As the group made their way toward the entrance, Suzanna was surprised to see so many familiar faces—the girl from the drug store, several ladies who shopped at Cavalier’s, the paper boy, neighbors from the surrounding streets, Annie’s classmates and their families—all of them smiling, waving, and calling out Merry Christmas as if she had lived here her entire life. A warm glow blossomed in Suzanna’s heart. She had everything she’d ever wanted. A family, a child to love, and a place to belong. The memory of her father and the ten-dollar bill flashed through her mind, but she quickly pushed it aside. Nothing, absolutely nothing, was going to take this new-found joy from her.
The seven of them filled the pew, with Phil anchoring one end, Gregg the other, and Lizzie sound asleep in Edna’s arms. After they’d listened to the pastor read the words that told of the Christ child’s birth and watched the children perform a pageant portraying the arrival of the Magi, the ushers handed out candles, the lights were dimmed, and the candles lit one from another. Gregg turned and lit Suzanna’s, then she bent and lit Annie’s.
“Hold on tight,” she whispered, “and be very careful.” She then held Annie’s hand in hers and steadied it as they lit Ida’s candle. The organ music grew softer and then faded to nothing, and in a room lit only by the glow of candles the congregation sang Silent Night.
Just as Suzanna suspected, Annie was too excited to go to bed.
“Please, Mama,” she begged, “just ten minutes more.”
Of course, ten minutes turned into an hour then Ida gave a loud and extremely sorrowful sounding sigh. “It’s a shame Santa won’t be able to stop here this year.”
Annie looked up wide eyed. “What do you mean he won’t stop. The tree elves—”
“Despite the tree, Santa won’t stop if the children are awake. Don’t you remember that poem about the children all nestled snug in their beds? Well, that’s why they were all in their beds.”
With a look of apprehension pinching her face, Annie asked, “Is that really true?”
“Absolutely,” Suzanna said. “Grandmas don’t lie.”
Annie hesitated a moment. With a look of doubt still clinging to her face, she said, “I’m not really sleepy, but I’ll try.” After a lengthy round of goodnight hugs and kisses, she started up the stairs.
Ida stayed for a few minutes longer, then followed Annie to bed.
Once they were certain Annie was asleep, Gregg carried in the cartons and gift boxes that had been hidden in the garage.
“I’ll assemble the bicycle while you arrange the other things under the tree,” he said.
Suzanna nodded, and they went to work. The boxes of dresses and shoes were wrapped in gold paper and tied with red ribbons, the games and toys taken from the cardboard cartons and placed around the tree. As she arranged the toys and gifts, she could almost hear the squeals of delight that would soon follow. She pictured Annie’s eyes glistening with happiness, and it filled her heart to know that for the first time in her young life Annie was experiencing the joy of Christmas. Although it was not something she could unwrap or hold in her hand, Suzanna had come to realize it was the greatest gift of all.
When they’d finished, she poured them each a glass of wine and they sat together on the sofa. For a few moments they spoke about Annie, anticipating how thrilled she was going to be. Then Gregg’s voice softened.
He brought his body closer to hers and traced his fingers along the curve of her cheek. “You look beautiful tonight.”
With a slight blush coloring her cheeks, she thanked him.
“It’s the dress from the show,” she said. “Colette told me to keep it.”
Gregg smiled and leaned closer still. “It’s not the dress that’s beautiful, it’s you. Everything about you. The sweetness of your smile, the tenderness of your touch, the way you look after Annie, how you care for Ida. There’s something about you, Darla Jean, that makes people love you…myself included.”
Suzanna started to speak, but he touched his finger to her lips and hushed her.
“I came to Georgia thinking I’d spend some time with my family then move on, but you’ve changed all that. I’ve fallen in love with you and with Annie too. I’m hoping that in time you’ll feel the same about me.”
She tilted her face to his and in a voice filled with emotion whispered, “I already do.”
He leaned in, his breath warm against her cheek. With his fingers cradling the back of her neck and his thumb caressing her cheek, he kissed her full on the mouth. His lips were soft and sweet against hers, warmed by passion but filled with promise. She circled her arms around his neck, and he drew her closer still. When Suzanna felt the thump of his heart against hers, the fears and heartaches of the past melted into nothingness. She knew that moment and the memory of that moment would forever be in her heart.
——————
SUZANNA HAD HOPED TO SLEEP until eight on Christmas morning, but it proved impossible. Before dawn she heard Annie’s footsteps thundering down the staircase, so she pulled herself from the bed and followed her down. She’d reached the lower landing when she heard Annie cry out.
“The tree elves were right! Santa came!”
Before breakfast Annie had unwrapped every gift, played with every toy, and tried on every new dress, sweater, and coat. When she finally settled into making cookies in her new Easy Bake Oven, Suzanna gave Ida her gifts. She’d worried that they were small by comparison: a special Christmas ornament that read Grandma 1960, the holiday apron she’d admired at the Emporium, and a blue velvet bathrobe. The last gifts were the ones Suzanna and Gregg exchanged.
He handed her the small box wrapped in gold paper, touched his mouth to hers, then said, “I hope this is
