Page 53 of Wishing for Christmas
He picked up the tubes and followed her out the front door. They began a slow, heavy walk through the snow-covered town. She led him across the street and down to the next block. He would follow her anywhere.
“Where are we going?” he asked as they walked past the big sledding hill with all the kids.
“You’ll see.”
Clara continued to lead him a couple more blocks down a narrow road. Finally, they reached a steep hill that sat empty and deserted. The fresh mountain of snow was completely untouched. It looked like an enormous scoop of mashed potatoes.
Brent looked up. “What’s this?”
“This is the hill only the true locals know about.”
He squinted to get a better look. He couldn’t help but appreciate the purity of the glistening hill. He was surprised by the beauty ofeverything: the snow-covered hill, the peacefulness of the town, the look on her face. There was that feeling again. The one he’d had in his kitchen when they were baking. The one he had on the dance floor at the party. It wasn’t one he was used to. Brent was usually too busy making plans, looking ahead to the next thing to appreciate it. Sometimes, it was nice, though, to simply enjoy being exactly where he was.
He looked at Clara, holding her tube with a delighted expression. He clutched his hand to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut as he took in a deep breath of air. Then, he released it all. He let go and surrendered to a plan that wasn’t his—it was better.
“First ones here,” Brent yelled, pumping his fist. He gave her a high five. “Let’s go!”
Clara laughed. “Well, you’ve changed your tune. What happened to all that stick-to-the-plan mentality?”
He shrugged. “I guess itdoeslook pretty fun.” He looked her in the eye. “Or maybe you bring something out in me.” He wasn’t sure why he had said that or what it even meant. The only thing he knew was that it was true.
Brent looked up at the massive hill. “Are we going all the way up to the top?” he asked. “This hill is much bigger than the one the kids were going down.”
“We sure are. This is a hill youonlytake from the top.” Clara looked at him with a sideways glance. “Why, you scared?”
“Yes,” he answered immediately with a smile.
“Trust me, it’ll be worth the effort,” she said. She reached for his hand.
He looked into her eyes and held her gaze. “The best things usually are.”
The two of them made the slow climb to the top of the hill, taking turns being in the lead. When they reached the summit, they were both panting, and the view from the top suddenly took away any remaining breath Brent had left in him. He took a long look around. He could see off in the distance, in all directions. Snow covered everything. He could see the town below with its white church steeple and tiny houses with smoke rising from their chimneys. Clara was right. Ithadbeen worth the climb.
Brent arranged their tubes into position and gave her a wink. “Are you ready for this?”
Her eyes widened as she glanced down the hill. Her brow furrowed. He could see the sudden hesitation on her face.
“Who’s scared now?” he asked, giving her a playful nudge.
She bit her lower lip. “I don’t know. This looks pretty steep, now that we’re up here,” she said. “Why don’t you go first, and I’ll watch?”
“Not a chance,” Brent said with a smile. “Come on, we’ll do it together.” He sidled his tube next to hers and held out his glovedhand. He urged her with his eyes to take a chance with him. “You scared?”
“Yes.”
“Trust me,” he said. “It’ll be quite a ride. But we’ll do it together.” Brent wasn’t talking about sledding down a hill, and they both knew it. He was talking about joining him on the adventure of a lifetime.
He knew Clara was hesitant, and rightfully so. He knew that by marrying him, she would be taking a huge plunge into the unknown. Air Force life was not unlike speeding down a massive mountain with nothing underneath you but an inflatable tube. They would have no idea what to expect, where they would end up, or whether they’d even make it through safely. But with a committed partner by his side, he knew the whole experience could be an amazing ride.
Clara let out a long breath of foggy air. “I hope you’re right,” she replied, seeming to know what he meant. She placed her mittened hand into his and gripped it tightly.
They exchanged a long glance. The world around them stood still and serene. He could see her entire body relax. He understood the feeling. Her hand in his was all the assurance he needed that everything would be okay.
Clara nodded at him, letting him know she was ready.
“Okay, let’s go.” He squeezed her hand tighter as he pushed off.
They flew down the hill, their tubes spinning. They grasped tightly to each other’s hands. The rush of cold air and the adrenaline of racing down the hill made Brent feel completely out of control. At the same time, the feeling of Clara beside him made him feel completely secure. Her screams of exhilaration and his hearty laughter filled the air.
