Page 80 of Through the Snow Globe
Diana laughed, blowing white frosty air from her mouth. “Sounds like him. I’m sure your foster sister will love it. You wouldn’t rather pick something for yourself?”
Dustin shrugged.
“I think you’re a better kid than you know, Dustin. From where I’m standing, you’re a pretty awesome kid, actually.”
Dustin’s jawline clenched. “Well, my foster mom doesn’t think so. She can’t wait to get rid of me. I heard her telling somebody on the phone. She’s just waiting until after Christmas so she doesn’t ruin the holiday for Jacy—my foster sister. Then I’m going back into the system.”
Diana’s mouth fell open. “Oh, Dustin. I’m so sorry.”
“I’d run away if I didn’t know I’d be back where I started tomorrow morning. There’s no escape from this stupid day.”
Diana forced a smile. “Well, there’s good news on that front. The time loop ends today. I’m ending it.”
Dustin swiped a snowflake from his eyelashes. “You can do that?”
“I think so. I hope so, at least. Then tomorrow when you wake up, it’ll be Christmas Day.”
Dustin looked sadder than any child deserved to be. She knew she’d been that sad as a child growing up in Grandma Denny’s home, though. She recognized herself in him. “It’s never Christmas Day for a kid like me.”
Diana wanted to hug him. She was thinking about it when Dustin blinked and a tear slid down his cheek. Then he crossed the distance and wrapped his arms around her waist for a brief second. Pulling away, he looked up at her.
“At least if you end this day, I get a chance to try to be good with a new family. If someone ever takes me again. Do you think I can be good?” he asked.
Diana’s heart broke for him. She remembered wondering if her mom would stay if she was interesting enough. If she got all As on her report cards to show her mom on her yearly visits. “It doesn’t matter how good you are,” Diana said.
Dustin looked down at his feet. “I thought so.”
Diana tapped his shoulder, making him look up at her again. “It doesn’t matter because you don’t have to be good or bad. You just have to be you. You’re enough.”
Dustin swallowed hard. Then he clung to the toy store’s bag at his midsection. “If today is ending, I need to get this to Jacy. I want her to have it. It’s special.”
Diana nodded. “Be careful on your way home.” She inwardly flinched, knowing Dustin didn’t consider where he was going to be home.
He started walking, glancing back once to look at her and then running off into the distance. Once he was out of sight, Diana faced the front of the store and headed in that direction, wondering how she was going to say goodbye to the man she was supposed to spend forever with.
Chapter 22
“Diana? What are you doing here?” Linus asked as Diana stepped up to his counter.
“I’m here to see you, of course.” She looked around the store, noting that the aisles were empty. “Am I the only customer?”
“For now. And with the way the weather is acting, it might stay that way.”
“Snow in Snow Haven. Can you believe it?”
Linus grinned. Then he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her mouth. She resisted pulling him to her and holding him there. “Maybe we’ll get snowed in tonight and have to stay home in bed together all day tomorrow.”
“Mm. That sounds like heaven. Can we? Please.” Because that sounded like a day worth repeating.
“Come sit back here with me. I’ll pull up an extra stool.”
She rounded the counter and sat on the stool that was already there while Linus retrieved another one for himself. Then they sat together, staring out the storefront at the falling snow. “Maybe we’ll be snowed in here and never leave,” she fantasized. That would just leave them back in the time loop, though, which wasn’t good for her, Linus, or Dustin.
“How’d the interview go?” Linus finally asked.
“Actually, I think I might get the promotion.” She released a heavy sigh.
“Don’t get too excited,” Linus said with a hint of sarcasm. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”
