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"Well, I cannot wait to meet my grandchild. I never thought this day would come, but I'm so glad that she's here. And, Cole?" Jonah said.
"Yes, Dad?"
"Whatever differences you might have, please don't be too hard on yourself or Hope."
"What makes you think I’d be too hard on her, Dad? I care about her." And he really did treasure Hope with every fiber of his being. Sure, it was difficult for him to understand why she’d kept Mia from him but he would always have a special place for her in his heart.
"Son, your words might say one thing but you're my son and I know you very well. Your emotions, your feelings, and how you say something are entirely different. I have a feeling you’re not telling me everything about what happened between you two in order to spare my feelings. But please don't feel that you need to. Knowing what type of person you are and how caring and noble you try to be every day of your life, I think you’re heartbroken and devastated over not being told you had a child. I see a hint of sorrow mixed with joy in your eyes. I know you've been through some rough patches, and probably you have a lot of unanswered questions about Hope’s absence from your life but for the sake of your little girl-"
"Her name is Mia, Dad.”
"Mia. For the sake of Mia,” he continued with a warm smile on his face as if her name brought pleasure to his soul, “please remember that sometimes it is better to keep the peace than to be right."
Cole listened attentively to his old man.
"Family is important, Cole,” Jonah continued. “Differences can come and go but the for the sake of Mia, erase any disappointment you might feel towards Hope over her keeping Mia a secret from you these past years. And let's move forward as a family. It’s the holiday season. There's no sense in living in the past. And for heaven's sake, it's near Christmas. This is what the Christmas spirit means. The spirit of love, forgiveness, hope, and pure thankfulness for what is going right for you, living in the moment. You know what the doctor has said about my situation. It could be any time now. I have to be extremely careful. I want you and Hope to spend a lot of time together and work through this. Because love is always better than animosity. You only live once, remember that."
Cole swallowed hard. He felt a strange numbed comfort at his father’s words. His old man had a point, didn’t he?
Mia was everything right now. And she didn't have a clue of what went on between her parents—and Cole wanted to keep it that way. Children should never be caught in the crossfire of their parents’ tension.
He remembered even as a child, when his own parents were married and living under one roof, he’d never seen them argue with each other or cast evil eyes or anything like that, even though years later, he found out there was indeed tons of tension between them.
The fact that he and Hope were even together now was a true miracle, wasn’t it? His father was right about the spirit of thankfulness. No matter what crazy circumstance brought Mia into his life—the important thing to remember was that at least she was there now, wasn’t she?
But what his father didn’t know was that he’d already drafted a contract with Hope that they not go to bed upset with each other among other things. Cole felt a sense of relief that his father, his beloved dying father, would have an opportunity to see his granddaughter and spend time with her. To experience what it's like to be a grandfather for the first time in his life.
"Okay, Dad, I'll make an effort.”
And he meant it. Cole felt a warm glow flow through him thinking about Hope and their love child. Damn, it was going to be hard keeping a physical distance from Hope. If he was honest with himself, Hope still meant the world to him. He’d die for her in a heartbeat to save her life. He just wished she wouldn’t keep him in the dark about whatever it was she was still hiding from him.
No sex for at least a month, Cole. Get reacquainted with each other all over again first.
But man, to be truthful, the sex with Hope had been the most intensely passionate experience of his life. It was off the charts. But that was all it was, a physical relationship, it seemed, because her heart and soul wasn't with him.
Hope was a sea of mystery to Cole, plain and simple. But currently he had to focus on his daughter, making sure Hope was safe, and his father's happiness.
* * *
"So are you two getting married? I hope you do the right thing, Cole,” Jonah said to his son as they walked down the corridor towards the conservatory, their shoes making a sound on the marble floor. Paintings of their ancestors hung on the cream-colored walls leading to the conservatory, but soon, Christmas decorations would also be hanging in the hallway. It hardly felt like the holiday season without them. The decorations were late going up this year. It was already early in December.
"Yes, Dad, I thought about what's best for Mia and I think it's important she has a complete family. And we know this means a lot for you to do it sooner than later."
His father didn't have much time left, and he didn't want his father’s mood to be clouded in disappointment that he really was entering into a one-year contract with Hope for show. Of course, he would see if he and Hope could work on something more once they were reacquainted with each other and got to know each other better. But Cole also knew Hope was hiding a lot of things from him which he found puzzling, so he didn’t want to push his luck.
At least he'd get to fulfill that wish, his old man’s bucket list challenge to settle down. But he wasn't going to tell his father about his secret plan that it would be in name only, and that he and Hope would more than likely sleep in separate quarters—or apart on their king-sized bed. At least for a good month or so, as difficult as that would be for Cole. He had the feeling he’d be taking a whole lot of cold showers in the coming month.
"I asked her to marry me, and we both agreed that having a holiday wedding around Christmas Eve would be best."
Jonah stopped walking with his cane for a moment and gasped at his son, the look of wonder on his face. "A Christmas wedding? Why that's wonderful, Cole! That's the best thing I've heard today."
"No, Dad, a Christmas Eve wedding. I think Christmas Day should be about Christmas.”
"What's wrong with a Christmas Day wedding? I think it would be perfect for Mia. She would always remember this blessed day. And so would I. A day when the family joins together and the day when we welcome our newest addition to the family—a true gift to us all. Mia is a Belmont, right?"
"Actually, I have a lot of things to do this week. I’ll be looking into getting her surname changed.”
"Oh,” Jonah said, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "I see."
"Yes, I’ll have to make arrangements for that. Actually, it's going to be a busy week for me ahead."
"Never mind that,” Jonah said. “That’s a small thing to think about."
As they reached the conservatory they both heard laughter and chatter coming from the room.
"It looks as if the rest of the family has beaten me to it,” Jonah said with delight.
"Yes, it looks that way," Cole said with joy in his voice. A grin curled his lips as he saw Mia being hugged by his brother Dane and surrounded by the rest of the family including Dane’s pregnant wife Olivia, Brandon and his new wife Faith, and Chase with Abbi, his fiancée. Aunt Maya was singing a song and clapping with Mia as she was held in her uncle Dane's arms.
The feeling of joy overwhelmed Cole’s senses. His father was right; why spoil the moment with feelings of disappointment over the past? The past was dead and gone. People should live in the present, not the past. Because the present was what they all had now.
As much as he was going to take things slowly with Hope, he would be as convincing as he could to allow the family to enjoy this happiness and especially for his daughter and his father who meant the world to him.
"Oh, there you are, Jonah," Aunt Maya said as she turned with a wide smile on her face. "Isn't she adorable?”
“Hello, Maya. Hello, everyone,” Jonah called from the doorway. “Hope, it is so good to see you again. You’re looking so well.”
“Thank you,” Hope said. “It’s so good to see you again, too, Mr. Belmont.”
Everyone seemed to pause for a moment. Then Jonah’s eyes misted over as he looked at his granddaughter with love. Slowly, he walked with his cane, hobbling towards Dane who was holding Mia. He stopped in front of her as if he was so joyful he couldn't speak. He swallowed hard. Cole could see his old man's emotions overcoming him.
"Mia. My God, child, you are so beautiful," he said with adoration in his voice.
"Are you my granddad?” Mia said in her cute little voice filled with excitement.
Cole’s heart leaped inside his chest. At that moment there were no shadows across his heart. He could also tell that Hope was filled with emotion too as she looked on eagerly at the situation unfolding between them, the grandfather who was dying and meeting his three-year-old grandchild for the very first time. His only grandchild.
"Yes," Jonah said with emotion. "Yes, my child. I am your grandfather. And you are my beautifully lovely grandchild. I love you very much. And we're going to be spending a lot of fun times together. "
