Finding Love (A Mill Creek Crossing Romance) (9 page)

“So, what are your plans for the holidays?” Clay asked her almost as if reading her mind.

“Funny you should ask. I was just sitting here thinking about that. With Thanksgiving coming up, I'm used to having my brothers here but I'm not sure if either of them can get away for the holidays. I know Ian's probably going to have all kinds of things going on with his friends, and Brian has always had a hard time getting away from his job. I hope they can come home though.”

“Well, if you wouldn't be too much trouble, I'd love for us to have Thanksgiving with you as well. Maybe we can cook a big meal together for once?”

“Really? I was going to ask, but I didn't want to step on your toes. I wasn't sure if maybe you had some traditions you wanted to do with the kids that had to do with their mother.”

“Of course, we always have traditions we like to uphold, but I'd like for my new tradition to be that we have Thanksgiving with you. You've become a huge part of my kids’ life. I'm so thankful for you, Amelia,” he said as he reached over and patted her hand. The touching gesture made her feel uncomfortable and comfortable at the same time.

“Clay…”

“It's okay. Don’t panic. I'm not asking for anything from you Amelia. I just want you to know how much I think of you and how much you mean to my family. Without you, I don't think my kids would be adjusting as well to their mother’s death as they are. We were kind of stagnant when we met you, and you’ve gotten us moving again. I just wanted you to know that I'm grateful.”

“Thank you. I've enjoyed getting to know the kids and you, to be honest. It's just hard for me. You know that.”

“Yeah, I know.”

Before they could take their conversation any further, Christy poked her head out the door and asked if she could talk to Amelia alone. That was Clay’s cue to get his kids together and head home for the evening. Amelia apologized for the interruption as she waved at them from the front stoop. Going back inside the house, she knew it was time to have the conversation with Christy that she should've had years ago. There was no getting away from it now.

Amelia walked back into the house where Christy was sitting on the sofa, hands in her lap and fidgeting. She never realized how much fidgeting was a part of their family DNA. Anytime one of them got nervous, the first thing to start was the hand fidgeting.

“Okay, you wanted to talk to me? So talk.”

“I just got the baby down for a nap, so I thought now would be a good time. I'm sorry I interrupted your date.”

“That wasn't a date. I told you. I keep his kids, and he usually stops by for dinner.”

“Sounds like dating to me.”

“Christy, I don't think you have any rights to be speaking about my love life. What is it you want to talk about?”

“I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get you upset. He's a nice guy, and I like his kids from what I can see. I just thought maybe there was more going on than meets the eye.”

“Well, you should know better than anyone I don't date. I gave that up long ago. You can't trust people no matter how much you think you can.”

“And that's what I want to talk about. That - right there. Amelia, you're my sister. I love you. You have to know I never meant any harm. I made a mistake.”

“A mistake? How do you call sleeping with my fiancé a mistake? And, not only did you do it then but you went on to marry him and have a baby! That's not a mistake.”

“We were in love, Amelia.”

“In love? He was supposed to be in love with me. We had been together for years. He was the person who helped me up when our mother died. He was, for all intents and purposes, your future brother-in-law. How in the world could you sleep with him on a family vacation? What kind of person does that make you?”

“It makes me a bad person, I guess. We all make mistakes, and mine happened to be a very big one. It cost me my sister. It's something I'll regret for the rest of my life.”

“Well if you regret it, then why did you marry him and have a baby with him?”

“Because I loved him. I was so afraid I'd never find anyone else in my life I loved like I loved him.”

“You were willing to give up your sister for a man you thought you loved?”

“Amelia, I was young and stupid. And by the time I realized what a huge mistake I’d made, we had been together for so long. He asked me to marry him, I accepted - and then I found out I was pregnant. Olivia wasn't planned. And when he found out I were pregnant, he went completely off the rails. He started drinking and then I found out he was cheating on me. We lost everything. It's not that he didn't leave me with anything. It's that we had nothing. We were living in a single wide in a trailer park. Our car got repossessed. He lost his job. I couldn't even get a temporary job because I was so obviously pregnant. It's been a horrible couple of years.”

“Are you serious? I thought Tate was planning on becoming an accountant?”

Well, that was the plan. The longer we dated, the more I realized just how lazy he was. And he started drinking like his father, although he stopped for a couple of years before he started up again when I was pregnant. Tate isn’t the man you thought he was. And he certainly wasn't the man I thought he was. He didn't want his baby from what I could see. It's just been the most horrific time of my life. I guess it's sweet revenge for what I did to you.”

“Come on, Christy. You know I'd never wish anything harmful to you or anyone else. You're still my sister, but I'll never feel the same way about you again.”

“I know you won’t. And I'm sorry. I wish we could get that back because I know that's what our mother would want. But it is what it is. I was just hoping we could start from here. I have to rebuild my life over, and I'd like to include you in it. I can't change the past, Amelia, but I can do something about our future. And if you'll let me, I promise to be the sister I was supposed to be back then.”

Amelia was stunned at what Christy was saying. It wasn't so much what she was telling her about Tate, but about what she was saying about herself. She’d never heard Christy be so honest about anything. And this time, she actually felt like she might be telling her the truth.

The two women ended up talking for several hours until it was almost midnight. They laughed, cried and mended a lot of the rifts in their relationship. Amelia was glad she allowed herself to open up and really hear what Christy had to say. She would never forget what her sister had done, but she had to forgive her so they could both move on and find happiness.

***

With a week to go until Thanksgiving, Amelia continued trying to mend her relationship with Christy. She could tell her sister was really trying to make things right, and she’d already grown attached to little Olivia. The baby was a sweet representation of how even wrong things can eventually lead to something beautiful.

“Morning, Amelia,” Christy said as she came downstairs.

“Good morning. I made some eggs if you want some,” Amelia said as she wiped down the counter.

“Oh, thanks. I’m starving.”

“Finally getting your appetite back?”

“Actually, yes. I’ve decided to look forward and not backward. Things would have never worked out with Tate, and I’m glad that it’s over. I know he’ll always be Olivia’s father, and I hope he will be a father to her, but that doesn’t mean I have to be with him.”

“Listen, why don’t you take the day to do some shopping in town? You need clothes for you and Olivia,” Amelia said.

“Because I haven’t found a job here yet. Money is an issue when you want to buy things,” Christy said with a laugh as she took a bite of her eggs.

“I understand that which is why I wanted to give you this,” Amelia held out an envelope.

“What is this?”

“Just look inside.”

“Amelia! This is two hundred dollars!”

“It’s just a little extra I had this month. I want you to have it. It’s not much, but…”

“Not much?” Christy said smiling through her tears. “You’re already letting me stay here, and now this? I can’t take this…”

“Yes, you can and you will. Leave Olivia with me today and go get yourself some clothes.”

Christy hugged her sister and pulled back to look at her. “Mom would be so proud of the person you are, Amelia. I don’t deserve what you’ve done for me in my life, and I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be the sister you actually deserve.”

“Now you’re going to make me cry! Get out of here!” Amelia said with a laugh as she wiped her eyes. “You can take my car. The keys are on the table by the door.”

It was a beautiful Saturday morning, and Amelia was looking forward to having Olivia with her all day. It’d been a long time since she’d held a baby, and she hoped to have one of her own before she was too much older.

But how would she ever do that if she didn’t learn to trust a man?

Pushing the thought from her mind, she picked up Olivia from her crib and pulled her close.

“Hi, little one. Your mommy went to get you some cool clothes, so you’ll be spending the day with Aunt Amelia today…” she said as she walked her downstairs. Christy had set up the playpen she’d found at a yard sale a few days before, so Amelia put the baby in it while she did some cleaning around the house. Before she could get much done, there was a knock at her door.

“Hi, Clay! What’re you doing here? Everything okay?”

“Just wanted to come by and see you if that’s okay,” he said with a smile. His smile warmed her heart every time she saw it, and today was no different.

“Where are the kids?”

“Actually, Gracie is keeping them today.”

“Gracie?”

“She invited them over for a family cookout.”

“She didn’t invite you too?” Amelia asked tilting her head.

“She did. But I decided seeing you sounded like more fun.”

“You see me almost everyday, Clay…”

“Everyday is not enough.”

Amelia’s heart started to pound in her chest. Was she missing something? What was he saying?

“Clay, I don’t understand…”

“Is your sister here?” he asked out of the blue.

“No. She went into town to do some shopping for herself and Olivia. I’m babysitting. Want to come in?” she asked as Clay nodded and walked into the living room. Still unsure of what he was doing there, she invited him to sit down.

“She’s adorable,” he said as he looked at Olivia cooing in the playpen.

“Yes, she is. She’s a great baby.”

“How are things with you and Christy?”

“Much better. I think we’re on the road to being sisters again.”

“Good.”

“Clay?”

“Yes?”

“What’s going on?” Amelia asked fidgeting with her hands and trying not to smile at him.

“Okay,” he said taking a deep breath. “Here goes. Amelia, meeting you and getting to know you better has been the best thing to happen to me in two years. I adored my wife, and I truly thought she was the only love I’d ever have. I thought she was my soul mate and that was all the love I’d ever get to experience. And then I met you, and I knew.”

“Knew what?” she asked trying to hide her shaking hands.

“I knew it is possible to love again, and it is possible for that love to be strong and true and real. And it is possible there isn’t just one soul mate out there for me. Maybe Molly sent you to me, or maybe God decided I deserved a second chance, but all I know is I think about you all day every day, and I want to be a part of your life.”