“Let’s go grab some Chinese,” Grace said, hopping off the couch. “Frank told us there’s a good place in town.”
“There is,” Heidi replied, blessing Grace for changing the subject. “My favorite is their lemon chicken, but I love everything they make.”
“Excellent. Callie ate with the kids earlier and told us not to worry about her, so let’s go,” Denise said, and they all headed out the door.
Chapter Twelve
“It was so cool to see Mark with his mom and sister,” Heidi said as she stuck a bow on a present and handed it back to Abby. “He’s the same guy he is with Todd, but he’s softer with them, more gentlemanly, I guess. I don’t know. It was really attractive.”
Abby snorted. “I’m guessing you think everything about him is attractive. You’re in those first stages of a relationship where everything they do is adorable. Give it a month, and you’ll think those same things are really annoying.”
Heidi set down the tape she was holding. “I’m sorry you’re still hurting, Abby. Is there anything I can do?”
Abby sighed. “No, nothing except giving me a kick in the rear end if I don’t get over it by New Year’s. That’s plenty long enough to whine, I think.”
“I’ll make a note of that so I don’t forget.” Heidi handed over a pair of Toy Story pajamas. “Can you wrap these, please?”
“Can I wrap them? Do you forget that you’re talking to the wrapping queen?” Abby grabbed a new roll of paper and stripped off the plastic. “Just let me at it.”
By the time they were done, Heidi’s entire sofa was covered in presents. Just one sat off by itself, a small box with Mark’s name on it. That was her gift to him. Everything else was stacked on the cushions three feet high, and it warmed her heart to see it.
“Miranda even donated a Minnie Mouse quilt,” she said, pointing to a large package off to the side. “Maisie’s gonna flip out. Makes me want to be a stalker and watch through the window as they open everything Christmas morning.”
“I bet you could finagle yourself an invitation,” Abby said, giving an exaggerated wink.
“You know what—bet I could,” Heidi returned with a grin. “I’ll see what I can do.” Whether or not she was there to see the kids’ reactions, this was going to be one amazing Christmas.
***
Heidi was getting antsy. It was Christmas Eve, and Mark had gone to pick up Todd from the airport. He’d promised they’d be back in time for Pastor Kevin’s sermon and the traditional tree decorating. She knew everything would be all right, but she wanted to see it happen so she’d totally know for sure—plus she hadn’t seen Mark all day, and she missed him. It was nice to have someone to miss, even if the actual “missing” part pretty much stank.
Abby showed up right on time and helped her load all the gifts into her car. The pile filled up her trunk and then her back seat too, so she grabbed an afghan from the closet and covered everything. She couldn’t imagine anyone on the ranch breaking into her car—and Tony ran a tight security detail—but still, she wanted to be sure. Then she and Abby drove over to the church together.
They walked in and took their seats. Heidi craned her neck, trying to see the Wilsons, and there were Callie and Maisie and Connor and Denise and Grace … and no Mark or Todd. She sat back and tried to calm herself. They’d be here. They had to be here.
Just as Pastor Kevin stood, Mark and Todd walked in, along with an older man who had to be their father. Relief poured over her. They were back, and they’d brought their dad—now they were all together for Christmas.
She couldn’t keep the tears from pouring down her cheeks as she listened to Kevin preach. She didn’t actually catch much of what he said, but she was overwhelmed by the spirit of family, the spirit of community, and the way they had all come together on this night to pause and give thanks together for the miracle of Christmas and the mercy and hope and comfort it offered to all.
As the group was exiting the church, Heidi made her way over to Mark, who greeted her with a long kiss on the cheek. Then he turned and introduced her to Paul, his dad.
“Welcome to River’s End Ranch,” she told him.
He gave her a long, appraising look, then said to Mark, “Yeah, I think she’ll do.”
“I’ll do for what?” Heidi asked, but Paul didn’t reply. He just chuckled.
The congregation threaded across the lawn toward the tall tree they would decorate. Heidi’s heart had already been pumping faster than usual, but now it felt like it might pop right out of her chest. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the ornament she’d made. Once she was standing near the tree, she reached out, took Mark’s hand, and pressed the ornament into it.
He held it up. “It’s a paramedic,” he said. “That’s so great.”
“You have no idea how hard that was to make,” she told him. “I finally had to Google a paramedic uniform—I kept making firemen. I’m sorry—I have no idea what people in your profession look like.”
He chuckled and slid his arms around her waist. “I love it, and I’ll hang it on the tree proudly. Want to see yours?”
“Of course.”
He let go of her just long enough to pull an ornament out of his pocket. It was a pioneer girl in a bonnet. He’d taken one of the standard wooden cutouts of a woman that she’d ordered in, painted a gingham-looking dress on it, and then taken a scrap of fabric to create the bonnet. “My mom helped me with that part,” he said when she exclaimed over it. “Trust me—I’d have no idea how to make a bonnet on my own.”
She went up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “Best ornament I’ve ever gotten. Now let’s go hang these on the tree so we can get warm again.”
They hung their ornaments side by side and watched as Maisie and Connor hung theirs. Then Heidi took a step back.
“Callie invited me over to have hot chocolate. I’m coming, but I’ll be there in a few minutes, okay?”
“That’s great. Do you need help with anything?” Mark asked.
“Nope, everything’s fine. I just need to check on something,” she said. “See you in a bit.”
She hopped in her car, dialed Santa’s telephone number, and made sure everything was good to go. Then she parked her car as close to the Family Fun cabin as she could.
As she climbed the stairs to the front door, she could hear caroling coming from inside, and that made her smile. She loved how they were concentrating on keeping the spirit of the season even though things had taken such a dramatic turn for the worse. She’d always believed that a family that faced their struggles together could overcome anything.
Mark opened the door when she knocked, and she stepped into his warm embrace. She accepted a mug of cocoa from Denise, and three minutes later, just as they’d planned, another knock sounded at the door.
“Who on earth could that be?” she said loudly.
Paul took a step toward the door, but she intercepted him. “Why don’t you let Maisie and Connor answer it?” she said quietly. He gave her a quizzical look, but nodded and motioned for the children to come.
When Maisie grabbed the doorknob and pulled, her face lit up brighter than any Christmas tree. “Santa!” she yelled, jumping up and down.
Santa had gotten into Heidi’s car, which she’d left unlocked this time, and pulled out several boxes and bags. “Hello, Maisie! Hello, Connor! I have so many presents to deliver tonight, I thought I’d get a head start and bring yours early. Is that all right?” He looked at Todd for permission.
“Of course it is,” Todd said, seeming a little confused.
“I’m so glad! My sleigh was getting mighty heavy.” Santa set down his load. “I’ll be right back—there’s a bit more.”
While he was gone, Maisie and Connor looked through the first stack for gifts with their names written on them. “But we can’t open them until morning,” Maisie said. “That’s the rule on Christmas, remember, Connor?”
He nodded his head solemnly.
“I don’t
think he even remembers last Christmas. He just likes to be obedient to his big sister,” Grace said at Heidi’s shoulder, sounding amused.
Santa had to make four trips. Todd and Callie stood there with shock on their faces as the present pile took up the whole corner of the living room. The last trip was bags of food. “Here’s your Christmas Eve dinner, and your Christmas Day dinner,” Santa announced. “Enough for everyone, including the grandparents.”
“Thank you,” Callie managed to choke out.
Heidi had been standing there quietly, watching Santa work his Christmas magic. The feeling in the room had grown and grown until she nearly couldn’t hold still. What had started out as a small idea had grown into something beautiful, something she would remember her whole life. She chanced a peek over at Mark. He seemed just as dumbfounded as the others, and she smiled. She liked dumbfounding him.
Santa headed back outside, and Maisie took her mother by the hand. “Look, Mommy! There are presents here for everybody! I see some for you and Daddy and Uncle Mark and me and Connor and Grace and Grandpa and Grandma and Heidi!”
What? Heidi looked at the pile in surprise. There were some gifts she knew nothing about—she hadn’t even known Grandpa would be there, and why had Santa brought a gift for her?
“Let’s organize everything, Mommy. Each person should have their own stack, and they should look nice, and . . .” Maisie kept talking, deciding what should go where. “Santa knew where to find us, Daddy! Remember how I said he was here on the ranch? He found us because we were right here too!”
“I guess so,” Todd said, sounding bemused.
Just then, another knock sounded on the door, and Mark walked over to answer it. Heidi turned her head to see who it was. Santa stood there yet again.
“I have one more thing—I’m sorry that it took me a minute longer to get it out of my sleigh. Now, I’m not sure if this is more for Maisie or for Callie.”
They both turned at the sound of their names, and Heidi gasped as Santa stepped through the doorway.
He was leading a beautiful Golden Retriever.
“It’s the dog! It’s the dog! Oh, Santa, I knew you could do it!” Maisie ran across the room and threw her arms around Santa’s middle. “Thank you!”
He smiled and patted her back. “Mrs. Wilson, this dog is named Guardian, and he’s a seizure assistance dog. He’s fully trained to tell when you’re about to have a seizure and to alert those around you that you’re in need. Here’s some literature telling you everything you need to know about him—how to work with him, how to create a bond with him, and so forth. There’s information in there about specialized trainers in your area in case you need more input into how to use his skills.”
“This dog is for me?” Callie asked, stepping forward as though she was in a dream. Heidi knew exactly how she felt—how could this be happening?
“He is, and he’s got all his service animal paperwork so he can go anywhere you do.” Santa handed Callie the dog’s leash, and she knelt down in front of the animal.
“Hello, Guardian,” she said softly, and he put his paw on her knee.
“Merry Christmas to all of you,” Santa said, and walked out the door.
Heidi couldn’t let him disappear like that. She chased after him.
“Santa! Wait!”
He turned and allowed her to catch up with him.
“How did you do it?” She hadn’t grabbed her coat and it was freezing, but she barely felt it. Maybe he was the real Santa—she was ready to believe.
“It was actually easier than you might think,” he replied. “Of course you know Glen here at the ranch.”
“Yes, everyone knows Glen.”
“Well, what field is he in?”
“Horses. Training horses to be therapy animals for children with autism.” Suddenly she began to see a connection.
Santa nodded as though he could see the thoughts being strung together. “I talked to him about seizure dogs, and he has a friend who has a friend and so forth. Once they heard the Wilsons’ story, they were able to locate a dog in need of placement and to arrange to have him brought here. He’s been at my house since around three o’clock this afternoon. All they’ve asked for is five hundred dollars, which just scratches the surface of what he’s worth.”
“Five hundred dollars?” Heidi reached into her pocket, where she was carrying the money she’d received from the stranger earlier. “I have five hundred dollars right here.”
Santa beamed. “Perfect. Just give that to Glen sometime in the next few days, and he’ll pass it along.”
“I just . . .” Heidi couldn’t find words to say everything that was in her heart. “Thank you,” she whispered at last, giving the man a hug. “I can’t believe how much you’ve done for this family.”
“I’ve only done what any good Santa would do,” he replied, his eyes twinkling into hers. “As have you.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “If you have done it to the least of these, Heidi, you have done it unto Him. Don’t forget that.”
“Thank you, Santa. I won’t.”
“Good. Now get back inside before you catch your death.”
She turned and headed to the cabin, tears coursing down her cheeks. Maisie had arranged each pile just so, and Callie and Grace were in the kitchen going through the food and seeing what needed to go in the fridge. Guardian was lounging in front of the fire, but his ears were perked up, and it was easy to see that he was on full alert.
Mark was standing near the door, and he put his arm around her when she came in. “You’re frozen clean through. Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine,” she told him, snuggling into his side. “I wanted to tell Santa thank you, that’s all.”
“And just how much help did Santa get with this whole project?” Mark asked, speaking softly so as not to be overheard.
“What do you mean?” Heidi asked. How had he figured it out?
“I mean that I saw Santa wink at you when he first came in.”
“What if he’s just a really friendly guy?”
Mark slid a finger under her chin, and she lifted her gaze to meet his. “Thank you,” he said. “This is the most amazing, thoughtful thing that has ever been done for my family. And you are an amazing, thoughtful woman.”
“I just didn’t want the kids to wake up to no presents,” she mumbled. She hadn’t expected anyone to find out, and this sudden attention was a little unnerving.
“It was so much more than that. You’re so much more than that.” He bent down and gave her a sweet kiss, which was interrupted when Maisie ran over and tugged on Heidi’s hand.
“You’re coming to Christmas, right? You have to because there are presents here for you. Well, not as many as me and Connor got, because I think Santa likes kids best, but you’re coming, all right?”
Heidi laughed. “My mom and dad will be here tomorrow, but I can come until they get here.”
Connor’s eyes grew big. “You have a mom and dad?”
“Everyone has a mom and dad, Connor,” Maisie said, sounding as though she had all the answers of the universe. “Otherwise, babies would just . . . well, they’d sit there forever because there wouldn’t be anyone to pick them up.”
Heidi laughed again. “Very true. Yes, I have a mom and dad, Connor. They’re very nice, too.”
“Bring them with you,” Maisie said.
Heidi was about to demur, but Callie spoke up. “Heidi, please bring them. Santa just gave us more food than we can eat in our entire lives, and I’d love to share.”
“Well, okay then.”
They decided to open presents at seven the next morning, and Mark walked Heidi out to her car. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he said, pulling her close and kissing her nose. “You can’t just stay here on the ranch, can you? Seems silly to go all the way home just to come back again.”
“It’s really not that far,” she replied. “I’ll be fine.”
“I could ride home with you to
make sure you get there safely.”
“And then how would you get back?”
“You could give me a ride.” He smirked.
“Uh, yeah. That would make a ton of sense.”
“But think of all the extra time we’d get to spend together.” He reached out and tucked a strand of hair back into her hat. “Goodnight, Heidi. See you in the morning.”
“Goodnight,” she said, then climbed into her car and drove home, thinking all the way there about the miracle she’d just witnessed. Some of it she could explain, and even the dog made logical sense. But the five hundred dollars, the exact amount they’d need? And where had those other gifts come from, and how had anyone known that Paul would be returning with his sons? She laughed aloud and shook her head. It was time just to believe.
Chapter Thirteen
Christmas could not possibly have been more perfect. Heidi arrived at the Family Fun cabin right on time to open gifts, eat a fantastic breakfast casserole, and listen to Christmas carols on the radio. The children received so many presents, Callie wondered how they’d even get everything home. Heidi fingered the pendant she’d been given, a pretty little star on a chain which Mark insisted hadn’t come from him.
“I got you this,” he said, pulling a box from his pocket. She opened it to find a pair of sapphire earrings. “They’ll match your eyes.”
“They’re beautiful,” she said, deciding not to protest such an expensive gift. If he wanted to do something nice for her, she wouldn’t belittle him by turning down his gesture. Plus, she really liked them, so that made it totally easier.
Her parents arrived on the ranch at one o’clock and were introduced all around, and then they sat down to eat. The cabin was bursting at the seams by this point and the two sets of parents had rooms in the bunkhouse, but for the meal, they gathered in the living room and the younger people sat on the floor. “Because I’d never be able to get up if I tried it,” Denise explained.
Midway through the meal, Heidi’s cell phone rang. She was going to ignore it, but then she saw that it was her good friend Gwen, who had run the registration desk until she got married and moved to Oklahoma City. She answered, not wanting to miss the chance to talk to her.
Santa's Shopkeeper (River's End Ranch Book 18) Page 9