Page 79 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
A hint of movement caught her attention and she looked up in time to see Edward leaving the room.
“Excuse me, just for a minute,” she told everyone.
Her stomach twisted, and she felt mortified. It was one thing for Edward to basically give his blessing and be happy for them. He had left her after all. But this all felt like maybe it was rubbing something in his face.
“Edward,” she called out softly, catching him in the hallway for the second time in a day.
He stopped and turned to her with a guilty expression on his face.
“Hey,” she said, suddenly wondering what she could possibly say next. “I know this is really weird. The kids and I can head back to River’s place, we don’t have to turn your Christmas Eve into?—”
“It’s not that,” he said. “I just have to make a quick call.”
“Edward, we had such a good conversation earlier,” she said. “Let’s just be honest with each other.”
“I’m seeing someone,” he blurted out suddenly, his eyes widening as if even he were surprised by his words.
“Really?” she asked him, amazed.
“She seemed worried when I told her you would be here,” he admitted, looking down. “I figured she’d like to hear that you’re off the market.”
The joke was so weak, and the situation was so odd, that Nora found herself suddenly laughing.
“Oh, this is funny to you?” Edward asked her.
“Kind of,” she said, trying to stop giggling. “I mean it’s definitely unusual. Are you two a serious thing?”
Edward’s eyes met hers and he nodded slowly.
“I think so,” he said. “At least, I hope so.”
“Why isn’t she here?” Nora asked.
“Well, when I heard you were out here with the kids I didn’t want to…” he trailed off.
“Make things weird?” she offered.
“Yeah,” he said. “Something like that.”
“Get her out here,” she told him. “If she can, and if she wants to come. She should be here tomorrow.”
“That’s nice, Nora,” Edward said, smiling at her warmly. “Thank you.”
“Thankyou,” she told him.
“I’m sorry, Nora,” he said softly. “For everything.”
The calendar quote that had her rolling her eyes the other day suddenly popped into her mind.
Everything happens for a reason.
“I guess maybe things do happen for a reason,” she said softly, and for a moment, she could hear Alma’s laughter in her mind.
“Aunt Nora, Aunt Nora,” Pixie called out happily. “Come back. You have to hear this.”
Edward smiled and nodded to her before continuing on to the study to make his call.
“Here I come, Pixie,” Nora called to her niece.
