A Family Under the Christmas Tree

by Terri Reed

  “Louise, Simon, thank you for coming. Sophie will be riding home with you.” With that, he pushed Troy out of the hospital. Why did it feel like he was pushing his way out of her life, too?

  “Uncle David, I’m bored,” Troy whined from the couch where he lay with a blanket and pillow. The doctor had advised no television as well as rest. So David had set his music player up in the living room and had downloaded a mix of children’s songs for Troy to enjoy. “Can’t I go next door and see Sophie and play with Riggs?”

  David gritted his teeth against the request, as he had every time Troy had made the same plea over the past two days. David had hedged over and over again, saying the doctor’s orders had been to lay low, which meant no playing and no roughhousing, as Troy and Riggs would no doubt do.

  It hadn’t helped that Sophie texted repeatedly, asking about Troy, and Louise had called. They’d asked to visit but he’d put them off with the same excuse.

  There was no way for David to explain to his five-year-old nephew the complicated reasons why it was best to steer clear of the Griffith women, particularly Sophie. He couldn’t tell Troy that he’d fallen in love with Sophie and somewhere along the way had allowed her to become so deeply ingrained in his heart that he felt like he couldn’t function without her. Troy was too young to understand why David had to excise her from their lives. Their hearts.

  He was so mad at himself for going down this road. He knew better than to let anyone in. Knew the danger of opening up his heart and life. And now not only was he paying the price, but so was Troy.

  There was no rational reason why David had fallen for Sophie. No rational reason why he’d let her slip under his defenses. It didn’t make sense. Life hadn’t made sense for a while now. Would it ever again?

  David hoped so once the ache of loss eased. He rose from his makeshift desk and came to sit beside Troy on the couch. “I know you want to see Louise and Riggs. You will see them again when you’re better. You have to be patient. You took a hard knock on the noggin.”

  “But I am better,” Troy said, sitting up. “I want to play with Riggs.”

  “You will see him tomorrow. Christmas Eve, remember?” David’s stomach knotted. They’d also see Sophie. Her pretty blue eyes and sweet smile flashed through his mind. He pushed the image away. “You can hang on until then, can’t you?”

  Troy sighed. “I’ll try.”

  David swallowed, not at all confident that trying would translate into waiting, but for now he’d take it. “Thanks, buddy.”

  They just needed to get through the holiday. Then he was going to take Troy away for the rest of Sophie’s visit. That way, when she left, they’d already be far away.

  Riggs had his paws on the front windowsill, his hot breath fogging up the window as he stared out at the soggy midafternoon. He let out a mournful whimper. Sophie tangled her fingers in his fur and heaved a sigh of her own. They missed Troy and David.

  The scent of brownies wafted in the air. Grandma had decided to make more treats for tomorrow’s Christmas party at the church. Normally the smell would have Sophie’s mouth watering, but she was too upset to be hungry for chocolate. That was telling.

  She’d taken Riggs for a walk twice today. Three times yesterday. Each time they’d gone past David’s house, hoping he or Troy would see them and come out or invite them in, but no go. The front curtain had been closed for the past two days, and David’s short replies to her text messages weren’t encouraging.

  Only concern that she would disturb Troy if he were resting had kept her from banging on the front door. For whatever reason, he’d decided to be done with her. Apparently Grandma was wrong. David didn’t need her. The ache deep in her heart pulsated anew.

  It was just as well, right? She wasn’t ready to settle down. She wasn’t ready to give up her transient lifestyle for home and hearth, despite the freshly reawakened yearning that beckoned to her.

  Chalking David up to another failed relationship, one that hadn’t even gotten off the ground, she turned away from the window and went back to her computer at the dining room table. She was making a digital photo album for David of the past ten days. She’d email it to him when she was done. And would give the Murphy boys their physical gifts tomorrow at the church’s Christmas party. She heaved another sigh.

  “What’s wrong?” Grandma stood in the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room.

  Sophie planned to hedge, but when she opened her mouth, she said, “I miss him.”

  Grandma raised her eyebrows. “Troy?”

  A wry smile lifted the corners of Sophie’s mouth. “Yes, Troy, too.”

  “Ah.” Grandma hobbled to the table. She sat next to Sophie. “Have you told David you love him?”

  Sophie swallowed back the panic the question caused. She did love David. There was no use in denying it. As much as she wanted to hide from the truth, she couldn’t. “No, I haven’t told him. He doesn’t seem to want to see me. And he was so distant at the hospital, like I was in the way.”

  Her shoulders sagged. Her chest throbbed with loss. She wasn’t sure why she hurt so much. She’d been through breakups before, but this agony was core deep and spreading through her with long tentacles of pain.

  Grandma took her hand. “He’s trying to figure out how to cope with everything. Seeing Troy fall on the ice was a shock. This was the first real accident David had to deal with since he lost his brother and sister-in-law. But I can guarantee it won’t be his last. Your father was always getting banged up as a kid and teen. Your brothers, too, if you remember.”

  Sophie did remember multiple trips to the ER with one brother or another over the years. She’d even gone fairly recently when her oldest brother had wiped out on his motorcycle. That had been frightening for them all. “David wouldn’t let me help him deal with his pain. I was right there. I wanted to comfort and support him but he shut me out.”

  Grandma tilted her head, her gaze assessing. “He knows you’re leaving, right?”

  Sophie nodded. Her stomach knotted.

  “I would imagine he’s protecting himself from needing to lean on you when he knows you’re only in his and Troy’s life temporarily.” Grandma patted her hand. Her sad eyes bore into Sophie. “I think it’s time you decide what you truly want in your life.” With that she rose and made her way back to the kitchen.

  Grandma’s words shot straight through Sophie’s heart. Grandma was right. Thinking back to the hospital, Sophie had recognized what David was doing. He was fighting his need for her. But she should have realized it was because he mistakenly felt that he could only rely on himself and not others. Considering all that he’d shared with her about his past, it made so much sense, yet was so erroneous.

  They were stronger together than apart.

  The realization slammed into her chest like an iron fist.

  She knew what she wanted in life. With a few keystrokes she brought up a photo taken the night of the Snowflake parade. It was a shot of her, David, and Troy. Simon had asked to use her camera, and he’d captured them together, looking like a family. Her family.

  She wanted David and Troy. She wanted to be a part of their world more than she wanted to see the world. She wasn’t going to let him push her away. She was going to fight for what she wanted. And she wanted David. She would find a way to make it work. She sent up a prayer that he’d want her, too.

  “Sophie!” Grandma called from the kitchen. “Come here!”

  Sophie’s heart jumped, praying Grandma hadn’t fallen again or hurt herself somehow. Sophie hurried to the kitchen, where Grandma stood at the sink. “Are you okay?”

  Grandma pointed out the window. “We have a visitor.”

  Sophie didn’t see anything. “I don’t—”

  Riggs barked and raced for the back door. He scratched to be let out. Curious, Sophie went to the door and let the dog out. He raced across the back patio to the darkened far corner. Sophie followed and could just barely make out a little boy hiding
under a wheelbarrow. Affection and love for this child crowded her chest.

  “Troy, come out of there,” Sophie said. “What are you doing?”

  Troy climbed out. He was covered in dirt from the damp soil. “I wanted to see you but then I was afraid I’d get in trouble.”

  With a sinking feeling, Sophie squatted down to the boy’s eye level. “Did you run away again?”

  Troy nodded. “I was bored and I wanted to see Riggs.”

  At the sound of his name, the dog let out a happy bark. He nudged Troy with his nose, and the boy flung his arms around Riggs’s neck and buried his face in the thick fur.

  “Oh, boy.” Sophie sighed. She had to tell David. He was probably out searching the neighborhood, frantic with worry and berating himself again. The man took on responsibility for things that weren’t within his control. “Come on, kiddo. Let’s go find your uncle.”

  “Can Riggs come, too?”

  “Of course,” she said with a laugh. “Let’s get his leash.”

  After leashing up, they headed next door. Sure enough, David wasn’t there. The door was open, as if he’d run out without giving any thought to locking up. She pulled the door closed and called David’s cell.

  A moment later, he answered, his voice edged with panic. “Sophie, Troy ran away again. I’m at the park but I can’t find him.”

  “David, he’s here,” she told him. “Come to my grandma’s.”

  A long moment of silence stretched. “I should have guessed. I’ll be right there.” He clicked off.

  Sophie led Troy and Riggs back to the warmth of Grandma’s house. Grandma had made hot chocolate and set out a plate of cookies. She leveled Sophie with a pointed look. “You and David need to talk.”

  “I know,” she said, a battalion of nervous butterflies taking flight in her stomach. What if she confessed her love to him and he rejected her? She squared her shoulders. She’d deal with it. Better to get it out in the open than to keep it bottled up inside.

  A knock sounded at the door. Taking a deep breath, Sophie opened the door. David stood there, looking so handsome and worried. His jeans and white T-shirt had grown damp from the misty air. Goose bumps covered his bare arms. At least he had on shoes, but they were wet and muddy. His dark hair was brushed back, like he’d been running his fingers through the strands, something she noticed he did when nervous or upset. As their gazes locked, she saw a hint of longing just beyond the anxiety in his eyes.

  It took everything in her not to wrap her arms around him. She needed him to see that Troy was safe first. She stepped aside so David could enter. He slipped off his shoes, leaving them by the front door. He stared at Troy, who sat in front of the fireplace munching on a cookie with Riggs by his side.

  David ran a hand through his disheveled hair. Relief bowed his shoulders. “That boy is going to be the death of me.”

  Sophie chuckled. “My dad used to say the same thing about Dean. He was a daredevil and so impulsive. But he turned out well.”

  He slanted her a quick glance. “Thanks again.”

  She captured his hand. “We need to have a chat.”

  He pressed his lips together and extracted his hand. “No. What I need to do is get Troy home and bathed. He’s a mess and getting your carpet dirty.”

  “David.” Sophie wanted to shake him. She wanted to pull him in close and tell him he didn’t have to go it alone.

  But he moved past her and knelt down beside Troy. “It’s time to go home, Troy. Please say good night to the ladies and Riggs.”

  Troy kept his head down. His little hand shook as he set a cookie back on the plate.

  When he didn’t respond, David lifted his chin with the crook of his finger. “Now, please.”

  Troy sighed, bounced to his feet, and did as David asked without protest.

  “Good night. We’ll see you tomorrow for the Christmas pageant,” Troy said and shuffled his feet toward the door. David strode after him.

  A deep sadness welled within Sophie. She hated this distance between her and David. But she didn’t know how to breach it. Fighting for what she wanted was foreign territory.

  But if he wouldn’t even talk to her, then how could she ever hope they could find their way back to the place they were before Troy’s accident? A place where she could tell him she loved him?

  CHAPTER

  15

  Christmas Eve arrived with a cold front that blasted an icy rain through the city. Flecks of ice hit the front windshield of David’s truck like a million little fingers tapping at the glass as he pulled into a parking spot in front of the Good Hope Christian Church.

  He flexed his fingers on the steering wheel. His nerves jumped. He really didn’t want to go inside. Not only because he’d have to confront a scene that would bring back all the memories of his childhood, but also because he’d have to face Sophie. Dear, sweet Sophie.

  He’d awoken this morning to find a digital photo album in his in-box. A Christmas gift from Sophie.

  It had broken his heart to see the happy and carefree images on the screen. The day Troy had run away to the park. The muddy mess he, Troy, and Riggs had been. Pictures from their Christmas tree hunt. The parade. He hadn’t realized she’d captured Troy hugging Olaf.

  One photo in particular had brought the burn of tears to his eyes. The one of the three of them taken at Ferralla’s restaurant. The joy shining in Sophie’s eyes, the silly grin on his own face, and Troy’s delighted expression. They looked like a happy family.

  He’d stared at the picture filling his computer screen for a long time before he finally shut the computer off. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to look at the photo again. Because he loved Sophie, wanted her in his life. But he was too afraid to let her in.

  An image of her face so sad yesterday tormented his mind. He’d missed her so much these past few days. And seeing her yesterday had nearly crumbled his resolve to keep her out of his life.

  There was no hope of keeping her out of his heart. She was already there, taking up way too much space, but he had to figure out how to live without her. She’d said yesterday they needed to talk. He didn’t want to go there because he knew he’d break down and tell her he loved her and ask her to stay. That was one thing he’d promised he wouldn’t do. The one thing guaranteed to put his heart at risk.

  If she didn’t feel the same, then he’d feel the sting of rejection. But if she did feel the same, then everything would change. There would be no safety net to catch him if anything were to happen and she left or was taken away from him.

  Just the thought of it made him break out in a cold sweat.

  He heard the click of Troy undoing the buckles on his car seat.

  “Come on, Uncle David,” Troy said as he pushed his way between the two front captain’s seats. “Let’s go in.”

  David ruffled Troy’s hair. “Impatient much?”

  “Yes.” Troy grinned.

  David laughed and scanned the parking lot. Kids and parents climbed from various cars and hurried toward the entrance. He didn’t see Sophie’s rental car. She’d most likely parked in the back of the church. David popped open his door and stepped out of the truck. He held out his arms for Troy to jump into.

  “Wait!” Troy said. “What about Sophie and Grandma Louise’s presents?”

  The bag with the gifts they’d wrapped was tucked behind the driver’s seat, out of view. “We’ll give the ladies their gifts after the pageant.”

  Troy seemed to accept that announcement.

  He pushed on David’s arms, asking to be set down. David set him on his feet but grabbed his hand to keep him from running through the parking lot.

  They entered the church through the main doors and followed the throng of people to the great room. The happy sounds of children’s laughter filled the air. As David and Troy stepped into the room, Troy broke free from David’s grasp and raced across the room. Sophie sat at a table with several little girls and a few teenage girls making some sort of craft.
She opened her arms to Troy and hugged him tightly.

  A pang of yearning struck David. His gaze never left Sophie as she rose, grabbed her camera from the chair next to her, and hand in hand with Troy, made her way toward him.

  She had on a bright red sweater decorated with white snowflakes and black pants tucked into tall black boots. Her blond hair hung loose about her shoulders and was sprinkled with green glitter. Her eyes sparkled like sapphires. She had a dusting of gold glitter on her cheeks. She’d never looked more beautiful to him.

  She stopped in front of him. “I’m glad you two are here.”

  His heart thumped. “You are?”

  Her smile was soft and full of something close to love that tied his insides in knots. “Yes.” She turned to Troy. “Grandma is over there. She’d love to see you.”

  Troy turned to race to where Louise, Simon, and Riggs sat along the wall with several other couples their age. Riggs’s tail thumped on the floor as little kids took turns petting him. Simon whispered something in Louise’s ear and she blushed, but her smile lit up her face. Then she was hugging Troy like he really was her grandson. Louise waved, and David raised a hand in greeting.

  “This is quite the crowd.” He turned his gaze back to the room. To the melee of children of all ages, some playing games, others doing crafts or taking snacks from the tables laden down with Christmas goodies.

  “It’s a good turnout.”

  He took an envelope from the inside pocket of his sport coat and handed it to her. “Here, before I forget.” Or lose my nerve.

  Her gaze narrowed. “That better not be a check. I told you, you don’t owe me anything for watching Troy.”

  He pressed the envelope into her hand. “Just take it, please. Don’t open it here. Wait until later.” Like on the plane to Zurich.

  He could see she wanted to argue with him. “Please.”

  With a sigh, she nodded and tucked it into the back pocket of her pants. “We need to talk, David. Soon.”

  His mouth went dry. “Sure. Later.” Like never. He folded his arms across his chest.