A Country Christmas Read online

  “Annie trusts her.”

  “Oh, my dear, Annie hasn’t got a clue what’s happening. Do you seriously believe she’d stand by and let Nicole ruin your life if she knew what was going on? Right now all she’s thinking about is this pregnancy and the changes it’ll bring to her life. I love Annie, you know that. She’s a darling girl, but she tends to see the best in everyone. Weren’t you the one who told me about her first husband? You said everyone knew what kind of man he was—except Annie. She just couldn’t see it.”

  “I...I haven’t discussed this with her.”

  “I can understand why. That’s probably a good idea, the situation being what it is,” Dovie said. “Now, let’s get back to this business about the lawyer. Making an appointment—was that something you really wanted to do?”

  “Actually, my uncle Ken suggested I get some advice. He’s right, you know. I should find out where I stand legally before I proceed.”

  “Proceed with what?”

  “Getting my own apartment, joining my uncle’s medical practice and...” She didn’t complete the thought.

  “Filing for divorce,” Dovie concluded for her.

  “Yes.” Jane’s voice was almost inaudible.

  “Is a divorce what you want?”

  “I don’t know anymore, Dovie. I just don’t know. Cal and I have had plenty of disagreements over the years, but nothing like this.”

  “All marriages have ups and downs.”

  “I’ve been gone nearly six weeks and I haven’t even heard from Cal. It’s almost as...as if he’s blotted me out of his life.”

  Dovie suspected that was precisely what he’d been trying to do, but all the evidence suggested he hadn’t been very successful. “What about you?” she asked. “Have you tried to reach him?”

  Jane didn’t want to answer; Dovie could tell from the length of time it took her to speak. “No.”

  “I see.” Indeed she did. Two stubborn, hurting people, both intent on proving how strong and independent they were. “What about the children? Do they miss their father?”

  “Paul does the most. He asks about Cal nearly every day. He...he’s taken to sucking his thumb again.”

  “And Mary Ann?”

  “She’s doing well. I don’t think she realizes her father’s out of the picture.”

  “You don’t seriously believe that, do you?”

  Jane breathed in deeply and Dovie could tell she was holding back tears. “I’m not sure anymore, Dovie.” There was a pause. “She’s growing like a weed, and she looks so much like Cal.”

  “She deserves to know her father.”

  “And I deserve a husband.”

  “Exactly,” Dovie said emphatically. “Then what are you doing seeing an attorney?”

  “Cal will never do it. He’ll be content to leave things as they are. He seems to think if he ignores me long enough, I’ll come to my senses, as he puts it, and return home. But if I did that, I’m afraid everything would go back the way it was before. My feelings wouldn’t matter. He’d see himself as the long-suffering husband and me as a jealous shrew. No, Dovie, I’m not going to be the one to give in. Not this time.”

  “So this is a battle of wills?”

  “It’s much more than that.”

  Dovie heard the tears in her voice, and her heart ached for Jane, Cal and those precious children. “This is all because of Nicole Nelson,” she said.

  “Partially. But there’s more.”

  “There’s always more,” Dovie agreed.

  “I guess Nicole crystallized certain...problems or made them evident, anyway.” Jane paused. “She as good as told me she wants him.”

  That Dovie could believe. “So, being the nice accommodating woman you are, you’re just stepping aside and opening the door for her?”

  This, too, seemed to unsettle Jane. After taking a moment to consider her answer, she said, “Yes, I guess I am. You and everyone else seem to think I should fight for Cal, that I have too much grit to simply step aside. At one time I did, but just now...I don’t. If she wants him and he wants her, then far be it from me to stand between them.”

  “Oh, Jane, you don’t mean that!”

  “I do. I swear to you, Dovie, I mean every word.” She stopped and Dovie heard her blowing her nose then, a murmured “I’m fine, sweetheart, go watch Mary Ann for me, all right?”

  “That was Paul?” Dovie asked. The thought of this little boy, separated from his father for reasons he didn’t understand, brought tears to her eyes.

  “Yes. He gave me a tissue.” She took a deep breath. “Dovie, I have to go now.”

  “Sounds like you’ve made up your mind. You’re keeping that appointment with the divorce attorney, then?”

  “Yes. I’ll be getting an apartment right after Christmas, and I’ll move in the first of the year.”

  “You aren’t willing to fight for Cal,” she said flatly.

  “We’ve been over this, Dovie. No, as far as I’m concerned, he’s free to have Nicole if he wants, because he’s made it quite plain he isn’t interested in me.”

  “Now, you listen, Jane Patterson. You’re in too much pain to deal with this right now. You’ve just lost your father. That’s trauma enough without making a decision about your marriage. And isn’t it time you thought about your children?”

  “My children?”

  “Ask yourself if they need their father and if he needs them. You won’t have to dig very deep to know the answers to those questions. Let them be your guide.”

  To Dovie’s surprise, Jane started to laugh. Not the bright humorous laughter she remembered but the soft knowing laughter of a woman who’s conceding a point. “You always could do that to me, Dovie.”

  “Do what?”

  Jane sniffled. “Make me cry until I laugh!”

  * * *

  Cal knew something was wrong the minute Grady Weston pulled into the yard. The two men had been neighbors and best friends their whole lives. As kids, they’d discovered a ghost town called Bitter End, which had since become a major focus for the community. Along with Nell Bishop and the man she’d married, writer Travis Grant, they’d uncovered the secrets of the long-forgotten town. It was the original settlement—founded by Pattersons and Westons, among others—and later re-established as Promise.

  Grady jumped out of his pickup, and Cal saw that he had a bottle of whiskey in his hand.

  “What’s that for?” Cal asked, pointing at the bottle.

  “I figured you were going to need it,” Grady said. “Remember when I was thirteen and I broke my arm?”

  Cal nodded. They’d been out horseback riding, and Grady had taken a bad fall. Both boys had realized the bone was broken. Not knowing what to do and fearful of what would happen if he left his friend, Cal had ridden like a madman to get help.

  “When you brought my dad back with you, he had a bottle of whiskey. Remember?”

  Cal nodded again. Grady’s dad had given him a couple of slugs to numb the pain. It was at this point that Cal made the connection. “You’ve got something to tell me I’m not going to want to hear.”

  Grady moved onto the porch, and although it was chilly and the wind was up, the two of them sat there.

  “I’m not getting involved in this business between you and Jane,” Grady began. “That’s your affair. I have my own opinion, we all do, but what happens between the two of you...well, you know what I mean.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Savannah was in town the other day and she ran into Dovie.”

  Cal was well aware that Dovie and Jane were good friends, had been for years. “Jane’s talked to Dovie?”

  “Apparently so.”

  “And whatever Jane told Dovie, she told Savannah and Savannah told Caroline and Caroline told you. So, what is it?”

  Grady hesitated
, as though he’d give anything not to be the one telling him this. “Jane’s filing for divorce.”

  “The hell she is.” Cal bolted upright, straight off the wicker chair. “That does it.” He removed his hat and slapped it against his thigh. “Enough is enough. I’ve tried to be patient, wait this out, but I’m finished with that.”

  “Finished?”

  “We start getting lawyers involved, and we’ll end up hating each other, sure as anything.”

  Grady chuckled. “What are you going to do?”

  “What else can I do? I’m going after her.” He barreled into the house, ready to pack his bags.

  “You’re bringing her home?” his friend asked, following him inside. The screen door slammed shut behind Grady.

  “You bet I’m bringing her home. Divorce? That’s just crazy!” So far, Cal had played it cool, let Jane have the distance she seemed to need. Obviously that wasn’t working. He hadn’t thought out his response to the situation, had merely reacted on an emotional level. In the beginning he was too angry to think clearly; then his anger had turned to bitterness, but that hadn’t lasted long. Lately, all he’d been was miserable, and he’d had about as much misery as a man could take.

  Grady gave him a grin and a thumbs-up. “Good. I wasn’t keen on handing over my best bottle of bourbon, so if you have no objection, I’ll take this back with me.”

  “You do that,” Cal said.

  “Actually this is perfect.”

  “How do you mean?”

  Grady laughed. “A Christmas reunion. Just the kind of thing that makes people feel all warm and fuzzy.” The laughter died as Grady looked around the kitchen.

  “What?” Cal asked, his mood greatly improved now that he’d made his decision. He loved his wife, loved his children, and nothing was going to keep them apart any longer.

  “Well...” Grady scratched his head. “You’ve got a bit of a mess here.”

  Cal saw the place with fresh eyes and realized he’d become careless again with Jane away. Their previous reunion had been tainted by a messy house. “I’d better do some cleaning before she gets home. She was none too happy about it the last time.”

  “You’re on your own with this,” Grady said. He headed out the door, taking his whiskey with him.

  “Grady,” Cal said, following him outside. His friend turned around. Cal was unsure how to say this other than straight out. “Thank you.”

  Grady nodded, touched the brim of his hat and climbed into his truck.

  Almost light-headed with relief, Cal went back to the kitchen and tackled the cleaning with enthusiasm. He started a load of dishes, put away leftover food, took out the garbage, mopped the floor. He was scrubbing away at the counter when it occurred to him that after three weeks of caring for her parents, Jane must have been completely worn out. Upon her return to Promise, she’d faced a gigantic mess. His mess.

  Cal hadn’t understood why she’d been so upset over a few dishes and some dirty laundry. He recalled the comments she’d made and finally grasped what she’d really been saying. She’d wanted to be welcomed home for herself and not what she could do to make his life more comfortable. He’d left her with the wrong impression, hadn’t communicated his love and respect.

  He had to do more than just straighten up the place, Cal decided now. Glancing around, he could see plenty of areas that needed attention. Then it hit him—what Grady had said about a Christmas reunion. God willing, his family would be with him for the holidays, and when Jane and the children walked in that door, he wanted them to know they’d been in his thoughts every minute of every day.

  Christmas. Jane was crazy about Christmas. She spent weeks decorating the house, and while he didn’t have time for that, he could put up the tree. Jane and the kids would love that.

  Hauling the necessary boxes down from the attic was no small task. He assembled the tree and set it in the very spot Jane had the year before. The lights were his least-favorite task, but he kept thinking of Jane as he wove the strands of tiny colored bulbs through the bright green limbs.

  Several shoe boxes were carefully packed with the special beaded ornaments she’d made. He recalled the time and effort she’d put into each one and marveled anew at her skill and the caring they expressed. In that moment, his love for her nearly overwhelmed him.

  When he’d finished with the tree, he hung a wreath on the front door. All this activity had made him hungry, so he threw together a ham sandwich and ate it quickly. As he was putting everything back in the fridge—no point in undoing the work of the past few hours—he remembered his conversation with Wade McMillen a week earlier. Cal had stated vehemently that he hadn’t “done a damn thing,” and Wade had said that was the problem. How right his friend had been.

  This separation was of his own making. All his wife had needed was the reassurance of his love and his commitment to her and their marriage. Until now, he’d been quick to blame Jane—and of course the manipulative Nicole—but he’d played an unsavory role in this farce, too.

  Because of the holidays, he had to pay an exorbitant price for a plane ticket to California the next day, December twenty-second. The only seat available was in business class; and considering that he was plunking down as much for this trip as he would for a decent horse, he deserved to sit up front.

  The next phone call wasn’t as easy to make. He dialed his mother-in-law’s number and waited through four interminable rings.

  Voice mail came on. He listened to the message, taken aback when Harry Dickinson’s voice greeted him. Poor Harry. Poor Stephanie.

  He took a deep breath. “Jane, it’s Cal. I love you and I love my children. I don’t want to lose you. I’ll be there tomorrow. I just bought a ticket and when I arrive, we can talk this out. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to save our marriage and I mean that, Jane, with all my heart.”

  Nine

  “Dovie! Have you heard anything?” Ellie asked, making her way along the crowded street to get closer to Dovie and Frank Hennessey. She had Johnny by the hand and Robin in her stroller. Both children were bundled up to ward off the December cold.

  The carolers stood on the opposite corner. Glen was with the tenors, and Amy McMillen, the pastor’s wife, served as choral director. Carol-singing on the Saturday night before Christmas had become a tradition for Promise Christian Church since the year Wade married Amy. The event was free of charge, but several large cardboard boxes were positioned in front of the choir to collect food and other donations for charity.

  “I did talk to Jane,” Dovie murmured for Ellie’s ears only.

  “Again?” Ellie asked, unable to hide her excitement.

  Dovie nodded. “She’s feeling very torn. I gather her mother’s relying on her emotionally.”

  “But...”

  “Don’t worry, Ellie,” Dovie whispered. “She’s halfway home already. I can just feel it!”

  “How do you mean?” Ellie was anxious to learn what she could. This episode between Cal and Jane had taken a toll on her own marriage. Glen was upset, so was she, and they’d recently had a heated argument over it, each of them taking sides.

  It’d all started when Ellie and Glen decorated their Christmas tree, and Ellie had found the beautiful beaded ornament Jane had made for her the previous year. She’d felt a rush of deep sadness and regret and had said something critical of Cal. Glen had instantly defended his brother.

  She was baffled by how quickly their argument had escalated. Within minutes, what had begun as a mere difference of opinion had become a shouting match. Not until later did Ellie realize that this was because they were so emotionally connected to Cal and Jane. She wasn’t sure she could ever put that special ornament on the tree again and not feel a sense of loss, especially if the situation continued as it was.

  “Did she keep the appointment with the attorney?” Ellie asked. The fact that Cal and
Jane had allowed their disagreement to escalate this far horrified her; at the same time it frightened her. Ellie had always viewed Cal and Jane’s marriage as stable—like her own. If two people who loved each other could reach this tragic point so quickly, she had to wonder if the same sad future was in store for her and Glen.

  The intensity of their own quarrel had shocked her, and only after their tempers had cooled were Ellie and Glen able to talk sensibly. Her husband insisted they had nothing to worry about, but Ellie still wondered.

  Dovie shrugged. “I don’t know what happened with the attorney. Doesn’t Cal discuss these things with Glen?”

  Ellie shook her head. “Cal won’t, and every time Glen brings up the subject, they argue. When I told Glen about Jane seeing an attorney, he was furious.”

  “With Jane?”

  “No, with Cal, but if Glen said anything to him, he didn’t tell me.”

  “Oh, dear.” Dovie wrapped her scarf around her neck.

  The singing began and Ellie lifted Robin out of the stroller and held her up so the child could see her father. Johnny clapped with delight at the lively rendition of “Hark Go the Bells,” and Robin imitated her brother.

  Ellie’s eyes met her husband’s. Even though he stood across the street, she could feel his love and it warmed her. This ordeal of Cal’s had been difficult for him. They both felt terrible about it. She wished now that she’d done something earlier, said something.

  A warning about Nicole Nelson, maybe. A reassurance that this problem would pass. Anything.

  “I have a good feeling,” Dovie said, squeezing Ellie’s arm. “In my heart of hearts, I don’t think Cal or Jane will ever let this reach the divorce courts.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Ellie murmured and shifted Robin from one side to the other.

  The Christmas carols continued, joyful and festive, accompanied by a small group of musicians. The donation boxes were already filled to overflowing.

  “You’re bringing the children over for cookies and hot chocolate, aren’t you?” Dovie asked.