Page 84 of Mistletoe Kisses

“I’m so glad you’re here.”

“I told you we’d see him.”

“But he was supposed to fly home already. You couldn’t have known.”

“I heard he didn’t leave.”

“Give my grandson some air and let him in.”

Judith pushed Ron, Karen, and Larry out of the way and ushered me inside. As soon as I cleared the threshold, she wrapped her arms around me. I inhaled her gardenia perfume. Someone took the box and bottle from me, and I wrapped my now free hands around her petite body. Unexpected sobs racked me, and she held me through them, tightening her grip around my back. More arms wrapped around me as my tears continued to flow. I couldn’t have stopped them if I tried, so I rode it out.

When I had no tears left, I lifted my head from her shoulder and the arms fell away as my family gave me space. I stared into her eyes with deep crow’s feet and laugh lines at the corners. “I’m so sorry.”

Judith cupped my cheek. “You have nothing to be sorry for. No one does. The circumstances are the circumstances, but we’re here now. How about we load up on wine and sugar and talk?”

I smiled. “I’d like that. I brought wine and sugar.”

“Good boy. Let’s crack into it.” She looked into the box Larry now held. “Ooh, where’d you get these? Such a variety.”

“Lucas’s mom.”

She grinned conspiratorially at me. “I’ve had her cookies at bake sales. We lucked out that you’re with Lucas and creating a direct line to baked goods for our family. Well done.”

That pulled a laugh out of me.

Ron wrapped his arm around my shoulder. “I’ve got another nephew.” He shook his head. “Can’t believe I didn’t figure it out. Mom’s never going to let me live this down.”

My face burned at everyone’s attention on me. “I’m glad you’re not mad.”

Ron clapped my shoulder. “Are you kidding? To discover that my brother had a kid who loves books as much as I do? Best Christmas gift I’ve ever had.”

Karen poured wine while Larry introduced me to his adult kids. My cousins. Wow.

When we settled in the living room and Judith pulled me onto a loveseat next to her, I asked the question that had been burning in my mind since Making Spirits Bright. “How did you figure out who I am? You didn’t even know he had a child.”

Judith shifted on the couch. “Dennis confessed in a letter to me that he’d met a woman in a bar when he was stationed in Minnesota, and she got pregnant. You look a great deal like your father, but it was more than that. It was small things you mentioned about your mom and your life back home. I suspected it when you came to dinner, but I didn’t want to say anything and risk scaring you away. But with you about to leave, I needed to make it clear that you’re welcome in this family in case you were nervous about it. I suspected you might be.”

I nodded and studied my feet.

“At first, I thought you hadn’t said anything because you were evaluating whether you wanted us to know, but with how hard you worked to help Ron, I realized it was because you were nervous to tell us. That’s a lot of information to rest on your shoulders alone.”

“I was so afraid. My best friend suggested I do a DNA test to confirm it, but if you were on there, you’d be notified too. That was too much.” I shook my head. That had never been an option.

Karen smiled warmly at me. “Arlo, we’re so happy you came to Dahlia Springs. Finding out you’re family is the best news.”

“Your dad would’ve adored you.” Ron’s voice cracked, and he cleared his throat. “I’m sure he’d have given you a stack of books every Christmas and taken you on a shopping trip to Powell’s for your birthday each year.”

Larry laughed. “The two of you could always spend hours in bookstores.”

Ron grinned. “While you wasted your nickels at the arcade.”

They shared boyish smiles as Judith shook her head. “At least I always knew where to find you kids. Your dad managed to set up a book trading ring in the neighborhood when he was still in elementary school. He always had bright ideas.”

I wished more than anything that I’d known my dad, but I was grateful I could at least get to know him through his—our—family.

“Do you remember the time Dennis got permission to use the high school library because the junior high one didn’t have what he wanted for that research project? The hoops he had to jump through.” Larry shook his head fondly.

I sat, captivated, as they shared stories of my dad. Each one was better than the last. Never in a million years would I have thought this would’ve been the outcome of that drunken idea I’d had weeks ago that landed me in Dahlia Springs. I would be forever grateful to Keaton for giving me the push I needed to finally connect with my dad’s family. And coming clean to Mom made it even easier to celebrate.

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