Page 127 of Season of Gifts

Her?But Henry would be an anxious wreck waiting—

“She does have a solid head on her shoulders.”Mother laid assessing eyes on them both and gave a minute nod, maybe to herself.“Alice?Would you join me?”

She sprang to her feet.“Of course, if that’s what you want.”She tried to gauge Henry’s sincerity surreptitiously.He’d been keeping such a tight grip on his mom’s care.Going out for groceries yesterday had been a big step; not attending the meeting with the care team today might be asking too much.“If you’re sure.”

Henry tucked the sheet back into her hand, his fingers pressing hers in a kiss, a pledge, a plea.“I’m sure of you, dearest.”

He took her seat beside Jay, who immediately wrapped both hands around Henry’s and settled them on Henry’s knee.A faint smile lightened Henry’s shadowed eyes, and he murmured something too soft for her to hear.Beaming, Jay straightened his shoulders and shot her a confident stare that filled her heart to bursting.“If you’re both real good, you can have a slice of cake with tea later.”

They did have that mouth-watering Black Forest cake waiting in the fridge.They’d flirted with it half a dozen times at breakfast, the spectacular cherry-chocolate glinting in the light every time the door opened for eggs or berries or yogurt.

“Tease.”She stuck her tongue out at Jay, then clamped her mouth shut on a laugh when a kid in the next row over copied her.

“Aha, bribery!I shall endeavor to be on my very best behavior.”With a cheery chuckle, Mother leaned lightly into Alice as they crossed the room.“The two of you work miracles, darling girl,” she whispered.“He’s my thoughtful son again.”

A thoughtful husband again, too.Small steps, though.Henry needed to feel safe, the same way he so often made her and Jay feel safe.“I’m sorry we didn’t come up sooner.”

The nurse confirmed Mother’s name and ushered them down another vaguely antiseptic hallway.

Mother patted Alice’s arm.“And I wish I had convinced him to send for you sooner.But we mustn’t allow these heartaches to tie us irretrievably in the past.We have so much yet to anticipate and marvel at.”Her bright smile lifted years from her face.“Someday soon, these two weeks will be a mere pebble alongside the mountains of joy the three of you accumulate in your lives together.Regret will not serve you well; it poisons joy, drains the color from it so even the happiest thoughts bring only a bleak sorrow.Steer well away from it.”

“Sound advice.”If only her father had been willing to hear it.How Henry’s sweet mother could have ever attempted to take her own life when Dad couldn’t even do them the kindness—

Alice gagged.She jammed the back of her hand against her mouth.I didn’t mean it, I didn’t mean it, I didn’t.

“Alice?”Mother stopped beside her, running soothing fingers along Alice’s arm.“Are you ill?”

The bile receded, leaving a bitter sting in her throat.“Just—” Her voice rasped.“Just tasting some of those regrets.”

Chapter sixty-eight

Jay

Thehonorofthefirst cut went to Jay.He tipped the point of the knife into the center and slid it carefully between two gleaming cherries.Henry hadn’t said to make the pieces small, but his slight smile and nod when Jay presented a slender wedge to Mom confirmed he’d made the right choice.

He cut three more slices about the same size so she wouldn’t feel like the sugar cutoff was only for her.He could always serve seconds.Taking his seat, he scooted the chair closer to the kitchen table.“I don’t know how you do it, Mom.It’s pins and needles on this side of the taste test.”

She twirled her fork teasingly over Mrs.Eickhoff’s memorial cake.After all the medical stuff and a long nap when they got home, she was chipper as a wood thrush swooping through the branches in the spring.“I simply don’t see how this cake could taste anything less than divine, darling.I witnessed the love that went into its creation.”

As her fork pressed into the cakey-cherry-whipped-creamy goodness, she glanced at Henry so briefly Jay almost missed it.

“A fitting dedication”—Henry must’ve learned the silent communication trick from his mom—“to a woman who served thick layers of love and affection to everyone who entered her home.I’m pleased you had the opportunity to know her, Jay.”Henry laid his hand above Jay’s knee and squeezed.He left his hand resting in place even when he’d stopped squeezing; his thumb drifted back and forth along the outside of Jay’s knee.“They say like calls to like, and it seems you and she shared a rare trait: a welcoming and open heart that is warmly remembered by all fortunate enough to experience its glow.”

A warm glow was spreading across his face and down through his chest, sure enough.He’d floated back into the dream of their life together.Him and Henry and Alice at the table together, a family, spending time with Mom, eager for the holiday to arrive.

An impish spark zipped through him.Tipping his head and widening his eyes, he blinked pleadingly at Henry.“Yes, I knowI’mwonderful, but how’s the cake?”

Heat touched his lips, a fierce and too-short kiss with the echo of Henry’s low laugh ringing in his ears.

“The cake”—Alice toasted him with her fork and a nose scrunch—“is amazing.You’re gonna give Henry a run for his money in the kitchen.Ooooh.”Perking up, she crowded the table and stage-whispered at Jay, “Do you think these could be done as those fancy little cakes he likes?”

Jay diced a square inch of cake from his slice, smeared whipped cream across it, and dragged a cherry on top.Balancing it on his fork, he lifted it with a hand cupped underneath, just in case.No need to risk asplatof cherry syrup on the tablecloth.“Fancy little cake!Just like Henry makes.”

Alice golf-clapped.Mom watched him pop the bite in his mouth.“Fancy little cake?”

“Petit-fours,” Henry murmured, a totally fake scowl on his face.Fake because he was still sweeping his thumb alongside Jay’s knee in soothing approval.“My spouses insist on tormenting me with imprecise language.”

“And you love it.”Alice blew a kiss across the table.

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