The Best Christmas Ever (18 page)

“S
arah, it’s Bill.”

Sarah glanced toward the front door of the garage apartment Bill had leased to her. Bill had pushed open the door and was peeking inside. Seeing him, his head covered with snowflakes, she motioned to him. “Come in,” she said. “I was just finishing up my résumé for the job I’m applying for Monday.”

“Marcy sent me over. It’s Christmas Eve. She wanted to know if you’d come over and share dinner with us.”

Christmas Eve? Already. An entire week had passed and she hadn’t realized it. In another way, it seemed that an entire lifetime had passed since she’d walked out of Justin’s life. “I don’t know, Bill. I have so much to do—”

“May I ask you a question?” Bill sat down on the couch across the room from where Sarah sat at the table.

Sarah avoided his gaze and went back to typing.
“Sure. Shoot. After all, you rented me this place without any questions. I’m sure you’re entitled to a few.”

She knew that was a low blow, but she really didn’t want him asking questions.

“Good try, Sarah,” he said. “But I don’t run when you get nasty.”

“I’m sorry, Bill,” she said, and looked up at him, only to see his compassionate gaze. “Don’t,” she warned.

“You’re gonna drive yourself into a grave. Every time I glance over here I see the light on. You’ve done more this past week than anyone should do in a month. You need to slow down.”

“I’m just trying to find a job.”

“If that’s so, why didn’t you take the one Justin offered?”

She stiffened.

“I see,” he said at last when she didn’t comment. “What happened, Sarah? I don’t understand why you’re here. Justin loves you.”

“Yeah, sure,” she finally said, bitterness slipping into her voice.

Bill looked surprised but said, “So it is Justin. I’d wondered.”

“Bill, don’t bring it up. Please.”

He ignored her. After going over to where she sat, he forced her around and took her hands. “I don’t know what happened, Sarah. But I do know one thing. Justin loves you. Whatever’s the matter can be worked out. You’ve got to try.” When she didn’t comment, he asked, “Does this have to do with what you told him—that you were infertile?”

Sarah tried to run away, but he wouldn’t let her.
“Does it? Are you telling me he went crazy over that? Well?”

She struggled against his hold, then stopped fighting. Her voice a broken whisper, she finally admitted, “I never got the chance to tell him.”

Bill stared at her for only a minute, then let go of her hands and took a seat next to her. “Then what is all this about?”

Tears brimming her eyes, Sarah said, “I didn’t get a chance to tell him because Drydan did.”

He shook his head. “Wait a minute. You want to run that by me again? You said nothing about Drydan going over there that day.”

Sarah sighed and dropped her head to her chest, her shoulders feeling heavy with the truth of that day. Finally, she said, “You remember your advice about notes? Well, I did it. I’d decided to confess everything. I went downstairs, planning on just that. But when I got. down there, the phone rang. Drydan was on the line. He told Justin all kinds of things. Enough that when Justin came out he sent me home with André.”

“Why didn’t you try to tell him that what Drydan said was wrong?”

Sarah looked up helplessly. “I don’t know. André was telling me he still loved me. Justin was telling me it’d be best if I went with André. And I was still in shock from what had happened. Honestly, I didn’t think of anything until I was in the car. Then I had enough sense to demand that André bring me here.”

“Which explains what Marcy was saying about a strange man driving you here and her hearing an argument before you came into the house.”

“Yeah,” Sarah replied. “André didn’t want to
leave me. I didn’t mean to hurt him, but he had to understand I didn’t love him and wasn’t taking the job he offered. I think maybe he realized that I had become his courage to face his father. It was a step he needed to take to finally grow up. But it wasn’t love. When it came out that Drydan had just called Justin, I don’t think he believed me.” She shrugged.

“Oh, Sarah, honey.” He reached out and touched her shoulder, then drew back his hand. “Go to Justin. Explain. I know he loves you.”

“How? How do you know?”

Bill looked her straight in the eye. “He told me. I don’t think he’d honestly care about your infertility. If nothing else, think what you’re doing to Mickie in all this.”

Sarah knew she looked stricken, but that was one of the reasons she hadn’t been able to sleep. “I didn’t even get to say goodbye to her.”

“Oh, Sarah.” Bill sighed. Then he stood and grabbed her by the hand. “Come on. Whether you want to or not, we’re going over there.”

“I can’t. Bill, you don’t understand. I don’t think he wants me over there.”

Bill wouldn’t take no for an answer. He pulled her toward the door until she reluctantly followed. “I’ll make you a deal. If he gives you any problems, I beat him to a pulp for you.”

Sarah laughed, though not out of amusement but excess nervous energy. “I just don’t know…” She hesitated. “I don’t want to make things worse.”

“Bill! Bill!”

Marcy’s frantic voice reached them. Bill threw open
the door and Sarah saw Marcy running up the stairs, which were now covered with snow.

Bill immediately released Sarah and ran to Marcy. “What is it, sweetheart? The baby?” His hand went to her abdomen.

“No. Justin called. It’s Mickie. She’s missing.”

Justin paced his house, frantic for any word. Where was she? Where had Mickie gone? She’d been away three hours now.

He’d tucked her in, then come downstairs to work. At one point he’d gone out back to stand in the fresh snow, thinking of all that had happened since Sarah had left, remembering her wish for snow on Christmas so she and Mickie could build a snowman.

He and Mickie were both miserable. They both wanted her back. He’d been praying, trying to decide if her returning would be the best course.

Then he’d gone in and taken a hot shower to warm up. Before getting into bed, he’d gone to check on Mickie. It wasn’t until he found her coat and backpack missing that he realized she’d run away.

The pounding on the front door had him racing to it. Bill, Marcy and Sarah stood there.

“Have they found her yet?” Marcy asked, going to him and giving him a hug.

Justin’s disappointment was acute. He shook his head. “The police have been out an hour. I’ve looked all over and haven’t been able to spot her. They asked me to stay here in case she calls.”

He heard the police officer behind him go back to the phone. They’d left one man behind. He didn’t know why. Maybe to keep him there when he finally
went crazy and wanted to go back out on the streets and search for his daughter.

“What happened?”

He turned to Bill. “I don’t know. I was outside, then I showered. When I went to check on Mickie, she was just gone.”

“Any clues?” Bill asked.

Justin finally looked at the last person in the group. He replied to Sarah instead of Bill. “She was miserable this past week. She didn’t understand why you’d left.”

Sarah appeared tired, as tired as he felt. Deep purple smudges circled her eyes. Guilt etched her face.

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered.

He could hear the truth in her voice.

“We should have talked. I should have said goodbye. I should have told you I didn’t love André and asked for visitation rights. I don’t know what I should have done—”

“Stop it,” Justin suddenly whispered, his heart aching. “Come here,” he said, and opened his arms.

She ran to him and threw herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her small body and felt her shake with sobs.

“She’s so alone, right now,” she cried. “Why would she do it?”

“I don’t know,” he murmured, rocking her. “I just don’t know.”

He continued to rock her, thinking how right she felt against him. He loved her more than life itself. Why had he ever let her go? Why hadn’t he explained that he didn’t blame her, that he thought she loved…

“You don’t love André?” he questioned, pushing
her back. “I don’t understand. I thought that’s why you left.”

Sarah reluctantly released Justin. She looked up and met his gaze. “I left because you told me you thought it was best. Drydan had called you and told…I was going to tell you, Justin. I had the doctor’s reports, and even notes to answer questions. They’re probably still upstairs on the desk.”

“You think I care that you’re infertile?” he asked astounded.

She dropped her gaze. “You want more children.”

Suddenly angry, he growled, “I
want
you. I
love
you. We can adopt children. My lands, Sarah, didn’t you know how much I love you?” Sarah looked up at him and he could see the hope and despair mixed in her eyes.

“No,” she whispered. “I didn’t.”

He jerked her back against him and held on tight, his whole body shaking at the revelation. “Sarah, I asked you if you could love me. What did you think I meant? I want you in my life forever.

“Infertility doesn’t matter. If you were blind or crippled it wouldn’t matter. Don’t you understand, it’s you I love.

“Only you.

“Your brightness, your tender spirit, your kindness, thoughtfulness. Just you. All I wanted was your love. Anything else can be overcome. But when I thought you were only considering me because I had given you a job—”

“What?” she asked, shocked. “You thought…how could you?” she asked.

He saw the spark of anger in her eyes and his anger melted.

“I love you for who you are. But you wanted kids. You’d mentioned it and I didn’t know if you could accept me after Amy—”

“Whoa, right there,” he warned. “The past is the past. Amy was put to rest. I won’t ever compare you with her. As I said I want only you.”

“You’re all I want, too,” she said, and went back into his arms. “But, Mickie…”

“Yeah,” he said, when she trailed off. “I should have called you and asked you to come over. But I was too proud. I didn’t want you to see me like that. I was hurting too much…” He sighed, a defeated sound in a room that should have had only merriment.

Then Sarah’s hand cautiously stroked his back, tentatively, as she tried to relieve the hurt and pain he was experiencing.

“Don’t blame yourself. We were both wrong. Now all we can do is pray that Mickie is found quickly.”

Bill heard that and came forward. Taking their hands, he and Marcy began to pray, asking God to protect her and guide the police to her.

When the door opened, Sarah was the first to see the bundle in the police officer’s arms. She cried out, covering her mouth in joy.

Justin looked up, saw the brown head sticking up out of a blanket and dropped Sarah’s and Bill’s hands. “Mickie?” he asked, scared to find out if she was hurt. Then it didn’t matter. He shot across the room and was reaching out for his daughter. “Mickie, honey?”

Her head popped out of the blanket. Tears covered her face. “I’m sorry, Daddy, but I had to get her.”

“Who, honey?” he asked, rubbing her legs and arms, chafing warmth into her. “Where’d you find her?”

“About two miles from here, Mr. Warner,” the officer said.

“I had to find Aunt Sarah.”

Justin stared at his daughter. His knees were knocking in relief. “You were going to walk to Bill’s?”

Mickie shrugged.

“I told you never, ever to try that, honey. You scared us all to death.”

The tears started again and Justin immediately felt awful for chastising her. He gathered her close and turned toward Sarah, his only purpose to get her to the woman she had been seeking. Mickie’s next words stopped him.

“You don’t understand. You said you loved her. And you told me if it was a real emergency I didn’t have to wait for a grown-up. I could walk someplace myself.”

He started to explain he’d meant to find a teacher or policeman to help her, but she wasn’t done.

“I asked Santa for a mommy. I prayed and told Jesus to send just the right one. Well, Aunt Sarah was just right. You did say you loved her, Daddy. But you see, it’s Christmas Eve, and I couldn’t find my letter to put on the tree and I was afraid Santa would forget to bring her. I just had to find her.”

Justin couldn’t help it; he started crying. He wasn’t sure if it was relief or joy.

“Don’t cry, Daddy,” she whispered. “There’s a police officer here and he’ll see you.”

That caused him to chuckle as tears streamed down
his face. Justin continued across the room to where Sarah was crying, too. Halfway there, Mickie saw Sarah.

“You’re here!” she cried out, and wiggled from her daddy’s grasp. “He found my letter!” She ran over to Sarah and threw her arms around her. “Did Santa find you?” she asked.

“Not exactly,” Sarah said, bending down and pulling the small child into her embrace. Mickie locked her arms around her neck, then she pushed back. “But how’d you know to come?” she asked, puzzled.

Sarah looked up at Justin. “Your daddy called me.”

Mickie looked up at her daddy. “Does this mean you married her now? I know you said she had to move out until you could get married, but I want her back for good.”

Justin turned to Sarah. His heart ached with the love he felt for these two. The officer standing near the door, Bill and Marcy near the stairs—their stares didn’t matter. All that mattered was the two people he loved most on the face of this Earth, who stood before him. He smiled at his daughter.

“Well, pumpkin,” he drawled, “I don’t know. You see, Aunt Sarah has to agree to that. Now, if she will, I know a judge or two who might be romantically inclined and might marry us tonight so Sarah will never have to leave this house again. What do you think about that?”

Mickie jumped up and down and turned hopeful eyes on her aunt Sarah. “Oh, please, Aunt Sarah. Will you marry us? I promise to be real good and not ask for chocolate coconut cake again.”

“She can’t bake that, sweetheart,” Justin said, enjoying the look on Sarah’s face.

“I won’t even ask for too many peanut butter-and-jelly sandwiches,” Mickie said, though reluctantly. Then, turning wide eyes on Sarah, she said, “We love you, Aunt Sarah, and want you here.” She fidgeted, as if she were afraid of Sarah’s answer.