The Night In Question
Page 22
She felt herself being pulled into a crushing embrace, felt Max’s hand pushing her hair back, looked up and met his eyes, still clouded with fear. He was shaking, she realized. No, they were both shaking.
“Let’s get away from the edge,” he muttered, not taking his gaze from her face. “God, Jules—I thought I was going to be too late. I was too late. If it hadn’t been for Boomer—”
He broke off, and Julia saw him glance over at the still body of the old dog. Her eyes filled with tears, and, slipping from his embrace, she ran to the animal. Kneeling, she stroked the velvety ears one last time. As she did, Max squatted down beside her. With gentle fingers he closed the still-open eyes.
“He—he saved her life, Max.” She got awkwardly to her feet, her gaze flying to the small blond figure curled up at the base of one of the pine trees. “He gave his life for her.”
“I told Ethan I got him the best dog in the world for his very own.” Max’s smile was unsteady, the green eyes brilliant with unshed tears. “I told my son his old man had gotten him the best puppy he could find. I guess I was right, wasn’t I?”
“I guess you were,” Julia said softly. Her eyes held his questioningly, and her next words were hesitant. “You had a son, Max?”
The green eyes smiling down at her shimmered and closed. He pulled her into his arms, and she could feel his breath against her hair as he spoke.
“Yes, I had a son, Jules. His name was Ethan, and I loved him very much.”
He lifted his head and looked down at her, and Julia knew she was looking at the man in the video and that the man in the video would never disappear again.
“But I’d like to have a daughter as well,” he said huskily. “And I’d like to have her mom, if she’ll have me.”
“Her mom says yes.” She felt the tears spill over and run down her cheeks even as she gave the man she loved a trembling and joyous smile. “Let’s get our little girl home, Max. I’m pretty sure that when we ask her later tonight she’ll say yes too.”
Holding her useless wrist close to her body for support, Julia watched as Max bent down and effortlessly lifted her little girl in his arms. Willa’s eyes opened sleepily, and then drifted closed again.
“Trillions and jillions, kitten-paws,” she whispered. “And forever and ever, Max.”
And walking side by side with Willa cradled in Max’s arms, Julia Tennant and the two people she loved most in all the world left the clearing to go home.
Epilogue
“Is this a park, Mom?” Willa looked around her with interest. Julia smiled and ruffled the flyaway blond hair.
“Not a park for playing in. It’s more a park where you come to remember the people you love.” She shielded her eyes from the bright June sun and gazed across the smooth swath of green grass. As if he sensed she was watching him, Max turned and started walking back to her and Willa.
The simple marble headstone had previously been inscribed only with Anne’s name and the dates of her birth and death. Now there was a second inscription carved into the marble. Julia hadn’t seen it, and she’d decided Willa was still too young to fully comprehend that her new daddy had once had a little boy who hadn’t been born, so she and Willa had stayed here by the gates of the quiet cemetery while Max had walked over to the grave.
But she knew what it said. She’d seen Max write out the words he’d wanted the stonemason to add.
“Mom, we’d better get back to the car soon. Buffy’s going to be wondering where we are.” Willa tugged at her hand, and impulsively Julia scooped her into her arms. The little girl wriggled, laughing.
“I’m too big to be picked up now,” she protested.
“I know.” Julia bent over and rubbed the tip-tilted nose with her own. “But I don’t care. I like cuddling you just like you like cuddling Buffy. And sometimes I like tickling your tummy like you tickle his.”
She demonstrated, and Willa dissolved into giggles. “But Buffy’s a puppy! I’m not a puppy, Mom.”
Julia set her firmly onto her feet as she saw Max pause and look back at the gently rolling hills and the graceful old willow trees that seemed to accentuate the peace of this place.
“I know you’re not a puppy, kitten-paws,” she said softly. “You’re my daughter. You’re my darling, darling daughter.”
THE SUMMER SUNLIGHT shafted between the branches of the trees. Max saw Jules and Willa waiting for him, and he smiled to himself. He was a lucky man, he thought. He had a brand-new daughter and a wife he loved with all his heart. And he’d had a son once—a son he’d lost for a while, but would never lose again.
Ethan, Beloved Son of Maxwell Ross. Max blinked. He jammed his hands in his pockets and turned back for one last look. It was written there for all the world to see, he thought, and that was the way it should be. He cleared his throat and started to turn away again, but then he stopped.
It had to be the sunlight, he thought shakily. It was dazzlingly bright, but just for a moment he’d thought he could see—
At the top of one of the gently rolling hills he saw the figure of a young boy. Close by his side was a blockier silhouette—a silhouette of a dog, with a happily wagging tail. Even as Max watched, the boy threw the softball in his hand and the dog bounded exuberantly after it.
The next moment the brow of the hill was empty again.
His heart overflowing, Max Ross turned away and walked back to the woman and the little girl he loved.
ISBN: 978-1-4592-4296-8
THE NIGHT IN QUESTION
Copyright © 2002 by Sandra Hill
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