Page 45 of The Christmas Ring
“Now I’m sort of glad I waited.” Vanessa felt the emotion in her voice. “Last night Ben and I had our first date.”
“First date?” Sadie raised her brow, clearly trying to find her enthusiasm. “And...?”
“I thought after that, Ben and Iwouldbe more than friends and I’d tell you that this morning. He was supposed to go to the dance with me tonight.”
The confusion on Sadie’s face left Vanessa no choice but to finish the story.
She explained how in the middle of dessert Ben suddenly had to leave. “I think I scared him. Like maybe it was all too real and too serious.” Vanessa looked at her left hand. “I’m still wearing my wedding ring after all.” She shook her head. “I can’t think of any other reason.”
Sadie looked genuinely sad for Vanessa. “Mom... my decision not to be a teacher doesn’t mean I love Dad any less. You know that, right?”
“Of course.” Vanessa looked deep into her daughter’s eyes. “He would be so proud of you, honey. No matter what.”
“And he’s proud of you, too.” She paused, taking her time. “Dad’s been gone four years. After the other night, I gave this whole thing a lot of thought. The truth is, Mom, if you find someone to love, I won’t be upset. When I saw you and Ben the other day, of course I was confused and shocked. But one thing was very obvious.”
Vanessa brushed a tear off her cheek. Her daughter was being so gracious, so kind.
Sadie smiled. “You were so happy, Mom. And I want you to be happy.” She stood and Vanessa did the same thing. They hugged for a long while, and then they both sat back down. “Maybe it isn’t Ben. But Dad wouldn’t have wanted you alone. And I don’t want that either.”
“Forgive me?” Vanessa blinked away fresh tears. “I’m so sorry for not telling you.”
“It’s behind us.” Sadie smiled through tears of her own. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too.”
Just then Sadie’s phone buzzed. She shot out of her chair, grabbed it from the kitchen counter, and checked it. “It’s Hudson.” Sadie’s face lit up. She read the message and shot Vanessa a surprised look. “He thinks it’s snowing outside. He said to step outside and look.”
“It is supposed to snow tonight.” A happy suspicion came over Vanessa. She played along. “I heard about the snow this morning from Maria and Leigh.”
With a full heart Vanessa stood and followed Sadie to the front door. A text like that from a soldier could only mean one thing. Vanessa stayed back a few feet and watched the next few minutes play out.
The days had been colder than Sadie could remember, but she hadn’t heard anything about snow. Not until her mom confirmed the fact. She opened the door expecting to see flurries, but what she saw instead nearly dropped her to the cold front porch.
Standing there in his army Ranger uniform was Hudson. Right in front of her. “You’re here!” Sadie ran to him and jumped in his arms. “I can’t believe it!”
He held the back of her head so their cheeks were touching. For so long he held her, swaying with her while she breathedin the same freezing air as him. When he finally released her, he looked deep into her eyes and smiled. “It’s not snowing.”
Tears filled Sadie’s eyes and spilled onto her sweatshirt. She couldn’t stop smiling. This time she put her hands on his face, and they came together in the sweetest kiss. He was here—her soldier was home. “Are you okay?”
He never looked away from her. “I’ve never been better.”
She giggled and turned back to her mom. “Did you know about this?”
Her mother shook her head. “I had a feeling.”
Sadie nodded. Of course her mother had a feeling. This was something her dad had done when he was given a last-minute trip home. More than once he had shown up on this very porch surprising the two of them.
Her mother walked up and hugged Hudson. She was half laughing, half crying. “Hudson Rogers. Have you been home to see your mama?”
“Yes, ma’am. I stopped there first.”
“Good boy.” Her mother patted Hudson on the back and led the way inside. “We made cookies! Sadie used the heart shape.” Her mom grinned back at Hudson and Sadie. “I’m thinking she did that for you, Hudson.”
They all laughed and Sadie hadn’t been happier since she’d been home. She loved this. Things with her mom finally felt normal. And Hudson was no longer looking at her through a computer screen. He was here and whole and home for Christmas.
What more could she want?
Over coffee and cookies, the three of them caught up, and Vanessa told Hudson about the antique dealer who had almost certainly located her Christmas ring. They celebrated the fact, and then Hudson asked about the military dance. “Is everything all set?”
