by Leah Atwood
“No!” The Donahue boys uttered a collective groan. Cries rang out. “Not yet! Please!” “Just a little bit longer.”
“We’re not sleepy,” Nick protested, even as his eyelids began to droop.
“We promise to go to bed soon,” Ryder said in a pleading voice.
“I’ll just toss and turn in bed,” Remy added.
“Just a few more minutes,” Alec said with a wink in Maggie’s direction.
The seven boys screamed with approval and began jumping up and down in celebratory fashion.
“I have to say I’m not sure I like all the commercialism surrounding Christmas,” Brandon said as he regarded all the presents sitting under the tree.
Alec chuckled. “There’s nothing wrong with presents, as long as we all remember what we’re really celebrating. The birth of Christ.”
All the boys nodded their heads solemnly.
“Tomorrow is Jesus’ birthday,” Ryder said with a huge grin.
“I suggest next year we all save our money instead of blowing it on so many gifts,” Brandon said with a shrug.
“Stop being a downer,” Wyatt hissed at Brandon. “Some of us like the commercial…the whatever you said.”
“I can’t help it if I’m fiscally responsible,” Brandon said. “I budgeted my gifts. I don’t see the sense in breaking the bank.”
“Why that’s wonderful, Brandon,” Maggie praised. “At this rate you’re going to take the business world by storm.” The smile on Brandon’s face stretched from ear to ear.
“Or become the world’s biggest cheapskate,” Wyatt cracked, earning himself a round of laughter from his brothers.
“Hey now, that’s not nice talk for Christmas Eve,” Alec warned. Maggie could see his lips twitching with merriment, even though he was doing his best to appear stern.
He was the softie, Maggie mused. She was always the stricter, more rigid parent while Alec was the one who tended to cave in. They played their roles well, she realized. Their parenting styles balanced each other out so that their children received a healthy dose of both discipline and love. They were raising them to be loving boys who were grounded in their faith and their family values. They loved each other. And it was their goal to preserve each of the boy’s personalities, quirks and unique talents. Not one of them would be a cookie cutter of their sibling.
The children pulled out a board game, and for the next twenty minutes they played in teams of two with Mac being the judge. Hoots and hollers arose when Blue and Mac won the game. This time when Alec and Maggie suggested it was time for bed, not a soul protested. They were all tired and full of anticipation for what Christmas morning might bring them. Off they went in their holiday pajamas to their bedrooms. Nick trailed behind his older brothers, casting a sleepy gaze at the Christmas tree as he headed upstairs.
“Don’t forget to brush your teeth and wash those handsome faces,” Maggie cried out. She heard a few grumbles and groans in response to her request. It was par for the course as a mother of seven boys. She’d be shocked if the time came when they didn’t protest just a little bit.
Once they were alone and the house was quiet, Maggie leaned in toward Alec, nestling against the crook of his arm. She looked up at him, marveling at how handsome he was, even more so than when they’d met all those years ago. “Do you remember our first Christmas together?”
He smiled down at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement. “Do I remember?” he asked as he reached out and trailed his finger along the side of her face. “Of course I do, my love. I remember everything. Every minute. Every second. Each and every moment that led you straight into my arms.”
“Oh Alec,” she said with a sigh. “Sometimes I wish we could go back in time and relive those moments over and over again.”
Alec let out an easy chuckle. “They weren’t all joyful moments, my love. There were a few times I wasn’t sure we would end up together.”
She reached over and playfully swatted her husband. “Alec Donahue! We were always going to end up together.”
Alec placed a kiss on her temple and wrapped his arms around his wife. “Of course we were, my sweet Maggie. But you have to admit, we did have a bumpy ride.”
“The course of true love never did run smooth,” Maggie said in a teasing voice.
“Especially with a gorgeous, Christmas tree stealing woman.” His chest rumbled behind her with laughter.
She shot him a glare. “For the hundredth time, I did not steal that Christmas tree. I paid for it, fair and square.”
“That’s your story and you’re sticking to it,” he said, throwing his head back in merriment.
“Shhh. You’ll wake the children,” Maggie said with a low chuckle. “And we’ve still got a few presents to wrap.”
“Oh, you were a handful,” Alec said. “Matter of fact, you still are, darlin’.”
“If I hadn’t been, maybe we might never have met. Oh, sweetheart. I’m so blessed to have this life with you and our boys.”
“Right back ‘atcha.” He shuddered. “If we hadn’t met up at that Christmas tree stand at the same time, I wonder where we would have ended up.” He raised an eyebrow. “Or with whom?”
“Breeze Point is a small town. We would have been thrown in each other’s paths at some point or another,” Maggie said. She chewed on her lip, knowing that it wasn’t necessarily true. Alec had been on leave from the Army, so the time for them to cross paths had been limited. She hated to even imagine what might have been if they hadn’t both been searching for the perfect Christmas tree at the exact same moment.
Serendipity. The word popped into her brain. It had been her mother’s favorite word, one she’d often used when something fortuitous had occurred. Just the word itself made goose bumps pop up on her arms. It reminded her of hearth and home, green sprawling hills, corned beef and cabbage and hugs that seemed to go on forever. Her parents were indelibly imprinted on her heart.
“As you like to say, it was meant to be.” Alec’s words trickled through her. He was right. Their love was meant to be, forged through faith, hope, fidelity, truth and enduring love.
“Let’s hold off on the presents. I want to take a trip down memory lane.” Maggie jumped up from the sofa and headed toward the bookshelf where she’d placed all their photo albums. After a few moments of riffling through the stacks, she let out a cry and held a dark blue album up in the air. “Voila! I found it.”
She sat back down next to Alec and cuddled against him. Alec reached across and opened the album to the first page. With a feather light touch, he ran his finger along the first photo, letting out a sigh as he did so. Slowly, reverently, they began to turn the pages as the precious moments from their past flashed before their eyes.
“You never know when your life is going to change
in a heartbeat. Always keep your eyes open
for something wonderful.”
Dottie Donahue
Chapter Two
In the beginning
Alec Donahue inhaled deeply as he walked down Main Street in his hometown of Breeze Point, Cape Cod. Familiar landmarks jumped out at him. Town hall. Breeze Point’s only movie theater. The local hardware store. All of it was as familiar to him as his right hand, even though he’d been away from home for more than a year. Being on leave from the Army was a beautiful thing indeed. It allowed him to come back home to Breeze Point and celebrate the holidays with his boisterous, loving family. From the moment he’d stepped off the plane and stood on Cape Cod land, he’d been filled with a sense of rightness. No other place on Earth made him feel such a deep sense of belonging. Generations of Donahues had planted roots in Cape Cod. He was really no different than his ancestors.
He shook his head and chuckled at the memory of his mother’s tears when he’d shown up unexpectedly at the house. Dottie Donahue had been a sobbing, screaming, glorious mess. And it had warmed his heart like nothing else ever could. She’d hugged him so tightly he’d felt out of breath. Hi
s mother was one of a kind. Sure there were times when she was way too outspoken or embarrassing, but he wouldn’t trade her for anything in this world.
Dottie Donahue loved her husband and her brood with a ferocity that knew no limits. Alec laughed to himself as he thought about his eclectic, loving family. They were far from perfect, but he loved them one and all.
He made his way across the village green, pausing to admire the gazebo lit up with white lights. The ground was covered in a fresh dusting of fluffy snow. Sparkly, festive lights hung between a few trees. A big sign advertising “Nate’s Christmas Tree Stand” stood in front of a small tent. Surrounding the tent were dozens of Christmas trees of all shapes and sizes. Alec poked his head inside the tent, instantly spotting the tall red-head he’d known his entire life.
“Hey, Nate,” he called out. “Thought I might find you in here.”
Nate whirled around. He had a stack of bills in his hand. His eyes widened in surprise. “Alec. You caught me counting my profits. The new baby is eating us out of house and home.” The look on Nate’s face could only be described as ecstatic. Alec knew it had everything to do with his wife Becky and the new addition. He was happy for them. They’d all gone through school together, with Nate and Becky being a couple since middle school.
A feeling of envy made its way through him. What he wouldn’t give to fall in love, settle down and start a family. Those things were years down the road due to the solemn vow he’d made to focus on his commitment to the military rather than pursuing love and romance. It was the right decision, he realized. He’d always wanted to serve his country and fight to protect the freedoms America enjoyed. Even though he sometimes yearned for a love of his own, someone who knew him inside and out. Someone who would love him for a lifetime.
Nate reached out and clapped him on the shoulder. “Good to see you back in town. I had no clue you’d be home on leave. Dottie never said a word and I just ran into her the other day at the wharf.”
“She had no clue until I arrived. That’s how it works out most times. We’re prohibited from revealing that type of sensitive information. I’m on leave and back in the good ole USA for a bit.” And he couldn’t be happier for a break from military life. It was a world he loved, but he missed his family, his hometown and his friends on a daily basis.
Nate grinned at him. “Not that it’s not great to see you, Alec, but what are you doing here? I thought you Donahues went out to Nottingham Woods to find your trees.”
“We usually do, but with Pop in and out of the hospital this past year, we figured we’d try to make it as low-key as possible.” He shook his head. “It wouldn’t be the same if he couldn’t join us, so I’m bringing the tree to him.”
Nate met his gaze. Alec saw the compassion emanating from his eyes. “I’m praying for him, Alec. If it wasn’t for him, I probably wouldn’t have made it through high school. He’s a good man.”
A feeling of pride burst inside him. As a history teacher and advisor at Breeze Point High School, Theodore Donahue had helped more kids stay in school than anyone had ever given him credit for. His father hadn’t done it for the kudos. Most of his encouragement had occurred behind the scenes. He’d wanted to make an impact in the lives of children and their educational path. And he had, until two bouts with cancer had forced him to retire much earlier than he’d planned. And now, after surgery to remove another cancerous tumor, he was resting comfortably at home. Which made it his job to hunt down the tree since their annual family tradition of heading to the Nottingham Woods to find a tree had been cancelled.
“Thanks for the prayers,” Alec said, knowing that most of Breeze Point adored his father and were praying for his recovery. He truly believed that prayer could lift his father up and provide complete healing. He jerked his thumb in the direction of the trees. “I’m going to go take a look at the trees. I’m surprising my parents by bringing one by the house.”
“Where are your brothers?”
Alec rolled his eyes. “No idea. I don’t even want to imagine what they might be up to. The three of them are triple trouble.”
Nate nodded his head in agreement, a smirk planted on his face. “Yeah, they do sort of have that reputation.” Nate chuckled. “They keep things interesting though.”
“Sometimes we can do without that type of interesting,” Alec said with a shake of his head.
Making his way outside the tent, Alec looked up at the big fat moon in the sky. There was something so magical about a full moon in a brilliant pewter sky. His mother always said, “Beautiful things can happen under a radiant moon.” Then she’d lovingly gaze over at his father. Most times he’d roll his eyes, but for some reason this evening he knew her words were true. He felt it all the way down to his soul.
He stopped in his tracks. The tree! It was directly in his line of sight. It was perfect in every way. Just the right height. Just the right fullness. Not too skinny. Not too fat. He squinted at it, imagining it sitting right in front of his parents’ bay window in the living room. Yep. This was it. He’d barely looked around and this winner had jumped out at him.
“Hey, Nate. This is the one,” he called out.
Nate walked over and nodded his head, looking over the tree from top to bottom. “It’s a beauty, that’s for sure. You’ve got a great eye, Alec.”
“The folks will love it,” Alec said, knowing his parents would be thrilled at his surprise. Christmas with all the trimmings was a staple in the Donahue household. Dottie and Theodore Donahue had raised their four sons to love all aspects of the holiday season.
Nate dug into his pocket and pulled out a tag with the word sold printed on it. Nate placed the tag on one of the branches as Alec pulled out his wallet and handed him a few crisp bills.
“Let me go add this to the cash register, even though this is going towards formula, diapers and baby wipes,” Nate said with a shake of his head.
As Nate walked away chuckling to himself, Alec took another glance at his incredible tree. He was feeling kind of proud of himself. He hadn’t always shown such great judgment in trees. But this one was an exception. A flash of red on the other side of the tree captured his attention. He peered around the tree, only to come face to face with a gorgeous, auburn-haired woman. He smiled at her, immediately wanting to know her name and who she was. She had her hand wrapped around the spine of the tree, a mutinous expression stamped on her face.
Humph. Not too friendly was she! But she sure was beautiful with her peaches and cream complexion and wide, expressive eyes.
“Well, hello there,” he said, a hint of amusement evident in his tone.
“Hello,” she said, her expression somber. “Just to let you know, this is my tree.” The beautiful lilt of an Irish accent immediately drew him in.
He raised an eyebrow. “Your tree?” He let out a cough. “Sorry, Miss, but this tree is mine.”
The beauty’s green eyes widened. Her nicely shaped lips parted. “Oh no. This is my tree. I just walked away to tell the owner that I wanted to purchase it. He said he’ll be right over with a tag.”
He shook his head. “Sorry, darlin’. This is my tree,” he said. “Nate probably didn’t know what tree you were referring to.”
“No! And I’m not your darlin’,” the young woman said in a raised voice. “I just told you I’ve already claimed this tree. Back off!” She moved closer to the tree so that her chest was pressed against the pine needles. Her eyes flashed fire and a warning sign.
Alec fought past the feeling of annoyance that threatened to change the tone of his voice. He couldn’t allow himself to lose his cool. It was the holidays, after all. A special time of the year where everyone should put their best foot forward. Christian charity and kindness. Isn’t that what his mother and father had taught him ever since he was a child? And he was a gentleman dealing with a lady.
Don’t lose your temper. She’s trying to push your buttons. Possibly so she can have her way about the tree.
He slowly c
ounted to ten in his head, then continued.
“Miss. See this tag here?” He pointed to the silver tag on the tree. “It means I bought this pretty baby. Bought and paid for. It’s going right home with me on the back of that truck.” He pointed a gloved finger in the direction of his red truck.
“B-But…I was about to buy it,” she said in a forlorn voice that tugged at his heartstrings. Emerald colored eyes were awash with tears. She bowed her head. Auburn locks obscured her face.
“Miss, please don’t cry,” he said in a gentle voice, immediately wanting to comfort her.
“I’m not crying. Just a few snowflakes in my eyes.” Fiery green eyes flashed a hint of defiance. She began to blink furiously. He couldn’t help but sense that she was trying to appear tough despite her obvious emotion. Something shifted inside him. Immediately, he wanted to give it to her. Not just the tree but the sun, moon and the stars. She seemed so sad and desperate.
No way, Donahue. Don’t do it! This tree is special. And who’s to say this wasn’t a big ole act to win his sympathy? Would someone actually cry over a tree? He looked around him. There were dozens of trees just like this one. Well, maybe not as perfect, but she would still end up with a quality tree. Was this just an example of a beautiful woman who was using waterworks and her good looks to get her way? She couldn’t be this broken up about a Christmas tree! Could she? How could he make it better without giving up the tree meant for his parents?
“Hey, let me go talk to Nate. He can find you the best one in the lot. Okay?”
She nodded her head. A smidgeon of guilt speared through him. If he hadn’t already paid for the tree he would have given it to her. She looked so incredibly down about the situation. He felt a lump of discomfort lodged in his chest. He wasn’t good at handling tears.
If this tree didn’t mean so much—a gift for his parents—he would have told her to take it. He considered himself a good guy, despite the way she’d glared at him. It wasn’t his fault! He reminded himself. He’d found it first. There were plenty of other trees at the stand.