Page 78 of One Golden Ring
He presses his lips to the crown of my head and I feel so happy I could burst.
“How’s Michael?” I ask.
“Oh, he’s holding court over there,” Derek says, looking pleased. “Doc Waterson came by with his wife a few minutes ago and told me to come back here and have Christmas morning with the family. The two of them are staying with him until lunchtime at least.”
“Wow,” I murmur. Though I shouldn’t be surprised. That act of kindness has Angel Mountain written all over it.
I feel a little burst of hometown pride that hits me hard, since this isn’t even my hometown.
J.B. wakesup from all the commotion, so we shower and get dressed and then come back out to sit by the tree and open a few presents.
“We’ll have a big breakfast up at the lodge,” Derek says.
“Christmas crêpes,” J.B. says happily.
She makes her dad open his gift from us first and when he sees the ingredients for s’mores he laughs out loud.
“You know these are my weakness,” he says to me.
“Your daughter knows you well,” I tell him.
Derek and J.B. have more gifts for each other, but they’re super excited to give me mine.
“J.B. picked this out herself,” Derek says.
She gets a panicked look on her face and elbows him.
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” I tell her, making sure to catch her eyes. “Because it’s from you.”
That earns me a relieved-looking smile.
When I open the paper I’m confused for a moment. Did we switch packages somehow? This looks like the same pink box I wrapped for her.
But when I open it and see what’s inside it takes my breath away.
“The little pearls are kind of like the three of us,” J.B. explains nervously.
“I love it,” I tell her, trying my best not to start sobbing.
Of course I need to put it on right away. Derek comes over to fasten it for me. The little pearls settle in the hollow of my neck, feeling like they’ve always been there.
“I love it so much, J.B.,” I tell her, wanting to wrap her up in a big hug, but knowing she would probably hate that. “You know me so well.”
She smiles proudly and it’s just as good as the hug I wanted.
“Your turn,” I tell her, handing her a similarly shaped package.
When she opens it to find another pink box she looks up at me, grinning.
“No wonder you looked confused,” she says. “I guess our great minds really were thinking alike.”
She opens the box and sees the locket.
“It’s so pretty,” she whispers as she admires it.
“It’s mother of pearl,” I tell her softly, realizing how symbolic it seems in relation to her gift.
She opens the locket gently and reveals one of the photos of the three of us putting the angel on the tree. It’s about the most informal photo you could find, and Derek is smiling so hard that his eyes are closed. But J.B. looks radiant with her arm slung around his shoulder, and I’m smiling at her like she’s a star, because she is.
