We all shook hands.
“He flew over from Greece yesterday.” There was a wink at the end of her sentence.
“Sheshire Bay is beautiful.” He had a thick accent too. “As was wedding. Gorgeous.” He faced his fiancée. “Ember, we should plan beach ceremony.”
“Oh, I’m totally on board with that.” She looked at all of us and nodded.
It was hard to not agree. The ceremony had truly been magical and put a nice spin on Christmas. The holiday now had a different look to it. It was no longer filled with dread and a sense of sadness, instead, as I gazed around the beach bathed in the darkening colours of twilight and bonfires, and spotted endless couples and families, it meant happiness and chance to start fresh.
Everyone was entitled to a do over once in their lives. Lily had hers when she moved back to Cheshire Bayand maybe with the reconciliation, the red box finally unwrapped, and Jesse, I believed with my whole heart, this was my do-over.
I cupped the side ofhis face. “Merry Christmas, Jesse Lancaster.”
The broadest grin I’d ever seenstretched from ear to ear. “Merry Christmas, Mona Baker.”
Epilogue
Twoyears later…
Christmas Eve
I tapped my ear for an incoming call. “Hey, babe.”
“Are you still at work?”
“No,” but I giggled as I said it, so he knewI was lying. “I’m just locking up.”
Which was the truth. My keytwisted in the lock of Lancaster Baker, an accounting firm. A small beans accounting firm in the town of Cheshire Bay, my new home.
Twenty-two months ago, I made a decision and decided tostop travelling across the island to see Jesse. Rather, I moved in with him, and funneled the monthly savings – since there was no mortgage payment – into opening my own business. While not a roaring success, I did have to hire another to help me out.
“She’s landing in five minutes.”Was he pacing back and forth at the airport?
“I know. Sorry, I got stuck on a project, but I’m heading home right now.” It never got old.Home.
“We’ll be there in about thirty minutes.” Jesse’s voice was upbeat and ecstatic.
“And I’ll have everything ready. Promise.”The lock slid into place, and I walked over to the truck since Jesse had driven my car.
“Merry Christmas, Mona.” The owner of the reality shop beside me was just closing up his office.
“Merry Christmas, Stan.”
I drove home, down the lane full of homes fully decorated in twinkling lights and blow-up snowmen and an igloo made from plastic, since the bay area hadn’t received much snow yet. Our house was the Griswold’s of houses, and I finally understood what that statement meant as I had a hand in making sure there were more than enough lights to make this side of the island visible from the sea.
Parking the truck, I dashed into the house and double checked everything was good to go.
Sarah’s room was perfect. A little girl bed withpink sheets and unicorns was ready for its first Christmas guest; the first time Sarah was allowed to spend the holiday with her father. It took some convincing, and a small threat to take her to court, but Jesse and I had Sarah for the holidays.
I folded and refolded the bed to make it just perfect, and double checked under the tree for her pile of gifts. The coolest present, one Sarah wouldn’t know about until her eighteenth birthday, was a giant clear globe hanging near the back of the tree. Every visit with Sarah, Jesse would scratch out a memory or two, or three, and scroll it up to add to the globe. He’s loved that idea ever since I unwrapped Mom’s final gift. One of the gifts I’ve wrapped for him is a package of archival quality paper, so the paper will outlast the memories.
A final check of everything, and I waited as Jesse brought Sarah home. All the lights were on, even though it was still broad daylight out. Who cared? It was Christmas Eve.
The car approached and my stomach bubbled with delight. Her first overnight in his place, after three and a half years.
Jesse parked and ran over to unbuckle Sarah while Jenna and her fiancé exited the car.
I hopped down the stairs and sidewalk to meet them, wrapping them in a hug.