Page 6 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
“I haveallthat stuff,” she told him with a big smile.
She showed him around, pointing out each of the items he had mentioned. River couldn’t decide, so he just bought two of each.
“Getting your Christmas shopping done early?” Lily asked with a smile as she rang him up.
He realized he was tapping his foot impatiently and forced himself to take a breath.
“I’m just going to see my niece and nephew,” he said.
Though that wasn’t really true. Edward wasn’t their father, and never would be.
Anger bubbled up in his chest again.
Breathe.
“That’s really nice,” Lily said. “You have a great visit.”
He left the toy store with a bag in each hand and the hula hoops over his shoulder.
Jonah and Martha Kahn smiled at him as he wasloading his purchases into the back seat of the truck. The Kahns had been an older couple going for walks through town back when River was a little boy. They looked just the same now, though their hair was a little whiter than before.
“Good to see you home, son,” Jonah said as they passed without stopping to chat.
River suddenly felt a little calmer, though he wasn’t sure why.
He got back in the truck and managed to keep his mind on the road all the way to Philadelphia.
By the time he arrived in the city, the sun was setting, its flaming reds and golds reflecting in the glass of the tall buildings. He parked in a shockingly pricey lot just down the block from the fancy condo building where Edward and Nora lived.
Just Nora,he corrected himself.And two little kids.
Carrying his bags and hula hoops down the street, he got some funny looks from the passersby in their long woolen coats and leather gloves.
He glanced down at himself and realized it might have been better to change out of his muddy work boots and lined flannel before coming out here. But he’d been too upset to worry about it then, and he wasn’t going to worry about it now.
The building had a doorman, but he appeared to be giving walking directions to tourists, so River just slipped inside and stalked over to the elevator banks. He tapped the call button and the doors slid right open on the nearest elevator.
Stepping inside, he pressedPHfor the penthousefloor, and was relieved when no one else got into the small space with him.
It was only as the elevator began to rise that he let himself face his past feelings.
That’s all they were,he reminded himself.Feelings from the past.
He certainly wasn’t the dumb kid he’d been before joining the Army. And Nora would have changed by now, too. Losing her sister and Edward, and taking on these children would have left its mark, and there had been plenty of years in between, even before those sad events.
She wouldn’t be the happy young girl who had him infatuated the first time he met her.
I’m here because we’re family,he told himself.Even if Edward doesn’t honor that anymore. And I’m here for someone in need.
The elevator chimed and he stepped out, jogging up to knock on her door before he lost his nerve.
A moment later, he heard soft footsteps and little voices, then the door opened.
Light from the sunset spilled in through the glassy walls of the condo, putting a fiery halo around Nora’s dark hair. She was wearing worn flannel pajamas that appeared to be dusted with flour, and her face was bare of makeup, the dark circles under her eyes telling him instantly that worry was robbing her of sleep.
And River was gutted to find that she somehow looked even more beautiful to him than she ever had before.
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