Christmas Miracles by MacLean Julianne

Author:MacLean, Julianne
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Julianne MacLean
Published: 2017-10-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Four

The holiday season proved to be a challenge after Wes and I had gotten married, because it was difficult to divide our time between our two families. Though he was an only child, he had many aunts, uncles and cousins who traveled from Ontario to stay at the Radcliffe mansion for Christmas. It was a massive yearly gathering, and everyone opened gifts together on Christmas morning.

Meanwhile, my family had always enjoyed a quiet, intimate supper with just me, Bev and my mom on Christmas Eve—and now we included Wes. So he and I scrambled to be in both places on that special night—dinner at 4:00 at my mom’s house, and a second dinner at 8:00 with Wes’s family at their mansion on the shores of St. Margaret’s Bay, where we would spend the night.

We arrived at my mom’s house early with a salad and a bottle of wine, and sat down for a traditional Christmas Eve turkey dinner with all the trimmings. When my mother tried to pour me a glass of wine from the bottle we had brought, I politely declined and opted for apple cider instead, which caused my mother to stare at me curiously for a moment, and then smile.

Later, Bev took hold of my arm and pulled me into the bathroom.

“What’s going on?” she asked while sucking on a candy cane. “Why are you not drinking wine?”

I shook my head and gestured for her to stay calm. “Really. It’s nothing. I don’t know anything for sure yet. But I’m three days late.”

Her face lit up. “Really? Do you think this is it?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought I was pregnant after White Point, but you know what happened there, so I’ve learned not to assume anything until I take an actual test from the drug store and get a positive result. But I’m really hopeful. Our timing was bang on this month, if you know what I mean.”

Bev laughed. “I have a good feeling, Claire. Wouldn’t it be the best Christmas present ever? To find out that you’re expecting a baby?”

“It would.” My body tingled with excitement.

The following morning, at the Radcliffes’, pandemonium broke out when fourteen of us, all in our pajamas, gathered around the Christmas tree to start opening presents. The ripping and tearing of wrapping paper, mixed with laughter and oohs and aahs as everyone showed off their bounty, made for an exciting time.

I’m embarrassed to say that I lost my composure completely when I opened my gift from Wes’s mother, Barbara. Carefully, I removed the red silk bow, opened up the box, and peeled back the clean white tissue paper.

Inside, I found an antique sterling silver baby cup and spoon that Wes’s paternal grandmother had given to Barbara for Christmas twenty-nine years earlier, before she gave birth to Wes. A small card inside explained that it had been passed down for four generations, always at Christmas, and always to the eldest Radcliffe son and his wife.

I burst into tears.

“This is so special,” I said.

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