Patchwork Family

by Judy Christenberry

  “I’ll go watch for them!” Sara said, and raced out of the kitchen again.

  Molly took the last pan of cookies out of the oven. She’d been up since six, baking Christmas tree, bell and candy cane cookies. She even had all but the last two batches decorated. Homemade tomato soup was gently bubbling on the back burner, and she had a tuna casserole in the refrigerator that could be heated while they ate soup.

  The snow had stopped, but it was very cold. They’d need something hot when they got home.

  “They’re here! They’re here!” Sara screamed from the front of the house.

  Molly turned off the oven and wiped her hands. Drawing a deep breath, she headed for the front of the house to greet their guests.

  Sara was putting on her coat already.

  “Don’t forget your gloves and hat. It’s very cold,” Molly warned. She’d put her outerwear on the desk by the stairs. As she slipped into her coat, she heard Quinn sound his horn. She’d told him they’d come out when the two males of their party arrived.

  “Come on, Mommy!” Sara called, tugging on the front door.

  “I’m right behind you, sweetie, but don’t run on the snow. You might fall.”

  When they reached the car, Molly discovered Jeremy was as excited as Sara. Slipping into the front seat, Molly leaned toward Quinn and asked, “Was he bouncing off the ceiling all the way over here?”

  He grinned. “Yeah. How about Sara?”

  Molly nodded. “She wasn’t even interested longer than five minutes in making Christmas cookies.”

  “Christmas cookies?” Quinn asked.

  “I should’ve known food would catch your attention,” she said with an exasperated smile.

  Quinn’s face sobered. “I never had a mother who did special things like that. I think Sara’s a lucky little girl.”

  Molly felt compassion squeeze her heart. She couldn’t hold back a soft smile. “Thank you. I’m lucky to have Sara. She’s—she’s special.”

  “So she is, but that’s not surprising. Her mother’s pretty special, too.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Their first stop was to purchase new lights, some garlands, and a new ornament for each of the children. Quinn made a secret purchase, too. He found a glass ornament in the shape of a Victorian house resembling Molly’s.

  He couldn’t resist.

  When they reached the Christmas tree lot, the shopping was as much fun but a lot colder. The two children ran back and forth among the trees, choosing first one and then another.

  Quinn followed Molly as she slowly studied each tree, giving it her entire concentration. He smiled as he watched, loving the way she threw her heart into every project. When she found the tree she wanted, an eight-foot Douglas fir, he immediately seconded her choice.

  “Are you sure it won’t be too big for us to manage?” she asked him.

  He wanted to tell her he’d tackle a tree twice that big if it would please her. Bringing that sweet smile to Molly’s face was a never-ending goal for him. But he knew she’d back away if he said those things. So he simply assured her they could manage the big tree.

  When they reached the house, the tree strapped to the roof of his vehicle, he and Molly carried the tree to the front porch.

  “You do have a stand, don’t you?” he asked.

  “Yes. I found one in the attic. I’ll go get it.” She started to enter the house, then remembered the kids. “Sara, you and Jeremy put our packages in the living room. Then take off your coats and wash your hands for lunch.”

  “No! I want to decorate the tree first!” Sara demanded, excitement still on her face.

  Quinn turned to Molly, wondering what her response would be. As much as he loved Sara, he didn’t want her acting like a brat.

  “Sara, please do as I ask and mind your manners, or you won’t get to help decorate the tree.” Molly’s voice was firm but not angry, and it affected Sara at once. Her eyes looked like big blue saucers and she gasped. Then she became subdued.

  “Yes, Mommy,” she muttered, and hurried into the house, Jeremy right behind her.

  “I’m sorry. Sometimes excitement makes her forget her manners,” Molly apologized.

  “I’m sure that’s true for most kids. But you handle her well. How do you always know what to do?”

  She gave him a wry smile. “I don’t. But I love her…and I pay attention to what she says. And then I wing it,” she added, “and hope I’m doing the right thing.”

  “Well, you’ve got my vote.”

  “Thanks. I’ll get the tree stand.”

  Quinn shook the tree to remove any snow still clinging to its branches, but he thought about Molly’s explanation about parenting. One of his reasons for choosing not to have children was the fear of making mistakes.

  With Molly’s rule as a guideline, he thought parenting might be possible. But it was so easy to make mistakes. Like his mother. Maybe she hadn’t intended to harm her children, but she had.

  “Here it is,” Molly said, coming back out onto the porch.

  As he worked to put the tree in its stand, she said, “Oh, did I tell you that the open house paid off for my bed and breakfast? I’ve already got three suites booked for Valentine’s Day weekend.”

  He was pleased his idea had helped her. “Anyone I know?”

  “Mmm, I don’t think I should give out that information. But I think it will be interesting. One suite is for honeymooners. The other two are…intriguing.”

  He raised an eyebrow as he tightened the screws in the base of the tree. “Ah. Well, keep me posted.”

  By that time, he had the big tree in the stand, and he carried it into the living room.

  “We want it in the window so everyone can see our lights,” Sara said, obviously having recovered from her admonishment a few minutes ago.

  “Yes, I think you’re right, Sara,” Molly agreed. “Is there room, Quinn?”

  He added respect to Molly’s brand of parenting. She gave Sara respect, considering her requests. It didn’t mean she always gave in, but she considered her daughter’s opinion.

  “Yes, there’s room.” He set the tree in place and stood back. “How does it look?”

  “Perfect,” Molly said, smiling at him.

  He felt as if he’d climbed Mt. Everest because he’d pleased Molly.

  “Mommy, can’t we—” Sara was about to ask again to decorate the tree, but one look from her mother and she left the thought unspoken.

  “Time for lunch so we’ll thaw out,” Molly said, and herded all of them to the kitchen.

  Lunch was delicious, as usual. Not only was the food tasty, but also there was a warmth of emotion, a camaraderie that Quinn had seldom felt before. There had been a few times with his father and brothers, but they had lacked the sweetness that Molly brought to life.

  When lunch had been consumed, Molly suggested they wait until they’d trimmed the tree to have Christmas cookies. Her suggestion got an enthusiastic approval from the children.

  For the next hour the four of them decorated the tree. First the lights went up, Quinn handling the actual placement and Molly directing, with a lot of help from Sara and Jeremy.

  Then, using a stepladder, Quinn placed the star on the very top of the tree. The garlands were added. As the two children hung their special ornaments, Quinn handed his sack to Molly.

  “What’s this?” she asked, a puzzled look on her face.

  “A special ornament for you.”

  Sara, having already hung the Santa Claus ornament she’d chosen, rushed to her mother’s side. Jeremy followed her.

  “What is it?” Sara asked.

  Molly reached in the bag and pulled out a delicate glass ornament in the shape of a Victorian house. Quinn found himself holding his breath for her reaction. He’d given other women gifts, more expensive gifts, but their reactions had never mattered as much as Molly’s.

  “Oh, Quinn,” she whispered, awe in her voice. “It’s beautiful! I didn’t see this one at t
he store. Thank you so much! It looks like our house. See, Sara?”

  “It’s beautiful,” Sara agreed. “Want me to hang it for you?”

  “Thank you, sweetie, but I think I’ll hang this one myself.”

  The smile she sent Quinn was almost as good as kissing her, he decided. As he remembered their embrace, he changed his mind. The smile was wonderful, but not quite that good. He wondered if he’d ever have the opportunity to hold her and kiss her again.

  She carefully placed the ornament high on the tree so that it would be protected from accidents. Then she opened the boxes of other ornaments and began handing the round colored balls to Jeremy and Sara.

  “I think we’ll need to hang some of these, too,” she said to Quinn. “Otherwise, the tree will only be decorated the first four feet.”

  With a smile, he joined in hanging the decorations.

  As they neared the end, Molly disappeared for a few minutes. She came back in with a tray just as they deemed the tree complete.

  A big tray of cookies and fudge, surrounded by four cups, drew everyone’s attention. “I have hot chocolate for Jeremy and Sara, and coffee for the two of us,” she told Quinn.

  With the Christmas tree lights on, the four of them sat down and admired their handiwork while they enjoyed their dessert.

  “This is the bestest day ever,” Sara said as she munched on a cookie.

  “You’re right,” Molly said, “but don’t speak until you’ve finished chewing.”

  “My mom says that to me, too,” Jeremy said.

  “Jeremy, remind me when it’s time to go home and I’ll get your ornament for you. It looks beautiful on our tree, but you can take it home and put it on your tree if you want.”

  Much to Quinn’s surprise, Jeremy refused. “I have lots of ornaments on my tree, and I like sharing my ornament with Sara,” Jeremy said, smiling at his best friend.

  Sara leaned over and hugged Jeremy’s neck before picking up another cookie.

  Quinn understood what Jeremy meant. He liked knowing that something he’d given them would always be a part of Christmas for Molly and Sara.

  “He’s going to be a heartbreaker when he grows up,” Molly whispered to Quinn.

  Before he could answer, Sara jumped up and ran around the coffee table to hug Quinn’s neck.

  He hugged her back, of course, but then he asked, “What was that for?”

  “I’m glad you came today. It’s like you’re my real daddy,” Sara said, beaming up at him.

  Quinn froze as panic riddled his heart.

  “HEY, IT’S SATURDAY NIGHT!” Brady exclaimed as he came in the back door of Elias’s house to find Quinn sitting at the kitchen table, staring glumly at the cup of coffee in front of him.

  Quinn looked up and stared at his brother. “So?”

  “Your playboy image is going to disappear if you hang around the house every weekend.”

  Quinn gave his brother a disgusted look and took a sip of coffee.

  “Where’s Dad?”

  “Out” was Quinn’s only response.

  Brady grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee, then joined Quinn at the table. “Let me guess. Lydia?”

  Quinn nodded.

  The back door opened again and Seth stomped into the kitchen, unbuttoning his coat. “Hi. Where’s Dad?”

  Quinn rolled his eyes and said nothing.

  Brady replied, “Out with Lydia. Where’s Jenna?”

  “Already tucked up in bed. This pregnancy is tiring her out. I told her I’d ask Dad about Christmas dinner, for her to go on to sleep.” Seth got his own cup of coffee and joined his brothers.

  “Man, it’s pretty pitiful when Dad has more social life than any of us,” Brady complained.

  Quinn said, without looking up from his mug, “Maybe it’s about time he enjoys life.”

  “Yeah,” Brady agreed. “But what about us?”

  “I don’t know about you two,” Seth said with a smile, “but in case you hadn’t noticed, I have a wife and a baby on the way.”

  Quinn looked at his older brother. “Are you scared?”

  “Hell, yes, I’m scared. Babies are a big responsibility,” Seth said. “But I sure couldn’t face the alternative, life without Jenna. And I damn sure wasn’t going to make the mistake our mother did and abandon any child I’ve made.”

  No one said anything for a while.

  Finally Brady changed the subject. “You both going to the Christmas Eve bash?”

  Seth and Quinn nodded.

  “You taking Molly?” Brady asked Quinn.

  Quinn shook his head no. He wanted to, but he couldn’t. Sara’s words had erected a big stop sign. He never intended to risk harming a child, as his mother had harmed him and his brothers.

  “Why not?”

  Seth chimed in. “Don’t tell me you’re bringing Clarisse. If you are, we won’t be sharing a table with you.”

  “Clarisse isn’t that bad,” Quinn protested, but without any heart.

  Brady gave a derisive snort. “She’s no Cinderella, either.”

  “I’m coming alone.”

  “Then I guess I’ll be your date,” Brady said with a grin. “I haven’t asked anyone, either.”

  “Man, you two are going to make the family look bad. What’s the matter with you? Quinn, why aren’t you bringing Molly?”

  “Because I don’t want to get involved. She has a kid!” He took a deep breath to calm himself. After a sip of coffee, he added, “I’m not interested in family life.”

  More silence.

  Then Seth said, “Mom really did a number on us, didn’t she? I’m grateful Jenna forced me to wake up and smell the coffee.”

  Quinn asked abruptly, “Has Cooper found out anything yet about our half sibling?”

  “Not yet. He’s got a couple of leads he’s following,” Seth said.

  “Good. I think it’s time we settled our past. Running away from what happened to us as kids sure isn’t helping anything.”

  “Anything being Molly?” Brady asked softly.

  Quinn closed his eyes momentarily, then squared his shoulders and stared at Brady. “Molly’s a friend. Nothing else. I’m not interested in settling down. I like to pick up and go when I feel like it.”

  “Like tonight?” Brady asked, grinning.

  Quinn gave him a disgusted look and turned to Seth. “Why don’t you call Coop and anyone else you can think of and let’s play poker. I might as well increase my wealth if I’m going to be here tonight.” Besides, it might take his mind off the day he’d spent with Molly and Sara.

  Brady laughed. “Yeah, like you can take us! I could use some of your money to buy a new portable X-ray machine for my office, though. I’m game.”

  “You two are wishful thinkers. I need to buy new baby shoes. So I reckon I’ll have the advantage,” he assured them with a laugh as he headed for the phone on the wall.

  Quinn didn’t really care who won. He just wanted something to occupy his mind other than Molly, and the sweet smile she’d given him when she’d hung the glass house on the tree. Or the joy in Sara’s eyes as she’d told him he was acting like her daddy.

  Losing money would be better than thinking about those things.

  MONDAY EVENING, after tucking Sara in bed, Molly returned to the kitchen. But she had nothing to cook or clean. She didn’t even have anything to plan. The rest of the evening spread out before her, as empty as could be.

  For the first time in ages she had time on her hands. Time to think about the future. The empty future.

  She’d known she’d already gone too far in time spent with Quinn. She’d actually fallen in love with the difficult, sexy man. But she hoped she’d save Sara from the pain she was feeling.

  Because she’d known, as soon as Sara had mentioned the word daddy to Quinn, that any secret hope she’d had that Quinn would come to love her and Sara was pointless.

  He’d managed to depart about two minutes after Sara had mentioned that dreaded word.
With good manners, of course. But he’d gone.

  After Jeremy had gone home, she’d sat down with Sara and had a discussion.

  She’d begun with something Sara would understand. “You love Jeremy as a friend, don’t you, Sara?”

  “Yes, he’s the bestest friend in the whole, wide world!” she’d exclaimed with her usual enthusiasm.

  “And you love Mr. Spencer, too, don’t you?”

  “Oh, yes, Mommy!”

  “But Jeremy’s not your brother, is he?”

  “No, but I wish he was.”

  “Okay. And Mr. Spencer is not your daddy, is he?”

  Sara repeated herself. “No, but I wish he was.”

  “Wishing is okay, sweetheart, but it won’t come true. Jeremy will always be your friend, not your brother. And Mr. Spencer will—will be a friend, too, but not your daddy.”

  “But, Mommy, Jeremy already has a mommy and daddy. But Mr. Spencer doesn’t got a little girl. Why can’t he—”

  “Because he can’t,” Molly had said firmly.

  “But then we can’t be a patchwork family, like you said,” Sara complained, a sad look on her face.

  “No, we can’t, Sara. But it’s important to be grateful that we have each other. We’re pretty lucky, aren’t we?” she asked, smiling with all the love in her heart for her child.

  “Yeah, we’re lucky, Mommy. But it’s okay to wish Mr. Spencer could be my daddy, right?”

  “As long as you understand it won’t happen.”

  Molly sat at the kitchen table, thinking about the past few days after her discussion with Sara. Her little girl seemed all right, but several times she’d caught Sara in the living room, the tree lights on, sitting below the tree, staring up and whispering.

  When Molly asked her who she was talking to, she’d hurriedly said, “No one,” and asked her mother for a snack.

  The phone rang, dragging Molly from her thoughts.

  “Hi, it’s Pam. I have an idea.”

  “About what?”

  “Did you get your invitation to the Christmas Eve party this Sunday night at the Timberlake Lodge?”