A Forever Christmas

Gregory found her lone car in the back parking lot. He hopped out and went around to her passenger side, opened the door and climbed into the pure luxury.

The car wasn’t brand spanking new, though. He’d heard that her dad bought it for her when she graduated from college. Or maybe it was when she got her master’s degree. He’d tried not to listen to town gossip through the years.

Especially when it had to do with Sarah. It was too painful.

“So Hunter gave you a hard time?” he asked.

“No, he didn’t act out. He just didn’t want to have a speaking part.” Then she described his refusal and the fit he threw for his granddad.

He ran a hand through his hair. “He’s been like a different child since Lindsay moved. Quiet, sad…”

“Donna Rae told me it’s been hard on them. Is he usually as sunny a personality as Chase?”

“Well, no. He wasn’t so affectionate. But he was very active and talkative.”

And now he walked around like a pitiful, quiet little thing. And Gregory had no idea what to do about it.

Could Sarah, with her experience, maybe help?

Was he desperate enough to ask?

Even though the car was off and she wasn’t driving, she gripped the steering wheel tightly and faced out the front window. “I hate to seem like I’m prying, but I’m wondering if there’s more to it.”

“Like what?” he snapped.

“I’m not trying to be accusatory. I’m just concerned.”

“Well, they’ve had a rough few years.”

She faced him, but still didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Has Delia had any contact with the kids?”

What a question for her to ask. How could he tell Sarah, of all people, that he’d failed as a husband? That no matter what he’d done—including marital counseling—he hadn’t been able to keep his wife happy, because she knew he only asked her out because Sarah hurt him. That no matter how hard he tried, he’d never love Delia like he’d loved Sarah.

It might help Hunter. She might have advice.

“No contact at all for the last couple of years. And she’s been gone since right after Chase was born. So he doesn’t even remember her.” He sighed as he shook his head. “But Hunter does. And now with Lindsay—married and living far away, he’s had a terrible time.”

“Your dad told me Lindsay was like a mother to them. I imagine it’ll take a while to adjust.”

“I knew it wasn’t good to depend on my sister so much, but she was single and had the time. And she loved them like they were her own. When she left, they both cried every night, so we’d have to call her and have her tell them goodnight. But then it got better. Briefly.”

She looked right at him with her gorgeous brown eyes. “Have you been working more overtime lately? Maybe it would help if you spent more time with them.”

He saw it, then. The pity.

He hated pity. “My work schedule has nothing to do with it.”

“Well, I think maybe it could. Please just think about it.”

Of course, she’d only seen the worst—hungry kids at a meeting and him standing up his family at Minnie’s. He slung open the car door. “Why do you suddenly seem interested in my life, anyway? You haven’t been around in years.”

“I, uh…well, I’ve had students with parents who work all the time. I’ve seen them regret it later.”

If there was one thing he’d learned from his past, it was to not let Sarah’s opinion sway his decisions. But it galled him to have her think badly of him. “My boys aren’t your students. So leave them well enough alone.” He got out and closed the door nicely when he wanted to slam it off the hinges.

He steamed all the way to his truck and indulged in slamming his door. But once inside, he realized he was steaming mad because she’d pretty much hit the nail on the head.

He had been working a lot of evenings lately. But there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. He had employees to take care of. Customers to take care of. A business to run—and to grow. Not to mention a household to run.

He was doing the best he could for his boys, and he didn’t need his ex-girlfriend telling him how to raise them.

Sarah’s hands shook as she drove home. Was she meddling as he’d insinuated? He was right that she hadn’t been around or involved in their lives.

So why did she care what he did?

Hunter’s dejected expression plastered itself in her mind, and she couldn’t shake it loose.

Miss Radcliffe, why do Albert’s and Tyrone’s and a bunch of other moms and dads come to our class parties but mine don’t? Peter’s little voice echoed in her head.

She’d tried to explain how they were working to give him the best of everything. But he never could get past the fact that his mom and dad were absent parents.

Miss Radcliffe, I sure do need a hug today, he’d said at least once a week. At first, the comment cracked her up, because it was not the request of the typical kindergartner. But the more she hugged him, the more she’d grown to need the hugs.

And now she felt like she was watching a replay, watching Gregory and his sons travel down that same road. Even though Harry was in the picture and was family, it apparently wasn’t enough for Hunter. He wanted more time with his dad.

Was there anything she could do? To somehow bring Gregory and his boys together before Christmas? If she did, Gregory was certain not to like it.

Yes, she had to do something. Her conscience wouldn’t let her do otherwise.

She looked at the calendar in her cell phone and counted dated blocks. Twelve days until Christmas Eve and their pageant.

Twelve days…. An idea began to blossom.

She took a deep breath as she envisioned those empty blocks on her calendar and began to brainstorm ideas to fill them with activities for Gregory and his sons. But could she pull it off? It would take a lot of strength to spend that kind of time around Gregory.

Strength she might not have right now.

Thank you for bringing my mom and dad here. They even spent the night. We pretended we were staying in a tent. Peter had smiled at her from his hospital bed, happy even while needles and tubes stuck into his body, so sure she’d had something to do with his parents’ change of heart. But, no, a terminal diagnosis had seen to that.

Hunter’s sad, angry face flashed through her mind.

Yes, she had to do it. For Hunter.

For Peter.

Though she’d been powerless in Peter’s situation, at least she had time to try to make a difference in Hunter’s and Chase’s lives. To make sure Gregory spent time with his sons. Every single day. For the twelve days till Christmas.

Chapter Four