A Texas Holiday Miracle

She shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“This is my house, and I’m asking you to leave.” Anger flashed in his eyes. Her first instinct was to turn and walk away and let him live in all the pain he had created. But something beyond her control made her lay her hand on the box.

“This is really nice. Zack would be very proud of his father.”

Gabe froze, just as she had expected. She’d said Zack’s name on purpose, because it was the only thing that caught his attention.

“Are you dense? Get out of my garage.”

A tremor ran through her, and she knew she couldn’t continue to be stronger than she was. It was taking everything she had to stand her ground. She didn’t know what would have happened next if Pepper hadn’t come into the garage.

“Oh, Pepper is better.” She went to the dog and stroked her.

Gabe glared at Lacey and she continued to pet the dog.

“The medication helps,” he said so low that she barely caught it.

“Did you call the vet?” she asked one more time.

“Yes. And he said he will come to the house in the morning at ten and do the procedure here.”

“That would be much better and less stressful on Pepper. And you.”

“I’m not worried about me,” he snapped.

“I’m well aware of that.”

Pepper whimpered.

Lacey hugged her. “Are you in pain, girl?”

“She wants to go outside.” He wiped his hands on a rag. “Come on, Pep. We’ll go outside.” Gabe walked past Lacey through a door into a utility room. Pepper trailed behind, but she wobbled. It was clear she was very weak.

Lacey had the choice either to walk out the garage door and retreat to her house or to follow them. She did the latter. In the kitchen, Pepper’s strength gave way and she sank to the floor. Gabe picked her up as if she weighed no more than a feather and carried her out the back door.

Lacey was dumbstruck by the scene before her. The kitchen had a table and one chair. The counters were bare; nothing was on them. It looked as if no one lived there, except for the dog dishes on the floor. She gasped as she saw the wall.

Photos of a brown-haired little boy covered it, from the day he was born until the day he’d died. Zack in a crib, crawling, walking and holding on to Gabe’s fingers, on a tricycle, then a bicycle, a skateboard and doing numerous other activities. Zack’s life was on this wall.