“Thank you for saying that.” Emotion roughened Randy’s tone. “Sometimes it seems like people are going on with their lives and forgetting her.”
“I understand.”
“We don’t want people to forget.”
“Neither do I,” Leo said.
Deb began to blink as if fighting tears.
“The pain of losing her was so overwhelming at times that I thought I might suffocate from it,” Leo said. “I know you both know what I mean.”
“We do,” Deb said.
“It’s only recently that I’ve gotten over that suffocating feeling.” He sighed. “It’s not that I’vegotten over it, necessarily. It’s just that I don’t feel like I’m suffocating all the time anymore. I’ve begun to hope that the rest of my life might not be one long exercise in torture. I—I hope that you won’t hold that against me.”
“We won’t,” Randy said.
Deb, however, looked conflicted. “Did you have feelings for Maddie when Olivia was alive?” she asked.
“No,” he stated definitively. “We were paired together to work on Mission:Christmas a month ago. It was then that something . . . changed between us.”
Deb frowned.
“I’ve asked her out on a date,” Leo said. “Which I know might be hard for you guys, and I’m sorry about that. Really sorry, because I’d never want to cause you any additional grief. The three of us have had plenty of that.” He drew in a breath. “I’ll be honest with you and tell you that I’m really looking forward to my date with Maddie. It would mean a lot to me if you could find a way to be okay with the two of us dating. To give us your blessing, even.”
“You don’t need our blessing,” Randy said.
“I’d like it just the same.” Leo looked to Deb.
“I . . .” Deb’s pursed lips trembled. “I apologize for the way I responded this morning when I saw you and Maddie together. I’ve always liked Maddie. It was just a shock, that’s all. To see you with another woman.”
“I know.”
“Give me a few days to adjust. I can accept it,” Deb said. “Iwillaccept it and even support it because you made our Olivia very, very happy, Leo.”
“Olivia made me very happy.”
“You’re a good man,” Randy said, clasping Leo’s shoulder. “You deserve good things, son.”
“When you talk to Maddie,” Deb said, “please tell her that I’m sorry.”
Chapter Nine
Leo’s Christmas Day began at 5:51 A.M. when Charlie jumped on top of him, whispered, “It’s Christmas, Daddy” in an excited voice, then attempted to pry open Leo’s eyelids with his fingers.
Groggily, Leo stumbled into the living area of their house ahead of his son to switch on the Christmas tree lights and get music and coffee going. Then he let Charlie loose. His little boy tore through the gifts like a rhinoceros through a swamp.
They joined Olivia’s side of the family for Christmas brunch. Food. More gifts. Then returned home so that he could get Charlie down for a nap. He’d only just now managed it. He had a brief window before he needed to regroup and drive Charlie to his parents’ house for more food and more gifts.
On weekend days, he usually soaked in the quiet during Charlie’s nap. Today, though, he wanted nothing more than to spend time with Maddie.
Ever since Deb had walked up to them yesterday in front of Kim’s house, a stone of foreboding had been pressing down on his chest.
He’d texted Maddie last night to let her know about the conversation he’d had with Deb and Randy. He’d told her thatOlivia’s parents had given their blessing and that Deb wanted Maddie to know she was sorry.
Still, he worried that things weren’t right between him and Maddie. Things didn’tfeelright. Maddie was susceptible to hurt, which was one of the things he appreciated about her. He knew that Deb had caused Maddie both embarrassment and guilt.
He desperately wanted to fix what had been broken.
