14

The scent of herb infused, oven baked turkey tickled Pepper’s every breath. Thanksgiving Day. Hosted in her own home. This little house represented a longing and a dream fulfilled. Two months ago, she would have dropped open her mouth and left it on the floor at all that had happened since she’d moved to Garland. What a turn her life had taken.

Love filled her heart. For God, who had reached out to her. For Foxx. She’d never dreamt of romance. And of all things, forgiveness toward her mother. God was still helping her wipe the slate of her hurtful upbringing.

Her home looked more like Christmas than Thanksgiving. She had yet to purchase a tree to finish decking out her Christmas House. And only God knew if the holiday decorations would remain past January.

Her phone lit up on the counter. Text from Foxx.

I’d like to escape and help, if you could use a hand.

Yes, please.

Be right there. And I have something to tell you.

Pepper slammed the back of her hand against her forehead. Her thumbs flew against her phone. I also need to tell you something.

Three short minutes later, he rumbled up in that giant SUV, and pulled close to the garage.

“Happy Thanksgiving.” They chimed at the same time.

She held open the door, and he brought in fresh air as he went to the fridge and balanced the vegetable tray on top of other covered dishes. “You can put your coat on my bed. I’m looking for just the right row of coat hooks for the basement hallway, but haven’t found what I want yet.”

He slid his arm around her and tipped up her chin. “You are talking to a carpenter. I think Dad has just the right hooks under the workbench. Let’s plan on your approval and you can select the right board to mount them on.”

Could a person sink into the depths of another’s eyes? “Soon.”

“It’s a date.” He kissed her so quick and soft that it took her by surprise. “We need to do just that.”

“What?”

“Date. You know, go to a movie or out to dinner. You look positively lovely, by the way.”

“Thank you. Crushed green velvet isn’t over the top for Thanksgiving?”

“Not on you. You look touchable.”

She burst out in a blush followed by giggles. “Thanks again. Before the others come, Mr. Foxx Haven, I have something for you.” She turned to pick up a small gray box set on a russet tablecloth that covered side by side card tables. “Here.”

“Thanks, but Christmas is a month away.”

“No matter, silly man. You gave me a snow globe, which I love, and it’s not Christmas. I think of you every time I look at it.”

His smile lit up his face, the first real grin from the heart she’d seen since Kitt’s shoebox discovery.

Foxx removed the lid and folded back the tissue paper to disclose a fox figurine standing in a pile of leaves the same colors as its fur. He hooked a work-worn finger through the loop of gold, cradled it in his hand. “It’s a tree ornament. Perfect. I never knew I wanted a fox to hang on the tree.”

She clapped her hands, shook herself and dropped them to her sides. Then she laughed. “Oh, my goodness. You must think I’m like a little girl.”

“You can dance and skip and clap any old day. I’ve never thought of you as a girl.” He resettled the fox on top of its box den, and placed it on the upended leather suitcase by her newly acquired oatmeal-colored couch. “Nice touch.”

“Aren’t you full of compliments today?”

“Only the truth.” He turned serious. “And speaking of which, we need to set an extra place today.”

“Really? Do tell.” She bit her lip and slanted a nervous smile. “That means two more. Pink found our Mom. They’re staying at the hotel down the road.”

“DNA proved Lois is my mother. And she’s staying at the hotel down the road, too. What a celebration we’re about to have. Wait, Kitt can pick them up, too, since they’re all there together.” A quick text of explanation and he whooped. “She’ll get them all.”

He gave Pepper no chance to react. In one swoop, he picked her up and twirled her around the tables and through the kitchen. “I’m a new person since I met you, my Pepper.”

She pecked him on the cheek, and smoothed her fingers down his jawline. “You can help, you know. Set the table for me? Fred loaned me folding chairs along with the tables. Figured we’d leave them stacked until we’re ready to eat. With him and our mothers, there will be seven. Uh, oh. That means we’ll have to separate the tables.”

“Leave it to me. I’ll fold the table cloth in half. Do you have something for the other one?”

“I don’t. Just wipe off the tops and set a candle in the middle of each.”

“On second thought, it all looks too pretty to disturb. I can straddle a leg or sit back with my plate on my lap.”

She shrugged. It was probably her place to offer not being at the table. That way she could jump up if anything was missing. Jitters took over her insides. Would there be enough food? What if someone started a fight? Having the moms on hand affected Pink and Kitt as much as Foxx and herself.

Be still.

“Right, Lord. You’ve got it. Please take my anxiety.”

They worked around one another as though they’d done it for years. Touches and quick kisses added to their celebration.

At twelve-thirty car doors sounded in the long drive. Right on time.

Foxx extended his hand. “Ready for this? We’re in it together, all the way.”

She smiled her thanks, and removed her apron.

Pink and their mother were the first to reach the step. The change in Mom was like a punch in the gut. Her appearance was that of a woman twenty years older than her actual age. Tears glistened in her eyes. Pink backed away to let Pepper have some space with Mom.

Mom had eyes only for Pepper. She smiled with her mouth closed. “Forgive me?” she asked quietly.

“Oh, Mom. Thank you for coming. As of today, we start new.” She waited until Mom was even with the door. Their embrace softened Pepper’s shoulders. They sighed into the arms of the other.

Cleansed. The relief and warmth came close to the emotion over her acceptance of Jesus’ love. But not quite. Lord, please wipe away the past and all the hurts.

“Come on inside, everyone.” Foxx nodded toward the last pickup. “And that’s Fred bringing up the rear. There’s a Thanksgiving nip in the air. Lois, Kitt, I’m proud to introduce you to Pepper, Pink, and their mother, Doris.”

Lois clasped Foxx’s forearm. “That’s a nice place you booked for me. Doris and I got acquainted in Kitt’s car on the drive. Doris and I are only a couple months apart in age and still get a charge over the similarity of our names.”

“Right.” Doris added another tight-lipped smile. “Someone could write a poem about Doris and Lois and their lost kiddos with odd names.”

Similarity of age was all the mothers had in common. Lois wore her stylish silver hair in a short bob and carried extra pounds that didn’t detract from her salmon tunic and brownish-orange leggings. Only the lines around her eyes revealed prior sadness.

Doris Rainwater’s appearance screamed sadness. Though she’d had a shower and wore clean clothes, her hair was unstyled, thin, and dull. The light blue flannel shirt dwarfed her shrunken shoulders and her faded jeans hung on her skeletal frame.

Pepper locked gazes with Foxx. They waited for the others to enter the house first.

He gathered her in his arms. “This is the first of many family memories we’re making. Thank you for welcoming my family into your Christmas house.”

She rested her forehead on his chest. Inhaled his strength along with his scent. “Let’s do this.”

~*~

Seated in the corner of the couch, Foxx reflected over the day with closed eyes. Pepper waited for water to heat for hot chocolate. He thanked God for blessing him with the next best day of his life. The first was coming to saving grace. Jesus, who came as a baby, had also died on the cross for him. For Pepper as well. For all of them. The collective Thanksgiving feast couldn’t have tasted better. Healing hearts tasted good as well.

He pictured their table. Thankfulness had oozed out of everyone. They’d shared differences between Denver, Iowa, and Nebraska. Talked about the missing men who had passed, plus his care of Judd. They’d bumped into one another as they cleared dishes, washed and dried them, and divvied up spare food. Then they’d played board games on the separated card tables.

Both Doris and Lois had bright blue eyes, often glistening with tears, and wide smiles. It was clear to any onlooker they were proud to be with their adult children.

Pink’s appearance surprised him. The sisters didn’t resemble one another except for their voices. Pink was outgoing and almost brash, an asset for retail sales, compared to Pepper’s soft-spoken gentleness. Pink was blonde and probably burned easily in the sun, while Pepper had freckles and a lingering summer tan.

And the grand joke of the day? Kitt and Pink had each brought mistletoe for Pepper’s Christmas house. One went just inside the kitchen entrance over the basement door. She blushed like crazy when Fred suggested hanging the other over her bedroom door. They settled on the front door where hardly anyone passed through.

His Pepper exuded Thanksgiving in her heart. No doubt, Christmas as well. Their gazes had met often throughout the day.

“Make room for our drinks, mister.”

He opened his eyes and took his foot off the wooden-chest serving as a coffee table. She set the steaming mugs on napkins, and cuddled in next to him.

“I can’t thank you enough. For today. For all our days together. You’ve filled in all the empty places I’d stuffed with working to exhaustion.” He caressed her features, one at a time. “So soft. So generous and loving. Thank you for making all of us feel welcome and cared for today.”

“I thank you for the same. You have kept me going. I can’t imagine not having you in my life.”

He outlined her fingers. Their hands were so different. Hers, strong, yet slim, and pale compared to his, thickened, tanned, and scarred. Then he lifted her hand and kissed the wrist. Turned it over and caressed the back. How did women get such soft skin? “I once believed I’d be OK in life as long as I kept working hard and doing my best at every job I tackled. That way I could forget what happened with my mother—Goldie. Seems weird having to clarify.”

“But didn’t she treat you well?”

“Up until the last few months. Now I understand why she was such a haunted, troubled woman. I’ll never think of her in the same way again. A part of me still thinks of her as my mother, and a part of me has already distanced myself from her in that role. And all those hours I spent with Dad his last months, when he struggled against telling me something.”

Pepper sighed and sank in closer against his side. “Seeing my mom again after so many years made me realize how short life is. I suppose I could feel selfish, even guilty, by never putting myself in her place. She did the best she could under the circumstances; she lost herself and was afraid of my dad. I never saw that fear. Never knew it. I thought she was equally complicit in everything, and I blamed her for so long.”

“Don’t do that yourself. I know how bitterness can build toward yourself.”

She gave him a nod of understanding. “Though many lost years have passed, I want to enjoy them and really live in the moments of what’s left of life.”

“Today was a blessing all the way around.” He turned Pepper’s face so he could look into her eyes. “Though we’ve only known one another a couple months, I can’t imagine life without you in it. I want to marry you, if you’ll have me.”

She leaned forward and reached out to smooth her fingers through his hair.

Tingles of awareness trailed all the way down his spine. How soon could he keep “I love you” to himself?

“I have surrounded myself with all these Christmas reminders. But I’ve concluded all the decorations in the world wouldn’t be enough without your love. Even if that stuff was made of diamonds and gold.” Pepper took his hand and drew him to his feet. “Which mistletoe shall we try out?”

“Both, my love, both of those mistletoe sprigs.”