by Diane Bator
“I know this great little place on a mountainside in Tibet. I’ll take you there sometime. You could do some great paintings of me falling off yaks.”
Christina laughed as he walked away into the falling snow and knew she’d miss him with every cell in her body. As she touched her neck to brush away a stray hair, she realized a necklace hung around her neck that hadn’t been there when she got out of bed. She backed into the store out of the cold and looked at her reflection in the glass. A jade lion pendant lay on her chest, dangling from a delicate gold chain.
“How the hell did he do that?” Christina laughed as tears sprang to her eyes. Since Leo had already driven off, she sent him a text since her words would have been lost to her sobbing.
“Jade. For love, healing and protection.” Leo texted back. “Until we meet again.”
After she made a pot of tea, she sat alone to open the gifts her family had stacked beneath the tree. Before long, sweaters, art supplies, and gift certificates lay on the wooden floor beside her. Clancy had given her a necklace that brought tears to her eyes, their mom’s gold heart locket, which now held pictures of Daisy and Christina.
“Hey, Merry Christmas.” Clancy tapped on the front door. He wandered inside and sifted through her gifts then looked up at her and tilted his head. “Nice necklace. Jade, right?”
“I think so. He kind of snuck it around my neck when I wasn’t looking.”
“I don’t want to know what you were doing.” He chuckled. “But that sounds like Leo alright. So, what’s the plan for today besides dinner at Lucy’s house tonight?”
She collected her gifts then stood up. “First, I need a shower and breakfast, then we’re going to the seniors home to bake desserts for Teeny’s Christmas dinner at the home.”
Clancy shrugged. “Now that sounds like something Mom would have done. That’s awesome. I’ve got nothing better to do until later anyway. So what are you doing down here? I thought you’d bring your haul upstairs so you didn't have to set foot in this place today?”
“I should have. Actually, Leo stopped by to say good-bye.” She waved her hand toward the kitchen. “He brought me a few things from the city.”
“Good-bye? Where is he off to?”
She shrugged. “Wherever all good Samaritans go when they need a rest from the world.”
Her brother wandered toward the kitchen then cursed. “Did you do these?”
“Yeah.” Christina leaned in the doorway. “Leo said Gage was planning to sell them at a gallery in Buffalo. The owners were disappointed they had to ship them back. The staff had already picked their favorites and wanted to buy them before the public even got to see them.”
Clancy grinned, shaking his head. “Seriously? Then I think you have a phone call to make next week.”
“I do?” She stared.
“Yeah. You could have your first big sale before the new year. Think about it.” Clancy grabbed her by the upper arms and gazed into her eyes. “Leo's giving you an opportunity to get your own big break. You just need to take it.”
So much for all thoughts of running off to New Mexico to paint. Christina supposed she could set up a room in her parents' house. Maybe she would be the breath of life the house needed. And she could live closer to Lucy and the kids.
Suddenly, her life had a million more possibilities.
* * *
Christina breathed a sigh and went to work in the kitchen. After baking a couple dozen parts for a gingerbread house, she squeezed a solid line of icing, her focus never wavered. Scattered on the table were all her ingredients and bags of candy. The kitchen at the seniors’ home was larger and bustled with more activity than she was used to, but she had a mission. Once she finished using the oven, she and her project took up a small corner of the room.
“You almost done?” Clancy appeared at her shoulder. “We have a roomful of hungry octogenarians out here all armed with walkers and canes and stuff.”
“Go away. I don’t want anything to happen to this one.”
He headed toward the stool at the far side of the table, but she shot him a glare and waved him away. Her brother shrugged. “By the way, Lucy said she’s got something you—”
“Get lost.” Christina already knew Leo was gone and Brady was out of her life. Her heart broke the second he’d set foot outside the bakery then flew out of the country and out of her life. But only temporarily She watched to make sure her brother left the kitchen, then spread a layer of icing on top and added candy until the whole thing looked like one of her mother’s mouth-watering creations.
She stepped back and smiled. Both her mom and Leo would have been proud.
Chapter 27 ~ Leo
Danny dropped Leo off at the airport near noon Christmas Day. “Where are you off to this time? Tibet? Japan? China?”
“I’ll decide when I get inside.” The last thing Leo wanted to do was walk away from Christina when his gut screamed she needed him far more than she let on, but she needed to work things out with Clancy and her dad. If Leo stuck around, he’d only complicate things more. For now, he wanted her to focus on what was best for her, not worrying about how to make him happy. She wanted him to follow his heart. How the hell was he supposed to follow his heart when he wasn’t so sure he even had one?
“Do Lucy and the kids know you’re leaving the country?” Danny asked.
Leo had enough of his own guilt to weigh down his shoulders at the moment, he didn’t need Danny’s help. “No, I’ll text her before I take off.”
“You’d better or she’ll strangle you the next time she sees you.” Danny clapped a hand on his shoulder. “Send me a text from time to time. I like knowing you’re okay.” He paused. “You are okay, aren’t you? I know you and Christina—”
“Christina and I are fine. Never better. I’ll be in touch.” Far from okay, Leo walked toward the security gate without looking back. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back when I need to be.”
The End
The End
Also by Diane Bator published by Books We Love
Wild Blue Mysteries – Books 1, 2 & 3:
The Bookstore Lady
The Mystery Lady
The Bakery Lady
The Painted Lady
Gilda Wright Mysteries – Books 1, 2 & 3
Dead Without Honor
Dead Without Glory
Dead Without Pride
All That Sparkles
A Glitter Bay Mystery – Book 1
Diane Bator had been a writer since she was able to hold a crayon and tell a story. Joining the Headwaters Writers’ Guild in 2007 was the catalyst for unleashing her creative spirit and gathering the courage to pursue her passion. Born and raised in Alberta, she currently lives in Ontario.