Laurel felt like her knees were about to buckle.

  Seeing her shock, Zach placed his arm around her waist and helped her remain upright.

  “But we…we aren’t prepared for a baby.”

  “But we are. Those baby clothes, remember them? The bag we’d decided to donate to charity after the holidays?” He was laughing and nearly crying, both at once. Laurel laughed, too, as tears of joy flooded her own eyes.

  Mrs. Miracle stepped forward and waved her hand, attracting their attention. “I believe you’ll have plenty of time to get whatever else you will need before you bring your daughter home.”

  “Our daughter?” Laurel and Zach said in unison. “How do you know we’re having a daughter?”

  “My goodness. You people!” Nana exclaimed, tossing her arms in the air. “Mrs. Miracle told me about the baby the first day she arrived. I’ve kept it a secret all this time. Didn’t I tell you we had a Caring Angel? A real one? Now scoot, you two—and get to the hospital!”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  After dropping Nana and Mrs. Miracle off at the house, Laurel and Zach raced to the hospital. Laurel was dumbstruck as Zach pulled into a parking space. Together they raced toward the double-wide glass doors.

  Laurel came to a screeching halt when she saw that the receptionist space was empty. She had no clue where they were supposed to go. Her heart slammed against her ribs and she froze. She was terrified and exhilarated at the same time. This had to be a dream. It must be. Soon she’d wake up and find this had been only a figment of her imagination.

  “Third floor! The elevators are this way!” Zach shouted, grabbing hold of her hand, jerking her forward to the point that she stumbled behind him.

  Is this real? Could it possibly be happening?

  By the time they reached the elevators, they were both out of breath. It seemed to take an interminable amount of time for the elevator to move, and for the sluggish doors to open. When it did, they entered and collapsed against the back wall, panting and excited.

  Laurel placed her hand over her heart to find it beating frantically. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

  “I can’t, either.”

  When the doors opened on the third floor, they leaped out, paused, looking to the left and to the right, not knowing which direction to go. Anticipating their arrival, Mary Swindoll appeared from around the corner.

  “Mary, we’re here!” Zach proclaimed.

  She greeted them with a big smile. “I can see that. Let’s sit down for a minute and I’ll fill you in.” She led them to a quiet corner in a nearby waiting room. Laurel and Zach sat on the sofa. Zach reached for Laurel’s hand.

  Mary took the chair and sat close to the edge of the cushion, angling so her knees nearly touched Laurel’s. “Zach, if you recall when we spoke last week, I mentioned the high school girl who’d decided to place her baby for adoption.”

  Laurel looked at her husband. Zach hadn’t said anything about this.

  Sensing her confusion, he glanced at her. “I asked about any babies coming up for adoption, and Mary told me there was a teenager who was working with another caseworker. She said the girl had already chosen the adoptive family.”

  “It appears that this family knows you, Laurel.”

  “The girl and her family know me?” she asked, folding her hands over her heart.

  “Apparently so,” Mary confirmed. “The family name is Bancroft.”

  Zach shook his head, indicating that the name didn’t mean anything to him. He looked to Laurel. “What about you? Is the name familiar?”

  The scene after the recent school holiday program suddenly played back in Laurel’s head. Tears gathered in her eyes. “Bella,” she whispered.

  “Bella?”

  “She was in my first-grade class last year. Isabella Bancroft.”

  “But how does this all connect back to you?”

  “It must be her older sister. I’d met her during the school year. A smart, beautiful girl.”

  “You’re right, Laurel. Her name is Lizzy,” Mary supplied. “She’s a high school senior, and Isabella is her youngest sister.”

  Laurel squeezed Zach’s hand. “This totally explains what Bella said to me that day,” she said, more to herself than for the others.

  Her husband stared at her as though confused.

  Laurel closed her eyes and recalled the second-grader seeking her out at the end of the school program. Zach knew the story, but she now shared it with Mary.

  “Bella approached me after the school’s holiday program. She looked up at me, and, with a big smile, declared that I would be a good mother.”

  A loving smile formed on Zach’s face. “She’s right, you know. You’re going to be a wonderful mother.”

  The tears that had been so close to the surface flooded Laurel’s eyes, and her throat closed so all that she could manage was a watery smile.

  Their caseworker cleared her throat. “Lizzy’s parents, John and Abbie, are here. They would like to see you. I wanted to meet with you first to explain a few things before I introduced you.”

  “I’d like that,” Zach said.

  Still unable to speak, Laurel nodded.

  “Lizzy is with her mother in the labor room, but her father is nearby.”

  Zach’s hand tightened around Laurel’s.

  Mary took the next several minutes explaining the back story. Lizzy had made the difficult decision that she wasn’t emotionally or mentally prepared to raise a child. The baby’s father, also a teenager, had signed over his parental rights. As soon as he’d learned Lizzy was pregnant, he’d broken off the relationship and was no longer in the picture. Mary then detailed the terms of the adoption, explaining that Lizzy and her family would prefer an open adoption, which would help Lizzy deal with the grief she’d feel afterward.

  The details flew over Laurel’s head. She heard everything, but none of it felt real. She felt like she was living in a dream.

  When Zach and Mary stood, Laurel did, too. She blindly followed behind them, ready at any minute to pinch herself back into reality. Only after she met Lizzy’s father, John Bancroft, did any of it feel real.

  “We’re sorry to hit you with this news at the last minute,” John Bancroft said after exchanging handshakes with Zach and Laurel. “As you can imagine, Lizzy, her mother, and I have struggled with this decision. Once it was made, we needed time to prayerfully consider which family would be best for this baby.”

  “You chose us?” Laurel whispered.

  “Lizzy was the one who chose you to raise her baby. Her youngest sister, Bella, was in your class last year when your first adoption fell through at the last minute.”

  That seemed like far longer ago than a year. It was another lifetime.

  “My wife was a classroom volunteer and she saw how wonderful you were with the children. When you were forced to give up the baby boy, she and Bella witnessed your grief. When Lizzy recently made the decision to put her baby up for adoption, Bella and my wife thought of you, and suggested it to Lizzy.”

  A nurse appeared and looked over to the caseworker and John Bancroft. “It’s getting close.”

  John focused his attention on Zach and Laurel.

  “Lizzy and my wife wanted to know if you’d like to be in the room for the birth.”

  “Very much,” Laurel answered, tears now running down her cheeks.

  “Yes,” Zach replied with enthusiasm.

  The delivery room nurse indicated otherwise. “Only one of you will be allowed. There’s room for two in the delivery room, and Lizzy wants her mother by her side.”

  Laurel and Zach exchanged glances.

  “You go,” he said.

  Laurel was about to follow the nurse when Zach held her back. Taking hold of her by the shoulders, he touched his forehead against hers and smiled, tears glistening in his eyes. “Welcome our daughter into the world for me,” he whispered, his voice breaking.

  Laurel nodded, then followed the nurse behind the secure doors.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Mrs. Miracle stayed with Helen for a short time after Laurel and Zach headed off to the hospital. Helen’s head was spinning with what had happened. She’d grown impatient with Zach, afraid he was going to ignore the phone call.

  “This is it,” she said, giving her home companion a high-five, the sound of their hand-slapping echoing through the silent house. “My great-granddaughter is about to be born.”

  “Are you surprised?”

  “Why should I be?” Helen replied with confidence. From what Mrs. Miracle had told her, it would be any day now. She hadn’t expected it would be this day, though.

  “Shall I make us a cup of tea before you head up to bed?”

  “That would be lovely.”

  Helen made her way to her chair. Once seated, she closed her eyes and whispered a heartfelt prayer, beginning with a request for the safety of baby and mother during delivery, and that the birth mom and her family would feel comfort in knowing that they’d made the right decision. She then thanked God for sending this special angel to her as a comforter and an encourager. Mrs. Miracle had arrived at the perfect time. She ended by asking God to allow her to live long enough to enjoy her great-granddaughter for a little while.

  A few minutes later Mrs. Miracle returned, carrying two delicate cups of tea. “Careful, it’s hot,” she warned.

  Helen held the cup with both hands. She closed her eyes for a moment, reliving the look on her granddaughter’s face when Laurel got the news about the baby. She held on to the surprise and joy in her granddaughter’s eyes for several moments.

  “You knew all along the baby would be born this night, didn’t you?” she asked, opening her eyes toward her friend.

  “Not exactly,” Mrs. Miracle clarified, as she took her normal seat next to Helen. “I knew it would be sooner rather than later, though.”

  Helen marveled at the timing. “How absolutely perfect that this babe would arrive on Christmas Eve.”

  Her companion held the cup in front of her and relaxed, lifting her feet onto the ottoman and crossing her ankles. “I couldn’t have planned it better myself,” she said with a self-satisfied smile.

  Helen relaxed against the back of the chair, mulling over Pastor Warren’s message about the angels visiting the shepherds. “The Christmas Eve service was heavenly,” she said to her friend, with a twinkle in her eye.

  “Did you enjoy the choir?”

  “Oh yes! And no doubt the entire church will be talking about the performance for weeks to come.”

  “Didn’t I tell you it would be angelic?”

  Indeed, she had. Helen had one question, though. “I heard Zach mention that one of the choir members was the woman who sold him all those baby clothes that were supposedly on sale. That must have been Mercy. And the bells I heard? Was that when Shirley and Goodness got involved? They added to the voices of the choir?”

  “Yes, well…My three friends are known to twist the rules. Gabriel attributes every gray hair on his head to them.”

  “Angels can get gray hairs?”

  “Gabriel can,” she said with a smile. “Thanks to Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy.”

  Helen sat and mulled over all that had happened since Mrs. Miracle’s arrival. She marveled at all the small hints of a miracle about to happen, and how they had all led to this moment.

  “It’s a wonder Laurel has yet to believe that God sent you, especially with how clear it all seems to be now.”

  “I’m not surprised,” Mrs. Miracle said, looking thoughtful. “Sometimes humans need a spectacular eye-opener.”

  “What do you mean by that?”

  “One time,” Mrs. Miracle shared, “Mercy was working with a pastor whose wife had died. With her death, he’d lost his faith. He was angry with God and unwilling to reconcile his feelings. Mercy desperately wanted to reach him, and so she had to bend the rules.”

  “How so?”

  “He was in church, getting ready for the Sunday service and going about his normal routine, when, against all the rules, Mercy appeared to him in her full glory. Dressed in her shimmering gold gown, she spread her feathery wings and stretched out her arms over him in a total representation of God’s love and protective cover provided for the pastor.”

  “What happened then?”

  “He didn’t notice her.”

  “What?” Nana couldn’t believe it.

  “He walked straight past her without a single acknowledgment of what was right before his eyes.”

  Helen was amazed at how anyone could be so blind.

  Reading her shock, her friend continued. “Actually, it isn’t all that unusual. Just look at your granddaughter and her husband. Unfortunately, humans do it all the time, just as this pastor did when Mercy went on full display. He was so caught up in his grief that he was unwilling and unable to see God’s love for him.”

  “Did he ever regain his faith?”

  A slow smile emerged. “Oh yes, and once he did, his faith was stronger than ever. In fact, he eventually wrote a book about how Christians deal with grief that became a national bestseller.”

  This encouraged Helen. “That’s wonderful.”

  “I believe his book is on your bookcase in your room,” Mrs. Miracle said. “You read it after Robert’s passing.”

  Helen remembered it now, and the comfort it had given her. How small the world could be, and yet how large heaven must be.

  Sipping their tea, they grew silent. Helen had been tired after the service but felt exhilarated and excited after the phone call. Normally, she would be in bed by now, but sleeping was next to impossible.

  “Tell me about the baby’s birth mother.”

  “Lizzy Bancroft. She’s a lovely teenager, and this decision has been painful, but she’s also learned a precious lesson about the incredible gift of motherhood. She’ll recover with the help of her parents and move forward in her life. After graduation, she’ll stay close to home over the summer and then go to a college nearby so she can watch the baby grow.”

  “She’ll have other children, right?”

  “Oh yes. She wants to be a nurse, and after she graduates, she’ll meet and marry a nurse anesthesiologist. Ten years from now she’ll give birth again and become a mother of twins, a boy and a girl.”

  “I’m glad.”

  Finishing her tea, Mrs. Miracle set the cup aside. “She’ll stay in touch with Laurel, Zach, and the baby. Her parents will be a wonderful support to them, also—an extra set of grandparents to the little girl.”

  Learning these small details delighted Helen, as she most likely wouldn’t live long enough to witness all this. At this stage of her life, she marveled at how the days were slow, yet how fast the years seemed to go by.

  Mrs. Miracle carried her empty cup into the kitchen. When she returned, she collected Helen’s.

  “It’s time for me to go,” she said. “As much as I’d like to stay, Gabriel is waiting to give me another assignment.”

  Helen wanted to object. She’d miss her home companion, who had now become more like a dear friend. She had no words to adequately thank her. No words to express how much these last few weeks had meant to her. She’d been blessed. God had given her a special gift in this woman.

  In this angel.

  Mrs. Miracle stayed long enough to see Helen to bed. Before she left, the two hugged. Imagine that, Helen mused to herself as she settled her head into the pillow. How many people can claim they’ve been hugged by an angel?

  * * *

  —

  In the wee hours of Christmas morning, Helen heard Laurel and Zach arrive back home. Although they’d tried to be quiet, she’d only been half-asleep, longing to hear the details of the birth of her great-granddaughter.

  “Laurel?” she called out, anxious for news.

  “Nana.” Laurel came to the doorway to Helen’s bedroom, framed in the hallway light. “Did we wake you?”

  “No, no. I was waiting for you.” She sat up in bed and Laurel propped her up with pillows. “Tell me everything.”

  Laurel sat on the edge of the bed and took hold of her grandmother’s hand as she went through all the events of the night.

  “…and I was there in the delivery room when the baby was born. They gave her to Lizzy to hold first,” she said, her voice cracking before she could continue. “Then Lizzy kissed her baby girl on the forehead and handed her to me.”

  “Oh Laurel.” Tears of joy gathered in Helen’s eyes.

  “Nana, I swear that baby opened her eyes and looked straight into my heart. It was as if she knew I was going to be her mama.”

  Helen didn’t doubt that for a moment. “Of course she did.”

  “The nurse took her away to measure and weigh. I prayed with Lizzy and her mom, and then Zach and I went to see the baby in the nursery. Lizzy’s mom and dad stayed with their daughter.”

  “Tell me everything,” Helen urged.

  Laurel straightened, pride glowing from her eyes. “She weighs six pounds, five ounces. She’s nineteen inches long. I know some newborns can look terrible following birth, but Nana, I’m telling you—she’s beautiful, simply beautiful. Zach and I loved her immediately.”

  This was exactly how Helen knew it would be. “Have you chosen a name?”

  “We had a baby girl’s name picked out long ago. Helena Joy.”

  “Helena Joy,” Helen whispered as tears continued to flow down her weathered cheeks. “You named her after me?”

  “Yes, Nana. After you, and because of all the joy she’s given us. I couldn’t think of a better name for our daughter. I pray she’ll grow into a woman worthy of the heritage of her great-grandmother.”