by Debbie Mason
“Owen and Teddy mentioned that you were looking for a way to make the boys want to stay. So I’m surprised you’re letting them go.”
“I had a Christmas plan.” She told him about her plan and how she’d come up with it.
He smiled. “Do you remember what your mother used to say about Christmas? Jesus is the reason for the season.”
“That’s what Teddy said.”
“He’s a smart little boy.” He handed her a cup of tea. “And your friend Abby is a smart woman. Jesus is the reason for the season, and Jesus is love. Love is always the answer, honey. Have you told Brooks and Oliver that you love them? Have you told them that’s why you don’t want them to leave?”
“I…No, I never have. I told them I wanted them to stay with me, but I never told them I loved them. I’m not sure I realized I did until now.”
“Maybe that’s something they need to hear.”
“Maybe it is. Thank you, Dad.” She smiled, feeling hopeful for the first time in days.
“And while you’re at it, you might want to tell Gabe you’re in love with him too.” Her father stood up and went to the counter. Then he returned with a box.
“I can’t tell Gabe how I feel about him.” She told him about Gabe’s upcoming battle with Diane.
“Did you forget I was there that day? Seems to me you’re good at standing up for the people that you love. But when it comes to fighting for what you want, you back down. You deserve to be happy. You were a special little girl, and you’ve turned into a special woman. You’re even more beautiful on the inside than you are on the outside. You always were.”
He reached for her hand. “I love you, Mallory. Always have and always will, and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I hope one day you’ll be able to forgive me.”
“I forgive you, and I love you too.”
He gave her a watery smile and wiped at his eyes. Then he opened the box. “The night the boys broke the ornament, I shooed Gabe off to take care of his sons and me and Owen swept up all the broken pieces. I put it together as best as I could.”
She stared at the ornament, reaching out to stroke it. “This must’ve taken days.”
“Pretty much. But it was worth it just to see your face.” He smiled. “I thought maybe Oliver and Brooks would like to give it to Gabe and his boys.”
“It should be from you too.”
“If that’s what you want.” Outside the wind howled, rattling the shutters, and he said, “I’d better get you home before we’re snowed in.”
“You should stay with us tonight. I have room.”
“I’d like that. I’ll just go pack a bag.”
As they drove down the mountain, they sang along with the carols playing on the radio, and Mallory was filled with the spirit of Christmas. She also had a plan. Her father was right. It was time for her to fight for what she wanted. And along with wanting Oliver and Brooks to stay with her in Highland Falls, she wanted a Maitland and Buchanan Christmas.
“What on earth is going on?” she said as they pulled onto Reindeer Road. Emergency vehicles lined the side of the road, their flashing lights illuminating the street and the stricken faces of Gabe, his in-laws, the twins, and Oliver and Brooks.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Her heart in her throat, Mallory jumped from the car and ran to where Gabe stood speaking into his radio. “What’s wrong? Where’s Teddy?”
Gabe handed her a piece of paper. “He’s gone to find Santa.”
“I don’t understand. What—”
“It’s our fault, Mal,” Oliver said, his face pale and tear-stained. “Me and Brooks were babysitting. We should’ve kept a closer eye on him. We thought he was playing in his room.”
Gabe put a hand on Oliver’s shoulder. “The important thing is you did the right thing as soon as you realized he was gone, son. You all did,” he said, then explained to her that the four boys had split up and searched the house and the neighborhood before calling Gabe.
“It didn’t help that it started snowing, and with the winds, we can’t follow his tracks. Hunter’s coordinating with search-and-rescue, and he’s on his way with Wolf. He asked us to wait until he gets here.”
“Can’t we go talk to the neighbors? Or search Main Street? Granny MacLeod had Santa visiting her store this afternoon. Maybe he went there. We have to do something, Gabe. We can’t just stand here.”
“Trust me, I know how you feel.”
“I’m so sorry.” She hugged him. Feeling self-conscious with his in-laws looking on, she stepped back. “Of course you do.”
“We put out an Amber Alert right away, half of my officers are doing door-to-door canvassing, and the other half are spread out downtown. Abby’s got social media covered.” He pulled her close and stroked her hair. “We’ll find him, Doc.”
Standing huddled with her husband, Diane turned, trembling with rage. She stabbed a gloved finger at Mallory. “If something happens to him, it’s your fault. You filled his head with Santa Claus and wishes coming true. I warned you, Gabriel. I warned you that she was no good for you and the boys, and I was—”
Noting Oliver and Brooks balling their hands into fists at their sides, Mallory moved between them, taking their hands in hers. “It’s okay. Everyone’s upset and saying things they don’t mean.”
“Enough,” Gabe said to his mother-in-law, his voice icy cold. Even though he sounded calm, it was obvious he was fighting to keep his anger under control. “You don’t get to speak about Mallory—”
“She is so good for us. She’s better for us than you,” Dylan yelled at his grandmother. “She doesn’t get mad at us or make us sad. You’re the reason Teddy went to find Santa. It’s all your fault. He opened the letter your lawyer sent our dad.” Dylan flung his arms around his father, sobbing. “I don’t want to live with her, Dad. I won’t go.”
“Me neither. I hate you. I hate you!” Cody yelled at his grandmother.
“Okay, okay, calm down. No one is going anywhere.” Gabe gathered his sobbing sons in his arms.
“Don’t you see what you’re doing to them, Diane? Stop this. You can end this right now,” Mallory implored.
“Why? So you can swoop in and take my daughter’s place? I don’t think so.”
“Karl, please. Look at what this is doing to your grandsons,” Mallory begged the older man.
He lifted a hand as though imploring her to understand.
She shook her head, disgusted. “You won’t win. You won’t win custody, and you’ll have alienated Gabe and your grandsons.”
“I have money and influence. You out of anyone should know how that turns out. I will—” Diane began.
“Lose,” said a familiar voice from behind Mallory. “Surprised to see me?” Marsha asked Mallory as she moved to stand beside Brooks. “Owen invited me to spend Christmas.”
“So did I,” Mallory reminded her.
“We’re planning to join you for dinner. So, have you told the boys? Your father called Owen, and he told me the news,” Marsha said at Mallory’s blank look. “In case you’re wondering, it’s the outcome I’d been hoping for all along. But I suggest you tell the boys before I say what I have to to Diane.”
“I don’t think this is the time—”
“It’s the perfect time. Would you like me to do it for you?” she offered.
“What’s Marsha talking about?” Oliver asked.
“I don’t want you and Brooks to go away to school. I love you. I love you both, and I want us to be a family. I want us to put down roots here, in Highland Falls.”
The twins pulled away from their father and wiped their eyes. “We don’t want you to go either. Neither does Teddy. He wants us to be a family. That’s why he went to find Santa. He thought Owen forgot to tell him his Christmas wish because everything was messed up. Grandma was trying to take us away, you guys were leaving, and Dad and Mallory are mad at each other.”
Mallory met Gabe’s gaze. “I’m not mad at your d
ad. I love him. I love him very much, and I want us to be a family too.”
Gabe blinked, then cocked his head. “Are you proposing to me?”
“I guess I am. But there’s a very important member of your family who is missing, so I think I better wait until we find him.”
“Are you guys staying?” Dylan asked Brooks and Oliver while Gabe continued to stare at her.
“Yeah, we can’t be a family without us, now can we?” Oliver grinned.
Cody shared a look with Dylan and nodded. “Then that must mean Teddy delivered his wish to Santa, because everything’s coming true.”
“Just a minute now. We have to make one more part of Teddy’s wish come true,” Marsha said, and stepped forward. “Diane, if you could stop crying over your grandchildren getting a family for Christmas, I’d like to give you a word of advice.”
The other woman lifted her head from her husband’s chest. “And what would that be, Marsha?”
“I’d suggest, instead of fighting a battle you can’t possibly win, you should try to rebuild a relationship with your daughter’s family. Lauren was a lovely woman, and I’m sure that’s what she’d want. You know it’s true, Karl. So perhaps it’s time for you to grow a pair and rein your wife in.”
“What did I tell you, Boyd? She’s a corker.” Owen chuckled from somewhere behind them.
“How dare you?” Diane snapped.
“How dare you do this to these children, and at Christmas, no less? This is your last chance to do the right thing, Diane. If you don’t, I will have no choice but to use my considerable wealth and influence to ruin you.” She smiled at Oliver and Brooks. “Your new brothers can consider it a gift from you to them. Now that you’ve decided to remain in Highland Falls, I’ll give the small fortune I would be sending to the boarding school to Chief Buchanan to fund his fight for his family. A fight he will ultimately win.” She looked around. “Are we allowed to search for Teddy now? It seems to me the whole town has come out.”
They all turned. The road was filled with people, young and old, carrying flashlights and lanterns. “Wow,” Dylan breathed.
Gabe looked even more amazed than his son. Mallory reached for Gabe’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “One of the benefits of living in a small town is that, while they might drive you crazy at times, they’ll always be there for you when you need them.”
“I’m beginning to see that, Doc.” He drew her close and kissed the top of her head. “You and I have a few things we need to talk about, but right now, it’s time to find our boy.”
As though he sensed she was unsure where she stood, he kissed her again. “Don’t ever doubt that I love you. I’ve loved you from the moment I first saw you, and that hasn’t changed the more time I spend with you. If anything, I love you more.” He gave her hand a light tug. “Come on. Hunter’s coordinating search parties. He wants to go in first, though, with Wolf.”
* * *
They’d been searching the woods for more than an hour, and there was still no sign of Teddy. Balls of light bounced through the forest, voices calling out his name echoing in the cold, dark night, and the snow crunching underfoot. It began snowing harder, making it more difficult to see, making it harder, she imagined, for Wolf to pick up Teddy’s scent.
She swallowed a sob, her throat tight from keeping her emotions in check. She had to believe they’d find him. She thought of him in church on Sunday, the final Sunday of Advent, spelling love, his face filled with hope as he looked from her to his father. And every day that followed stole a little bit more of his hope.
She brushed a tear from her cheek and clung to her hope and faith as hard as Teddy had. Gabe was talking into his radio, checking in. “Wolf just found his backpack.” Hunter’s voice came over the radio. Gabe reached for her hand. “What about Teddy? Any sign of him?”
They could barely make out Hunter’s no over the crackling sound.
Gabe squeezed her hand as he continued walking. “We’ll find him.”
“I know we…” She trailed off. “Gabe, do you hear that?”
He stopped. “Hear what?”
“A woman. It sounds like she’s singing.”
“It’s just someone calling Teddy’s name.”
“No. No it’s not. Gabe, she’s singing ‘Danny Boy.’” Mallory turned in circles, trying to figure out where it was coming from. “Tell everyone to stop calling Teddy’s name.”
He looked skeptical but did as she asked.
“There.” She pointed to a place several yards back and to their right. It was no longer a woman singing that drew her attention; it was an amber light.
“Doc, I don’t see anything.”
As Mallory ran toward the light, there was no doubt in her mind that Teddy was there. Just as there was absolutely no doubt in her mind who’d led her to him.
But as she approached the spot where she could’ve sworn the light had been, she didn’t see him and the disappointment nearly brought her to her knees. “I thought,” she began, pushing the words past her tear-clogged throat.
“There!” Gabe shot past her, running toward a towering evergreen. Tucked underneath, like the most precious of presents, was Teddy.
* * *
“I need to go home. It’s Christmas Eve, and Santa’s going to be here soon,” Teddy said to the doctor the moment she walked into the room. He lay propped on his pillows in the hospital bed, looking a little pale but otherwise healthy.
“I thought you told me all your Christmas wishes came true,” the doctor said as she sat at the edge of his bed with his CT scan in her hand. Mallory leaned to her right to get a look. The doctor handed it to her with a smile. “You really should think about my offer. You could continue your residency here. We’d love to have you.”
“I’ll drop by after the holidays, and we can talk about it then. And unless I’ve forgotten how to read a scan, I think somebody is good to go.”
“He is, especially because he has a doctor at home.” She patted Teddy’s leg. “You’re a very lucky little boy. I’m still shocked he didn’t have hypothermia given the length of time he was out there,” she said to Mallory.
“My mom kept me warm,” Teddy said matter-of-factly. The boys and Gabe didn’t react. Teddy had been talking about Lauren since he woke up. “My first mom. Mallory’s going to be my second mom. She proposed to my dad, and he said yes. Do you want to come to the wedding?”
“Of course.” The doctor laughed. “I wouldn’t miss it.” There was a light knock on the door, and she looked around the room. “Mr. and Mrs. Rollins have been waiting for a while. Can I let them in now?”
Gabe, the twins, Oliver, and Brooks responded with a definite “No.” While Mallory and Teddy said, “Yes.”
“It’s Christmas Eve,” Mallory added, giving the doctor a nod.
“It’s okay, Dad. I have something I need to tell Grandma and Grandpa. It’ll make my last wish come true.”
Mallory had a feeling she knew what he was up to.
And five minutes later, while Gabe and the four boys leaned against the stark white wall with their arms crossed, Teddy said, “Yep, that’s what she looked like.” He pointed at the woman in the picture on Diane’s phone. “Only her hair was shorter, and she had on a red lace dress with long sleeves.”
They hadn’t heard this before, and Gabe stared at his son.
“What is it?” Mallory whispered.
“Lauren was buried in a red lace dress with long sleeves,” he whispered back. “There’s no way Teddy would know that.”
Mallory smiled. She’d known all along that Lauren had been looking out for her son tonight, and now they had proof.
“My mom gave me a message for you,” Teddy said. “She wants you to know she’s happy. She’s having a good time in heaven, but lately, not so much. You’re making her sad, Grandma. She wants you to stop trying to steal us from our dad. And she really, really likes Mallory. She said Mallory’s her Christmas present to us.” He grinned at Mallory, and
she knew he was making it up.
She looked at Gabe, who was shaking his head. Then he leaned in to whisper in her ear. “You sure you’re up for this? He’s only six—think what he’ll be like at sixteen.”
“We’ll have to keep him busy. Very, very busy.”
In the end, Teddy was right. He’d made his last Christmas wish come true, with a little help from his mother. Diane apologized to Gabe and the boys and left the room sobbing.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let it go this far. Marsha was right.” Karl looked at his grandsons. “I’m going to get your grandma some help, boys. I should’ve done it long before now. What she did was wrong, just as much as me standing by and doing nothing was wrong, but we love you boys, and we always will.”
Gabe turned to Teddy as soon as Karl left the room. “So, buddy, any of that true?”
“Mom didn’t talk to me. She just smiled.” He touched his forehead. “I think she kissed me too. But I could tell she was happy. She wouldn’t want Grandma to break up her family, and I know she’d pick Mallory for your other wife and our other mother because she led Mallory to me. That was her sign.”
“Like her stamp of approval?” Gabe asked.
“Yep. Now can we go home? I’m starved.”
He wasn’t the only one. All five boys’ stomachs were growling by the time they finally got them all loaded in the SUV twenty minutes later. As they came out the other side of the covered bridge, Gabe said, “You have got to be kidding me” at the sight that greeted them.
Under the white lights that lit up the canopy of tree branches, they watched as a line of deer walked along the side of the road. They turned off onto Reindeer Road and then walked up Mallory’s driveway to head into the woods.
Chapter Thirty
Since Teddy had been positive that the reindeer congregating in the woods behind the house was a sign that Santa had already come, Christmas came early to the house on Reindeer Road with a little help from Owen, Boyd, and Marsha. Which meant that they didn’t have to get up at the butt-crack of dawn on Christmas morning.