A Christmas Miracle for the Doctor

by Victoria James

  “I don’t really know what you said after apple, but I guess that’s okay.”

  He smiled, standing. “Apples and cheese. Okay, I’ll even let you eat on the couch.”

  “That’s where I always eat!” she yelled, running toward the couches in the open concept family room. He searched through the shopping bags and pulled out the one with the dozen red apples and got to work washing and slicing one before moving onto the cheddar. After he’d delivered the apples and cheddar, he went back to the kitchen, ready to put away the groceries and clean up. He took a look around the small space and not for the first time since he’d moved here wondered what the hell he was doing.

  Leaving their life in the city and coming back to his childhood home had been him acting on instinct, not logic, which was unlike him. But he’d been pushed to the breaking point. He and Jill barely spoke after she took off to Paris. She was beautiful, in a very carefully manicured and surgically enhanced manner, but that didn’t appeal to him. It went beyond that, and it was a feeling that had started a few years ago…a hollowness he couldn’t quite explain. Jill was a stylist and social media addict, and whenever she had a free moment, she’d occupy it with taking pictures on her Instagram account, showing people how to be the perfect mom. They’d had a major disagreement when he told her he didn’t want Bella photographed. That had led to more arguments. Sometimes he’d have to look at her Instagram feed just to figure out where she was on certain nights—that didn’t really help things, either. When Jill had walked into their bedroom in the middle of the night and woken him up to tell him she was in love with someone else, he couldn’t really say he was surprised. He also couldn’t really say he was heartbroken. His heart wasn’t in it anymore. He was enraged in a way…like how had she found the time to go looking for other men when she claimed she never had time to be a family?

  Then there was the whole fidelity thing and that she’d broken it. He’d taken a hard look at his life, at their family, and knew something had gone wrong along the way. He’d become a man he didn’t recognize. He barely knew his daughter. Most nights when he got home from the hospital, she was in bed. He worked most weekends. Jill was never home, either. Their house in the city was a showstopper and was run by a nanny and a housekeeper. Sure, his job as a surgeon was demanding, but he chose to work more than he had to. His drive to be the best surgeon had made him forget that he was a father.

  Jill hadn’t even blinked when he told her he wanted to move back to Montana with their daughter. He thought she’d actually looked relieved.

  He closed the fridge door, the last of the grocery items placed neatly inside the new fridge, and turned around to look over at his daughter. She was sound asleep, her brown hair falling across her cheek. The image of her sleeping in her crib floated across his mind, and he wondered how seven years had passed so quickly. Seven. He remembered staring at her while she slept, wondering who she would be one day, and now he still didn’t know. “Bella,” he said softly, walking over and kneeling by her.

  She didn’t even move. He gently moved the hair over her face and then picked her up. She was light and didn’t even stir as he walked across the house and brought her to her bedroom, his old bedroom. He placed her under the covers, frowning as he realized her bed wasn’t even made. He needed to get some kind of routine going. This was stuff he never had to worry about because of their live-in housekeeper.

  In this one year, he felt as though he’d learned more than his entire adulthood. His daughter was his priority. He was ready to be the father she needed. He was ready to start over in his hometown, and he was going to do it without falling for the sweet bookstore owner.

  Chapter Two

  “So tell me about your day,” Addie said to Bella, who was sitting at one of the tables in the bookstore and enjoying the veggies and dip she’d put for an after school snack. No one was in the store at the moment, so Addie was sitting across from her drinking a freshly brewed cup of coffee. This had become their routine the last week, and it turned out to be easier than Addie had expected.

  Bella frowned, placing a half-eaten carrot on the Santa-printed paper plate. “Bad.”

  Addie leaned forward. “What happened, sweetie?”

  Bella’s lower lip trembled, and her large green eyes filled with tears. “Well, it’s not really anything to do with school. School’s okay. The kids are okay. But last night at skating class…they were talking about ChristmasFest, exactly like you said, except there’s this big skating show, and the last song is moms and daughters doing a skating routine, and I know my mom won’t come and be part of it.”

  Addie’s heart swelled with sympathy for the little girl, while the memory of the long-standing tradition at the Shadow Creek Skating Club brought back nightmares from her high school years. She hadn’t put on a pair of skates in nine years because of it. High school had been torture for her. Her self-esteem had already taken a beating at home, from her mother, but high school had been even worse. Those years haunted her, and she’d never had an escape. She’d go to school and be bullied, and then she’d go home and be tormented.

  “Fatty Addie” had been the name of choice amongst the girls who ran the school. If it weren’t for her sisters, she didn’t think she’d have survived. But being the youngest meant that her last year of high school, she was on her own. Her one outlet had been figure skating; she’d loved it. Of course, she hadn’t loved the revealing costumes or tights, because they didn’t hide her extra pounds. But still, she’d been talented. She had naively thought that one perfect program would prove to all the mean kids how amazing she really was. But the opposite had happened. She still broke out in a sweat when she remembered, when she saw their faces and heard their laughs, when she saw her mother’s frown because Addie had humiliated her as well.

  Addie swallowed past the lump in her throat and looked at the little girl who was desperately trying not to cry. “Well, do you know that for sure? Maybe we can ask your dad when he picks you up.”

  Bella shook her head, her chin trembling. “I asked him already, last night after skating. He said he didn’t think Mommy would be able to take time off work to come out here.”

  Addie winced and leaned forward. She didn’t know anything about Bella’s mom, and she barely knew anything about her dad, except that he was probably the most handsome man she’d ever met. He didn’t linger long or seem like one for conversation, but she knew that he was trying his best with his daughter. She also knew, thanks to her sisters, that he was a brilliant surgeon. She could just imagine who he’d been married to. She was probably as beautiful as he was. “Okay, well, I’m sure there are other kids whose moms might not be able to go.”

  Bella put her elbows on the table and rested her face on her hands. “Nope. Just me. The new kid with no mom.”

  Addie felt panic bubbling in her chest. She couldn’t stand seeing her little friend so upset. She also didn’t want to think anything negative about her mother, but really, she was so busy she couldn’t even think about coming out? Drew must have known she wouldn’t come and was trying to save Bella the disappointment of getting her hopes up for no reason.

  She could do it. She could sub in for Bella’s mom. She knew how to skate, really well. But so many reasons not to: she didn’t want to overstep, and she didn’t know if she’d actually be able to get back on the ice without some kind of pathetic breakdown. She shouldn’t say anything without asking her father. She glanced down at her watch—he’d be here soon. She would ask him privately.

  The jingling on the front door had them both looking. Addie smiled and stood as her older sister, Molly, walked in. “Hi, girls,” she said.

  Addie walked over and gave her a hug. “I’m so happy you stopped by! It’s the perfect time, too. No one is here except us.”

  “Hi, Bella,” Molly said as Bella smiled at her.

  “Hi, Dr. Molly. Addie, I’m going to finish my homework so I don’t have to do it tonight,” Bella said, taking out a math textbook from
her backpack.

  “Okay, sweetie. We’re going to grab coffee and chat over by the cash desk. Let me know if you need any help.”

  “Okay,” Bella said, already flipping open her book.

  “So how are things with the newlyweds?” Addie asked as they walked over to the coffee station behind the cash counter. She noticed her sister hadn’t stopped smiling.

  “Unbelievable,” Molly whispered with a sheen in her eyes and a smile still on her face. “Sometimes I wish I could go back and make different choices. I missed Ben so much. We wasted so many years apart.”

  Addie reached out to hug Molly. Her sister had distanced herself from everyone, and up until a couple months ago, none of them knew why. But when Molly had told them the truth, they’d been heartbroken to hear of the tragedy their sister had been through…and their mother’s part in all of it. They didn’t really know what to do with their relationship with their mother now. They had all been shocked by their mother apologizing to Molly—because Marlene Mayberry never apologized to anyone—but they knew that the wounds were too deep to just go away after one attempted apology. But the three sisters were as close as ever, quickly making up for the years apart. “You found each other again. You’ve got your whole lives ahead of you now.”

  Molly nodded. “I know. You’re right,” she whispered, glancing over at Bella, who was reading a Christmas book. “Okay, I’m not going to talk about that. I’ll have a quick coffee before I head home.”

  Addie poured a cup for Molly and one for herself. “How’s Finn doing?”

  Molly sighed and took the cup she handed her. Finn was Molly’s brother-in-law and a firefighter, just like her husband. He’d been hurt in the line of duty and Addie knew they were all still very worried about him. “He’s still in Billings at the hospital, but it looks like he’ll be able to start rehab soon. Hopefully, he’ll come home by Christmas. Marjorie went to stay with him for Thanksgiving.”

  Addie shook her head. “I hope he’s going to be okay.”

  Molly took a sip of coffee. “He’ll recover. I just don’t know how much of a recovery and if he’ll be able to work as a firefighter again. That would break him, you know? That’s what they’ve always done, and that’s what their father was. I don’t know. I don’t want to give up hope just yet.”

  Addie nodded. “I agree. Hope for the best.”

  “Hello, ladies.”

  Addie stiffened, and Molly’s face went white at the sound of their mother’s voice. To say they had issues was an understatement. Only Bella smiled up at their mother. She and Molly mumbled out a lackluster greeting. “You’ve done a fine job at setting up this little shop, Adelaide.”

  Addie’s eyes narrowed. Since when did her mother give a compliment, even one which held an undertone of condensation? “Thank you. Business is going well. I’ve hired another employee too.”

  Their mother pursed her bright red lips. “That’s something. You’re looking…well. You seem to have slimmed down.”

  “Addie always looks great,” Molly said stiffly.

  Addie bit her cheeks. She really didn’t want to start something in front of Bella. Her mother had never given her a compliment, but again, this sounded like some kind of reluctant sort of praise. Addie opened her mouth, trying to find something neutral to say, but she just ended up sitting there with her mouth open.

  “I’m Isabella.” Addie snapped her neck in the direction of Bella’s sweet voice and shot her a smile. How rude, she hadn’t even introduced her.

  “Yes. Mother, this is Isabella Barrett.”

  Her mother gave the little girl a nod, as though she were greeting a work associate. “Pleased to meet you, Isabella. That last name sounds familiar.”

  “My daddy is a doctor at the hospital with Dr. Molly.”

  Her mother’s eyebrow shot up, and she looked pointedly at Molly who was tapping her fingers against the desktop. “I see. And are you here shopping with your father?”

  Isabella shook her head. “Nope. My daddy is at work. Addie is my babysitter.”

  Addie cringed. Her mother was going to have a field day with this one. As if it wasn’t bad enough that she hadn’t gotten a “noble” degree and profession, now her mother was going to think she’d resorted to babysitting in order to pay the bills. “I’m actually helping her father out because he was in a bind. Isabella and I are good friends, so it doesn’t even feel like babysitting.” As she smiled at Bella, she realized she’d just defended herself by minimizing what she was doing, as though it mattered what her mother thought of her. After everything their mother had done, especially to Molly, it shouldn’t matter what she thought of her.

  “I see. Well, regardless of how you’re earning money now, I came to invite you girls to my annual Christmas open house. It wouldn’t be the same without you there.”

  Molly’s eyes widened as she looked at Addie. “Haven’t you been having it for the last ten years without any of us?”

  Their mother’s eyes narrowed. “Yes, Molly, thank you for pointing out the very sad truth of the state of our family. I won’t even mention how none of you have even bothered to invite me over for Thanksgiving.”

  “Molly and Ben weren’t in town. Mel was working, and so was I.”

  Her mother gave her a look that suggested just what she thought of Addie’s “work.” But the last thing she’d needed was to spend Thanksgiving with just the two of them. It would take years of therapy to recover from.

  “Besides, I heard you weren’t even here Thanksgiving weekend,” Molly said, crossing her arms.

  Their mother’s face turned red. “I was forced to book a cruise or die of loneliness.”

  Molly rolled her eyes just as Isabella jumped up from the table. “Daddy’s here!”

  They all turned to see Drew walking forward, looking handsome as usual. The grin he gave his daughter made her toes curl, and she almost forgot about her mother’s stressful presence until it was time to introduce him.

  Their mother held out her hand, clearly impressed with Doctor Drew. “Marlene Mayberry, Mayor of Shadow Creek,” she said, shooting them a dark glare because they hadn’t introduced her quickly enough and had forgotten her title.

  “Nice to meet you. Drew Barrett.”

  “I’m sure the hospital is thrilled to have acquired a renowned surgeon as yourself. I’m so glad I ran into you today, because I would love to invite you to my annual Christmas open house. I can assure you I only invite la crème de la crème of Shadow Creek society.”

  Drew smiled, but it didn’t quite reach his green eyes. “Well, I thank you for your invitation, but that doesn’t sound like my type of party.”

  Addie was pretty sure she was going to die. Or explode from suppressed rage and humiliation. Mortification, that was an even better word. She finally dared look over at Drew, but he was busy helping Bella get her jacket and gloves on. “Can you get your backpack and books, please?” Drew whispered to Bella.

  Molly was looking down and shaking her head. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Addie?” Drew asked, as though he hadn’t just snubbed her mother. No one snubbed Marlene Mayberry and got away with it. Poor man had no idea what he was in for.

  She gave him a forced smile, very aware her mother’s hawkish gaze was now going back and forth between the two of them. “Yes, of course.”

  “Now, Drew, I do hate to embarrass my daughter…”

  “Then don’t, Mother. Walk away from the temptation,” Addie said. Drew was beginning to look as though he thought they were all nuts.

  “But I’d hate to see my sweet Adelaide here without a date yet again at the party. Since she’s doing you this favor of watching your child for you, maybe you wouldn’t mind returning the favor by agreeing to accompany her.”

  Addie gasped as heat infused her face. Molly clutched her arm tightly. She desperately searched for words, but her voice refused to work, and she was suddenly Fatty Addie who never had a date for the school dance, who never had a date to her mother’s stupid
parties, who never had a date until the night she finally thought she did have a date, only for it to turn out to be a giant, pathetic, cruel sham.

  “Mom,” Molly hissed.

  Drew didn’t look at them, but his jaw was set tightly, and his eyes were focused on her mother. “I’d love to. I’d love to take Addie anywhere, and if she decides she’d like to come to your party, then we’ll be there.”

  Addie forgot how to breathe. I’d love to take Addie anywhere. She knew he was saying all of this out of sheer pity. This ranked right up there as the second-most humiliating day of her life. She needed to let him off the hook. “It’s okay.”

  “Yay!” Bella said, looking completely oblivious to the tension in the room. “I love Christmas parties. Well, at least I think I do. I’m not really sure I’ve been to one before.”

  “Darling child, I’m sorry to inform you this is an adults-only party,” her mother said tersely while awkwardly patting Bella on the head.

  “Don’t worry, Bella, this is a party you definitely don’t want to attend,” Addie said, ignoring her mother’s frown.

  “Well, it was nice meeting you. See you soon,” Addie’s mother said before grabbing Addie’s elbow and guiding her down one aisle. Addie snatched her elbow from her grasp once they were hidden away in an aisle, and she heard Bella speaking with Drew and Molly.

  “How could you humiliate me like that? You can’t do this. You can’t come back in here and try to control my life.”

  “I’m doing you a favor. Once again, you girls are painting me as some kind of villain. I just scored you a date with Shadow Creek’s most eligible bachelor. I can see why the ladies are fawning all over him. He is quite handsome, despite being a single father.”

  Addie squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, making a futile wish that when she’d opened her eyes, her mother wouldn’t be standing in front of her. Sadly, when she opened her eyes, her mother was indeed still standing there…with a glare that made it obvious the Christmas spirit meant nothing to her. “You need to stay out of my life. You can’t control us anymore, and even if you try to humiliate me, I won’t allow it. I know everything, remember? I know what you did to Molly. After all that, you’re lucky any of us are still speaking to you.”