That was a good question. Why did I? The kind of questions I wanted to ask her would land me in the psychiatric ward at the hospital. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to call her. She wouldthink I was crazy, just like my sister and everyone else would if I tried to tell them I went to sleep two nights in a row and woke up having altered the future. But what strikes me as odd was that Margaret said she volunteered at my grandmother’s retirement home two years ago. She was there, not only in my dreams but in real life. How she looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes when she told me made me feel as if there was another meaning behind her words. It was almost sly, but in a good way.
“I just want to see how she likes the paintings,” I replied. “I’m sure I’ll see her around town. It’s not hard to miss her bright yellow Beetle.”
We said our goodbyes and hung up the phone. I didn’t know what to do. I ran my hands over my face and closed my eyes as I took in a deep, slow breath.
“I need answers,” I whispered, still keeping my eyes closed. “I don’t know what’s going on. I feel like I’m going crazy.”
“You’re not,” a voice spoke out.
My eyes flew open and my heart jumped out of my chest. Standing before me was Margaret, grinning from ear to ear and dressed in her red sweater with the glittery mistletoe.
I slammed a hand over my heart and gasped. “You scared me. How did you get over here so fast?”
I glanced over at the door and then back to her. There was no way she could’ve gotten in and over to me within two seconds. Plus, I didn’t hear the bell ding with the door.
Margaret snorted and clasped her hands in front of her. “Oh, Lydia, we have much to discuss, but I promise you’re not going crazy. Are you ready for the truth?”
Was I? Either way, I was about to find out.
9
LYDIA
“Yes, I’m ready,” I said.
Margaret smiled even wider and snapped her fingers. One minute, I was standing in my gallery, and the next, we were by the fountain in the park. No one else was around; we were alone, suspended in time.
Margaret flourished a hand toward the fountain and sat down on the marble ledge. “It all started with a wish. You do remember what you wished for, don’t you?”
My heart stopped. “Yes. I felt ridiculous. I’ve never given in to the superstition of wishes.”
She chuckled and skimmed a finger over the water, making it shimmer with magic. I could feel the truth in it and see it with my own eyes. Magic was real.
“Well, I’m glad you gave in,” she said, meeting my gaze. “I heard you that night. It’s why I’m here.”
“Who are you, exactly?”
Margaret stood and walked over to me, her presence warm and mystical, like I could see the magic swirling around her. “I’m one of many Christmas angels, Lydia. We don’t grant wishes often, but when someone such as yourself deserves it, we liketo help.” She moved closer and smirked. “You wished to find someone to give your heart to and get theirs in return, right?”
Nodding, I waved a hand around the empty park. “I did, but how is all of this possible?”
Margaret snorted. “How is anything possible, Lydia? Magic exists . . . that’s all I can say. You’ve been given a chance at a redo, and I think you did quite nicely. Max and Ben are handsome fellas. All you have to do is decide which path you want to take. It is all up to you now.”
“Are you saying my dreams were real?” I asked.
Margaret smirked again. “Sending people back in time is my specialty. I knew you’d do things right. The only downfall is that it disorients people when they wake up to find their lives have changed course. However, so far, it’s always been for the better. I haven’t had anything go sideways on me yet.”
I had time traveled. The thought was absolutely mind-blowing.
“I can’t believe you sent me back in time.”
Margaret smiled. “It accomplished what needed to be done. Now that you’ve met Max and Ben, you can figure out who gets your heart. And when you decide, your Christmas wish will have come true.”
“What if I make the wrong choice?”
She shook her head. “I have faith in you, Lydia. You’ll know where your heart wants to be.”
It was all so surreal. I had not only altered my life but everyone else’s as well.
