Page 9 of The Blessings of Christmas
“Okay. Thank you.” She gave her head a soft shake. The radio played. Ryan cracked eggs. And Sarah wondered what was happening to her.
Just as they were finishing up, her mother popped her head in. “Everything fine back here?” Looking from Sarah to Ryan, Lila gave a perky smile.
“Yep,” Sarah said over her shoulder. “Ryan’s doing great.”
“Oh, goody. The chocolate chip cookies were just snapped up by Cole Campbell. He’s taking them over to the PR office for Mercedes and Kate.”
“I wonder if Kate brings that baby to work with her.” Her friend Kate had given birth to a little boy at the end of August.
“I guess so,” her mother said. “Isn’t she nursing?”
With that, Ryan wandered back to the ovens.
“Yes, I think she mentioned that. She has a La Leche woman helping her, although I told her to call me any time, especially if she, you know, leaks.” Sarah directed her attention to Ryan. “Come back here, you. We have work to do.”
Hands on hips, he looked exasperated. “Are you two finished talking about, you know, babies and stuff?”
“Time for me to leave.” With a girlish giggle, her mother swirled back to the front.
Sarah turned back to Ryan. They whipped the egg whites. Then, scooping out a spoonful of dough, she rolled it into a ball. “Want to try?”
But she held back a laugh, watching him grab a bit of dough the size of a dime. “Bigger, Ryan. They should all be the same size.”
He scooped up a larger lump. “Better, Mom?”
“Fine.” Their pace picked up. After rolling all the balls in egg whites and then the pecans, they arranged them on the baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Ryan had preset the temperature and he slid the cookies into the oven.
“So did I pass?” Easing out a breath, he looked relieved––like he’d deactivated that bomb and saved the city.
“We’ll know when we taste them. They’re buttery and melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I love orange marmalade in the middle but... well, some people prefer strawberry.” Her voice trailed off and her eyes fluttered open.
“Jamie.” Her brother-in-law’s face emptied. “He always spread strawberry jam on his toast.”
“He did like strawberry.” She bit her bottom lip and, darn it, her eyes filled.
Before she knew it, Ryan was hugging her. “It’s okay, Sarah. I miss him too.”
“I know you do.” She let her head fall upon his chest. For a second she lost herself in the comfort of a shared loss. Beneath her cheek, his heart beat, steady and strong.
But what was she doing? Pushing away, she straightened her apron. Arms falling to his sides, Ryan looked a little stunned himself. “Time to clean up.”
“Right.” He ran his hands down his apron.
She whisked the bowl to the sink while Ryan sponged off the counter.
Sarah didn’t know her brother-in-law that well until Jamie went overseas. Two years behind them in school, Ryan had been the boy who tagged along. Unlike Jamie, he never did that well with his studies. Instead, he drove their parents crazy with his stunts. The motorcycle accident wasn’t a surprise. Jamie had warned him plenty of times about driving over the speed limit without a helmet.
Although their mother came from Chicago during Ryan’s hospitalization, she was in a new marriage and didn’t seem to know what to do. When Ryan was out of danger and on the mend, she left. Sarah had no idea if they’d talked since then.
After Jamie left for Afghanistan, Ryan would show up at The Full Cup or give her a casual call, saying he had something for the boys. The motorcycle accident left him on crutches for a while. She’d invite him for dinner or drop off food at his apartment. But he’d become moody and withdrawn.
“So, gone on any interesting dates lately?” she asked when he was carrying the last pan to the ovens. Stumbling, Ryan caught himself in time to save the thimbles.
“Dates?” Disbelief lifted his voice. Opening the oven, he slid the pan in and then slammed the door shut.
“You know. You pick up the girl and take her to a movie or out for a meal.”
The set of his lips told her she was pushing things. “What about you? I don't see you dating.”
