Christmas Blessings: Seven Inspirational Romances of Faith, Hope, and Love

by Leah Atwood

  “Travis has a girlfriend. Travis has a girlfriend,” Dylan Jr. teased.

  Arturo looked at Travis in the rearview mirror. The teenager smiled when he read the text, and Arturo relaxed.

  The kids surprised him by starting to sing to a Christmas song. After a bit, Lana joined in. She sang completely off-key, but he loved it.

  Several cars, decorated with balloons and ribbons, were parked at the Main Square.

  “Could you slow down, please?” Lana’s voice was low.

  He did as she asked.

  A bride and groom got out of the first car that had two large golden rings attached to the hood. They walked to the Vietnam War memorial and put the flowers near the “eternal fire.” The sight tugged at his heartstrings. Seven years ago, Grandpa had organized the fundraising for the memorial because of his older brother, who’d died in the Vietnam War. Many businesses and people in town had helped raise money.

  “What are the bride and groom doing there?” He moved along the street.

  “In Rios Azules, it has become a tradition for a bride to bring flowers to the monument on her wedding day. To pay her respect to fallen heroes. One of the couples started it years ago after seeing that tradition in Russia, and it caught on.” Her voice dipped. “I need to thank your grandfather for organizing the fundraiser for the memorial. He’s an incredible person.”

  “He truly is,” Arturo said. He’d always considered himself a people person, but it had taken meeting Lana to learn to pay more attention to the people who truly mattered to him. Arturo felt closer to his grandpa than he had in years. He’d found his old friend, Dylan, again. He’d even talked about God with Brandon and managed to stop his friend from getting into another fight. He’d called his mom and dad without feeling the usual resentment. Speaking of his parents…

  “I wrote letters to my parents,” Arturo said, slowing down in the neighborhood where Dylan lived. “Several pages. I never sent them. But you were right. Writing the letters helped me forgive my parents. It helped that you explained that depression is a disease. And alcoholism is a disease, too. My mother didn’t abandon me because she didn’t love me but because she was sick. I pray for them now.”

  “I’m so glad for you.” Happiness rang in her voice.

  “Thanks to you, I can see all the blessings the Lord has given me. I decided to pray before every game. In the next interview, I’ll encourage other people to give their lives to the Lord.”

  “Praise God,” she whispered.

  After they dropped off Travis, Dylan Jr., and their puppy, Arturo and Lana stopped at the pet store. They left the store with a leash, a collection of five water bowls, a kennel, a huge bag of dog food, and more plush toys than Arturo had when he was little.

  There was a skip to Lana’s walk when she took Rex to the front door of Grandpa’s house. She laughed at the dog’s antics, and Arturo couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  “You find so much joy in everything,” he said as he opened the door for her.

  “I do now. You should’ve seen me years ago.” She stepped inside and let Rex adjust to the new place and new scents. While shy at first, soon he was eagerly exploring the surroundings. Then they let him out in the yard, where he happily chased a frightened squirrel to a nearby tree.

  According to a handwritten note on the table, Grandpa was on a date with Evelyn. So Arturo put up the kennel while Lana gave Rex food and water. Then Arturo and Lana settled on the couch, Rex on her lap, apparently tired of running around.

  “What do you find joy in?” she said. “Football?”

  “Yes. I’m incredibly blessed to do something I love so much. Football was the center of my life as long as I can remember. In fact, it was my entire life. I gave it my all—dedication, commitment, dreams… Now I want more.” He paused. “I want to find joy in the Lord.”

  Lana’s wonderful, kind smile illuminated her face. “You just need to open your heart to the Lord. You’re doing that already. When you do something for other people, you do it for the Lord. I’ll pray for you. And I’ll pray with you.”

  Something inside his heart shifted. Lana was a real treasure, and he was falling for her.

  But he couldn’t give up football. And she couldn’t give up Rios Azules and its people. He understood why. He’d grown to love the small town again.

  What should he do now?

  Lord, please guide me.

  * * *

  “You look good in a Santa costume,” Lana said as they were returning from the Christmas toy drive.

  “Um, thanks.” He tugged on his white beard.

  “And you were right about autographing footballs and having your team autograph them, too. The kids loved those. The Houston Storm has lots of fans in this town.” She smiled. “You know, the children adored you.”

  “You were a wonderful Santa’s helper. And honestly, I had a great time. You probably would say, ‘It warmed my heart.’” He grinned.

  She laughed. “True.”

  Apparently, Arturo had a way with children. She couldn’t attribute his popularity to him being a famous pro football player when the youngsters had no clue that a sports celebrity was beneath the white wig, beard, bushy eyebrows, and a red coat with a padded belly. The way he’d joked, told stories, and simply talked to people, from a three-year-old to a ninety-year-old… It all seemed natural for him.

  He’d make a great father.

  “Have you ever thought about starting a family?” she blurted out.

  “Not until I met you.” He sent her a tender glance.

  Her heart started beating erratically. To calm herself, she stared out the window. They were passing the Christmas tree on the Main Square.

  “Let’s stop.” She put her hand on his arm.

  “Okay.” He steered the car to the nearest parking spot. At this late hour, the place was deserted.

  She wanted to see the bright lights closer. And… did he remember one of their conversations? The one where she’d mentioned she’d wanted to go to the Christmas dance during her high school years, but nobody had ever invited her? Not that she’d wanted to dance that much, considering she didn’t do it well, but she’d just wanted to be invited, to belong.

  He took off his white beard, red hat, and coat, staying in the suit. Then he walked around the car, opened the door for her, and offered his hand. “May I have this dance?”

  He did remember. Warmth filled her in spite of the cool night air as she climbed out of the car. “There’s no music.”

  “We’ll make our own music.” He smiled at her, making her heart do funny flops again.

  “Well, you’d have to be the one singing. Because I don’t think anybody could survive mine.”

  He sang a tune softly and led her in a simple dance that made her deliciously dizzy. They swayed slowly at first, and then it became faster, matching her rapid heartbeat. She was tense at first and stepped on his feet a couple of times, and then relaxed. His eyes never left hers, and she felt as if he’d just taken her into an incredible world where she was cherished and admired. A world for only the two of them. Then he whirled her, and when her feet touched the ground again, she closed her eyes, wishing for the moment to never end. She felt so light, as if she could dissolve into thin air.

  He lifted her in his arms.

  She wrapped her hands around his neck, laughed, and looked into his eyes. “You make me so happy. You have no idea.”

  He grinned. “You make me incredibly happy, too. I… I’ve fallen in love with you, Lana.”

  What?

  She took in a sharp breath, unable to believe her ears.

  “I love Grandpa’s story how he first met Grandma. But I never knew before how it would feel when somebody took your breath away. I don’t think having the lights knocked out of me after an especially bad hit counts. Now I know. Because you take my breath away. I realize you’re not going to follow me. But maybe we can do it long distance. And then when I retire and come back here… Would there be a chance
for us?”

  Utter happiness filled her. Her heart’s desire was within her reach, and all she had to do was reach out and take it.

  Then reality hit her like a bucket of cold water. She’d been through this before, and all those beautiful words about love had been a lie. Yes, Arturo was nothing like Michael. But just like Michael, Arturo had a dream, and he was dedicating all his time to that dream. She couldn’t interfere with that, even though she wanted so badly to be with Arturo everything inside her screamed at her to answer yes. But she deserved to have her dream, too. A real, full-time family, not occasional visits.

  “I don’t think there’s a chance for us.” Her voice fell flat. “At least, not now.”

  “There’s not?” He sounded shocked as he placed her on the ground.

  It was about time for her to come to her senses.

  Her heart breaking into a million pieces, Lana shook her head. “We follow different stars. Mine led me to Rios Azules. And yours will hopefully lead you to the championship. You’ve known what you wanted since you were a kid. You can’t give up now.”

  “I’m not going to give up my dream. But I can’t give up you, either.” He held her gaze, his eyes intense with determination.

  “Please don’t make it more difficult.” Her voice shook with emotion. “I have strong feelings for you, but… I’ve known what I wanted for a long time, too. A family and children with a man who’s willing to dedicate his life to me as much as I’m willing to dedicate mine to him.”

  “I can be that man,” he said with conviction. “If you give me a chance.”

  It took all her willpower not to throw herself into his arms. Maybe he could be the man she needed. But she wasn’t sure she was the woman he needed. She wouldn’t survive if he walked away from her later. “I want a commitment. I want a marriage based on faith and love. Bottom line, Arturo, we live in parallel universes and we need to return to them now.”

  “I’ll be praying for us. It might take me some time, but I’ll figure out how we can be together.” His words shattered her to the core. “This is not farewell, Lana. I’ll be in Rios Azules as often as I possibly can. If you ever need anything, please let me know. I’ll find a way to help you.”

  “I… have to go.” She forced the words out before she could change her mind.

  They walked to the car quietly. Silence reigned until he dropped her off.

  She entered her rental house, closed the door, and leaned against it, her legs not holding her any longer. She slid to the floor. Tomorrow, he’d be back in Houston, and after some time, he’d forget all about her. It was for the better for both of them. But the fear that she’d just made the biggest mistake of her life chilled her.

  Now, when she’d lost Arturo, she knew with certainty.

  She loved him. Much more than she’d ever loved Michael.

  Lord, please help me.

  * * *

  It was dark when Lana was driving home from Kelly’s place on Wednesday night. Her muscles ached after a long day of work, then cleaning her rental house to make it sparkle for Christmas, and cooking a huge holiday meal with Kelly for Dylan and his boys. Exhaustion settled in her bones. Still, Lana was happy to help the woman who was quickly becoming her friend, and to provide a friendly ear. It was only fair because Kelly had listened for hours about Lana’s breakup with Arturo.

  Apparently, Dylan and Kelly worried about Travis, who seemed to be in a brooding mood lately. He hadn’t helped out with Dylan Jr. as much as he’d used to, and his grades had slipped. Tonight, he was staying overnight with his best friend, Zack, to study, but something about that idea bothered Lana.

  She rubbed the kinks in her neck as she glided down the silent street.

  Spending time with Kelly had also distracted Lana from thinking about the handsome pro athlete, though it wasn’t an easy task. Her heart ached, but she pushed away her painful thoughts. She’d done the right thing. Football was his dream. She wouldn’t stand in the way of that. She knew firsthand how it felt to have one’s dreams broken.

  Christmas lights illuminated the dark sky. Christmas was so close…

  She would be joyful this Christmas.

  Even if she had to spend it without Arturo.

  She slowed down as she turned the corner. She received many Christmas cards yesterday, more than she’d expected. The inscription on one of the cards lingered in her mind.

  Happy Holidays, Lana. Love, Michael.

  She’d recognized his handwriting. The words had been written by Michael instead of been stamped by his PR firm. The personal touch meant so much more than expensive gifts. Maybe he’d loved her in his own way, though he’d had a poor way of showing it.

  “Happy Holidays, Michael. Farewell,” she whispered.

  As she passed the church, a wish to pray pulled her back. She made a U-turn when it wasn’t forbidden to do so. Soon she parked under a large oak and turned off the engine. Even though the church was locked for the night, just being close to the cross and the steeple soothed her.

  She closed her eyes and prayed for Arturo, Grandfather De La Vega, Mari, Kelly, Dylan, Dylan Jr., Travis, Evelyn, Lady Grace, and after a small hesitation, for Michael.

  As a feeling of calmness took over her, Lana opened her eyes. She spotted a ladder leading to the roof of the church.

  A foreboding feeling swept over her. Had the roof been leaking so someone had been hired to repair it during the day? But they surely wouldn’t have left their ladder.

  A small figure moved at the top of the roof. Her heart jumped into her throat. With trembling fingers, she fished out her phone from her purse and punched in 9-1-1.

  “What’s your emergency?” a tired voice asked.

  “I don’t know what’s going on, but someone is on the church rooftop. I just… have a bad feeling about this.” She rattled off the address.

  “We’ll send somebody to check it out.” The dispatcher disconnected.

  The figure teetered close to the edge. Lana gasped. Something about the figure looked familiar. She squinted, trying to see better in the dim light of the streetlights.

  The person could probably see her vehicle in an otherwise empty parking lot, even behind a large tree. But she’d have to risk it. She set her phone to silence.

  Carefully, she slipped out of the car and closed the door as quietly as she could. Not bothering to lock it, she dashed to the ladder. Never in her life had she run so fast.

  She caught her breath only when she reached the ladder and plastered herself to the wall. From a close distance, she could see who the dark figure was.

  Travis.

  What was he doing on the church rooftop in the middle of the night? He wasn’t trying to commit suicide, was he?

  She stuffed her fist into her mouth to suppress a scream.

  What should she do? Wait for the police to arrive? Probably the wisest decision, considering she’d always been afraid of heights. It wouldn’t be a good idea to climb to the roof, especially with her propensity to fall.

  But what if it would be too late when the police arrived? And it wasn’t like they had a negotiation unit in Rios Azules.

  Shaking inside, she climbed the first step on the ladder and then another one. She just needed to make sure she didn’t look down.

  Lord, please save Travis.

  Should she warn Dylan and Kelly? Maybe they should be the ones to get through to him. Or would she only scare them to death?

  Still in doubt, she sent a quick text to Kelly. Then Lana continued climbing the ladder. In spite of the cool night, her hands were clammy with sweat and slipped several times. Her heart thudded in her ears. Finally, she reached the edge of the roof and took a breath.

  “Stay where you are! Or I’ll jump.” Travis’s voice trembled.

  So much for getting there unnoticed.

  “Go ahead,” she said in the calmest voice she could muster. It was a risky move, very risky, and she regretted the words as soon as she spoke them.

  Tra
vis kept silent.

  She held her breath.

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Say what?” The teenager sounded surprised.

  “You heard me. But then I’ll have to jump right after you. Or your dad would kill me anyway,” Lana said.

  “He’s not my dad! I’m just a foster kid.” He stepped closer to the edge.

  Lana’s heart dropped.

  Dear Lord, please help me find the right words.

  “Dylan loves you like a son. You know he’s working on adopting you,” she said.

  The teenager’s shoulders slumped. “No, he’s not. I heard he’s looking to adopt a much younger boy, about Dylan Jr.’s age. He won’t need me anymore.”

  A familiar pain sliced through her. She’d been in a similar situation, thinking the Smiths were going to adopt her, only to have her dream crushed later. Lana gave herself a mental shake. This situation was different. “Who told you that nonsense?”

  “My friend, Zack.”

  Carefully, Lana took the first step on the roof. Her heart was beating in her throat. Then she took another step. And another one. Her ears were ringing. But she couldn’t let herself be terrified. “How does Zack know that? I’m sure it’s not true. My friend Kelly told me today that her brother had been working hard on gathering the necessary paperwork to adopt you. Why would they give up a free babysitter for Dylan Jr.?”

  Her lame attempt at a joke earned her a sideways glance from Travis.

  “You’re not just a foster kid. I’m a foster kid, too, but I’m much more than that.” Her mind whirled. This probably had been the reason for him being in a bad mood the last several days. But why had he snapped tonight?

  “You’re a foster kid, too?” Travis interrupted her thoughts.

  “Yep.” She took another step closer to him, fighting nausea. She’d never been so scared in her life. She wished Arturo were here with her, his strong hands, his quiet support. From Grandfather De La Vega, she knew his grandson had flown into town this evening. Even after she’d broken up with him, Arturo had promised to help her if she reached out to him…