Page 63 of Meet Me at Christmas
Pop’s words and Henry’s embrace together gave her strength. When she’d cried all she could, she looked up at him. “I’ll tell you everything, but I need some time to figure out how I want to do it.”
He nodded, his concern for her clear in his expression, and she wondered by the interest in his gaze if he already had an inkling of what she would soon tell him.
She stood and smoothed her shirt, then ran her fingers through her hair, pulling out the tangles. “Could you take me home?”
“Sure,” he said, so many questions behind that one word. He took her hand, raised it to his lips, and kissed it. “I’ll wait for you.”
And the terrifying part was that she knew he absolutely would.
* * *
Later that night, still trying to get over her visit to Henry’s, Stella opened her laptop as she sat at the old desk Pop had used when he paid bills. He’d always paid with mailed stubs and paper checks until Mama took over. Her mom hadn’t been able to come anywhere near the desk for a while, but for Stella, it had a different effect. It comforted her. After hearing Pop’s voice today, she wanted to be close to him.
She opened her email to find one from her editor.
Hi Stella,
I hope you’re enjoying your holidays and getting so much work done!
I wanted to send over your next assignment. I’m giddy that I was able to secure a placement for you at Asklepios Hospital Barmbek in Hamburg, paid for by one of the American Brain Foundation grants I applied to. You’ll be part of a research team, and they’re funding eight weeks! The study focuses on rare neurological diseases, so get going on the preliminary research. They have a patient with vertical gaze palsy that I’m dying to hear about.
Your flight is scheduled out of BNA in Nashville, departing at 9:00 a.m. on December 27th. You’ll fly into Hamburg International and stay at the Hotel Atlantic until we can secure a flat. After five weeks, you’ll travel on to Helios Krefeld Hospital for the final three weeks.
Steven asked me to send you, specifically—“the best we’ve got,” he said. The team is thrilled for you. He can’t wait to read your brain injury articles. The first article is ready to go. Just waiting on the second from you. Hoping to have it before the holiday.
Let me know if you need anything special for your stay, and I’ll get Margie to organize it for you.
Happy holidays,
Amy
Stella rubbed the pinch in her shoulder and leaned on Pop’s desk. A single line kept going through her head:He can’t wait to read your brain injury articles.Steven. As in Steven Rotrosen, judge of the President’s Award.
After being home and with everything regarding Henry, her life felt as if it were two distinct halves: the one where she’d run from herself and the one where she was being forced to face it. Both were pulling on her, and she wasn’t sure which direction to take anymore.
Nineteen
After a late Sunday breakfast, Stella helped Mama clear the dishes, and the two of them settled on the sofa, watching TV, where they stayed until the afternoon. With everything on her mind, Stella relished the quiet. She’d closed her eyes and tried to ignore the hum ofIt’s a Wonderful Life, when the phone rang with an unfamiliar Nashville number. She answered it.
“Hello, Miss Fisher. We’ve finished the appraisal of your pendant, and we’d like to arrange a time for you to come pick it up. We’re open a few hours today if you’d like to stop in.”
Luck certainly hadn’t been on her side with or without the necklace, but she wasn’t so sure she wanted to bring it back into her home. Mama looked over at her questioningly.
Shaking off her superstitions, she answered, “Of course. I can be there in about a half hour if that works.”
“Yes, ma’am. That’s perfect.”
“All right. See you soon.” Stella ended the call and looked at Mama. “That was the jewelry store. They said the appraisal for the necklace is ready.”
“Did they say if it’s valuable or not?” Mama asked.
“No, he didn’t say,” she replied. “Want to come with me?”
Mama brightened, her eyes widening in excitement. “Absolutely.”
Her mother’s enthusiasm warmed Stella. “You always see the bright side of things,” she said.
Mama put her arm around her. “I have to. I’ve dealt with enough grief to know that the world can be so dark sometimes. If I piece together all the little dots of light, eventually I’ll have sunshine. It’s tough sometimes, but I have to make a point of it.”
