Two Hearts for Christmast (3 page)

They decided to go to North Hills to shop.  Afterwards, they caught a movie, and then went to dinner at Five Guys for burgers.  It was a sinfully delicious meal, and Yvette didn’t even want to think about calories.  She called it their “Decadence Night” and even had ice cream before they headed home.  Yvette was stuffed almost to the point of being uncomfortable, but Lacey was having a great time and that was all that mattered.

“
I’m glad we had Decadence Night, Mom.”

Yvette smiled.  “Me, too.  We’ll have to do this again soon.  I love hanging out with you.”

“
I do, too.  I miss Daddy and Robby, though.”

“
So do I, honey.  Hey, I’ve got an idea.”

Yvette dialed Christopher’s cell phone, but after a few rings it went to voicemail.  She and Lacey left a joint message, and then called his parents’ house.  When Margaret answered, they chatted.

“
We’ve had such fun today,” Margaret informed her.  “We’ve played, sang songs, watched movies…your son has pooped his old grandma and granddad out.”

“
He wasn’t too much trouble, was he?”

“
Heavens no.  He’s such a sweet boy—just like his daddy was at his age.  I tell you, the resemblance between the two is uncanny.  So how did you and Lacey fare this evening?”

“
We had a great time, Grandma.”  

Lacey filled her in on the rest of their evening, and then asked to speak to Christopher.

“
He’s not here, honey.  He had a late appointment, and hasn’t gotten home, yet.”

“
Oh,” Yvette replied.  “We tried to call him earlier, and he didn’t answer.”

“
He could still be in it.  You want me to have him call you when he gets in?”

Yvette glanced at the clock on her car’s dashboard.  “Uh, no that’s okay.  Lacey and I left a message.  I’m sure he’ll call when he can.”

They talked for a few more minutes before ending the call.

Surprised at Christopher being unavailable, Yvette pushed the feeling aside.  Christopher would call when he could.  Satisfied, she turned her attention back to her daughter, and their fun evening.

***

Christopher was dead tired by the time he walked through the back door to his parents’ kitchen.  

“
Hey,” he called out, closing the door behind him.

“
Hi, Chris, dinner’s on the stove,” his mother replied from the family room.

He saw Robby on the couch with his grandfather and went over to pick his son up.

“
Hey, Robby.  You got your pj’s on?  Are you ready for bed?”

His son hugged him and smiled.  

“
Daddy.”

There was no greater feeling for Christopher than interacting with his children.  They were funny, interesting to watch, and made his heart swell with love just being near them.  Family was the most important thing for him.

“
I’ll warm your plate up while you play with Robby,” his mother volunteered.

“
Thanks, Mom.”

“
Did you talk to Yvette?  She called earlier.  She and Lacey were enjoying their evening.  Have you spoken to her?”

“
Not yet.  My phone battery died, and I didn’t have my car charger.  I’ll call her right after I eat.”

“
How’d the meeting go?” his father inquired.

While he ate, Christopher brought his parents up to speed on the projects he was trying to get done around the farm.  Since they had given him more control, there were a lot of renovations and improvements that he wanted to make to ensure that the daily operations ran smoothly.  With the start of the Christmas season fast approaching, he didn’t have much time to get all the work he wanted accomplished done before they’d need to switch gears and focus on the Winter Wonderland.  It was a huge part of their profits, and was a big draw for locals, and tourists.

“
And the other project?” his mother asked.

“
That’s coming along great.  Much better than I expected.”

“
I’m so glad.  I can’t wait to see how it’s going.”

When he’d finished eating, Christopher cleaned up and then went upstairs to put Robin to bed.  He used the cordless phone to call Yvette back so that she could say goodnight to Robin before he went to sleep.

Robin cried a bit at hearing her voice, but between his favorite stuffed animals, and the story Christopher read him, he was sleep in no time.

He called Yvette back after he had showered and got in bed.

“
You’ve had a long day,” she said after a few minutes of conversation.

“
You’re telling me, but it was nothing compared to how much I miss you.”

He couldn’t see it, but Yvette smiled at the compliment.

“
Chris, are you sure you want to take on so much responsibility by yourself?  You’re doing so much more than you were before.  I’m worried that you’re overextending yourself.”

“
Yvie, I’m fine.”

“
I know we talked about it a while ago, but I could quit my job and—”

“
Absolutely not.  You worked hard to get where you are in your career, and I don’t want you to give that up.  Stop worrying, Yvette.  I can handle the farm.”

She bristled.  “I have the utmost confidence in your abilities, Christopher.  I was merely looking at this from a logistics standpoint.  You’re gone a lot more now than you used to be, and it’s hard on the kids when you’re not here—and me.  We miss you.”

With a loud sigh, he closed his eyes.  “I know.  I’m sorry, baby.  I didn’t mean to sound brusque.  I miss you all, too.   A great deal.  We’ll figure this out, I promise.”

“
You keep saying that,” she pointed out.  

“
Can we just…talk about something else right now, please?  Tell me about you and Lacey’s night.  What did you do?”

Not wanting to spend their precious moments arguing, Yvette dropped the subject and went on to lighter topics.  She told him about their afternoon and evening.

“
I guess I should go.  We both have an early start in the morning.  I love you.”

“
I love you.  You and the kids are everything to me—never doubt that.”  He hung up.  With a long sigh, he doused the lights and stared up at the ceiling in the darkness.  
Hang in there, Yvie.
 

4
CHAPTER FOUR

The morning started off the same as usual, but the

afternoon took an unexpected turn.  Yvette was off work, and was tidying up the house when she received a call from her aunt Adelaide.

“
Hi, Aunt Addie.  What are you up, to?”

“
Well, honey that’s what I’m calling about.  I’ve had a bit of a tumble, and I—”

“
What?”  Yvette stopped dusting and sat on the couch.  “What happened?”

“
It’s such a stupid thing.  I was taking this country line dancing class and I missed a step and fell.”

“
Oh my God, are you okay?”

“
Yes, dear, I’m fine.  The man I fell on has seen better days,” she joked.  “Luckily, he broke my fall.  It could’ve been much worse than a fractured foot.”

“
A fractured foot?” Yvette repeated.  “Are you at home?”

“
Yes, I’m home.  I’ve got crutches, and I’m making the best of it.”

“
Well, you’re coming here to stay with us until you’re better able to take care of yourself,” Yvette said, emphatically.  

“
That’s not necessary, honey.  I can maneuver around pretty good on these things and—”

“
I’m not taking no for an answer, auntie.  You don’t need to be on that foot any more than necessary.  Christopher is up at his parents’ house with the baby.  I’ll have him pick you up before he heads home.”

Adelaide hesitated.  “Are you sure?  I don’t want to inconvenience anyone.  You’ve got the kids and you two have work.”

“
Nonsense, you’re not staying home by yourself, and that’s final.  I’ll call Christopher now and he’ll call you before he’s headed your way, okay?”

“
You’re sure,” Adelaide said with concern.

“
Of course.  I’ll see you later this evening.”

After she hung up with her aunt, Yvette called Christopher and filled him in on the news.

“
Of course, she should stay with us.” Christopher replied.  “I’ll leave here early and pick her up.  We’ll be home by dinner.”

“
Thanks, Chris.  I’m just worried about her trying to recoup by herself.  I’d feel more comfortable if she were here with us.  I know it’ll be tight, but it’s just for a little while.”

“
We’ll make it work, Yvie.  We always do.”

“
Thanks for understanding, Christopher.”

“
Anything for you, sweetheart.  We’ll see you later tonight.”

“
I’ll have dinner ready.  I’m making Lasagna, salad, and garlic bread,” she informed him, “with chocolate cake for dessert.”

“
My favorites.  Thanks, love.   I’m just wondering…”

“
What?” she asked.

“
Do you have any leftover icing?”

“
A little, why?”

“
Because, I can think of several things I’d like to do with that icing and—”

“
Chris,” she laughed, her face turning crimson.  “Cut that out.”

“
I love it when you blush,” he chuckled.  “It’s sexy.”

“
Goodbye, Mr. Darcy.  See you when you get home.”

“
Later, baby.”

She was still smiling at his words long after she hung up the phone.  She missed him terribly, but in truth, she liked when he stayed at his parents’ house, too.  She got to sleep in the middle of the bed and watch all her classic reruns on television without Christopher asking why she still watched shows that were over twenty years old.  

“
Ah heaven,” she sighed with happiness.

She went upstairs to change the sheets on the spare bed in Lacey’s room and prepare for her aunt’s arrival.

By the time a friend had dropped Lacey home, Yvette had cleaned the whole house.  Lacey walked in, inhaled the aroma of bleach, Pine Sol and a Crisp Linen Glade Plug-Ins.

“
I’m home, Mom,” she said, loudly.  “Which grandparents are coming to visit?”

“
Hi, Lacey,” Yvette called from upstairs.  “Aunt Adelaide’s coming for a visit.  She broke her foot and needs our help.”

Lacey set her bags in the hallway closet, and then ran upstairs to locate her mother.  She was cleaning the bathroom.

“
I’m sorry she broke something, but I like when Aunt Addie stays.  She’s a lot of fun, and we always have a good time.”

“
I know, but with her foot in a boot, she will need to take it easy,” Yvette cautioned.

“
You want me to help you?”

“
No, but thanks for offering.”

“
Okay.”  Lacey turned to head downstairs, but stopped.  “You made Dad’s favorite dinner…did you two have a fight?”

Yvette groaned.  
Am I that transparent when a ten-and-a-half-year-old can pick up on these things?
 

“
No, not a fight, Lacey.  Just a difference of opinion.”

“
Well, it must have been a doozy if you went to all that trouble.”

“
Okay, you sound just like your Pop Pop right now.  No, it wasn’t a doozy.  So let’s drop the subject and you can go fold the clothes on the couch, Miss Stilwell-Darcy.”

Her daughter smiled, and headed back downstairs.  Yvette shook her head.  Her daughter would be eleven on December twenty-third.   She was growing up so fast.  December was always a joyous time for their family.  December first had always been her and Lacey’s traditional start of the Christmas activities.  They’d decorate the house, start gift shopping, and prepare for Lacey’s birthday party.  Some years, they’d had to have the birthday celebration a few days early so that her friends could show up.  With family coming in, or holiday travel, it was difficult to have guests come over, outside of the family, for Lacey on her actual birthday.

When Yvette was finished cleaning, she took a hot shower and put some effort into making herself presentable.  She chose a pair of black knit pants, and a pumpkin-colored Henley that buttoned down the front with a white t-shirt under it.  She touched up the curls in her shoulder-length hair with a curling iron, and applied fresh lipstick.

When she came downstairs, Lacey was on the couch watching television and folding clothes.  She glanced at her mother.

“
Mom, you look like it’s Halloween.”

With a moan of dismay, Yvette said, “I do?  I was going for an autumn look.  It’s still November and I—”

“
Well, you got a pumpkin look,” Lacey snickered.

“
I do not look like a pumpkin, young lady.”

“
Sure you don’t.”

Yvette ignored the amused look on her daughter’s face and ran back upstairs to her bedroom closet.  She wanted to look sexy, not like she was getting ready to Trick-or-Treat!

Stripping the shirt off, Yvette perused the clothes hanging up with a practiced eye.  She heard the garage door going up.

“
Shoot, I’m out of time,” she lamented, and then put on a deep purple scoop neck sweater.  She put on a pair of drop Amethyst earrings, tousled her hair a bit and slid her tongue over her teeth to remove any traces of lipstick.  Satisfied with her appearance, Yvette went to greet her family.

***

Christopher was exhausted.  His day was long, and Robin did not sleep well during his nap, so he was a bit fussy on the drive back to Raleigh.  Aunt Addie looked like she was tired as well, though she would never admit it.  He wasn’t much better.  He’d been talking to people, seeing samples and making decisions all day.  The only thing Christopher was looking forward to now was spending time with his family, and then going to bed early.   But when he saw Yvette glide into the room, good intentions went out the window.  She was a vision in purple, and the moment their eyes met and she smiled at him from across the room, all visages of exhaustion blew straight out the window.  He strode straight toward her and since they had other eyes on them, gently swept her into his arms for a very firm, but chaste kiss.  It wasn’t even remotely the one he’d wanted to give her, but there would always be later…