The Best Christmas Ever (14 page)

“And lived and died,” Sarah added, snuggling closer in his arms.

He smiled warmly, thinking how wonderful it was to know true joy. “And that He rose again.”

“And is always here for us. What love that is,” Sarah murmured.

“How true. What love He had to provide such a plan of redemption.”
Which reminds me,
Justin thought,
that even if Sarah never loves me I have a Heavenly Father who does. He knows my needs and desires and will fulfill them in the way He knows they should be fulfilled

The truck slowed and they were back at the beginning point. Justin smiled at Sarah, lifted Mickie from her arms, then assisted Sarah in standing.

“Thank you for the evening,” Sarah whispered as they walked toward the car.

“Thank you, Sarah, for sharing it with us. I think Mickie really enjoyed not only the shopping and the tree but your company, as well.”

“I enjoyed her, too.” She paused by the car door. “And being with you.”

Potent words. He could easily picture the two of them together. He forced the thought away. “It was a very nice evening.”

He walked around, strapped Mickie into her seat belt—Mickie simply sighed and continued to sleep—then slipped into his own seat.

He turned on a music station that was playing Christmas music, then backed out of the parking place.

“Why don’t you rest. It’ll take us at least forty-five minutes to get back.”

“I’ll try,” she murmured, sounding sleepy.

He shook himself, trying to get rid of the romantic thoughts going around in his head. They both needed
time to let this relationship develop. And he’d make sure they had it. Control. He would just have to control his impulses until he was certain Sarah knew what she wanted.

Whatever happened between them, he knew one thing: he wanted God’s will. That was the most important thing. He had to let God show him the answers.

“A
re you sure you want me going to the holiday open house?” Sarah asked Justin, pulling on her coat as she came down the stairs.

Justin smiled. “I’d like you there as…protection.”

“And just why do you need protection?”

He gave her a look of mock outrage. “People like Stephanie,” he said. “There are three different ladies who have marked me single and seek me out any time I’m within two blocks of the school.”

Sarah chuckled, and Justin smiled at the sound. He enjoyed listening to Sarah when she was happy. Her eyes sparkled and her whole demeanor radiated energy when she was in a good mood.

“Daddy, I can’t go. I’ve got a tummy ache.”

Justin turned at the sound of his daughter’s voice. Mickie, dressed in her red-and-green holiday outfit, had a hand on her tummy and stood near the hallway to his library.

“When did this happen?” Justin asked, concerned,
going to her and dropping onto one knee. He felt her head. It was cool. He checked her color, which was normal. Then he looked into her eyes. That was when he knew something else was going on.

“A while ago,” Mickie mumbled.

Sarah walked up and stroked Mickie’s head, going down on one knee by Justin. “I can stay home with her if you think this is serious.”

Mickie’s eyes brightened.

Justin’s suspicions deepened. Sometimes when Mickie didn’t want to go to school she said she had a tummy ache. But he’d thought they were through that stage.

He wondered if maybe the teacher had sent home a note that he’d never gotten. He hesitated a minute, then made his decision. “Oh, I think Mickie’s well enough to go, aren’t you, sweetie? If you get sick then we’ll just stop by the doctor’s and see what he can do to help.”

Mickie lowered her gaze. “Yes, sir,” she said, her mouth drooping.

He stood and saw Sarah’s distress. Silently, he shook his head, indicating she shouldn’t say anything else.

“Come on, pumpkin, let me carry you to the car. You’ve been running ahead of me lately and I still like to carry my little girl once in a while.”

Mickie smiled, though she was still subdued. Walking toward the car, he placed a smacking kiss on her cheek. “Did I tell you today how much I love you?”

“Maybe,” she replied, her eyes dropping.

“No matter what, you’re the most important girl in
my life. Nothing could ever change that.” He let her down and she climbed into the car.

Sarah gave him a questioning look, but he didn’t explain. She decided to change the subject. “It sure is cold out tonight. Do you think it might snow?”

Mickie brightened considerably. “Do you think we could make a snowman? Have you ever made a snowman, Aunt Sarah?”

“Oh, my, yes. It’s been so many years, though, since we’ve had real snow around Christmas. You know what I wish? I wish we have a snowy Christmas so we can build a huge snowman.”

“Well, we’ve got a couple of more weeks until Christmas, so you can keep wishing.”

“So, Mickie, what do you want for Christmas?”

Mickie suddenly quieted.

“What? No wishes?”

“Wishes don’t come true if you tell them, do they?”

Justin saw Sarah smile, as if remembering her childhood. “Well, I know you’re not supposed to tell them, but sometimes it doesn’t matter. Besides, how are you going to get what you want if you don’t ask?”

“I wrote a letter to Santa. He’ll know.”

Sarah glanced at Justin. Justin shrugged slightly. He hadn’t known Mickie could write well enough to write an entire letter. He’d have to find it and see what he could do about fulfilling the list. He had to wonder if the Fashion Kathy Super House he’d bought might be on it.

“Well, I know what I want,” Sarah announced.

Justin smiled when Mickie asked, “What?” as if
Sarah were getting ready to reveal some deep dark secret.

“Actually, I bought it the other day. I wanted perfumed soaps.”

“But, Aunt Sarah, you aren’t supposed to buy your own presents.”

Sarah chuckled. “When you live on your own, you buy your own gifts.”

“But you live with us.”

Sarah blinked. “Um, well, actually, I
work
for you, sweetie. It’s a little different.”

Justin was irritated by her explanation. He was also irritated that she obviously had lived alone so long that she’d forgotten what it was like to receive gifts. Or maybe she was just still so upset about André that she didn’t think anyone else would care to get her something special.

“We’re here,” he said, glad to end the subject before they could ask him what he wanted. He was afraid he would end up saying what he wanted more and more since Sarah had moved in. He wanted a wife. And not just any wife. But he refused to face just who it was he wanted. He wouldn’t give up that last bit of fight and succumb to the emotions within him. Because if he did and he found out that Sarah couldn’t love him back, he wasn’t sure they would ever overcome the breach that would make in their relationship.

Mickie was quiet again. When he stopped the car, she jumped out. “Come on, Aunt Sarah, I want you to see the playground first.”

Yep, she was definitely in trouble, Justin thought. “Go on, Sarah. Meet me in the class in about five minutes.”

She smiled. “Okay, Mickie, show me the playground.”

He walked into the school and headed down the hall toward Mickie’s class. The first incident happened only twenty feet beyond the door.

“Hey, great news. I’m happy to hear it.”

The assistant coach slapped him on the back as he passed.

Justin started to ask him what he meant, but the man was already talking with someone else.

Great news?

He continued down the hall. Two more people smiled and called out congratulations. Others whispered when he walked past.

Had news of the merger and the additional two hundred jobs it would create for the local community leaked out already? He hadn’t wanted it out until everything was finalized, but maybe Phillip had let the cat out of the bag. What odd looks he was getting, he thought as he continued along the hall.

The crowning incident came when the truth was finally revealed. A couple of parents with their children were just leaving Mickie’s class as he entered. There were other families around the different displays, but the teacher, Mrs. Bell, focused on him. Her long gray-and-black hair hung down her back, pinned off her face with two combs. Her skin was wrinkled, but her blue eyes twinkled with the joy that only a teacher who had spent thirty years teaching kindergarten and survived could possess. Her flowing floral skirt and long-sleeved white top perfectly fit the graceful, warm image she projected.

“Well, congratulations, Mr. Warner. I was so happy
when Mickie shared her news and…ah, well, this must be Mrs. Warner,” she said.

Justin turned in surprise. Sarah was standing behind him, trying to cover her bafflement with a small smile. He glanced from Mrs. Bell to Mickie, who was studying the floor. A huge knot formed in the pit of his stomach. Not of anger, but of pain for what his little girl had done.

He knew, he just
knew
what she had told everyone.

“Did I say something wrong?” Mrs. Bell asked.

But he ignored her, intent on his hurting child. Why hadn’t he realized she had been so affected by losing her mom?

Kneeling, he tipped his daughter’s chin up until she met his gaze. Her eyes were already awash with tears. “Mickie, honey, have you been telling everyone that you have a new mommy?”

He heard Sarah’s gasp, heard the teacher’s murmured, “Oh, dear,” but didn’t take his gaze off his daughter.

“She makes me peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches and fixes me cookies and comes to meet me after school.”

“But there’s more than that to being a mommy, honey.”

“And she hugs me and reads to me. And she smells good,” the little girl said, her chin wobbling. “And now she’s gonna hate me, isn’t she?”

Suddenly, as if it were too much for her, Mickie turned and ran off down the hall. Justin stood and started after her.

“Let me,” Sarah said. “Give me a couple of minutes.”

Then she was gone.

“I’m so sorry, Mr. Warner. I had no idea. Mickie came to school one day and said that she had a new mommy, that her aunt Sarah was now her mommy. I just assumed that was Aunt Sarah and that you had married her.”

“That was Aunt Sarah,” Justin said, “but I haven’t married her. I’ll check with you later about Mickie’s progress. Right now I need to go find her.”

He pulled his coat around him and headed down the hall without a single word to anyone. His heart was breaking over the pain he’d seen in Mickie’s eyes. He wondered if Sarah was succeeding at removing that look.

Mickie sat at the bottom of the slide, her face buried against her knees, when Sarah caught up with her. Sarah slowed to a walk. “Mickie, honey, may I sit down?”

Mickie shrugged.

Sarah took that as a yes. She picked up the girl and settled her on her lap, sitting on the swing instead of the slide. Mickie burst into fresh sobs. Slowly, Sarah pushed the swing back and forth, a gentle rocking motion as she let Mickie cry. She saw Justin in the shadows near the building but didn’t acknowledge his presence. He was staying put and allowing her to handle this, so he’d just have to wait. She was in no hurry.

Finally, Mickie’s cries subsided. “I missed my mommy when she died,” Sarah finally said. “It made me very sad not to have someone around.”

Mickie sniffled. “Daddy’s lonely.”

“Ah, is that so?”

Mickie nodded. “So am I.”

“So am I sometimes. I miss your mommy, too, and wish she’d come back. She could make me laugh and make me mad. We had such fun.”

“Did I have fun with her?”

Sarah felt tears well. “Oh, yes, dear. She use to blow bubbles onyour tummy and hug you and love you, just as your daddy does now.”

“Other kids have mommies.” Her little arms squeezed Sarah tighter.

“That’s true. And other people don’t have mommies, too.”

Mickie finally looked up at Sarah. “You mean I’m not the only one who doesn’t have a mommy?”

“No, you’re not. And I’ll tell you something else. It’s okay to want another mommy…but the time has to be right. You have to wait until just the right time when your daddy finally asks someone to marry him and be his wife. Then that woman will be your mommy.”

“Daddy has to marry her?” She sounded surprised.

“Yes, he does. And then that woman will be your mommy. But she has to be real special and your daddy has to really love her. And it has to be the right time.”

“The right day?” Mickie asked, sounding excited.

“The exactly right day,” Sarah said, not sure why Mickie had suddenly brightened at her words. “You know, your daddy doesn’t run up and ask. It has to be special and he has to propose—ask her to marry him.”

“He has to love her, ask her on the right day, then marry her, for me to have a mommy,” Mickie repeated softly, then nodded as if she’d come to some great discovery.

Mickie sat there in Sarah’s lap as Sarah continued to push the swing back and forth. Finally, in barely a whisper, Mickie asked, “Are you mad at me?”

Sarah chuckled. “Not at all. I’m very proud that you wanted me to be your mommy. But I really like being your aunt. So what do you say if I just be your aunt and we can do the snuggling and cookie making and all the fun stuff until your daddy finds a wife.”

Mickie thought about it a minute. “I guess so.”

“And how about you go give your daddy hugs. I think he’s feeling a little left out.”

Justin stepped out of the shadows so Mickie could see him. He bent down and held out his arms.

Mickie ran to him and hugged him hard around the neck. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I’m so sorry. I love you.”

Justin rubbed her up and down the back, his deep voice rumbling, but Sarah was unable to make out any words.

“I promise,” Mickie said, and hugged her daddy again.

He crooked his head toward the car and started walking, all the while murmuring in his daughter’s ear. Sarah silently followed.

In the car, Mickie almost immediately fell asleep.

The radio played lowly in the background, soothing both Sarah’s and Justin’s frazzled nerves. Neither spoke.

In minutes Justin was home and he lifted Mickie out of the car. Sarah gathered her purse and Mickie’s doll, which she’d left in the back seat, and followed more slowly.

She went in and changed, then went to Mickie’s
room, placed her doll by her side and gave her a soft kiss good-night.

Then she went downstairs, intending to get a glass of milk before going to bed. Justin was in the kitchen. At the sound of the swinging door being pushed open, he turned.

Pouring her a glass of milk, he said, “Well, what a mess we’re in.”