Barb said. They're for traumatized children, and hopefully they won't need them that often.

The crisis pregnancy center is out of baby quilts. They say they can also use layettes. They didn't call them that, but it's what they mean. They're looking for store-bought things, though, and I told them we only do handmade items.

I've started another baby quilt, Rosie Smith said. A friend gave me a box of pink and purple scraps.

And the prayer shawl lady at Golden Rest Hospice has requested two more shawls, Vivian finished.

What about the t-shirt dresses? Paula raised her hand like a student. Do we want some more of those to put out at the food bank?

If you want to. They always go, if we have them there. Vivian pushed her chair back. What's everyone got to work on today?

She watched them get settled, arranging themselves as they did every week, working on their individual and shared projects, drinking decaffeinated coffee from Styrofoam cups and exclaiming over Paula's lemon bars. It was good to have Christian women in her life and do useful work to help others. The group changed sometimes, as people joined or moved away from the Cold Canyon Community Church, but these women had been here the longest.

So, are you looking forward to Christmas at Disney, Joyce? Molly pulled out a bundle of yarn and resumed work on her prayer shawl. What does Bill think?

Well, I am. Bill's not happy about it. He wanted them to come here, but you know they'd all have to stay in hotels, and it would be hard to fit everyone into our house for meals and opening presents. Being together is the important thing. Joyce picked up a second lemon bar. I shouldn't eat this. She took a bite and swallowed before continuing. It'll be a fabulous vacation, but it's ridiculous to fly out there. It will take longer to get to the airport and fly out there, then drive out to Mark's house, than it would to just make the drive to their place. They're making a big deal of the first-class airfare, but I think they just don't want Bill or me to drive.

The other women remained tactfully silent for a few minutes. Hoping to change the topic without hurting Joyce's feelings, Vivian said, Did you say you're going to Nebraska for Christmas, Paula?

Not this year. My mother's not doing well, so all the kids are coming here, so they can see her one more time.

Sympathetic murmurs rose among them, and Paula clasped her hands on the table. Every visit's a blessing, when you're nearly a hundred years old. The kids are staying at the Golden Palms. They've booked half the rooms, I think, and reserved one of the meeting rooms for Christmas Day.

Are they all coming? Rosie asked. You have a large family.

Two sons, two daughters-in-law, one daughter and one son-in-law, six grandchildren plus their spouses and five great-grandkids. And Martin.

They all stared. Your ex-husband is coming for Christmas?

She fidgeted with the handle of her purse. She was his mother-in-law for forty years. He didn't divorce her. She usually forgets we're divorced, anyhow—or pretends to—and we never get all the kids and grandkids in one place. It wouldn't be fair to say he can't come to that.

We're making some fun plans, Rosie said. I set up a private group on Facebook, just for the family, so we can get it all set up. My son's driving in with his family, and we're all meeting at my daughter's house in Phoenix. We're playing games and exchanging white elephant gifts on Christmas Eve, and then we're going into the city to volunteer at the Rescue Mission on Christmas Day. They're having a big party for all the children there.

Nancy told me they might just stay with their daughter in California for a week or two over Christmas, Paula said. I wouldn't be surprised if they move out there, eventually. Their daughter wants them to live with her, or at least nearby. How about you, Vivian? Do you have anything special planned?

She never had anything special planned. Vivian squinted at the needle she was trying to thread. Not yet. Everyone is so busy this time of year. I know it would be hard for them to come down here, with all their activities and work, but I'm not making a trip to Minnesota in December.

It's busier every year, isn't it? Joyce asked. People forget the reason for the season.

They paused for a moment of reflection and then Paula said, You're welcome to join our festivities, such as they are. The nursing home won't let Mom have more than one or two visitors at a time, so we've got a lot of other activities planned and we'll visit her in shifts.

Thanks. I've got a couple months to decide, Vivian said, and you never know. They're having an early winter there. It's not uncommon to have snow at Halloween, but they've been getting heavy frosts since late September.

The diversion worked. Everyone liked to talk about the weather. Vivian only wished the blizzard winds would blow some of her family members toward Arizona.

Chapter 2

Vivian smiled at the sight of Herb Randall sweeping her walkway. The park manager was the kindest man she'd met since John died eight years ago. He stepped aside as she drove into the carport, waiting with a friendly grin for her to emerge.

Can I help you carry all those bags? He opened the back door and reached inside, not waiting for her answer. They'd been doing this for years.

Thanks, Herb. They seem especially heavy today. Vivian led the way to her door and unlocked it. Her own air conditioning was just right—a cool haven after the oven-like heat outdoors.

Did you have a good turn-out today?

Six of us, she said. The usual gang.

He set the bags on the table. Did you get a lot accomplished?

Oh, yes. Vivian opened the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher of tea. Have a seat. It was productive. We're starting new prayer shawls. I always hate making those, she confessed. It's always for someone on Hospice. I like making baby quilts better.

He accepted a glass of tea. I can understand that.

It feels shallow, she said. It's a good ministry. We pray for the person while we make the shawls, and then they go to the recipients, and they can wear them when they pray. Or anytime they want, of course.

Babies need blankets, too, Herb said, and if you have ladies who like to knit the prayer shawls, you can do the baby blankets. You don't need to beat yourself up for that.

I don't beat myself up. Not much. She sat opposite him. You're a nice man, Herb. Why haven't you been scooped up by some nice widow?

Is that a proposal? He sat up, beaming. Are you scooping?

She laughed. You'd better watch the way you joke around, Herb, or someone just might take you seriously. Your comfortable bachelor life would be over.

It's not as comfortable as you think. Herb ran his finger around the rim of his glass. The doctor wants to re-do those stents he put in back in the nineties. There's nothing wrong with them, but he says they're expired. Wants me to take a few weeks off. No lifting or exertion. He snorted. "As if I can just put my feet up and everything will run