“Is that your excuse for not following through with your promise to dance until the party closes down?”
“Mm, I said that, didn’t I?”
“Yep. And I like a man who honors his word.”
“And I more than like you, miracle woman.”
“I suppose I should have expected it. The Miracle Worker has been setting this up for weeks now. Just had to follow His lead.”
Robert twisted, staging their faces to within an inch of one another. “I’m dying to kiss you. A real kiss.”
“What’s stopping you?”
“I’d like to hear the words. Are you still running from us or do I have a chance?”
“I’ve quit running. In fact,” she lifted her hand to caress his cheek, “I think I may have toppled over the edge of the cliff, very close to declaring my undying love you Robert Fredricks.”
Robert never answered with words, but the excitement in his eyes told all. He leaned in to seal the promise, starting Mrs. Claus’ second lonely heart couple at Heritage Inn, on a new adventure of second chance love.
On Christmas morning at eleven o’clock sharp, Trevor and Angie returned from spending their first night as man and wife at some secret motel destination. Happier faces she’d not seen since looking in the mirror this morning. New love was contagious and the atmosphere tingled with its presence. Trevor would not hear of spending Christmas morning anywhere else but around the pine tree in their Heritage Inn apartment – with his new wife and Sandra. Robert was where he belonged, with his children. There’d be other Christmases to blend together as one united family.
Trevor read the Bible story of Jesus’ birth, and the newly formed family prayed together for the first time. When they finished, Sandra was teary eyed.
“Happy tears, Mom?”
“Very happy. Who could have guessed that the season would not only give me a new daughter – your wife – to love and cherish, but also the prospects of a whole new family?”
“So, when’s the wedding?”
Sandra swatted at her son. “Don’t be silly.” Then she winked. “Robert promised we’d wait until after you returned from your honeymoon.”
Angie laughed. “Wow, I thought we had the record with a six-month engagement.”
“You have a lot more years left than I do. Robert and I are well into the second half of years allotted these mortal bodies.”
“Angie and I have a present for you.” Trevor went to the tree and fished under the lower branches. He brought over a small package, the size of a book but much thinner. She felt it for clues, as was her favorite thing to do. “Just open it, will you? Our plane for San Juan leaves in four hours.”
She toyed with the corners, and when she heard Trevor’s familiar click of the tongue announcing his annoyance, she tore the wrapping off.
A picture frame turned upside down made her squeal. “How did you manage a picture? The wedding was only yesterday.”
“Turn it over, Mom. Not all things are as they seem.”
“Oh, mysterious - I like it,” she whispered. She flipped the frame over and stared at the document in her lap.
“Well, what do you think?”
“I don’t know what to think. A guest house, here, of my very own? Am I reading that right?”
“You are. Tucked at the far reaches of the property so no visitors will bother you but you walk here anytime, to eat, chat, go to the spa or the lake.” Trevor knelt on the floor and looked at his mother. “We want you here, close but free to live your own life.”
“Sounds like a win-win for both of us,” said Sandra.
“Sure is. And making it legal was my first official duty as a Heritage employee.”
Sandra reached over and ruffled his hair. “I am so glad you’ll be staying home with your wife. It’s as it should be.”
“So, if Robert pops the question, will he come and settle in the cottage with you?” asked Trevor.
“I think he will enjoy having a place of his own again. Sounds like he’s feeling a little crowded in the apartment at his daughters.”
Angie stood. “We want to show it to you. And while we’re away, you need to go through every room and document your renovation ideas. No one’s been in there for a long time so it needs modernizing.”
“Sounds exciting. I was wondering how I’d fill my days, dreading the thoughts of returning to Nashville alone.”
“When I come back,” Trevor said, “We’ll go and clean out the house together, stage it then put it up for sale. What do you think of that?”
“I think you and Angie have been doing a lot of planning behind my back.”
“Only if that’s what you want. I know you have a lot of memories in Nashville,” said Angie.
“I tuck memories in my heart and they will always be with me. Don’t need four walls to remind me I’ve got history. The lines in my face tell me that every morning.”
“Perfect. Then it’s set.” Trevor pulled Sandra to her feet. “Let’s go see your new house.”
That was a week ago and today was New Year’s Day. Sandra stood on her newly gifted wrap-around porch, which needed ten planks replaced and a paint job. She decided the floor should be a light gray color with crisp white rails to stop someone from falling the three feet to the ground. The siding was old and peeling and she recalled a dark blue color in a cottage magazine that she liked. A carpenter could easily install a couple more windows along the front veranda to create a greater expanse for her to enjoy God’s creation, whether inside or
