Connor walked into the living room. Sure enough, she sat on the expected chair. Behind her, the Christmas lights he’d mounted on the edge of the roof weeks ago cast a glow against their dark front yard.
She eyeballed him and he gave her a look like,You’re busted.
Her face turned instantly guilty. “Patsy? I’ll have to call you back.”
Murmurs from the phone, then Mom disconnected and set the phone facedown on the arm of her chair. “Well?” she said defensively. “Iwouldlike to see you settled.”
“I’m as independent as my sisters.”
“Of course you are, but you’re also a different case.”
“Because?”
“Because you’re in love with Shay.”
He froze.
She regarded him with compassion. “I may have ALS but I’m still as observant as ever. You’ve always loved Shay.”
His thoughts reeled. All his life his mom had shown him that she understood the things he never said and even tried to hide. Yet, every time, it surprised him.
He nodded because, yes. He loved Shay.
“When are you going to tell her?” she asked.
“Tomorrow.”
Her face brightened. “Really?”
“Yes. But she might not be interested in me.”
She outstretched her hand. He took hold, gripping firmly. Their journey together over the past two years raced through his memory. All the appointments, medicines, therapies. “If she’s not interested in you,” she said, “she’s crazy.”
“She’s not crazy.”
“Then she’ll be interested in you.”
“I don’t want you to hang your sense of peace on my dating life.”
“Okay, okay. I hear you. It’s just... I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“You’ve made me very proud of the son I raised. I don’t want much... other than a cheeseburger,” she added dryly. “But Idowant you to be happy.”
“I am happy.”
“You could be happier,” she said. “God is good. His plan is best. But I don’t mind telling you, I’m going to pray tonight—and pray hard—that Shay sees in you what I see.”
•••
Low-level anxiety had been circling within Connor all day. The nativity was scheduled to start in thirty minutes, and the anxiety was still there.
Everything outdoors was ready, so the volunteers had gathered in the barn at Sugar Maple Farm, which Sam had cleared out in preparation for tonight. When the time came, they’d all move to their places outside. At the moment, a few of the character actors were still putting on the last pieces of their costumes and receiving hair or makeup touch-ups. The rest of them were standing around, talking.
Shay sat in a folding chair on the far side of the barn, as one of the volunteer stylists from the salon added waves to her hair. Connor pulled his attention from her, letting it rove over the space full of people, animals, and activity. In the corner, a gray donkey that looked much too old to carry a pregnant woman from Nazareth to Bethlehem blinked sleepily in its enclosure. The alpaca stared at the donkey nervously. The miniature cow appeared bored.
A group of shepherds discussed their golf swings. Two women with clipboards trailed his mother—who glowed tonight—as she leaned on her cane to slowly make her rounds. The older couple who’d brought the sheep to the site stood in front of the snack table, deciding between chips, pretzels, and Goldfish.
