The Christmas Baby

What kind of Christmas did Oscar, Maria or Zander look forward to? In less than a month, he’d say goodbye to his classroom and the kids forever.

His hands clenched around the wheel. Which was what he’d worked for—to leave the family on a better financial footing and return to the research he loved.

But the children he’d leave behind tugged at his heart. Even Zander, despite the third grader’s determination to keep everyone at arm’s length. Ryan blew out a breath of air. He’d not foreseen that when he tendered his resignation.

Arm’s length. He’d done the same since changing careers and coming home to help his family. As for seeing Anna again? The rush of emotion had caught Ryan by surprise.

What would happen to kids like Oscar, Maria and Zander after Ryan left the Shore for good?

He throttled the steering column. “This isn’t my problem, God.” But saying that out loud didn’t ease his conscience as he’d hoped.

Ryan released his grip on the wheel and leaned against the seat. The replacement teacher would be fine. The children would be fine. Anna and her baby would be fine.

Would they? Would Ryan? Was there a reason Anna had come into his life now?

Only the sound of shorebirds wheeling above the glittering water of the inlet broke the silence. But he couldn’t shake the memory of the unspoken plea in Anna’s beautiful eyes. To trust her. To understand. To be her friend.

She seemed so sad and alone. First losing her husband and now being a single parent. He shouldn’t have walked away. He needed to apologize. No one should feel that sad or alone, especially at Christmas.

And when her very intimidating ex-deputy dad found out about the baby... Ryan winced. He didn’t envy Anna that conversation.

He spied Seth Duer stuffing something fur-lined and red into the cab of his truck, and Ryan got an idea. He grinned. A surprise not only for the children, but for Anna, too.

* * *

So like their deputy sheriff father, Charlie’s uniformed shoulders hunched in the overstuffed armchair. “Why didn’t you tell us about the baby, Anna?”

Sitting on the sofa in her childhood home, Anna fidgeted. “Because you would’ve tried to talk me out of it.”

Perched on the armrest, Evy dangled her trademark high heels. “And your due date is January 6?” Her smile made her cheeks brush her retro horn-rimmed eyeglasses. “An Old Christmas baby. The Epiphany.”

The glasses reminded Anna of Ryan. She’d expected too much from a childhood friend she hadn’t seen in years. She’d underestimated the distance time and geography had created between them.

Just before high school graduation, she’d actually thought—hoped—Ryan might care for her as more than a friend. But he never said anything. And she chalked it up to wishful thinking. The road not taken. At this point, a road she couldn’t afford to take.

She steeled herself against the ache Ryan’s rejection evoked. “Mateo’s people call it the Día de Los Reyes.”

“Reyes. ‘Kings’ in Spanish.” Evy’s blond ponytail swished. “The Magi. Three Kings’ Day.”

“A day of gifts.” Anna locked eyes with her scowling brother. “And this child is his last, best gift to me.”

His elbows on his knees, Charlie steepled his hands under his chin. “With the rest of the Pruitts scattered far and wide this Christmas, there’s plenty of room for you at the house.”

She looked at her brother with his Clark Kent good looks. “I appreciate the offer, but I rented a house on Quayside Lane before I left Texas.”

His brow furrowed. “This is your home, Anna.”

With her older brothers, Jaxon and Ben, on active military duty and firefighter Will on the mainland, it had fallen to Charlie to keep the home fires burning. A home where she’d spent a happy childhood.

Charlie frowned. “You don’t have to do everything by yourself, Anna.”

Evy slid onto the sofa beside Anna. “We want to be here for you.”

Anna’s gaze darted between them. “I love you both for your support, but it’s better this way.”

“Quayside is so remote.” He lifted his chin, the cleft clearly visible. “It’s not good for you to be out there alone. Especially with winter upon us.”

“I’m the big sister, remember, Charlie? I’ll be fine.”

Anna glanced out the picture window at the maples lining the street. Having dropped the last of their leaves, the bare branches revealed the stark beauty of winter. Christmas used to be her favorite time of year.

She hardly remembered the girl she’d once been. Full of optimism as she headed off to college. Surprised by love’s possibilities after meeting handsome Marine Corps PFC Reyes. And because of Mateo’s deployment, a whirlwind wedding. The girl she’d been before death and fear took their toll.

“Why did you do this, Anna?” Her brother’s pensive tone pulled her away from her memories. “Why not start a new family with someone else?”

She stiffened. “I want Mateo’s child.”

“His child keeps you mired in the past.” Charlie’s lips tightened. “You lost your teaching job over this, didn’t you?”

She knotted her hands in her lap. “There were side effects with the fertility drugs. I was absent a lot.” It was the understatement of the century. “The school district chose not to renew my contract. But I have to do this. This child is Mateo’s legacy preserved forever.”

“Do you hear yourself, Anna?” His eyes widened. “What kind of burden is that for a kid to bear? Being someone’s memorial candle. How dare Mateo Reyes ask you to do this.”

She stood so fast she swayed. “That’s not how it was. I want to do this. I need to do this.” She squared her shoulders. “I didn’t go into this lightly.”

“Help us to understand.” Evy caught Anna’s arm. “Please sit down.”

She allowed Evy to pull her onto the sofa again. “Neither Mateo or I ever believed he wouldn’t win the war against the cancer. He was so young. So strong. So full of life...” Her voice broke. “Don’t you think I’ve considered what it will mean to bring a fatherless child into the world?”

Charlie came out of his chair and crouched in front of her. “Raising a child as a single mother is going to be so hard, sis.” He reached for her hand.

“This was Mateo’s greatest desire—to have a child.”

Her brother’s hazel eyes bored into hers. “There was a court case a few years ago, which made national headlines. Posthumous children aren’t entitled to Social Security or military benefits. They have few legal rights.” He blew out a breath.

Charlie didn’t know the half of it. The procedure hadn’t been covered by the VA. She didn’t want her family to know how she’d depleted her savings.

“At first, I tried artificial insemination. But after three failed attempts—”

“You weren’t pregnant at our wedding a year ago.” Evy put her hand to her throat. “How long have you been trying to conceive, Anna?”

A question she preferred not to answer. “The good news is that the in vitro finally worked.” After two failed procedures.

She’d sold anything she could live without. Everything she owned in the world sat in her VW Beetle parked in front of the house.

Charlie rocked on his heels. “Stay here, Anna. With people who love you.”

She shook her head. “I need to do this on my own.”