David removed his glasses and began pinching the bridge of his nose.
“I’m sorry, Grandma,” he said, pushing back the tears. “I’ve spent all these years being angry with you and Grandpa, because I thought after Mom died you wanted us out of your life.”
“How could you think such a—”
“I know, I know, but I was a kid. A pretty miserable kid. And Dad—” David shook his head sorrowfully.
Claire crossed to him and wrapped her small arms around his broad shoulders. Without saying anything more, David laid his head against her bosom and cried.
“Don’t cry, Daddy,” Christine said in a tiny voice after a few minutes.
“Yeah, Daddy, don’t cry,” Christian echoed laughingly.
“I ain’t your daddy,” David said and playfully punched his brother.
When they began to chase one another around the room, Claire said, “You boys stop that!” and everyone broke into peals of laughter.
Stars sparkled across the black sky when they finally returned to the table.
“Oh dear,” Claire said. “The turkey is cold and dry now. I’ll just warm it a bit and make some fresh—”
“No, Grandma,” David said, putting the weight of his hands on her shoulders. “Everything is fine just as it is. Besides, I’m famished!”
After dinner they returned to the living room and continued opening the cards and gifts saved for so many years. Little Christine grew weary and fell asleep on the sofa but no one else noticed when the clock struck twelve, nor did they notice when that day crossed over into the next.
When they finished opening all the cards and gifts, Claire took out one last box.
“This isn’t from Grandpa and me,” she said. “Your mother died before she could give it to you.” She placed the box in her granddaughter’s hands.
Tears cascaded down Kimberly’s face. “Oh, Grandma, I can’t believe Mama got me the yellow-haired Cabbage Patch Baby.”
“You remember?”
Kimberly wiped her eyes and nodded. “More than remember. I can almost hear her voice saying it. I wanted this doll more than anything imaginable, but Dad wouldn’t buy me one. He said they were too ugly. Back then every kid in the world had a Cabbage Patch doll except me.”
“Your mother knew how much you wanted that doll,” Claire said, “and when she was so sick she couldn’t get out of bed, she called all the stores looking for one. She kept insisting that the doll had to have yellow hair, and eventually one of those stores got it for her.”
“She was such a loving person,” Kimberly said tearfully.
“Yes, she was.”
~ ~ ~
Eventually Meredith fell asleep in her chair, and Claudia curled up alongside her daughter at the end of the sofa. But Claire herself did not tire until near dawn. When finally the conversation turned to sleep, Claire insisted that everyone stay over, and once again the McDermott house was full to overflowing. For the first time in many years, Claire’s heart felt truly happy.
She ran from room to room turning down bed covers and plumping pillows. She put David and his family in the bedroom she had shared with Charlie. Christian and Meredith stretched out on the family room sofas, and Kimberly got her mother’s old room.
Once Kimberly had slipped herself into one of her grandmother’s night gowns, she came to say goodnight.
“It’s been the most wonderful reunion ever, Grandma,” she said. “I only wish Grandpa could have been here with us.”
“He was,” Claire replied tenderly. “He was.”
Also by Bette Lee Crosby
Buy Spare Change
#1 Amazon Bestseller, Winner of Five Literary Awards!
Eleven year-old Ethan Allen Doyle has witnessed a brutal murder and now the boy is running for his life. Olivia Westerly is the only person he can trust, and he's not too sure he can trust her. She's got no love of children and a truckload of superstitions. In the time-tested tradition of Southern Fiction, the darkest side of human nature is revealed before readers are rewarded with a beautiful tale of love, loss and unexpected gifts.
Buy What Matters Most
Award Winning Story of Friendship…New Release!
Louise Palmer is a settled-down person. A woman who wants nothing more than to remain in the same house until the day she dies. So, when her husband, Clay, announces an intention to quit his job and move to Florida, her life is thrown into a turmoil of mixed emotions and strained loyalties. Before she discovers the truth of what matters most, a marriage will be tested, family relationships will fall apart and the friendships Louise tried to hold on to will change dramatically.
Buy THE TWELFTH CHILD
Amazon #1 Bestseller and Award Winner!
Abigail Anne Lannigan sought trust, love and friendship for most of her life. Now, when she is at the tail end of her years, she finds it in a free-spirited young woman. But this unusual relationship comes under suspicion when a million dollars goes missing and a distant relative, claims embezzlement. Abigail knows the truth of what happened but, unfortunately, she'll never get the chance to tell.
Buy Cupid’s Christmas
A heartwarming romance that’s part fantasy and all fun!
A love story that’s right for any season. Narrated by the Love Master himself, Cupid is charged with making certain an older couple gets the love they missed out on the first time around. He's also got to find the perfect match for a young woman who's far too attracted to handsome men with sexy eyes. And, he has to make it happen before Christmas.
For More Information visit
The author’s website
http://betteleecrosby.com
Table of Contents
Begin Reading
Table of Contents
Also By Bette Lee Crosby
Acknowledgements
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty
Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Cracks in the Sidewalk Page 31