Em unwrapped a statue that Holly found, which looks like a twisted, coiled snake with no face. It’s creepy, freaky, and ugly as all hell. Holly has a deranged brass guppy that’s smiling like Bruce the Shark fromFinding Nemo. From a fear-factor perspective, I’m probably going to vote for Em because I’d be afraid of finding that snake’s face in the middle of the night.
Apparently, so was everyone else.
Em dances around the room like she just won an Olympic gold medal or an Academy Award. “Who-hoo! I’m free. Three hundred and sixty-four days of decorative freedom!”
Soon the room is a chaotic eruption of paper. Phil’s the only one being careful as he’s holding Rebel close to his heart. I smile as Em tears up over the cameo of her Aunt Dee’s face. The way her fingers trace over the cameo’s delicate surface is thanks enough, even before she launches herself out of the chair at me.
Cassidy blanches, then hurls herself into Keene’s arms over a perfectly matched set of pearls that were her mother’s. Caleb fastens complementary drop pearl earrings in her ears, causing her to weep. Caleb’s gift was a series of photographs of Cassidy and the babies that Holly had taken, along with a promise they’d be updated every three months over the first year. Since Caleb spends a good amount of time working, he always worries he’s not around enough with his wife and twins.
Ali’s gifts are also extraordinary. Diamonds have been their thing since Keene placed the pendant that was his mother’s around her neck. For Christmas, he slides a diamond bangle on her delicate wrist, kissing the underside and murmuring something none of us can hear. She returns the gift by giving him a pair of engraved cufflinks with a diamond chip in them. Even with all the bling, Ali still sparkles more than the diamonds due to the life growing inside of her.
Em is astounded when she realizes her siblings chipped in and are sending her to Paris on an open-ended ticket so she can worship at the altar of her fashion idols. Holly admires her new leather camera bags that were custom made, and are so soft, none of us are surprised when Rebel crawls inside for a nap.
But it’s Corinna’s gift to us all that steals the show. She hands out manila envelopes to all of us, asking us all to wait before opening them. Once she sits down, she waves her hand and says, “Okay, go ahead,” but she’s watching us closely.
We all pull out a black-and-white headshot of Brendan Blake, country musician megastar. They’re all signedLook forward to meeting you! ~BB.
“What does this mean, Cori?” Holly asks.
“Well,” Corinna drawls, “since Brendan and I remained friends afterCaketastic”—the Food Network show she kicked ass on—“he asked if I’d be interested in seeing him play. Block off your calendars in June, because we’ve all got backstage tickets to Brendan Blake!”
The noise level in the barn just broke the sound barrier as the Freemans start jumping around and screaming. Rebel hisses from his spot inside Corinna’s camera bag. “Oh, God. If they’re this bad now, can you imagine the night of the concert?” Keene moans. But his eyes are sparkling.
Caleb agrees. “It’s going to be epic.”
I nod. “It’s going to be something.”
Corinna laughs amid the noise. “I got tickets for Ryan, Jared, and Charlie too. I mean, the whole family is coming.” This, of course, sets the whole family off again, only now they’re singing one of Brendan Blake’s country ballads en masse.
Caleb lifts up his phone and starts recording it. “Never know when you might need it,” he murmurs as an aside to me and Keene.
Before long, we’re being pulled into the circle of happiness by this family forged of love, of pride, and of strength. Hugs and kisses are exchanged all around. When I reach my husband, I pull his head toward me and cover his mouth with mine for a long kiss I hope conveys everything I feel about him. Not only at this moment, but for every moment since we met.
Honor. Love. Loyalty. Passion. Faith. Trust. Pride.
And those are only a few of the things I can think of while my head is buzzing from the return kiss Phil gives me back. Rubbing his nose against mine as we break apart, he whispers, “Thank you for making every day a celebration, Jace.”
And that’s it. With Phil, every day is a celebration of our love, our life, and our family.
All in all, this has been a pretty spectacular Christmas already, and we haven’t even got to the feast Corinna has cooked. I’ve been blessed by so much. Yet, while I’ve been blessed by gifts, I only hope my wishes come true.
8
Six Months Later
“Dr. Ross! Hey, Dr. Ross! Can you wait up?” a voice I don’t recognize calls behind us, as Phil and I exit the Danbury Fair Mall.
I haven’t been back much since Christmas, but Phil wanted to go before we head to the Brendan Blake concert tonight. I laughed at the bra he bought to toss on stage. It’s an obnoxious orange color with neon green stripes. If it weren’t only four dollars, I’d have vehemently fought him on buying it.
Both Phil and I turn. I’m frozen in place when Joseph Bianco walks up to us at a fast clip, pushing a stroller. He looks tired but much less haggard than when we saw him on Christmas Eve. Not even winded when he reaches us, he smiles when he stops. “Thank you both for waiting.”
“It’s not a problem, Mr. Bianco,” I say quietly. I feel Phil’s arm slip around my waist in support.
“Please, Dr. Ross. Call me Joe.” He tentatively holds out his hand.
I blink a few times, but I take his hand. He squeezes it appreciatively. “I appreciate your time. I’ve wanted to contact you for a long time, but the hospital said you weren’t staffed there.”
He’s wanted to contact me? I’m about to ask why when he beats me to it. “I owe you a huge apology, Dr. Ross. I was in a horrible place when I lost Mary. I didn’t know—and I still don’t if I am being truthful—what to do with a baby girl. I lashed out at everyone. Mary’s family, my family, the hospital, you. But no one more than you.” He swallows hard before reaching into the stroller for his squirming baby.
