Page 1 of A Baxter Family Christmas
CHAPTER ONE
Heavy snow clouds hung low over Bloomington, Indiana, the Saturday before Thanksgiving. But the atmosphere was warm and bright in the Clear Creek High School gym, where Ashley Baxter Blake sat next to her husband, Landon. On the floor with the ball was her fifteen-year-old son, Cole, whose freshman team was minutes from beating its crosstown rival.
The high-pitched sound of a whistle pierced the gymnasium. “Traveling!” The ref called Cole for the violation and instantly Ashley was on her feet. “Are you se—” She eased herself back down to the bleacher and bit the inside of her lip. Gradually she brought her hands together and clapped. “Here we go. You got this, Cole.”
Four-year-old Janessa scrambled up onto Ashley’s lap. “Cole’s the best basketball boy in the world, right, Mommy?”
“Yes, baby.” Ashley kissed her cheek. “And the refs are just human.” She met Landon’s eyes over Janessa’s head and managed a smile. She mouthed her next words to him.I’m trying.
Landon chuckled. “You’ve come a long way.”
It was true. Cole was just a little guy when he first started playing basketball here. Part of the park league program. On his first game, Ashley had caught herself getting too enthusiastic, yelling a bit too loud. And yes, maybe a bit too concerned with questionable calls by the referees. Her attitude wasn’t that surprising. Lately she’d been frustrated with her father and snapping at everyone.
Ashley drew a slow breath. She still cared about the calls and the scoreboard. But she’d learned a lot. Winning and losing meant nothing compared to the thrill of enjoying the game.
Cole played basketball because he loved it. Today. For now. If he scored twenty points and his team won, great. But the joy Ashley felt watching her son play had nothing to do with his points scored or an official’s call or whether Cole played next season. Let alone whether he played college ball one day.
Even living here in the shadow of Bloomington’s Indiana University.
Amy, ten, and Devin, eight, sat on the other side of Landon. Devin tugged Landon’s sleeve. “That wasn’t traveling, right, Dad?”
Landon smiled. “If the ref says it’s traveling...”
“Oh! I know!” Amy’s eyes lit up. “If the ref says it’s traveling, it’s traveling!” She came up behind Landon and looped her arms around his neck. “Right?”
“Right.” Landon grinned at Ashley and then he winked at Devin. “You have to play ten points above the refs. Just in case.”
Thanksgiving was less than a week away, but Ashley Baxter Blake’s mind was on Christmas, and the dinner her dad was trying to pull together. Which was the reason she felt so irritated.
By halftime Cole’s team was up six points. The kids were hoping for the first snow of the season, so Landon agreed to take them outside to check. Ashley stood to follow but her phone rang. Her dad’s name appeared on the screen. She motioned for Landon to go on without her. Then she took the call.
“Hey, Dad.” She sat down again and tried to sound pleasant. “How are you?”
“Good. Beautiful day. It’s already snowing here.”
Ashley pictured it, the way fresh snow looked across Bloomington. The whole town would turn into a Norman Rockwell painting, the way it did every year at this time. “Amy and Devin will be thrilled.”
“You kids always were when you were little!” Her dad laughed. “Of course, we always needed a big box by the front door for coats and mittens and boots. But that never stopped us!”
Ashley smiled at the memory. It seemed like yesterday when she and her siblings were the little ones, clamoring to get outside and play in the first snow. Now all of them were married with kids of their own.
Her dad paused for a moment, and Ashley could feel his tone change before he said a word. “Ashley, I think you know why I called...”
She closed her eyes.I’m not ready for this, God. Help me. Please...
“You and Landon.” Her father sighed. “You haven’t given me an answer about Christmas Eve. About dinner with Kendra Bryant and her husband.”
Anxiety left an instant wake across the already troubled waters of Ashley’s heart. She blinked a few times and stared at the small cross on the wall just above the side entrance to the gym. “I’m not trying to be difficult, Dad.”
“I know.” His tone was kind. “And I don’t want to force your decision. It’s just... I’d like a plan.”
Thanksgiving was still days away, but her father had been talking about Christmas Eve since the beginning of November. Ashley and her siblings disagreed about how to handle their dad’s request. But Ashley was easily the most concerned about the idea. “Landon and I talked. We don’t think a family meeting with Kendra on Christmas Eve is a good idea. Maybe not ever.”
Silence followed before her dad finally spoke. “I understand.”
“You can still use our house. Landon and the kids and I will have dinner with his parents.” Ashley tried to sound upbeat. But her effort didn’t seem to be working. “I don’t want to get in the way of your plans. But on Christmas Eve? I’m not sure how Amy would handle that.”
“I like the idea of Christmas Eve. Because everyone will be together.” Her dad sounded like he was struggling with the idea, also. At least a little. “I keep asking myself what would Erin want us to do?”
