Page 26 of Christmas Past
I nodded, then closed my own eyes and reached for my gift. This time, instead of the wild, chaotic force that had terrorized me the day before yesterday, something warm and steady rose within the very core of my being. My time-traveling ability was still there, still mine, but now it was supported by something much stronger — Ruby’s prima power, flowing into me like a gentle current.
“That’s it,” Ruby murmured. “Now, focus on when you want to go. Your own time. Your real home.”
I pictured our bungalow as it existed in the twenty-first century — the updated kitchen with the Viking appliances we’d splurged on, the furniture Seth and I had chosen together from various stores in the Verde Valley, the warm, lived-in feeling of a place that truly belonged to us. I thought about our wedding, now only six days away in a future I’d been dreaming about for months, about our friends and family, who might be wondering where we were…about the life Seth and I had built together in a time where we could be completely ourselves.
The magic responded, not with the violent surge I’d experienced before, but with a steady, controlled flow. Ruby’s strength anchored me, giving me the stability I needed to direct the jump to the correct time. Patrick’s power was there too, a warm undercurrent that made everything feel more solid, more real.
“Safe travels,” Arthur said softly, and those were the last words I heard before the world dissolved around us.
I could tell at once that this journey through time would be completely different. Instead of the terrifying roller coaster ride that had landed us in 1948, this was like traveling in a well-appointed train car, smooth and steady and completely under control. I could sense the years flowing past us — 1949, 1950, the decades rolling by one after the other — but there was no chaos, no sense of being out of control.
Ruby’s power guided us unerringly toward our target, and when we finally began to slow, I knew with absolute certainty that we were approaching exactly where and when we needed to be.
We materialized in the living room of our bungalow, landing gently on the hardwood floors without the violent impact that had characterized our earlier jumps. The afternoon light filtering through the windows was different from what we’d left behind in her time — softer, almost diffuse, the light of winter rather than summer. But everything else looked exactly as we’d left it…the overstuffed couch, the juniper coffee table that we’d bought because I’d admired the one in Angela’s house so much, the iron candlesticks on the mantel that we’d found in Sedona, the holiday garland of fir and pine we’d gathered up on Mingus a week earlier…all the thousand and one little details that made this place ours.
“Oh, thank God,” I breathed, then immediately experienced a pang of guilt for expressing relief at leaving Ruby and the others behind.
Seth was already on his feet, moving to the window to look out at the street below. “It’s definitely December,” he said, although I’d already guessed that, based on the garland I’d spied on the mantel and the pot of poinsettias sitting on a plant stand in one corner. We’d decided against a tree, just because we were going down to Tucson and Tubac for our honeymoon immediately after the reception, and it had seemed silly to leave a tree up for days with no one around to enjoy it. However, I supposed that seeing Aaron and Marnie Young’s blow-up penguin in the front yard across the way only confirmed what we’d both been thinking. “And it looks like it snowed last night.”
I joined him at the window, and sure enough, a fresh dusting of snow covered Rich Street. Not enough to get in anyone’s way — snow this light would probably be gone in a few hours — but it was still good to see that the solstice had been blessed with a little weather. And if I needed any more reassurances that we were back where we were supposed to be, the cars parked on the street were modern, sleek designs that belonged to our era, and I could also see solar panels glinting on most of the rooftops.
We were home. Really, truly home.
I went to the coffee table and got my phone out of the drawer where I’d stowed it before we left, knowing that a cell phone wasn’t going to do us much good in 1926. The screen lit up immediately, revealing a cascade of missed calls and text messages, but more importantly, it showed that today really was December twenty-first.
“We made it,” I said, hardly able to believe that we’d really arrived where and when we needed to be. “Ruby got us back to exactly the right day. We’ve only been gone for about twenty-four hours.”
Seth pulled me into his arms then, holding me close, and I leaned against his shoulder, breathing him in.
It just felt so good to be here with him, to know that we really had made it home.
“Amazing that she could be so precise,” he said, voice almost wondering. “Ruby really is remarkable.”
“She is,” I agreed, then untangled our arms so I could take a step back and look at him. “How are you doing?”
He was quiet for a moment, his expression thoughtful. “A little sad, I suppose,” he said at length, then hurried to add, “Not that I’m back home, of course. Only that I wish I could have shared more of their lives, even though I know that wasn’t really possible. But still, I think I’m okay. I got to say goodbye properly this time, and I got to see that they were all right. Arthur’s going to do well, and Ruby….” A smile, and he shook his head. “Ruby’s going to be an amazing prima for as long as she leads the clan.”
I’d already known that, but it was a lot different to actually see her in action rather than just hearing about her based on stories the McAllisters still shared. “And Charles?” I asked, knowing Seth’s relationship with his brother was the most complicated piece of the puzzle.
He let out a breath, but he still looked thoughtful rather than sad or worried. “Charles will be fine, too. He has Arthur and his work…and he also knows now that I chose to leave rather than simply disappearing.” Seth’s hand reached for mine, his touch warm, reassuring. “And more than any of that, I know where I belong now.”
The certainty in his voice made my heart lift. This was what I’d been hoping for — not just that we’d make it home safely, but that Seth would find the peace he’d been seeking.
My phone started playing “The Carol of the Bells,” and I glanced down to see Bellamy’s name on the screen. “I should probably take this,” I said. “She must be wondering where we’ve been.”
Seth nodded, although he looked amused at the same time. “Cell phones were one thing I definitely didn’t miss while we were in the past.”
What could I do except stick my tongue out at him as I lifted the phone to my ear?
“Devynn!” Bellamy’s voice was bright with relief. “There you are! I tried calling you yesterday, but it went to voicemail. Please tell me you and Seth aren’t having second thoughts about the wedding, because if you are, I have a very expensive dress hanging in my closet that — ”
“We’re not having second thoughts,” I said as I grinned at Seth, who was also smiling. “Sorry about yesterday. We had to run down to Scottsdale, and like an idiot, I forgot to charge my phone before we left.”
I hoped the story sounded plausible enough. We’d already let a few people know we were going to be gone for a day while I got some pampering, and although Bellamy might have been a little miffed that she and Bree had been left out of the spa day, I guessed she would also understand why Seth and I had needed a little alone time together away from all the wedding chaos.
“Okay,” she said. “As long as you’re back now and ready for all the final preparations. There’s the rehearsal dinner Tuesday night, and then there’s Christmas and your big day on Saturday, and — ”
“We’ll be ready,” I broke in. “You don’t need to worry about us.”
