Western Christmas Wishes

by Brenda Minton

  She’d done her best to push him away. After all, it was safer to be the one pushing others away than to be the one hurt when someone walked out of her life.

  The farther she drove from Hope, the more her heart ached at the idea of being almost seven hundred miles away. She kept telling herself all of the reasons she had to go. First, she could no longer afford her apartment, and that meant moving out in the next week and moving back in with her mother.

  Second, she was going back to college.

  Tears gathered in her eyes as she thought about everything she’d left behind. She’d never felt a loss so deeply.

  It was late in the evening when she pulled up to her mother’s house in the Chicago suburbs. The lights were on and she could see the Christmas tree through the open curtains of the living room window. She parked and got out, taking her time gathering her bags.

  Her mom met her at the door with a welcoming hug. Patricia Adams stepped back, taking one of the bags as she did. “Come in. I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I’ve missed you, too.” She stepped into the living room and set down her bag on the floor.

  She couldn’t stop the tears that began to flow.

  “Honey, what in the world is wrong?”

  Laurel shook her head. “I’m just... I didn’t expect...”

  “To miss them when you left?”

  She nodded and grabbed a tissue out of the box on the table. “Yes. How did you do it?”

  “I did it for you. And for me. I wanted us to have a fresh start somewhere where no one knew us.”

  “I met him, you know.”

  “I know—he called me.”

  Anger got mixed up with the hurt. “How often do the two of you talk? You know I’m thirty, not three. You could have told me his name. You could have warned me he would be there.”

  “I know. I’m sorry. I should have.” Her mom sat down on the couch and patted the spot next to her. “I should have told you about him.”

  “Would’ve been nice.”

  “He broke my heart. I broke my own heart, too. Then I broke my mother’s heart. And I hurt you because you were the one most affected by my choices. But I love you and I’ve done everything I could to give you a good life.”

  “And you did. I am glad you gave me life.”

  “I hope you’ll forgive me. Forgive us, Curt and me, for what we did to you.”

  “I love you and I forgive you. I’m just tired from the drive, I think.”

  Her mom studied her face for a long time. “Well, I suspect this has something to do with Rose, and a lot to do with my mother’s handsome tenant.”

  “You and Gran both make mountains out of molehills.”

  “You’re even talking like her now,” her mother noted.

  “Hmm, could be.” Laurel was fading fast. “I hope you won’t be hurt if I go to bed now. It’s been a long day.”

  “That’s fine, but before you go to bed, I need to talk to you.”

  “This sounds serious,” Laurel wiped at her eyes with the tissue. “I’m not sure if I’m ready.”

  “You’re going to have to be. I’ve put this off for years, but I think it’s time for me to move back to Hope. I’m going to work another six months at the hospital here, but I’ve talked to the hospital in Grove and also to Dr. West in Hope. There are job opportunities and I really want to go home.”

  Laurel wasn’t surprised. After spending time with her grandmother in Hope, it seemed like the best plan.

  “I’m sure Gran is over the moon about that.”

  “She is,” her mom agreed. “But how do you feel about me leaving? I know you’re set to begin classes and you thought you’d be living here with me.”

  “Will you want to sell the house? Because I can start looking for an apartment.”

  Her mom gave her a thoughtful look. “Eventually I will have to sell but you can stay here for now. Are you okay with this, Laurel?”

  “It’s a big change but I’ll adjust.”

  She kissed her mother on the cheek, and headed to her old bedroom. But she got to thinking—if both her mother and grandmother were going to be in Hope, what was left for her in Chicago?

  * * *

  The phone rang early the next morning. Laurel listened as her mom answered. She couldn’t hear the conversation but she heard the concern in her mother’s voice. A moment later there was a knock on the door.

  “Come in.”

  Her mom stepped into her room, her face pale. “Your grandmother had a heart attack last night. It was mild, but she’s in the hospital.”

  “What about Rose?” Laurel was already out of bed.

  “With the Wests. It was Cameron who called. He’s going to the hospital this morning and he was there last night. But he said the caseworker is aware of what happened. She’ll try to leave Rose with the Wests for Christmas but she can’t guarantee she’ll be able to make that happen.”

  Laurel grabbed her suitcase. “We have to go.”

  “I know. But, Laurel, we can’t stop them from taking Rose.”

  Laurel closed her eyes. “I know. But I have to be there. For Gran, and for Rose. I want to at least be there to let her know that we care and we’ll do what we can for her.”

  “What can we do?” Laurel’s mom asked. “We live in Chicago. Your grandmother’s heart attack was mild but I don’t think they’re going to let her continue to foster a teenager, even if she is family.”

  “Mom, do you think God allows things like this to happen in order to help us find the right path?”

  Her mom paused at the doorway. “Sometimes, honey. Maybe we’ve been on the right path but God is showing us a different direction. Where is your path taking you?”

  “I’m not really sure. But I think we should get the earliest flight possible, and take our Christmas gifts with us. I think we’ll be having Christmas in Oklahoma this year.”

  * * *

  The door to Gladys’s hospital room opened. Cameron looked up, not surprised to see Laurel, Rose and an older woman who resembled Gladys. Rose remained close to Laurel’s side. Hopefully Family Services would wait until after Christmas to move Rose to another home. He understood that the county didn’t feel it was in Rose’s best interests to be left in the care of a woman who seemed to be having significant health problems. He prayed that whatever solution they found, it would be best for the girl.

  As long as they didn’t make her spend Christmas with strangers.

  “Well, look who’s here!” Gladys sat up a little. “I hope you’re here to break me out of this place. I’ve had it with hospitals and being confined to the indoors.”

  “Mother, I doubt anyone wants you out of here more than the nurses.” Laurel’s mother hugged Gladys. “You look good, Mom.”

  “I am good. They did the stents. I’m fine and ready to go home.”

  “I’m sure you are. Tomorrow.”

  Gladys sighed and leaned back on her pillow. “Rose, come hug me. You’re the only reasonable one in the bunch.”

  Rose hurried forward and hugged her. Then Laurel stepped forward.

  Gladys held out a hand to her granddaughter. “Oh, stop looking so wounded. I promise you I didn’t do this just to bring you back.”

  Laurel smiled. “I did kind of wonder if you had the ability to make yourself sick just to get me back to Hope.”

  Gladys laughed, then shifted her attention back to Rose. “Don’t look so down, little chick, we’ll figure this out.”

  “I don’t want to leave,” Rose sobbed and buried her face in Gladys’s shoulder. “You’re all I’ve got.”

  Cameron stood, offering his seat to Laurel’s mother. He needed some air because this child who desperately needed a family was going to break his heart. He wanted to fix everything for her. But how could he? He was a single man. They weren’t
going to allow him to take her in. His gaze touched on Laurel. He thought she might be the only person who could fix this for Rose.

  He wanted her to be the person he thought she was, but he worried that she didn’t know that about herself. She didn’t see the person he saw.

  He settled his gaze on her, on the generous mouth, the sprinkling of freckles on her nose, the hair that reminded him of autumn. If he missed her this much after one day, he didn’t see a lot of hope for next week or the week after.

  “Ladies, I’m going to head out,” he told the three women as he headed for the door.

  “Don’t you dare sell my horse while I’m in here,” Gladys warned.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it. I’ve gotten kind of attached to him.”

  Gladys gave him a fond smile, then her gaze shifted to her granddaughter. Laurel looked at him, her expression unreadable. But she followed him out the door.

  “Thank you, Cameron,” she said once they were in the hall.

  “She’s more than my landlady or neighbor, Laurel, she’s my friend.”

  “I know. I’m glad she has you. If she’d been alone...”

  “She wasn’t.” He resisted the urge to brush strands of red hair away from her face. “I’ll take care of her livestock for the next few days.”

  “We appreciate that. We’ll be here a few days. You should come to dinner on Christmas.”

  “I might. Jack invited me out to Mercy Ranch. Maria is a good cook, but...”

  Her mouth tilted in a half grin. “What you’re saying is—it’s about who might serve the better meal?”

  “A man does need to think about those things.” He touched his fingers to hers. “I have to go.”

  He walked away, thanking God above he hadn’t made a fool of himself. He wasn’t the kind of man that begged a woman to stay, but she was definitely the kind of woman who would make him reconsider.

  Chapter Eleven

  Laurel drove to church with her grandmother sitting next to her in the front seat, and Rose and Laurel’s mother in the back seat. It was Christmas Eve. Gladys had been released from the hospital the previous day. For the first time in years, the three of them were together for Christmas. Four if you counted Rose. Laurel only hoped something would happen that would keep Rose in their lives.

  As they pulled into the church parking lot, she spotted Carlie’s car. The caseworker waved as they pulled in next to her. What brought a caseworker out on Christmas Eve? Hopefully she wasn’t there to remove Rose from their home.

  Her grandmother murmured something quietly, asking Jesus to give them peace. From the back seat, Rose sobbed a little.

  “She isn’t going to take me today, is she?” Rose asked. “She can’t take me today. Not before Christmas. She said she wouldn’t unless she had to.”

  “Rose, be calm and trust that God has a plan.” Gladys glanced back at the girl. “I know this is frightening but we have to be calm. It won’t do us any good if we panic.”

  “I know.” Rose sighed. “I know. But I’m scared.”

  “I know you are, but no matter what, I’m always going to be your aunt Gladys. We didn’t know about one another for a lot of years, but now we do. You’re stuck with us, kiddo. We’re family.”

  Laurel parked and they exited the vehicle. Rose hurried to tuck herself in close to Gladys. Carlie smiled at the four of them but her gaze lingered on Rose.

  “How are you?” Carlie asked the girl.

  “Scared. I don’t want to leave. Gladys is still healthier than most people half her age. She can take care of me just fine.”

  “I know she can, but is it the best thing for both of you, Rose? We’re thinking of you but also of Gladys. Raising a teenager is a lot of work.” Carlie gave the girl a sympathetic look.

  “But I can help her. And I’ll be the best-behaved teenager ever.” Rose gave Laurel a look that implored her to step in, to plead her case.

  Snow started to fall. Big white flakes, the kind that were typically pretty but didn’t amount to much in Oklahoma. The world seemed quieter as the snow fell. Laurel could hear the piano begin to play in the sanctuary and the church bells rang, the sound pealing through the stillness of the morning.

  Laurel closed her eyes to say a silent prayer for wisdom and guidance. God had laid a new path before her and it was frightening. When she opened her eyes, the other women were looking at her. She smiled.

  “I’m staying,” she said. “I’m staying in Hope. I’ll take guardianship of Rose.”

  Rose threw her arms around Laurel. Laurel looked at her grandmother and saw tears trickling down her cheeks.

  “Is that okay? I’ve discussed it with God but maybe I should have ran it past you first?”

  Gladys laughed. “Oh, honey, we’ve both been discussing this with God. I think more than one person has prayed you would stay. We’ve all just been waiting for you to see what was right in front of you.”

  “Or right there in front of the church waiting for her,” Rose giggled as she gave Gladys a big hug.

  Laurel glanced at the church entrance and saw him. He was standing by the double doors, the snow falling around him. She didn’t see the scars, the patch, or even the perfect side of his face—she saw him. She saw a man that she had fallen in love with.

  “Will it work, if I’m the guardian?” Laurel asked Carlie.

  The social worker looked from Rose to Gladys to Laurel. “I’m hopeful. I obviously don’t have the authority to make that decision on my own, but I don’t see why it couldn’t work.”

  The bells rang, the sound echoing in the snowy morning.

  “We should all go in,” Laurel’s mom said, taking her mother by the arm to help her walk along on the snow-covered sidewalk. “Join us, Carlie?”

  “I would like to. I haven’t lived here for very long and I’ve missed going to church.” Carlie moved to Gladys’s other side.

  “Then you should definitely come on in and be a part of our church family.” Gladys reached out with her free hand. Carlie stepped closer to Laurel’s grandmother’s side and the three of them were on their way.

  Laurel followed, still coming to terms with what she’d just decided. Her whole life would change. She knew that. But it felt right.

  This felt like God’s plan for her. And the timing was perfect. It was Christmas, a time for new beginnings.

  * * *

  Cameron watched as the women in the parking lot headed his way. Rose ran ahead of them. Gladys walked up the sidewalk escorted by her daughter and the caseworker. Laurel followed a short distance behind them.

  Rose hurried across the parking lot, sliding a little on the slippery snowflakes.

  “Be careful,” he called out to her.

  “I am. I just want to get inside and tell everyone the news. I got my Christmas prayer answered.”

  “A Christmas prayer is it?” he asked as he reached for her hand and led her up the steps.

  “Yeah, and you can thank me later.” She laughed as she ran past him into the church. Cheeky kid.

  Gladys came next. She stopped to hug him and tell him that God had a way of working things out for the best. He helped her into the church, then returned to the steps to wait for Laurel.

  The snow kept falling, the flakes getting bigger. Big flakes clung to Laurel’s hair, her coat. She smiled up at him.

  Inside the church, the piano music started. “Silent Night.” He walked down the steps toward the woman who had stolen his heart. She was his music. Would it be too much to tell her that? She calmed him. She made him feel like he could get through the nightmares.

  “I didn’t think it would snow like this in Oklahoma,” she said. “But Rose said she’d been praying for a white Christmas.”

  “It seems Rose prays for a lot of things.”

  She laughed. “And if God doesn’t answer, Rose take
s it upon herself to help Him.”

  “I warned you she was Capital T.”

  “Yes, you did.” She reached out and touched his cheek. “I missed you.”

  “You were only gone for a day.” The words came out rougher than he had intended.

  “Feels like I’ve been gone forever.” She looked up at him, her eyes damp with unshed tears. “Is there a chance?”

  “A chance?” he asked.

  “A chance that there is really an us. I’m tired of reinventing myself, Cameron. I know who I am. I’m a girl from Hope, Oklahoma. And I’m the woman who loves you.”

  “Laurel Adams, I’ve been waiting my whole life to meet you.”

  She laughed and cried a little, then he picked her up and swung her around in his arms. The snow continued to fall, making the world soft and silent, the way only a heavy snowfall could do. He lowered her to the ground and kissed her.

  “I love you, Laurel Adams. I’m so glad you came back. Rose and I were praying you would understand how much we want you to be a part of our lives.”

  “I’m staying. Rose needs me.”

  “I need you, too.”

  “Back at ya, cowboy. I couldn’t imagine life in Chicago knowing that you’re here. And I’d like very much if you’d kiss me again.”

  “I will.” He pulled her into his arms, kissing her until someone shouted to them that they were missing church. They both laughed as he kissed her again. Then, hand in hand, they walked up the church steps and into the cozy, dimly lit sanctuary.

  Together.

  * * *

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for joining me in Hope, Oklahoma, for the Christmas season! Although it is a fictional town, I believe Hope is a symbol of all that is right in our world. A community where people come together, helping their neighbors and showing love to those in need.

  This holiday season, take a little bit of Hope with you! Reach out to those around you and be a light that shines! Wishing you all the best and a Merry Christmas!