W ith winter’s breeze chilling her face, Erica stood beside Ryan at the front door and watched their guests leave. Paula herded her troop into a mini-van, then slid inside next to her husky husband. Their mother hesitated beside a silver Buick’s car door, which her tall, dignified-looking husband held open for her, and looked over her shoulder once more to wave. Erica smiled and waved back at the beautiful brunette, whom she’d been surprised to see she so strongly favored at their first face-to-face meeting—the day before Erica’s wedding.
This past year, after three weeklong visits and countless phone calls between them, Erica and her mother had grown close. Erica was happy to see that even Paula was loosening up around their mother, though she still seemed sullen at times. But for the most part, they were all friends.
“You’ll see them tomorrow,” Ryan teased, tightening his arm around her waist. “They’ll be here another week.”
“I know,” Erica sighed happily. “It’s just that every moment is so precious. Sometimes you don’t know how blessed you are until it’s all taken from you. But thankfully, what got ripped away from me was restored.” She looked up at him, her gaze adoring. “And you’ve been such a rock of support through it all. I’ve loved every moment of our married life together, Ryan.”
He grinned and brushed his lips against hers. “Care to go for a few more rounds, Mrs. Meers?”
“I’m game if you are. At least sixty more years or so. This has been a wonderful first anniversary.”
The baby started crying, and both Ryan and Erica turned to look. Margaret, with her perfectly coiffed hair and expensive clothes, appeared totally out of her element with little Charla.
“I don’t think she likes me.” Margaret awkwardly held the bald-headed baby up in the air a foot away from her.
“Sure she does,” Erica said. “Just jiggle her against your shoulder. She loves that.”
Margaret did so. The baby stopped crying and nestled her head against Margaret’s neck. Erica smiled at the look of surprised contentment that crossed Margaret’s face. During their heart-to-heart talk over a year ago, Erica learned some things about her adoptive mother. Margaret had been abused as a child and struggled with low self-esteem all her life; she didn’t know how to show love to others. In an uncharacteristic emotional moment, Margaret assured Erica that, despite Margaret’s inability to show it, Erica had been loved and wanted.
The baby fell asleep, and Darrin moved toward Margaret. “Put her in the bassinet. It’s time to leave these kids alone.”
Ryan lifted his eyebrows in Groucho Marx style at Erica, and she giggled.
At the door, she turned to Margaret. “I’m so glad you could come. Of course, you must also come to Christmas dinner at Wes’s tomorrow. We’re eating at one o’clock and then later we’re all going to the tree-lighting ceremony together. Wes has been elected to light the tree this year for all the volunteer work his construction firm has done for the community.”
Margaret seemed uncertain. “Are you sure we won’t be imposing?”
“Oh, no! Stacey asked me to remind you. After all, you’re family, too.”
Ryan agreed as he picked up his plate from a nearby table, where a tabletop fiber-optic Christmas tree rotated in its stand. He took a bite of the last piece of anniversary cake.
Tears glistened in Margaret’s eyes. “Thank you for inviting us. Your entire family is wonderful. It’s amazing to see how much good has come about in all of your lives, despite everything that’s happened. In fact…” She looked at her husband, and he gave a nod. “Would you mind very much if Darrin and I went to church with you tomorrow? I’d like to learn more about this God of yours that you said made it all possible.”
Erica’s heart felt near bursting with joy. “Oh, I’d love for you to come!” She stepped forward to hug the astonished Margaret, who still wasn’t accustomed to physical displays. Margaret gave an uncertain smile then walked away with Darrin, who also got a quick hug first.
“I think she’s coming around,” Ryan said as he moved beside Erica and observed them drive away in their Lincoln Towncar. “I think they both are.”
“Oh, I hope so.” Erica closed the door against the cold and watched Ryan fork another bite of dessert into his mouth. “I’m glad you like the cake. I just wish it wouldn’t have fallen. It was supposed to look like a pinwheel. Not a broken wheel. I guess a cake decorating class will be the next course I take. I wonder if Cynthia’s offering one.”
“Well, no matter how it looks, it tastes great! You’ve improved a lot over the year, hon. But it sure is different. It looks like a child’s cake with all that carnival-like festivity on top—but Christmassy, too.”
“Didn’t I once hear you say something about being a kid at heart?” Erica teased and looked at the slice on his plate. “The semisweet chocolate pieces remind me of the bittersweet memories I had of my childhood. And the crushed peppermint glaze on top?” She snapped a good-sized bit off the red-and-white speckled dark chocolate triangle perched atop the fudge icing.
“Hey!” Ryan laughed in mock protest.
Smiling, she continued her explanation, holding up the chocolate piece. “It reminds me of something Peggy once said about God giving us peppermint dreams—what I think of as a bright future. This cake is symbolic of His sweetening my life and bringing good out of the bad. And giving me His best when I met you.” She gave him a peck on the lips then popped the huge chunk of melting chocolate into her mouth, hitting the outside of her lips and making a mess of herself, giggling.
“All right, you!” Ryan set his plate down and grabbed her hands before she could wipe away the streaks. He bent toward her, trying to dart light licks to her cheeks to get the chocolate off her face—while she shook her head from side to side to evade his silly efforts, laughing like a child being tickled. A few hit their mark—when suddenly, his mouth targeted hers, and he gave her a long, delicious kiss that made Erica forget all about childish games.
“The baby’s asleep,” he murmured.
“Mmm,” she agreed with a smile, her arms still looped around his neck.
Ryan kissed the sensitive spot near her ear. “One last thing, before I forget all about that cake, Mrs. Meers. What were those nuts you used? They had a strange flavor I’ve never tasted before.”
Erica let out a nervous, uncertain giggle, and Ryan straightened to look at her. She lifted her brows sheepishly. “Um…nuts?”
He released a heartfelt groan. “Never mind. I don’t want to know.”
She let out another giggle, and bending down, Ryan captured it with a kiss.
DARK CHOCOLATE ’N’ PEPPERMINT DREAM CAKE
A fun “cake makeover” to add zip to any plain cake, Erica and Ryan’s anniversary cake is good for all occasions. A chocolate-lovers’ dream, it’s been a favorite in our family for years.
1 box cake mix (chocolate or white)
1 can chocolate fudge frosting
1 (8 ounce) bag semisweet baking chocolate chips
Several pieces hard peppermint candy, crushed
½ cup slivered or sliced almonds (optional)
Bake cake according to directions on box. Cool and frost. Sprinkle with nuts if desired. Melt semisweet chocolate using low heat. Spread evenly over cookie sheet covered with waxed paper and freeze. After 5 minutes check chocolate. It should be firm enough to score, but not totally solid. Using a round inverted cake pan as a guide, cut a circle in the chocolate toward end of cookie sheet, then score the circle as if cutting a pie, making 8 triangular “pieces.”
Score remaining chocolate by making 2 parallel lines approximately 5 inches apart (or height of cake). Within those lines, make cuts 2–3 inches apart, so that you end up with a row of rectangles. Repeat above steps for next row. When all chocolate is scored, refreeze.
Once chocolate is solid, carefully break along scored lines. Spread triangles on top of cake at slight angle, to resemble a pinwheel, with only one long edge digging into frosting.
Use rectangles to “fan” around side of cake, anchoring edges into frosting. You should end up with a 3-D effect. If chocolate begins to melt, freeze until solid, then resume decorating. Sprinkle crushed peppermint over top and sides of cake.
Cover cake and store in refrigerator. (The peppermint will slightly melt to give a glazed effect.)
*Warning: This cake mysteriously disappears overnight when chocolate-lovers are in the house.