Page 33 of Ghosts From Christmas Past

He gathered her into his arms and kissed her with a new depth of emotion. The future she and Dylan had believed in all those years ago would finally come true, and she wouldn’t let anything stand in its way.

Epilogue

Christmas Eve, one year later…

Charlie glanced out the kitchen window at the falling snow. The past year had been a rollercoaster ride of uncovering emotions and growing as a person. Easing back into a world that was eight years ahead of her. Learning what she liked still. What she didn’t. Through it all, one thing remained rock solid. Dylan.

It had taken her longer to realize what she wanted to do with her future than it had to come to the decision to sell her family home. She and Dylan had moved into his home, and her family’s home sat empty, with nothing but ghosts from the past flitting through its room. It had been bittersweet decision, but one she didn’t regret.

In the end, she decided not to pursue her former career choice. After the care she’d received while at Whispering Pines, Charlie knew where her future lay. She wanted to become a physical therapist. The courses were challenging, but she loved every minute of them.

“Hey, babe, I’m home.” The front door closed softly. Footsteps came down the hall, and he joined her in the kitchen. “Here you are.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her like only Dylan could.

“How’s the little one doing,” he asked, his hands splaying across her stomach. Their first child was due any day now, and they were both so excited at the prospect of becoming parents.

“Good, kicking like crazy. I’m positive it’s going to be a boy.”

He kissed her nose. “Oh, I don’t know. She could be a tomboy like you were.”

Charlie giggled and went to the oven to check on dinner. She’d made his favorite meal. As she leaned over to take the lasagna out of the oven, the first pain struck, and she grasped the chair for support.

Dylan saw she was in trouble and hurried over. “Are you okay?” he asked.

She managed to straighten. “The baby’s coming.”

His eyes grew wide. “Are you sure? We’re a few days early.”

She nodded. “I’m sure. We need to get to the hospital.”

Charlie headed to the door and grabbed her coat. Dylan picked up the bag she’d packed. Together they headed out into the snowy night.

He helped her inside the cruiser, jumped in, and hit the lights.

“You should call Melissa. She’ll want to know,” Charlie told him as she breathed through another contraction. Jesse’s wife, Melissa, had proven to be a surprising friend through everything. She and Charlie had grown quite close, and Melissa, who had only discovered she was pregnant a few days before Jesse was arrested, had given birth to a little girl a few months earlier.

When the contraction ended, Dylan called Melissa and put the phone on speaker when she picked up.

“It’s time,” he said. “Charlie’s gone into labor. We’ll call you when the baby’s here.”

Melissa squealed. “Yippee. I’m on my way.”

Charlie chuckled. “You don’t have to yet. It could be a while.”

“My parents are here. They can watch Sophia. I’m on my way.” Though most people would have left after learning their husband had murdered two people and tried to kill another, Melissa had stood beside her husband. She brought Sophia to see Jesse as often as she could.

“Okay, but you be careful driving. The weather’s nasty out.” Dylan disconnected the call as they arrived at the hospital. He took her hand. “This is it, babe. We’re going to be parents, and I can’t wait.”

She smiled, her heart overflowing. The ghosts from that Christmas past were all gone now. She was so ready to meet their Christmas miracle.

???

“Here’s your daughter.” The second the nurse handed the baby to him, his heart melted. Dylan was so blessed. He leaned over and kissed Charlie tenderly. “You did it, babe.”

She smiled up at him with tears in her eyes. “Wedid it. She’s so perfect, isn’t she? Even though she isn’t a boy.”

He stared down at his daughter, Allison Patricia Parker, and knew that theirs would be a love just as strong as the one that kept him hoping beyond all hope that her mother would one day wake up. And he’d do whatever he could to keep her safe throughout her life. He’d never let anything happen to her because she and her mother were his Christmas miracles.