The Heart of Christmas

by Belle Calhoune

  Eden shook her head, her long dark hair curling around her shoulders. “I might be mistaken, but he sounded awfully happy to be getting some alone time at the house with his lady friend, Maria.”

  “I guess three is a crowd,” Brady said, joining in on the laughter.

  “Shall we?” Brady said, motioning with his hand toward the door. Once he locked up the place they headed off in Brady’s car toward town and the best pizza joint in town. Over pepperoni pizza, a garden salad and two sodas, Brady and Eden enjoyed a nice meal over casual conversation. They talked about California and veterinary school and huge student loans and life in Celebration. Brady couldn’t remember a time when he’d felt so at ease on a date with someone. Everything just flowed so naturally between them. It was a huge blessing to have come back to Celebration and developed such an easy rapport with Eden.

  By the time dusk rolled around they had made their way to the town green. It was packed with townsfolk, all of whom wanted to enjoy the popular Christmas fireworks.

  Brady had taken a blanket out of the back of Vicky’s truck and tucked it under his arm. With Eden’s help, he laid it out on the grass so they could sit down comfortably and watch the pyrotechnic display. On impulse, Brady reached for Eden’s hand and entwined it with his own. For a moment she looked surprised, then she seemed to settle in to it. She sent him a sweet smile that made his heart thump wildly within his chest. They sat shoulder to shoulder as the Christmas fireworks display lit up the Texas night sky. The burst of colors shot through the heavens like a comet exploding. Reds. Greens. Purples. Whites.

  He turned to look at Eden. Her face was luminous, set off by the glow from the fireworks. Afterwards, they walked by the gazebo and enjoyed the holiday lights shimmering and twinkling on every lamp post and tree.

  “You confound me a little bit, Miss Lassiter.”

  She turned to look at him. “What do you mean by that?”

  “When I was at your house I noticed your totally barren Christmas tree. And there wasn’t so much as a wreath on your door or a holiday figurine on your mantel. No holly. No nice smelling decorative pine combs. Yet you are leading a very successful candy cane fundraiser to help abandoned animals. And you thoroughly enjoyed these holiday fireworks.”

  “Is there a question in there somewhere?” Her eyes were wide in her heart-shaped face.

  “Is there a reason you seem to downplay Christmas at your house? Is it because of your grandmother?” He tried to ask the question as gently as possible. Brady couldn’t contain his curiosity, and his questions to his own grandmother about Eden fell on deaf ears. She had told him to ask Eden herself if he wanted answers about her life.

  “There’s something I’d like to tell you.” Eden stopped walking and turned to look at him face-to-face.

  “Okay. Shoot. I’m listening. You can tell me anything.” Brady could tell by the intense expression on her face that whatever she wanted to tell him was serious.

  “Remember when I told you about the hold-up at the diner the night Gran died?” Her lips trembled. She began to fidget with her fingers. “The person who held up the diner was my ex-boyfriend, Derek. He had been spiraling downward ever since I broke up with him. One of the reasons I ended things was because of his violent behavior.” Eden shuddered. “When he burst into the diner that night he was high and desperate and waving a gun around. I stood up and tried to talk to him…talk him out of hurting anyone or getting a criminal record, but he pointed the gun at me and starting ranting. Gran was so upset. I know she wanted to protect me like always. She stood up, but she clutched her chest and fell to the floor.” Tears flowed down Eden’s cheeks. “It all happened so fast. She was dead before the ambulance came to get her. And ever since that night I’ve blamed myself.”

  “Why?” Brady asked in a raised voice. “You were a victim yourself. And you didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “I dated Derek. And she died trying to protect me.”

  “So? That has nothing to do with it being your fault. Only one person was responsible, Eden. And that was Derek. He made choices and he followed through with them, with tragic results. That’s not your doing.”

  “I know. Finally, it dawned on me that I’m not to blame. I just felt guilty because Gran died and my sister left town because she couldn’t deal with the pain. And we couldn’t seem to get past our grief and lean on each other as sisters.” Tears slid down Eden’s cheeks. “It’s hard to lose so much all at once. It made me crawl into a shell and just hide away from the world.”

  “So you wouldn’t get hurt again?” Brady asked, his voice rich with emotion.

  “Yes,” she said in a soft voice. “It felt as if I might just crack in two if that happened.”

  Eden continued. “That Christmas tree at the house keeps taunting me. Every time I look at it I think Gran should be here. She should be decorating the tree and pulling out her stash of ornaments and her one-of-a-kind stars. She should be here with us.”

  Brady reached out and brushed away a tear from her cheek. “I can’t blame you for feeling that way. It’s hard to understand why things happen the way they do. The truth is, only God knows. His plan for your grandmother is one of the divine mysteries of life.”

  “I believe in Him. There was a time when I turned away from God, but I soon realized I need Him in my life.”

  “I know one thing with absolute certainty,” Brady said. “Your gran would want you to live life to the fullest. She wouldn’t want you to have a naked tree sitting in your house. And she certainly wouldn’t want you to blame yourself for what happened to her.” Brady shook his head. “That’s not truly living.”

  She looked up at Brady with tears shimmering in her eyes. Without questioning it, Brady lowered his head and placed his lips on Eden’s in a gentle, romantic kiss. Eden’s lips were warm and inviting. A sweet scent—vanilla or cinnamon—hovered around her like a halo. He placed her face between his palms and kissed her with a tenderness that spoke volumes about his feelings for her. He moved his hands through her hair, enjoying the feel of the silky strands against his skin. The kiss swept them both away—far away from Celebration, Texas and the town green. When the kiss finally ended, neither one moved away from the other. It was as if they wanted this moment to go on and on until all the twinkling lights on the town green were extinguished.

  Brady knew two things for certain. Eden had nestled her way into his heart. And he wasn’t quite sure how he was going to leave Celebration without a host of regrets.

  **

  Eden waved to Brady as she hopped into her car outside The Country Vet where Brady had just dropped her off so she could pick up her vehicle. As she drove home, Eden could feel the corners of her mouth twitching with happiness. She just wanted to smile! She felt as if she could soar.

  Brady had kissed her! And she’d kissed him back. It had been wonderful and hopeful and filled with joy. Her feelings for Brady were lifting her up to the mountain top. She felt like a high- flying kite that couldn’t be grounded.

  Being with Brady tonight had caused a huge shift in Eden’s world. Healing had begun with a vengeance. She’d taken major steps towards being more open and social and connected. Never in a million years would she have imagined she’d be such a big part of a town celebration. Yet she’d done it twice in the last few days. She still had miles to go on her journey, but for the first time in years she felt hopeful. Confident. Radiant.

  Suddenly an idea came to her, one that would allow her to honor her grandmother and move her closer toward healing. It would take a little bit of courage on her part, but she felt determination rise up inside her.

  God was by her side through all of these life challenges. She would never allow herself to forget that for a single moment. A verse from Philippians came to her, providing her with a huge dose of confidence. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

  Chapter Six

  Brady spotted a bright red envelope sitting on his desk. His name was written in a lovely
cursive scrawl. Curious about the contents, Brady ripped it open. He pulled out an invitation with dancing elves and reindeer and glitter on it. The words “You are invited” jumped out at him. He opened the card and saw Eden’s name and address in bold ink. Shock roared through him. Eden was hosting a Christmas Eve party at her home? Was this some sort of a prank?

  He and Eden had continued to go out on dates—movie nights, dancing, making dinner at his place or hers—and develop their relationship. She hadn’t mentioned a single thing about a Christmas Eve party.

  He left his office and walked out to the front desk. Eden was there, dealing with a client on the phone. Once she finished, Brady placed his elbows on the counter and smirked at her.

  “What’s that look for?” she asked, shaking her head at him.

  “I just found this on my desk.” Brady held up the festive invitation. “You sure are full of surprises.”

  Eden grinned. “I need to get out of my comfort zone. Throwing a holiday party will keep me in the swing of things. I’ve shied away from the community for way too long. Gran wouldn’t have wanted me to live such an isolated life. And my poor dad has been cooped up in the house for such a long time. He really enjoyed the festival the other night. This is for his benefit as well.”

  Brady grinned at her. “Sounds like it will do you both a world of good.”

  “He really needs to have connections with the locals. A little holiday gathering will be food for his soul. And for mine as well.”

  “I agree with you,” Brady said with a grin. “You’ve done a great job of caring for your father, but a holiday celebration will be a great pick-me-up for him.”

  “Now I just have to figure out a menu and get some fold-up chairs and some decorations. Gran probably stashed a bunch in the attic, so I’ll take a look tonight.” She tapped her finger to her chin. Brady could see the excitement etched on her face. It made her look even more beautiful. The spirit of the season had finally caught up with Eden. Brady couldn’t have been more tickled.

  Thank you, Lord. For giving Eden her faith back. And for reminding her of all the things her grandmother wanted for her in this world. And thanks for placing her in my orbit. She’s the only gift I’ll need this Christmas.

  “I make some mean chicken wings,” Brady said. “And you know my grandmother is a pro in the kitchen. She’ll make whatever you need—barbecue, a Christmas log cake, a turkey, ham, chocolate cake, meatballs, crab cakes—”

  Eden help up her hands. “You need to stop. You’re making me hungry. Vicky can make whatever her heart desires. I’m sure it will be wonderful.”

  “You’re wonderful,” Brady said, tugging her by the arm and pulling her behind his office door where no one could see them smooching. He dipped his head down and pressed a kiss on her lips. She kissed him back fervently, then pushed him away with a chuckle.

  Eden shook her finger at him. “You won’t be satisfied until people are gossiping about us kissing at the vet’s office, will you?”

  Brady chuckled. For once in his life he actually wouldn’t mind being the object of town gossip. Kissing Eden was well worth the risk.

  **

  Eden couldn’t remember seeing her father so excited in the last few years. Hosting the Christmas Eve party had been the right thing to do. She could see it radiating from his eyes. Eden knew she’d made so many mistakes over the past four years out of pain and grief. Today really signified a step in a new direction. The candy canes—Tabitha, Christine and Bailey were in the kitchen helping out with the food preparation. They had all been terribly excited about her hosting a holiday party at her house.

  “Daddy, could you help me with the tablecloth?” she called out to her father.

  “Sure thing,” he said, grabbing the other end of the tablecloth and raising it in the air before placing it down on his end of the table.

  Eden placed a red and white bouquet of flowers in the middle of the table. “I think that looks pretty festive if I do say so myself.”

  “It’s gorgeous. Matter of fact, everything looks so wonderful. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say your grandmother decorated this place.”

  Eden’s cheeks warmed with pleasure. “That’s the best compliment I could ever get,” she said, nuzzling her head against her father’s chest. Sometimes she took him for granted, but on a day like this Eden felt very thankful for all of her blessings.

  Lord, thank you for giving me the most wonderful father in the world. He’s been with me every step of the way, caring for me and loving me. And I wouldn’t have made it through all my younger years without his love and support.

  The doorbell rang, sending panic straight through Eden. A quick look at the clock on the wall revealed there was still an hour to go before the party started.

  “There’s always someone who comes early to a holiday party,” groused her father. “I’m guessing it’s Merry Jackson. She probably came early to snoop around the place.”

  Eden playfully swatted at her father. “Daddy, that’s not nice. Whoever is at the door is our guest. In the spirit of Christmas, we need to be gracious.” She winked at her father. “Maybe Merry came early to see you.”

  Her father muttered under his breath something that sounded like bah humbug. He was just being ornery. He was very excited about tonight’s gathering and she knew nothing as trivial as an early guest could ruin his joy.

  Eden patted him on the shoulder. “Who knows? It could be Brady or Vicky. They’re bringing some food over.”

  “You’ve been spending a lot of time with Brady. Care to tell me anything?” he asked in a gruff voice.

  “Saved by the bell,” Eden quipped before striding toward the front door. She pulled it open, letting out a gasp at the auburn-haired visitor standing before her.

  “Merry Christmas, sis.” Her sister Betsy threw herself at Eden and enveloped her in the tightest of embraces. Standing directly behind her was her husband, Cleave. He had a huge grin plastered on his face.

  Eden let out a cry of surprise and delight. In a million years she would never have expected Betsy to show up at her house on Christmas Eve. As their embrace ended they simply stared at each other for a few moments. Cleave gave Eden a kiss on the forehead and disappeared in the direction of the kitchen. Eden sensed he wanted her and Betsy to have private time together.

  “Does daddy know you’re coming?” Eden asked, imagining her father’s surprise at the sight of his beloved daughter.

  “No,” Betsy said with an impish grin. “I wanted to surprise the both of you.”

  Taking her sister by the hand, Eden led her into the living room. “Daddy, I think you’re going to be very happy to see our first guest.”

  Betsy stepped out from behind Eden and threw her hands in the air. “Surprise!”

  As the two embraced, Eden could hear sobs coming from her father. She could see the joy etched on his face. His shoulders shook with emotion.

  “This is the only thing I need for Christmas,” her father said in a choked up voice. “To have my family all together under one roof.”

  “Betsy!” Eden cried out in a strangled voice. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “I’ve missed you too. And I should never have stayed away this long. Losing Gran felt like the end of our family. It always seemed as if she was the glue holding it all together,” Betsy said, swiping away tears.

  Eden nodding, understanding firsthand about grief and loss. It took a heavy toll on people. It led them to do things they might not ordinarily do. “It affected me in a similar way. I’ve felt so much pain…and guilt. I miss her every day.”

  Betsy clutched her hand. “I never should have lashed out at you. It wasn’t your fault that Derek held up the diner. And it wasn’t your fault that Gran’s heart gave out on her.” She smiled through her tears. “After all, she had the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever known. It must have been hard carrying around all that goodness.”

  Eden smiled. “True. I want to remember her as she was
instead of stuffing all of the memories down so I don’t ache inside. I think remembering Gran will help us heal.”

  “Me too.” Betsy looked around her. “She’s here. With every ornament and decorative accent, I see her. She’s with us.”

  “I’m so glad you came,” Eden said, feeling as if a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

  “I’m so glad Brady called me.”

  Eden wrinkled her nose. Had she heard her sister wrong? “Brady called you?”

  “Yes,” her sister said with a nod of her head. “And I’m so grateful. He told us all about this party and the fundraiser you’ve been holding for the animals. We couldn’t wait to get here.”

  “He never said a word,” Eden said, feeling out of breath. The man she loved was even more wonderful than she’d ever imagined. He had brought her family back together.

  “Sounds like he’s pretty crazy about you,” Betsy said in a singsong voice. She leaned in toward Eden. “I have a secret. I’m expecting.”

  Eden let out a loud cry. Her sister put her finger to her lips. “Shh. I’m not announcing it yet. I just wanted to tell my sister.”

  “I’m so happy for you and Cleave,” she said in a voice trembling with emotion. So much was happening she didn’t know how to contain her emotions.

  The sound of footsteps and a deep male voice caused Eden to turn in the direction of the kitchen. Brady was standing there looking way more handsome than he had a right to look. With his festive Christmas sweater and a pair of dark cords, he looked downright adorable.

  Not caring who was watching, Eden rushed over to him and threw herself into his arms.

  She looked up at Brady, knowing in all likelihood love was shining forth in her eyes. At this moment she didn’t care. She was no longer hiding her truths.

  “Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing my family back together,” she said in a voice full of emotion.

  “I just want you to be happy, Eden. Now and for always,” Brady said in low voice.

  “You make me very happy,” Eden said, reaching up on tippy toes and placing a kiss on Brady’s lips.