Page 75 of Take Me Home for Christmas

Once she left, I was alone for real this time. I finished my charting and looked up.

“Grace?” I said very quietly.

The late afternoon sun was shining in, a pale winter ray. It drew me over to the window, where I saw all the impressive hospital buildings lining the street. Small, bare trees far below were outlined in Christmas lights already turned on, anticipating the darkness that would soon arrive.

I turned back to the room. The beam of sunlight hit the nondescript vinyl floor and sparkled.

I walked over to examine the strange sight. Sure enough, tiny sparkly specks shone brightly in the light.

Glitter.

I smiled. And then I laughed out loud. Good thing I was the only one around.

Or maybe I wasn’t. My sister’s love wrapped around me like a warm blanket, swirling about me as if she were in this sterile exam room right beside me.

Or maybe she had been, and she’d left behind some magic.

Yes, I knew that the glitter had spilled from the poster. But still, I clutched my laptop to my chest. “I hope heaven has a ton of art supplies,” I whispered.

The door creaked a little behind me.

“Grace?” I called as I spun around.

“Not Grace,” Brax said softly. He was standing there, looking tired and a little disheveled, his eyes full of feeling, making my heart thump hard from an absurd amount of hope. “Just me.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Brax

“Mia,” I said on an exhale that was half tension, half relief that I’d finally found her. She was standing by the window, looking stoic. I wasn’t sure why she was in this exam room alone, or why I’d heard her call out Grace’s name. But I had so much to say—how to begin?

“How did you find me?” she asked.

“I ran into Dr. March.” I’d thought clinic was empty on my first pass, so I’d searched the ward and then the ER, before finally heading back here. I didn’t tell her any of that as I walked over to her. I could see that just seeing me was making her a little teary. Honestly, I was getting choked up too.

I stopped a few feet in front of her. “I’m sorry,” I blurted. “I was wrong to not tell you about the job. Forgive me.”

She started to cry. I took her hands in mine and was relieved she didn’t push me away. “I let my desire to walk in Atticus’s shoes cloud my thinking.”

“I’m sorry too,” she said, her voice cracking. “I jumped to conclusions. I accused you of lying. I know that job meant a lot to you.”

“You mean more.” I squeezed her hands and looked into her green eyes that were bright with feeling. “The best way I can honor Atticus is to be a good man. I don’t want the job. Take it. Take it and give them hell.”

She smiled through her tears. “Too late. Long story, but I spoke my mind to Brunner. But more importantly, I just hit Send on the fellowship application a second before you showed up. You were right about me—I’m terrified. I don’t like to fail. And I’m afraid of the times when things won’t go well, and how that might remind me of my sister. But I’m going to do it anyway. I love the kids. I love the families. I love heme-onc. And I think Grace would want me to do it too.”

“You’ll be an amazing oncologist.” I knew it down to my bones. I didn’t know exactly what had happened between her and Brunner, but I knew she was okay with not getting the job. And so was I.

Mia smiled, but not a giant, happy smile. More of a sad one. “Brax, are you leaving? Dr. Brunner told me you’re going back to Philly?”

There was a sudden racket in the hall, accompanied by voices and laughter, but I ignored it. “That’s what I told Brunner. Honestly, at that time, I didn’t know what I was doing.”

“So you’re not? Going?”

I was relieved that she sounded like my answer mattered. I had to let her know how much she mattered to me. “I want to be with you. If you’ll have me.”

She walked straight into my arms. “I love you,” she said simply.

“I love you too.” Those words had never been so easy to say. Or so wonderful to hear as I wrapped my arms around her.Holding her close, feeling her softness, and taking in the familiar scent of her hair made my heart swell with joy. This was where we belonged.Together, wherever that might lead us.

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