Page 42 of Second to None
Epilogue
Ten days later
“Mommy, can we give Max his present now?” Izzy was vibrating with excitement. Emily looked at Max across the dining-room table where they’d just finished eating Christmas dinner. Happiness fluttered inside her at his presence in this room, when just ten days ago she’d thought she’d never see him again.
He raised his eyebrows at Izzy. “Wouldn’t you like your gifts first?”
“No, I want to give you yours.”
“Your generosity does you credit,” he said.
“You’re draggin’ it,” Izzy said with a grin.
“Izzy!” Emily had to squelch her smile.
“Translation?” Max asked.
“You’re exaggerating,” Izzy said. “Diego says it all the time. Well, probably not now, since he’s living with Violet. She’s like Mommy and doesn’t let him use slang.”
More happiness glowed through Emily as she pictured Diego sitting at the table with Violet, eating a hearty, homemade Christmas dinner with one of her famous pies for dessert. Somehow the woman who never raised her voice had induced Diego’s vicious, violent father to grant her guardianship of the boy.
“Okay, we’ll give Max his present,” Emily said, pushing her chair back to go with Izzy. She was nervous about her choice of gift. It was a little over the top.
Izzy already had the box closed up and was sticking the big bow on. “You better carry it,” she said. “I don’t want to drop it.”
Emily lifted the carton carefully and carried it into the living room. Max had started to clear the table, so she called him in as she put his gift down in front of a chair.
He came in, looking so delicious as he strode across the room in his dark red shirt and black trousers that she had to stand on her toes and kiss him.
His eyes lit up. “What was that for? I haven’t even given you your present yet.”
“It’s for being here and not in Chicago.”
He put his arms around her and held her for a long moment. “I can’t imagine being anyplace else.”
“Guys, the present!” Izzy said, her voice loud with impatience.
Max let her go and sat down where Izzy pointed. Emily was relieved to see that he gave Windy a pat when she came over to sniff at his gift.
“I hope this is okay,” Emily said.
“If you chose it, it will be perfect.” His voice was a caress.
Max leaned over and pulled off the bow. Then he flipped open the top of the box.
Up popped a small, furry brown-and-white head with one ear standing up and the other flopped over.
“A puppy?” Max’s face was a study in astonishment. The little dog licked Max’s hand where he still held the box. “You got me a puppy.” He reached for the dog, bringing the small creature up to cradle it against his chest. The puppy licked his chin.
“If you don’t want to take care of him, he can be a K-9 Angel at the center, but ...”
Max just shook his head while he stroked the puppy, who was now chewing on the red bow tied around his neck. When Max finally looked up at Emily, his gaze was filled with amazed wonder. “You’ve given me a gift that I would have never given myself.”
She smiled. “Now you’re part of the K-9 Angelz project, too.”
Max laughed, but his attention had returned to the puppy. He kept touching the little creature as though he couldn’t quite believe it was his.
“His name’s Rocco, but he doesn’t really know it yet. So you could change it, if you want to,” Izzy explained. “He’s from the shelter. Mommy and I picked him out. His stuff is in my bedroom.”
