by Gerri Hill
When she returned home, she found a small, wrapped gift sitting on top of her table. She had not seen Kelly put it there. She had assumed they would exchange gifts when she returned. She went to it now and smiled at Kelly's scribbled note.
Don't open until Christmas!
Jo held it to her breast with her eyes shut, feeling a swell of love surge through her.
"You're such a fool," she scolded herself. "Such a fool."
She took the gift and put it under her tree beside the ones she had gotten for Betsy and Janis. She would wait, like Kelly had requested, but she couldn't resist a quick shake of the box. The movement inside gave her no clue as to its contents, and she felt like a child sneaking into the presents a week before Christmas.
On Christmas Eve, she went to Betsy and Janis's early.
Betsy was out shopping with her mother, so she had offered to help Janis cook their traditional Christmas meal of turkey with all the fixings. Actually, Jo was looking forward to it.
233
What they had eaten in Fredricksburg could hardly be called
"traditional," and it always tasted so much better when you spent the better part of the day cooking it.
"How’re you holding up?" Janis asked.
"I'm fine," Jo said, and she was. Being without Harry was much easier when she had such good friends.
"Have you talked to Kelly?" Janis asked a short time later.
"No, she hasn't called.”
She had tried to put it from her mind, the fact that Kelly had not called her. She was sure she was busy with her family and friends back home and had little time to dwell on her.
Kelly had left her parents’ number with Jo, but Jo had refused to call, as much as she wanted to.
"How are things with you?"
"Okay.”
Jo stopped peeling the potato in her hand and turned to Janis. "I guess. I'm very difficult. Kelly must have the patience of a saint."
"Love can give you patience, if nothing else," Janis said with a laugh. "Look how long I've endured Betsy's mother for Christmas. Every year, there's always something wrong.
The turkey's too dry, the dressing is too moist, the pies are overdone, the tree's too big, too small. I could go on and on.” She sighed.
Jo smiled, knowing very well how difficult Betsy's mother could be. Maybe that was why Betsy only saw her once a year. Betsy's mother had not quite accepted Janis into the family, even after all these years.
"You are staying the night, aren't you?" Janis asked.
"I think I will, if the invitation is still open."
"Of course. We'd love for you to. Besides, you give me a buffer against Madge."
234
That night, long after the dinner dishes were put up and the others were asleep, Jo let her thoughts drift to Kelly. She had kept them at bay throughout the evening, but now she closed her eyes, snuggled under the covers, and let images of Kelly wash over her. Oh, she missed her terribly. Not just at night, either. She missed talking to her, she missed looking at her. She missed her smile, her voice, her smell. She missed all of her, and when she got back, Jo vowed to tell her just how much she missed her.
She heard the coffee pot click on at six, but the others were not yet stirring. She tossed the covers off and hurried to the bathroom she shared with Madge to take a quick shower. She was just pouring her first cup of coffee when Betsy walked in.
"You're up early," she said.
"Wanted to beat the rush."
"Have you opened it yet?" Betsy asked with a smile.
Jo grinned. "No. I didn't sneak a peak during the night, if that's what you mean."
After everyone had filled their coffee cups, they settled around the tree, and Janis passed out the few gifts that were there. Jo saved Kelly's for last, although she was dying to open it first.
Madge got her a sweater, and Jo thanked her, then laughed when Madge opened up a similar sweater from Jo.
Betsy and Janis had gotten her a couple of CDs and a gift certificate from her favorite clothing store. She got them a painting from a local artist and a ceramic doll for Janis's collection. They particularly enjoyed the painting of Lake Travis and were already deciding where to hang it. While they were opening the rest of their gifts from Madge, Jo reached for Kelly's and held it lightly in her hands, almost afraid to open it.
235
What would it be? She had agonized over what to get Kelly. She had wanted to get her something personal, and she had looked for days for the perfect gift. She had finally settled on a gold bracelet with Kelly’s name engraved on it.
She had planned to give it to her when she got back.
Now, she twisted the gift in her hand, brushing the ribbons with nervous fingers. She glanced up once, but Betsy and Janis were purposely giving her a moment to herself. She was thankful. She tore the wrapping off finally, revealing a black velvet box. Her hands trembled. Opening it slowly, her breath caught. Inside was a delicate gold chain and, dangling from the end, two gold hearts entwined, twin diamonds winking at her, one in each heart. She lifted the necklace out with care and held it in her hands, tears pricking her eyes.
There was a note inside that she took out with gentle fingers.
"Our hearts are like this, separate, but one," Kelly had written. "They need the other to be happy and strong. Please accept this and wear it with my love. You hold my heart in your hands."
Jo brought the note to her mouth and let her tears fall.
Her heart felt like it would explode. She took deep breaths, trying to stop her tears.
"Jo?"
"I'm okay," she whispered.
And she was. The gift was more than she had expected but it was Kelly’s words that touched her. She had been a fool to think Kelly would end up hurting her. Kelly loved her. And Jo loved her back.
She endured another hour, then made her escape.
"You're coming back for dinner, aren't you?" Betsy asked.
"Of course.”
She pulled Betsy closer and whispered, "I've just got to call her. And I can't do it here."
236
"Are you all right?"
"I'm more than all right," Jo said and grinned.
She rushed home, unmindful of traffic laws, and hurried into her house. She found the phone number where Kelly had left it and quickly dialed, unconcerned with what time it might be in California.
"Merry Christmas," a pleasant voice answered.
"Merry Christmas," Jo returned. "I hope I'm not calling too early, but I'm a friend of Kelly's from Austin. Could I please speak with her?"
"Of course. Wait one moment."
Jo's palms were damp, and she rubbed them on her jeans, trying to calm her nerves while she waited for Kelly to pick up. She didn't want to think about why she was calling her, she only knew that she had to.
"Jo?"
"Merry Christmas," she said.
"To you, too."
"Am I calling at a bad time?"
"You could never call at a bad time, honey."
Jo's breath caught and her heart lodged in her throat at the simple endearment. "Kelly, I'm so sorry," she said, and her voice trembled.
"What is it?"
"I opened your gift."
"You didn't like it? Was it too much?"
"No, that's not it at all.” She took a deep breath, then continued. "I love you. I love you so much. I'm so sorry,"
she sobbed.
"Jo, please, don't cry. God, I wish I were there with you,"
Kelly said quietly.
"I'm sorry," Jo said again. "But I love you."
"Why do you tell me you love me in one breath and you're sorry in the next?" she asked gently.
237
"Because I couldn't tell you before. Because I've been so very awful to you," she said, wiping the tears from her cheeks absently.
"And you couldn't wait a second longer to tell me?"
Kelly asked, and Jo could tell she was smiling.
"No," Jo whi
spered.
"Honey, you sure can pick your moments.”
"I miss you and I couldn't wait another day to tell you that I love you."
"I'll be home tomorrow. Don't pick me up at the airport.
I don't want to say hello to you in front of hundreds of people. I'll get a cab."
"Okay. I won't."
"And Jo?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for calling me. You made my Christmas."
238
Chapter Thirty
Jo waited patiently by the fire, glancing only occasionally at the clock. Now that Kelly was coming, she was suddenly nervous. There was no going back, not after her phone call yesterday. She fingered the gold chain at her neck and smiled. She didn't want to go back. She had never been so happy, so much in love.
She visibly jumped when she heard the urgent knock at her door, and she made herself walk, not run, to open it.
Kelly stood there, eyes searching Jo's, and she smiled slowly. She, too, looked nervous.
"Oh, God, I missed you," Kelly whispered.
239
Jo took her hand and pulled her inside, her eyes never leaving Kelly's.
"I missed you, too."
Kelly drew Jo into her arms, and Jo breathed the sweet scent of her that she knew so well. Their lips met, softly, gently, unhurried.
"Tell me," Kelly demanded.
"I love you," Jo said, meeting her eyes. "I've loved you for so long."
Kelly smiled, and Jo thought she saw relief in that smile as she touched Kelly’s face with gentle fingers.
"I love you, Jo. I can't imagine my life without you," she whispered.
"Then let's don't," Jo said with a smile. "Because I intend on spending the rest of mine with you."
"I won't hurt you," Kelly promised.
"I know. I'm only sorry it took me so long to figure that out."
Kelly led her into the bedroom, a smile firmly in place.
"You can spend the rest our lives making it up to me,"
she said.
“It will be my pleasure.”
240
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Gerri Hill, One Summer Night