Silent Night (7 page)
T
he nurse dimmed the lights and left them alone. Bree should be tired, but energy strummed along her veins and kept her lids wide-open. She stared into her husband’s face as he drank in the baby’s face in the crook of her arm.
Then switched his gaze to the baby in the other.
“Twins,” he breathed. “I still can’t believe it. The early ultrasound didn’t show this.”
Bree drew her finger along the downy face of her daughter. “The doctor said a twin hiding behind the other baby only happens in 1 percent of the cases. I guess God decided we needed a bonus.” She raised her gaze to Kade’s. “You have a son.”
“And a daughter.” He pressed a kiss on each downy head. “She’s got your eyes and hairline.”
“It’s too soon to tell,” she protested. But she saw it too. The tilt of their daughter’s eyes, the tiny widow’s peak along the hairline now hidden by the tiny cap. She inhaled the salty-sweet aroma a newborn carried for only a few weeks. “I want Davy. And Anu.”
“And Naomi?”
“Of course.” She wanted to show her children to the world. She watched Kade step to the door, but he didn’t have to go far. Everyone was waiting right outside in the hall.
“Mommy!” Davy barreled into the room.
When was the last time he’d called her mommy? She patted the mattress. “You have a brother
and
a sister, honey.”
“Both?” He stopped in his tracks, and his mouth formed an O. Then he gingerly clambered up beside Bree and stared at one baby, then the other. He reached out and his sister grasped his finger. “She likes me!” He beamed.
“Of course she does. You’re her big brother. You have to protect her. Teach her all the things she doesn’t know.”
Behind him, Anu had stopped as well. Her tender gaze lingered on Bree’s face, then moved to the infants in her arms. Tears sprang to her eyes and coursed down her cheeks. “Oh, kulta
,
” she breathed. “God has blessed us with two.”
“Come here, Grammy, and kiss those babies,” Kade said. “They smell so good. They’re still a little gooey, and they have sticky stuff in their eyes, but they’re beautiful. And so’s their mommy.” His gaze locked with Bree’s.
Naomi stepped into the room behind Anu. Her gaze took in both babies. “Girl, you never do anything halfway.” She wiped her eyes and approached the bed behind Anu, who was pressing kisses against the pudgy cheeks of the tiny girl in her arms.
Anu laid Bree’s daughter in Naomi’s arms, then lifted the baby boy. “Do we have names?”
“We had a name for each, just in case.” Neither of them had wanted to know the baby’s sex. “Her name is Hannah, after you, Anu. Ann is the variation of Hannah. And our son is Hunter. For Samson.”
Naomi rushed for the door. “I’m bringing Samson in. He needs to meet his new charges.”
“They won’t let you,” Bree called. But she was talking to the wind. She and Kade exchanged rueful glances. She watched Anu settle into a chair with both babies in her arms. Davy hung over his siblings with rapt attention.
She heard the click of Samson’s nails on the floor before she saw him. His broken leg had quickly healed and hadn’t left a trace of a limp. With the dog on his leash and wearing his search vest, Naomi came rushing in, her cheeks pink and her eyes sparkling.
She released him from his leash. “I had to do some talking, but turns out Samson found the receptionist’s grandson when he wandered off. Remember that, Bree? Samson is the star in this town. He gets special privileges.”
Samson’s dark, intelligent eyes went from Bree to the babies, who were still sleeping in Anu’s arms. He whined, then went to sniff one baby then the other before turning to stare at Bree as if to say,
What
have
you
done
now?
Then he curled at the foot of her bed. His gaze dared anyone to hurt his family.
Kade eased onto the mattress beside Bree. He slipped his arm under her head, and she curled up next to him. Anu brought the babies to them, and they parted enough to settle the tiny forms between them.
“Me too!” Davy climbed onto the bed on Bree’s other side.
She slipped her arm around him, then turned her gaze to lock with Kade’s. The intensity in his eyes warmed her, made her forget the pain still slowing her movements.
“We have a full house,” he whispered.
“And even fuller hearts,” she said, leaning over to kiss him.
W
e are back in Rock Harbor together! It has been so gratifying to see how much you have loved Bree and Samson. I love them too. And there’s quite a lot of me in Bree, so it feels like your love extends to me personally. :)
I hope you enjoyed catching up with Bree and the gang. I smiled all the way through the ending myself!
As always, I love to hear from you! E-mail me anytime at
[email protected]
Your friend
Colleen
1. Have you ever dealt with an ungrateful person? How did you deal with him or her?
2.
Bree wanted a baby more than anything. Have you ever struggled with God saying, “Wait”? How did you handle it?
3. Kade was hard on his sister because he didn’t want to fail his parents. What can make a parent cling too hard?
4. Lauri realized that every day is a gift. What do you think that means?
5. Lauri was looking for a purpose in life. Do you know what your purpose is?
6. How do you feel about adoption? Would you ever adopt a child of a different race or one with health problems?
7. Our families can often be a mishmash of members. Do you have an unusual member in your family?
8. Has God ever given you something over and above anything you’ve dreamed of?
One
L
ibby Holladay fought her way through the brambles to the overgrown garden. She paused to wave a swarm of gnats away from her face. The house was definitely in the Federal style, as she’d been told. Palladian windows flanked a centered door, or rather the opening for a door. The structure was in serious disrepair. Moss grew on the roof, and fingers of vine pried through the brick mortar. The aroma of honeysuckle vied with that of mildew.
She stepped closer to the house and jotted a few impressions in her notebook before moving inside to the domed living room. The floorboards were missing in places and rotted in others, so she planted her tan flats carefully. She could almost see the original occupants in this place. She imagined her own furniture grouped around the gorgeous fireplace. She’d love to have this place, but something so grand that needed this much repair would never be hers. The best she could do would be to preserve it for someone else who would love it. She itched to get started.
Her cell phone rang, and she groped in her canvas bag for it. Glancing at the display, she saw her partner’s name. “Hey, Nicole,” she said. “You should see this place. A gorgeous Federal-style mansion. I think it was built in 1830. And the setting by the river is beautiful. Or it will be once the vegetation is tamed.” Perching on the window seat, she made another note about the fireplace. “Nicole? Are you there?”
There was a long pause, then Nicole finally spoke. “I’m here.”
“You sound funny. What’s wrong?” Nicole was usually talkative, and Libby couldn’t remember the last time she’d heard strain in her friend’s voice. “Are you still in the Outer Banks? Listen, I heard there might be a hurricane heading that way.” She dug into her purse for her jalapeño jellybeans and popped one in her mouth.
“I’m here,” Nicole said. “The residents are sure the storm will miss Hope Island. The investor is really interested in this little town. And we have the chance to make a boatload of money on it. It’s all in your hands.”
“My hands? You’re the one with the money smarts.”
Nicole was the mover and shaker in Holladay Renovations. She convinced owners to dramatically increase the value of their historic properties by entrusting them to Libby’s expertise. Libby had little to do with the money side of the business, and that was how she liked it.
“I think I’d better go back to the beginning,” Nicole said. “Rooney sent me here to see about renovating some buildings in the small downtown area. He’s working on getting a ferry to the island. It will bring in a lot more tourism for the hotel he’s planning, but the buildings need to be restored to draw new business.”
“I know that much. But what do you mean ‘it’s in my hands’?” Libby glanced at her notes, then around the room again. This was taking up her time, and she wanted to get back to work. “We’re doing the lifesaving station for sure, right?”
“Yes, I’ve already seen it. We were right to buy that sweet building outright. After you get your hands on it, we’ll make a bundle
and
have instant credibility here. I’ve started making notes of the materials and crew we’ll need. But I’m not calling about the renovations. I’m talking a lot of money, Libby. Millions.”
That got Libby’s attention. “Millions?”
“I stopped by the local attorney’s office to see about having him handle the paperwork for our purchase of the lifesaving station. Horace Whittaker. He’s got both our names on the paperwork now.”
“So?”
“The secretary gasped when she heard your name.”
“She knew me?”
“The attorney has been looking for a Libby Holladay. Daughter of Ray Mitchell.”
“That’s my dad’s name.”
“I thought it might be. I’d heard you mention the name Ray, but I wasn’t sure of the last name.”
Libby rubbed her head. “Why is he looking for me? My father has been dead a long time—since I was five.”
“He died a month ago, Libby. And he left you some valuable land. In fact, it’s the land Rooney thought he had agreed to purchase. So we’re in the driver’s seat on this deal.” Nicole’s voice rose.
Libby gasped, then she swallowed hard. “It’s a hoax. I bet the attorney asked for a fee, right?”
“No, it’s real. According to the secretary, your father was living in the Outer Banks all this time. And Horace has a box of letters Ray wrote to you that were all marked
Return
to
Sender
. It appears your mother refused them.”
Libby’s midsection plunged. Throughout her childhood she’d asked her mother about her father. There were never any answers. Surely her mother wouldn’t have
lied
. Libby stared out the window at two hummingbirds buzzing near the overgrown flowers.
“Do you have any idea how much money this land is worth?” Nicole’s voice quivered. “It’s right along the ocean. There’s a charming little inn.”
It sounded darling. “What’s the area like?”
“Beautiful but remote.” Nicole paused. “Um, listen, there’s something else. I met a woman who looked like you a couple days ago.”
Libby eased off the window ledge. “Who is she?”
“Your half sister, Vanessa. You also have a brother, Brent. He’s twenty-two.”
“My father married again?” Libby couldn’t take it all in. This morning she had no family but a younger stepbrother, whom she rarely saw. Why had her mother kept all this from her? “What about my father’s wife?”
“She doesn’t seem to be around. But there’s an aunt too.”
Family
. For as long as she could remember, Libby had longed for a large extended family. Her free-spirited mother was always wanting to see some new and exciting place. They had never lived at the same address for more than two years at a time.
“You need to get here right away,” Nicole said. “There are a million details to take care of. This is the big deal we’ve been praying for, Libby. You will never want for anything again, and you’ll have plenty of money to help your stepbrother. He can get out of that trailer with his family.”
The thought of buying her stepbrother’s love held some appeal. They weren’t close, but not because she hadn’t tried. “I can’t get away until tomorrow, Nicole. I have to finish up here first. We have other clients.”
How much of her reluctance was rooted in the thought of facing a future that was about to change radically? She never had been good with change. In her experience, change was something that generally made things worse, not better.
Her partner’s sigh was heavy in Libby’s ear. “Okay. Hey, want to see Vanessa? She’ll be here in a few minutes. There’s a beach cam out by the lifesaving station, and I’m supposed to meet her there. I’ll send you a link to it. You can see her before you meet her.”
Libby glanced through the window toward her car. “I have my computer in the car.” She tucked her long hair behind her ear and gathered her things. “What does Vanessa think about our father leaving prime real estate to me?” She left the house and started for her vehicle.
Nicole cleared her throat. “Um, she’s pretty upset.”
“I would imagine. What did you tell her about me?”
“As little as possible.”
“I don’t know if that’s good or bad.”
“I wouldn’t worry about them. She and her brother are fishing for info though. She mentioned lighthouse ruins and I asked for directions. She offered to show me, but I went out there by myself yesterday. I’m still meeting her today because I knew you’d want to know more about her.”
It sounded like a disaster in the making. “I have so many questions.”
“Then come down as soon as you can and get them answered. Wait until you see Tidewater Inn, Libby! It’s really old. It’s on the eastern edge of the island with tons of land along the beach. The inn was a house once, and it is a little run-down but very quaint. It’s hard to get out here. Until Rooney gets the ferry approved, you’ll have to hire a boat. You’re going to love it though. I love this island. It’s like stepping back in time. And I’ve even seen some caves to explore.”
“No road to it from the mainland?” Libby couldn’t fathom a place that remote.
“Nope. Boat access only.”
Her phone still to her ear, Libby opened her car door and slid in. The computer was on the floor, and she opened it. “I’m going to have to get off a minute to tether my phone to the computer. Send me the link to the harbor cam. Don’t tell Vanessa I’m watching.”
“When can you get here tomorrow?”
“It’s about two hours from Virginia Beach?”
“Yes.”
Libby doubted she’d sleep tonight. It would be no problem to be in the shower by six. “I’ll be there by nine.”
She ended the call, then attached the cord that tethered the phone to the computer. She would use the cell signal to watch Nicole’s video feed on the larger screen. Then she could watch and still take any calls that came in. Her skin itched from the brambles. She established the connection, then logged on to the Internet. No e-mail yet.
She owned property. The thought was mind boggling. No matter what condition it was in, it was a resource to fall back on, something she hadn’t possessed yesterday. The thought lightened her heart. She stared at the grand old home beside her. What if there was enough money from the sale of the inn to allow her to buy a historic house and restore it? It would be a dream come true. She could help her stepbrother. She could buy some Allston paintings too, something she’d never dreamed she could afford.
A woman pecked on Libby’s car window, and Libby turned on the key and ran down the window. “Hello. I’m not an intruder. I’m evaluating this gorgeous old place for the historic registry.”
The woman smiled. “I thought maybe you were buying it. Someone should restore it.”
“Someone plans to,” Libby said. What if it could be her instead of her client?
The woman pointed. “I’m taking up a collection for the Warders, who live on the corner. They had a fire in the kitchen and no insurance.”
Libby had only two hundred dollars in her checking account, and she had to get to the Outer Banks. “I wish I could help,” she said with real regret. “I don’t have anything to spare right now.”
“Thanks anyway.” The woman smiled and moved to the next house.
Libby ran the window back up and clicked on her in-box. An e-mail from Nicole appeared. She stared at the link. All she had to do was click and she’d catch a glimpse of a sister she had no idea even existed. Her hands shook as she maneuvered the pointer over the link and clicked. The page opened, and she was staring at a boardwalk over deep sand dunes that were heaped like snowdrifts. In the distance was a brilliant blue ocean. A pier extended into the pristine water. The scene was like something out of a magazine. She could almost feel the sea breeze.
She clicked to enlarge the video and turned up the speakers so she could hear the roar of the surf. Where was Nicole? The pier was empty, and so was the sea. A dilapidated building stood to the right of the screen, and she could just make out a sign over the door. Hope Beach Lifesaving Station.
Then there was a movement on the boardwalk. Nicole appeared. She smiled and waved. “Hi, Libby,” she said. The sound quality was surprisingly good. The sound of the ocean in the background was a pleasant lull.
Libby had to resist the impulse to wave back. Her partner’s blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail under a sun hat, and she wore a hot-pink cover-up over her brown bathing suit.
Nicole glanced at her watch and frowned. “Vanessa is late. Like I started to say earlier, I didn’t want to wait on her to see the lighthouse ruins, so I went out there alone. I have to show it to you. Wait until you see what I found. You’ll seriously freak! Hey, give me a call. This pier is one of the few places where my phone works. Isn’t that crazy—an entire island without cell service. Almost, anyway.”
Libby picked up her cell phone, still connected to the computer. They could talk a few minutes. Before she could call, a small boat pulled up to the shore. Two men jumped out and pulled the boat aground. Nicole turned toward them. The men walked toward her. There was no one else in sight, and Libby tensed when Nicole took a step back. Libby punched in Nicole’s number. She watched her friend dig in her bag when it rang.
When Nicole answered the phone, Libby leaped to her feet and yelled, “Get out of there. Go to your car!”
Nicole was still watching the men walk toward her. “It’s just a couple of tourists, Libby,” she said. “You worry too much.” She smiled and waved at the men.
Libby leaned closer to the laptop. “There’s something wrong.” She gasped at the intention in their faces. “Please, Nicole, run!”
But it was the men who broke into a run as they drew closer to the boardwalk. As they neared the cam, Libby could see them more clearly. One was in his forties with a cap pulled low over his eyes. He sported a beard. The other was in his late twenties. He had blond hair and hadn’t shaved in a couple of days.
Nicole took another step back as the older man in the lead smiled at her. The man said, “Hang up.” He grabbed her arm.
“Let go of her!” Libby shouted into the phone.
The man knocked the phone from Nicole’s hand and the connection was broken. The other man reached the two, and he plunged a needle into Nicole’s arm. Both men began dragging Nicole toward the boat. She was struggling and shouting for help, then went limp. Her hat fell to the ground.
Barely aware that she was screaming, Libby dialed 9-1-1. “Oh God, oh God, help her!”
The dispatcher answered and Libby babbled about her friend being abducted right in front of her. “It’s in the Outer Banks.” She couldn’t take her eyes off the boat motoring away from the pier. “Wait, wait, they’re taking her away! Do something!”
“Where?”
“I told you, the Outer Banks.” Libby looked at the heading above the video stream. “Hope Beach. It’s Hope Beach. Get someone out there.”
“Another dispatcher is calling the sheriff. I have an officer on his way to you.”
“I’m going to Hope Beach now.”
“Stay where you are,” the dispatcher said. “We’ve got the sheriff on the line there. He’s on his way to the site. Don’t hang up until an officer arrives.”