On route to her house to pick up Melody, he prayed for guidance and by the time he pulled into her drive he felt ready.
They had a routine. He let himself in and called out her name so she didn’t have to answer the door.
Her singsong voice called out. “I’m in the kitchen, Matt.”
She was busy cleaning the kitchen which gave him a moment to stare. A ripple of delight ran up his spine, and he had to stuff down the desire to gather her in his arms and kiss her hello.
He took a deep breath to still the crazy slam of his heart against his chest. “We haven’t discussed plans for Melody over the holidays yet. What’s happening in your world?”
Her big brown eyes snapped up in his direction as she continued to wipe at an already clean counter. Without a word she hung the kitchen cloth neatly over the center between the double sinks, picked up the diaper bag, and headed to the baby’s room. With a wave of her hand, he followed.
“Mark’s not coming because he’s still upset with me. Jason is visiting ahead of time for a day or two then plans to meet his girlfriend Jennifer and her family in Banff on the twenty-fourth for skiing. Betty and George are in Palm Springs, but I have an invite to Lana’s house Christmas day. Did I tell you she’s talking to me again?”
She stuffed the diaper bag with supplies but didn’t look up.
“No, but that’s great news.” His insides dropped to the basement of his soul. Fat chance I’ll be invited to that party. Lana treats me like the plague.
He moved quietly over to the crib and looked down at the only family he had. A sense of sadness threatened to overwhelm as an emptiness flooded in.
Their baby lay sprawled out in her crib, dead to the world. Chubby legs and arms kicked free of the blankets and a thumb in her mouth made her irresistible. He knew it was time for her to wake up from her afternoon nap and those cuddles when she first woke up were the best, but he needed a few more minutes with her mama.
“I would like to have Melody on Christmas day. It’s been a long time since I haven’t worked over the holidays. I always volunteered because I wasn’t a family man, but this year is different. I booked it off months ago.”
She whipped around, her expression pinched.
“Please don’t ask me to give up Melody on her first Christmas,” she begged. “Come, let’s talk out in the living room.”
He now had her full attention.
“Will your request be the same come her first birthday and every other special occasion?” he asked, as he followed her down the hall. He knew he was causing her distress, but they needed to come to an understanding or he’d remain on the sidelines of Melody’s life.
She turned to him and reached out to touch his arm, then dropped it quickly as if she had placed her hand in the fire. She moved apart and sunk into a nearby chair.
“I have a solution. We could spend these special days together with Melody. I don’t know if I’d be welcome at your sister’s house, but—”
“Oh Matt, Lana and Tom have their own issues right now with Lorena’s pregnancy.”
“What? … Did you say Lorena’s pregnant?”
“Yes, I don’t talk about it because it’s their business to tell. But please don’t take it personally that I don’t feel like I can press them for extra invites at the moment.”
Matt flopped onto the couch and raked a hand through his curly mop in agitation. “I get what you’re saying Anna, but Lana hasn’t cared for me at the best of times.”
“No, Matt, truly, Lana has come a long way, and I’m sure both she and Tom would welcome you. It’s just the dynamics right now. In fact, I feel my invite is more out of obligation than anything. They’re struggling to find joy in the midst of all that’s going on. Lana confided she doesn’t feel like doing Christmas this year at all but said for the sake of her family she’d have to muster up the ho ho somehow. It won’t be the same carefree celebration that it’s been in years past, that’s for sure.”
“How old is Lorena?”
“She’s sixteen and her boyfriend moved on because she wouldn’t get an abortion. It’s a stressful time.”
He nodded in agreement. “I can well imagine.”
Anna paused and lifted her eyes to him. “I do rather like your idea of getting together Christmas day and sharing Melody rather than one of us missing out.”
Matt’s heartbeat kicked up a notch, and a surge of adrenaline pumped through. It took everything within him to calmly respond. “We could go to the Christmas Eve candlelight service together, and you could bring Melody over early Christmas morning to open gifts. I know she won’t have any idea what we’re doing, but quite frankly, I’ve spoiled that girl.
“Then if you want to go to your sister’s later that day for the meal—”
“How about we reverse that? I’ll talk to Lana about a visit on Christmas Eve after the service instead of on Christmas day. Honestly, I think she’ll be relieved to have some privacy this year.”
Matt’s heart slammed against the walls of his chest. That meant they were going to share the whole day. “That’s a great idea. We’ll cook the Christmas meal together, and Melody will enjoy being spoiled by the both of us all day.”
Anna gave him one of her rare, heart-stopping smiles and said. “Thanks, Matt, I can see you’ve given this some thought. What better way to spend the season than sharing our baby girl?”
He knew of one better way, but she wasn’t ready to embrace sharing Melody with him every day. For the moment he
