A Country Christmas

by Debbie Macomber

  Ellie sent her a look that suggested she wouldn’t dream of missing it. So many babies had been born in Promise recently, and several years ago, Dovie and Frank started holding their own Christmas party for all their friends’ children. Dovie wore a Mrs. Claus outfit and Frank Hennessey made an appearance as Santa. Even Buttons, their poodle, got into the act, sporting a pair of stuffed reindeer antlers. For a couple who’d never had children of their own, Dovie and Frank did a marvelous job of entertaining the little ones.

  “Johnny and Robin wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Ellie assured her. “I wish...”

  Ellie didn’t need to finish that thought; Dovie knew what she was thinking. It was a shame that Paul and Mary Ann wouldn’t be in Promise for the Hennesseys’ get-together.

  “I’m just as hopeful as you are that this will be resolved soon,” Ellie said, forcing optimism in her words. She wanted so badly to believe it.

  “Me, too,” Nell Grant said, standing on the other side of Dovie. “The entire community is pulling for them.” She blushed. “I hope you don’t mind me jumping into the middle of your conversation.”

  “Everyone’s hoping for the best,” Dovie said with finality. Then, looking over at the small band of musicians, she turned back to Nell. “Don’t tell me that’s Jeremy playing the trumpet? It can’t be!”

  Nell nodded proudly. “He’s quite talented, isn’t he?”

  “Yes, and my goodness, he’s so tall.”

  “Emma, too,” Nell said, pointing at the flute player.

  “That’s Emma?” Ellie asked, unable to hide her shock. Heavens, it hadn’t been more than a couple of months since she’d seen Nell’s oldest daughter, and the girl looked as though she’d grown several inches.

  With this realization came another. It’d been nearly six weeks since Cal had seen his children. At their ages, both were growing rapidly, changing all the time. She could only guess how much he’d missed—and felt sad that he’d let it happen.

  Despite her disagreement with Glen, Ellie still blamed Cal. Eventually he’d come to his senses. She hoped that when he did, it wouldn’t be too late.

  * * *

  Her mother’s mournful expression tugged at Jane’s heart as she finished packing her suitcase.

  “You’re sure this is what you want?” Stephanie Dickinson asked. Tears glistening in her eyes, she stood in the doorway of Jane’s old bedroom.

  “Yes, Mom. I love my husband. Things would never have gone this far if—”

  “It’s my fault, isn’t it, honey?”

  “Oh, Mom, don’t even think that.” Jane moved away from the bed, where the suitcases lay open, and hugged her mother. “No one’s to blame. Or if anyone is, I guess I am. I let everything get out of control. I should’ve fought for my husband from the first. Cal was angry that I doubted him.”

  “But he—” Her mother stopped abruptly and bit her lip.

  “You heard his message. He loves me and the children, and Mom...until just a little while ago I didn’t realize how much I love him. It’s taken all this time for us both to see what we were doing. I love you and Derek and Uncle Ken, but Los Angeles isn’t my home anymore. I love Promise. My friends are there, my home and my husband.”

  Jane could tell that it was difficult for her mother to accept her decision. Stephanie gnawed on her lower lip and made an obvious effort not to weep.

  “You talked to Cal? He knows you’re coming?”

  “I left him a message.”

  “But he hasn’t returned your call?”

  “No.” There was such wonderful irony in the situation. Her mother had taken the children on an outing while Jane was scheduled to meet with the attorney. But as she’d sat in the waiting room, she’d tried to picture her life without Cal, without her family and friends in Promise, and the picture was bleak. She could barely keep from dissolving in tears right then and there.

  Everything Dovie had said came back to her, and she’d known beyond a doubt that seeing this attorney was wrong. Paul and Mary Ann needed their father, and she needed her husband. For the first time since her father’s illness, Jane had felt a surge of hope, the desire to win back her husband. If Nicole thought Jane would simply walk away, she was wrong. At that moment, she’d resolved to fight for her marriage.

  Without a word of explanation, Jane left the attorney’s office and rushed home. The message light alerted her to a call, and when she listened to it, Cal’s deep voice greeted her. His beautiful loving voice, telling her the very things she’d longed to hear.

  In her eagerness to return his call, her hand had shaken as she punched out the number. To her consternation she’d had to leave a message. She’d tried his cell phone, too, but Cal was notorious for never remembering to turn it on. Later phone calls went unanswered, as well. Her biggest fear was that he’d already boarded a plane, but she still hoped to stop him, and fly home with the children and meet him in San Antonio. With that in mind, she’d booked her flight.

  “I’ll try to call him again.”

  “You could all spend Christmas here,” her mother suggested hopefully.

  “Mom, you’re going with Laurie Jo to Mexico and that’s the end of it.”

  “Yes, I know, but—”

  “No buts, you’re going. It’s exactly what you need.”

  “But your father hasn’t even been gone two months.”

  Jane shook her head sternly. “Staying here moping is the last thing Dad would want you to do.”

  Her mother nodded. “You’re right...but I’m worried about you and the children.”

  “Mom, you don’t have to be. We’ll be fine.”

  “But you can’t go flying off without knowing if Cal will be at the airport when you arrive!”

  “I’ll give Glen and Ellie a call. They’ll see he gets the message. And if they can’t reach him, don’t worry—someone will be at the airport to pick us up.” Jane sincerely hoped it would be Cal. And this time she’d make sure their reunion was everything the previous one wasn’t.

  Her mother frowned and glanced at her watch. “You don’t have much time. I really wish you weren’t in such a rush.”

  “Mother, I’ve been here nearly two months. Anyone would think you’d be glad to get rid of me.” This wasn’t the most sensitive of comments, Jane realized when her mother’s eyes filled with tears and she turned away, not wanting Jane to see.

  “I shouldn’t have depended on you and the children so much,” Stephanie confessed. “I’m sorry, Jane.”

  “Mom, we’ve already been through this.” She closed the largest of the suitcases, then hugged her mother again. “I’ll call Ellie right now and that should settle everything. She’ll let Cal know which flight I’m on, or die trying.”

  She wished her husband would phone. Jane desperately wanted to speak to him, and every effort in the past three hours had met with failure. Funny, after all these weeks of no communication, she couldn’t wait to speak with him.

  “Mommy, Mommy!” Paul dashed into the bedroom and stuffed his blankey in the open suitcase. Then, looking very proud of himself, he smiled up at his mother. “We going home?”

  “Home,” she echoed and knelt to hug her son. She felt such joyful anticipation, it was all she could do to hold it inside.

  Luckily, reaching Ellie wasn’t difficult. Her sister-in-law was at the feed store and picked up on the second ring. “Frasier Feed,” Ellie said in her no-nonsense businesswoman’s tone of voice.

  “Ellie, it’s Jane.”

  “Jane!” Her sister-in-law nearly exploded with excitement.

  “I’m coming home.”

  “It’s about time!”

  “Listen,” Jane said, “I haven’t been able to get hold of Cal. He left a message that he’s flying to California, but he didn’t say when. Just that he’s coming today.”

  “Cal phoned
you?”

  “I wasn’t here. This is so crazy and wonderful. Ellie, I was sitting in the attorney’s office and all of a sudden I knew I could’t go through with it. I belong with Cal in Promise.”

  “Whatever you need, I’ll find a way to do it,” Ellie said. “You have no idea how much we’ve all missed you. None of us had any idea what to think when we didn’t hear from you.”

  “I know. I’m so sorry. It’s just that...” Jane wasn’t sure how to explain why she hadn’t called anyone in Promise for all those weeks. Well, she’d tried to reach Dovie, but—

  “Don’t apologize. I remember what it was like after my father died. One night I sat and watched some old westerns he used to love and I just cried and cried. Even now I can’t watch a John Wayne movie and not think of my dad.”

  “You’ll make sure Cal doesn’t leave Promise?” That was Jane’s biggest concern. She hated the thought of getting home and learning he was on his way to California. If that did happen, he’d find an empty house, because her mother would be in Mexico.

  “You can count on it.”

  “And here, write down my flight information and give it to Cal—if you catch him in time.”

  “I’ll find him for you, don’t you worry.”

  Jane knew her sister-in-law would come through.

  * * *

  Cal spent the morning completing what chores he could, getting ready to leave. Glen was attending a cattlemen’s conference in Dallas and would be home that evening, but by then Cal would be gone.

  Now that his decision was made, he wondered what had taken him so long to own up to the truth. His love for Jane and their children mattered more than anything—more than pride and more than righteousness. His friends and family had tried to show him that, but Cal hadn’t truly grasped it until he learned how close he was to losing everything that gave his life meaning.

  His father had urged him to listen to reason with that conversation during Thanksgiving dinner, and Phil’s advice hadn’t come cheap. Not when Cal was paying the bill at the Rocky Creek Inn.

  Glen had put in his two cents’ worth, and his comments had created a strain in their relationship. Cal hadn’t been able to listen to his younger brother, couldn’t accept his judgment or advice—although he wished he was more like Glen, easygoing and quick to forgive.

  Even Wade McMillen had felt obliged to confront Cal. Every single thing his friends and family said had eventually hit home, but the full impact hadn’t been made until the night Cal had gone to Billy D’s.

  Only when Nicole Nelson had approached his table had he seen the situation clearly. He’d been such a fool, and he’d nearly fallen in with her schemes. His wife was right: Nicole did want him. Damned if he knew why. It still bothered Cal that Jane hadn’t trusted him. He hadn’t even been tempted by Nicole, he could say that in all honesty, but he’d allowed her to flatter him.

  Cal had made his share of mistakes and was more than willing to admit it. He regretted the things he’d said and done at a time when Jane had been weakest and most vulnerable. Thinking over the past few months, Cal viewed them as wasted. He wanted to kick himself for waiting so long to go after his family.

  As he headed toward the house, he saw Grady’s truck come barreling down the driveway. His neighbor eased to a stop near Cal, rolled down his window and shouted, “Call Ellie!”

  “Ellie? What about?”

  “No idea. Caroline called from town with the message.”

  “All right,” he said, hurrying into the house.

  Grady left, shouting “Merry Christmas” as his truck rumbled back down the drive.

  When Cal reached his front door, he saw a large piece of paper taped there. “CALL ELLIE IMMEDIATELY,” it read. “Good Luck, Nell and Travis.”

  What the hell? Cal walked into his house and grabbed the phone. He noticed the blinking message light, but not wanting to be distracted, he ignored it.

  “Is that you, Cal?” Ellie asked, answering the phone herself.

  “Who else were you expecting?”

  “No one.”

  She sounded mighty cheerful.

  “You doing anything just now?” his sister-in-law asked.

  “Yeah, as a matter of act, I am. I’ve got a plane to catch. It seems I have some unfinished business in California.”

  He’d thought Ellie would shriek with delight or otherwise convey her approval, since she’d made her opinion of his actions quite clear.

  But all she said was “You’re going after Jane?”

  He’d be on the road this very minute if he wasn’t being detained. He said as much, although he tried to be polite about it. “What’s with the urgency? Why is it so important that I call you?”

  “Don’t go!”

  “What?” For a moment Cal was sure he’d misunderstood.

  “You heard me. Don’t go,” Ellie repeated, “because Jane and the kids are on their way home.”

  “If this is a joke, Ellie, I swear to you—”

  She laughed and didn’t let him finish. “When was the last time you listened to your messages?”

  The flashing light condemned him for a fool. He should have realized Jane would try to reach him. In his eagerness he’d overlooked the obvious.

  “What flight? When does she land?” He’d be there to meet her and the children with flowers and chocolates and whatever else Dovie could recommend. Ah, yes, Dovie. Someone else who’d been on his case. He smiled, remembering her less-than-subtle approach.

  Ellie rattled off the flight number and the approximate time Jane and the children would land, and Cal scribbled down the information. “How did she manage to get a flight so quickly?” With holiday travel, most flights were booked solid.

  “I don’t know. You’ll need to ask Jane.”

  Cal didn’t care what she’d had to pay; he wanted her home. And now that the time was so close, he could barely contain himself.

  As soon as he finished his conversation with Ellie, Cal listened to his messages. When he heard Jane’s voice, his heart swelled with love. He could hear her relief, her joy and her love—the same emotions he was experiencing.

  With his steps ten times lighter than they’d been a mere twenty-four hours ago, Cal jumped into the car and drove to town. Before he left, though, he carefully surveyed the house, making sure everything was perfect for Jane and the children. The Christmas tree looked lovely, and he’d even bought and wrapped a few gifts to put underneath. Not a single dirty dish could be seen. The laundry was done, and the sheets on the bed were fresh. This was about as good as it got.

  Cal dropped in at Dovie’s, and then—because he couldn’t resist—he walked over to Tumbleweed Books. Sure enough, Nicole was behind the counter. Her face brightened when he entered the store.

  “Cal, hello,” she said with an eagerness she didn’t bother to disguise.

  “Merry Christmas.”

  “You, too.” People were busy wandering the aisles, but Nicole headed directly toward him. “It’s wonderful to see you.”

  He forced a smile. “About our conversation the other night...”

  Nicole placed her hand on his arm. “I was more blunt than I intended, but that’s only because I know what it’s like to be lonely, especially at Christmastime.”

  “I’m here to thank you,” Cal said, enjoying this.

  Nicole flashed her baby blues at him with such adoration it was hard to maintain a straight face.

  “You’re right, I have been terribly lonely.”

  “Not anymore, Cal, I’m here for you.”

  “Actually,” he said, removing her fingers from his forearm, “it was after our conversation that I realized how much I miss my wife.”

  “Your...wife?” Nicole’s face fell.

  “I phoned her and we’ve reconciled. You helped open my eyes to what’s important.” />
  Nicole’s mouth sagged. “I...I wish you and Jane the very best,” she said, obviously struggling to hide her disappointment. “So you decided to go back to her.” She shrugged. “Too bad. It could have been great with us, Cal.”

  Her audacity came as a shock. She’d actually believed he’d give up his wife and family for her. If he hadn’t already figured out exactly the kind of woman she was and what she’d set out to do, he would have known in that instant. He should have listened to Jane—and just about everyone else.

  “Stay out of my life, Nicole. Don’t just happen to run into me again. Don’t seek me out. Ever.”

  “I’m sorry you feel this way,” she mumbled, not meeting his eyes.

  During the course of his life, Cal had taken a lot of flack for being too direct and confrontational. Today he felt downright pleased at having imparted a few unadorned facts to a woman who badly needed to hear them. He walked out of the bookstore, and with a determination that couldn’t be shaken, marched toward his parked car. He was going to collect his wife and children.

  * * *

  Jane’s flight landed in San Antonio after midnight. Both children were asleep, and she didn’t know if anyone would be at the airport to meet her. During the long hours on the plane, she’d fantasized about the reunion with her husband, but she’d begun to feel afraid that she’d been too optimistic.

  All the passengers had disembarked by the time she gathered everything from the overhead bins and awakened Paul. The three-year-old rubbed his eyes, and Jane suspected he was still too dazed to understand that they were nearly home. Dragging his small backpack behind him, he started down the aisle. Mary Ann was asleep against her shoulder.

  Their baggage was already on the carousel, and with a porter’s assistance, she got it all piled on a cart. Then she moved slowly into the main area of the airport. Her fear—that Cal might not be there—was realized when she didn’t see him anywhere. Her disappointment was so intense she stopped, clutching her son’s hand as she tried to figure out what to do next.

  “Jane...Jane!” Cal’s voice caught her and she whirled around.