Page 42 of A Baxter Family Christmas
From the other room, John called for Moe. “Come tell Luke about that new tax law. He’s a lawyer. The two of you probably speak the same language.”
Moe smiled at Kendra. “We’ll talk more later.”
“Okay.” She watched him go, watched him join the men at the table. Then she slipped into her coat and boots and stepped out onto the porch. The snow had let up and overhead the sky was clear. Stars dispelled the darkness, much as they must’ve that first Christmas night.
When Mary and Joseph welcomed the Savior of the world. The One who was God, in the flesh. The One still real and alive today. Kendra was suddenly sure about Him.
This night was all the proof she needed.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Maddie was still sitting by the tree, still talking to God and thanking Him for changing her heart, when the doorbell rang. She watched her Aunt Ashley hurry through the front room. “The Flanigans are here!”
TheFlanigans? What? Maddie felt her eyes grow wide. The room seemed to tilt hard to one side. TheFlanigans? In a rush of flashbacks, she remembered the name. The Flanigan family. Friends of her Aunt Ashley’s. She hadn’t seen them in years, but...
Was it possible?
Maddie stood, her back to the tree. It couldn’t be possible. This family had young kids, and some of them were... some of them were adopted from Haiti.
Like Connor’s brothers.
She held her breath as Aunt Ashley opened the door and welcomed the family inside. A blond boy was the first to enter. He introduced himself as Ricky. And then came three more boys—all of them teens. All of them black. Shawn, Justin, and BJ.
Her knees trembled. Next through the door came...
“Bailey!” Maddie took a few steps forward. “Bailey Paul? You’re... you’re part of the Flanigan family? My Aunt Ashley’s friends? I was so young back then... And I guess my family missed a lot of those parties. I can’t believe this.”
“Maddie West?” Bailey hurried over to her. “This is crazy! I had no idea you were part of the Baxter family! I haven’t been to Ashley Baxter’s house in years.”
“Makes sense.” Maddie laughed. “There’s a ton of us Baxter grandkids.”
The two hugged and just then Brandon, Bailey’s parents, and finally Connor entered the house.
He saw her and immediately froze. For what seemed like ten minutes, Maddie felt as if they were the only ones in the room. He was carrying another dessert, and slowly he set it on a nearby end table. “Maddie?”
“I can’t believe this.”
Their parents and families were oblivious to what was happening between them. Only Bailey and Brandon stood by, grinning at what they were witnessing. Maddie heard Bailey say something about none of them knowing she was part of the Baxter family.
But Maddie couldn’t concentrate on anything or anyone but Connor.
He crossed the room to her. “I... can’t believe you’re here.” He hugged her and took a step back. “No wonder you looked familiar.”
“How come I didn’t figure this out?” She still felt dizzy, as if she couldn’t quite get the details to add up. “I forgot my aunt’s friends were the Flanigans. Until just now as she was answering the door.”
They hugged again and at that point Connor’s parents joined them by the tree. Connor’s cheeks were red, as if he, too, couldn’t believe what had just happened. “Mom... Dad... this is Maddie West.”
His mom smiled. “We’ve known Maddie since she was a little girl.”
“Maddie and her sister, Hayley.” Connor’s dad grinned. “It’s been a few years.”
“At least a few.” Maddie laughed. And for the next several minutes they worked to figure out the last time they were all together. Three years ago at the annual Fourth of July picnic, Connor had been on a camping trip with his church’s high school group. And the year before that, Maddie had stayed home sick with her dad.
“So the last time we were both at one of these parties was six years ago.” Connor looked at Maddie. “You were twelve and I was thirteen.”
“I had braces.” Maddie giggled.
“Me, too.” Connor squinted at her, as if he were looking back through the years. “Was your hair dark back then?”
