Texas Christmas

by Holly Castillo

  He had only continued smiling at her. After reassuring Olivia that all was fine with the baby, they had washed up and left the room to begin making the luminaries. Now that the house was silent, they were able to talk.

  “The babe still hasn’t turned,” Luke said, momentarily pausing from the work he was doing to look at Gabby, a frown on his face.

  Gabby hesitated as she was cutting, then resumed, trying not to let his comment upset her. “I know. And her body is already preparing for the birth of the child. It could be here before Christmas if she doesn’t do as we’ve been telling her.”

  “You think she’s been getting up and doing things without us knowing?”

  “It wouldn’t surprise me. I was gone all day with you yesterday—she could have been up and about without us to put her back to bed.” Gabby was having a hard time focusing on her cutting.

  “Don’t you think Cade would have stopped her? He is just as worried as we are.”

  “You don’t know the Torres family very well. We tend to be a very stubborn bunch and we don’t take orders easily.”

  “I would have never guessed,” he said sarcastically.

  Gabby looked up from her work at him and crossed her eyes. “You needn’t be rude.”

  He chuckled as he finished folding another luminary. “Such a lovely face. You should do that more often.”

  “I have been told how beguiling I can be,” she said with a smile, turning back to her work. “Though that is usually only when I have a bag over my head.”

  Luke shook his head. “Whatever made you think you aren’t beautiful? Or who made you think that? I’ll go and challenge him to a duel immediately.”

  “A duel? Do you still do such barbaric things in London?”

  “A duel is far from barbaric. It is two gentlemen squaring off for the honor of a woman, or their family.”

  It was Gabby’s turn to chuckle. “I had no idea that such a thing was taken so seriously still. I’ve read about it in some of my books, but I had no idea... See, Doc, I’m learning more from you than I thought I would.”

  “And you, Vixen, have taught me how to make luminaries! Though I still don’t quite understand their purpose.”

  “We’re almost done with them, and then I’ll show you,” she said, a teasing smile on her lips. But it faded slowly and she returned her attention to cutting out the paper. She shouldn’t let him in. She shouldn’t let him get so close to her that he made her heart race with excitement and made butterflies dance in her stomach.

  All day she had been deprived of his presence. He had been busy with the men preparing all of the meat they would need over the next several days as the festivities really took off in grand fashion.

  Now that he was back at her side, all she could think about were the wonderful few moments when she had been in his arms. But she couldn’t think about those things. She just couldn’t. She would never be able to enjoy his embrace the way she wanted. Instead, she had to fight her true feelings and face the fate that was already determined for her.

  She had waited so long, though. A woman could be married as early as sixteen. Why hadn’t he come for her, yet? Did he find her repulsive? Had he seen her in town and realized he could never be married to someone like her? The only thing she could think was that it was her appearance. She had never thought of herself as classically beautiful. But she had hoped she would be attractive enough that he would come for her. Now, she was nearly twenty years old and he had yet to come.

  “Are snowflakes truly that taxing? I’d say you’re going to scare off the paper before you’re finished cutting it.”

  His voice broke into her melancholy and she focused on Luke, forcing a smile to her lips. “We’re almost done. And then I’ll show you what all of this work has been for.”

  He raised an eyebrow at her, clearly expecting an explanation from her about her change in mood, but he didn’t press her for it. In silence they both finished their tasks, and they finally had all of the luminaries made.

  Gabby was almost giddy with excitement. “We’ll put them all out tomorrow, but I’ll show you one tonight so you can see why it is so special.”

  She grabbed one of the luminaries, a candle, and a tin box of matches. She was in such a hurry that she grabbed Luke’s hand and forgot to grab her cloak. She hurried down the stairs and pulled Luke along behind her. A few feet away from the foot of the stairs, she set one of his carefully crafted bags on the ground, placed the candle in it, then carefully lit it.

  As the light came to life, the image of the snowflake was projected onto the ground, bouncing with each flicker. She turned to look at Luke, knowing that her face was shining just as brightly, if not more so, than the candle she had lit.

  He smiled as he stared at the dancing snowflake, and then looked at her. His smile broadened and he reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Beautiful,” he said softly, and it was obvious he was talking about more than just the luminary.

  Gabby could feel the heat of a blush rushing to her cheeks. “Thank you for helping me with all of this. Are you enjoying it? Are you enjoying Christmas?”

  He chuckled softly. “With you around, it is hard not to.”

  Suddenly singing greeted their ears, and Gabby once again grabbed Luke’s hand and they stepped out into the street. Several houses down a large group of town members stood outside someone’s home, singing sweetly to the residents within.

  “What is happening?” Luke asked in wonderment. “Why are they singing outside that home?”

  “Tonight is the first night of Las Posadas. It is a reenactment of when Joseph and Mary were seeking shelter to give birth to the baby Jesus. The townspeople go to one house and seek shelter. The owner of the home will turn them away, but they will persist through song and prayer. Finally, the owner of the home opens his door and there is a large celebration, or fandango.”

  “To the entire town?”

  Gabby looked back at him and laughed. “Why do you think we are preparing so much food and beverages and decorations?”

  “The people of the town are going to come to your house? Tonight?”

  He almost looked like he was going to be ill and she chuckled, though her teeth were beginning to chatter from the cold. “No, silly. They go to a different home every night. We are hosting on December twenty-first. We still have a few more days to finish all of the preparations.”

  “What more preparations could you possibly make? You’ve done everything but put up a Christmas tree.”

  Gabby tilted her head sideways and studied his face curiously. “A Christmas tree? What is such a thing?”

  “You’ve never seen a Christmas tree? How—I mean, surely you’ve seen them, right? With all of the decorations on them and the candles to light them?”

  “I’ve never even heard of such a thing. Decorating a tree? What if you don’t have any trees in your yard?”

  He chuckled at her and again reached out to touch her hair. “You find a tree you like and you bring it into your home. When I was in London, I would walk through the neighborhoods of some of the most affluent people and stare into their windows at their trees. They were decorated with ribbons and bows, special garland made out of cranberries and even popcorn, and they were all so stunning.”

  Gabby filed away in her mind what he had just said. I would walk through the neighborhoods... Why didn’t he get to see a Christmas tree in his own house? But she knew he would withdraw from her if she tried to ask. So she focused on the other part that was confusing her. “What would they do with these trees? I don’t think I quite understand.”

  “The Christmas celebration was held around the tree. They would open their presents and sing carols around the tree. It all depends on the family.”

  Gabby wrapped her arms around herself to try to control her shivers. “I’ve never heard of those customs. It sounds amazing, though.”

  He smiled down at her and caught her arms, gently turning her around to look bac
k at the posada that was finally at the point where the townspeople were being invited into the home. Standing behind her, he wrapped his arms around her offering his own body heat to warm her.

  “It’s a beautiful thing to watch,” he said softly, resting his chin on the top of her head, his arms hugging her tightly.

  Gabby swallowed, trying to collect her thoughts. “You’re beginning to experience a true Texas Christmas,” she said, thrilling at the feel of his arms around her. She knew she should break the embrace and walk away. But she couldn’t, not when his arms felt so good. She didn’t know if she had the willpower to move.

  “Let’s get you inside before you shiver to death,” he said, the sound of his voice rumbling against her back.

  She smiled and pivoted in his arms, facing him with joy in her heart. “Let’s go inside,” she agreed with him, and she led the way, pulling him along behind her as she had done earlier.

  Once inside, Gabby quickly cleaned the area where they had been working and slowly turned to face him. “Well, I suppose this is where we say good night,” she said, praying that the longing in her heart didn’t come through in her voice. She didn’t want to say good night. She wanted to fall asleep with him on the couch once more. She almost wanted to stand outside again, within the circle of his arms and feeling the warmth of his embrace.

  “Today was...it was an incredible experience with you, Gabby. Thank you for sharing everything you love.”

  Gabby managed to force a smile to her face. “Thank you for letting me. I’m sure my eagerness and excitement can be a bit much to tolerate.”

  “There’s a name for that, you know,” he said, and his disarming grin had her falling into his eyes.

  “What?” she whispered, not wanting their hushed conversation to end.

  “Passion, Vixen. It’s called passion. And something tells me you have an abundance of it.”

  Chapter Eight

  Morning dawned with fresh frost covering the ground, and many eager customers looking for something to warm them from the inside out. Gabby had lost count of the number of bowls of menudo she had brought out to the guests, and they had already gone through three coffee pots.

  But even with all of the work, she couldn’t contain her joy. Luke had asked her to go back with him to his clinic, to help him continue the repairs and restoration. She had done everything possible not to seem overly excited, but she knew by the look on his face, she hadn’t been very successful.

  Finally, morning service was complete, and Gabby couldn’t get out of her apron fast enough. She tried to dress as meticulously as she could, carefully pulling tendrils of hair loose from her bun on top of her head so that they would frame her face perfectly. Then she donned her cloak, hat, and gloves, even though she knew she would still be chilled to the bone.

  They walked the distance to the clinic again and she didn’t think twice about linking her arm with his. In fact, she had been looking forward to it, and her heart skipped a beat as his arm moved lower around her waist to guide her across the street to the clinic.

  The door creaked open as they stepped inside and they saw that their work from the previous day was largely untouched. One of the blankets covering the broken windows had come loose and cold air was billowing in. Together they worked to tack it back down, then turned to their meager pile of kindling and wood for a fire. It finally caught alight and they turned back to face the room.

  “It’s a good thing Abuelo didn’t kill you the other day,” Gabby said, casting him a smile from the corner. “Otherwise, who else would clean up this mess?” She kneeled down and began to pick up books that had fallen from an ornately carved bookshelf embedded in the wall. Whoever had built the clinic, had certainly never anticipated it disintegrating into this condition.

  She carefully put back each book, dusting the shelf until it had back some of its original luster, then she went in search of a broom while Luke occupied himself with the equipment, hauling most of the rusted and broken items out into the back of the clinic. Included was an entire medical set of tools, a set that would cost a mint were it still in good condition.

  Even the bed in the room was destroyed. The frame was so rusted it appeared it could collapse at any moment, and the mattress filling had obviously been, or still was, housing some critters. The stench was almost overbearing, but they managed to get the entire contraption out the back door.

  When they turned back, the room was practically empty. Only the bookcase and a weathered wood desk remained, but Gabby was certain they would be able to restore it easily enough. The floors were swept clean, but not polished, and dust clung to everything around them.

  “How long has it been since there was a doctor here?” he asked as he stared around the room.

  “I don’t think they’ve had a regular one since before the Revolution. So nearly four years. And each year the doctor who would attempt to hang his shingle here soon left. Texas is usually just a bit too harsh for you city folk.” She winked at him, delighted to see that he looked flustered by her action.

  She looked around the room, mentally taking inventory. “Okay, then, are you ready to go?”

  His head jerked up from where he had been examining the interior of the desk and a plume of dust fluttered up at his movement. His face was so perplexed it was comical. “I’m sorry, ‘ready to go?’ Exactly where are we going and how would I even know if I am ready?”

  Gabby laughed, wrapping her arms around her waist, trying to control the laughter. “Are all people from London this—how would you say it—daft?”

  Luke frowned at her. “I don’t quite see how this is funny.”

  Gabby straightened up, barely containing her laughter, and tried to put on a serious face. “Join me, Doctor Davenport. I have mischief up my sleeve and need accompaniment.”

  An eyebrow shot up as he looked at her, but he walked to her and formally offered her his arm. She took it with a bright smile on her face and he escorted her out of the clinic. Instantly they were hit with a cold blast of air and they both cringed.

  “Are you certain this mischief that is irritatingly persistent must be addressed now?” Luke asked.

  Gabby laughed again, and her laugh was caught on the wind and carried down the street. “Do you see how your accent and your speech become much more English when you are frustrated? It’s your tell.”

  “My what?”

  “Haven’t you ever played poker before?”

  Both of his eyebrows shot up. “I may have indulged a time or two, but it is certainly not a sport becoming of a woman.”

  “Oh, that’s hogwash. A woman should be allowed to do anything a man does, that’s my belief. A ‘tell’ is a sign of when you are exhibiting an emotion that could give you away in the game. So, if I was playing against you and your English became more pronounced, I would know you were agitated or stressed. That would make me want to bid against you.”

  “Honestly, you shock me every day that I am with you, Vixen. I can’t tell when you are being serious with me or when you are merely playing a prank on me.”

  “Oh, I rarely tell fibs or play pranks. The truth is always far more fun.”

  He shook his head and allowed her to lead him to the General Store. It was a relief once they stepped inside, for they had a decent fire burning in the hearth and all of the windows were shut completely. The shutters were open only to allow the sunlight in, and even then, with the dark clouds overhead, they had set up lanterns at various spots throughout the small store.

  “Good day, sir, madam,” said the man behind the counter, nodding at them. He was of average height and appeared to only be in his forties at the most, but he was mostly bald.

  “Hello, Mr. Kerrigan!” Gabby said enthusiastically, dragging Luke with her to meet the owner.

  “By golly, is it really you, Miss Gabby? I haven’t seen you in so long!” He stepped out from behind his counter and moved to embrace her, but then stopped when he saw Luke. “And you’ve finally gotten marrie
d! Ma, come out here. Miss Gabby is here with her new husband!”

  “No, no,” Gabby tried to quickly correct him, but Ma came out, wiping her hands on the apron that covered her gingham dress. She was thin, same as Mr. Kerrigan, and had a fierce look about her, but she smiled brightly when she saw Gabby.

  “Oh, our sweet Gabby is finally married! We never thought the day would come.”

  She stepped forward and embraced Gabby, then stepped back, looking Luke up and down. “I must say, you’ve done a good job in picking one. He appears to be sturdy enough. So, young man, where do you come from, and how did you catch our lovely Gabriella?”

  “Mrs. Kerrigan, he isn’t my husband.”

  Both Mrs. Kerrigan and her husband looked startled, then disappointed. “Oh. Dear child, you’re getting older. When are you going to settle down and find a husband? Even your dear mother, God rest her soul, was able to slow down long enough to be caught by your sweet father, God rest his soul.”

  Luke extended his hand to her. “We haven’t met yet,” he said lightly. “I’m Doctor Luke Davenport. I just arrived several days ago to become the new town doctor.”

  “Oh! Doctor Davenport.” She gave Gabby a sideways glance. “Are you married, Doctor Davenport?”

  “No, madam, I am not. Though I have no doubt the right woman will come into my life soon enough.” He extended his hand to Mr. Kerrigan and shook it as well.

  “Ah-ha,” said Mr. Kerrigan. “How are you liking San Antonio so far?”

  Luke glanced down at Gabby and she prayed he couldn’t see that she was on the verge of tears. She hated being reminded of her age and the fact she needed to find a man and settle down. If only they knew the truth of things—if only they knew her fate had been decided for her long before she ever knew, and that her betrothed had never come to claim her. Then they might have some sympathy for her.

  “I love it,” Luke said, his voice earnest. “We’re working on getting my clinic ready to receive patients. Unfortunately, a storm did some heavy damage to the building, and there are many repairs to be made before we can move forward.”