A Christmas Wish for... Short Stories

I hope you enjoy, and I wish you Happy Christmas, Hanukkah, and Yule.

Blessing, Mama Magie

Madilynn Laramie had always wanted a Christmas Eve wedding, a real wedding. Unlike the one at the Western Wedding Chapel she had with Jarett in Las Vegas on the day after Thanksgiving. Looking out at the decorations from her bedroom window, the memories ached like the burn of frostbite getting warm.

After all night on the bus from Wyoming, Maddie had been terrified Jarett would be upset when she told him she had gotten pregnant before he left for the fall Rodeo Circuit. He insisted wanted to make a name for himself as a professional bull rider before they started a family. But when she gave him the news, he had surprised her. Declaring that it was the happiest day of his life since they met in second grade and would be until his son was born. She had laughed with relief and revealed she didn’t know if it was a boy or a girl yet. Jarett boldly declared he could only have sons, then he ordered Thanksgiving room service that they couldn’t afford and made her take a nap after her long trip.

While she slept in, he had traded his Dodge Dually for a SUV, and used the extra money to buy a carseat, and a wedding set from a pawn shop. The next day, she cheered, around her heart in the throat, as he placed fifth in the PBR quarter finals. A month later he was gone, thrown by a bull called the Widowmaker and stomped once on the side of the head. He never woke up, he never held his son. The closest he had come to holding Jarrett was when she had held his hand over her barely there baby bump as his heart beat its last.

Maddie hadn’t felt warm since that Christmas week, until now. She looked in the mirror at the tears in her eyes and dabbed them away. It was time to move on. She never had to be cold or sleep alone on Christmas Eve again

“Mama, grampa says it’s time.” Jarrett poked his head in and grinned.

Her son had his father’s brown eyes and easy smile, and her sunkissed hair. All the little girls in school were already swooning over Jarrett, but he only had eyes for Ginny. In Pre-school, he had asked for glasses for Christmas so she wouldn’t be the only one with them in their grade. He hated that she was teased, and the preschool teacher reported that every day during naptime, they would fall asleep holding hands. Now in second grade, everyone in the community was sure they would be married someday.

“I’m coming, sweetie. Are you sure about James? ’Cause mama can still back out.” Maddie asked hesitantly. Her son’s happiness was the thing she would sacrifice her own for. He meant more to her than anything.

Jarrett Junior looked at her with an expression that said, ‘Just really’, then bent down to touch her boots. He frowned up at her. “They feel warm.”

Maddie swallowed her laugh and asked innocently, “Why wouldn’t they?”

Her son gave her a very stern, very adult scowl. “Grampa said if you got cold feet, you might run away.” He shrugged. “But your feet feel okay.”

“Oh? Good, then I guess it is okay to get married,” Maddie answered as seriously as she could.

“Madilynn, get down here,” her best friend Gayle shouted up the stairs.

Maddie kissed her son on the cheek. “I won’t run away. I promise.”

The weather had held warmer today, and the stars were bright over the mountains tonight. Winter seemed to hold its bitter breath just for her wedding, as if it knew she had suffered more than her share of frozen tears.

Gayle was her only bridesmaid wearing heavy scarlet corduroy dress and her favorite russet boots with the embroidered red roses. She held a bouquet of glittery red poinsettias and evergreen and tiny white lights. Maddie looked at the lights and frowned, but Gayle just shrugged mischievously.

“What? It’s Christmas eve and I like shiny things.” Gayle giggled and Maddie had to laugh, her best friend was addicted to all things sparkly.

“Let’s just go, Glitterholic,” Maddie groaned. There was no point in refusing the queen of bling.

Gayle handed Jarrett Junior a green velvet pillow with two rings tied on it. Ginny was already waiting by the door with a matching basket filled with tiny rice paper snowflakes. She pushed her glasses up on her nose and gave them a shy smile. Jarrett smiled back and pushed his ‘glasses’ up too. He pointed at the door lintel above their heads. It made Ginny giggle then she leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

“Do you always have to stand under the mistletoe?” Ginny asked quietly.

“Yes.” Jarrett grinned impishly, nodding, while Gayle laughed, and Maddie just shook her head.

Gayle leaned over and whispered, “He really is just like his daddy.”

Maddie nodded, swallowing against the sudden lump in her throat. “He’s a lot like James too. Who do you think put the mistletoe over every door?”

“Aren’t you glad you rescued that city slicker from a blizzard?” Gayle nudged her with a grin.

Maddie could only smile about the memory.

She had been driving down from delivering mail up the mountain in almost blinding snow when she saw a car off the road. The expensive sports car was not something anyone in their right mind should be driving in the high mountains in winter. She stopped to help the driver but oddly there was no one about. Maddie had almost left when she heard a shout for help in the howling wind. Following the sound, she discovered, a man in a suit with a broken leg.

James Thibodaux was very under-dressed for the weather that day, in a business suit and loafers. He had just left a meeting with the owners of an old unused ski resort. The slick road was quickly being buried in the snow when he had spun out of control and ended up high centered. He had thought that if he climb up the mountain, he could get a cell signal. His smooth soled shoes and the snow had made the start of the climb treacherous, but soon he found himself sliding and then rolling down the steep incline. A tree stopped his fall and also broke his leg. If the local mail carrier hadn’t stopped to check his car, he would have died. He had been shocked at how strong the petite, blonde beauty was as she practically carried him back to her 4WD.

Remembering the same moment at the same time, James stood outside waiting, he never truly believed he would get married, not after he had been left at the altar by Amari. He wondered if she and his cousin Philip were still happily married. Inside the back door, he caught a glimpse of Maddie coming down the stairs and his heart hurt with how happy it was. He could feel it every time he looked at her, like walking out of the cold glass world of Thibodeaux Tower into the warmth of spring.

Her world was so different from his, but after one kiss, he knew it was the world he wanted to be part of. He had made some mistakes along the journey to this night and learned the hard way that Maddie and her people expected honesty above all. This wasn’t the world he grew up in where nobody said what they meant, and everyone looked out only for themselves. He was disowned and disinherited by his mother for refusing to marry the Charleston socialite she had chosen for him, and he could care less. The only thing he wanted was to be the husband of the woman beyond the door and the father of her son.

Music started to play, and the door opened. Gayle came first, grinning like a Cheshire cat. She winked at James’ best man Landon, the only one of his old entourage who had stood with him against the wrath of his family and friends. Landon had watched first his mother, then his beloved Clarice die of cancer and knew the value of love. When James had almost blown it with Maddie, and gotten plastered, Landon had dragged him away from Heather and driven him two days back to where his heart lived.

Landon was the one who brought James back to the only place he had ever felt at home. Friends since boarding school, they were closer than brothers. Landon had gotten Gayle to help him and they stranded the pair at Squaretop Mountain Lodge for three days. It was time well spent because the couple had reconciled.

James threw Landon a glance as Jarrett walked forward next. Landon gave him a cheeky smile and flashed a thumbs up as he pretended to adjust his collar. Little Ginny was next, sprinkling snowflakes cut from rice paper. Jarrett waited for her in front and offered her his arm to guide her to their seats, the gentlemanly act by the second grader drawing ohhs and awws from the audience awaiting the bride.

The bridal march began, and everyone stood. James felt his breath catch in his chest. The beading on her winter white velvet dress sparkled as Madilynn walked down the steps of the porch, carrying a bouquet of white poinsettias and flocked evergreens. Her fine golden hair had been woven with iridescent ribbons into a crown that was covered by the sheerest veil he had ever seen. It was like starlight had been pressed into cloth. She was his angel, and it seemed even more perfect that she looked like the angel on top of the tree in the living room.

Maddie didn’t feel the cold air at all. The softly twinkling globe lights hanging all around created a magical atmosphere as she stepped out under the stars and started toward her city slicker. He looked so handsome in a simple suit jacket and black wranglers. His smile grew wider the closer she got. Her heart fluttered and seemed grow warmer in her chest, as the cold ache she had felt for all these years grew less with each step.

James didn’t even notice her great-Uncle Joe walking at her side, until the old man placed her hand in his. His whole attention was focused on her. She had saved his life and saved him from a heartless existence. He had given up everything for her ,and he would do it again without hesitation. Every moment that his heart beat was hers until the very last one.

Tonight, Maddie got exactly what she wanted for Christmas. It was her wish for so long to find someone who would love her as much as she loved him. James was her Christmas wish in flesh, but not the one she had expected. A city boy learning to wear boots and live a simple mountain life while running a ski lodge. She had saved his life and he had saved her heart. She almost didn’t hear what the minister said as she happily looked into his eyes, espresso brown with garnet flakes, until they were repeating their vows, she pledged the words with her whole heart.

“I do,” James announced with such a firm conviction that it sent shivers up her spine.

Maddie’s softly spoken response was like an angel’s kiss upon his soul. “I do.”

Two years later...

Maddie was standing in front of the big bay window next to the Christmas tree in their home. His grandmother and her grandfather were laughing about something while she watched James split wood in the falling snow. The snow was gently coming down in giant fluffy flakes. The house had central heat, but then fireplace was a nice touch for Christmas Eve. Landon and Gayle were curled up together on the couch watching ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’.

James looked up and Maddie smiled at him through the glass with a mug of cocoa resting on her baby bump. She was wearing his favorite cranberry sweater with the V-neck. He grinned at her because he was truly happy.

Maddie opened the door for him, and as he knelt to stack the wood by the fireplace, she pressed a warm kiss onto his temple.

“Happy Anniversary, Mr. Thibodeaux.” She whispered.

He pressed a kiss into her belly before standing to hug her, “Happy Christmas Eve, Mrs. Thibodeaux.” Then he backed her over to the archway under the mistletoe again.

She giggled when the snow from his hair fell into her cleavage as he shed his coat. It sent shivers across her skin, and made her heart flutter happily, basking in her love for him.

“And happy anniversary, my angel.” He murmured, kissing her with all his love and all his intention to be the one to keep her warm for the rest of their lives.

The Prequel to this story will be coming in the Editingle Indie Publishing House Christmas Anthology 2021.