Page 79 of Protecting the Flame

Chapter 2

“Emma?”

She jerked awake with a gasp. Her door was ajar, but the overhead in her room was out. The small Christmas lights still twinkled, enough for her to piece together a face, but she’d have known the voice anywhere. “Mattie. Honey, what are you doing here?”

“They wouldn’t let me visit until now,” she said.

“But visiting hours are over.”

“Okay, fine, so I lied. I’m not supposed to be here, but I waited until I saw the nurse leave.”

“Where’s your mom?” She checked the time; it was only a little past six. Will was due back at eight and he’d promised a gooey, loaded veggie pizza if he had to bring it in under a trench coat.

“Downstairs. My dad’s mom, my real grandmother, is here. Joshua’s coming.”

She sat up. “You’re kidding. Will said it was going to be another week or something.”

“I guess Joshua has different ideas. Kind of like a movie, you know? Him being born on Christmas? I actually kind of feel sorry for him. He’ll get totally gypped out of presents every year.”

She bit back a laugh. “I hadn’t considered that.” She reached out to touch the girl’s shoulder. “I’m really glad to see you.”

“I…” Mattie gave an audible swallow. “I was really scared I was never going to see you again. I’m so sorry about Scott. I think he heard me talking to Mom and…”

“Sweetie, don’t worry about it. It’s past now. It doesn’t matter. You didn’t do anything wrong. Scott had…he had his problems.”

“Yeah.” Drawing in a shaky breath, Mattie dragged a forearm over her eyes. “I didn’t like him, but I didn’t want him to die either.”

“You don’t know if he’s dead.” In fact, the odds were against it. By the time rescuers got to her, Scott had vanished, and one of the snowmobiles was missing. Knowing Scott, he was probably in Canada now, spending his money and figuring out what to do with that brick of heroin.

“True. But now, Mom’s all alone again.”

She thought Rachel had been alone for some time, ever since her husband didn’t come out of that drug house. She said nothing.

“Do you think things will get better?” Mattie asked.

“I think they’ll be different. Better in some ways, maybe worse in others.” Although that was hard to imagine. “Where will you guys go?”

“Probably to Grampa’s ranch. It’s ours, now. I don’t know anything about ranching.”

“Maybe you’ll like it.”

“Maybe. There’s a lot to work out. Anyway.” Mattie thrust out the paper bag. “I brought you something.”

She was about to refuse, to say that it wasn’t her holiday then got disgusted with herself. Oh, give it a rest, will you? Switching on a small bedside lamp, she opened the bag and peered inside. “Oh, Mattie.”

“I did the best I could. I know it’s not the same,” the girl said. “Your pack got all messed up in the fire.”

Her pack. She hadn’t even thought of it until now. That meant her camera and lenses were gone. Ben’s copy of The Waste Land was now only so much ash. Well, maybe that was all right. Although she really had liked her camera and those lenses cost a fortune.

She pulled out Mattie’s gift. The menorah was small and golden. It was Sarah’s candelabra in miniature. “It’s beautiful.”

“And it’s like your necklace, see?” Mattie pointed to a very tiny red crystal in the center of a Star of David. “That way, when you light it, you can think of your grandmother. You’re going to have a lot of extra candles, though,” Mattie said as Emma squared the box of candles next to the menorah. “It’s Christmas and last night was the last night of Hanukkah, so…”

“We’re going to light them anyway.” Really, God or a god or whatever could take a joke. “And I’ll have a head start on next year. But, oh.” Grinning, Emma drew out the candy bar. “I thought I smelled chocolate and coconut.”

“And almonds,” Mattie said. “Because sometimes you feel like a nut.”

They smiled at one another for a moment and then Emma said, “Shall we light the candles now?”

“Are we allowed?”

“I kind of doubt it.” Although she wasn’t on oxygen or anything. “Tell you what. Why don’t we wait for Will to come back? He’s bringing pizza. It’s not sausage or anything, only veggie.” Bubbe Sarah would’ve been pleased. “Is that okay?”

“Are you kidding? I’ve done nothing but eat, and I still want to gnaw on your arm.” Mattie paused. “Can we say the blessings for real this time?”

“Absolutely.”

“That would be nice.” Sliding her arms around Emma, Mattie buried her face in Emma’s neck. “Yehi ’or, Emma.”

“Yes.” Emma held the girl close. “Light.”

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