Page 20 of A Baxter Family Christmas
“I know, but...” She walked in silence for a few moments. “He should at least be sorry. This was all his doing.”
Landon was quiet for a long moment as they walked through the snow. Finally he moved his arm up around her shoulders and gently pulled her closer. “All I know is that your dad loves you.” He kissed the side of her head. “Still... I’m sorry you’re hurting. Really.”
Ashley chided herself. “I’m sorry, too.” She sighed. “This is a special day. I don’t mean to be a downer.”
Amy and Janessa turned back and ran toward them. “We’re pretending we’re lost in the wilderness.” Janessa’s eyes were bright with joy. “Okay? You two pretend with us.” She waved her arm in a big circle. “Pretend it’s a big storm coming and we have to hunt for our food.”
Ashley stifled a laugh. “Okay! We’ll protect you.”
“And I’ll do the hunting.” Landon raised his hand. “You girls can help Mom find shelter.”
“Yeah!” Amy clapped her hands. “Come on, Janessa!” They ran back to the front of the group.
Ashley laughed again. “How can I be upset about Christmas Eve when today is so good?”
“Exactly.”
Ashley breathed deep, the fresh air cold in her lungs. “We’ll deal with my dad’s decision later.”
They walked up a hill to a grove of pretty Christmas trees. Cole declared the area the best in the entire tree farm. Janessa and Amy and their cousins found a place they could all live if they never made it back to civilization. Ashley loved their imagination almost as much as Christmas itself.
In the next half hour each family found a tree and the kids took turns using the saws. On the way back down the hill to the farmhouse, Ashley and her dad allowed some distance between them and the others. Despite the beautiful afternoon, Ashley felt her anger return. “You know why Luke isn’t here, right?”
Her dad seemed caught off guard by her tone. “He said they had things to do.”
“That’s not why.” Ashley worked to control her tone. “Dad, he’s upset. I am, too.”
“About Kendra.” His words were more of a statement than a question.
“Yes.” She forced herself to take a breath. “Christmas is a special time. Please... can’t you reschedule her? Sometime next year?”
“Well... at this point, she’s already confirmed.” Her father looked at the snow-packed ground ahead. “Meeting her on Christmas Eve matters to me.”
Ashley could tell from her father’s tone that the subject was closed. “Christmas matters to us, too.”
“I’m sorry you’re upset, Ashley.” Her dad narrowed his eyes. For the first time since the subject came up he seemed less sympathetic. “I thought you’d understand.”
“I don’t have a choice.” She hated this, hated fighting with him. “You’re not going to change your mind. That’s fine.” She steeled herself to the cold breeze. “We won’t be there.”
“You’re worried about Amy.” He gave her a sad smile, his woolen beanie pulled down over his brow. “I get that. But have you asked her?”
“Really, Dad?” She raised her voice, and then immediately felt embarrassed. The discussion was going nowhere. The wind had picked up again and with it came a wave of snow flurries. She moved closer to her father so he could hear her. “You want me to ask a ten-year-old little girl if she’d like to meet the stranger who has her mother’s heart?”
“I don’t know.” Her father stuffed his hands deep in his pockets. “When I pray about it, I feel like somehow the meeting could be good for Amy. Healing, even.”
“I don’t think so.” Ashley was beyond frustrated. “How about we agree to disagree. I just thought you could wait until after Christmas. Or until Amy’s older. But it is what it is.” She hesitated. “You have it your way and we’ll have it ours.”
He was quiet for a moment. The two of them still trailed the rest of the group—all of whom seemed excited over the trees the men were hauling back. “I’m sorry, Ashley. Really.”
“Dad, if you were sorry you’d change this.” She stopped walking as tears blurred her vision. “Don’t you see that?”
“I can’t change it. Not now.” Her dad stopped and faced her. “I gave the woman my word.”
“Okay.” Ashley crossed her arms and started walking again. “Enough. Let’s just drop it.”
“Don’t be mad, Ash.” He walked beside her, but he sounded more upset than before.
“I’m not mad. Just hurt.”
