The Best Christmas Ever

“Did I do something wrong?” Sarah asked, ill at ease with the unnamed emotion she’d seen.

“No.” He shook his head.

“I know Mickie was young when Amy died, but she still remembers Amy in her own way. Certain things stand out in her mind, while others have faded. But one thing she remembers is one of the last big meals Amy, Mickie and I shared together as a family. It was fried chicken and a cake for dessert. Amy had made it for my birthday. It’s not that it’s my favorite, though I do love chicken. But in her mind…”

He trailed off.

Sarah understood. “Children remember things differently. I suppose remembering the special times is her way of holding on to Amy.”

Justin nodded. “Mickie had a bad experience with the last housekeeper. The woman flat refused to fry food. She said it was bad for her. So the only time Mickie got fried chicken was when I fried it on the housekeeper’s day off. I couldn’t figure out for a long while why she wanted fried chicken until one day she told me it was my favorite. The story came out and I started seeing to it that we had it whenever Mickie requested it.”

Justin went to the entry closet and placed his briefcase in there. “The only time she asks for it is when she’s feeling insecure or sad.”

Sarah looked down at her hands. “Do you think I triggered her sudden insecurity?”

Justin sighed. “It’s possible. You knew Amy. Mickie has really been missing her mom lately. Maybe she just needs to be reassured that some things will stay the same.”

“You know, I think I need to mention I hurt her last night leaving without waking her up. She said her mom did the same thing.”

A spasm of pain crossed his face. “Yeah. Amy and I had a fight. When she left, she flew out of the house. Mickie was asleep.”

“She also asked if I could cook like Amy.”

Justin dropped his head back and stared at the ceiling. Finally, he said, “I’m sorry, Sarah. Mickie doesn’t understand other people’s pain. She’s only a child.”

Sarah bristled. “I know that. I just thought maybe, well…to me, I guessed that she was missing her mom. I told her I’d try to make homemade meals like Amy, though I’m not as good a cook.”

Justin nodded. “Thank you.”

He turned and started up the stairs. Sarah stared after him, noting how wide his shoulders were. Wide enough to have carried the burden of losing his wife and being a single parent alone? Or had he depended on God to help him?

Sarah remembered his confessions of salvation and that was why he had changed his tune about so many things he’d always considered woman things. Her mother had insisted Justin had never been underhanded in business, but that after he’d been saved, Justin had felt the need to make restitution for things that had happened during the takeover, things Justin hadn’t known about.

Justin disappeared from sight and she sighed. She really didn’t want to remember how her parents had insisted Justin was a nice guy. She only wanted to be friends, make up for her past; not continue to feel guilty as more and more facets of his giving personality revealed themselves to show him as a truly caring man and loving father.

She went to the kitchen and brought out the food. Just as she carried in the glasses of iced tea, Justin and Mickie appeared. Mickie wore pink leggings and a sweatshirt with Daisy Duck on the front. Her outfit not only matched, but it suited the nippy weather outside.

Once seated, they offered thanks for the meal, then passed the food around the table. “So, Sarah, what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”

Sarah flushed and paused only a moment before passing the potatoes to Justin. When he took them from her, she reluctantly met his eyes. She saw in his gaze that he knew she had no family and he’d hurt her by asking. But what could she say? Her fiancé had planned for her to spend Thanksgiving at his house. But that was before he’d told her he was taking a couple of months off to think, before the letter from Watson and Watson had made it clear she was fired—because André hadn’t had the guts to tell her himself. “I don’t know. Maybe—”

“How about you spend it here,” Justin interrupted, dishing some potatoes up for Mickie. “We don’t have anyone else coming. Bill usually stops by. I don’t know what he’ll do now that he’s married. But we’d love to have you.”

Mickie, ever tuned in to any conversation around her, piped up, “Please, Aunt Sarah. And this year we could have a real turkey instead of the one Daddy buys at the store. It was too chewy,” she added, making a face.

It was Justin’s turn to flush. “Hey, kiddo,” he warned good-naturedly, “it was either chewy turkey or going out to a restaurant. And I happen to like eating at home on a holiday, so we just might order chewy turkey again this year.”

“But you got cherry pie for dessert.”

Sarah chuckled. “Well, maybe I could make up a pumpkin.”

Mickie wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“Or chocolate?”

Mickie grinned.

“Does that mean I’ve convinced you?” Justin asked, smiling.

She grinned. “Someone has convinced me…I think the part about picking up the meal held sway.”

Justin’s smile deepened and Sarah suddenly felt awkward. Clearing her throat, she began to eat.

After a few minutes of silence, Justin asked, “What are your plans for today?”

Sarah shrugged. “I definitely need to go shopping. I thought I’d get some boxes from storage.” She sipped her tea, then plunged ahead. “You won’t mind watching Mickie the rest of today, will you? I’ll be back by dinner.”

Sarah wanted time away from the domestic scene so she could come to grips with all the changes since arriving at the house. It seemed that her whole life had been turned upside down in one short day.

Sarah looked up, expecting a frown. After all, Justin had promised her Sunday to herself if she wanted it, not Saturday, and she wasn’t even sure he was done with all his work. Instead, a knowing smile met her.

“I don’t mind spending the day with Mickie for a minute. But if you think I’m going to let you work all day while we play…” He tsked. “I suggest we go with you so I can help load those boxes, then we’ll all grab something for supper on the way home.”

“No, really,” she started to protest.

Justin stopped her by shaking his head. “I insist. Besides, it’s Saturday. Saturday is supposed to be a fun day, isn’t it, Mickie?”

Mickie squealed and immediately launched into what their Saturdays were usually like.

As Mickie rambled on, Justin smiled tenderly. Sarah, however, didn’t hear what Mickie was saying.

Because when Justin turned that smile on her, she realized with a sinking heart that his smile was the true reason she wanted out of there for a while.

Chapter Five (#ulink_6b5e6e9f-a0e4-57ce-a0c6-a507187177c8)