“I’m sorry, Topaz. You must miss your mother as much as we miss our father today,” Chad said softly, his brown gaze now pools of compassion as it rested on her.
“I miss both of them,” she said softly. “Though Daddy John never spent Christmas with us, he always visited for New Year’s Eve.”
She shouldn’t have said anything about Daddy John. Chad’s eyes became hard as steel again and his face granite. Topaz could have bitten off her tongue. She was glad when Tiffy announced that brunch was ready.
“Wow!” Was all she managed when she walked into the dining room. The table was covered with a red damask tablecloth and set with silver goblets, silver cutlery, silver platters with silver domes on them, a silver teapot and coffeepot, sugar bowl and creamer and a silver jug filled with eggnog and one filled with water. Crystal glasses stood next to each porcelain plate and a silver holder containing a red napkin. A lovely Christmas centerpiece with three burning candles stood in the center. It all sparkled and shone. The table was set at one end only, with Chad at the head of the table. Another servant, someone Topaz hadn’t seen before, lifted the domes from the platters. The mingled scent of bacon, fried potatoes, eggs benedict, scrambled eggs, sausages, soufflé, French toast, plain toast, scones, pancakes, crepes, fruit and a pecan pie, made her even hungrier. “I guarantee I won’t be hungry for dinner tonight,” she said as she helped herself to a generous helping of each dish. “There is enough food here to feed an army. Why don’t we invite Corky to join us? I’ll go and get her.” Without waiting for the men’s reaction, she hurried to the kitchen.
Corky was just getting ready to leave. “Corky, would you like to eat brunch with us?” Topaz asked.
“Aw, Mizz Topaz, that’s ever so sweet of you to ask. I’ve already eaten and am just about to go and join my family. Thank you so much for asking. If I’d known—”
Topaz hugged her. “Never mind. There’s always another time. It was just a thought, but do remember you’re always welcome to join us.” She sighed. “There is way too much food for the three of us. What about Tiffy? Do you think she’d like to join us?” she looked around but didn’t see Tiffy.
“She’s about to arrive any minute, Mizz Topaz, to babysit the turkey. I suspect she already had lunch with her family. Now scoot. Go and eat before it all gets cold.”
“Have a great time with your family, Corky. I’ll see you tonight.” Topaz hurried back to the dining room. They hadn’t waited for her and had started already.
“I gather Corky didn’t want to come,” Chad said. “Servants usually don’t eat with their employers.”
“I tend to change all that. Corky is like part of your family. I see no reason why she can’t eat with us.”
“Don’t try and change things around here too fast, Topaz,” Sam told her. “It won’t be taken kindly to by some if word gets around.”
A sharp retort was about to leave her lips, but she swallowed the words. It was hard to imagine that some people could be so discriminating. Then again, from what she’d seen on Christmas Eve, many of the guests were just rich snobs with nothing better to do with their time except gossip. Quickly changing the subject, she started to help herself to food. “I don’t know what to eat first. After this meal, I doubt I’ll want to eat anything else all day.”
“We don’t eat dinner until about eight tonight,” Johnny said. “By that time, you’ll be hungry again. Corky said she’d be back around six o’clock to finish cooking Christmas dinner.” He poured himself a cup of coffee, then held the coffeepot out toward her. “Coffee? Or would you prefer eggnog?”
“Actually, tea would be a better thought. It doesn’t fill one up as much.” She enjoyed everything immensely but was careful not to overindulge. “There’ll be plenty leftover for tomorrow’s breakfast.”
“I don’t eat leftover food,” Chad said.
“Why not?”
“It loses its taste. It goes to the pigs and the dogs.”
“Well, I guess they’re entitled to something special as well. I hate the thought of food just being thrown out. My mother had to count every penny when I was very young so I learned to appreciate everything in life. There is a lot of poverty in Mexico. Compared to many of my friends, we lived quite well.”
“What did your mother do for a living, Topaz? Did she have a profession?” Sam asked. When she didn’t answer right away, “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about her. I’m sorry for asking.”
“My mother was a waitress. To make extra money on the side, she cleaned houses for the rich. She never accepted a penny from Daddy John, even though he hated her working so hard and he offered many a time to give her a monthly allowance and set her up in a little house of her own.”
Chad’s eyes were like black charcoal as he gazed at her. He wiped his mouth with the napkin. “It sounds like she was a lady of integrity.”
“She was. My mother was an orphan, raised poorly in an orphanage and she was determined to give me a better life and good schooling and to do it all on her own.” The conversation about her mother had made her emotional and she couldn’t help the few tears that escaped. Swiping at them angrily, she changed the subject again. “So what do you do after gift opening?”
“We usually played cards,” Johnny said. “But it won’t be the same without Father.”
This time she saw pain fleetingly cross their faces and Chad once again crawled inside his bitter shell. “We can still play cards. That doesn’t have to change.”
“We’ll see,” Chad said. “I think we’re all finished? Let’s go back to the living room then and open gifts.”
“I’ll be back shortly,” Topaz said as she left the dining room. She hadn’t put her own gifts under the tree and wanted to brush her teeth. After brushing them, she put all her neatly wrapped gifts for the men in bags, put Corky’s and Tiffy’s in another small bag, and hurried downstairs.
Chad reclined lazily in the Lazy Boy, his eyes closed. Sam sat in an easy chair smoking a cigar and reading the paper and Johnny was busy loading the CD player with new CD’s. Topaz quickly emptied her bags under the tree. The fire had almost gone out. “I think the fire can use another log or two. Want me to do it?” she asked.
“I’ll do it,” Sam said. “You go and relax. After last night—”
“Sam!” she admonished.
“Sorry. But please go and sit down. Would you like some more eggnog? A glass of wine?”
“Thanks, Sam, I’m still stuffed. Maybe a glass of wine after gift opening? Who is going to hand out gifts?”
Johnny held up his hand. “I will. We always do one gift at a time. No crazy rush of tearing paper and no one knows what the other one got. It’s always been done that way.”
“Sounds good. I know what you mean about everyone opening gifts all at once. It can get crazy. I suppose if it is a large family and there are twenty or more people there, it would take forever to do one at a time.”
“In that case, a couple at a time, but still not hand them out to everyone. At least that’s what I would do if this family was that big,” Sam said.
“Who knows? When you are all married and have children, it can expand quite fast,” Topaz said smiling at each one of them.
Johnny sent her a strange look. Chad’s gaze was fixated on her and Sam chewed his cigar. It was as if she’d just said the most shocking thing in the world.
“You first,” Johnny said handing her a parcel.
“Oh, wow. I didn’t expect anything. I love giving more than receiving.” She looked at the tag. All it said that it was from Santa. “Thank you, Santa.”
“Ooooh, she’s one of those who like to save the wrapping paper and ribbons and make us wait. For goodness sake, Topaz, we can afford new paper next year. Tear it off,” Sam said uttering a groan.
“Old habits die hard,” Topaz answered but ripped the ribbons and paper off. It was a digital camera, an expensive one and one she’d had her eye on for some time. “Wow, how did Santa know I really wa
nted this? This is exactly the one I’ve been looking at on the internet.” She was as excited as a little girl getting her first doll and eagerly opened the box to take the camera out. Now was a good time to start taking pictures, that’s if the battery was charged. Hardly hearing the chatter between the men, she opened the box, took out the instructions and read them quickly, then inserted the battery and the memory card. When she lifted the camera to take a picture of the tree, she saw three pairs of eyes riveted on her. Chad had a bemused expression on his face and Sam and Johnny looked at her with adoration. Her heart sped up. Blood rushed to her face until her cheeks felt super hot. “It’s a fantastic camera. Thank you again, Santa,” she said and jumped off the chair to give Johnny a hug.
“How did you know it was from me?”
“I remember mentioning a camera when we went riding.” Glad that it came with a charged battery, she quickly started snapping pictures of the men as they opened gifts, of the tree and of the three men together as two of them admired the other’s gift.
“Sit down, Topaz. There are more gifts for you,” Johnny said and she noticed the pile of gifts that had grown next to her chair.
Topaz sat and started to open the other gifts. There was a photo album, chocolates, lovely earrings, a romance novel by her favorite author, another book and then she came to a large box. It was fairly heavy. Tearing off the wrapping paper, she gasped. It was a laptop. Glaring at Sam, who was surely the culprit as she’d mentioned leaving her old little laptop at home, she grimaced and jumped up to embrace him. “Thank you, Santa. You all pay very close attention to what I say.” She kissed him fully on the lips and he kissed her in return. If they hadn’t been in the presence of his brothers, the kiss would have escalated into more, she was sure.
“Okay, how about you all open some more now?”
There were just a few presents left—the smaller ones she’d bought for the men and had put way at the back of the pile and a few more. Johnny opened his first. “Wow, it’s solid gold.” He held up the small statue and then read the engraving. For the most wonderful, gentlest and kindest man I’ve ever known. May you always remain so. “Topaz, that’s beautiful. It must have cost you a fortune. You shouldn’t—”
“Hush, Johnny. I hope you like it. I didn’t know what else to get you.”
“I love it. Come here,” he said taking her hand and pulling her out of the chair. He embraced her and kissed her passionately, right there in front of his brothers.
Her heart about jumped out of her chest. Oh, she loved this man and wished she could be open about it. But until she sorted out her feelings for the other two, there was no way. Her face was burning as she sat again.
In the meantime, Sam had opened his gift and read the inscription aloud. “May you always be the calming balance.”
Sam walked toward her and bent down. Though he didn’t take her in his arms, his kiss was as passionate as Johnny’s. Her panties were quite damp now, her crotch ached with longing. “Thank you, honey. That was very thoughtful.”
Chad had already opened his gift and sat in his chair looking at the open compass. His face was unreadable, his eyes a mystery of expressions.
“I’m sure there’s an inscription in yours, Chad. Read it,” Johnny said.
“No, there’s nothing in it,” he answered in a gruff tone.
Topaz knew why he didn’t want to read it out loud. It was too personal. To help guide your heart in the right direction, is what she’d had engraved inside the lid.
“Thank you, Topaz. It’s very nice,” he said lamely and remained in his chair.
“There is one last gift here for Topaz.” Johnny handed it to her.
She tore the wrapping off the small parcel and held a box. When she opened it, there was a dark blue velvet case inside. After she took it out and opened it, there was a gold chain with a gold St. Christopher medal. The medal was surrounded by beautiful filigree gold. Inside the lid was engraved, To protect you always wherever you may go. When she took it out of its case, she saw his initials engraved on the back.
“Chad, it’s absolutely beautiful. Would you do the clasp up for me please?” She’d put the necklace around her neck and stood before him.
Without looking like a fool, he had no choice but to stand up and do it up for her. Is it my imagination or did his fingers linger longer on my neck than necessary? His touch sent vibrations through her. It was as if he’d touched her soul. She turned around and looked up into his eyes. “Thank you, Chad. I’ll always wear it.” Then she grabbed him by the neck, pulled his head down and kissed him on the lips. He didn’t hold her, but neither did he pull away. Rather, the kiss lasted longer than it should as he suddenly sucked her tongue into his mouth and kissed her very passionately for a moment. Her body ached with longing now. And she knew.
When he pulled away and stood before her looking deep into her eyes, she read a message there, a message he probably still didn’t realize himself. He loved her, too. And she knew now that their souls had touched that he was the one she loved the most. Yet, she couldn’t bear the thought of parting with Sam and Johnny. Her heart was a bundle of turmoil now, her thoughts in chaos.
“Well, now that all gifts are opened, is everyone ready for a game of cards?” Johnny interrupted the magic moment while he was busy picking up wrapping paper and throwing it on the blazing fire.
“I’d like a glass of wine first and there is something else. You might call it another gift. If you’ll pour us all a glass of wine, Sam, and we all sit down, I’ll tell you,” Topaz said.
Only the music and crackling flames permeated the silence of the room. The three brothers were silent and Topaz gazed at the fire. While lying before the stove in the shack, she’d thought long and hard about it all. She’d made up her mind and she had to act on it now.
“I’ve given this a lot of thought. I have no idea where Daddy John’s mind was when he made up his new will, but what he did wasn’t right. If he wanted to look after me, he could have just left me a part of everything, rather than the whole shebang.”
“Topaz, today is not the time to talk about that stuff,” Sam cautioned quietly.
“It’s okay, Sam. Don’t worry. Chad, sit down, please? I don’t want the estate. I want to give it all back to the three of you. On one condition, that I can have a small share to build a little house of my own and live here. I feel like I’ve finally got the family I’ve always longed for. I don’t need the riches, the mansion or the ranch. I’m a registered nurse and can provide for myself very nicely. There is a shortage of nurses everywhere, I’m sure I won’t have a problem finding a job. After the holidays, I’ll go and see Terry and ask him what needs to be done for me to reject the will.”
She might as well have dropped a bomb and killed the three of them they were so silent. It had taken a lot for her to come to that decision, but she felt it was the right thing to do. And that way, she would, also, know if they really cared for her, or if their love stemmed from their desire to hold on to their inheritance by marrying her and she knew that Johnny had been on the verge of asking her.
“Can you do that?” Johnny asked.
“Do what?”
“Reject an inheritance.”
“I’m sure you can. I don’t have to accept it if I don’t want it. I just won’t sign any papers. That should do it and everything will automatically revert back to you three.”
Chad stood and started pacing back and forth. Suddenly he stopped right before her. “Why would you do that now, Topaz? You were so determined to keep the estate and settle here.”
“I just feel and know in my heart it belongs to the three of you.”
“Son, I told you she’s a great little gal. She’s acting on her feelings and her heart. You need to act on yours now. You know she’s the woman for you. Don’t let this one slip through your fingers.”
“Johnny and Sam are, too.”
“We’re what, Chad?” Johnny asked.
Chad suddenly realized he’d
answered his father aloud. “Oh, never mind me. I was just thinking about what Topaz just said. How do I know you’ll keep your word, Topaz? Is this another ploy?”
Topaz jumped up out of her chair and faced him. “A ploy to do what? Where is your mind?”
“Yes, where the fuck is your mind, son? This little gal hasn’t got it in her to scheme and plot. Just accept her gift and be glad for it. I’m happy I accomplished what I set out to do.”
Father, if you can hear my thoughts, how the hell is this going to work out? Three brothers in love with one woman. It could cause a huge split between the three of us.
“I can hear your thoughts, son. Interesting situation. I think little Topaz might find a solution to that problem.”
“I’m sorry. If you’re sincere, we’ll call Terry after the holidays and we’ll all go and see him together. Now how about that game of cards?”
While they played, Topaz noticed that Chad kept picking up the compass and opening and closing it. To his brothers, he might seem to be just playing with it, but Topaz noticed several times that he read the inscription and his eyes would meet hers. Not hard now, just that gorgeous melting chocolate brown with a lot of questions in them.
Oh, her heart and soul reached out to him, ached for him. And then she’d see Sam’s eyes gaze at her lovingly, his heart written all over his face, in his expression. And Johnny was an open book for everyone to see, the way he waited on her, hung onto every word she said. Ye gads, in love with three men. What can I do about this situation? And will Chad ever declare his love for me? And if he does, will he ask me to marry him? And she knew deep down that she would accept a proposal from Chad. But that would cause a split between the brothers and that’s the last thing she wanted.
It seemed, now that she had offered to give up the inheritance, that all tension had disappeared. They laughed, joked and played like a real family, as if she had three brothers. And that’s maybe what they should remain. Three adopted brothers, Daddy John’s boys, the man she’d loved as her own father and he’d made sure that she met his sons. Suddenly, she realized the reason he’d made the new will. If he’d left her some money, a share, she would not have gone to the Douglas ranch and would have handled everything from Mexico. This had been his way of making sure that she ended up there. And did he have a devious plan that one of his sons should marry me? She wouldn’t put it past him. She’d give anything to talk to him right now. To see his beloved face once more, to hear his voice.
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