Reunited At Christmas. Belle Calhoune
state of their marriage prior to the accident.
Was it right to allow her to believe things had been wonderful between them? He himself wasn’t under any illusions about that, but he owed it to Aidan to try to patch their family up. There was nothing Aidan wanted more than a family of his own.
Earlier, Boone had promised that he would keep Aidan occupied until Liam could speak to him in private about his mother’s return. A quick glance around confirmed that his son was nowhere in sight.
Honor moved out of his arms and wearily ran a hand across her eyes. She appeared emotionally drained.
“Where’s Aidan?” he asked, knowing he had to get down to the business of talking to his son.
“Boone is keeping him occupied in his room,” Honor said. “He was super excited that Uncle Boone showed up out of the blue. I bet they’re playing cops and robbers.”
“I better go talk to him,” Liam said, addressing Ruby. “Boone can only keep him in there for so long.”
“Do you know what you’re going to say?” Ruby asked in a tentative voice.
Liam shrugged. “Honestly, I’m going to wing it a little bit. There’s really no script to follow here. I’ll be sensitive and caring, and try to help him understand it as much as any kid his age possibly could.”
Ruby bit her lip. “Could you make sure to tell him that I didn’t stay away by choice...that I was sick and couldn’t find my way back home.”
“Of course I will,” he said, emotion clogging his voice, turning it raspy. Just the thought that Ruby had been out there this whole time and living in Colorado unbeknownst to him, frustrated him to no end. But he was going to focus on what today had brought him and his family. Psalm 30:5 rolled through his mind like thunder. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
Ruby’s return had brought him immense joy. Mixed with that joy was trepidation. The road ahead wasn’t going to be easy. He knew it with deep certainty.
Liam turned and walked down the hall to Aidan’s bedroom. He paused for a moment to collect his thoughts, then turned the knob and stood in the doorway. Aidan and Boone were both stretched out on the floor playing checkers. It was Aidan’s favorite game. He watched the two of them, a feeling of deep love welling up inside him at the sight of his big brother bonding with his son. After the sorrow that had invaded their lives over the past few years, he felt so very blessed at this moment.
He stepped into the room, causing Aidan to look up from his game. His brown eyes lit with happiness at the sight of him.
“Daddy! I’ve been waiting for you to come home.”
“What have you been up to, A-man?” Liam bent and tousled his son’s dark curls.
“I been playing with Uncle Boone.” Aidan grinned.
“Running circles around me is more like it,” Boone muttered.
Aidan giggled and covered his mouth.
“Hey, little man. I need to have a big-boy talk with you about something,” Liam said, trying to keep his voice casual.
Aidan’s eyes bulged. “Uh-oh. Did Auntie Honor tell you about the snowball?”
Snowball? “No,” Liam said with a raised eyebrow. “Is there something you need to tell me?”
Aidan gulped. “You go first.”
Boone and Liam exchanged a glance. Neither of them could resist grinning at Aidan’s comment. For a four-year-old, he was pretty fast on his feet.
Boone sprung up from the floor and said, “I’ll give you guys some time alone.”
As he walked toward the door, Boone reached out and squeezed Liam’s shoulder. “Let me know if you need anything,” he said with a nod.
As always, his brother was proving he was a strong support system to lean on during tough times. Once Boone had closed the door behind him, Liam went and sat on Aidan’s bed. He patted the spot beside him and said, “Come on over and sit down, A-man. We need to talk something out.”
Aidan joined him on the bed and peered up at him, a curious expression etched on his face. “What is it, Daddy? Did I do something wrong?”
“Absolutely not,” Liam said, reaching out and tweaking his nose. “You’re the bee’s knees as far as I’m concerned. You’re the best son on the planet.”
“The planet? Whoa!” Aidan said in a raised voice. “That’s cool.”
“You’re my best buddy. We’ve been through a lot since we lost your mother.”
Aidan made a sad face. He let out a little sigh and bowed his head.
“I know it’s been hard not having a mom.” Liam placed his arm around Aidan’s shoulder and squeezed.
“I wish I could remember her more,” Aidan said in a soft voice. “I like looking at her face in the album. It helps me make a picture of her in my mind.”
Aidan’s words went straight to his heart, as they always did whenever he talked about his mother. How would he ever find the right words to tell him she was alive? How could a little boy even begin to process the information?
“Aidan. Something has happened. It changes everything for us.” Aidan looked up at him with wide eyes. “It’s something good. Spectacular, really.”
Aidan rubbed his hands together. “Oh, I love great surprises.”
“Do you remember what I told you happened to Mommy? On the mountain?”
“Yes,” Aidan said in a solemn voice. “She was being a hero and snow came and swallowed her up.”
“Pretty much,” Liam said, biting back a smirk. “Sometimes things aren’t what they seem. We thought Mommy died on that mountain, A-man. But I found out today that she didn’t.”
“She didn’t?” Aidan asked, his mouth hanging open in shock.
“No, she didn’t,” he answered, blinking away the tears blurring his vision. “She hit her head and she was really sick for a long time. And she’s here, right out there in the living room.”
“No way!” Aidan said, jumping up from the bed. “Can I see her? Can I? Can I?”
Liam couldn’t help but grin at Aidan’s unbridled enthusiasm. Even though things were far from perfect with regard to Ruby’s return, his son’s innocent take on the situation made him feel on top of the world. He had received the news just as Liam had prayed he would...joyfully.
“There’s something else I have to tell you before you see her... When she hit her head, she lost her memory. So, she’s still the same mommy, but she’s going to have to get to know us all over again,” Liam explained.
Aidan’s face fell. He stuck his lip out. Tears welled in his eyes.
“Hey, buddy. What’s wrong? Just smiles today. No tears, okay?”
“I just feel sad that she lost her memories,” Aidan said. “That means she doesn’t remember the day I was born or getting married to you. And she won’t know my favorite color or the foods I like to eat.” He bowed his head and focused on the carpet.
Liam reached out and lifted Aidan’s chin. “But here’s the thing. Since you’re getting to be such a big boy, I have a huge job for you. I’m counting on you to tell your mother all about the things that matter most to you. The name of your turtle. Your favorite toy. How you like reindeer pizza better than anything else in this world.” He held out his hand. “If you’re up to the mission, let’s shake on it.”
Aidan shook his father’s hand. “I can do it. I’m going to be five soon. That means I’m getting so big.”
His chest was almost