A Family For Christmas (Hearts In Georgia; Harmony Cove)

by Marian Wilson

  “Daddy always said that Santa came in through the door because he let him in,” Lily nodded.

  Grace smiled. “That was very nice of your dad to do that.”

  “He says that Santa is a nice man, and that he is really good friends with him,” Lily said.

  “What about you, Charlie?” George asked, turning around and looking up at Grace’s dad. “Do you know Santa?”

  “I sure do,” her dad answered, pulling open the door to the fridge. “He and I go way back.”

  Grace watched George’s little face light up like a tree. “You really know Santa? Like, really really?”

  “Indeed I do,” he said, grinning over his shoulder at the boy.

  “What’s all this talk about Santa in here?”

  Grace’s heart did a flip inside her chest as she heard Lysander’s voice echo down the hall of her parents’ entryway. She quickly set the cookie in her hand down and tried her best to look as natural as possible. She wasn’t really sure what it was about him that made her so nervous, but she knew that she really liked the feeling all the same.

  Lysander appeared around the corner, and his eyes fell on her immediately. They lingered on her for a long second, a bright, glittering glance just before his children threw themselves into his arms, squealing with delight at seeing him.

  “Dad, look!” George cried. “Jan made us cookies to decorate!”

  “And Grace is showing us how to!” Lily added, tugging on her father’s sleeve. “Come on, come look!”

  Lysander let the kids lead him to the island, where they proceeded to talk over one another trying to get his attention. He was nodding and ooh-ing and ahh-ing at the appropriate places, but he kept looking up at Grace, who had set about washing some of the enormous amount of dishes they’d dirtied in their cookie making.

  “Thanks again for watching them today,” Lysander said. “I really hate doing this to you guys this close to Christmas.”

  “Lysander, how many times do we have to tell you that we love being with the kids?” Charlie let out a hearty laugh. “It’s no trouble at all.”

  “Well, even still, I really appreciate it,” Lysander said. “I just hope that everyone else in my office remembers that it’s Christmas sometime soon. I’d hate to have to drag myself to my desk on Christmas day.”

  “No, Daddy, you can’t do that!” Lily exclaimed.

  “Yeah, we all have to spend Christmas as a family!” George said with a frown.

  “I’m only joking,” Lysander told them, ruffling George’s hair. “I am taking that whole week off so we can be together.”

  Lily clapped her hands together. “Yay!”

  “All right, well, why don’t you two go get your things and get washed up? We can probably still make it to the mall.”

  “Last minute shopping?” Grace asked as the two kids scurried off to get their things.

  Lysander looked over at her, and her heart skipped a beat. “Yeah. Still have to get something for my parents, and I have no idea what to get them.”

  “Mind if I tag along?”

  His eyes brightened at her question. “Not at all. You’re welcome to come.”

  She smiled. “Good, there’s a few things I still need to get.”

  After the kids had washed their hands and mouths and anything else that might leave a sticky mess on the inside of Lysander’s car, they piled in and headed off toward the mall. The streetlights were all decorated with garland and shining stars and snowflakes. Wreaths hung from the windows of the businesses they passed, and Grace was sure she spotted more than a few trees in the middle of the parks all over town. It was a cheery sight, like looking at a moving postcard.

  The kids were singing along to the Christmas carols on the radio as they drove, and Grace couldn’t help but feel as if life was just perfect. Everything was so simple, so pure, that if she could freeze time and live forever in that moment, that would have been the place she’d stay.

  More than once, she caught Lysander staring at her, a small grin crawling up the side of his face. She’d felt the back of his hand brush against hers as she rested her arm on the center console of the car. He didn’t seem to mind. Grace’s stomach was full of butterflies, and she never would have imagined that something so small could make her feel so much.

  “Wow, look at all the cars!” George leaned forward to gaze out the window as they pulled into the parking lot at the mall. “Are all of these people Christmas shopping?”

  “Probably,” Lily said. “They all need to find something for their moms and dads, too.”

  “Let’s just make sure we all stick together,” Lysander said as he found a free parking spot. “Make sure to hold onto either my hand or Grace’s, okay?” He looked over at Grace, his green eyes big as they fixed on her. “I hope that’s okay.”

  “Of course it is,” she said, giving him a curious smile. “Now, let’s go have some Christmas fun!”

  The four of them headed across the crowded parking lot and into the mall proper. It wasn’t as bad as she’d ever seen it; since it was still a few days until Christmas Eve, all of the real last-minute shoppers were still absent. Even so, people were perusing shelves, checking prices with store clerks, and standing in a long line at the coffee shop to get their fix to help them along. It smelled of peppermint and cinnamon as they wandered underneath the large Christmas tree that had been set up just inside the entrance.

  Grace was having more fun watching Lily and George, seeing their eyes widen whenever something magical crossed their path. Her hand bumped up against Lysander’s, and for one brief second, he reached out and squeezed it with his own. He let go quickly enough, but the motion was enough to send her head spinning and adrenaline pumping through her veins.

  “Daddy, what are you getting Grandma?” Lily asked as they passed by a designer purse store that was crowded with men looking to buy gifts for their wives or daughters.

  “I’m not sure yet,” Lysander said, staring at a grey and blue satchel just outside the store.

  “We don’t have anything for you yet, Daddy,” George said.

  “Oh, bud, that’s okay,” Lysander said, turning his attention back to George. “You don’t have to worry about that. You guys already helped me pick out some stuff. And you told Grandma some ideas, so don’t worry about it.” George frowned.

  “Maybe Grace can help us pick out something for you,” Lily said, blinking up at her.

  Grace and Lysander exchanged amused glances. “Oh, honey, that’s sweet—”

  “Yeah!” George agreed. “Go on, Dad. Grace can take us to get something for you!”

  Lysander looked helplessly at Grace, who smiled in return. “Well, I don’t mind. It might be fun getting you something so you can be surprised for once.”

  He laughed at her answer, and his little half smile nearly melted her heart. “All right, then. It seems I’m outnumbered. But you two will be as good as angels for Grace, okay? If she comes back and tells me that you were misbehaving in any way…”

  “Don’t worry, Dad. We’ll be good!” George promised.

  “Yeah!” Lily said. “The best!”

  Lysander glanced apologetically at her. “Are you sure this is okay?”

  “You worry too much,” Grace said. “We’ll be fine. Why don’t we just meet back right here in, say, half an hour?”

  “If you need me, just call—”

  “I have a hard time believing that your kids will be anything less than wonderful,” she interjected, turning to look down at the two of them. “Right?”

  “Right!” they both replied excitedly.

  “Okay… Well, I guess I’ll see you guys in a bit then,” Lysander said. Grace watched as he turned and started farther along the tiled floor of the mall toward some other stores.

  “Good,” she said, kneeling down in front of the kids. “He’s gone. Now we can talk about what you guys want to get for him. Do you have any ideas?” she asked.

  Lily looked over at George. “W
ell… he likes hockey.”

  George nodded. “He watches hockey a lot, yeah. But he also likes books.”

  Lily scratched her tiny head. “He has a lot of those.”

  “What about something for his car?” Grace suggested. “Or what about something to hang on his wall at his office?”

  Lily looked at Grace, and her eyes suddenly grew wide. She grabbed onto her brother’s arm and began to shake him. “George, do you know what else Dad likes?”

  “What?” he asked. “Pizza?”

  “No!” Lily pointed a finger right at Grace, whose eyes widened. “He likes Grace! We should give him Grace as a present this year!”

  “That’s a great idea!” George agreed, squeezing his fists together in excitement. “We could wrap her up in a pretty bow, and she could be sitting there when Dad wakes up!”

  Grace’s heart began to beat very fast, and it was making her knees weak. “Whoa, hold on there, guys. That’s not exactly how this works—”

  Lily turned her large eyes onto Grace, and she beamed at her. “Daddy is always so happy when you are with him. That’s the best gift! Something to make him happy!”

  “Please, Grace?” George pleaded. “It would make him so happy!”

  “And us!” Lily cried. “It would make us happy, too!”

  “We could have a mom again!”

  “Yeah!”

  Grace stared back and forth between the two of them, her heart so close to bursting that the only thing she could think to do was to pull them into her arms and hold them close so they wouldn’t see the tears welling up in her eyes.

  13

  Lysander leaned against the doorframe, staring in at Lily all tucked in her bed, fast asleep. He watched the steady rise and fall of her shoulders, wondering what she might be dreaming about. Her princess night light was glowing warmly from the outlet beside her bed, and there was a soft tick, tock as the clock on her bedside table showed the late hour.

  He smiled, folding his arms, content to just watch her rest. It had been a busy day, after all. The trip to the mall with Grace had gone better than he’d hoped. She seemed to really enjoy spending time with Lily and George, and they really seemed to love her back. Lily had been jumping on her bed just before she’d gone to sleep talking about how Grace would make a great mom.

  The thought had stirred something deep within Lysander. It was like peeling back layers of paint, uncovering the truth way deep down inside him. He was capable of loving again, even if he had thought he never would be able to.

  The phone in his pocket began to buzz, and with a leap of his heart, he hoped it was Grace calling. They had had two conversations over the phone so far, both of which had lasted well past midnight.

  It was with a slight disappointment that he saw the name of his father on the display. Slowly and silently, he pulled Lily’s bedroom door closed and made his way back down the hall into the living room before answering.

  “Hey, Dad,” Lysander said, walking across to the sliding door to step outside onto the back porch. Sawyer lifted his head from the couch and jumped off, following after Lysander, his tail swinging happily behind him.

  “Hey, Lysander,” his father greeted him. “How’s it going?”

  “Pretty good,” Lysander said. “Just getting ready for Christmas. You know how busy that is.”

  “Well, I imagine it can’t be all that busy,” came his mother’s voice. He was apparently on speakerphone. “You aren’t traveling, so what’s there to be all flustered about?”

  Lysander sighed, taking a seat in one of the chairs on the back lawn. He stared up above his head, the stars glimmering far above. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Yeah, I know, Mom. I’m sorry, but I really couldn’t take time off like I would have wanted this soon after starting at this new firm. My partners are great people, but this is a busy time of year for them, too, and since I’m the new guy…” He scratched Sawyer behind the ear as the dog laid his head in Lysander’s lap.

  “You get to take your vacation last,” said his father. He was grateful that at least someone on the other end of the phone could understand him. “That makes sense. You know that we just miss you and the kids, is all.”

  “I know, and we miss you guys, too,” Lysander said. He leaned over, raking his fingers through the grass until he found a tennis ball, damp with dew. He tossed it into the air, and Sawyer took off after it like a bullet.

  “So what are you doing for Christmas, then?” his mother asked. He could still hear the bristly tone behind her words, but his dad was right. She just missed them. He had to remind himself of that.

  “Well,” Lysander began, “there is this really sweet retired couple that lives right next door, and they’ve sort of taken a liking to the kids and me. They’ve invited us over for Christmas Eve.” Sawyer was racing around the yard; Lysander could hear the jingle of his collar and the brush of his paws against the grass. Every once in a while, he’d see Sawyer’s silhouette pass in front of one of the solar lights, eclipsing the glow.

  “Oh, are these the same ones who have been watching the kids for you?” his father asked.

  “Yeah,” Lysander said. “They’ve really been a huge help to me. He is a carpenter, and she used to be a teacher. They are just great with them. And Lily absolutely loves being over there. She gets to bake cookies all the time, and George—”

  “Well, I’m glad these strangers are getting to have the experiences with my grandchildren that I should be having,” his mother snapped.

  “Mom, it’s not a competition,” Lysander told her, his heart hardening a little to her frustration. It was fine that she missed them, but she was crossing a line by being nasty about it. “I needed help taking care of Lily and George, and honestly, I’d rather have a couple who has experience with kids than some teenager who is too busy texting their friends and checking social media to worry about what my children are doing.”

  “I think it’s great that it’s worked out for you like that,” his father said. “I’m glad they have been able to help you as often as they do.”

  “I am, too,” Lysander said. “So they’ve kindly invited us over for dinner on Christmas Eve, because they know we don’t have any family in the area.”

  Sawyer returned and plopped the drool-covered tennis ball on Lysander’s lap. Lysander picked it up with the very tips of his fingers and pitched it into the darkness once more. He heard his mother make a sound of distaste on the other end, and he just ignored it. It wasn’t worth egging her on.

  “So, how is everything else going?” his father asked. “Aside from work and all that? Are you making any friends in the area?”

  Lysander hesitated. Things with Grace were still pretty new, but he hoped that it would be something more permanent. They’d have to find out about her sooner or later, and it was probably better that he told them about her before Lily did. “Well, there is one person. Her name is Grace. She’s actually the daughter of the couple that takes care of the kids.”

  “That’s nice,” his father said. “Does she have any kids of her own?”

  “No,” Lysander replied. “She loves the kids, though. And they just adore her.”

  “Is she married?” his mother asked in a sharp tone.

  “No, she’s not, thankfully.”

  “What do you mean by that?” she snapped.

  “Well…” Lysander took a deep breath. “Because we’ve kind of been seeing each other.”

  Silence greeted him as his words faded into the night. He simply waited, his heart beating hard against his ribs. His father cleared his throat but didn’t say anything. His mother did speak, a few long moments later.

  “You’re dating again?” Her tone was icy, like it used to be when he was a kid and hadn’t finished his chores before she got home from work.

  “Yeah,” Lysander answered as calmly as he could. “But it’s not like I’m just going out with anyone. I hadn’t planned on it. Grace just sort of walked into our lives, and—”
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  “I just… I’m just nervous about you bringing another woman around the kids. What would Tessa think?” his mother said.

  Lysander’s heart clenched at the mention of his late wife. Even now, years later, it still hurt to even hear it. “I know, Mom, but it… it’s been years now, and I need you to stop right there,” Lysander said. “Don’t you dare try to tell me how I feel about all of this. She was my wife, not yours. I had to suffer through losing her all by myself—”

  “Are you saying that we didn’t suffer?” his mother asked. “Are you implying that we were of no help to you—”

  “Stop making this about you!” Lysander yelled. “Of course I knew you were there for me, but nothing anyone did could take away the pain. It happened. I had to live through that nightmare. No one could do it for me.”

  He laid his head back, and soon after, he felt Sawyer put his head on his lap again. He reached out and stroked Sawyer’s silky fur, allowing the familiarity of his presence to calm him.

  “You don’t think I miss Tessa?” Lysander asked into the phone. “I miss her every day of my life.”

  “You must not miss her very much if you are already out on the hunt again for someone else,” his mother muttered. He could hear the strain in her words. She wasn’t far off from tears.

  “Mom, that’s not fair.”

  “You know that he loved her,” his father said, coming to his aid. “If not for the accident, they would have lived a long and happy life together. Do you want him to stay single forever? Doesn’t he deserve to find love again?”

  “What would her family say if they knew that you were dating again?” his mother demanded. There was a catch in her voice, and Lysander knew that she was crying now. “They’d be mortified, that’s what.”

  “Maybe they would be,” Lysander agreed. “But I can’t live my whole life worrying about what other people are going to think of me, Mom. And another thing: I’m still young. I have a lot of life left to live. Do you really want me to grow old all alone?”

  His mother was silent on the other end of the phone.

  “Because that’s the life that you are proposing for me,” he continued. “That I never date, that I never fall in love again. And to be honest, I just can’t bear to think of a life like that. Not just for me, but for the kids, too. It’s terrible that their mother was taken from them when they were so young, but that doesn’t mean they have to grow up without a motherly figure in their lives. I know that no other woman will ever be able to replace Tessa,” Lysander said, cutting off his mother before she could say any more hurtful words. “But the kids should be able to have someone they can love, too. I don’t want to deprive them of that.”