A Celebration Christmas

Angie, who had confessed that she didn’t like kids, had told him that while she had her eye on one or two of them, the others would be doing something behind her back.

“It’s a wonder they haven’t burned down the house,” she’d said. Until today, Cullen thought she’d been exaggerating.

“You don’t have to clean up the mess they made. I’ll deal with that. All I’m asking you to do is keep the kids occupied until after I interview Lily Palmer. Play a game with them. One hour at the most and then you can go. I promise.”

He wasn’t even going to think about what he might do if Lily didn’t work out or if she couldn’t start today.

Before Angie could answer, Cullen’s cell phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number. So that meant he had to answer it. Lily might be calling to say she was lost…or to cancel. Maybe he shouldn’t answer.

He was already pushing it by leaving the hospital in the middle of the day, asking his colleague Liam Thayer to cover for him. Thayer was the one who had recommended Lily. Cullen prayed to God that she was as perfect for the job as Liam’s wife, Kate, had promised.

“Please, Angie.” He was relieved when she heaved a resigned sigh and set her purse on the kitchen’s granite-topped center island.

“I need to take this call. Just play a game with them. Please. And thank you.

“Cullen Dunlevy,” he said as he made his way to his office, where he could still hear the doorbell if the nanny arrived while he was on the phone.

“Hey, Doc, it’s Max Cabot. Got a sec?”

Max was the contractor who was building the new pediatric surgical wing at the hospital. The entire Celebration community had rallied to raise money for this much-needed improvement to Celebration Memorial Hospital.

A door slammed in another part of the house. Cullen heard kids shrieking and laughing. Franklin the dog, who had come as a package deal with the kids, barked.

Had they been outside? Wasn’t it raining? Judging by the noise level, they were definitely inside now.

“Hold on, Max.” Cullen put his hand over the phone. “Hey, guys, can you keep it down, please? I’m on the phone. Play a game with Angie. Play that new Monopoly game we just bought.”

His words were lost in the cacophony and the sound of running feet—like a herd of stampeding buffalo. He shook his head.

“Max, I have to call you back, buddy. This is not a good time. I have…a situation here, and I have an appointment that should arrive any minute.”

“No problem,” said Max. “If you’re at home, I’m going to drop by some documents for you to review. I won’t stay. It’ll just be a drop and run.”

Before Cullen could answer, Angie’s voice screeched above the kid noise and the barking dog. “Get down! Get off me. You nasty mutt. You stink. Ugggh!” She made a guttural sound like an angry bear. “What is this? What did that dog get on my pants? Get him out of here before I open the front door and put him out myself!”

What the hell?

The dog’s bark had changed to a protective growl.The kids were all talking at once. One of them started crying as Angie continued her nasty-dog tirade.

Cullen put his hand over his free ear as he walked toward the kitchen to make sure Angie and the kids hadn’t come to blows. “Good, Max. See you soon. I have to go.”

Cullen hung up the phone and hurried into the kitchen.

“What’s wrong?” Cullen asked. “Why all the noise?”

Angie had a wet paper towel in her hand and was dabbing at something brown and suspicious on the thigh of her khaki pants. The wet dog, a shaggy black Heinz 57 variety, had taken a protective stance and continued his growl-bark at Angie. Hannah, the youngest of the four kids, was sobbing into her hands. “You can’t put him out front. He’ll go away just like Mommy did.”

The middle girl, Bridget, put her arms around her little sister and hugged her. “Don’t worry, Hannah. I won’t let her do anything to Franklin.”

Angie looked over at Cullen with crazy eyes. “I did not sign up for this.” Her hand made a sweeping gesture. “This dog has ruined my new pants with his filth and he’s tracked up the floor I mopped. You’re going to have to clean that up yourself along with the blue mess, Dr. Dunlevy, because I quit. I’m out of here.”