“Mom, you’re going with Laurie Jo to Mexico and that’s the end of it.”
“Yes, I know, but—”
“No buts, you’re going. It’s exactly what you need.”
“But your father hasn’t even been gone two months.”
Jane shook her head sternly. “Staying around here moping is the last thing Dad would want you to do.”
Her mother nodded. “You’re right…but I’m worried about you and the children.”
“Mom, you don’t have to be. I know what I want.”
“But you can’t go flying off without knowing if Cal will be there when you arrive!”
“I’ll give Glen and Ellie a call. They’ll make sure Cal gets the message and that someone’s at the airport to get us.” Jane sincerely hoped it would be Cal waiting when she stepped out of the jetway. This time she was sure their reunion would be everything their previous one wasn’t.
Her mother frowned and glanced at her watch. “You don’t have much time. I really wish you weren’t in such a rush.”
“Mother, I’ve been here nearly two months. One would think you’d be glad to get rid of me.” This wasn’t the most sensitive of comments, Jane realized when her mother’s eyes filled with tears and she turned away, not wanting Jane to see.
“I shouldn’t have depended on you and the children so much,” Stephanie confessed. “I’m sorry, Jane.”
“Mom, we’ve already been through this.” She closed the largest of the suitcases, then hugged her mother again. “I’ll call Ellie right now and that should settle everything. She’ll make sure Cal knows which flight I’m on, or die trying.”
She wished her husband would phone. Jane desperately wanted to speak to him, and every effort in the past three hours had met with failure. Funny, after all these weeks of no communication, she felt she’d burst if she didn’t speak with him soon.
“Mommy, Mommy!” Paul raced into the bedroom and stuffed his blankey in the open suitcase. Then, looking very proud of himself, he smiled up at his mother. “We going home?”
“Home,” she echoed, and knelt to hug her son. Her heart was full of such joy and anticipation it was all she could do to hold it inside.
Luckily, reaching Ellie wasn’t difficult. Her sister-in-law was at the feed store and picked up on the second ring. “Frasier Feed,” Ellie said in her no-nonsense businesswoman’s tone of voice.
“Ellie, it’s Jane.”
“Jane!” Her sister-in-law nearly exploded with joy.
“I’m coming home.”
“Hot damn, it’s about time!”
“Listen,” Jane said, “I haven’t been able to get hold of Cal. He left a message that he’s flying to California, but he didn’t say when. Just that he’s coming today.”
“Cal phoned you?”
“I wasn’t here. This is so crazy and wonderful. Ellie, I was sitting in the attorney’s office and all of a sudden I knew there was no way I could go through with this. I belong with Cal in Promise.”
“Whatever you need, I’ll find a way to do it,” Ellie promised. “You have no idea how much we’ve all missed you. None of us had any idea what to think when we didn’t hear from you.”
“I know. I’m so sorry. It’s just that…” Jane wasn’t sure how to explain why she hadn’t called anyone in Promise for all those weeks. Well, she’d tried to reach Dovie, but—
“Don’t apologize. I remember what it was like after my father died. One night I sat and watched old videos I knew he loved and I just wept. Even now I can’t watch a John Wayne movie and not think of my dad.”
“You’ll make sure Cal doesn’t leave Promise?” That was Jane’s biggest concern. She hated the thought of arriving home and learning he was on his way to California. If that did happen, he’d find an empty house, because her mother was leaving, too.
“You can count on it.”
“And here, write down my flight information and give it to Cal—if you catch him in time.”
“I’ll find him for you, don’t you worry.”
Jane knew her sister-in-law would come through.
Cal spent the morning completing what chores he could, getting ready to leave. Glen was attending a cattlemen’s conference in Dallas and would be home that evening, but by then Cal would be gone.
Now that his decision was made, he wondered what had taken him so long to own up to the truth. His love for Jane and their children mattered more than anything else—more than pride and more than righteousness. His friends and family had tried to show him that, but Cal hadn’t truly grasped it until he learned how close he was to losing everything that gave his life meaning.
His father had urged him to listen to reason with that conversation during Thanksgiving dinner, and Phil’s advice hadn’t come cheap. Not when Cal was paying the bill at the Rocky Creek Inn.
Glen had put in his two cents’ worth, too, and his comments had created a strain in their relationship. Cal couldn’t listen to his younger brother, couldn’t accept his judgment or his advice—although he wished he was more like Glen, easygoing and quick to forgive.
Even Wade McMillen had felt obliged to confront Cal. Every single thing his friends and family said had eventually hit home, but the full impact hadn’t been made until the night Cal had gone to Billy D’s.
Only when Nicole Nelson had approached his table had he seen the situation clearly. He’d been such a fool, and he’d nearly fallen in with her schemes. His wife was right: Nicole did want him. Damned if he knew why. It still bothered him that Jane hadn’t trusted him, that she’d even suspect him of wanting another woman. He hadn’t even been tempted by Nicole, he could say that in all honesty, but he’d allowed her to flatter him.
Cal had made his share of mistakes and was more than willing to admit it. He regretted the things he’d said and done at a time when Jane had been weakest and most vulnerable. Thinking over the past few months, Cal viewed them as wasted. He wanted to kick himself for waiting so long to go after his family.
As he headed toward the house, he saw Grady’s truck come barreling down the driveway. His neighbor eased to a stop near Cal, rolled down his window and shouted, “Call Ellie!”
“Ellie? What about?”
“Hell if I know. Caroline called from town with the message.”
“All right,” he said, hurrying into the house.
Grady left, shouting “Merry Christmas” as his truck rumbled back down the drive.
When Cal reached his front door, he saw a large piece of paper taped there. “CALL ELLIE IMMEDIATELY,” it read. “Good Luck, Nell and Travis.”
What the hell? Cal walked into the house and immediately grabbed the phone. He noticed the blinking message light, but not wanting to be distracted, he ignored it.
“Is that you, Cal?” Ellie asked, answering the phone herself.
“Who else are you expecting?”
“No one.”
She sounded mighty cheerful.
“You doing anything just now?” his sister-in-law asked.
“Yeah, as a matter of act, I am. I’ve got a plane to catch. It seems I have some unfinished business in California.”
He’d thought Ellie would shriek with delight or otherwise convey her approval, since she’d made her opinion of his actions quite clear.
But all she said was, “You’re going after Jane?”
He’d be on his way this very minute if he wasn’t being detained. He said as much, although he tried to be polite about it. “What’s all the urgency? Why is it so important that I call you?”
“Don’t go!”
“What?” For a moment Cal was certain he’d misunderstood.
“You heard me. Don’t go,” Ellie repeated, “because Jane and the kids are on their way home.”
“If this is a joke, Ellie, I swear to you—”
She laughed and didn’t allow him to finish. “When was the last time you listened to your answering machine?”
The flashing light condemned him for a fo
ol. He should have realized Jane would try to reach him. In his eagerness he’d overlooked the obvious.
“What flight? When does she land?” He’d be there to meet her and the children with flowers and chocolates and whatever else Dovie could recommend. Ah yes, Dovie. Someone else who’d been on his case. He smiled, remembering her less-than-subtle approach.
Ellie rattled off the flight number and the approximate time Jane and the children would land, and Cal scribbled down the information. “How was she able to get a flight so quickly?” With holiday travel, most flights were booked solid.
“I don’t know. You’ll need to ask Jane.”
Cal didn’t care what she’d had to pay; he wanted her home. And now that the time was so close, he could barely contain himself.
As soon as he finished with Ellie, Cal played back the messages on his answering machine. When he heard Jane’s voice, his heart swelled with love. She’d gotten his message and he could hear her relief, her joy and her love—the same emotions he was experiencing.
With his steps ten times lighter than they’d been a mere twenty-four hours ago, Cal got into the car and drove to town. Before he left, though, he carefully surveyed the house, making sure everything was perfect for Jane and the children. The Christmas tree looked lovely, and he’d even managed to buy and wrap a few gifts to put underneath. Not a single dirty dish could be seen. The laundry was done, and the sheets on the bed were fresh. This was about as good as it got.
Cal dropped in at Dovie’s, then—because he couldn’t resist—he walked over to Tumbleweed Books. Sure enough, Nicole was behind the counter. Her face brightened when he entered the store.
“Cal, hello,” she said with an eagerness she didn’t bother to disguise.
“Merry Christmas.”
“You, too.” People were busy wandering the aisles, but Nicole headed directly toward him. “It’s wonderful to see you.”
He forced a smile. “About our conversation the other night…”
Nicole placed her hand on his arm. “I was more blunt than I intended, but that’s only because I know what it’s like to be lonely, especially at Christmastime.”
“I’m here to thank you,” Cal said, enjoying this.
Nicole flashed her baby blues at him with such adoration it was hard to maintain a straight face.
“You’re right, I have been terribly lonely.”
“Not anymore, Cal, I’m here for you.”
“Actually,” he said, removing her fingers from his forearm, “it was after our conversation that I realized how much I miss my wife.”
“Your wife?” Nicole’s face fell.
“I phoned her and we’ve reconciled. You helped open my eyes to what’s important.”
Nicole’s mouth sagged open. “I…I wish you and Jane the very best,” she said, struggling to hide her disappointment. “I should have known you’d go back to her.” She shrugged. “Most men do. It could have been good with us, Cal.”
Her audacity came as a shock. She’d actually believed he’d give up his wife and family for her. If he hadn’t already figured out exactly the kind of woman she was and what she’d set out to do, he would have known in that instant. He should have listened to Jane—and just about everyone else.
“Stay out of my life, Nicole. Don’t just happen to run into me again. Don’t seek me out. Ever.”
“You’ve completely misread the situation.”
“That’s what you said before.” Cal shook his head. “But I don’t think so.”
“I’m sorry you feel this way.”
During the course of his life, Cal had taken a lot of flack for being too direct and confrontational. Today he felt downright pleased at having imparted a few unadorned facts to a woman who badly needed to hear them. He walked out of the bookstore, and with a determination that couldn’t be shaken, marched toward his parked car. He was going to collect his wife and children.
Jane’s flight landed in San Antonio after midnight. Both children were asleep, and she didn’t know if anyone would be at the gate to meet her. During the long hours on the plane, she’d fantasized about the reunion with her husband, but she’d begun to feel afraid that she’d been too optimistic.
All the passengers had disembarked by the time she gathered everything from the overhead bins and awakened Paul. The three-year-old rubbed his eyes, and Jane suspected he was still too dazed to understand that they were nearly home. Dragging his small backpack behind him, he started down the aisle. Mary Ann was asleep against her shoulder.
Jane’s fear—that Cal might not be there—was realized when she came out of the jetway to find the area deserted. Her disappointment was so keen she stopped, clutching her son’s hand while she tried to figure out what to do next.
“Jane…Jane!” Cal’s voice caught her and she whirled around.
He stood at the information counter, wearing the biggest smile she’d ever seen. “I didn’t know what to think when you didn’t get off the plane with everyone else. I thought you—”
“This is your family?” the woman at the counter interrupted.
“Yes,” he said happily.
Paul seemed to come fully awake then, and let out a yell loud enough to break the sound barrier. Dropping his backpack, the boy raced around the seating and hurled himself into Cal’s waiting arms.
Cal wrapped his son in his embrace. Jane watched as his eyes drifted shut and he savored this hug from his son. Then Paul began to chatter until his words became indistinguishable.
“Just a minute, Paul,” Cal said as he walked toward Jane.
With their children between them—Paul on his hip, Mary Ann asleep on her shoulder—Cal threw one arm around Jane and kissed her. It was the kind of deep open kiss the movies would once have banned. A kiss that illustrated everything his earlier phone message had already explained. A real kiss, intense and passionate and knee-shaking.
The tears of disappointment, which had been so near to the surface moments earlier, began to flow down her cheeks. But now they were tears of joy. She found she wasn’t the least bit troubled about such an emotional display in the middle of a busy airport with strangers looking on.
“It’s all right, honey,” Cal whispered. He kissed her again, and she thought she saw tears in his eyes, too.
“I love you so much,” she wept.
“Oh, honey, I love you, too. I’m sorry, so sorry.”
“Me, too—I made so many mistakes.”
“I’ve learned my lesson,” he said solemnly.
“So have I. You’re my home, where I live and breathe. Nothing is right without you.”
“Oh, Jane,” he whispered, and leaned his forehead against hers. “Let’s go home.”
They talked well into the night, almost nonstop, discussing one subject after another. Cal held her and begged her forgiveness while she sobbed in his arms. They talked about their mistakes and what they’d learned, and vowed never again to allow anyone—man, woman, child or beast—to come between them.
Afterward, exhausted though she was from the flight and the strain of the past months, Jane was too keyed up to sleep. Too happy and excited. Even after they’d answered all the questions, resolved their doubts and their differences, Jane had something else on her mind. When her husband reached for her, she went into his arms eagerly. Their kisses grew urgent, their need for each other explosive.
“Cal, Cal,” she whispered, reluctantly breaking off the kiss.
“Yes?” He kissed her shoulder and her ear.
“I think you should know I stopped taking my birth-control pills.”
Cal froze. “You what?”
She sighed and added, “I really couldn’t see the point.”
It was then that her husband chuckled. “In other words, there’s a chance I might get you pregnant again?”
She kissed his stubborn wonderful jaw. “There’s always a chance.”
“How would you feel about having a third child?”
The way she felt just
then, she’d be willing to give birth to triplets if it meant she could make love with her husband. “I think three children is a good number, don’t you?”
“Oh, yes—and if it’s a boy we’ll name him after your father.”
“Harry Patterson?” she asked, already picturing in her mind a little boy so like his father and older brother. “Dad would be pleased.”
Two nights later, on Christmas Eve, Cal, Jane and the children drove into town to attend church services. Their appearance generated a good deal of interest from the community, Jane noted. Every head seemed to turn when they strolled into the church, and plenty of smiles were sent in their direction. People slipped out of their seats to hug Jane and slap Cal on the back or shake his hand.
When Wade stepped up to the pulpit, he glanced straight at Cal, grinned knowingly and acknowledged him with a brief nod. Jane saw Cal return the gesture and nearly laughed out loud when Wade gave Cal a discreet thumbs-up.
“You talked to Wade?” she asked, whispering in his ear.
Her husband squeezed her hand and nodded.
“What did he say?”
“I’ll tell you later.”
“Tell me now,” Jane insisted.
Cal sighed. “Let’s just say the good pastor’s words hit their mark.”
“Oh?” She arched her brows and couldn’t keep from smiling. Being here with her husband on Christmas Eve, sharing the music, the joy and love and celebration with her community, nearly overwhelmed her.
Not long after Jane and Cal had settled into the pew, Glen, Ellie and their two youngsters arrived, followed by her father-in-law. Phil’s eyes met Jane’s and he winked. Jane pressed her head to her husband’s shoulder.
Cal slid his arm around her shoulders and reached for a hymnal, and they each held one side of the book. Organ music swirled around them, and together they raised their voices in song. “O, Come All Ye Faithful.” “Silent Night.” “Angels We Have Heard on High.” Songs celebrating a birth more than two thousand years ago. Songs celebrating a rebirth, a reunion, a renewal of their own love.
The service ended with a blast of exultation from the trumpet players, followed by the “Hallelujah” chorus from the choir. More than once during the service, Jane felt Cal’s gaze on her. She smiled up at him, and as they gathered their children and started out of the church, she was sure she could feel her father’s presence, as well.
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