Page 112 of The Long and Winding Road

“Thanks again, Max. Not just for today, but for raising such a wonderful boy. He’s…” She shook her head when words failed her.

“Believe me, I know. Raising him has been the honor of my lifetime.”

Chloe hugged him, and he let her.

“I’ll be in touch,” she said when he held the car door for her.

After he waved her off, he went back inside. Caden and Daisy were on the sofa with the TV tuned to aDrake & Joshepisode. That had been Max’s favorite show as a kid. He’d shared it with Caden, who also loved it.

“How’re you feeling, pal?” Max asked.

“Fine.”

“Good visit with your mom, huh?”

“Yep. She’s nice. And pretty.”

“She really loved you, but I knew she would.”

“That’s good. I liked her, too. What’s for dinner?”

Max was relieved to have gotten through the momentous visit with Chloe without any apparent fallout for Caden. “What do you feel like?”

“Duh. Spaghetti.”

“Then spaghetti it is.”

ChapterTwenty-One

“Whatever souls are made of,

his and mine are the same.”—Emily Brontë

Max and Caden returned to work and school the following Monday, and the next few weeks flew by in a whirl of holiday preparations and festivities. They attended parties at school, at Cub Scouts and at Hunter and Megan’s house while working long shifts at the Christmas Tree Farm, which was one of Caden’s favorite holiday traditions.

Max was on him constantly not to overdo the activity, but Caden was almost back to normal by Christmas Eve, as was Chase, who was now allowed to eat soft foods. The excitement level was through the roof as the family gathered at the barn for Christmas Eve for their annual sleepover. That tradition had started five years ago, after Linc reconnected with his siblings on an emotional trip to Philadelphia right before his father died. The entire family had spent Christmas Eve at the barn, and it’d been so much fun, they’d done it every year since.

The barn got more crowded as the family grew, but they found room for everyone, with air mattresses all over the place and every bedroom occupied.

Max, Caden and Daisy were in his dad’s study, sleeping on the sofa and an air mattress.

Long after Caden was asleep, Max was still texting with Lexi, counting down to the twenty-eighth when he would fly to Houston to drive with her to Vermont. He couldn’t wait to see her. The last few weeks had felt endless as they made plans and talked for hours every night. They were stuck texting tonight so he wouldn’t wake Caden or anyone else.

She was spending Christmas with her family as they, too, prepared to move back to Vermont.

I’m looking forward to next Christmas when you can join the holiday madness at the barn. Head count: forty-six people. Hunter said tonight that we need to bring in some RVs next year before we burst at the seams.

It’s such a sweet tradition. I’m looking forward to being number forty-five.

The volume, though… Are you sure you’re ready for this???

Haha, quit trying to scare me away. It’s not going to happen. Did you work out a time for Chloe to see Caden?

They’re going to lunch the day after Christmas. Their first outing without me.

How do you feel about that?

I’m fine with it. She’s been in regular contact with us, visited a few more times and hasn’t asked for anything unreasonable. I keep telling myself that having her in his life is what’s best for him.

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