Page 91 of Last Chance Christmas
“What happened?” Kianna asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Cole ran his fingers through his hair, then propped his arms on the table, pushing his half-eaten sandwich to the side.
“My dad suffered a stroke a year and a half ago. Last Christmas was the first time he was in a nursing home.”
Kianna sucked in a breath. “Cole.” She shook her head. “I’m so sorry.”
“Me too.” Tears welled in his eyes, and he fisted his hand over his mouth.
She took the moment to eat more of her food, giving him time to compose himself. She didn’t want to rush him with sharing details or make him feel uncomfortable for showing emotion in front of her.
“It’s a miracle he’s alive at all. That’s what doctors say. And I’m grateful God spared his life.” He sat up in the chair like he was trying to convince himself that what he’d said was true.
She could empathize with his wrestling.
“God is writing a beautiful story, even when it includes sorrow.” Kianna sighed and put her hands on the table. “I get it. You know the truth about what God is doing, but often you need to keep reminding yourself of it because your heart has a harder time catching up.”
“Exactly.” Cole gave her a sad smile. “I want to cherish the moments I still have with him, but I don’t know how. He’s confined to a wheelchair, and his speech is slurred, so it takes him longer to form thoughts and sentences.”
“So you stopped visiting. Because it’s easier to hold on to what was instead of what is.”
“My mom keeps asking me to consider joining them this year for Christmas. I haven’t responded yet.”
“One thing I’ve learned with the few patients I’ve encountered who have to adapt to a new way of life is the more you show up and spend time with them, the more normal life feels.” Kianna smiled. She didn’t want the advice to come across as insensitive. Rather, she wanted to give him hope. “You’ll never know unless you try. God can work in any circumstance, even the impossible ones.”
“You sound so sure.” Cole twisted the cap off his water bottle and chugged half of it.
Her words came out so confidently, like a simple act of faith could change everything. Even when the situation appeared bleak. Kianna stared at her hands for a moment. Did she really believe the truth she was preaching to him? That God could do anything? Especially when her heart desired something God hadn’t given her yet. A husband and family of her own.
“What is it that keeps you from enjoying the season?”
She lifted her gaze to his. “There’s always an overromanticized view of the holidays. If you just have the right mood, with the right music and decor, the right people by your side, and the Christmas cheer, everything will be magical.” Kianna swept her hand through the air like a series of gold sparkles would follow her movement.
A nurse squeezed behind Cole to sit at the next table.
Cole scooted his chair in and clasped his hands on the table. “We’re told the perfect set of circumstances will create the perfect holiday, when that’s never the case.” He chuckled. “Even Christ’s birth was messy. Being born in a cattle stall.” He wrinkled his nose. “Still, the sinless Son of God entered into our bleak circumstances to bring hope.”
Silence descended between them even while the noise around them carried on.
Did Cole realize what he’d said?
No matter how bleak the situation with his dad, he could have hope.
And if it was true for him, it had to be true for her.
“Unfathomable, right?” She cocked her head. “I want to focus on the True Hope of the season. But sometimes it’s hard with so many other voices clamoring for my attention. Especially when this time of year takes me back to my own hopeless situation.”
“What do you mean?” Cole furrowed his brow.
“Someone I thought was a good friend strung me along.” Kianna finished off her water, then fiddled with the plastic cap. “Two years ago, Derek came home for Christmas and wanted to catch up.” Kianna’s stomach twisted, and she pulled in a breath, then continued. “I was excited. I had assumed we were just in the best-friends zone. But he told me we were basically long-distance dating, given how many times we’d hop on a phone or video call, and he wanted to talk about our relationship. A few hours before we were supposed to meet up, he said he needed to reschedule. I went to grab coffee at Bridgewater Café and found him with another girl. And they certainly weren’t shy about showing their interest in each other either.”
Cole’s eyes widened. “You’re joking.”
“I wish.” Kianna finished off her sandwich, then balled up the paper wrapping. “We stepped outside to talk for a minute, and I asked what was happening between us. He looked me in the eye and said he’d been leading me on and had no intention of dating me.”
Cole’s jaw dropped, but he didn’t speak.
“That was my reaction.” Kianna gave a short laugh. The whole situation seemed unbelievable. “I left the café that day and haven’t talked to him since.”
