Page 94 of Hero for the Holidays

“It’s probably notominous. But it’s definitely going to be raucous.”

Lila looked bemused as they continued on toward Four Corners. And when they pulled up to the barn, there was a giant banner hanging on the outside, wreathed in greenery and Christmas lights.

Welcome home, Lila.

Lila’s eyes went wide and glassy. “What is this?”

“I don’t know,” said Fia.

And then, everyone was pouring out of the barn. The Sullivans, the Kings, the McClouds, the Garretts, and all of the ranch hand families.

There were tables filled with food, and the band was already playing on the stage outside. There were outdoor heaters blazing to combat the chill, and wreaths, ribbons and Christmas lights on the outside of the barn. The tables were laden with festive food and candles.

It was everything for the Christmas party, donated to this instead.

“‘Welcome home, Lila,’” Fia read out loud.

“Welcome home,” Lila repeated.

“I had no idea they were doing this,” said Landry.

“Me neither,” Fia said.

It was the damnedest thing, seeing the Kings and the Sullivans next to each other. They were the family that was always furthest apart. Because of Landry. And now, they were the family that was closely united. With a child between them. Because of Landry. A child they had just adopted. A child that the whole ranch was welcoming into the fold.

“I’m afraid you’re one of us,” said Landry.

Lila had tears streaming down her face. “Yeah,” she said.

“You okay?” Fia asked.

“Yeah,” said Lila. “It’s just hard to believe. I haven’t had a home for a year. I never expected that. To not have a home. So I know what it means for real. Knowing that I get to stay. That this is it. That this is where I get to be.”

“With us,” said Fia.

“And everybody,” said Landry.

They got out of the car, and they were rushed by the crew. The Sullivan sisters took turns hugging Lila, and Alaina even hugged Landry. Quinn and Rory declined. It didn’t really surprise him. Denver handed him a cup with an unknown alcoholic substance in it. “Congratulations,” he said. “It’s a girl.”

Landry looked at his daughter, feeling dumbstruck. “I guess it is.”

And that was when he realized. This was the baby shower they never got to have. As much as it was Lila’s welcome home.

This was that celebration they never could have had when they were nothing but dumb teenagers. When everybody would’ve judge them. And Fia most of all.

Landry wasn’t one for church, but he could recall a sermon some years before where the pastor had quoted a verse that said God would restore the years the locusts had eaten. He hadn’t understood what that meant.

But he did now. Because yeah. There’d been famine. There’d been things that were chewed up and spit out. Good things demolished and destroyed, like Lila’s family.

But there was restoration too. A kind of giving back. And he could accept that, while also realizing that this wouldn’t have been what he’d have if he had held on to Lila all those years before.

And it was an incredible gift to be able to see that restoration.

That renewal of all that was good and bright and beautiful.

“You know,” said Denver, separating him slightly from Lila and Fia. “I still can’t quite believe you went through all that when you were seventeen, and never said anything.”

“Probably because I knew that I was being a dumbass,” he said. “And if I shared it with you, you would probably just side with Fia. And I didn’t want you to. I didn’t want anyone to. I wanted to be angry. And I wanted it to be uncomplicated.”

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