A Home for Christmas

by Vaughn, Ann

  Also to Jenna's surprise, Wade met Mandy three years after she and Riley married and had been with her ever since. Mandy wasn't able to have children of her own so when she and Wade married, she not only threw herself into being a good step-mother to Cam, but completely doted on Jenna and Riley's children as well.

  Riley came into the suite and immediately lifted Sydney into his arms. She was a one hundred percent Daddy's Girl and Jenna loved it. She'd known from the way that Riley was with Cam that he would be a good father and she'd been right; he was amazing with their kids.

  "Cam is stoked," he told Jenna after letting Sydney go sit with her brothers.

  "He's about to seal up his third championship in a row, if all goes well," she said, leaning into her husband's side. "I imagine he is flying high. How was Wade?"

  "Seemed all right," Riley answered.

  "He's happy for Cam, but he's feeling the bitter sweetness of this being his last race," Mandy answered.

  Wade was retiring from full-time competition after this race. At thirty-nine, he wasn't able to come back from minor aches and pains as fast as the younger guys and after missing most of the season with back issues, he finally decided it was time to stop.

  At the end of the race, Cam was awarded with his Championship trophy which he shared with his dad. It was, as Mandy had said, a bittersweet moment. The whole family joined Cam on the track for championship photos. Physically, Cam and Wade were the exact same size. They had the same coloring, the same build. They even sounded alike when they talked. Wade still wore his hair a bit long and on the shaggy side. Cam, on the other hand, still, ten years later, wore his dark hair short and neat and military-style, just like his step-dad. It was a matter that Jenna took great pride in. Cam was unique in the Motocross world, where most of the riders wore their hair similar to Wade's. Cam remained clean-cut and clean-shaven and ever mindful of his role as a role model, not only to his little brothers, but to little kids everywhere.

  One month later...

  "Why are we going out this morning?" Jenna groaned when Riley dragged her out of bed at the crack of dawn.

  "I need to grab a couple things in town. The kids are still at your folks' place."

  She fell back in bed, grabbing his shirt to drag him down with her.

  "All the more reason for us to stay in bed, Sailor."

  He smiled and kissed her deep, then got up and pulled her to her feet.

  "Get dressed, babe, time's a-wastin'."

  "Riley! It's...oh, Lord, five o'clock in the morning," she groaned.

  "Just come on. You don't have to get all dolled up. Just bundle up and let's go. It's cold outside."

  She groaned. "Fine. But you owe me, Sailor. Big time."

  "Yeah, yeah, I hear ya. Let's go!"

  Jenna dressed in her warm Uggs boots, jeans and a thick sweater and scarf, not bothering with make-up, pulling her hair back in a ponytail. Bleary eyed, she followed Riley to the garage and climbed in the truck. She was half asleep on the drive and groaned even more when he turned into the Wal-Mart parking lot.

  "Geez, Riley, what do you need here that couldn't wait? On today of all days?" she asked, dragging her feet when he opened her door and helped her out.

  When they got to just inside the crosswalk, he stopped her and turned to her, a huge smile on his face.

  "What?" she asked.

  "Baby...don't you remember? Ten years ago today, we stood right here and I asked you to go to breakfast with me."

  Jenna's eyes widened. It was Black Friday. And they were standing pretty much right at the spot they had ten years ago.

  "I can't believe it didn't dawn on me what today was," she gasped.

  He smiled and lifted her right hand, sliding a ring onto the ring finger of her right hand. She glanced down and saw that it was an elaborately designed mother's ring, with six stones. Two larger ones that were his and her birthstones, and four smaller ones representing all the kids.

  "I love you, Jenna, and I'm so glad you got your purse stolen that day."

  She smiled, stood on her toes and pulled him down to first kiss the scar on his cheek that he'd gotten when he recovered her purse, and then kissed his lips, ignoring the cars that began honking because they were blocking the lane.

  "I love you, too, Riley."

  The End.