Page 52 of Love's Harvest
“Thanks, Mom,” said Sarah, letting out a long breath.“I needed this.Aaron and I knew we had to wait to date exclusively until it felt right.Now, we have a chance to start over with one another.I’ve always loved him.”
“I know.This time it seems right.”
Sarah studied her mother, seeing how much she cared.She hoped to be as supportive to her daughters as they went through the ups and downs of life.
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Sarah walked into the meeting room carrying a plate of cookies the girls and Lucy had baked.It was a tradition that when someone in the group felt ready to stop attending, they would treat others as a farewell gesture.
Seeing her, Blake grinned and walked over to her.“I’m glad for your progress.I need to stay for more meetings, but this group is terrific about encouraging people to leave when they’re ready.”
Sarah asked him, “How are things with you and Poppy?”
“Okay.She moved into Misty’s cabin this past weekend, as you may know.Now that the sale of the house has gone through, I’ll begin work on the renovations.I figure I can take my time.I’ll still be living with April and my mother while the work is being done on the house.I’m going to move my mother into The Woodlands sometime soon.It’ll be easier for all of us, especially April.”
“I’m glad to hear it.She’s a lovely girl.”Sarah debated whether to tell him about Lindsay confronting Wyatt about April but decided not to interfere.
At the end of the meeting, Sarah shared a few hugs with a couple of people she felt close to and left the building glad she’d realized she needed to deal with her grief and guilt.She knew the ordeal wasn’t over, but she was on the right path.
As planned, Aaron met her outside the meeting.She rushed to him and threw her arms around him.This relationship is what she’d been fighting for.
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On Sunday, while Dani handled the store, Sarah took the day off.Aaron was coming to pick her and the girls up to go get a Christmas tree.The girls were old enough to count down each day until Christmas, marking off the days on the special Christmas calendars Sarah’s mother had given them.Now that they were getting a tree, their excitement grew.
Wilson’s Tree Farm was an institution in the area, a convenient place to find and cut your own tree.It was a festive place with Christmas music and a roadside stand that served hot cocoa and coffee by helpers dressed up with Santa hats.Much to the girls’ delight, a big spruce growing near the stand was decorated with colorful lights that blinked off and on,
Aaron parked his truck, and they headed out.
Each year, different sections of the tree farm were opened up for cutting.Though the area had had some light snow, the ground was clear and hard, making the trek into the woods easy.The girls raced ahead as Aaron and Sarah walked hand in hand behind them.
Aaron carried a chain saw and Sarah held onto an empty wagon to haul the tree back to the stand to be trimmed and paid for.
The girls raced from one tree to another, declaring each one was the best.
“Okay, Mia and Emily, you can choose between this tree or that one,” said Sarah, making it a simpler choice.“Which one do you want?”
After much guessing back and forth, they chose the smaller tree Sarah wanted, and Aaron went to work cutting it down.
They loaded the tree onto the wagon and tied it down, then hurried out of the cold back to the stand for hot drinks.
This ritual was such a simple thing, but Sarah knew the girls would remember it always.All the way home, they chatted, describing every detail.
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Later, after Aaron had put the tree in a stand and placed all the lights on it, the decorating began.Though she liked it to look pretty, Sarah decided she’d let the girls place the ornaments where they wanted.If later, they needed to be moved around, she’d do it after they were in bed.
“Will you place the star on the top of the tree?”Sarah asked Aaron.
“Sure.Who’s going to help me?”he asked the girls.
Patiently, he lifted one girl and then another to make sure the star was just right.
Watching him, tears stung Sarah’s eyes at how sweet, how gentle Aaron was with her daughters.
When she and Aaron collapsed on the couch, Mia crept into Aaron’s lap and Emily climbed into Sarah’s.Luke lay at their feet.This scene seemed so right.
Later, waiting for dinner to be cooked, the girls played in their room while Sarah and Aaron sat in the kitchen enjoying a glass of wine.
