by Amanda Tru
The door opened, and Jeff rushed in. “Temp’s dropping.” He walked over to Gloria and gave her a kiss. His lips and nose were cold. “Hello, Tanya.”
“Hey, Jeff. Merry Christmas.” She stood and grabbed her coat. “I’m going to get home. I have to change before the candlelight service tonight. See you there?”
Gloria nodded. “You bet.” As the door shut behind Tanya, she set the last present under the tree. “Okay, squirt. You’re free to come out.”
Jeff laughed. “Oh, the anticipation of a child at Christmas.”
Noah rushed down the stairs. He stopped at the tree and counted. “One, two,” he fell to his knees and dug and looked and dug then looked up at her with a worried frown. “Only two? I get three.”
She smiled and nodded. “There’s three. Tomorrow is another day.”
Noah shook his head. “Tomorrow is the day.”
When tears filled his eyes, she pointed to the wrapped gift hanging from a branch on the tree. “Look, bud. Right there.”
“Three!” Immediately, he relaxed. “Whew. I thought you’d screwed up.”
“Noah.” She heard the scolding sound of her voice in her own ears and wondered if it sounded too harsh.
Noah pressed his lips together. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “Bad word.”
She looked at Jeff. “Would you like some spiced cider?”
He smiled. “I thought I smelled something good. Yes, I’d love some.”
He followed her into the kitchen. “Is the plan still to go to Betsy’s before church?”
She grabbed one of the mugs she’d set out on the counter. “Yes. She always puts on a big spread. Turkey, fixings. Dad and Noah have been talking about it all day.”
As she took the lid off of the crock-pot, Jeff slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her from behind. He pressed his lips against the back of her neck. Little shivers moved from his lips and down her chest, into her arms. She tilted her head and closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of him. “Smells good,” he said, raising his head.
She blushed, feeling like maybe he’d been talking about her and not the spiced cider. She turned while he still stood close and looked up at him. “Apples are from my tree.”
He smiled a slow, sexy smile. “I wasn’t talking about the apples.”
He lowered his mouth, and she felt the breath catch in the back of her throat. The kiss was long, slow, languid, and she was thankful for the counter behind her or she feared she would have fallen backward. As he lifted his head, he looked down at her and brushed a piece of hair off of her face. “I love you. Did you know that?”
Her heart leaped almost painfully in her chest, and her mouth went dry. She stared at him with wide eyes while excited energy flooded through her limbs. “I can’t imagine not loving you,” she replied. “I have been falling hard since the first time we met.”
He cupped her cheek and pressed a kiss to her forehead. As he did, she realized that the day she was sick was the first day she knew she loved him. “I’ve been hesitant to say anything. I didn’t want you to think I was rushing anything.”
She gripped the front of his shirt. “Never hesitate to say anything to me.”
His smile filled his eyes with light. “Deal.”
“Oh, come on!” Noah said as he came into the kitchen. “Always with the kissing, you two.”
Jeff grabbed him and hugged him to his side, then pressed a kiss to the top of his head. “Yeah. Kissy kissy.”
Noah’s giggle filled the room, and Gloria wondered if she could ever feel greater happiness than what she felt at this very moment.
Her dad came home an hour later. He took off his cap and coat and hung them on the coat rack. He had a shoebox in his hand that he set on the floor. Gloria could see the little black paw sneak out of a hole in the side of the box. “Who’s ready for turkey at Betsy’s Diner?”
Noah hopped up from the floor by the coffee table where he was putting together a Christmas puzzle with Jeff. “Pumpkin pie!” he exclaimed and rushed to the stairs. “I need to change for church first.”
Gloria shook her head. “What a way to get him to clear the room.”
He winked. “I know my boy.” He bent down and picked up the box. “Got her.”
When he removed the lid, the ten-week-old kitten inside popped her black and white head out. “Oh, Dad, so sweet.” She took her out and pressed her lips to the top of her soft head. “So soft. I love kittens.”
Jeff put an arm around her waist and ran a fingertip over the kitten’s head. “Is this the gift on the tree?”
She smiled up at him. “Yeah. I wrapped her collar.”
“So clever.” He held his hand out, and Arnold shook it. “Merry Christmas, sir.”
“Merry Christmas.” He scooped the kitten out of her hand. “I’ll get her secured in my room. I put the litter box in my bathroom this morning.”
“He’s going to love her.” She looked at her watch as her dad disappeared into his room, and Noah rushed downstairs in a pair of black slacks and a green collared shirt with a green and red plaid clip-on tie crookedly clipped to the second button. “Ready!” he exclaimed.
“Perfection,” Gloria said, slyly unclipping the tie and re-clipping it to the top button. “You look fantastic. I love your new tie. It’s so festive. Think you can wait while I get ready?”
Jeff intervened and said, “Hey, Noah. Want to ride with me? We can swing by my house, and I’ll change, and you can see Blondie.”
A joyful look crossed his face, and he turned to Gloria. “Please! Can I?”
She brushed her hand down his hair. “May.”
“May I?”
“Of course. I’ll see you at Betsy’s.” She kissed his cheek and looked up at Jeff. “Five-thirty?”
“Sounds good.” He bent and pressed a quick kiss to her mouth. “See you there.”
Jeff held the door open for Noah and let the little boy precede him into the diner. He did not see Gloria nor her father, but he noticed someone sat at their regular booth. He looked down at Noah and could tell he also noticed.
“Hey, Noah? It’s the season of giving,” he said, bending down to look Noah in the eye. “Think we could give those people a chance to sit in the best seat in the house and go sit somewhere else just for tonight?”
Noah’s face wrinkled in a frown. “I don’t know.” He looked at the booth and looked at Jeff then looked at the booth. “I don’t know.”
“How about for extra whipped cream on your pie?”
Noah licked his lips, and the frown started to fade. “Can she bring me the can and let me spray it on myself?”
With raised eyebrows, Jeff said, “Uh, worth asking, right?”
He left Noah by the door and walked to the kitchen door. Laurel came out carrying three platters of turkey dinner. She paused abruptly when she saw Jeff standing there. “Hey, Doc.”
“Hi, Laurel. I can wait.” She delivered the platters and returned, her blue eyes shining out from under her silver hair. He said, “Noah’s a little worried about his regular booth being used. But he’s willing to cope if he can spray his own pie with whipped cream.”
A grin covered her face. “Of course.”
“Great. Four Christmas dinners when you can.”
“Sure thing.”
He waved Noah toward the booth closest to his favorite one. As they settled in, he said, “I asked. She said not a problem.”
Noah clapped his hands and grinned. “I have been waiting since Thanksgiving Day to do that again!”
Jeff laughed, remembering the mound of cream burying the slice of pie. He felt his heart squeeze as emotion filled his chest. He cleared his throat, unwilling to bawl over a slice of pie. But he wondered if Gloria and Noah realized how deeply he’d fallen in love with both of them. Probably not since it just occurred to him right this moment. “You certainly are a master of the spray can.”
“Yes, sir, I am.” He straightened his bowtie and said, “Do I look Christmas enough? M
y mom loves Christmas. I like getting presents, and I like pumpkin pie, so I like it, too. But, not the way she does. I bet she loves my tie.”
“I feel confident that she loves your tie. Didn’t she buy it for you?”
Noah shook his head. “Grandpa picked it out. We always go get Christmas ties together.” He sucked in his breath as he looked up at the waitress. “Silver! I was totally expecting green or red.”
She winked and distributed drinks. “I like to keep you guessing.” From her pocket, she pulled out a can of whipped cream and set it next to Noah’s glass. “I don’t want to forget. Doc and I here had a deal, and I always keep my word.”
“You sure do.” Jeff saluted her. “Thanks, Laurel.”
“Sure thing, Doc.”
She stepped aside as Gloria and Arnold approached the booth. Jeff slid out and let Gloria slide into the inside. A nervous excitement made him feel a little jittery. He didn’t know for certain why. Maybe because now that he realized his feelings for her, he wanted to shout them from the rooftops, even though she probably wouldn’t appreciate it.
“Sorry to be a few minutes late,” she said. “We had to stop and feed the donkey at the living nativity.”
Noah raised an eyebrow as he sucked lemonade through his straw. Then he said, “Isn’t that over yet?”
“Yeah. But the owner of the donkey got caught in Colorado in that bad snowstorm. He won’t get here until at least tomorrow. So, we’ll keep him in the stable, but he needed to eat.”
Jeff put his arm over the back of the booth and gestured at Noah. “We made a deal. We’re sitting here instead of there in exchange for control over the whipped cream when he gets his pie.”
“Well, that sounds like a great deal to me.” Gloria’s smile filled him with light, made him want to grab her face with both of his hands, and just kiss her until she couldn’t think anymore.
Noah tapped the can with his finger. “Yep. Bring on the pie.”
As if beckoned, Laurel arrived with a tray bearing four turkey dinners. “Okay, my friends. Four Christmas dinners.” Once she served them, she set a basket of rolls in the center of the table. “What are your pie preferences?” She pointed at Noah. “Pumpkin. I already know, and I beat you to it. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”
Jeff laughed, and they gave their pie orders. Once she was gone, they held hands and prayed God’s blessing over the meal and the upcoming church service. Gloria leaned into Jeff as they prayed. When they lifted their heads, he looked down at her and gave into temptation, giving her a quick, soft kiss.
“Merry Christmas Eve,” she said softly, gazing up at him.
With the breath catching in the back of his throat, he managed to whisper, “Merry Christmas Eve.”
They enjoyed the meal of turkey, cornbread dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and cranberry sauce. Pie and coffee replaced platters and tea glasses. Jeff took a bite of his mincemeat and felt the explosion of flavor on his tongue. He lifted his hand and brought the waitress over. “Can you ask Betsy to make me one of these? I can pick it up day after tomorrow.”
“Sure, Doc.”
He looked over at Gloria’s questioning face. “My dad’s favorite pie. I’ve never tasted one this good.”
She smiled. “Betsy uses my mom’s recipe. I’ll remember that it’s your dad’s favorite and make one for him next year.”
Arnold said, “It was always mine, too. Betsy and I were good friends in school. When she opened the diner, she intentionally set out to become known for her pies. She asked all her friends for their favorite recipes. I had just lost my wife, and somehow, Betsy gave some of her back to me with the flavor.”
Jeff took another bite, savoring the taste. “I like the pie even more now. And I love that story.”
They left the diner with enough time to walk to the church for Christmas Eve services. Arnold and Noah took their place with the rest of the ushers, handing out candles and glow sticks to people as they walked in. Gloria and Jeff walked together down the aisle, finding a seat near the front. The pianist played a popular Christmas hymn as they quietly took their seats. Everyone spoke in hushed tones as if respecting the solemn atmosphere. Soon, they sang a few Christmas songs then the pastor read from the second chapter of the book of Luke. As he finished the popular passage, Arnold, Noah, and other ushers came up the aisle from the back with lighted candles and made their way down the aisle, lighting the candle of the person on each end, who in turn lit the candle of the person beside him or her, until the entire church filled with the glow of candlelight.
Jeff looked down as Noah, with Arnold’s help, lit Jeff’s candle. He looked up at him, joy and wonder covering his face, and Jeff smiled and squeezed his shoulder. Then he glanced at Gloria, who watched him with a peaceful, contented look on her face. He winked and smiled and focused his attention back to the pastor, who read a passage from the book of John where Jesus declared himself as the Light of the world.
All too soon, Jeff drove Noah and Gloria back to their house while Arnold stayed at the church to help deliver annual devotional gifts to the shut-ins at the nursing home. They drove in silence, maintaining the somber mood from the church.
At the house, Jeff got out of the car and walked Gloria and Noah onto the porch.
“Jammies and teeth brushed, sir,” Gloria said to Noah.
“Yes, ma’am!” He rushed upstairs but immediately turned and ran back down, launching himself into Jeff’s surprised arms. “See you tomorrow, Jeff!”
“You will. The tie was perfection. The gold thread in the pattern glowed in the candles.”
Gloria bent to him and nodded. “It was perfect. It made my Christmas very special.”
His whole face beamed as if lit from inside. “That’s the good stuff,” he whispered, then ran back upstairs.
The grin still covered Gloria’s face when she looked back up at Jeff. “You handle yourself quite well around him.”
Jeff cupped her cheek with his hand and kissed her still grinning mouth. Then he raised his head up slightly and said, “It’s very easy when you love him.”
Something flared in her eyes seconds before they darkened, and she stepped closer, slipping her arm around his neck. He needed no coaxing to step further into the house and pull her fully into his arms. He kissed her until she had to go tuck Noah in, then he left for the night.
Jeff packed the presents onto the back of the brand-new four-wheeler and secured them with a bungee cord. He slipped on his helmet then headed slowly along the path through the trees. Blondie stayed with him until the tree line, then stopped running and turned and walked back to her fallen down barn. He’d tried to get her to go inside, but she had insisted on staying out. So, he’d put fresh hay and a wool blanket in the barn and planned to come back in a couple of hours and force her inside before the storm hit.
The temperature had started to drop, and the air felt heavier. This morning, the thermometer barely touched thirty. He knew a big snowstorm had already hit the western part of the country and made its way toward them. He’d hoped it would die down before it hit Kentucky, but weather reports did not predict any joy there.
The idea of snow hurt his heart. He’d faced down a choice—remain in the home of his birth, the home of his parents, or fly south and hide from memories, from the weather. The decision to stay hadn’t been difficult, but every winter brought with it thoughts of “what if” and “if only.” He prayed, intently, for the pain to lessen, but so far, that first snowstorm every year sucker-punched him right in the gut.
Maybe spending Christmas with Gloria and Noah would ease the pain this year.
A silly smile covered his face. Who would have ever thought he’d fall in love again? His heart danced with joy, and he laughed out loud. “Thank you, God!” he yelled up at the gray sky.
Within minutes, he’d pulled up to the house. Gloria opened the door, and Noah burst past her wearing a pair of blue sweatpants and a green sweatshirt with a Viking ship on the f
ront. Jeff knew Gloria had commissioned a screen printer to make it.
“Is that yours?” he asked with enthusiasm, walking up and touching the four-wheeler.
Jeff grinned. “Do you like it?”
“I like that it has four wheels. And I like the color.”
Jeff climbed off and dug through the packages strapped to the back. When he found the right box, he handed it to Noah. “Why don’t you open that? See if you like it.”
Gloria grinned and crossed her arms over her chest. She wore a simple long-sleeved shirt and obviously felt the chill in the air. He slipped an arm around her and hugged her to him. “You really didn’t have to do this,” she said quietly as Noah ripped open the box containing the maroon helmet that looked very stylistically like a Viking’s horned helmet.
“I so absolutely did,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
Noah looked up at him with wide eyes and held the helmet in his hands like he held a precious jewel. “Really?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You really got me my own helmet so I can ride your four-wheeler?”
Jeff knelt next to him and put his hands over both of Noah’s. “Noah, I got you a helmet so you can ride your four-wheeler.” He raised up and patted the seat. “It’s a little small for me. Mine is much bigger and still in my yard.”
“Oh, Doctor Jeff,” Noah said on a breath. “This isn’t quite as good as the kitten mom got me, but it’s close.”
Gloria laughed, a sound that sent music into the cold mid-morning air. “Let’s get inside, shall we, and you can introduce Doctor Jeff to Yin-Yang.”
From the top of the porch stairs, Noah turned and said very seriously, “No big movements. She has to get used to our house, and the dog is worrying her.”
Solemnly, Jeff nodded and said, “I understand.”
Gloria curled up against Jeff and listened to him and her dad talk about a designer drug that had hit their area last summer. The police had arrested the vice principal of the high school who currently awaited trial on charges of running a drug-dealing ring out of the school.