Lost Girl
Page 7
Finally, she said, “Santa is allowed to come inside to bring presents, but only if mummy and daddy are at home. We… stay awake and wait for him.”
“But he doesn’t come when the children are awake,” Bryan added.
“Huh.” Maddie didn’t look convinced. She finished her cookie.
“Time for bed, little one,” Bryan said, standing and reaching to pick her up. “Let’s get Santa some cookies and milk, and then I’ll give you a piggyback ride to bed. Tomorrow, we have a big day. Grandma and Grandpa will join us at the O’Hara’s farm where we’ll all have Christmas dinner with Dan, George and their new family.”
“I’m glad the boys are staying together, even if they aren’t biological brothers. They’ve been through a lot.” Finn stood up, too. “And the fact that Bridget speaks Romanian is a real bonus.”
“Dan says he and George are each going to get a pony of their own. Could I get a pony, too? Maybe I could keep it at their house?” Maddie asked hopefully.
Finn chuckled. “Maybe. Now, let’s get to bed. You don’t want Santa to skip this house because you’re still awake, do you?”
“No. This is my first real Christmas. I want it to be perfect.”
Smiling, Finn ruffled her hair, well aware of the pinto pony with the red bow around her neck already waiting in the stall at the O’Hara farm.
* * *
It was the best Christmas morning any of them had ever had. Maddie was up even before the sun. She’d emptied her stocking, thrilled by the candy treats it contained, and had dutifully eaten her breakfast before having any sweets. She sat next to the tree, bouncing with excitement.
“Can we open our presents now?”
“Sure.” Finn slid off the couch, letting Bryan help her. She didn’t need help, yet didn’t have the heart to rebuff him, especially since he’d taken care of her better than any nurse could have over the past month.
They gathered around the tree and started unwrapping presents. Mostly, they both watched Maddie awestruck as she squealed in delight, opening box after box. She adored her Barbie doll the most, as well as her new pink winter coat tipped with faux fur, which matched her new pink boots. Bryan had tried to reason with Finn against all the pink, but Finn insisted Maddie should have girly stuff if she liked it. Obviously, she did.
Finn loved her leather gloves and the red scarf she’d wanted but was too cheap to buy. Bryan was accustomed to receiving her quirky presents, so he grinned widely when he opened a personalized bottle of his favorite Calvin Klein scent. The perfume was called Obsessed, and Finn had ‘With Mr. Perfect’ engraved underneath it on the transparent glass. It had been pricy, but totally worth the look on Bryan’s face when he’d read the message.
He bent to kiss her, then kissed Maddie’s cheek as well.
“Thank you,” he told Finn.
“You’re welcome, Mr. Perfect.” She winked at him, then looked at Maddie, who was struggling to put on her new coat.
Finn helped her, then slid on her hood. “Oh, honey, you look like a princess!”
Maddie spun around, her wide, toothy grin in place. “How did Santa know my size? It’s perfect!”
Finn looked at Bryan for help.
He arched his eyebrows. “Well, Maddie, Santa knows everything children wish for.”
Maddie dropped to the floor between the two of them. “I know. I thought that was God, but Santa seems to be pretty much the same. Maybe they’re brothers?”
Finn didn’t know how to reply to that, so she just smoothed Maddie’s hair. “So, you like your presents from Santa?”
Maddie nodded emphatically. “I love them. But I already got what I wanted weeks ago.”
Finn and Bryan exchanged looks. Not wanting to betray her child’s confidence, Finn had to play dumb.
“Oh? What was that?”
“Remember that night when you came to see me? I gave you a letter for Santa. You mailed it to him, right?”
Finn nodded. “Right.”
“I wished for a new mum and dad. And now I have you,” Maddie said simply. Then, in a natural gesture that melted Finn’s heart, she cuddled up to Finn and lay her head in her lap.
Finn raised her shiny gaze to Bryan, becoming even more emotional when she saw his eyes were glazing over, too. She stroked Maddie’s hair, now clean and shiny, radiating the sweet coconut smell of her favorite shampoo.
“Besides, Santa gave me another present I wanted, although it wasn’t in the letter,” Maddie said, giving her a secret kind of smile.
“What’s that, honey?” Finn asked curiously.
Maddie pressed her hand against Finn’s belly. “A little brother or sister.”
All the color drained from Finn’s cheeks. How could Maddie know she was pregnant? She’d only taken the test yesterday! Stunned, she looked up at Bryan.
He stared back at her, transfixed, while Maddie kept her hand on her abdomen.
“Is it true?” Bryan whispered, incredulous, a timid smile spreading over his features. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
Finn moistened her lips. “I’m not… 100 percent sure yet. I was late, so I… took a home pregnancy test. I can’t be certain until I see the doctor. I wanted to be sure before I told you.”
“I’m sure,” Maddie stated wisely, looking up at her.
Finn and Bryan gazed at their new daughter, speechless. She’d heard stories like these, when one child sensed the presence of another even before it was born, but the stories she’d read concerned toddlers who shared common blood with the new baby. Could Maddie really know?
Maddie wasn’t their biological daughter, but she was their spiritual child. Whether it had to do with hormones, intuition, or something else, Finn knew it was real. They were experiencing it right now. Perhaps it was a Christmas miracle. This baby would grow and thrive inside her, and next year, there would be another stocking hanging from the mantel.
As Bryan moved over to embrace them, Finn knew anything was possible on this magical morning—all thanks to their rainbow child.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melinda Colt is a #1 Amazon bestselling author of thrillers, suspense, and mystery novels. While she's a law graduate and professional target shooter, she worked as a journalist before she became a full-time author, and owns a graphic design business.
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