Ours.
And Maddy. Such innocence, such kindness for a little girl who spent her entire life in fear, afraid to breathe wrong or say something to set her father off. A little girl who couldn’t have a normal childhood no matter how much she deserved one. Such innocence. Such unconditional love.
What a family.
Myfamily. They are everything I’ve always wanted.
“Alright then.” I clap my hands together and take a long drink of hot chocolate. “Are we ready to go pick out the best Christmas tree in Colorado state?”
Maddy’s eyes light up, and she squeals, dropping her current craft project to run for the front door to find her boots and coat. Jami and I follow. Jami is still smiling that beautiful smile that lights my world, and she leans on me as we walk, her head against my shoulder, the warmth of her touch pulsating through me. As Maddy pulls on her boots and coat, singing Christmas carols aloud, Jami brings her lips near my ear, teasing me.
“Merry Christmas, Mr. Ely,” she whispers, and I turn in to plant a kiss on her lips, my free hand deep in my coat pocket, subtly fingering the jewelry box hiding in the depths of my coat pocket.
“Merry Christmas, Miss Newman,” I say, pulling the box from my coat. “Or can it be Mrs. Burton now?”
EPILOGUE
ONE YEAR LATER
“I can’t say it’s a tragedy as much as it is a blessing in disguise.” Renee kicks her feet up on the coffee table with a shrug, taking the second glass of eggnog Jake offers her. He plops down on the couch on the other side of her, ignoring Aaron, who has already been asleep for the last hour or so. Matt is working tonight, Christmas Eve, but I’m happy to be surrounded by the best people I know.
“Tell us how you really feel, Renee,” Ely teases, sitting on the loveseat next to me. My best friend shrugs, taking another drink of her boozy concoction.
“So Kasper is dead. Who cares? The sonofabitch deserved it.”
I agree with her sentiment, but with Madison in the bedroom just down the hallway, I don’t want her to know about her father’s death until the time is right for all of us. Kasper Hill died three months ago. He was killed in prison, apparently murdered by the very man Ely had imprisoned all those years ago, right before his family was killed.
Karma, I sincerely believe, is one hell of a bitch.
Down the hallway, on the other side of the closed door, Maddy’s little voice calls to me. I know she hasn’t heard the conversation, not over the white noise machine on her dresser shelf, and I assume, like most nights, she’s been woken by night terrors.
“Duty calls,” I say apologetically, then squeeze Ely’s hand, bypassing the enormous fir Christmas tree decorated like a child’s Candyland in the middle of our living room. I don’t mind it. In fact, I love it. So does Maddy, who took her time making sure it was decorated to perfection before she’d allowed Ely to even see it.
I stop in front of the little girl’s door and gently push it open. The sound machine is still playing the soft sound of ocean waves lapping against the shore, and Maddy’s princess night light still spins in slow circles, lighting the room with a pink hue similar to that of some sort of fantasy land. Madison lays on her bed, covers still tucked up to her chin, small blue eyes wide and uncertain as I sit down near her on the bed and brush my finger against her cheek.
“Another nightmare?” I ask, and Maddy nods, her breath coming out in small, frightened hitches.
“I dreamed daddy was hurting mommy again.”
I lean forward and rest my lips briefly on Maddy’s forehead, pushing her hair back off her forehead and onto the pillow until it’s like a halo surrounding her head.
“You’re safe here,” I remind her. “And Ely and I love you very much.”
“Can you read me the story again, Jami?” Maddy asks quietly. “The one with the long-haired princess?” Her eyes are pleading, a tiny grin curling on her lips, and I can’t help but laugh.
“We already read a story, sweet pea. It’s very late. You should be asleep.”
“I know,” she says with a melodramatic sigh. “But I love it. They make me feel better.”
“Did I hear someone say she wanted another bedtime story?” says a voice near the door, and Ely comes in, squeezing my shoulder. Maddy’s eyes light up when she sees him, and a warmth spreads through my limbs. It took her months to warm up to Ely, but once she did, her entire world changed for the better overnight.
“Yes, please,” says Maddy, and Ely kisses me, pulling me up from the bed with a grin. I rest my hand on his stubbled cheek and then turn to kiss Maddy goodnight one last time for the night.
“Will Santa Clause still come to see me if Aunt Renee sleeps on the couch?” Maddy asks suddenly, sitting up in her bed, and I have to cover my mouth to keep from laughing too hard.
“Santa will still come,” Ely assures her. “Don’t forget, they came to celebrate you. To celebrate us and the adoption.”
“Are they my real family now?” asks Maddy, and Ely sits beside her, tucking the blankets up to her chin.
