AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They do. They love it here or they’d be on state land.”
Back at the cottage, Justin insisted Maggie get settled in her lounge chair on the deck again.
“You want hot cocoa?”
“That sounds good. Thank you.”
She laid her head back and closed her eyes, her hand absentmindedly combing through Brulee’s hair.
Sitting up, she frowned, looking around. “Justin, I hear music.”
He walked out on the porch with the mugs of hot cocoa and stood in front of her. “You do? What kind of music?”
She put her finger up. “Listen. It’s a trumpet or a trombone, something brass? Is it ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’? Where in the hell is that coming from?”
Justin couldn’t help himself, he burst out laughing. “If you could see the look on your face right now, it’s hysterical. What? You never heard that coming from the water before? Look!”
He stepped out of the way just as the Christmas light boat parade that she’d missed and had been re-created by her friends and family, the same people who had been at the rescue that morning, floated in front of her shore alongside the dock.
Giving her a hand, Justin helped her out of the chair, not expecting the reaction she had, more tearful shock than he thought, running out to the shore to wave and shouting, “Thank you so much! I love you!”
Then, more surprises, they were going to tie up to the dock and unload gifts they’d brought her, more food ready to eat from Val Amotte’s party, flowers and candy, small cypress trees ready to plant with their roots protected in burlap. But the coup de grace was something she didn’t see at first.
“Maggie!” a voice rang out, then in French, “Voici votre nouveau bateau. This here’s your new boat!” It was Gus in a small new skiff with a pink bimini top. It was decorated for the parade with fairy lights and a big star.
“It’s so cute,” she cried.
With Justin trailing, she ran up the dock to Gus, weeping, and hugged him. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Justin wanted you to have a new boat as soon as possible. He ordered it the day after your accident, and we were afraid it wouldn’t get here by Christmas.”
She turned to Justin and threw her arms around him. “Thank you so much. I love you so much,” she cried. “You too, Gus. I can’t wait to take it for a ride.”
“Get in,” Gus said. “Let’s go now.”
While her mother and Aunt Elizabeth oversaw an impromptu Christmas party at Bayou Cottage, Maggie Angel navigated her new skiff around Cypress Cove.
***
It was after midnight by the time everyone had left. An invigorated Maggie was back out on the porch, basking in the peace of Christmas night.
“I always liked it when the end of Christmas Day arrived,” she said. “All the gifts put away, the wrapping paper in the trash or burned in the fireplace, Christmas cookie crumbs disposed of.”
“My mother always did everything,” Justin admitted. “When the chaos got to be too much, I went to my room.”
“Ha! I know that feeling. But tonight was wonderful.” She leaned over to kiss him. “I liked having everyone here. They all chipped in too. Kelly and Ted toileted the dogs, or we’d be there doing it now.”
“How’s your head?”
“It’s there, so I’m going to take it easy tomorrow.”
They sat side by side on the porch, holding hands, when a whinny announced the arrival of her nightly visitors.
“Here they are,” she whispered. “Merry Christmas, horses. I should have gotten them some treats.”
She didn’t notice Justin getting on his knee in front of her until he took her hands.
“Justin, oh no.” Her hand flew to her mouth.
“Ha! Oh yes. I know we said we were going to wait, but this thing is burning a hole in my pocket.” He pulled a black box out of his pocket. “Tonight, I had arranged for the boats, but I didn’t know your mom and aunt were going to do the gift and party thing. I had it all planned. After they left early, I was going to give you the ring and then have a candlelight dinner for you with a fire in the fireplace. All romance.”
