Stockings and Sugarplums (Hearts of Snow Lake) Page 9

  “That’s… Wait, what?” Liam asks, frowning. “You found him a home? A different home?”

  Lonny nods, smiling. “A lovely family. Mom, Dad, two sisters eager to meet him.”

  Liam’s jaw goes slack, eyes panicked. I can see him trying to come up with something to say, with an argument or a reason that can’t happen, but he’s frozen.

  “He already has a lovely family here,” I say, stepping in for Liam, holding his hand. “With us.”

  “And this family comes with a live-in grandma,” Meryl says from the kitchen doorway. Who knows how long she’s been eavesdropping. Brandon’s probably listening in too, knowing those two conspirators.

  Lonny looks a little flabbergasted, wringing his hands around the handle of his briefcase. “Ah, well…” He looks over to the kitchen, and sure enough, Brandon’s standing there behind Meryl, peeking around her waist.

  “Brandon, come here, please,” Lonny says, gesturing.

  Meryl gives him an encouraging nod before ushering him into the living room with us.

  “I want to stay here,” he says right away, before Lonny can even ask him anything. “I don’t want a different family.” His eyes roam around the room, briefly settling on me, then Meryl, and finally Liam. “This is my new family. Please don’t make me go.”

  “We don’t want to see you go,” Liam answers, ruffling his hair and then fixing his eyes on Lonny. “We want to step up and be his family.” His voice is strong and clear.

  Lonny straightens his spine a bit, then nods. “You understand this is adoption?” he asks, looking at Liam, then Brandon. “If we can give him a permanent home we need to do that, but if you want to be that home…”

  “So Liam could be my Dad?” Brandon cuts in.

  “Exactly,” Liam says, nodding.

  Brandon considers it for a moment, then nods too. “I’d like that.”

  “Me too,” says Liam, sliding his arm around Brandon’s shoulders, giving him a half-hug.

  Lonny clears his throat, brushing invisible lint from the front of his suit. He seems a little choked up, and I have a funny lump in my throat as well. “Good, I’ll get started on the paperwork right away then.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Parkins,” Liam says, leading him to the door. “And you have a very Merry Christmas.”

  “You too,” Lonny says, smiling softly on his way out. I don’t imagine he sees a lot of happy endings in his line of work. Maybe that’s just the magic of the holiday season.

  “Well, I don’t know about you, but I think this calls for celebratory cookies!” Meryl announces from the kitchen doorway.

  “Mom, he just had a Rice Krispies treat for breakfast,” Liam groans, not able to hold back a smile.

  “And he’s still too skinny. All three of you are! Now get in here and humor your old mother.”

  Liam chuckles, shaking his head with a slow sigh of relief as he starts to melt into me. “Guess we’ve gotta go have a cookie,” he murmurs.

  I tighten my arm around his waist, supporting him, letting him lean on me as much as he needs to.

  “I’ve been through worse,” I tease, kissing his temple.

  I’m sure we’d both like to talk about everything that just happened, about the adoption and what’s to come for all of us as a family—because we are a family at this point, regardless of the official status of our relationship—but it’s probably going to have to wait until tomorrow. We have this brief window of peace to eat our cookies and enjoy the calm before the storm, but then the prep for tonight has to start in earnest and we won’t have a minute to think.

  I’m gonna savor every bite of this chocolate chip cookie until then.

  Chapter 10

  Liam

  “These are all itchy,” Ally whines, rejecting every fake beard I’ve offered her.

  “Okay, we’re gonna have to go with Plan E, then,” I say, glancing over to Phineas.

  “Plan E?” he asks. Luckily the sets are fully finished—and looking amazing, I might add. I never would have expected him to be so talented, but his faux finishes and backdrops are actually really impressive. Who knew he was a secret artist?

  Time to put those skills to the test.

  I pull out the secret weapon I borrowed from Mom. “Eyebrow pencil,” I say, handing it to him. “Can you give her a beard while I do a head count?”

  “You got it, boss,” he answers.

  “Brandon, did you shovel the sidewalks like I asked?”

  “Mm-hmm,” he answers, a camel from the waist down, boy from the waist up. Like a satyr, but lumpier and lankier at the same time.

  “Thank you, you’ve been a big help,” I say, smiling. He smiles back before finishing getting into his costume.

  “Where is that clipboard…” I mutter, looking around the pews for my roster. There are so many kids that I need to check them off and make sure everyone’s here. “Has anyone seen my clipboard?” I call out to the cast.

  “It’s on your pulpit, dear,” Mom calls from the narthex where she’s sweeping up Christmas tree needles and tidying all the trimmings.

  I sigh. She’s trying to help, but that’s about the dozenth thing she’s moved in the name of cleaning up that didn’t need to be moved.

  “Thanks,” I answer, starting down the list.

  “Bryan?” I call, suddenly realizing my Joseph is nowhere to be seen. “Has anyone seen Bryan today? Ella?” She shrugs, and no one else answers.

  I need to call his mom and find out if they’re on their way or if I need to make a last-minute casting change. I can hardly hear the phone ringing over the noise in the sanctuary, and my phone’s never gotten good reception through these thick stone walls, so I head outside, waiting for Mrs. Taylor to answer her phone.

  The snow’s finally stopped, thankfully, and the roads are still looking clear. Phineas and I shoveled a lot of the parking lot before the kids got here, then handed the task of the sidewalk off to Brandon. He really has been such an enormous help. He may not officially be a Kendrick yet, but he’s got our trademark big, soft, squishy heart.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi Kelly, it’s Pastor Liam—”

  “Pastor… Oh my gosh, I’ve been wrapping presents and completely lost track of time, I’m so sorry. We’ll be there ASAP.”

  “You’ve got plenty of time,” I assure her. “Drive safe; these roads are slick.”

  “We’ll see you soon,” she says, and I wait until the call cuts off to let out my sigh.

  Another crisis averted. It seems like they never stop coming, and yet I come out on top time and again. God is good.

  As I’m tucking my phone back in my pocket, I step onto a patch of ice, my foot slips, and I go down on the sidewalk hard. For a minute, I’m stuck there, pain radiating from every point that contacted cement, but then the cold starts to seep in, and it’s more urgent that I get up and away from it.

  Brandon shoveled the sidewalk, but he didn’t lay another layer of salt down. Everything that had melted has refrozen, making the whole path a slick skating rink. I don’t know how he could have forgotten to salt. I left the bag right by the door…

  Mom. It’s not there now. It’s not anywhere I can see, and it’s a bit of a risky journey back inside over the slippery ground.

  “Where’s the salt?” I ask, trying not to limp even though my whole right side is throbbing.

  Mom looks up from straightening an angel atop a tree.

  “Hmm?”

  “You put the bag of salt somewhere and someone’s going to break their neck out there.”

  She frowns. “I don’t remember. Check the broom closet?”

  “Everything okay?” Phineas asks, coming back to the narthex with concern etched into his brow. “Is Bryce coming?”

  “Yeah. Do you think you could salt the walk for me?” There’s a note of desperation in my tone that Phineas picks up on right away.

  “Of course.”

  “Broom closet,” Mom says to him, more confident now. “Hon
ey, you should sit down and take a break for a few minutes. You look overwrought.”

  “Thanks,” I say through gritted teeth, shoving back more annoyance. She’s just trying to help. She is helping in most capacities. In a couple of hours, this will all be over.

  Bryce shows up just in time to get into costume as members of the congregation start taking their seats. Kelly Taylor apologizes again and again, but I promise her it’s all right. It’s just a Nativity play.

  Our angels are adorable, and our actors couldn’t be more precious. We’ve got nearly a full house, and as far as I know, no one else slipped and fell on the way in.

  All in all it goes by in a flash, as much of a roaring success as a church play could be.

  Christmas Eve service is something I could do in my sleep, so my nerves are gone by the time the kids are taking their bows. Out in the crowd, I spot Mom and Phineas sitting next to his brother Paul and his partner. Mom gives me a thumbs-up; Phineas offers a smile that tells me I did a good job.

  After the service, I make the rounds through the congregation, socializing and wishing everyone happy holidays. It takes me ages to get to Phineas, and when I finally do, I pull him into a hug.

  “Thank you for everything. I seriously couldn’t have done this without you.”

  He smiles, that same smile that makes my heart flutter, my stomach flip. The smile that comes right before a kiss, except this time he’s holding back. Probably because we’re in the church with a lot of witnesses.

  “You could have, but I’m glad I could help,” he says, taking my hand.

  “You’re all coming over for dinner, aren’t you?” Mom asks, looking first at Phineas, then at Paul and Alton.

  “Us?” Paul asks.

  “Family’s family,” Mom says, as if that explains everything.

  Paul looks at his brother for some kind of guidance or explanation, but Phineas shrugs.

  “You heard her.”

  “The more the merrier,” I say, chuckling at the way my Mom always seems to get her way. I’m not even sure we’ve got enough chairs for everyone, but we’ll find a way to make it work.

  “Man, I forgot all about this,” I say as Mom’s pulling trays of food out of the fridge for all of us. Brandon and I are helping her while our guests are in the living room having some cider.

  “What do you mean?” Brandon asks.

  “It’s been a long time since we’ve done Christmas together,” I explain. “I kind of forgot that she always has this big seafood feast for Christmas Eve because I could never afford to do it for myself.”

  “Hey, if you’d come home for the holidays—”

  “Mom…” I groan, rolling my eyes. I don’t think she’ll ever let me live down spending Christmas with my congregation over her, even if she was always invited out.

  It’s a really nice spread, though. There’s seafood salad, shrimp cocktail, oyster shooters—and that’s just the cold stuff. She’s currently putting clams casino into the oven, along with some stuffed lobster tail. Mom really went all out, and she definitely wasn’t kidding about there being plenty for everyone.

  “I guess we’re doing this buffet-style, guys,” I announce to the living room. “Help yourselves.”

  I know Phineas isn’t the biggest fan of his brother’s partner, but when I look in, they’re talking pretty amicably, the three of them laughing. Phineas doesn’t look as tense as usual, but when he looks at me, something in his eyes changes and he’s less relaxed.

  That’s… weird.

  I linger in the doorway after Paul and Alton pass, catching Phineas by the forearm. “Hey, you okay?” I ask, voice low. “I’m sorry Mom sprang this all on you. I don’t think she knows—”

  “You were right, Gramma Meryl!” Brandon cries, laughing and pointing at us.

  “What?” I ask before I’ve even really heard him.

  Mom looks our way and starts laughing too. “Told you we’d get ‘em,” she says, grinning at her soon-to-be adopted grandson. “Look up.”

  “Mistletoe,” Phineas says, eyes falling on the sprig of green and white the same time mine do.

  “You know what that means,” I say, heart in my throat. Normally I wouldn’t be nervous about kissing him, but just a minute ago he was giving me that odd look…

  “Yeah, I do,” he says, leaning forward only partway, waiting for me to meet him in the middle.

  I hesitate.

  He breaks into a nervous grin. “Don’t like the audience?”

  I bite my lip. “You don’t have to—”

  “Oh, stop being polite and kiss me,” he says, hand going to my waist. Maybe I misread that look. He doesn’t seem hesitant, just nervous… Probably because we’re all together for the first time and he wants it to go well.

  “If you insist,” I chuckle, finally giving in.

  Mom whistles while we’re kissing, and I pull away, face hot. Phineas’s hand curls into my side, a fire burning deep in his eyes like I’ve never seen before. His hand goes into his pocket, and before I know what’s happening, he’s sinking, dropping down to the floor on one knee, a small box in hand.

  “Phineas…” I mutter, disbelief numbing my brain.

  He smiles. “I know I should wait longer, but I can’t. You are what I’ve been waiting for my whole life, and I love you. Will you marry me?”

  I just stare at him, fully aware that we have a full audience but my eyes are locked on him.

  “Do you mean it? It’s so fast, Phin…” My hand goes to my throat.

  “It is, but it’s right,” he says, standing to his full height again. “I’ve always known you were the one for me, from the very start.”

  It’s a hell of a shock in the midst of so many other changes, but he’s right. I feel the same way, and even though it’s objectively too fast, it doesn’t feel it. We mesh together perfectly, we work together well, we communicate, we balance each other—his cynicism tempers my bleeding heart, and my compassion softens his hardened one. He is part of this family I suddenly have been given by God, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. From the moment he entered it, I’ve had trouble imagining my life without Phineas in it.

  Maybe I don’t need to.

  What if we just… stayed together and lived happily ever after?

  “Say yes!” Mom says, nudging Brandon.

  “Yeah!” he encourages.

  I snort, shaking my head. “Okay, yes. Yes, of course. But we have to be engaged a little longer than we’ve been dating,” I say, half-joking. Only a little though. As much as I feel like Phineas and I might actually have one of those storybook romances, there’s no big hurry to get married immediately. We can be sure it’s what we really want while still being committed to each other, and knowing that we’re going to make honest men out of each other when the time comes.

  “Agreed,” Phineas grins, sliding the ring on my finger. It fits perfectly. It’s understated, simple, but weighty enough to be a constant reminder of this man who means so much to me.

  “Is this why you were acting nervous earlier?” I tease, and his look turns bashful. Suddenly it all makes sense, and I roll my eyes, dragging him in for another kiss under the mistletoe, completely unbothered by the hooting from the peanut gallery. Everyone holds their glasses up and cheers, and when we finally part lips, the look in his eyes looks like forever.

  “I love you, Liam,” he says softly, and I’m amazed how his cool, sophisticated exterior has melted, revealing this beautiful, warm man who I would do anything for. And I know he’d do anything for me, too. He always has.

  “I love you too, Phineas,” I echo, and grabbing his hand, I turn to the assorted folks around us. “I can’t believe I almost forgot, but I’m going to say a quick grace before we dig in.

  “Thank you Lord, for this wonderful food. Thank you even more for these loving people who have come here tonight as a family to celebrate the magic of Christmas.” I pause and pull out a paper from my pocket to finish my blessing and start to read. “In th
e words of Robert Louis Stephenson:

  “Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and worship of the wise men. Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world. Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting. Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts. May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus' sake. Amen.”

  A resounding chorus of amens fills the room and I grin at beautiful Phineas, my future husband, who grins back even wider and squeezes my hand.

  “Now who wants to be the first to the feast?”

  Epilogue

  Phineas

  One year later…

  It’s snowing again. Is this going to be a trend every Christmas from now on?

  Liam’s out dutifully shoveling snow while I get the programs in order and do all the last-minute tidying up before the show.

  “Where’s Dad?” Brandon asks, his voice starting to show signs of changing.

  That’s not the only part. He’s grown a lot in the last year, in every way imaginable. He’s got to be three inches taller than he was last Christmas, and thirty pounds heavier too. He finally looks like he’s well-fed, much to Meryl’s delight.

  “Shoveling of course. What’s up?”

  He makes a face, the one he makes every time he’s scared to say something. I know him pretty well by now. We’ve all been living together for the past eight months or so. Liam and I tried to keep up pretenses for as long as possible, but it started to feel pretty silly that I still had my own place that I was never in. We were only living in sin for a couple of months before we tied the knot. One of his friends from seminary came into town to officiate right here in this church.

  I never would’ve expected I’d have a church wedding, but it was perfect.