Christmas Wish Come True. Jaimie Admans
Well done, Jordan.
“Please, please,” Tyler begged.
Jordan turned to his nephew now. “It’ll be a lot of work getting this tree home, Tyler. But…” he knelt down to the boy’s level “…I’ll make a deal with you.” Tyler nodded his head quickly, looking as if he’d explode from anticipation. Jordan glanced briefly at Isabella before continuing. “If I agree to carry it all the way to the truck, then into the house, then set it up…you have to do the most important job. Once it’s decorated, you have to put the star on top. Okay?”
Tyler threw his arms around Jordan’s neck, hugging him fiercely. Isabella saw Jordan hesitate, then he put his arms around the boy and squeezed him back. Isabella watched Jordan’s features soften before Tyler pulled away.
“I’ll do it, I’ll do it! Yay!”
Jordan continued his pretend concern, and Isabella stifled a chuckle. He must have read her smug satisfaction. Their recent avoidance of each other was all but forgotten as he pinned her with a stern look.
“As for you, Isabella. I know you decorated the entire house but, if I have to do all this heavy lifting, there’s one more thing you have to agree to.”
Tyler stared at her expectantly. “Of course,” she agreed slowly. “What is it?”
Jordan seemed to enjoy her uncertainty. “Well, Tyler has the most important job.” He winked at his nephew, who visibly puffed up. “But…” he pierced her with his gaze “…you must agree to do the most difficult part.”
He paused for a moment. The snow was coming down even harder and there was an announcement over the speakers piping Christmas music through the lot – they’d be closing soon.
“Hurry up,” Tyler urged him.
“All right, it can wait until we get this monster home,” Jordan declared.
“Yippee!” Tyler went with Jordan, adorable as he tried to help his uncle hoist the gigantic tree into the truck.
Isabella took the ticket to the attendant. “It’s already been paid for, ma’am,” the young man said.
“Who…?” She looked toward the dark truck in the parking lot.
“Your husband – who else? He more than covered the price of any tree on the lot.” The attendant smiled at her quick glance. “Merry Christmas to you and yours.”
“He’s not – I mean, they’re not…”
The attendant had already started ringing up the next customer and Isabella shrugged. “Yes, Merry Christmas,” she replied, tucking the receipt into her pocket, pleased by Jordan’s generosity and thoughtful participation in his nephew’s quest for a Christmas tree.
And strangely, not as upset as she should be by the attendant’s incorrect assumptions.
***
“It’s a perfect fit.” Emily smiled, standing back to watch Jordan, Isabella, and Tyler struggle to stand the very large Christmas tree in the living room.
Jordan looked at her over his shoulder. “Straight?”
Emily nodded enthusiastically. “Perfect,” she said again.
Jordan finished tightening the bolts in the stand and Isabella and Tyler let go of the tree, joining Emily.
“Tyler picked the best tree on the lot,” Isabella declared.
“He did, indeed,” Emily agreed.
Tyler beamed as he ran to the box of ornaments Isabella had retrieved from the guesthouse. He excitedly began pulling the shiny baubles out, one by one.
“Whoa, buddy.” When Jordan spoke up, everyone turned around. He winked at Tyler, smiling wickedly. “Miss Stevens hasn’t fulfilled her part of the bargain yet.”
All eyes went to her, and Isabella felt the heat crawl up her neck. Finding her voice, she said, “I have to know what it is before I can do it.”
Jordan walked over to the box, then hesitated. His expression changed from playful to serious in mere seconds. He turned around, a blank expression on his face. “The lights,” he stated. “Tyler found the tree, I…” He stopped, then corrected himself. “Tyler and I loaded it, and…” He looked at Isabella for a long moment.
It was obvious he’d lost his enthusiasm for the project, and Isabella remembered he had his own issues to deal with. She finished for him. “My job is to string the lights on the tree.”
She made a face for Tyler’s benefit, and he giggled a little, tugging at Emily’s skirt to follow him back to the box and dig around for the lights. Isabella caught and held Jordan’s gaze.
She searched his eyes for a clue to what was bothering him, but his expression was guarded. There was no sign of joy or even the sparkle she’d seen in them this afternoon. She wondered if he was thinking about his brother.
“I have to go out – will you look after Tyler?” Isabella nodded and he went to Tyler and ruffled his nephew’s hair. Thankfully, Tyler was absorbed in his treasure hunt and barely noticed Jordan leaving.
Emily shared a look with Isabella. It seemed she’d noticed the sudden change in Jordan’s mood, as well.
“Work again?” Emily asked as Jordan found his coat and walked to the door.
Jordan’s answer was coy. “Don’t hold dinner for me; I don’t know how late I’ll be.”
Isabella joined Tyler’s search as the door closed behind his uncle. “I found the lights, Miss Stevens!” He held up a bag full of tangled strings in every style of bulb you could imagine. Some were traditional, some were shaped like icicles, some were small, multicolored twinklers.
“Oh my! They’re beautiful, Tyler! I can’t wait to see what they’ll look like on the tree. But first, we have to test each strand, to make sure they work.”
Emily stood, brushing her hands over her skirt. She was obviously disappointed by Jordan’s abrupt departure. “I’ll finish warming the casserole,” she said, exiting the living room quickly.
Isabella wanted to talk to her. After all, the more information she could collect from Emily, the better equipped she’d be to help Tyler – and Jordan. But, for now, she put her concerns aside. Because they had a beautiful Christmas tree, and Tyler was happy tonight.
And she was thankful for it.
***
“I’m so happy you stayed for dinner, Emily.”
“No, no,” Emily protested. “I’m being selfish.” She winked at Tyler. “It’s my favorite… How could I resist?”
Tyler nodded his head happily, scooping another bite of macaroni and cheese into his mouth. Isabella chuckled. She’d lived here long enough to know that it was Tyler’s favorite dish, too. And, he’d worked up quite an appetite decorating the enormous tree. He was anxious to put the star on top, but Isabella stalled him, telling him dinner would get cold, hoping Jordan would return in time to share the simple, but special task.
Isabella moved her attention back to Emily. The older woman had been unusually quiet since Jordan left. “It’s very admirable that you dedicate a big part of your life to helping others, Emily. You spend so much time at the shelter, yet you drop in on Jordan and Tyler as often as you can. You’re a true blessing.”
Emily’s hazel eyes warmed as they regarded her. “Don’t be silly, dear. I know Jordan is perfectly capable of taking care of himself, but coming here is a joy to me. I love my boys.” She referred to Jordan and Tyler with a smile. “And the shelter, well…it’s in my heart. I have to do it.”
“That’s wonderful,” Isabella responded. She thought about the Angels on Earth project Tyler had been working on. Isabella assumed Emily would