Ross bounced in his seat. “Della, you made this? It’s really good. Papa, can Della be my new mother?”
His head jerked up in surprise. Zack felt his stomach drop. Though he wanted to think of something to say, Zack had no words. He glanced at Della who looked at him through wide eyes.
Blinking, Zack glanced at his son and then at his sister. “If you’ll excuse me,” he choked out.
Then he left the table.
When Leah found him on the back porch, she handed him his jacket. “That wasn’t very polite,” she told him.
“I know,” he scowled. He had realized his mistake but there was nothing he could do about it now. He had made too many mistakes lately and it seemed impossible to resolve them. The lump in his throat hadn’t gone away, and he couldn’t bring himself to return inside.
She put out an arm, but he walked around her. His sister huffed. “He’s just a boy. Of course he has feelings. That wasn’t meant to hurt you. But you know Della and Ross deserve an answer to that question, don’t you?”
He stopped to give her a look. “I can’t.” It took all his strength to keep his voice from breaking. “It was a mistake. I should have never sent for Della.”
Leah licked her lips as she appeared to think for a minute. Then she squeezed his arm. “Even after everything? She came all this way. I know she cares for you and Ross.” His sister hesitated. “I won’t tell you what to do. Only that it’s been two years, Zack. You’re only hurting yourself more by not letting go. Do you understand?”
He inhaled sharply and shrugged. It didn’t matter. He had made up his mind.
Chapter 13
Christmas Eve was a wonderful morning where everyone played. There was music and dancing and games. Della hadn’t enjoyed an occasion like it since she and her siblings were young and still had enough to do around the house. Before they had gone out into society.
It made for a bittersweet day. Between all the fun, she thought of her family.
Hopefully, they were well. She thought about the letter she had left behind. It had been short, only telling everyone that she was safe where she was going. She wanted to live her life in freedom and joy in a way she had not been able to do for the last twenty-three years. She didn’t want to be a burden, and she didn’t want to feel like a prisoner.
Though she loved them and wished them well, she knew her way of life had not been desirable. Living confined was not the way for anyone to live.
Everyone settled around for an early supper. The children had been practicing their speaking in school recently and wanted to put on a small reenactment of the nativity. It would be the show of the evening, and they were all buzzing around excitedly.
As she sat down, however, she noticed two plates were not set for Zack and Ross. She glanced around hesitantly before clasping her hands together. Henry was just arguing with his littlest sister, Lacy, when there was a knock at the door.
Her heart skipped a beat. Had Ross and Zack come to join them?
But then she was reminded that the table was full. She glanced over at Leah and Robert who shrugged to one another. They didn’t know who it was. Whoever was at the door had not been expected.
“I’ll get it!” Henry jumped up and ran off.
“Then I get to say grace,” Lacy exclaimed, clapping her hands together.
“Hush,” Leah quieted her children as she followed Henry. She paused at the end of the table as they heard the door open.
Henry spoke loudly for everyone to hear. “Hello! Merry Christmas Eve. I’m Henry. Welcome to the Ganey household. What can we do for you?”
Della couldn’t help but smile at how well he spoke. She was about to comment to Leah and Robert, but the next voice she heard made her freeze in her chair.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, young man.”
There might have been something said after that, but Della stood up so quickly that her chair fell over behind her. It echoed in her ears as she questioned herself that she might be dreaming.
But if she was, how was she to wake up?
“Father?” Her brow furrowed as she murmured the name softly.
But it couldn’t be. She was a world away from them. There was no way they could find her. Unless, of course, Hazel had said something. Della put a hand to her stomach as it began to churn uneasily. Her feet led her around the table and down the hall. She couldn’t help herself. She had to make sure she wasn’t imagining his voice.
When Della stepped into the hall, however, she found her parents.
Donald was still tall with his shoulders thrown back. And Judy still looked like the beautiful socialite she had been raised to become. She stared incredulously, wondering how they had come so far. Why were they there?
Her question was answered as her mother cried out. Clasping a hand over her mouth, the older woman swept over and pulled Della into a tight hug. A soft sob escaped just as Della watched her father follow closely behind to sweep them into his arms. She couldn’t move, frozen in confusion.
“We’ve been looking everywhere for you, young lady,” he announced to her.
Through her bleary tears, Judy explained. “Everywhere, Della. I was so worried! Why did you leave us like that?”
“I…” Della hesitated as they pulled away.
She glanced around as Leah grabbed Henry’s arm in the doorway. She
