A Wedding in December - Sarah Morgan Page 0,136
arrives.”
“The girls’ gifts are already under the tree. My gift to you, too.” She’d thought about it, worried about it, and come to the conclusion that it was the perfect gift for their new life. She hoped she wasn’t wrong about that.
“Can I open it in front of them? Is it a sex toy?”
Her playful shove turned into a hug and then something more and by the time they’d showered and changed, everyone was at the door.
Nick flung the door wide, letting in freezing air and the noise that was their family.
Amidst the chorus of Christmas greetings, Catherine produced Maggie’s missing suitcase. “It was delivered yesterday, but in all the excitement of the wedding the message didn’t come through to me from reception.”
Maggie took the suitcase. “This means you girls will have two sets of presents, because I already bought a replacement set.”
“Life’s tough,” Rosie said, “but we’ll cope.”
Maggie laughed. “Will I have to return my new wardrobe?”
“No.” Nick took the suitcase from her. “But I’m pleased to see this, because it contains something very important. Something I need.”
“What could you possibly need from my suitcase?” She watched, intrigued, as Nick flipped it open, delved deep and brought out a familiar box.
“Oh Dad.” Rosie rushed forward and pulled off the lid. “You brought our decorations from home. There’s my angel. And the jeweled camel! Now it really does feel like Christmas. You’re the best.”
Katie was laughing. “This is almost as embarrassing as whipping out baby photos. My contribution is a very impressive Christmas star.” She slid her arm around Jordan. “Please bear in mind that I was seven when I made that star. Don’t judge.”
“Do I look as if I’m judging?”
Maggie looked at Nick, her throat clogged with emotion. “You packed those decorations?”
“No. They jumped into the case because they didn’t want to be left out of a White family Christmas.” He shrugged. “And I thought, maybe, you’d be feeling a little nostalgic, and that this box might help. It’s a little taste of home, that’s all.”
“I think it’s the most wonderful, thoughtful—” She walked toward him and Rosie stepped between them.
“No! Just—no.” She spread out her arms to keep them apart. “I think I speak for all of us when I say how thrilled we are that you and Dad will not be getting a divorce, but we don’t need to witness every second of the making up. We’re convinced, truly.”
“I’m in charge of breakfast,” Catherine said, carrying several large bags to the kitchen.
Katie followed her. “I’ll help.”
Maggie watched as she and Catherine emptied the bags, laughing and talking as they worked smoothly together. Already she saw a change in Katie. She was softer, less sharp and jumpy and the glances she exchanged with Jordan told Maggie that whatever this relationship was, it was making her daughter happy.
There was a pop and a whoop as the first champagne bottle was opened, and then the clink of glasses and the murmur of conversation.
Catherine waved a fork. “Help yourselves to food, then we can open the presents.”
There was smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, freshly baked pastries, and plenty of chilled champagne and orange juice.
Maggie took a moment to appreciate her family. She’d dreaded spending Christmas away from home, and yet it was turning out to be better than ever, which proved that change could be good.
Spending Christmas here had been forced upon her, but it had turned out well.
If she resigned from her job, maybe that would turn out well, too.
“I have a toast.” She raised her glass. “To being brave and taking risks.”
Everyone joined her in the toast and Nick strolled across to top up her glass.
“I love it when you’re brave.”
“Do not pour Mum any more champagne,” Rosie yelled across the room.
Nick ignored her and poured. “I have no idea why you’d say that. There isn’t another woman alive who can tolerate alcohol like your mother.”
“Here—put the bottle down and open this, Dad. It has your name on it.” Rosie crossed the room and put a box in his hands. “I’ll take that.” She whisked the champagne bottle away, and passed it to Jordan.
Nick opened the gift and Maggie held her breath. Had she done the right thing?
He opened the box. “It’s a soft toy. A dog.” He pulled it out, puzzled.
“Yes.” Maggie felt ridiculously nervous. “It’s a representation of course. The real thing is waiting for you at home. There’s a photo of him in the box.”
Nick put his hand back in the box and pulled out a photo of a litter of puppies. “Black Labs?”
“The Baxters’ dog had a litter last month. I’ve helped her with them occasionally.” When she’d been upset and missing Nick badly. “One in particular took a shine to me. I thought—I know you love dogs, and we’ve never been able to have one because of Rosie’s asthma, but now it’s the two of us I thought it was time. Walking it will keep us both fit. And I know we’ll need to be careful when Rosie and Dan come to stay—” she smiled at her daughter “—but the Baxters have promised to take care of him whenever we need them to, and we will never let him upstairs in the bedrooms, and our downstairs has wood floors so they should be easy to clean.” She waited, watching his face.
“A puppy.” Nick studied the photo. “He has intelligent eyes.”
“He’s so intelligent. I’m already in love with him.”
“I could take him to work to soothe stressed students. When is he ready to leave his mother?”
“In a few weeks, but the Baxters will hold on to him for as long as we like. What do you think?”
“I think,” Nick said slowly, “that this might be the best gift anyone has ever given me.”
“If you’re getting a puppy,” Katie said, “I might have to rethink moving back home.”
“I can’t wait to come and stay,” Catherine said. “Is February a good month to visit Oxford?”
“Wait until May. Spring in Oxford is gorgeous. It’s warmer and it’s a perfect month to see all the gardens. We’ll walk along the river and I’ll take you round the colleges. I’m already looking forward to it.” Maggie raised her glass. It seemed unbelievable to think that a month ago she’d been dreading this week, and anxious about meeting Catherine. “We drank to the happy couple yesterday, so today we’re drinking to Catherine. Thank you for welcoming us into your home and your life, for giving the White family our first genuine white Christmas, for doing such an incredible job arranging a wedding. To new friends, and new family.”
Everyone raised their glasses and chorused her toast.
“Thank you.” Catherine was blushing. “I was rather hoping Christmas here could become a new White-Reynolds family tradition. What do you think? Spring in Oxford, and Christmas in Colorado?”
Nick put one arm round her, and the other arm around Maggie, the champagne in his glass dangerously close to spilling. “I’m not sure.”
Maggie raised her eyebrows. “What?”
“If you’re given more opportunity for practice, you might beat me in a snowball fight.”
“I already beat you.” Maggie thought about her anxieties that this might be her last family Christmas with her daughter. All she’d thought about was repeating the past. In fact, she’d hung on to the past so hard she’d almost made dents with her fingernails. What a waste of time and energy that had turned out to be. Life did change. Nothing stayed the same. But sometimes the life that lay ahead could be even better than the life they were leaving behind. And whatever happened, she was going to be living that life with Nick. With her family.
She raised her glass again. “Christmas in Colorado.”
* * *