Chapter 17
She’d been resting in the hospital all day. Heck of a way to spend Christmas Eve. Caleb had been in and out a half-dozen times, each time seeming a little more tense. He brought flowers the first time, candy the second, a pair of giant teddy bears the third. He kept saying he had a very busy schedule today, but that he couldn’t stay away from her and the babies for more than a couple of hours at a time.
She wished he wouldn’t say things like that unless he really meant them—at least, the way she wanted him to mean them. She was sure he was sincere where the babies were concerned, but she was equally certain he could bear to be away from her just fine, if need be.
At any rate, he certainly was heroic. She’d had the TV on for the past hour, and the coverage of the storm told her more than she’d already known about how bad it had been last night. The last time a blizzard of this magnitude had hit Big Falls had been in the latter part of the last century. Caleb had literally risked his life to get to her.
Her admiration for him—her love for him—grew even deeper at the knowledge.
The door opened, and she looked up, wondering which of her frequent visitors would appear there. Selene, Kara, her mother, Caleb—or Mel, who was in a room down the hall recovering from her brush with hypothermia. Aside from a touch of frostbite, she was going to be just fine. They’d promised she could go home today. Maya and the babies would be released on Christmas morning.
But the visitor was none of those people. It was, instead, Cain Caleb Montgomery II. He hesitated in the doorway, peering in at her, leaning on his cane. “I can come back later, if you’re resting,” he said.
“No, no, please come in.”
He did, his cane thumping the floor with every other step.
“Have you seen the babies yet?”
He looked at her with a smile…an actual smile. She hadn’t seen one on him until then. “I’ve been in the nursery for the past half hour.” The smile grew. “They let me hold them. I didn’t want to put them down.”
“I’m glad I’m not the only one,” she said. “Come in and sit down, Mr. Montgomery.”
“Oh, now. You call me Cain.” He sat down, pursed his lips. “Actually, I’m hoping that, down the road, you might want to call me Dad, instead. I mean, you know, since you’re marrying my son.”
Her hand touched her chest involuntarily—in response to a small flutter there. “I haven’t called anyone that in years.”
“Yes, well…” He cleared his throat. “I owe you an apology, Maya. I came here judging you, insulting you and your family, and the truth was, I was only reacting out of fear that you were going to take my son away from me. Instead, you’ve given me…such a precious gift.”
She didn’t know how to respond to that, so she said nothing.
“I want you to know that Caleb and I have had a long talk. I’ve told him already that whatever he decides to do or not do with his life is fine with me. Just so long as I have plenty of time with his…his family.”
“Oh, my goodness.” She had to dab at her eyes. “That must have meant so much to him. And it does to me, too. Thank you Cain…Dad.”
His smile was quick and bright. “Well, I won’t keep you. We have lots to do tonight after all. But um…I have a little gift for you first. Two, actually, but um—”
Caleb came in then, glanced at his father, then at Maya, and smiled warmly.
“Good, good, you’re here. You should be,” Cain said. “Would you kindly get the package I left outside the door there, son?”
Caleb frowned, but did as his father asked. He came back with a huge package wrapped in gleaming gold foil, with elaborate ribbons. “It’s for Maya,” Cain said.
Caleb brought the package to her and laid it across her lap on the bed.
“My goodness, it’s almost too beautiful to open.”
But she opened it anyway. She tore the paper aside and took the cover off the large box it had concealed.
And then she felt her mouth fall open and tears spring to her eyes as she stared down at the wedding gown of ivory satin and lace. She looked up at Cain, who hurried forward and took the dress from the box by its shoulders, holding it up so she could see it better. The full skirt spilled free, and Maya caught her breath. “I don’t know what to say. It’s…it’s beautiful. The most beautiful gown I could imagine.”
“I knew you were planning to have the ceremony before the birth,” Cain said. “So I thought you probably didn’t have a dress—at least, not one that would fit you now.”
“Well, you were right,” Maya said, still admiring the gown.
“This was…this was Caleb’s mother’s.”
Her gaze shifted to Cain. “Oh…oh, my….” Pushing aside her covers, sending the box and wrappings to the floor, Maya got to her feet, went to the older man and kissed him softly on the cheek. “Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me.”
He grinned and handed Caleb the dress. “I’ll go now, so you can give her the other present.”
“Thanks, Dad. Or should I say Grandpa?”
“Grandpa is a title I’ll bear with great pride.” He winked at his son and limped out the door, with a decided bounce in his step.
Caleb opened the small closet and carefully arranged the dress on a hanger. Then he turned to where Maya was still standing.
“You should be lying down. Resting.”
“I’ve been lying down all day, Caleb. I’m fine, really.”
He smiled. “You sure are.”
Feeling her cheeks heat, she averted her face, walked to the chair beside the bed and sat down. Caleb went to the bed, sat on its edge. “I want to talk to you about our…um…our arrangement.”
Her head came up fast. “You do?” Worry gnawed at her. Had he changed his mind? Had he decided he didn’t want to marry a woman he didn’t love after all?
“Things have changed, Maya. And…well, I just don’t think it would be fair to let you go through with this marriage without being perfectly honest with you.”
Lifting her chin, bracing herself, Maya looked him in the eye. “All right. I’m listening.”
Drawing a breath, he took her hands in his. “First of all, I’ve decided not to run for the Senate. In fact, I’m pulling out of politics altogether.”
It was not what she’d expected to hear.
“I thought I’d go into private practice. Open a law office right here in Big Falls. How would you feel about that?”
She knew she was gaping, but she couldn’t seem to stop. Shaking herself, she finally let her relief show. “I’d feel…wonderful. God, Caleb, that’s almost everything I’ve been hoping for.”
“Really?” He smiled. “Why didn’t you say so?”
She shook her head. “I…I didn’t want to start making career decisions for you, Caleb. I don’t have the right to do that.”
He came off the bed, still holding both her hands. “You have every right. Maya….” He hesitated, bit his lip. “You said that was almost everything you’d been hoping for. What else was there?”
She looked away fast. “Nothing. It doesn’t matter, Caleb.”
One hand rose, palm gentle on her cheek, turning her to face him again. “Come on, Maya, tell me the truth. Please. Because…I’m hoping for more, too.”
She felt her eyes widen as she searched his. “Caleb?”
“I’m in love with you, Maya. I don’t want to marry you for the sake of the babies, or to save your reputation or mine, or anything else. I want to marry you because I don’t ever want to have to spend a day of my life without you. And I’m sitting here like a big idiot hoping to God you feel the same way about me.”
Her lips trembled, and tears spilled onto her cheeks. “I do love you, Caleb. I have all along.”
He cupped her face and kissed her, long and slow and deeply. And when he straightened away again, he took a small velvet box from his pocket. “This is the other gift Dad mentioned.” He opened the lid to reveal a glittering diamond e
ngagement ring, its large teardrop-shaped stone utterly flawless. “This was my mother’s, as well. And I know she’d want you to wear it.”
Taking the ring from its nest, he slipped it onto Maya’s finger. “Will you marry me, Maya? For real?”
“Yes,” she whispered. “Yes, Caleb, I will.”
He kissed her softly again. “In an hour?”
“I…” Her eyes flew open. “An hour?”
“What did you think I’d been running around planning for all day?”
“But…an hour?”
“What’s wrong, darling? Do you need help getting ready that soon?”
“Maybe a little,” she said, her tone sarcastic.
He grinned at her, gave her a devilish wink and one last kiss, then went to the door and pulled it open. “Would all my pending in-laws please come in now?”
One by one, her sisters came in the door. Selene, and then Mel, and then Kara. Her mother came in last and let the door go.
“No, no, no. That’s not everybody,” Caleb said, snatching the door before it closed all the way, opening it wide once more. “I said all my pending in-laws.”
Several confused frowns were aimed at him. And then it became clear.
Edain Brand, the prodigal daughter, walked through the door, looking even more beautiful than she had when she’d left home two years before.
“Edie? Oh my God, Edie?” Maya cried.
Kara, Selene and Mel mobbed her with hugs, and when they parted, Edie faced Vidalia.
Their eyes met, and for just one brief second Maya wondered if the old tension would rise up yet again between them. But then Vidalia smiled and opened her arms, and Edie rushed into them.
Maya met Caleb’s eyes across the room. “You did this, didn’t you?”
“Merry Christmas,” he said.
Edie and Vidalia pulled apart, and Edie went to Maya, hugged her gently, and said, “I can’t believe I’m an aunt twice over.”
“It’s so good to have you home, Edie.”
“It’s good to be home, hon.”
They separated, and again Maya looked toward the door. Caleb blew her a kiss and slipped quietly out of the room.
An hour later, Caleb waited in the elaborately decorated hospital chapel as his bride walked toward him. His children were held in the loving arms of their grandmother and grandfather, and every time he looked at them, he felt his chest swell with pride.
When he looked at their mother, it was more like awe. He couldn’t believe he’d gotten so lucky. But maybe… maybe luck had nothing to do with it. Selene kept insisting that it was no coincidence that caused him to have a flat tire in front of the OK Corral almost nine months ago. She kept saying it was something far more powerful. Something like fate.
When Maya stood beside him and slipped her hand into his, smiling up into his eyes with love shining from hers, he thought maybe his bride’s kid sister was wiser than any of them.
He slid a glance toward where Selene was sitting.
She gave him a nod as if she knew exactly what he was thinking.
Epilogue
So that’s the whole story. Well, not the whole story, but that’s how it began. I’m sitting here now on the wide front porch of my log cabin. The snow melted almost before Christmas Day was over; spring came as it always does. From here, I can look down on the farmhouse on the far side of the wildflower-dotted meadow below. It’s within shouting distance. Not that shouting is ever needed. My mom and sisters are up here as often as Caleb and the babies and I are down there. But we always were a close family. Always will be, too.
Edie’s still here. She’s been quiet and moody, and I think Mom has been letting her get away with that for the past few months, but her patience is wearing thin. Any day now I expect her to tell Edie enough is enough and it’s time to stop licking her wounds and tell us what went wrong out there in La-La-Land. Something sure did.
My dream house is almost exactly the way I pictured it. I say “almost” because I never pictured it this big and sprawling, but I guess that’s what happens when you marry a millionaire. Caleb got rid of the Lexus sports coupe, though. Bought a minivan for me and an Explorer sports utility for him. Eddie Bauer Edition, of course, but that’s okay. He managed to rent office space in town, just around the corner from Sunny’s Place, and he hung up a shingle that says Montgomery Law Office. He takes all kinds of cases—and many of his clients can’t afford to pay him. But he says that, luckily, he can afford to represent them.
He’s a hell of a guy, my husband.
Here he comes now, walking across the meadow from Mom’s house, a baby in each arm. Look at him, smiling and talking to them as if they can understand every word. Sometimes, the way they look at him, I almost think they can. We wanted to name our little girl after my mom. Vidalia. But Mom insisted we call her Dahlia instead. You know, like the flower. Mom said as much as she might deny it, it wasn’t easy growing up with an onion for a name. As for little Caleb, we call him Cal, just to avoid confusion. Tough having three men in the family with the same name. And Caleb’s father is around enough so that he finally broke down and rented a house in town, so he has a permanent residence out here. He could stay with us when he visits, of course, but he’s too stubborn to want to appear dependent. Still, he’s out here more than he’s in Tulsa. He took Caleb’s decision not to run for office far better than either of us expected him to. The old goat is so madly in love with his grandchildren that there isn’t much Caleb or I can say or do to upset him. But if he brings any more toys to the house, I don’t know where we’ll put them.
Caleb’s halfway to the house now. He just looked up and caught my eye. And the breeze is ruffling his hair. Gosh, when he looks at me like that, my stomach still clenches up. I love that man more than I ever thought possible. He healed my old wounds for me…and I like to think I helped mend some of his. And he gave me something more precious than gold—our babies. And his love.
And we’re happy—deliriously happy with our little family. And I think we will be for a long, long time.
–The End–
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Brand-New Heartache
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Oklahoma Starshine
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The Brands Who Came For Christmas Page 18
