A Christmas Family Miracle

“Don’t worry.” He swept Philippe up in his arms once more. “We’ll see each other first thing in the morning. Right now you need to mind your mother and go to sleep because it’ll be a long flight to Geneva tomorrow.”

“That’s not Chamonix.”

Raoul chuckled. “No. Geneva’s in Switzerland. We’ll pick up my car at the airport and drive home.”

“Will it take a long time?”

“Only about an hour.”

Philippe looked at Crystal. “Will we go to our house?”

The house he was referring to had actually been a condo she and Eric had rented. At one time she’d assumed they would buy a house of their own, but as problems arose in their marriage no one knew about and still didn’t, they’d kept putting it off.

“Someone else lives there now,” she replied quietly. He needed to know the truth up front so there’d be one less expectation when they got there.

“That’s okay. We’ll stay with Uncle Raoul.”

“No, Philippe—” Crystal blurted. No … “H-he has a girlfriend,” she said, her voice faltering.

“You do?”

Something flickered in the depths of Raoul’s eyes. “But she doesn’t live with me, mon gars, and there’s nothing I’d love more than to have you sleep at my house,” he inserted in a smooth tone without looking at her.

“We’ll be staying at your grandparents’, honey.”

“That’s right. Your grand-mère has your dad’s old room all ready for you and your mother. She can’t wait to spoil you. Come on and walk me downstairs.”

Philippe grabbed his hand and the two of them headed out of the room. The fact that Raoul didn’t deny the existence of a girlfriend verified Vivige’s information. It should have come as a relief. But as Crystal followed them, she felt a whole new nightmare beginning.

Geneva was one of Europe’s main hubs. After disembarking, they wove their way through the crowds to the parking area. Crystal watched Raoul stow the last of their bags in the trunk of his car before getting behind the wheel. Philippe had already climbed in the back and strapped himself in. The sleek black vehicle was a recent acquisition, but Raoul had never been a sports car fan like his brother. As far as she was concerned, this sedan was the ultimate in comfort and luxury.

Within a few minutes they’d wound their way out of the airport. She checked her watch. Barring unforeseen circumstances they’d be in Chamonix by noon. The long fifteen-hour flight was finally over.

Philippe had been restless for part of it, but between her and Raoul, they’d kept him occupied while they took turns napping. Philippe ought to have been exhausted by now, but he showed no signs of it yet.

She turned her head around. “Are you hungry, honey?”

“Yes. Can we get some chicken nuggets?”

“I’m afraid they don’t have them here.”

“Actually they do,” Raoul informed them, darting her an amused glance. “There’ve been a few changes while you’ve been away.”

She lifted her brows. “Even the Swiss caved for fast food. That’s really saying something.”

Her response brought a smile to his lips that melted her insides. “I’m glad they did. I come down here often enough to meet with the heads of groups who want to arrange a special climb and I’m usually in a hurry. It saves time to be able to pick up a snack en route without getting out of the car.”

Before long they’d all eaten and were on their way again. During the drive Raoul phoned his mother to let her know they would be there shortly. From what Crystal could gather, his father was no better, but no worse, thank heaven.

After he hung up he spoke sotto voce. “I’ll take you to the house first so you can freshen up.”

The “house” hardly described the Broussard family home. It was a marvelous old brown-and-white three-story chalet located in Les Pecles, a few minutes from the town center of Chamonix. The first Broussard, a famous alpinist, built it 220 years earlier in the haut-savoyard style. The mountaineering tradition had carried down through the years, making their name a household word for Alpine adventure throughout the French Alps.

Due to its location on the Swiss and Italian border, there was an international flavor that made the town cosmopolitan and brought visitors from all over the world. No matter the season, Crystal thought it the most beautiful place on earth. Seeing it again with all the streets and shops decked out for Christmas brought memories, both good and bad. Hearing the ecstatic sounds coming from Philippe she knew he was in heaven to be back.

“I see the peak!” he called out excitedly.

They’d approached the snow covered Chamonix valley from the north, dominated by Mont Blanc, but he was referring to the Aiguille du Midi. Raoul had taken her and Philippe up on it in the cable car. After that experience it had been the landmark for her son among a world of mountains and peaks on both sides of the town of 15,000 sprawled through the valley.

“Do you remember what it’s called, honey?”

“No, but Uncle Raoul said the sun sits on it. See?”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Raoul smile. “You have a good memory, Philippe.”

Crystal turned her head abruptly to look out the passenger window. Once Philippe had been born, many of her memories had to do with Raoul being with them rather than Eric. After Suzanne died, Crystal and Philippe had spent a lot of time with him and his family while they all mourned.

Eric gave his love and support when he could, but he had to train through all the seasons and was gone a great deal. Crystal felt he was away too much and reminded him they had a son who was missing him terribly.

A year before he’d died, she’d begged for them to live part of the year in Breckenridge, where they could both train and he’d find more time to be with their son away from his family. There hadn’t been too much togetherness. She didn’t tell him Philippe went to Raoul for everything. That would only upset him, but the situation couldn’t go on.

To her chagrin Eric didn’t like the idea of actually living away for even part of a year. He’d told her they would buy a house. In other words, he hoped a new project would keep her busy. It didn’t occur to him she might like to start up racing again.

She told him a house wouldn’t be a substitute for a full-time father. Over the months that followed, she realized he was too entrenched with his lifestyle and friends, too comfortable with the way things were, to want to leave. They didn’t have a marriage anymore.

Eric had been surrounded by a loving support group from the time he was born. Crystal had joined it by becoming his wife, but there was one little body who had needed his attention more of the time now. A day or two here and there between races that took him to other parts of Europe and the States for longer periods wasn’t enough for Philippe.

The more she’d brought it up to her husband, the more irritated he became until they had nothing between them. Having been a top athlete herself, he thought she understood the demands on him. She did understand, at the time. But priorities changed once a child came into the world.

The day he’d left for Cortina, she’d reminded him of that fact and told him she was going back to Breckenridge with Philippe to stay for a few months until he realized what he was missing and come for them.

He’d remained mute. After giving Philippe a hug and a kiss, he’d walked past her and slammed the door on his way out of their condo. He’d never done that before. That was the last time she’d seen him alive.

“There’s Grand-mère!”

Philippe’s cry brought Crystal out of her torturous thoughts. The second Raoul stopped the car, her son opened the rear door and ran up the few steps into her arms. They hugged for a long time.

Crystal’s sixty-three-year-old mother-in-law, Arlette, was lean and athletic like her children, possessing endless energy. She and Jules were very alike, always busy, always cordial and always welcoming company into their home.

From a distance, everything about her appeared to look the same. That was until Crystal got out before Raoul could help her and hurried toward his mother, noticing new worry lines on her attractive features. Since the last time she’d seen her, there was a touch more gray in the dark hair she wore short. It gave her an added sophistication.

Arlette clapped her hands on Crystal’s cheeks. “Mon Dieu, you’ve come and brought Philippe. Jules will be overjoyed. We’ve missed you both so much.”

Crystal hugged her hard, thinking Arlette was a little thinner. Because she was shorter than Crystal’s five-foot-seven frame, she seemed even smaller to her this time. “We’ve missed you, too,” she whispered. “I can’t bear it that Jules is so ill.”

“Neither can I.” The older woman wiped her eyes. “Now that you’ve come, I know he’ll start to feel better.”

“I pray that’s true.” As she looked around, she realized Philippe had gone inside the house with Raoul. Arlette hooked her arm through Crystal’s and drew her past the door. Once it was closed, they went up the stairs to the first floor. The place had been transformed into a Christmas fairyland.

“It’s beautiful, Arlette.”

“We can thank Raoul. He got Bernard to help him set up everything for me.”

What would their family do without Raoul? He carried the emotional weight and still managed to do his own work and everyone else’s. Crystal marveled at his capacity.

Philippe ran over to the tree. “There’s Père Noël!” He remembered.

“Don’t touch it, honey. Those wooden ornaments are very precious.”

“He can touch whatever he wants,” Arlette countered, like the loving grandmother she was. “Go ahead, Philippe. Take it off the branch. It’s yours to keep.”

“Goody!”

“You can have a piece of marzipan in that candy dish, too.”

“Mmm.” He stuffed one in his mouth while he ran over to inspect the fabulous hand-painted grandfather clock that had just struck the half hour. Philippe had always loved to stand in front of it and wait to hear the chimes. Little Hansel and Gretel figures came out, fascinating him.

“I’ve put your suitcases in the upstairs bedroom,” Raoul informed Crystal. He’d just walked into the room still wearing his bomber jacket. She took one look at him and felt her heart turn over and over. It had been doing that since the moment she’d heard his voice at her father’s store, almost as if it had a life of its own.

“Thank you.”

“Hey—here’s my daddy!” Philippe cried out with his mouth still full of candy. With the small, red-painted wooden figure of a solemn Father Christmas clutched in one hand, her son used his other hand to pick up a small framed picture of his father in his ski outfit. Arlette had placed it on the long credenza with many other family pictures. Everyone in the family was represented.

He picked up another picture and showed it to Raoul. “This is Tante Suzanne, huh?”

Crystal squeezed her eyes closed for a second. This was the hard part.

“Yes.”

“She died, huh.”

“That’s right.”

“Was she skiing like Daddy?”

“No. It was spring and she died in an aerial tram accident.”

Suzanne had gone hiking with some people from the office where she’d worked. They’d taken an aerial tram so they could start their hike way up in the mountains. But it had been hit by gale force winds and fell, killing her. Crystal winced to think about the bare bones details again.

“Oh,” Philippe said in a quiet voice. “Do you still cry?”

“Not anymore, but I’ll never forget her.”

Philippe let out a big sigh and wandered over to his uncle, putting an arm around him. “I don’t cry as much, either.” Oh, Philippe. “Mommy says Daddy’s in heaven. Do you think Suzanne’s in heaven, too?”

“Yes.”

The scene was too much for Arlette, whose eyes had filled. With a husband lying ill, she didn’t need more of this conversation.

“Come on, honey.” Crystal took hold of his hand. “We need to go upstairs and freshen up. Then we’ll go over to the hospital to see your grandfather.”

Philippe pulled back and looked up at her in alarm. “How come he’s in there?”

“Remember your uncle told you he was sick?”

“Yes,” he said in a tentative voice.

“Well, the hospital is the best place for him to get better.”

“Does he know I’m coming?” he asked as Crystal walked up the stairs to the next floor with him.

“I don’t think so. It’s supposed to be a surprise.”

“I like surprises.”

“He will too when he sees you walk in his room.”

Crystal didn’t need to ask where Arlette had put them. Raoul had already told them. Since Philippe’s birth, Eric’s old room had a double and a twin bed. On the dresser someone had put up a little Christmas tree with lights. More of Raoul’s doing? Along with the décor there were some games and dozens of his father’s mementos and trophies for Philippe to enjoy.

Photos of Eric at different ages lined one wall. Another one held pictures of baby Philippe’s christening at St. Michel church, plus more pictures of the three of them. Eric and his son looked almost identical at the age Philippe was now. Her boy was delighted by everything.

She thought she might not be able to handle this painful trip down memory lane, but it turned out she was wrong. If anything, she looked at the smiling couple and their baby with the perspective of time on her side.

The birth of Philippe and the few weeks after when Eric had spent more time at home to be with her and the baby had been the last period of happiness in their marriage. Once the weighty responsibility of parenthood had descended, she’d thrown herself into it with the kind of joy she couldn’t have imagined before becoming a mother. But in so doing, she’d caused an unwitting division between her and Eric that had only grown wider and unbridgeable with time.

Today she could admit the truth to herself. If he hadn’t died, she knew deep inside she would have ended up in Breckenridge and a divorce would have followed. What was the old adage? Dignity in death, disgrace in divorce? It was an awful saying. In both cases there was loss. Period.

Raoul went inside the hospital room ahead of the others. He saw a new addition to all the flowers since he’d last been in here. A beautiful Christmas red poinsettia had been delivered. The get-well card was from Crystal’s parents. Jules would be touched.

His thoughts flew to Philippe. He knew it would frighten him to see his graying grandfather on oxygen with an IV in his arm. In the last few weeks he’d lost ten pounds with the flu. His gaunt appearance made him look closer to seventy than sixty-five.

The doctor couldn’t account for Jules getting so ill at his age, but they both agreed the two deaths in the family had probably been too much for him. Despite all his hard work, he was a family man through and through and lived for his children. Eric’s death had robbed him of his joie de vivre. If anyone could bring it back, it would be Philippe, who had certain mannerisms and features inherited from his father.

“Papa?”

“Ah, Raoul. You’ve been gone so long.” He grasped his hand and wept.

It killed him to see his father like this. “I’ve brought someone with me. Are you up for company?”

His eyelids fluttered open to half mast. “Bien sûr,” he murmured in a voice half as strong as normal.

“I’ll be right back.”

He hurried over to the door and opened it. Three worried pairs of eyes fastened on him. “How is he?” his mother asked.

“He’s awake.”

“Can I see him?” Philippe whispered.

“What do you think?” He reached for his nephew’s hand and they walked over to the left side of the bed. Crystal and his mother followed and stood on the right. Raoul was surprised Philippe didn’t flinch at all the tubes.

“Hi, Grand-père. It’s me.”

Again his father’s eyelids opened, alert to a new voice in the room. “Me, who?”

Philippe giggled. “You know who I am.” In case Jules couldn’t see him well, Raoul lifted him in his arms.

His father’s gray-blue eyes swerved to his grandson before glazing over with tears. “Ah … my boy, my boy. Come closer and give your grand-père a kiss.” Raoul lowered him. “Does this oxygen frighten you?”

“No.” Philippe kissed him on both cheeks before Raoul caught him back in his arms. “There’s a girl at my school named Talitha. She’s from California and has to wear oxygen all the time. It’s because of the altitude.” Raoul didn’t know that. “Does that needle in your arm hurt you?”

“Nah. I can’t even feel it.”

“What’s it for?”

“To give me food.”

“Why don’t you just eat?”

Raoul hadn’t heard a laugh come out of his father in ages. Certainly not one that hearty. “I haven’t been hungry.”

“We had chicken nuggets today,” Philippe mentioned. “Uncle Raoul would go get you some.” He looked at Raoul with imploring eyes. “He’d like them.”

“I’m sure he would.” Raoul was trying to keep a straight face, but Crystal had already burst out laughing. It drew his father’s attention.

“Ah, Crystal. It’s been such a long time.”

“Too long,” she agreed and bent over to kiss his cheeks. “I’m sorry you’ve been ill.”

“It’s nothing. Have you come for Christmas?” The hope in his voice caused Raoul to hold his breath.

“Yes. Philippe and I didn’t want to spend this one away from you and Arlette.”

“Did you hear that, mon amour?”

There was new animation in his voice. Raoul’s mother nodded and leaned over to kiss his father’s forehead. “I certainly did. That’s why you’ve got to get better quick!”

Suddenly Philippe pulled something out of his parka pocket and leaned over to put it in his grandfather’s hand.

He lifted it with his free arm. “What’s this?”

“Père Noël. Grand-mère let me take him off the tree. I asked him to make you all better. You can keep him until you come home. Then I’ll put him in my spy kit.”

“You have a spy kit?”

“Yes.”

“I want to see it.”

“It has lots of cool stuff you’d like.”

Raoul sensed another miracle was happening. When he lifted his eyes to thank Crystal, he discovered her struggling to ward off her tears. The first miracle was that she’d come back to France with him.

The wall she’d slowly erected months before Eric had been killed had been so high, he hadn’t expected her capitulation. If it weren’t for Philippe …

CHAPTER THREE

CRYSTAL CLIMBED IN the backseat with Philippe while Arlette sat in the front seat with Raoul for the drive back to the chalet. The short drive only took five minutes. After seeing Jules’s reaction, everyone was in higher spirits, but Crystal feared the surprise might have been too much and had drained his strength.

“Stop fretting, Crystal. You and Philippe were just what the doctor ordered,” Raoul said. He’d glanced at her several times through the rearview mirror, reading her mind.

“How soon can he come home?”

Arlette turned her head toward Philippe. “That’s up to the doctor to decide, but if I know your grandfather, he wants to come home tomorrow.”

“I wish he could.”

“So do I, but since he can’t, I have a surprise for you.”

“What is it?”

“You’ll find out as soon as we reach the house.”

There was another car in the drive when Raoul stopped the car. Before everyone got out, Vivige appeared on the front porch with her children.

“There’s Albert. Hooray!”

The two older brunettes, Fleur and Lise, nine and ten respectively, followed Vivige, who hurried down the steps to hug Crystal while Philippe got reacquainted with towheaded Albert. They all started to go in the house, but Crystal noticed that Raoul didn’t join them.

Philippe turned to him. “Come on, Uncle Raoul!”

“I’ll be back later when it’s time for dinner.”

“But I don’t want you to go.”

“Philippe—” Crystal put her hands on his shoulders. “He hasn’t even been home yet or seen his girlfriend.” If she kept saying it long enough, maybe she’d be able to handle it. She would have to if she were to acquire a new sister-in-law down the road. “We’ll talk to him later, honey. Don’t forget your cousins are waiting.”

“Okay.” He kicked at the snow with his boot. “Promise you’ll come back?” Philippe had enjoyed his uncle’s exclusive attention since his arrival in Breckenridge. It was hard for him to give it up, even for a short while.

“Bien sûr. Ciao.”

Philippe must have remembered that word because his cute little face brightened. “Ciao.”

Everyone hurried through the house into the kitchen for cocoa and the special cookies Vivige made at Christmas for the kids. All the distractions made the time pass quickly. Crystal got them settled in and helped with dinner. As they were finishing their dessert, Raoul entered the dining room.

She looked up, expecting that he’d brought his girlfriend. Crystal had been dreading it, but to her relief he’d come alone. She could tell he’d showered and shaved. In wool slacks and a navy sweater with a wide white stripe, his male appeal overwhelmed her.

His gaze took in everyone before leveling on her. “Sorry I’m late, but I had a small crisis to attend to at work.” Most likely he’d been with Sylvie Beliveau and had forgotten the time.

“Sit next to Mom.” Philippe’s suggestion took Crystal by surprise when there were two other empty seats. After he complied, her son said, “Uncle Bernard called our dessert les pets de nonne. Why did everyone laugh?”

Raoul’s lips twitched. “Well, nuns sometimes make noises just like other people.”

“You mean burps?”

“That and other things.”

In a second Philippe figured it out and laughed so hard it made everyone laugh. Vivige stood up from the table. “Come on, everyone. We’ll play a game in the other room and let Uncle Raoul finish his dinner in peace. Then we have to go home because you have school in the morning.”

The children gave a collective groan.

Crystal appreciated the change of subject and the exodus. Once they were left alone she told him what his sister had brought up earlier about Philippe possibly attending school with Albert.

“She said it was your idea, Raoul. I think it’s wonderful. While things are so rocky with your father, it would be good if Philippe’s in school so I can be a support to your mother. If you suggested it, he just might go along with it.”

He finished the rest of his coffee. “It’s worth a try. If he’s willing, why don’t I come by in the morning and pick up the two of you. We’ll drive to the school and talk to Albert’s teacher. If she’s in agreement, we’ll see how it goes. If he starts feeling too insecure, they can call me and we’ll go pick him up.”

She drew in a deep breath. “You’re a good man, Raoul Broussard.” Just keep thinking of him as a good man, Crystal. Your brother-in-law. Someone else’s boyfriend. Nothing else.

“That remains to be seen. Let’s take him upstairs now and talk to him. I think you need bed as much as he does.”

His remark didn’t require a comment. Crystal imagined she’d never looked worse. She got up from the table and followed him to the salon. Fleur was declared the winner of charades and good-nights were said.

Raoul grabbed Philippe and put him on his shoulders. Crystal trailed them and heard her son whoop it up all the way to the bedroom where he dove onto the double bed. He lay there looking up at his uncle. “Can Mom and I come over to your house tomorrow?”

No-o, Philippe.

“You can after I get home from work, but there’s something I’d like you to do for me first.”

“What?”

“Albert is very happy you’re here and he wants you to go to school with him tomorrow.”

“School?” Philippe looked like he’d never heard of it.