by Geeta Kakade
Laurel spent two weeks with her Aunt Grace and Uncle Theo in upstate New York and by the end of her stay there she knew she was one hundred percent back to normal.
Of one thing Laurel was very sure. Jacob was the one person she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She had never met anyone so kind and caring and the fact she had fallen in love with him even before she knew about her past and the knowledge she loved him now that she did know everything that had happened only proved that her love for him was an absolute truth and she wanted to build the rest of her life on that strong foundation.
Jacob had never felt so empty before. It was as if a part of him had gone missing since Laurel had caught a flight back to Washington. He had wanted to go with her but she had said she had to do this alone.
The General had talked to him every night for a week keeping him in the full picture of what was going on. He had been commended on doing a fine job and thanked over and over.
Jacob had been offered a permanent place on the task force but had refused. Jacob knew he never wanted to be in the same position with anyone else as he had been with Laurel. His work was here on the Reservation. He went through the motions each day but his heart wasn’t in it.
He knew there was a fifty fifty chance she would go back to work and she had to choose what she wanted to do for herself.
He didn’t reply to Laurel’s phone calls or texts and after the first two weeks they stopped. There was nothing he could say till she made her decision. Jacob knew he didn’t want her bound to him by some mistaken sense of gratitude.
Joe Crutch was in custody and Sylvie was to have her baby any day now. She hadn’t fired the gun. Tim had. His friend had seen Laurel leave Ama’s place and followed her wanting to thank her for the interest she was taking in his younger brother’s writing. He had arrived just in time to stop Sylvie from shooting Joe. The gun Laurel had heard go off was the one he had fired to stop Joe who had pulled a knife and turned on Sylvie after pushing Laurel down.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Jacob had started looking for a place of his own in South Lake. He intended moving out after Christmas so renovations on the apartments could begin. When he wasn’t busy with his work on the Reservation he took long walks on the lakeshore with the dogs welcoming the blustering winter winds. They gave him something to fight back and an excuse for the moisture in his eyes when he thought of a life without Laurel.
Bridget and Christy watched him as they decorated the Christmas tree with Mark and Andrew. Frank was on a ladder held by Mark placing the ornaments on the top branches. Moira and Mrs. Kemp worked on the ‘decorating the tree’ snacks and apple cider. Holt, Toby and Mr. Kemp had escaped to the garage on the pretext of untangling last year’s lights and were watching television.
“Do you think he’s okay?” Christy’s voice was laced with worry.
Mark nodded.
“When will Laurel be back?” asked Andrew.
“Soon.” Bridget waited till Frank came down the ladder and went into the garage to see if the lights were ready. “In two days,” she said. “Her flight gets in at ten and we’ll be back by eleven thirty latest. Are you sure you’ve got everything ready?”
“We have,” Andrew and Mark nodded. “We’ve made our list and checked it a hundred times.”
“I’ve done my bit,” Christy bit her lower lip,” but I’m getting so nervous I can’t sleep.”
“Moira, Holt, Frank and the Kemps know the plan.”
“I’ve briefed the dogs and Toby,” Mark’s mock solemn comment cut through the serious expressions on every face just as Moira came in with a tray of mugs with apple cider on them and the conversation became general.
The strong scent of pine permeated the room. The tree was a beautiful sight with all the angels Bridget had made out of silver ribbon. Christy’s blue bows were a perfect contrast. The ornaments were so beautiful. From the kitchen the scent of mulled cider wafted into the room. Christmas carols played softy in the corner and they couldn’t wait to taste the rich Christmas cake.
Laurel got down from Bridget’s car and thanked her for coming to get her.
It had been so great to catch up on all the news.
“I’ll get the suitcases later.” She didn’t hide her hurry to see Jacob.
Her gaze was fixed on the garage door as Bridget opened it.
“He’s by the lake,” Bridget informed her. “Mark told him he needed help with a project at noon here so he didn’t go to the Reservation today.”
Laurel went around to the front of the house and there he was, standing throwing sticks for the two dogs.
“Jacob!” Her voice was a soft whisper but he turned as the dogs saw her and came charging up to greet her. Bridget called them after Laurel had patted their heads and they ran to her.
Laurel wiped her hands down the side of her pants and wet her lips.
Jacob was walking toward her as if he couldn’t believe his eyes and she ran to close the distance between them and fling her arms around his neck and hug him as if she would never let go.
“Laurel,” He kissed her the way he had longed to countless times.
“I have missed you more than I can say.” With a shaking hand she raked her hair watching him carefully for a sign that he had missed her just as much.
“I love you,” he said. “I’m sorry I turned you down that night but I couldn’t betray the General’s trust in me.”
“I know and you did your job very well. You didn’t count on me wanting to seduce you though did you?”
“No I didn’t,” he said. “You aren’t angry with me?”
“Why should I be? I was so well looked after, it could have been days out of a text book.”
His hands circled her waist. “I still have to apologize for…
She stood on tiptoes and silenced him. “No,” she said, “no apologies. I just want to know when we can start on the real script.”
“The real script?” he asked.
Laurel smiled, “Yes. You, Me and Happily Ever After if it’s within our reach.”
Jacob hugged her. “You mean it? You are willing to share the rest of your life with me?”
“Yes,” said Laurel. “Sharing your life and your work when I’m not busy teaching, raising our kids, writing stories and taking photographs.”
“What about your career?”
“That is my new career, Jacob. A wise man once told me I had to go forward never back.”
The rest of what she was going to say was lost against his mouth as he crushed her lips with his, hungry to make up for lost time.
They were married an hour later. Holt had fetched the justice of the peace who joked about moving in with the Cupids permanently. Laurel wore the third wedding gown from the attic in cream lace with full sleeves that buttoned to her elbow, a sweetheart neckline and white boots under her wedding dress. She understood now why Bridget had insisted she get a pair of white winter boots as a Christmas gift from her and Andrew. Jacob wore a suit with a tie Mark had bought for him.
Jacob met Laurel as she came downstairs from Christy’s bedroom and they walked hand in hand out of the front door.
The ceremony was on the beach with the sun shining down on them and the music of the water lapping at the shore. The wind whispered softly through the woods behind the house where the first Jacob and White Feather had met. The blue winter sky was beautiful over their heads and mother Earth under their feet had a soft blanket of snow like a carpet.
After Jacob and Laurel made their promises to each other Ama stepped forward and uttered the Washoe blessing. Then she handed Jacob a rabbit fur blanket that he draped over his shoulders and Laurel’s drawing her close to his side.
“You are now one,” pronounced Ama and everyone started clapping as Jacob kissed Laurel.
Christy and Bridget hugged each other and then Moira and Mrs. Kemp, their eyes full of tears.
Ama held her hand up and everyone fell silent. She motioned and Sylvie and Tim who had
brought her came forward with a huge bag. Out of it Ama drew a basket and handed it to Laurel and Jacob.
“Grandmother White Feather wove this herself. It is priceless but so is true love. May she bless you forever.”
Then she drew out two slightly smaller baskets and turned to Christy, “These are for you and Bridget with my gratitude and love. May our families always live in love and peace.”
She turned to Mrs. Kemp and Moira with another two, “For the kindness you have shown my grandson and granddaughter in law I thank you.”
She had a Native American blanket for each of the men including the justice. Frank got a hand carved flute.
Christy was glad she had a necklace of sapphire beads for Ama. Sylvie and Tim got gift certificates.
There was another round of clapping after the formal exchange of gifts.
Ama had already invited them to the wedding feast to be held at the Reservation in the New Year for Jacob and Laurel.
Everyone gathered in the living room for champagne and cake.
Mark made a toast and they all lifted their flutes to Jacob and Laurel. “We wish you all the happiness in the world. Family means everything to us and Christy puts it so well when she says family is made up of people we relate to the best.”
Andrew followed it with, “Life is better with someone to share it with and you two were best friends before you became husband and wife. May you always be best friends and enjoy the journey of life together.”
There were more wishes from Emma, Brian and his family in Australia on Facetime. They had attended the wedding long distance, courtesy of Facetime and Frank, even going so far as to dress up for it. Andrew had made the same connection for Uncle Paul and Aunt Grace.
As Laurel looked around the room her gaze fell on the picture family tree Andrew had made, framed and hung on the wall next to the family tree. It was the photographs of all the ancestors.
“Bless us,” she whispered to them, “and thank you for my Jacob.”
For an instant it seemed like they all smiled down on all of them.
“She is just such a beautiful bride. Beautiful.” Agnes sighed and dabbed at the corner of her eyes.
“Ma says that at every wedding,” Pa told Stephen. “and she cries.”
Stephen was very moved himself. “This is a family to be proud of,” he looked around the room.
Agnes couldn’t have been happier. Both Cupid’s Arrows had found their mark.
“To think,” Pa said, “It all began when a man told his love that he had this dream of finding gold in the Wild West and she told him she wanted a life of adventure too.”
Phillip and Stephen had each been allowed a guest at the wedding. Agnes had been told she could have two. She had picked White Feather and Jacob telling Phillip to choose Lucy. Stephen had picked Brianna. For the space of a few seconds as Ama blessed Jacob and Laurel, they were all together, the mistakes of the past wiped out of their memories.
Lunch was from a private deli in South Lake Tahoe that catered exclusively to the rich and famous. It was an hour before the couple were waved off in Jacob’s car. Their honeymoon destination was secret, he said, but everybody had an idea the couple wasn’t going very far away.
They would be back Christmas Eve.
Jacob sat back against the opulent cushions on the bed in the honeymoon suite of the best hotel in South Lake, telling himself he was the luckiest man in the world.
The quick ceremony had been exactly what he wanted and he was amazed at the way it had been arranged and planned even before Laurel’s return.
Christy had mentioned a party after Uncle Paul got to Silver Lake but he hadn’t paid much attention to that.
Laurel had agreed to everything and it was plain that the only thing in the world that mattered that they were together soon. Even Ama had known about the wedding plans and he hadn’t. He had brought her to the Lodge to meet everyone once while Laurel was away and she had given Christy her cell phone number.
He looked up as the bathroom door opened and his wife stood there. She wore the same emerald green silk shirt that came to the top of her thighs and as far as he was concerned that was too much clothing.
“Can we continue where we left off some time back?” Laurel smiled as she came around to his side of the bed.
“Yes please,” Jacob said pulling her down on top of him.
EPILOGUE
“Well done!” The Recording Angel sounded very pleased.
Phillip looked touched. “It was nothing. Thank you for letting me redeem my faults.”
“Me too,” Stephen added quickly. “I’m truly sorry for being so pig headed.”
Agnes smiled.
“For all your good work you can catch a glimpse of them every year…” said the Recording Angel. “Now it’s time for you to move on.”
They were surrounded by a golden light and felt themselves become part of the light.
Christmas 2018
Mark came into the living room holding three year old Matthew by the hand. Eighteen month old Tory sat on his shoulders. He found Christy with Bridget putting the last touches to the tree.
“Lights,” clapped Matthew.
“Pwetty,” Tory squealed with excitement and tugged her father’s hair.
“Easy Princess,” Mark reproved. “Or I’ll need a hair transplant by your next birthday.”
His gaze met Christy’s and they both smiled.
Andrew came in with the three year old twins, Luke and Lucy asleep in their strollers.
“Luke. Lucy.” Tory announced as Bridget got up with a finger on her lips and took one of the twins into the Kemps sitting room which now had two port-a-cribs in it.
“Shhh!” Matthew’s whisper was loud enough to wake them.
Andrew picked up Lucy from her stroller and followed his wife.
They heard the kitchen door open and Laurel and Jacob walked in. Laurel had three year old Anne by the hand while Jacob carried their six month old son Jacob Paul Cupid in a baby pouch.
“How is it outside?” asked Christy as Joan, Moira and Holt’s daughter adopted from St. Mary’s helped put some more presents around the tree.
“Starting to snow hard,” Laurel told her. “Glad we are spending the night here.”
Christy had said she wanted them to wake to a ‘full house’, Christmas morning.
Both houses had been completed in two years along with twenty five cabins and an amazing Activity Center.
Toby, the Kemps, Moira, Holt and Frank came in from the garage where they had been hurriedly wrapping last minute gifts.
“Fwank!” said Tory diving off her father’s shoulders towards him. He caught her just in time.
Christy’s eyes misted over as she looked at Frank.
Next year he would be joining the Marines and then going to veterinary school for his MOS after boot camp. He wanted to take care of all the bomb sniffing dogs attached to Infantry battalions.
“Bedtime,” Mark announced firmly. “Remember Santa’s waiting for everyone to fall asleep so he can begin his rounds.”
“Santa’s coming!” confirmed Matthew rushing to his mother and aunt for a kiss.
Anne went upstairs with Jacob and Mark and Frank took Tory and Matthew upstairs. There were video monitors in each bedroom that would give the grownups a good view of the children as they slept.
“Me want ‘tory Fwank!” announced Tory as they went up.
“You’ll all get a story after you brush your teeth,” Frank promised.
The doorbell rang and Christy went to it. It was Mother and Uncle Paul followed by Emma, Uncle Brian and Alex and their four children. Emma would stay with them but the others insisted on driving back to the guest cabins later. Sister Winifred and Ama had gone back to St. Mary’s and the Reservation this afternoon after brunch.
“Let’s ring in Christmas,” Andrew announced.
“Metaphorically,” added Laurel.
“It’s a good thing all six kids sleep like Cupids,” B
ridget looked at Christy. “Once they’re out, nothing wakes them.”
Holt got everyone’s drinks and Toby built up the fire.
Christy looked around and thought how amazing it was they could all be together for the holidays. Mother had become a doting grandmother who lived in one of the cabins for six months in the year, spoiling all six grandchildren.
Uncle Paul had bought a cabin too when he retired and loved the time he spent fishing and hunting. Mark’s mother visited three times a year.
Life was good.
Her gaze met Mark’s as he came downstairs He gave her a wink that made her blush even after all this time.
He’d hired a vet buddy who had lost both his lower limbs in Afghanistan to take over the building project.
They had all taken turns visiting Uncle Brian’s and Alex’s farm in Queensland and the Kemps children in New Zealand.
Bridget looked around and thought how wonderful it was to have family around for the holidays.
Life had changed so much since the summer of 2012 when she had come here and met Andrew. The Doll Collection had taken off, exceeding expectations. Pops had helped her so much by bidding on Estate collections all over the world and having them sent to her. He visited twice a year and they went to Mareeba once every two years. Alex and the children visited during the children’s holidays.
Emma was working as a wedding planner and got two jobs a year in the Tahoe area so they could spend the summer months together. The twins adored their aunt; in fact all the children did and Emma had a system worked out where she, Frank and Toby could babysit all six of them, giving the young parents a chance to go out together.
Laurel looked at Jacob and smiled. His gaze became so intent she felt heat rising in her. He was such a great husband and father. She could ask for no better man to share her life with. They spent every other Christmas with his family in Virginia.
