Page 46 of Two Hearts' Christmas Homecoming

Mom looked at Lex with a question in her eyes. “I don’t know what I would have done without all of you pitching in and doing your share, but Lex always seems to go above and beyond for all of us. I hope you know how much we love you and appreciate everything you’ve been doing to help.”

Lex’s laughter suddenly turned to tears as Mom approached and asked, “Can I please have a hug?”

Standing, Lex wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll be here to help,” he whispered. “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Four and a half years later

As much as Amy tried to wrap her head around it, she couldn’t believe that Lex was finally leaving home. Things were never going to be the same again.

He’d enlisted in the Air Force and would be going into boot camp soon.

Lex had been driven during the last four years, and at the same time, he’d been here for all of them, even feeding kids and changing diapers.

He’d been a few years behind, but he’d been able to graduate from high school, which he’d attended the past few years.

Somehow, through all of that, he’d worked a part-time job at the airport, finally learning how to drive, and had eventually been able to take flying lessons.

Amy had developed a tremendous crush on him and it had been difficult watching him go out on dates, even though Lex never seemed to get serious with anyone. He’d become easy going and self-confident, and Amy knew how proud Mom and Dad had become. The boy they’d worried about most when he’d arrived, Lex had been an unexpected gift she’d heard Mom and Dad say more than once.

Amy looked at herself in the mirror. She was pretty enough, she supposed. Her hair was long, and her eyes were blue, but she was less than five foot tall. She’d been asked out by a few different boys during her first two years of high school. She had a date coming up this weekend for the homecoming dance, and suddenly she didn’t want to look like the little girl that everyone still thought she was, even though she was a high school sophomore.

Determined, she made her way downstairs into the kitchen, where Mom was having a discussion with Arielle and Ashton, her four-year-old twin sister and brother. Apparently, they were trying to sneak a few extra snacks before dinner.

“Amy,” Mom said with relief. “Could you get these two out of my hair?”

“Sure,” she replied, feeling glum.

Mom looked at her quizzically. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know. I guess I’m tired of looking like I’m still only ten years old,” she replied.

Mom paused, studying her intently. “Poor Amy. I’ve been ignoring the fact that you’ve been growing up, haven’t I? You’ve got a date this weekend for homecoming, haven’t you?”

Amy nodded.

Mom reached for her phone, plugging in a number on speed dial. “Danny? I think it’s time that our little Amy had a makeover. I just haven’t been facing the fact that she’s growing up. I remember how much you helped me when I was feeling exactly the same way.”

Mom listened to whatever Danny was saying.

“Tomorrow night would be fine,” she answered, grinning at Amy. “I’ll get Izzy and the men to keep an eye on the twins, and we can make an evening of it. I think she’d like something a little more grown up to wear to her homecoming dance on Saturday night, too.”

Mom disconnected the phone, before her arms opened wide. “Can I have a hug?”

Amy smiled widely, walking into her arms, and squeezing her tightly.

“Come on, kids,” she said a few minutes later, looking down at Ari and Ash. “Let’s take the dogs for a quick walk and then we can set the table.”

Ari squeaked with excitement first. And then the twins scrambled into the solarium, calling out for the dogs.

Chapter Twenty-Six

The following evening, Lex was having a hard time dealing with the sadness he was suddenly feeling at the thought of having to leave home. As excited as he was about entering the Air Force, he knew it was going to be a lot of work, especially during the first year or two, according to Harry.

Lex looked at Brownie, who seemed to realize that something was going on. He loved him so much. He couldn’t have asked for a better dog, so Amy would be caring for him while Lex was gone. Hopefully, Brownie had a lot of doggie years left in him so that the two of them would still have some happy days ahead.

“We’d better get downstairs,” he said to Brownie. “Dad is probably already going crazy watching the twins on his own, even though Mom just left.”

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