A Wish for Christmas (31 page)

He must have realized he was dealing with a desperate man. A guy who would have put his life savings down on a thousand-to-one shot.

“When can I try it?” David said quickly.

The doctor smiled sympathetically. “I’m not done yet. You have to understand that the reason your foot lost feeling may be due to trauma to the nerves from surgery. In other words, the nerves might be in shock and with time—and I do realize it seems like eternity to you already—but with more time, a year or even two, they will reawaken and resume normal function. But if you have another surgery in that area, it could actually aggravate the condition.”

David sat back, finally understanding why this doctor was taking such pains to explain the situation. “That’s a tricky one, then.”

“Yes, it is,” the specialist said with a grave expression.

“I suppose there’s no way to know how my nerves would react? No clue on the tests or X-rays?”

“Not much, no. It’s pretty much a personal decision, David. Only you can weigh the risks and the consequences for yourself.”

David reached for his cane. “Thanks for your time, Doctor. I’m going to think about all this. I’ll call you one way or the other in a day or so, okay?” He rose, shook the doctor’s hand, and headed for the door.

“Take all the time you need. And please call if you have more questions. Or if anyone in your family wants to speak to me, I’m available,” the doctor added.

David already planned to keep this test and its results a secret from his family. He didn’t want to get everyone’s hopes up and then feel ten times worse if it didn’t work out. He also didn’t want this latest drama to be the focus of the holidays.

Jack and Julie had been working so hard the last few weeks, David thought. They deserved a happy, peaceful Christmas without any more distractions or focus on his problems.

This was one he had to figure out for himself.

 

 

A STEADY FLOW OF CUSTOMERS STILL MADE THEIR WAY TO THE TREE farm on the day of Christmas Eve. It was all hands on deck, too. Christine had come in early, as she had to leave early to help her mother with their family party. Jack and Julie had been outside since morning, and even Katie was playing in the Christmas shop, so excited about Santa Claus coming, she seemed about to burst.

Since he had started using the cane last week, David had been coming outside to help, too. Though therapy took up most of his time, he managed to put in a few hours. The evenings had been a busy time this last week before Christmas, and he liked to think he had helped his father some when an extra hand was needed.

He had also been on KP, taking over most of the cooking at night from Julie. It just seemed natural that he would cook Christmas dinner, too. Julie had been working very hard, and David thought it was the least he could do.

He knew his father was a real meat-and-potatoes type. But for Christmas dinner David had decided to take a risk and surprise them all with a traditional roast goose. He had seen a big feast prepared step-by-step on a cooking show and had looked up all the recipes online, printed them out, and studied them carefully.

They would start with a salad of mixed greens, pears, blue cheese, and candied walnuts. The main course would be the roast goose with cherry and wine sauce, chestnut stuffing, roasted vegetables, and whipped potatoes. And for dessert, a whipped cream trifle.

Even Julie didn’t know his plan. He had managed to get Jack to drop him at a gourmet grocery store on Monday afternoon, and he had done all the shopping. He had prepped all the vegetables last night, and tonight he would work on the stuffing and trifle.

But as much as everyone loved his cooking lately, his family seemed happy to have him outside, working alongside them. Especially his father. David acted happy, too, but inside, he felt blue. He knew these were not only the last days before the holiday and the end of the Christmas tree farm’s short but glorious season. These were the last days he would be close to Christine and most likely the end of his stay in Cape Light, in his childhood home.

His mind was made up. Now that he was more mobile and fit, he knew it was time to go. He didn’t want to tell anyone about this plan, not until after Christmas. He knew his father would be upset by the news, and probably try to convince him to stay. David didn’t want all that to muddy their family celebration.

He tried to forget his secret plans and worries and just focus on being outside on a beautiful winter day, doing some mindless physical work. It was really fun to sell people Christmas trees. He had forgotten that part. Everyone was so excited to pick out their tree, especially the kids. Everyone was so particular about the size and shape they wanted. When you helped them find a tree they liked, they were so happy.

He couldn’t deny that he loved working with Christine. He didn’t even have to be close to her. He liked to watch her from a distance, her friendly way with people and the way she ran around the place with so much energy. As if she were doing the most important job in the world.

She had on a red knit cap today with a design of white snowflakes. Her hair was fixed in shiny braids that hung down to her shoulders. Her picture could have been on a box of hot cocoa, he thought.

They had not talked much since the disastrous shopping trip last Friday and had not been alone in the house much at all. David had gone out of his way to avoid her. He had answered her attempts at conversation with curt, one word replies, brushing her off. As precious as he counted his minutes with her now, he still felt exposed and even humiliated by his stress episode.

Even so, he bought a Christmas gift for her in town. He’d had his father drop him off in the village one afternoon and he searched every shop until he found something just right. In a way, it seemed even more important now that he was leaving again to let her know how he felt. And to know that she would have something to remember him by.

The trick was to find a time to give it to her. David remained watchful, looking for his chance, but they never seemed to be alone.

Finally, that afternoon, it was time for Christine to go. Julie was practically crying as the two women hugged good bye. “Merry Christmas, Christine. Thank you so much for all your wonderful help. I don’t know how we would have gotten through the season without you. I hope you’ll come back and see us sometime?”

“I’ll come and visit,” Christine promised. She bent down and gave Katie a big hug next. David knew that Christine had bought Kate a present and left it under the tree.

Katie was crying, but Christine tried to soothe her. “I just live down the road, silly goose. I’ll see you all the time. You have to call me on Christmas and tell me what Santa left under the tree this year, okay?”

Kate nodded, still sniffing a bit. “Will you come back and babysit me?”

“I sure will. Whenever your mom calls me.”

David knew Christine meant to keep that promise, and she would for a while. Her college was nearby and she lived at home. But she would be busy student teaching next semester and getting ready for her wedding. She certainly wouldn’t be babysitting after she was married in June. Her whole life would change by then.

Christine walked away to say good-bye to Jack, who was in the tree lot, helping customers. David watched them from a distance as his dad gave her a hearty hug.

Then he saw her start to walk toward him. He felt relieved. She wasn’t going to leave without saying good-bye, even though he had been pretty aloof and impossible the last few days.

“I’m going now, David,” she said. She tugged on the strap of a knapsack that was hooked to her shoulder then picked up a roll of pine garland.

“Here, I’ll take that for you.” David reached out and took the garland. “Where’s your car?”

“Out in the lot. Near the road,” she replied, without looking at him.

They walked side by side out to an area near the road where cars were parked. David was glad she had parked in a far corner, out of sight from any curious eyes at the tree stand, especially his father’s.

Finally, they came to her car. She opened the trunk, and he handed her the garland. “Have a good Christmas, David.”

“Thanks. You, too.” He stared down at her and held her gaze. “So, is Alex home yet?”

She nodded. “I’ll see him tonight.”

“That’s good,” he replied, not knowing what else to say.

“Do you get any break from PT this week? Or do they just keep going?”

“No session Christmas Day. Otherwise, no rest for the wicked.”

Christine smiled and touched his arm. “You’ve made good progress. You don’t want to lose ground.”

“That’s right. I don’t want to get lazy and backslide.”

She met his glance for a long moment, then reached into her knapsack for her car keys. David reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. The careful wrapping and bow had gotten a little mashed traveling around with him all day, but it still looked pretty, he thought.

“Hey, before you go. I just wanted to give you this. Merry Christmas,” he said, quickly. He held the box out to her.

She stared down at it with such surprise, he wasn’t sure she was going to accept his gift. Then she finally reached out and took it and started to peel off the paper.

Part of him had hoped she wouldn’t open it in front of him. Now he waited to see her reaction, feeling as if he couldn’t take a breath. There was a velvet case under the paper, and she slowly lifted the lid. He almost didn’t want to look at her face but couldn’t help himself.

He could tell instantly that he had made the right choice. Her eyes lit up and a big smile spread quickly over her lovely face.

“Oh my goodness . . . a cameo. This is so beautiful, David.” She stared at him in wonder. “I love it. I really wanted one of these. . . . How did you know?”

Success, finally. The first thing he had done right in months.

He shrugged, trying to make light of his detective work. “I noticed the way you were looking at them in the jewelry store in Newburyport when I got those earrings for Julie. I found this one in the Bramble. It’s an antique.”

“Oh, wow . . . it’s beautiful. Thank you. That was so unbelievably thoughtful of you.” Unbelievable because he had been such a nasty lug to her all week. That’s what she meant, he guessed. Well, at least he may have made up for it a little.

“I have something for you but it’s at home. I was going to drop it off tomorrow, or sometime during the week.”

The idea that she bought him something too made David happy. But he wondered if he would even be in town by next week.

“That’s all right.” He shrugged and smiled. “I’m just happy that you like your present. . . . I need to tell you something.”

“What?”

This was hard. He didn’t know how to explain it without hurting her feelings or having her think badly of him. “I’ve decided to leave town. After Christmas.”

“Oh . . . so soon?” She looked so disappointed and surprised. He could tell it wasn’t what she had expected him to say. “Don’t you need to stay longer for your therapy?”

He shook his head. “Not really. I can continue pretty much anywhere.”

“Where are you going?”

“I don’t really know.” He caught her clear blue gaze a moment and then looked away.

Rerun of their senior year in high school, he thought. She had to be thinking the same thing: Wouldn’t he ever grow up?

Before she could say anything, he added, “My dad and Julie have been great, but I need to get out on my own now. They don’t need me here anymore, either.”

“I see.” Christine nodded, hugging her bag to her chest. She slipped the little velvet box into her knapsack pocket and zipped it up. “Well . . . good luck. I hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for, David.”

I did find it. I’m looking right at it,
he wanted to say.

“Good luck with all your plans, Christine. With school this year and . . . the wedding.”

“Thank you.” She held out her hand, and he took it in both of his. But somehow, he ended up drawing her closer, his arms wrapping around her in a hug. Which would have still been all right, he thought later, if she had not hugged him back so warmly, so that he couldn’t resist putting his hand on her cheek and holding her face a moment to look at her and then, kissing her the way he wanted to all these weeks.

He wasn’t sure how long they stood there. But finally, the sound of a car pulling up nearby broke his trance.

He slowly stepped back and let her go. She stared at him a moment, looking sad and confused. Then she turned, got into her car, and drove off.

David felt as if his heart had been torn from his chest, attached to the fender of her car, and was now being dragged down the road.

He would never get over Christine, he realized. She had always been the only one for him.

 

 

 

LILLIAN KNEW WHAT THE PARTY WOULD BE LIKE, AND WHEN SHE arrived, escorted by Emily and Dan, she found it very much to her expectations. Too many people, too much noise, too many sugared-up children, running around like wild animals. Later, when the herd of guests attacked their presents, she would want to hide under a table.

But she couldn’t insult her daughter and son-in-law. She had to make an appearance, at least for a little while. Jessica, understandably, wanted to show off her new house. It was a lovely house, well built, too, as Lillian knew. She had financed most of it.

She recognized the usual suspects—Sam’s sister Molly and her husband, Matthew Harding, the doctor who had taken over Ezra’s practice in town.

They were the first to greet her. “Hello, Lillian. Merry Christmas,” Molly said. “You look well.”

“So do you,” Lillian returned.

Molly did look good. Success agreed with her. She had made a good catch with this second husband, and her catering business was thriving. Lillian didn’t care much for Molly’s food, but others in town obviously did. According to Jessica, Molly was now thinking of opening a restaurant.