Single Dad's Christmas Miracle

Teagan looked over.

“Isn’t it about time for your nap?”

She slid off her chair just as the den door opened and Clark stepped inside. He stooped down and opened his arms. “I see somebody’s ready for a nap.”

He scooped up the little girl, and, as he rose, he saw the video game. “I thought you’d be working.”

“Today is our first day together,” Althea said, then added a, “Drat” when Jack killed two of her soldiers. “Anyway, we’re using this time to get to know each other.”

Without taking his eyes off the screen, Jack said, “We’re bonding.”

“Just don’t bond too long. I want your grades up so you don’t fall behind a semester.”

He left the room and Jack tossed his controller to the sofa. “Let’s go.”

Baffled, she turned, her gaze following him as he walked to the desk. “Go?”

“To work. You heard him. He wants my grades up.”

She rose from the sofa. “Yes. But he didn’t seem to be angry that we were getting to know each other.”

“You should have spent some time bonding with my dad instead of me. Then you’d know that was his angry voice.”

“That was his angry voice?”

“Yep.”

They went to the computer and checked out the potential programs Clark had chosen for his son. Jack participated as they scrolled through each one, but his responses were lackluster. She tried to revive some of the enthusiasm he’d shown while playing video games, and though he would smile, his heart clearly wasn’t in his studies.

The den door opened again. Clark poked his head inside. “I ordered pizza. It should be here in a half hour or so. Jack, I’m sure Althea would appreciate the chance to clean up before we eat. So why don’t you turn everything off so she can go?”

“What time is it?”

“Six.”

“Six!” It had been noon when she’d arrived, probably after one before they finished the interview and got her set up in her room. That could have made it two when she and the kids got settled in the den. Maybe three before Teagan left for her nap. That meant she and Jack had spent three hours looking at programs. She supposed that wasn’t too far-fetched.

“Where’s Teagan?”

“After her nap, she stayed in the office with me.”

“Oh. Okay.” She smiled at Jack. “You and I certainly were immersed in our work.”

He smiled. But he didn’t say anything. She glanced at Clark then back at Jack.

He wasn’t afraid of his father. That she recognized from her own life. She knew what a frightened child looked like. But he was terribly unhappy.

She followed Clark to the kitchen, ducked into her suite behind it to wash her hands, then joined Clark and Teagan at the table. While Jack found paper plates and napkins, Clark opened the big pizza box. The scent of tomato sauce and pepperoni invaded the air, making Althea’s stomach growl.

“I guess this is what two days of going without food will do to you.”

Clark gaped at her. “You really did go without food?”

“I wanted to get here. I’d already been on the road three days. After I talked to Emily, I just wanted to keep moving so I could get here and get started.”

“I can understand that.” He glanced back at Jack. “Hurry up, buddy, or the pizza will be cold.”

At the easy way the term of endearment slipped from Clark’s lips, Althea frowned. He clearly loved his son. And with Teagan sitting on his lap while he cut her pizza into tiny pieces, it was also obvious that he loved his daughter. He was simply too much of an organizer. Someone who wanted everything to run like a well-oiled machine. Because everything was “working” he didn’t see anything wrong.

But there was plenty wrong. She could see it in Jack’s eyes.

They ate their pizza with Clark carrying on a steady stream of chitchat. When he announced he would be getting Teagan ready for bed, she asked if she could follow along.

His face scrunched in confusion. “Why?”

“With the housekeeper gone, it’s just good for me to know all the routines.”

He shrugged. “Sure. Great.”

She trailed behind him as he carried the little girl up the steps. They found her bedclothes first, then Teagan had a quick bath. She slipped into her princess nightgown and crawled under the covers.

Althea leaned against the doorjamb as Clark retrieved a well-worn storybook from the drawer in the white bedside table that matched the white frame of her canopy bed.

He read her a story about a bunny that had gotten lost in the woods. While most children’s eyes would droop as the story lulled them to sleep, Teagan’s eyes widened.

Althea frowned. Why read her a story that seemed to upset her?

But in the end the daddy rabbit found the lost bunny. He fed her soup, tucked her into bed and kissed her forehead, telling her he’d never let anything happen to her. She could always depend on him.

Happy ending.

Clark rose, tucked Teagan into bed, kissed her forehead and said, “I’ll never let anything happen to you.” He kissed her forehead again. “You can always depend on me.”

Teagan smiled. Her eyelids finally lowered. She snuggled into her pillow.

Warmth filled Althea’s soul. Using a story he had just told his daughter he’d always be there for her. A pretty smart move for a guy who obviously didn’t know how to say the words himself.

Clark motioned to the door. Althea turned and walked out into the hall with him on her heels, and the glow in her warming every part of her body. This was definitely a family worth saving.

But how?

* * *

The next morning when Althea stumbled into the kitchen, she found the quiet Beaumonts all seated on the tall stools around the center island.

“Good morning.”

Clark glanced up from his computer screen. “Good morning.”