Holiday Hearts

by A. C. Arthur

  A female who was only a few inches shorter than her took a quick step back and giggled as she reached for the umbrella.

  “Oh goodness. Is this how you greet your sister that you haven’t seen in years,” she said with a chuckle.

  Keysa let Brynne take the umbrella from her hand as she looked shocked. Standing in her homey kitchen was her younger sister, her stepmother, and her father.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  There were bags of groceries on the small table in the center of her kitchen and Jocelyn, who had obviously found the pot she was looking for, was now at the sink running water in said pot. The petite woman with a cap of dark brown hair that was stylishly cut turned to her with a warm smile. “Hi there. We figured since you wouldn’t come to us, we’d come to you.”

  “I don’t understand,” Keysa heard herself saying for third time today. It seemed as if there was a lot she didn’t understand.

  Bernard Donovan now stood in front of her, his tall broad body nearly blocking everyone else from view. They had the same complexion and almost identical brown eyes. But that’s where the resemblance ended. Keysa was slender like her mother, Bernard was burly. Keysa’s reserved demeanor was definitely a result of Mary’s restricted upbringing. But Brynne and Bernard shared the same wide smile. Even now, her father was opening his arms wide to embrace her into a warm comforting hug.

  Keysa fell into the embrace easily, closing her eyes and felt a warmth she’d missed for far too long.

  “I missed you little girl,” Bernard whispered in her ear.

  “I missed you too, Daddy,” she admitted quietly. Pulling away she looked up at him. “But I told you I’d be busy working through the holidays.”

  “And I called Maser to give him a piece of my mind. No way is my daughter working through the Christmas holidays. I don’t care how important the project is.”

  “What? You called Maser and told him I couldn’t work? Like I’m a child and you were calling to get me out of a school project?” Keysa didn’t know how she felt about that.

  “That’s right. Somebody’s got to shake some sense into you,” he said. “Look, Keysa, for too long I’ve let you go your own way, do your own thing because I didn’t want to cause you or your mother any more pain than I already had. But family’s important to me and it should be to you. The holidays are a time for family and sharing and caring.”

  Sharing and caring, were words Keysa did not want to hear again.

  Shaking her head she took a step back. “But I have a life,” she argued.

  “I know and I feel like I’ve missed so much of it,” Brynne said coming between her and Bernard. “I think it’s time that changed. Let’s go chat,” she said pulling Keysa out of the kitchen.

  “Daddy can be really overbearing and bossy,” Brynne said.

  Keysa stared at her half-sister and contemplated whether she should put her out or hug her. Brynne Donovan had a curvy figure, long, dark hair and a mouth that seemed to go a mile a minute. She was bubbly and cheerful—that girl that everybody hated in school because she was so bubbly and cheerful. But as they started to walk up the stairs and Brynne continued to talk, Keysa thought, she might be the person Keysa admired most.

  ***

  Surprisingly, Christmas trees were still for sale on the day before Christmas Eve. To Keysa’s way of thinking, everyone who wanted a tree should have had one by then. It was a good thing that not everyone thought like her.

  “This one’s perfect!” Brynne squealed standing in front of a tree that easily dwarfed her by about two feet.

  Jocelyn and Bernard trudged along through the slushy walkway, bumping into other trees to find the spot where Keysa and Brynne stood.

  “What do you think?” Jocelyn asked Keysa.

  Keysa shrugged but felt a twinge of excitement as she looked at the tree. It had been years since she’d had a tree, but her father and Brynne had insisted she had to have one. They spent a good part of the afternoon shopping for ornaments, and now were finally selecting a tree that would go somewhere in Keysa’s already cluttered living room.

  “It’s nice,” she finally said.

  “What do you feel when you look at it?” Bernard came close to her and asked. “A tree’s got to feel good to you before you buy it. Go on over there and touch it.”

  “It feels just right to me,” Brynne offered. “Here Keysa, look how full and tall it is. Just like in the books and on television. It’ll look great right in front of your picture window.”

  Keysa looked closer at the tree and had to admit that something made her just a little bit excited as she’d looked at the tree again. It was a Douglas fir with the softest pine needles she’d ever felt. That meant the ornaments would have to be hung far back on each limb or she’d wake in the morning to find them all on the floor. But it didn’t matter, she sighed. This tree felt right.

  Hours later they were back at Keysa’s house, and she and Brynne decorated the tree as Jocelyn put the finishing touches on the dinner she’d been preparing most of the day. Bernard sat on the sofa with the television remote in hand as he switched between a football game and the billionth airing of Miracle on 34th Street that holiday season.

  The house seemed cheerful and alive, something it hadn’t felt like since the first day Keysa had moved in. Even though the arrival of her father and family had been a surprise, she’d come to accept that she liked having them there, liked talking to Brynne and Jocelyn and seeing her dad.

  When there was a knock at the door she couldn’t help but feel a little trepidation because she didn’t want anything to spoil the good time she’d been having.

  “I’ll get it,” Brynne said and flitted out of the living room before Keysa could protest.

  So Keysa picked up another glittering red ornament and gingerly placed it on the tree.

  “Hey everybody this is Ian and he’s a friend of Keysa’s.”

  This time Brynne cheerful voice left Keysa with a sense of dread. She’d been standing on the other side of the tree, and peeked around it to see him standing there.

  Dressed in khaki slacks, brown leather boots and a brown leather bomber Ian stood in her living room looking like a winter wonderland prince. His cool eyes found hers instantly and she warmed all over.

  “Hi,” she said tentatively.

  “Hi, yourself,” he replied. “I didn’t know you had company. I can come back another time,” Ian continued.

  “Nonsense,” Brynne said as she pulled him into the living room and began trying to take his coat off. “I’m her sister, Brynne and this is our dad, Bernard. Mom’s in the kitchen cooking. You’ll stay for dinner, right? I’ll go tell mom to add another place at the table.” Brynne had Ian’s coat in hand as she walked past Keysa offering a bright smile and headed to the kitchen.

  Bernard stood and gave Ian a stern look.

  “Your name’s Ian?” he asked.

  “Yes, sir.” Ian moved closer to Bernard and extended his hand. “I work at Maser with Keysa.”

  “Ian Sanchez?”

  “Ah, yes, sir,” Ian answered skeptically.

  Bernard gave a loud, boisterous laugh before clapping Ian on the back with one hand and shaking his other enthusiastically. “Come on in. I’ve heard a lot about you from Maser. He thinks you’re doing a great job. You and Keysa are making those clients very happy over there.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Ian said taking a seat beside Bernard on the couch.

  “We’re just here for a couple of days. Wanted to spend some time with my daughter, but we’re glad to have you here with us, right Keysa?”

  She felt as if she’d disappeared from the room during the few seconds of their exchange, but was now being welcomed back in. “Ah, right. You’re welcome to stay for dinner,” she offered but really didn’t feel like she had to since Ian was already sitting down like he intended to stay.

  “I’d be glad to,” was his smiling reply.

  EIGHT

  The last th
ing Ian had expected when he’d finally decided to come and see Keysa was a house full of guests and a dinner that rivaled his own mother’s. Mrs. Donovan certainly knew her way around the kitchen and her sweet potato pie was delicious. But what Ian enjoyed most about the evening was watching Keysa’s eyes light up as she laughed and talked with her younger sister or as she gazed happily at her father. Even when she interacted with her stepmother there was a sense of contentment, a peace that she seemed to have finally discovered. Ian wanted to freeze-frame this moment. He wanted to bottle it and keep it close to his heart forever.

  Actually, he wanted to marry this woman and make sure that all her holidays were spent exactly like this.

  But in Keysa’s mind he may have been getting a little ahead of himself.

  In Ian’s mind, it was right on schedule. He was in love with Keysa Donovan. There was no doubt about it. And after last night he was positive she had some serious feelings for him. It was apparent when he saw how upset she was by the empty engagement-ring box this morning, and how fast she’d made it out of his house.

  He’d let her go, figured she needed some time to get her thoughts together. But Ian had in no way given up on making Keysa his. Sitting here tonight with her family all around them had only made him even surer.

  “Well, we’re going to head back to our hotel. Why don’t we all go out for breakfast tomorrow and then hit the malls for some last minute shopping?” Jocelyn asked.

  Brynne clapped her hands and smiled. “Great idea! Keysa you can help me pick out mom’s gift. I have such a hard time shopping for her.”

  “Sure,” Keysa said. “I haven’t done any shopping at all.”

  “Then it’s settled. We’ll pick you up at nine, have breakfast and go shopping,” Jocelyn said.

  “Ian, why don’t you come along?” Bernard asked. “I don’t much like the idea of being surrounded by women in the mall on Christmas Eve.”

  Ian chuckled. “I see what you mean. Of course, I’d love to come along,” he said looking directly at Keysa as he answered.

  “Yaaay, we’re going to have a great time!” Brynne squealed.

  “Let’s get this mess cleaned up then we’ll be out of Keysa and Ian’s hair for the night,” Jocelyn said.

  “Oh, I can do it,” Keysa offered instead.

  “Nonsense, it’ll go faster if we all chip in,” was Jocelyn’s reply.

  And it was true. All of them piled into the kitchen and scrapped dishes, washed and dried them. Between all the laughter and joking, they seemed to finish in no time. Oh, and the singing. Jocelyn and Brynne loved to sing Christmas carols. Ian had no choice but to join in.

  An hour later when the house was quiet and Ian and Keysa were finally alone, he sat on her couch and waited for her to say something first. He was curious as to what her mood would be after the marvelous dinner and family time. They still had unfinished business between them.

  “Today was great,” she said wistfully standing near the Christmas tree.

  “I’m glad you spent time with your family. They seem like great people.”

  She nodded. “They are. I never knew it until today, but they are.”

  He watched as her fingers touched the needles of the tree and moved over one of the flashing lights. She wore black pants that looked almost painted on her legs and a long black, white and red sweater that cupped her breasts and molded to her shape perfectly. Her hair was still curly and framed the softness of her face. And Ian wanted her even more than he did the night before.

  “I take it you didn’t know they were coming,” he said trying to sound as calm as he could.

  “No,” she said looking over at him then back at the tree. “They were here when I came home this morning.”

  He’d figured the surprise wasn’t a happy one especially after the morning they’d had. But it turned out to be a good thing for her anyway. Ian was happy about that.

  “Speaking of this morning,” she stared and Ian’s chest clenched. Now the argument would begin. He sat up in the chair and let his elbows rest on his knees. “About this morning,” he said seriously.

  “Did you call a cab and pay him to bring me home?” she asked, her head tilted as if she had been thinking long and hard about it.

  “No,” he said. “Why? What happened in the cab?” Alarmed, Ian stood.

  “Nothing happened. I mean, I guess something did happen. It was just weird. I didn’t give the guy my address, but he knew where I lived. Then he said I didn’t have to pay him.”

  “Did you know the guy?”

  “No,” she replied. “But something about him was familiar. He said it was a gift and that I should learn how to accept gifts.”

  “Yeah,” Ian said coming to stand right beside her. He didn’t know what Keysa was thinking or feeling about this morning and he really didn’t care. All he cared about was her and their future together. So with her words about learning how to accept gifts he reached into his pocket and pulled out the same black box she’d seen this morning.

  “I have a gift for you, Keysa,” he said softly and waited for her to turn to face him.

  “Ian,” she started. “Not again.”

  “Shhhh,” he touched a finger to her lips. “Just listen.”

  Moving his finger from her lips, Ian brushed his hand over her cheek and across her jawline. She was so beautiful standing in the light of the Christmas tree that his heart swelled with emotion.

  “I’ve loved you from day one. I know that sounds crazy and I don’t care. All I care about is you and how happy I want us to be. I want you to be my wife, Keysa Donovan.”

  She swallowed and blinked wondering if this too was part of a dream she’d harbored for far too long. All day Keysa had been amazed by how good it felt to be with her father and her sister and stepmother. She’d loved shopping for the Christmas tree and decorating it, the dinner and even cleaning up afterward. Her house felt like it was Christmastime and she loved that too. And now, here was Ian—the man who had been a part of her life for some time whether she’d wanted him to or not. A man, who if she were completely honest with herself, she’d loved for a long time.

  “Are you giving me another empty box, Ian Sanchez? Because if you are I’m going to call my father back over here and he’s going to—”

  Ian’s lips cut off the rest of her sentence.

  He kissed her with such earnest emotion that Keysa simply melted into his arms. Wrapping her arms around his neck she moved into his embrace and let the kiss go deeper, her head tilting with his movements.

  “Open the box,” he whispered in her ear after finally pulling his lips away from her mouth.

  After he’d pressed the box into her hand Keysa ran her fingers along the soft velvet square. She hesitated and hesitated again, then finally flipped it open. The diamond sparkled as brightly as the lights on the tree and she felt her eyes welling with tears.

  With a finger to her chin Ian tilted her head so she would look at him.

  “Will you marry me?”

  She blinked and one tear escaped. Ian wiped it away.

  “I don’t want to be like my mother,” she said first. “I don’t want to be alone and bitter. I want to have family Christmases and trees and decorations and cook sweet potato pie.”

  “Definitely sweet potato pie,” Ian said with a smile, his hands cupping her face. “Say you’ll marry me and you’ll have it all.”

  “I want eight children,” she added and he chuckled.

  “I think we could probably manage that, or die trying. Say yes,” he prompted.

  “Yes,” Keysa whispered.

  Ian kissed her lips.

  “Yes,” she sighed into his mouth.

  His tongue grazed her lips.

  “Yes.”

  His hands slid down her back to cup her buttocks.

  “Yes.”

  Ian lifted her up and laid her down on the floor next to the Christmas tree. As the lights glowed on and off, the reflection of the bulbs shinning on the
walls and the warmth of the house engulfing them, Ian undressed her. When she was completely naked he slid the diamond ring on her finger and kissed it.

  “Yes,” Keysa said again as if he hadn’t heard it the many times she’d said it before. She didn’t care. She wanted him to hear it as much as she wanted to say it.

  When he was undressed and lowering himself between her legs it was Ian’s turn to say, “Yes.”

  And when they were joined once more, his length filling her completely it was together that they murmured the word.

  NINE

  It was a little before nine and Ian had just made it back to Keysa’s house. They’d spent the night making love under the tree a few times, then upstairs in her bedroom. He’d roused her early this morning for another round and she’d happily obliged. Then he’d gone home and promised to be back in record time after he’d changed.

  Keysa was just coming down the steps when Ian knocked at the door.

  “Good morning,” she said happily.

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her long and deep. “Good morning to you.”

  They were just about to separate when there was another knock at the door.

  “Your family’s early. Lucky for you,” Ian said and turned to get the door.

  Keysa had moved to the coat rack and was getting her jacket when she heard the voice.

  “Merry Christmas,” a male voice said.

  She’d heard that voice before. Keysa moved closer to the door and looked outside.

  It was the man with the beard. He was dressed in dark slacks and a red jacket and skull cap. His beard was a scruffy gray mess, his eyes dark yet happy.

  “Can we help you?” Ian asked.

  The man reached for Keysa’s left hand the moment he saw her and smiled down at the diamond ring Ian had given her the night before.

  “You already have,” he said with a big smile. “You already have.”

  The man was turning to leave when Keysa asked, “Who are you?”

  The man turned, pointing to the black letters scrawled on his jacket. “You can call me Jasper,” he said, then pulled his jacket tighter and walked off.