Page 61 of Fourth Heartwarmers Trilogy
By the time he’d finished with Lotborn, the election results were all but secured. Now to just make it through the night and the next day’s election safely, then Mia would finally be able to breathe deep.
Once Jack had his say, ending to a loud round of applause and yells of support, Chief Driver let it be known that his men were there to protect the mayoral candidate and would be watching over him like a proud mama with her first newborn. His statement brought huge laughs from the crowd and instant relief to Mia. They could sleep easy tonight.
Chapter Forty
While the girls shopped for shoes, Jack worked at the office, making phone calls with the rest of the volunteers, working late into the night. By the time he got back to Angie’s it was almost midnight. With huge pressures facing him because of the election the next day, his juices were flowing nonstop, and his nerves had lit up like an active volcano.
He saw the lights still on as he thanked Brian. Good, Angie’d waited up for him. She’d talk him down so he could sleep. “You didn’t have to bring me here, bro. I could’ve driven myself.”
“Nope, no driving until we have this election in the bag tomorrow. Then you can have your keys back, son.”
“Yes, Daddy.” Sarcasm wrapped in a friendly smile. “You’ve been a pal, Brian. I don’t know how to thank you.”
“Maybe a raise?” Brian laughed good humoredly.
“Done.”
“I was just messing with you, man.”
“I’m not. You’ve been swell over these last weeks, and we both know the company has gotten a lot more business because of the limelight from the campaign. Once people found out what I do, there’s more work than we have men and time for. So, you’ll be going the hiring route yet again. Trust me, bro, you’ll earn the five bucks an hour more.”
Brian’s face lit up and the tired smile glowed. “See you bright and early. And don’t be worrying about Angie’s place. We have a few of the guys camping outside around the perimeters, just on the off-chance there’s any problems.”
“Hey, five’s my limit, stop ass-kissing me.”
This time Brian roared before he stepped on the gas and waved his goodbye through the open window.
Jack continued into the house, heading toward the light coming from the living room. He expected to see Angie but got the shock of his life. Because there was only one person waiting for him, and it wasn’t her.
***
Mia had said her goodnights to Maisie and Mark at the casita earlier and had returned to the house, sitting in the glow of the living room lamps where she did the final stitches on her and Maisie’s dresses for the next day. Wanting them to be extra special, she opted for material she’d kept aside for this occasion where looking their best needed to happen.
She spread the material over her lap and smoothed it gently, loving the soft feel. It was coming close enough to Christmas that she’d decided to go just a bit seasonal and had found white material with silver and red snowflake decorations. Maisie had jumped up and down with glee when she’d seen her dress. “It’s Chwistmas, Mia. My dwess is for Chwistmas.”
“That’s because the holidays are coming soon, Maisie. You’ve been such a good girl, letting me and Mark get on with our work, that I’m thinking to write a big letter to Santa Claus and tell him how well you’ve behaved.”
“I’m a good giwl.” Maisie stated it with the certainty of a four-year-old genius.
“Yes honey, you’re a splendid girl. It’s been a madhouse lately trying to get all the orders finished for Christmas. For the most part, you’ve played quietly and let us keep working. I know it isn’t easy, pumpkin. I know you’ve been bored. But if you can hang in there just a little longer, I promise things will be better.”
“Angie plays with me.”
“Thank goodness. Should I write Santa a letter for her too?”
Maisie giggled. “Can I help?”
“Of course. We’ll write it together.”
Mia grinned, lost in her memories. She picked up the hem once again to finish the last bit. She must remember to grab a minute the next day so she could keep her promise to her little girl.
The lovely music she’d requested from Alexa, her Echo, played in the background adding to the peaceful atmosphere. Pine smells from the Christmas tree Angie insisted had to be real, took her back to many previous holidays she’d spent here as a youngster.
The house shone with seasonal fripperies. Angie went overboard most years, but this time she’d gone above and beyond. Christmas was everywhere, especially in the huge tree decorated and glowing with traditional decorations that made it appear as one might have forty years earlier. They’d even brought out the tinsel Angie used year after year and painstakingly gathered to be placed in tissue paper at the end of each season.
In the lower workroom, Angie had insisted they use a multitude of small teddy bears, millions of tiny lights and a selection of colored bows to highlight that tree with a little girl’s happiness in mind. The females had spent Sunday afternoon placing the decorations and singing along to the music.
But this main tree in the house was the exact same year after year. Mia’s mother had told her that Angie always kept it the same as during the time when her sweetheart had been alive.
