Page 45 of This Christmas

“Oh no.” Charlotte gasped and looked very worried.

“I’m sure everyone’s okay,” Joe assured her, already standing to go out and check.

Outside, one driver waved, holding a phone to his ear, and the other got out of their car and inspected the bumper.

Just then, a patrol car turned the corner and flipped on its lights. They watched as Tom stepped out of the car to check on the drivers.

The snow was starting to stick to the roads faster now, coating everything in a blur of white.

“What do you say we take the rest of our donuts to go,” she suggested, suddenly uneasy about the trip home. “Before it gets worse.”

Joe nodded, flagging down their waitress.

“Mama, we aren’t going to crash are we?”

“No, baby.” She smiled. “That’s why we took Auntie Juliette’s SUV. It’s got four-wheel drive.”

Her daughter looked at her.

“That means all four wheels will work very hard to get us back home safely.” Joe gently wiped a sprinkle from Charlotte’s cheek. “I’ll go get us a box to take our bacon sandwiches and these donuts home and get us coffee and chocolate milk to go.”

By the time they were bundled back into the car, the roads were even slicker and visibility had dropped. The drive back to the lighthouse was slow, cautious, and quiet as Joe drove, the kind of drive where you hold your breath through every curve.

When they finally pulled into the driveway, she exhaled in relief.

“We made it,” Joe said, glancing at her with that steady calm she was coming to rely on. “I told you I’d get you here safe, didn’t I?” He winked at Charlotte, who giggled.

“Thanks,” Ally replied, finally relaxing.

They spent the rest of the morning inside. After finishing breakfast, she told Charlotte it was time for her reading and writing lessons. Joe sat at his laptop and worked on something while she helped her daughter with her daily lessons. She wanted Charlotte to be ready for school to start back up after the new year.

When Charlotte went upstairs for her mid-morning quiet time, to her surprise, Joe stepped into the kitchen and started putting together some chicken soup. Not the stuff from a can, but real homemade stuff. He made the dough and rolled out thin strips for the noodles. Then he took out the biggest pot he could find and started adding ingredients while she sat at the table and answered questions about herself that he asked. She threw a few questions back at him and was surprised when he answered every single one. Truthfully.

She watched the snow build higher outside the windows and guessed they had more than a foot at this point. When Charlotte woke, they had lunch, soup and fresh bread, then sat at the table and made paper snowflakes. Joe helped Charlotte tape them up all throughout the house when they were done. She enjoyed the sound of his deep laughter filling the rooms as much as hearing Charlotte’s giggles.

It felt like peace. Real peace.

Until her phone chimed that someone had driven into the driveway. That was shortly followed by a knock on the door.

Ally froze as she was brushing her daughter’s hair. Joe set his mug on the coffee table and walked to the window, then he opened the door to a uniformed officer who stood outside.

“Ally Wilson?” the officer asked.

She moved to stand next to Joe.

He glanced down at his clipboard.

Her stomach dropped. “Yes?”

“I’m here to serve you and a Mr. Joseph Dalton,” the man said, pulling two thick envelopes from his folder.

Joe stepped forward. “What kind of documents?”

The man’s eyebrows rose. “I’m just here to serve you both.” He held out the paperwork. “Sign here.”

They both signed and shut the door when the man started walking back toward his truck.

When the door closed, Ally just stood there with her heart hammering in her chest. Her hands shook as she opened the envelope. She knew Ted would somehow shatter their peace.

“It’s a civil suit,” Joe said, running his eyes over the documents. “Defamation… slander…” The words blurred as she read them for herself. “He’s, he’s suing us both.” He sighed. “Me for breach of contract and for interfering with family visitation.” He muttered a curse under his breath, then chuckled. “Unbelievable.” He looked up at her. “The contract I had him sign when he hired me gave me the right to quit at any time,” he assured her.

Ally sank onto the sofa. The edges of the room seemed to close in. It wasn’t the first time she’d been served, nor she doubted would it be the last. “How can he still do this? After everything,”

Joe crouched in front of her. “He’s desperate. He’s trying to scare you,” he said in a calm low tone.

“Well, it’s working,” she whispered, clutching the papers to her chest. “I thought we were finally safe. He… he keeps suing me, and I’m never going to be able to pay my brother back.”

Joe rested a hand on her knee. “You are safe. Charlotte’s safe. He’s grasping at straws now.” He gestured toward the papers sitting on the coffee table. “This isn’t going to change that.” He smiled. “I have a lawyer on retainer who will file a motion to dismiss this nonsense. He’s really good and, most importantly, the man is not afraid of Ted.”

Outside, the wind howled and snow swirled against the windows, trapping them inside. Suddenly, the place didn’t feel cozy any longer. It felt like a jail. She shivered and stared out at the storm, feeling just as trapped as when she’d still been married to Ted.

“Hey, how about I start a fire?” he suggested, standing up. “Then we can turn on a Christmas movie and make some popcorn.”

“Yes!” Charlotte bounced on the sofa. “Elf!” she started chanting, and Ally managed a smile.