The Best Christmas Ever

by Cheryl Wolverton

  Amy had been much more creative than Sarah. She had made her own ornaments each year, in addition to the one her parents would buy her. One by one Sarah pulled them out and touched them, remembering how they had been lovingly crafted.

  “Those were Amy’s.”

  Sarah looked up to see Justin’s head and shoulders poking through the entrance. “Mickie’s playing Nintendo. I was looking for you and saw the ladder down.”

  “Running from Stephanie?” A soft smile curved her lips.

  “Thank you for leaving me there with her,” he muttered darkly, and came up the stairs. “She’s gone, too. I told her I had to find my housekeeper and explain the rules of decorum.”

  “You didn’t!” Sarah gasped.

  He chuckled. “Consider yourself properly chastised.”

  She chuckled. “I promised Mickie I’d get these down for her. She said you always brought them out of the attic the day after Thanksgiving.”

  “Not those,” he said.

  Sarah’s hands stilled. “I don’t understand.”

  Justin pulled over a small trunk and sat down next to her. He took the small tan cloth ornament with a Christmas tree cross-stitched on it. “I haven’t used these since Amy died.”

  “I’m so sorry.” Sarah realized her blunder. “I saw this box.” She indicated the nearer one. “And then this one. I just thought you must have kept your ornaments separate.”

  He rubbed his thumb over the material. “She was so proud of these. They were so filled with memories for her. The year she died, well, it was only a week after Thanksgiving and I just couldn’t bring myself to use her ornaments. We went out and bought all new ones.”

  “Oh, Justin,” she whispered, her heart breaking. She started to reach for the ornament he had, but he stopped her.

  Taking the box from her lap, he began to go through it. “This one she said she made when she was six-teen.” He held up two hearts entwined.

  Sarah chuckled. “She was certain she was in love and was going to stitch the names in there when the boy declared himself.”

  Rummaging through the box, he found another one. “She made this one when Mickie was born.”

  A cradle with the year on it in blues and greens graced the front of the small stuffed pillow-shaped ornament. “It’s beautiful.”

  She fingered one and tears touched her eyes. “This was one of my favorites.” She held up one with a cross that had a cradle in front of it. “She made this one the year she asked Jesus into her heart.”

  Justin sighed, put the other ornaments back into the box, then dropped his head. “You know, Sarah, I really loved Amy. It was a comfortable, caring relationship, one I went into because I thought she loved me.”

  “I know,” Sarah replied. And though it sounded funny for her to be saying that to Justin, she realized it was the truth. No matter what she’d thought in the past, she knew Justin wasn’t the type to marry Amy out of a sense of obligation or guilt. She silently asked why her parents had encouraged Amy to marry him. It had only ended up hurting everyone involved. Amy just didn’t know how to say no. The only time she had tried, she’d died out on a lonely road, alone. “I miss her.”

  Justin slipped an arm around her and gave Sarah a small squeeze. “I do, too. It was really hard when she first died. There was so much guilt over her death and I had a small child and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I blamed Amy for leaving me. But slowly, day after day, I began to function again, and now, when I think about Amy, it’s like another lifetime, bittersweet. I loved her, but we were both young, inexperienced. I was so different. I know she’s happy where she is now and the only thing I still grieve over is that Mickie won’t know her.”

  “She remembers bits and snatches.”

  “I wonder if she does or if it’s that I remind her.”

  He slipped his arm from around her and put the lid on the ornaments. “Whichever,” he said, tucking the box under his arm, “I think it’s time to bring these back out and start some new memories of our own.”

  “Our own?” she asked, shocked at what he’d said.

  “Mickie and me,” he said, and looked at her strangely.

  Oh, of course. Now, why had she thought he was referring to her? “I agree. It’ll be nice for Mickie to have the ornaments for herself. Our mom said we could do whatever we wanted with our ornaments. And I’m sure Amy would want her daughter to have hers.”

  “You have some, too?”

  Sarah flushed. “Yes. Both Amy and I did.”

  “Would you like to add them to the tree?”

  Sarah immediately shook her head. “No. They’d get mixed up when it was time to take the tree down, and well, they’re in storage and everything.”

  She would’ve sworn Justin looked disappointed. “Well, if you’d like to see them,” she offered shyly.

  “That’d be great!” He stood. “Let me push the other box over to the entrance, then I’ll stand below to catch it.”

  “You sure you don’t have Stephanie down there to watch your macho show of strength,” she teased. “Maybe you’ve considered remarriage and think you have to impress her.”

  He paused by the stairs and turned back to her. There was no teasing glint in his eyes. No, he looked very serious when he said, “Stephanie is mainly attracted to my bank account. I can guarantee you, I’ll only be marrying someone who can love me in the truest sense of the word.”

  The look in his eyes sent a shiver of awareness through her. She nervously licked her lips and wiped her hands on her jeans. Oh, she could love him in the truest sense of the word, and easily, but she wondered if he could love her when he found out her secret.

  The sound of Mickie thudding up the stairs, and her voice, broke the spell, “Telephone, Aunt Sarah!”

  She smiled, albeit shakily. “Saved by the bell.”

  He smiled back. “Only a reprieve, Sarah. We’ll have to discuss these emotions bouncing around between us sooner or later.”

  She climbed down the stairs, then ran to the library so she could have some privacy. She couldn’t think of who had the phone number here, or even who would be calling her.

  “I want to know what you told your boss that caused him to take his business away from my firm.” The nasty voice of Drydan Watson reverberated through the phone.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Oh, don’t play dumb with me, missy. I know you’re wrapping Justin around your little finger. That’s the only reason he’d trade a reputable firm such as mine for a smaller, no-name outfit. I purposely didn’t call his work today but instead called you to warn you that if you don’t do something to get Watson and Watson back in his good graces, your little secret is going to be out.”

  Sarah, who had been stunned by hearing his voice, now got angry. “Go ahead and tell him, Drydan. It doesn’t matter to me.”

  “When you lose your power over him it will. After all, who’s paying your bills, letting you live in his house, eat his food and who knows what else under his roof? It’ll matter plenty if you don’t do something. I’ll give you until the first of January. After all, with the holidays, he won’t have much time to get anything done. But come January 1, if you haven’t convinced Justin that everything you’ve said about my family is lies, he’s going to know your guilty little secret.”

  The phone slammed in her ear.

  Slowly, she replaced her receiver. So Justin had let Drydan Watson go. Was it because of what she’d told him? Justin had certainly been furious.

  For some reason, that brought a bit of joy to her heart. Justin had actually defended her by dropping Drydan and hiring someone else. A silly grin spread across her face. If she hadn’t loved him before, she certainly did now.

  Why would he do such a thing over Drydan’s stupid tantrums? She knew Drydan Watson would get over his anger and things would go on. He only stepped on those smaller than him or those who threatened him in some way. She’d been a threat to his son, so he’d mad
e sure to stomp out that threat. But now she was a threat to him through Justin’s business.

  Her smile left her face. That meant Drydan just might reveal her secret to Justin in order to get even.

  “Hey, I forgot to ask you what I’d wanted to when I hunted you down earlier.”

  Sarah whirled, finding Justin at the door.

  “Are you okay? Bad news?” He indicated the telephone by cutting his eyes to the instrument, then back to her.

  “No. No, you just startled me.”

  His smile returned. “Well, I remember what it was that I forgot when I saw the ornaments.”

  He came into the room, brushing at his light blue sweater, then wiping his hands on his jeans. “The decorations are only part of the tradition. I’m a firm believer in traditions and I’ve decided Mickie is old enough to appreciate a live Christmas tree.”

  He pulled his wallet out of the desk and stuffed it in his back pocket. “So this year I’ve decided it’s time to take Mickie to a Christmas-tree farm. I thought she would really enjoy it. What do you think?”

  Sarah nodded. “She’d love it. We always begged our parents for a real tree, but they hated the pine needles.”

  Justin smiled. “I have a housekeeper. I don’t have to worry about cleaning up pine needles.”

  “Thanks a lot,” she said, laughing.

  “Good. Grab your jacket or sweater. It’s cool out today. I’ll get Mickie’s pullover and we can go. We should get there just about sunset.”

  “You want me to go with you?” Sarah asked, surprised.

  Justin had the audacity to look affronted. “Of course I do. Who else will I be able to pawn Mickie off on if she gets too excited over this new event?”

  “Again, thank you,” Sarah said, though she wasn’t upset. She was actually very excited to be included.

  Justin smiled his smug smile. “Anytime. Now go! I’ll get the four-by-four warmed up.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  “A real-live Christmas tree?” Mickie exclaimed as Justin drove the truck into the tree lot.

  “That’s right. Any one you decide on,” Justin said.

  Sarah shot him a warning look. “But I bet you’d sure like your daddy’s opinion.”

  Mickie nodded. “I know exactly what I want. It’s got to be big, and just right.”

  The vehicle stopped and she jumped out. Sarah was slower pushing open her front door, but she was just as excited. Justin chuckled and slid out his side of the truck. “You both look awed.”

  “I’ve never been here. I didn’t know they grew trees in rows,” she said, regarding the lines and lines of trees. “I thought this was just a piece of property and you had to go out and hunt in the forest.”

  “You’ve been neglected.” He tsked, took a handsaw from the person at the gate, then caught up to where his daughter impatiently waited for them. “They have a hay ride and a gift shop and a place where you can order special trees, and even some trees, that have been shipped from up north—trees you normally wouldn’t see down here. Come on.”

  The person told them where everything was located and they started down the paths. “Oh, here’s one, Daddy,” Mickie immediately exclaimed, stopping in front of a tree not quite four feet high. “Except that it’s not as tall as you and it’s got a big hole in the daddy branches.”

  “Daddy branches?” Justin asked.

  “Yeah, you know, daddy branches.” She pointed at another one. “The mama branches have a hole in that one.”

  “Honey, I don’t know what you mean, either,” Sarah said as she hurried behind the young girl, trying to keep step with Justin.

  “You know, daddy, mama and children branches. That’s how my teacher explained it.”

  When Sarah shrugged Mickie explained. “Daddy branches hold up the mama branches and mama branches hold up the children branches, then the baby branch goes on top for the star.”

  Sarah was still confused, but Justin had evidently caught on. Mickie grabbed his hand and stood him next to a tree to compare the height, then shook her head and walked on.

  “You wanna translate, Justin?” Sarah asked, trailing along beside them.

  “She’s got quite an interesting teacher. They have an artificial tree at school and I imagine she means the A-shape of the tree, the larger branches on the bottom being the daddy branches and so on.”

  Light dawned in Sarah’s eyes, then she lifted an eyebrow in disbelief. “That’s what they’re teaching kids in school?”

  Justin shrugged. “I guess it’s a way to explain the family unit or something. As I said, this teacher is very inventive. Had Mickie not been in her class all year, I would’ve been stumped, too. But this explanation of a tree is mild compared with some of the things Mickie has told me.”

  Mickie stopped him several more times but found fault with each tree. It was finally Sarah who noted it was almost completely dark out, that gently suggested a tree to Mickie. “Oh, yes, Aunt Sarah. This one is perfect. My own mama couldn’t have picked out a more perfect tree. See how much taller it is than Daddy. It reaches way up and will almost touch the sky.”

  “And our ceiling,” Justin murmured.

  “You can cut it if it’s too big,” Sarah said, afraid they’d end up on another trek if Mickie changed her mind.

  “Right there, Daddy. Cut it.”

  Justin crawled underneath the tree and began to saw. “Wait a minute, it’s tipping,” Sarah warned, reaching out for it. “Get back, Mickie, so it won’t fall on you.”

  Sarah leaned over the large branches and grabbed near the top to try to steady the tree. She realized too late how far off balance this put her. “Watch out, Justin!”

  She jerked back, but too late. The weight of the falling tree propelled her forward. She let out a squeak and landed right on top of the tree, which had fallen directly on top of Justin.

  A grunt was all she heard. She tried to scramble off the tree as gingerly as possible.

  “Watch it, will you?”

  “Oh,” he groaned as she scooted backward.

  She shoved at the tree until it was out of the way. Justin lay on the soft needle-covered ground, thankfully in one piece. “I’m sorry?” She said it more as a question than a statement.

  “I suppose you are, since I’m holding the car keys and you’d be stuck here if you did me under. Here, help me up,” he said, extending his hand.

  Mickie laughed. “You look funny, Daddy. You’ve got pine needles in your hair.”

  “Thanks, kid,” he said, smiling.

  He swiped at his hair but missed most of the needles, so Sarah moved forward and brushed at them. His hands stilled and his eyes met hers.

  “Come on, Daddy. Let’s take the tree home!”

  Justin’s gaze left Sarah’s. “How about we let them tie this to the top of the car, then we go on a hay ride.”

  “Oh, cool!” Mickie clapped her hands, jumping up and down. “The church hay ride’s in October, but I didn’t get to go because I was too little. I’m not too little, am I, Daddy?”

  He shook his head. “I saw a baby on one when we drove in and you’re certainly not a baby anymore.”

  Mickie was almost dancing in excitement. Sarah smiled and followed Justin and the little girl to the front part of the building. “Can we look in the store while you get the tree taken care of?” she asked Justin.

  “Sure. Meet me out here.” He looked indulgently at his daughter before heading off toward the car.

  Sarah and Mickie went into the small shop and walked up and down the aisles.

  “Oh, look, Aunt Sarah.” Mickie touched a necklace with a red heart and green bells. “Isn’t it just so pretty?”

  “I’ll tell you what. You need something to remind you of your trip here. What if I buy you that and you can wear it outside and show your daddy.”

  “I like that.” Mickie picked it up and turned it back and forth to admire every angle.

  “I think I’ll buy myself a bell necklace, too. Want t
o take these over to the counter, then go watch for your daddy so he won’t miss seeing us?”

  Mickie immediately obeyed. When she was gone, Sarah bought two other things that had caught her attention. One was a small round glass ornament painted with two hearts and green confetti in the background—Mickie would love that as a surprise under the tree—and the other was a cup with a picture of a man toting a Christmas tree on his back. It was dated with the current year.

  She went to the counter, paid for the things and dropped the surprises in her purse. “Here, Mickie,” she called, and draped the necklace around the little girl’s neck. Dropping the long satin string of the other necklace over her own neck, she giggled at Mickie’s incredulous expression.

  “It almost touches your jeans,” Mickie noted.

  “That it does. But I like odd-looking jewelry. Let’s go find your daddy.”

  He was at the car, assisting the men in tying the tree down. Sarah dropped her purse in the car, then locked the door.

  “My,” Justin drawled, staring down at his daughter, “what have we here?”

  “Isn’t it just the most beautiful necklace you’ve ever seen, Daddy?”

  She held it up, turning it back and forth so Justin could get a good look. “You know what I think? The most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen is wearing it, so that makes it beautiful.”

  Mickie giggled and rolled her eyes before skipping toward where a few couples were just climbing onto the flatbed truck filled with hay.

  “I like your necklace, too,” Justin said and reached out and lifted it away from Sarah’s neck. It was getting dark. He wasn’t close enough for her to see his expression.

  “We’d better catch Mickie before they leave us,” she said to cover her nervousness.

  He dropped the necklace. “I doubt she’d miss us.”

  “But I’d miss the ride.”

  He chuckled. “You’re as bad as she is.”

  “And you’re not having fun?” she asked, hurrying over to the truck.

  Justin lifted his daughter in. “I just love having a tree squish me,” he said dryly.

  She stepped up and felt his hands on her waist, steadying her. Her heart rate accelerated. She didn’t comment but went to where Mickie sat right at the back of the cab of the truck.