by Dianne Drake
“Or be grateful for the family we have,” James said. “Because the three of us are pretty awesome together.” They were watching Tyler contemplate all the gifts under the Christmas tree. “I don’t need to have a dozen children to make me happy, Fallon. I know that’s what you thought, maybe even what I thought. But sitting in that train all those hours, I had a lot of time to think. And what I came to realize was that with Tyler, and you, I have everything in the world I need to make me happy. Everything I want. And telling you that I wanted a dozen children was…arrogant.”
“You’re not arrogant,” she said.
“Well, maybe not arrogant so much as unrealistic. But there’s something about being stuck on a freezing train and slowly running out of oxygen that really grounds you. Really makes you take a hard look at your life. I wanted you before, Fallon. Have never stopped loving you, and won’t stop loving you, no matter what kind of fears you have about that. We’ll work through the past. There’s still a lot of emotion there, a lot of pain, but we have time to make it better.”
“I know,” she said.
“Do you really?”
“I had a lot of time to think in those hours, too. And the one thing that kept coming back to me was you. I know you, James. Know your heart. You were right. It was me I was running away from, not you. Everything hurt so bad that I just didn’t know what to do. I was so…confused. Lost.”
“But I’ve found you, Fallon.”
“And I want to stay found.”
He tightened his hold on her, and she sighed contentedly. “I’m still stubborn. That’s not going to change.”
“I’m counting on it.”
“And Tyler? Have you talked to him about…us?”
“Actually, he’s the one who talked to me. Asked if you were going to be his new mom. In his matter-of-fact way, of course.”
“With a shrug?” she asked.
“Only the way Tyler can shrug. One little gesture and my whole life fell into place.”
“Poor James.” Fallon laughed. “Treated with indifference the way most children treat their parents.”
“A cruel dose of reality. And the best one I can think of.”
“But look how happy he is now. That’s all that counts, you know. We have him, we’ll take care of him, and we’ll get him through whatever problems he’ll have because of his past. The three of us…three’s so much better than one.” Nothing about Tyler’s past was going to change. But that part of his life was over. Like so much of her past life had finally been put behind her. She was wanted now. Someone…two someones…finally, truly wanted Fallon O’Gara. And Fallon O’Gara finally, truly, knew that. “Want to build a snowman?” she asked her men.
James moaned, Tyler groaned.
“OK,” she conceded, “let’s play a game. I know it’s not Christmas yet, but I’m pretty sure there’s a game system under the tree. Santa dropped it off early so he wouldn’t have to carry it around when he goes out later tonight, so…”
Tyler ran out from behind the tree, where he’d been organizing the packages. “Which one?” he squealed.
“The red one. But be careful you don’t…” Words of caution on deaf ears. Tyler dove after the package, effectively knocking the tree flat on the floor, with him underneath.
“You OK?” James called, jumping up to rescue him.
“I found it. And it’s just what Santa promised me.”
Laughing, Fallon joined James, and both of them simply stared down at the mess. “We could just leave it,” she said, snaking her hand around his waist. “Maybe if Santa stops by again he’ll clean it up for us.”
James bent to whisper in her ear. “I think Santa has something entirely different in mind for his next visit tonight. If we can ever get Tyler to go to bed. And somebody invites Santa upstairs.”
“Santa’s invited.” They’d slept together, all three of them, for the past days. Mostly because she didn’t want either of her men out of her sight, not even for a little while. But now it was time to move on. She knew that, understood it in profound ways. “Then I think we need to get that game set up and wear him out.” She glanced anxiously at the stairs. It had been too long. It was time to rectify that. “Fast!”
“Are you sure, Fallon? I’m a patient man. I can wait.”
“But I’m not a patient woman, and I can’t. No more wasting precious time, James. Not ever again.”
“Well, in that case…”
She expected a kiss, but what she got was a tug into the heart of the Christmas tree mess, first to retrieve their son, second to get his game. Time was being wasted and she did, indeed, have something to celebrate tonight. “I’m going in,” James said, dropping to his hands and knees, blowing her a kiss then smiling. “Wish me luck.”
Laughing, she tossed him an air kiss. “In case you don’t come out, I love you. I always have. Always will.”
“I know,” James said, crawling partially underneath the tree then latching onto Tyler’s hand. “I always knew you loved me. No matter what happened, I knew that, Fallon. And I’ve always loved you. I didn’t always go about it the right way, but my feelings have never changed.”
From James’s lips to her heart. It was the best Christmas gift—ever!
You need to see the whole view, Fallon. That’s where you’ll find your happiness. Such wise words from Edith Weston. She did see the whole view now. It was a beautiful view. Perfect. And it was truly where she had found her happiness.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-7651-6
CHRISTMAS MIRACLE: A FAMILY
First North American Publication 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Dianne Despain
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