Haley-Jo sat there. “For real?”
Carly nodded.
“You're my really real mummy?”
“I am.”
Haley-Jo scrambled onto her lap and flung her arms around Carly's neck.
Carly hugged her tightly.
Stan rose and walked out. These two needed some space. His future was riding on one word, but he wasn't going to get it just yet. He needed fresh air. He walked from the church to stand on the front steps, shoving his hands into his coat pockets. His breath hung on the cold air and a light snow began to fall again.
Around him the streets glittered. Lights streamed from windows and he allowed hope to creep into his heart.
Footsteps echoed beside him. “Stan? Is everything all right?”
He looked up at Pastor Kenny and shook his head. “I have a lot going on.”
“Then let's just sit for a few.” Pastor Kenny indicated the wall. “You don't have to talk, but I'll pray, because I find that always helps.”
~*~
Carly hugged Haley-Jo, holding her as she cried. This was something she'd never imagined would happen in a million years. Tears fell down her face, but this time they were tears of joy. She gave the child an edited version of the story. “So, your father was killed, and I was badly hurt. I didn't want to give you up.”
“But if you hadn't, then Daddy would be alone now, and you and Daddy wouldn't have met. God wanted me here.”
“I guess He did.”
Haley-Jo glanced around. “Where is Daddy?”
“Maybe he went to get coffee, or went outside. Let's find him.” She stood up, her heart jumping for joy as Haley-Jo took her hand.
They exited the church, and her heart leapt again at the sight of Stan sitting on the wall next to the pastor.
Stan's eyes lit up as she and Haley-Jo walked over to them. “You found me.”
Haley-Jo nodded. “You're rubbish at hide and seek. Hello, Pastor Kenny.”
Pastor Kenny smiled. “Hello, Haley-Jo. We were just talking about you.”
She smiled. “Pastor Kenny. This is Carly. She's my Mummy, and she and Daddy are getting married.”
Carly and Stan looked at each other. She saw the hope flicker in his eyes.
“How about you and I go and find some hot chocolate and see if there are any biscuits left?” Pastor Kenny said. “Let your dad and Carly talk for a few.”
“OK.” Haley-Jo went with him happily.
Carly stood in front of Stan and cupped his face in her hands. “You're cold.”
“A little.”
“Thank you.”
Stan blinked, confusion in his eyes. “What for?”
“Looking after my baby when I couldn't. Raising her into the cute, intelligent, funny child she is now. Allowing me to be a part of her life and asking me to join your family. No one has ever given me a gift like that before.”
“Other than God.”
“Well, yeah.” She paused, trying to calm her racing heart and not succeeding. “What I'm trying to stay, Stan Fuller, is yes, I'd love to marry you.”
Stan wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. She responded and his arms tightened as he deepened the kiss. When he finally pulled back, she knew in an instant he was her soulmate. She'd never reacted to being kissed like that before.
She managed a smile. “We should go and find your daughter before she eats all the biscuits.”
“Our daughter,” Stan corrected. He took firm hold of her hand, walking with her.
Carly was sure her feet were off the ground. Actually, she wasn't sure she'd ever find solid ground again, but at that point didn't care. She'd found her daughter and a man who loved and wanted her.
Haley-Jo was sitting with Pastor Kenny.
Stan smiled. “Are you ready to go?”
“Yes. Can Carly move in now you're getting married?”
Stan rolled his eyes, trying to ignore Carly's laugh and the way Pastor Kenny raised his eyebrows. “Not until after the wedding.”
“When's that?”
“Give us a chance. It'll be at least four weeks from when we get the license depending when the church is free.”
“You can get that tomorrow, Daddy. Pastor Kenny says the church is free every Saturday for the next five weeks.”
Pastor Kenny chuckled. “Leave me out of it. Give me a call, Stan.”
“I will. Thank you.” Stan took his daughter's hand.
“Can she at least move in for Christmas?”
Carly shook her head. “Maybe I'll sleep in the spare room on Christmas Eve, and we can spend Christmas together. How does that sound?”
“But why can't you get married now?”
“Because this isn't a movie,” Stan told her. “You've been watching
Miracle on 34
th
Street
way too much. This is real life and things happen a little differently.”
Carly took her other hand as they walked to the car. “So, is there anything else you want for Christmas?”
Haley-Jo grinned. “A baby sister.”
Stan snorted. “Don't push your luck. I already got you a mummy. A baby sister just isn't happening.”
Carly looked at him over Haley-Jo's head. “Well, not this year.”
Stan held her gaze. “I love you,” he mouthed.
“Love you, too.”
Haley-Jo pulled a face. “Stop with the lovey-dovey stuff.”
Stan ignored her and grinned. “How about we go home and set up the nativity under the tree. Start a new family tradition?” He paused. “And then tomorrow we'll go to the Christmas shop and pick out a new ornament for the tree. One to symbolize our new family.”
“Sounds great.” Haley-Jo looked up at Carly. “So long as Mummy agrees.”
Tears filled Carly's eyes. “I think it's a great idea, sweetheart.”
13
Stan picked up the newspaper from the shop and grinned at the front page headlines. For once he wasn't going to object. He paid for three copies and hurried home.
“Is it in?” Haley-Jo asked as soon as he got through the front door.
“It certainly is.” He handed her a copy and went in search of his wife.
They were leaving today on a three-week honeymoon, and Haley-Jo was moving in with Gramma and Mamgu Rose while they were away. The two mother's had bonded instantly. Mum had offered to let Carly's mum move in rather than stay in the nursing home in Cardiff, or find another one closer to Bramley. As Mum was a trained nurse, it meant they wouldn't need a carer coming.
Carly held out a hand. “Let me see.”
I got a Mummy for Christmas
by Carly and Haley-Jo Fuller the headline proclaimed. Underneath was a picture of Haley-Jo in her bridesmaid dress and then one of Carly and Stan outside the church.
Stan grinned. “Love the byline,” he said. He began to read aloud.
“Haley-Jo Fuller finally got her Christmas wish when her father married
Bramley Herald
reporter Carly Jefferson on Valentine's Day. In what can only be described as a Christmas miracle, an assignment by this paper in December led to Carly being reunited with her daughter who was given up for adoption after Carly was left in a coma following an accident.
âThe bride wore an off the shoulder dress, with hundreds of sequins sewn all over it. It sparkled in the sunlight, but would have been rather cold in the rain as it didn't have sleeves,' explained Haley-Jo Fuller.
Stan grinned. “Nice quote.”
“For once Marc didn't touch the article after I handed it in.”
“â
and the bridesmaid/flower girl wore a really lovely floor length pink princess dress with a tiara and a huge bow on the back. She carried a Bible in one hand and a bunch of violets in the other hand. The bride also had violets in her bouquet along with ivory roses. The groom wore a dark grey morning suit with tails and a top hat, which he spent more time carrying than wearing. We tried to convince him to wear his airplane uniform, but he refused saying âI wear it enough when I'm at work, thank you, without wearing it on my days off, too'.”
Stan raised his eyebrows. “Thanks for that.”
Carly chuckled. “Any time.”
“Hmmm. How much of this did you actually write?”
“I had a lot of help.”
He turned back to the article. “
And just to give the story a real happy ending, Carly found her mummy again as well. And now we're all living in Bramley and can see each other lots. The bride and groom haven't disclosed where they are going on honeymoon, but here at the paper we all wish them many happy years together.”
“Well, he did touch it after all, but that was nice.” Carly crossed her arms.
Stan put the paper down and wrapped his arms around Carly. “I think we can manage a happy ever after.” He pulled her close and kissed her.
“Enough of the yukky kissy stuff,” Haley-Jo said. “I'm still here.”
Stan broke off and laughed. “Like we could forget that, wombat. Are you packed?”
She shook her head. “I think Mummy might have to come help me. Blue Unicorn wants to take everything in the wardrobe and it won't all fit.”
Carly stood. “Then Mummy had better go teach Blue Unicorn how to pack.”
Haley-Jo grabbed Carly's hand. “He doesn't understand tidying up either. Because everything from the wardrobe is now all over the bed and the floor and he isn't going to help me put it all away.”
Stan chuckled as the two of them left the room, thanking God once again for the Christmas miracle He'd wrought for all of them.
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