Christmas At Pelican Beach (Pelican Beach Book 4) Read online

  “Why are the two of you looking at me like that?” Rebecca snarled.

  “Don’t look at me. You’re the one who left for Savannah with a chip on your shoulder and returned with one. I don’t know what kind of bug you got up your butt, but hopefully you lose the attitude so we can all enjoy Christmas together.”

  “Whatever, Abby.”

  “Don’t whatever Abby, me. I’m serious. This should be a special Christmas for Mom and Dad. For all of us, but especially for them. Things are changing before our very eyes. They’re getting older now. We don’t how much longer we’ll have to enjoy Christmases hosted by our parents at the cottage.”

  “Abby’s right, Rebecca. Whatever is bothering you, the best thing to do is let it out now so we can get past it already.”

  “Some things aren’t so easy to get over.”

  “Does this have anything to do with you talking to Uncle Samuel’s neighbor?” Payton asked.

  “Oh no you don’t. You two aren’t pressing me about anything that may have taken place since we met for dinner. I confided in you at the inn and you both treated me like a little child. You totally disregarded what I had to say, just like Mom totally disregards everything I have to say. I’m sick and tired of it. This topic is off limits as far as I’m concerned.”

  While Payton was trying to be diplomatic, I was having visions of wrapping my hands around Rebecca’s throat. Thankfully, for her, our mother raised me to be a lady.

  “So that’s what this is about? Somebody hurt your feelings, so now you’re going to pout and act like a little brat?” Rebecca looked at me with widened eyes.

  “You know what, Abby? I thought you and I had turned a corner together. Right after I had John William I thought you and I were starting to bond. But, I see nothing has changed. As far as I’m concerned, you guys can go ahead and have Christmas dinner without me. Since I’m not appreciated, I’m sure I won’t be missed, anyway. I’m sure Ethan’s mother would be happy to have us come to her house, instead.”

  “Don’t… you… dare.” Payton looked as if she was about to grow horns.

  “Excuse me?”

  “You heard me, Rebecca. Don’t you dare be so selfish as to ruin Christmas for everyone. Despite all this nonsense you’re talking as of late, Mom would be devastated if you weren’t there and you know it.”

  Rebecca stood tight lipped with her chin up. I was surprised to see her at a loss for words. She usually had a way of trying to make sense out of things that really made no sense at all. This time Payton called her bluff.

  Wyatt could tell I was irritated later that evening. It was probably the sound of the dishes clanging as I emptied the dishwasher, that gave him a clue. He offered to prepare dinner for me and the kids, and since it was a rare occasion I didn’t refuse. Besides, how difficult was it to heat up leftovers in the microwave?

  “Are you okay, honey? You don’t seem like yourself tonight.”

  “I’m fine. Just irritated at Rebecca, that’s all.”

  “Oh, goodness. What now?” he asked with a slight close lipped smile.

  “She’s just being her usual self. You know, the queen of self-centeredness. Except the only problem is, this time it could actually have a negative impact on Christmas,” I whispered, not wanting the kids to overhear.

  “Christmas. Really? Do you think she’d take it that far? I don’t understand what it is with you three. You’ve always had such a love hate relationship with Rebecca. You would think at some point you’d outgrow all the nonsense.”

  “You three? Payton and I can’t take responsibility for her actions.”

  “No, you can’t, but you don’t have to fan the flames either. When she starts, you and Payton have to learn to walk away.”

  I fixed my gaze on Wyatt. He was about one minute from getting evicted and sent to the dog house for the night.

  “So, I guess I’m not supposed to defend myself or ever speak up for what’s right?”

  “No, honey, that’s not what I’m saying.”

  “Don’t you honey me, Wyatt. You know I’m a straight shooter. Tell me how you really feel.”

  He hesitated.

  “Aw, Abby, come on. Don’t turn this on me. I didn’t do anything except heat up the dinner and try to make you feel better.”

  I took a deep breath and moved a little closer to stroke his beard.

  “You’re right, Wyatt. You did make the evening special. Thank you.”

  “You know what else would make the evening special?”

  “Don’t push your luck, buddy. We’ve gotta see to it that the kids adhere to their bedtime so we can start part one of gift wrapping tonight.”

  “Not again. Why do we have to go through this every year? Seriously, Abby, all the gift buying is getting out of control. The kids are getting older now. I’m sure they’ll understand if Santa has to leave them their top favorite items instead of buying a ton of junk they don’t need. Where’s the gifts from last year? I’m sure half of the items were forgotten about.”

  “Christmas only comes once a year, Wyatt. If you’re getting cranky over gift wrapping, I think you’ll survive.”

  “It’s not just the gift wrapping, Abby. It’s the expense of it all. Maggie’s not even into Santa anymore.”

  “So, what does that mean? Should we tell her sorry, the gifts stop when you stop believing?”

  “No, of course not. But we could start setting a new example around this house and stop being so wasteful, that’s all.”

  I let out a long exhale.

  “Forget I said anything. We’ll get through it like we always do.”

  Wyatt tossed the dish rag into the sink and started rummaging through the refrigerator.

  “Am I missing something here? We went from having a nice dinner, to me telling you about Rebecca, to this. What do you mean ‘we’ll get through it like we always do’? If the gift wrapping really bothers you that much, I’ll figure out another plan. Maybe I can pay for a gift wrapping service in town. No big deal.”

  Wyatt popped open a can of soda and took a few gulps.

  “It is a big deal, Abby. I wasn’t going to tell you like this. I was going to wait until after Christmas, but the truth is we can’t afford any of it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ve barely been able to put a dent in any of our debt. I still have outstanding loans from law school that should’ve been paid off ages ago. Then there’s our credit card debt, the mortgage on our dream house, and let’s not forget the BMW and the double XL sized SUV in the driveway. Things are starting to burst at the seams, Abby. Maybe if we had more than one income it would work, but I can’t shoulder this on my own for much longer.”

  “Whoa. I certainly didn’t see this coming.”

  “I don’t know how you didn’t see it coming. I’ve never hidden our finances from you.”

  I felt a rush come over me that caused tears to well up in my eyes.

  “Yeah, but you know I don’t pay attention to the details. I’ve always left that up to you and just assumed everything was under control.”

  “Well, then, let me be the first to say that everything is not under control. Our consumer debt is through the roof right now and if we don’t start making some serious changes, we’re going to find ourselves in a really bad place.”

  “I really wish you would’ve said something long before now.”

  “I’m sorry, Abby. I’ve always wanted to support you and give you whatever made you happy. Even now I hate that I’m having to say anything at all. I’ve always wanted to be the husband who could just take care of everything but that only works when you’re not spending beyond your means.”

  A tear ran down the side of my cheek.

  “So, how much debt are we talking about?”

  “We’re at the six figure mark.”

  “That’s another mini mortgage,” I said with a sarcastic chuckle.

  “Yep, something like it. Plus, the firm is cutting back with our usual
bonuses this year, so…”

  “Well, I feel like I just got the wind knocked out of me. But, the one thing I know for sure is you didn’t marry a quitter. We got ourselves into this mess and we’ll get ourselves out of it.”

  “Really?”

  “Really!”

  He looked at me in disbelief.

  “That’s definitely the Christmas spirit. I appreciate the support, hun, but you do realize that having six figure debt is going to require a lot of sacrifice, right?”

  “Well, let’s just buckle down and make a plan. I married you for better or worse, Wyatt. I may need to shed a few more tears later on when you’re not looking, in the closet, with a glass of wine. But we’ll get through this. We’re a team, we can do this.”

  He held his head back and let out a hardy laugh.

  “Not the closet, Abby. Anywhere but the closet.”

  “Hey, sometimes I need to hide when the kids are driving me crazy. What can I say?”

  “Alright, I’ll give you that. But, seriously, thank you for being so supportive, babe.”

  “Oh, when this is all over you’re going to pay me back with a nice vacation or something. Paid with cash, of course. In the meantime, I think we need to get creative to help reduce some of these bills.”

  “I’m open for ideas.”

  “I overheard one of the talk shows the other day on satellite radio about this very topic. People were calling in talking about how much debt they paid off. It wouldn’t hurt to use a few ideas from the show. For starters, we could cancel all of our memberships until we get back on our feet again.”

  “True.”

  “Some of the other ideas were a bit extreme but, Wyatt, I’ll do whatever it takes to help us get out of this mess. I’ve never been the stuck up type who thinks it’s beneath me to get job.”

  “But, what about the kids? It’s always been our dream for you to stay home with them.”

  “Maybe I can find something that works with their school schedule. I don’t know, maybe I can even apply for a position at the school. It’s been a while, but I’m sure my degree in education can be put to use in some capacity.”

  “What will your PTA friends think?”

  “Wyatt, I thought you knew me better than that. I couldn’t care less about what the white jean brigade has to say.”

  “Ha, you probably would put them in their place and not even flinch.”

  “Now we’re talking.”

  Wyatt placed both his hands on my face and drew me in for a sweet kiss.

  “I honestly feel like the luckiest guy on the planet. You don’t know how much it means to me to have your support, Abby. I love you.”

  “I love you, too.”

  I turned him around and whacked him on the fanny with a dish cloth. It was the perfect time to let my playful side emerge to keep from shedding additional tears. I knew the road ahead wasn’t going to be easy, but we would get through it, together, as we always have in the past.

  Payton

  “Hi, Payton.”

  “Natalie, I was just about to call you. It’s not like you to be late. Is everything okay?”

  “Not really. I mean. I’m fine, but I won’t be able to come to the store for a while.”

  “What’s wrong?”

  Natalie burst into a heart wrenching sob. Immediately my thoughts went to her mother, but I waited for confirmation first.

  “She didn’t make it,” she barely whispered.

  “No. Aww, Natalie. I’m so sorry, love. Are you at the house? I can close the store down and come be with you right now.”

  “I’m still at the hospital. My aunt flew in from Texas yesterday, so I’m not alone.”

  “I wasn’t aware that your mom was in the hospital. I’m glad your aunt is there with you, but please know that I’m here to help in any way I can. Seriously.”

  “Thank you, Payton. I didn’t want to say anything because I know you haven’t been feeling well. Honestly, I thought it was going to be another one of her brief visits to the hospital. I had no idea…”

  Her voice trailed off for a moment.

  “I guess it really doesn’t matter now, but Mom was so thankful for your invitation to Christmas dinner. I believe she would’ve tried with all her might to make it if she had the strength. She always appreciated the way you looked out for me and gave me a full-time job. Mom always referred to you as my miracle boss.” Natalie laughed in between the sniffles.

  “I don’t know about the miracle part, I just saw your potential. She raised you to be a beautiful young lady on the inside and out. You know the invitation still stands if you and your aunt don’t want to be alone for Christmas. Of course, we’d all understand either way.”

  “Thanks. It’s likely that I won’t make it. Maybe next year.”

  “Absolutely. Take as much time as you need. And do not hesitate to call me for anything, anytime, day or night, you hear?”

  “Yes. Thank you, Payton.”

  A teardrop fell on the countertop as I hung up the phone. It made little sense to me that a young girl like Natalie was stripped of so much at such a young age. Since we met, I watched her lose everything from her friendships, her boyfriend, her degree, living a normal life, and now the most precious of them all, her mother. Moments like this made me question God’s motive, but ultimately, I knew he had a plan greater than I could comprehend.

  I diverted my attention to the sound of carolers singing across the street. It was an uplifting reminder that my family had so much to be thankful for this holiday season. The phone ringing interrupted the sweet melody.

  “Picture Perfect, how can I help you?” I answered.

  “Hello, may I speak to Payton Miller, please.”

  “Speaking.”

  “Hi, this is Karen from the Pelican Beach Medical Center. We received your message about coming in to see Dr. Marx.”

  “Yes, thanks for calling back. I realize it’s probably too late to get an appointment this week, but I was wondering if you had an opening for after Christmas?”

  “Actually, you’re in luck. We had a cancellation for tomorrow morning at ten if you’re available.”

  “You’re taking appointments on Christmas Eve?”

  “We are until noon.”

  “I wasn’t expecting to get in so soon, but sure, I’ll take it.”

  “Wonderful. Now, I just have to record what you’re coming in for and you’ll be all set.”

  “Uh, well. I guess you could say I’ve had a stomach bug for several days now. Not really sure what it is, actually.”

  “Uh, huh. Do you still have an appetite?”

  “At times, yes. And, at other times, I’m just as nauseous as I can be. And, ma’am, I should probably request a pregnancy test. You know, just to be certain.”

  “I understand. We’ll give you the works and hopefully help you feel better in time for Christmas. Alright, I have you down for ten o’clock tomorrow. Has anything changed with your insurance?”

  “No, everything’s the same.”

  “Great, we’ll see you in the morning.”

  “Thank you. See you then.”

  Emmie and I spent the evening arranging several gift bags filled with Christmas cookies. She came up with the idea of delivering a batch to the local nursing home and another batch to the children’s hospital. She had a heart of gold and always challenged me to be a better person. I love that about her. Emmie’s kind heart, sense of selflessness, beauty, and wit were all attractive traits that would carry her far in life. Sometimes I quietly watched and envisioned what the older version of Emmie would be like. She’d probably be the class valedictorian and the driving force behind her college clubs and charities. But whoever she chooses to bring home and introduce to her father would have his work cut out for him. Thankfully, that wasn’t for a few years to come.

  “What do you think about the color system I developed for the bows? The cookies going to the children’s hospital are red and the ones for the nursing hom
e are green,” she said.

  “Impressive and very organized. Emmie, how do you come up with these ideas?”

  She shrugged her shoulders.

  “I don’t know. I just think of it and then make a plan.”

  “You make it sound so easy. Not everyone is as organized as you are. I could use that kind of organized thinking and creativity at the store. You may have to come and hang out with me for a couple of days while you’re on Christmas break.”

  “Ooh, can I? That would be so cool. I could be your assistant and learn what it would be like to own my own business someday.”

  “I’d love to have you come to the store.”

  “Awesome. Maybe I can work with Natalie on a few projects.”

  “Oh, sweetheart, Natalie won’t be there this time. She had to take some time off to be with her family.”

  “Oh,” she said.

  “Hey, you never told me you want to own a business someday. You’ve had the best teacher to learn from all these years. Your dad is the best business owner, you know.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not the same. Dad does a lot of construction and I have no interest in that.”

  “Okay. Well, what do you have an interest in?”

  “I want to have my own jewelry or clothing store someday. Hey, maybe it could be a clothing store with a jewelry counter. I can sell all the latest fashion for girls my age and older.”

  “It sounds like a lovely idea.”

  Cole walked in with his duffle bag in hand. He had such an unconventional sense of style. As long as he could throw a ton of work related items in it, he didn’t care what it looked like.

  “There’s my two girls.”

  He removed flour from my nose and gave me a kiss.

  “What do we have going on in the kitchen here? Let’s see, cookies, bows, and a ton of sprinkles… looks like it has Emmie’s name written all over it.”

  She giggled.

  “It sure does. The master baker is at it again,” I said.

  “Let me guess. Is it for the nursing home this year? Or have you picked another group to donate to?”