A Family Under the Christmas Tree (26 page)

His heart thumped. “You are?”

Her smile was soft and full of something close to love that tied his insides in knots. “Yes.” She turned to Troy. “Grandma is over there. She'd love to see you.”

Troy turned to race to where Louise, Simon, and Riggs sat along the wall with several other couples their age. Riggs's tail thumped on the floor as little kids took turns petting him. Simon whispered something in Louise's ear and she blushed, but her smile lit up her face. Then she was hugging Troy like he really was her grandson. Louise waved, and David raised a hand in greeting.

“This is quite the crowd.” He turned his gaze back to the room. To the melee of children of all ages, some playing games, others doing crafts or taking snacks from the tables laden down with Christmas goodies.

“It's a good turnout.”

He took an envelope from the inside pocket of his sport coat and handed it to her. “Here, before I forget.”
Or lose my nerve.

Her gaze narrowed. “That better not be a check. I told you, you don't owe me anything for watching Troy.”

He pressed the envelope into her hand. “Just take it, please. Don't open it here. Wait until later.”
Like on the plane to Zurich.

He could see she wanted to argue with him. “Please.”

With a sigh, she nodded and tucked it into the back pocket of her pants. “We need to talk, David. Soon.”

His mouth went dry. “Sure. Later.”
Like never.
He folded his arms across his chest.

She arched an eyebrow as if she'd heard his thought.

Pastor Jeff halted beside them. “Hello, David.”

“Jeff.” David shook the other man's hand.

“
Do you mind if I steal Sophie from you?” Jeff said. “The craft girls are in need of some guidance.”

Yes. No. David's stomach churned. “Sure.”

“I'll be right over,” Sophie told the pastor. Once Jeff moved away, she put her hand on David's folded arms. “When you look around here, what do you see?”

He frowned. “Kids. Food. Presents.”

“Look deeper, past the obvious.” She leaned in and kissed his cheek. He automatically unfolded his arms to allow her closer, to reach for her, but she was already stepping away. “You might be surprised.”

With that cryptic remark, her kiss imprinted on his cheek, she walked away and joined the girls at the craft table. What did she mean, “look deeper”?

His gaze scanned the room, taking in the happy faces of the children, the parents talking to each other. He had to admit it was a festive party. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. He felt out of place, like an outsider looking in. A familiar feeling. He refolded his arms across his chest. He couldn't help it.

Then his gaze snagged on a boy in the far corner of the room. David guessed the kid was about eleven or twelve. His posture mirrored David's.

The kid leaned against the wall with his arms folded over his thin chest and had a scowl on his face. David recognized the resentment in the kid's eyes. David had felt the same way so many years ago, every time his parents would drag him to events exactly like this one.

No doubt the preteen begrudged the free gifts and food, and the pity that he figured everyone felt for him. But David didn't sense any pity in this gathering.

Only a generous spirit of love and hope.

His gaze sought Sophie's. The knowing look in her eyes said she'd seen him notice the kid. She nodded with a smile, encouraging him to take a chance.

Slowly, David unfolded his arms and shook them out at his sides. He rolled his shoulders and waded in.

“Here you go, sweetie.” Sophie handed a cookie to a little girl who was about three. Her chubby hands grasped the treat and she rewarded Sophie with a grin.

The party was winding down. Pastor Jeff was encouraging everyone to make their way to the sanctuary for the Christmas Eve pageant. After a quick rehearsal, Troy and the other children in the pageant returned, and had been building Legos together ever since. Now they were picking up the pieces and dumping them back into buckets.

Riggs loved all the attention from the kids and adults alike. Even Grandma and Simon had made some crafts at the craft table. Everyone had had a good time.

Even David. She sighed with love and affection for the man. She was so proud of him. She'd been watching him when his gaze landed on the preteen boy in the corner. The kid held himself apart from everyone else. Sophie's heart ached as she envisioned David as a young teen in the kid's place.

David made his way across the room to the boy. She'd strained to discern what they were talking about, but she was too far away. When David walked away to settle at the board game table alone, she'd despaired for the young man. Had David given up on him?

David set up a chess game and waited. After several long minutes, the preteen pushed away from the wall and slowly joined David, sitting across from him with the chessboard between them. They'd been embroiled in a game ever since.

“Is he your husband?” A woman moved to Sophie's side.

Sophie blinked. “Who?” She followed her gaze back to David. “Oh, David. No, just a friend.” Though she couldn't help but wish that maybe . . . someday.

“That's my son, Kellan, with him.”

Sophie stared at the woman and noticed the tears in her eyes. “He seems to enjoy chess.”

Kellan's mom nodded. “He and his father played.”

“Where is his father?”

“He was killed in action in Afghanistan.”

Sympathy flooded Sophie. “My condolences.”

“Thanks. Greg has been gone a year and this is the first time I've seen Kellan interact with anyone without snarling. He's been so angry,” she said. “Lost.”

Sophie wasn't sure what to say or how to help. Her heart ached for the teenager's loss, the mother's grief.

“Sophie!” Troy hugged her leg.

“Hey, kiddo, you having fun?”

He peered up at her. “Yes. Grandma Louise said you have my costume for tonight.”

“I do. And I have Riggs's costume, too.”

“Pastor Jeff said we need to go get ready,” Troy told her.

“Okay, let's tell your uncle.” She tagged a teen girl who was standing close by to take over the refreshment table. She and Troy went to where David and the kid played just as the kid gave a triumphant “checkmate!”

David fist-bumped Kellan. “Good job.”

Kellan's
mother put her hand on his shoulder. “Time to go.”

Kellan twisted around to stare up at his mother. “Can we stay for the service?”

Surprise widened her eyes. “Uh, sure. I'd like that.” To David she said, “Thank you.”

David held out his business card. “I told Kellan he can call me anytime. I'd like a rematch.”

Kellan's mom took the card and nodded. With her arm around Kellan's shoulders, they walked away.

Sophie helped David put the chess pieces back. “You made the boy's day.”

“He's a good kid. Hurting,” David replied.

“He's hurt, too?” Troy asked. “Does he have stitches?”

Sophie caught David's gaze and they shared a smile. “No, honey,” Sophie said gently. “Kellan's dad went to heaven.”

“Oh, like my mommy and daddy,” Troy said.

David lifted Troy into his arms. “Yes, like that. Now, shepherd boy, I think the stage is calling you.”

“It is?” Troy cupped his ear with his hand. “I don't hear anything.”

Sophie tweaked Troy's nose. “Silly. I'll meet you two backstage with Riggs and the costume.”

She turned to leave, when David captured her hand. She lifted her gaze in question to him.

He opened his mouth to say something, then seemed to catch himself. Finally he said, “We'll see you in a bit.”

“For unto us, a child is born,” a preteen boy's voice came through the speakers and filled the church sanctuary as he narrated the story of Christ's birth.

David sat in the front pew beside Sophie. Her grandmother and Simon sat on her other side. Sophie lifted her camera, the soft clicks of the shutter barely audible as she captured the sight before them. On the stage where the pastor normally preached, a makeshift manger scene had been erected. A doll played the part of baby Jesus, while a host of children played the various roles, acting out the story.

Riggs, wearing antlers on his massive head, lay at Troy's feet. Troy stood proud, holding his shepherd staff, dressed in a white sheet with a length of knotted rope tied about his waist. A headdress covered his hair. On the opposite side of the stage a little girl, also dressed as a shepherd, struggled to control her goat, who nibbled at her costume. A ripple of amusement went through the audience.

Though David was proud of his nephew and pleased for him, heaviness filled David's heart, which left him feeling confused and at odds. He should be happy. Troy was doing well. He was healing from the loss of his parents as only a child could. A child who felt loved.

And oh, David loved Troy with a fierceness that at times scared him.

But it wasn't Troy who caused the oppressive weight crushing David's chest. It was the woman sitting beside him. Sophie's sweet scent filled his senses. Her goodness and light wrapped around him, making him ache for what he knew he shouldn't want.

He wanted her in his life forever.

He forced himself to concentrate on the pageant and clapped enthusiastically when it was over. Troy would be going back to the great room with the other kids during the evening sermon.

As the kids filed offstage to be replaced by the choir, restlessness filled David and he couldn't
sit there any longer. He leaned in to Sophie and whispered in her ear, “I need some fresh air.”

He stood and made his way outside. The night air was frigid but dry. He kept walking until he was under the branches of a large oak tree. He put his hand on the rough bark and leaned on his hand. His heart beat an erratic rhythm as a prayer lifted from his lips and swirled through the air. “Lord, I don't know what to do here. I love Sophie, but I'm too afraid to open my heart fully to her. To anyone. I couldn't bear it if something happened to her or Troy.” His gut clenched. He'd lost so many people he'd loved. “Lord, please, what should I do?”

He waited, but no answer came.

Grandma nudged Sophie in the ribs with her elbow. “Where's he going?” she asked in a hushed tone.

“Needs some air,” Sophie whispered back. She hoped he was okay. He'd looked a little green.

Concern shone in Grandma's eyes. “This would be a good time for you to talk to him.”

A flurry of nerves rose within Sophie. This would be a perfect opportunity to tell David what was in her heart. Setting her camera back in its bag, relinquishing the equipment's care to her grandma, Sophie rose, grabbed her coat, and hurried out of the sanctuary. In the vestibule she paused to put on her coat.

The edge of the envelope that David had given her poked out of her pants pocket, snagging on the coat. She tugged it free and opened it. Her jaw tightened to see a check, along with a handwritten note. She moved closer to a wall sconce so she could read the letter.