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The joy of brightening other lives becomes for us the magic of the holidays.
– W.C. Jones
“Is everything all right out there?” Mrs. Dunaway wore a bright red dress with a black belt and had her silver hair swept back in a loose bun. For the first time, Jordyn noticed how much smaller her mother was compared to the last time she’d seen her. She’d never been heavy, but had a plump face that was always smiling. She looked downright slender now.
“There was an accident, but nothing to worry about.” Jordyn watched her mother’s face turn to worry. “Adam, one of the younger ranch hands was injured. He’s on the way to the hospital. Kristy went along.”
“How bad was it?” Her mother’s gaze swept Jordyn’s hands and clothes. “Oh, dear.”
“It’s not as bad as it looks. I’m going to go get cleaned up. Then I’m ready for my next assignment.”
“Well, you have three more hours until the opening cocktail party tonight at the Lodge. It will be non-stop until Christmas after that.”
As Jordyn headed to her room, she passed a large mirror on the landing at the top of the stairs. She couldn’t believe how bad she looked. No makeup. Hair a mess. Face streaked with dirt and blood. She hurried to her room to clean up.
After taking a hot shower, Jordyn tried on a few of the outfits that she’d sent to the ranch ahead of time. She selected a simple red dress with a black pattern that looked festive and comfortable enough for the evening events. With her hair blow dried and twisted into a simple bun, she went back down the stairs to see how she could help.
The house was alive with activity now, but her mother was nowhere to be found. Guests stood talking and laughing in front of the huge fireplace while volunteers and staff scurried to keep everything running on time.
Jordyn made her way through the kitchen pantry to the little room her mother used as an office, and found her sitting at the desk staring at a piece of paper in her hand with a blank look on her face.
“How are things going?” Jordyn asked in a cheerful voice from the doorway.
Her mother jumped and put the paper down quickly before turning around with a forced smile. “Everything’s going fine, honey. You look beautiful.”
“A little bit better than I did an hour ago anyway.” Jordyn smiled as she continued into the room. “I heard...umm...that you’re short on ranch hands.”
Her mother’s head tilted and her eyes narrowed. “Who told you that?”
Jordyn shrugged, not wanting to get Chad in trouble. “I just overheard, that’s all.”
“I don’t want you worrying about things like that. You’re here to relax.”
“I’m here to help.” Jordyn took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “And if I’m needed, I’ll stay.”
Again, Mrs. Dunaway seemed to jolt with surprise. “Stay? You mean for longer than a week?”
“I mean, stay...as in stay. I’m at the end of my contract and I haven’t extended it...yet.”
“But you plan to extend it, right?”
Jordyn’s mind spun as she tried to come up with a feasible answer. She’d spent ten years in service to her country. Was that enough? Was there a new chapter waiting for her here now? If she stayed, would it cause Chad to leave? Would he be stubborn and inflexible...run away from the memories? It was like a dream come true to have found that he was back at the ranch, and yet they were still as distant as two people could be. If only they could pick up where they’d left off...go back to the way it used to be.
But some things just weren’t meant to be, she reasoned with herself. Even good ’ol St. Nick himself would have a hard time fulfilling that Christmas wish.
“I don’t know.” Jordyn sat down in a chair beside the desk. “I came here to think about it and pray. I’m hoping to get some guidance.”
Mrs. Dunaway leaned forward and squeezed her arm. “Honey, I’d love to have you stay... but I don’t want you to feel obligated. I’m doing fine.”
“Are you sure?” Jordyn leaned forward to look her mother in the eyes. “I want to be where I’m supposed to be...wherever that is. I know it’s hard for everyone to understand, but I’ve been following a calling the last ten years. It was what I was supposed to be doing...”
“But now?”
Jordyn shifted her gaze to the framed picture of her father on the far wall. “Now, I feel like I’m supposed to be doing something else.” She stared hard at the enlarged photograph, and could almost hear her dad’s bellowing laughter coming from the wall. Jordyn couldn’t remember ever seeing him sad or in a bad mood. He was like a force of nature, with an enthusiasm and passion for life that was unmatched by anyone else she’d ever met.
She exhaled loudly. “I’m really confused, Mom.”
“Well, you’ve come to the right place to figure it out. I’m really glad you’re here.”
Jordyn noticed that her mother casually pulled some other papers over the one she’d been reading as she talked.
“What were you looking at just now?”
“Oh, nothing.” Mrs. Dunaway put her hand flat down on the stack of papers. “Just some boring business correspondence.”
“Mind if I take a look?”
Her mother stiffened and sat awkwardly still as an uncomfortable silence fell upon the room.
“It’s just a letter that I got...”
“About?”
Mrs. Dunaway swallowed hard. “It’s really nothing.”
“You know I’m not leaving until I see it.” Jordyn crossed her arms.
A slight smile flickered on her mother’s lips. “Stubborn. Just like your father.” Slowly she moved her hand from the top of the desk, allowing Jordyn to slide the piece of paper from the stack.
After reading just the first sentence, Jordyn stopped and lifted her eyes. “You’re not considering this, right?” The paper in her hand began to shake.
“I-I’m not sure. Keeping this place together is a lot of work, honey. And I’m not as young as I used to be.”
“But it was dad’s dream.” She stared at her mother, stunned that she hadn’t just thrown the piece of paper into the trash. “It’s become everything he wanted and more.”
“The truth is, we have good years and bad years,” Mrs. Dunaway said, her voice growing a little louder. “What they are willing to pay to buy it would—”
“But you can’t!”
Her mother stood and grabbed the document out of her hand. “You don’t have any right to tell me what I can’t do when you haven’t been here for the past ten years to help. This place is a lot of hard work. I’m tired.”
Jordyn’s anger and dismay were instantly replaced by regret. “You’re right. I’m sorry.” She stood and drew her mother up into her arms. “I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems that I’ve been blind to what’s going on here.”
“No, honey. I’m sorry I let you see it.” Her mother took a deep breath as her composure returned. “I don’t want you to worry about such things. You’re here to enjoy the holiday.”
Jordyn took a step back and squeezed her temples to help her think. She was accustomed to making split-second decisions and handling unpredictable problems, but this one hit her in the gut.
“Can you just put it aside for a while until things settle down here? I mean, it’s Christmas for goodness sake, the busiest time of the year. I’m sure you’re at your wit’s end with preparing for the Gala.”
Mrs. Dunaway shook her head. “I’d love to.” She picked up the paper and pointed. “The offer only stands until December 26.”
Jordyn took a step back and lowered herself into the chair behind her.
“Since you want to know what’s going on, I’ll be straight with you, Jordyn.” Her mother pulled a folder out of a drawer. “Those cabins by the river really set me back. The cost was almost double the estimate I was given by the foreman. It’s going to take a few years to break even. And that’s if nothing else goes wrong.”
“What do you mean by nothing else?”
“You know, things happen...” She stared at the wall absently. “Seems like a lot of things lately, all at once. We’ve had problems with the hired help lately, and matters that I think are being taken care of, aren’t. It’s just too much for one person to do.”
“How can we be short-handed and have trouble with hired help?” Jordyn asked. “People love working here. Some of them say they love it so much, they’d work for free.”
“I don’t know.” Mrs. Dunaway brushed away a tendril of hair that had escaped from her bun. “Judd keeps telling me we have a full roster, and then says we’re short-handed. I have no idea what’s going on, and I just don’t have time to deal with the barn work when I’m busy with the house and the guests. Now that Chad’s here, it’s gotten a little easier, but...” Her gaze fell to her hands that were clenched in her lap. “I miss your father so much.”
The conversation with Chad about the man named Judd crept back into Jordyn’s mind, which suddenly came alive with a torrent of racing thoughts. “Those cabins by the river that you said cost more than the estimate. Who gave you the estimate?”
“Judd, the foreman, of course. I mean that’s why I hired him, to take care of details like that. What do I know about building cabins?” She shook her head. “If only Chad had come back earlier, I know things would have been different. I can trust him with anything.”
Jordyn leaned forward and looked her mother straight in the eyes. “Why don’t you fire the foreman and give the position to Chad? Or let me do it if you don’t want to be part of any dispute.”
Mrs. Dunaway took a gasping breath that sounded almost like a sob. “Because I signed an agreement with him...I didn’t think it was any big deal at the time, but that coupled with Montana’s law makes it really hard.”
“Give it to me.” Jordyn only grew more determined. “I’ll give it to a lawyer and find out how to get out of it.”
“Don’t you think I’ve already done that?” Mrs. Dunaway put her face in her hands. “I’m such a fool. Your father would be so disappointed in me.”
“No, he wouldn’t. Because you’re not a fool.” Jordyn pulled her mother to her feet again and threw her arms around her. “Here’s what we’re going to do.” Her voice carried a tone of confidence and conviction that she didn’t really feel, but her mother seemed to gain comfort from it. She looked up at Jordyn with big, hopeful eyes.
“Number one, you’re not going to worry or think about this for another minute. I’m home now and I’ll take care of it.” Jordyn didn’t wait for her mother to respond. “And number two, you’re going to go out there and have fun and enjoy the holiday like Dad always did. Deal?”
“But how—”
“I’m going to shoulder some responsibility, and take care of it. You have to promise we have a deal.”
Her mother’s tired eyes looked only slightly reassured, but she nodded her head enthusiastically enough. “Deal.”
