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I shrug. "I don't have social media, so I wouldn't know, but I'm sure he dated girls in high school. Maybe he's married by now."
"He's not," Dad says.
I look at him. "And how do you know that?"
"Because I was talking to his dad, Hank. He's actually never had a girlfriend. He's been single forever. His dad was wondering, well..."
"What?" I say.
"His dad thought you guys would be a cute couple."
I frown. "I think Silas is a little wild for me."
"Why?" Dad asks.
"I don't know. In high school, I think he was always skipping class and drinking and going to parties. It's just, that was never my thing. It still isn't. I just don't think we would, you know, mesh."
Sparkle slows her pace, walking beside me and Dad. "You want a guy who's more religious?"
I shrug. "No, not that exactly. Someone who has a gentle spirit, a good heart, who wants to have a family. I'm looking for someone who, maybe will say a prayer at supper, but I don't know. Saying a prayer out of love, not out of obligation." I shrug. "I don't know if that makes any sense."
My dad just smiles. "It makes sense. You're figuring it out. And hell, maybe you'll run into Silas while you're home."
"I think he's out to sea," my sister says. "I mean, he hasn't posted anything in a while, at least. So sorry, sis, but I don’t think you're going to meet him tonight."
Dad, though, grins. "That's the thing about Christmas. Sometimes there's miracles where you don't expect them."
When we get to the church, my heart feels lighter. Just talking with my family, and laughing about ridiculous things like me and Silas has somehow lightened my spirits. And as I enter the church I grew up in, I feel a peace I wasn't expecting.
I can’t imagine Silas Ritter would be interested in me, but I am reminded of why I chose to change my life's path so dramatically. Because I do want to fall in love. I do want a partner. I want someone to look at me and think,My word. That girl right there is my miracle.
5
SILAS
Mom and Dad spend the half an hour before we leave for church packing for their vacation. I love Mom's energy. Instead of getting stressed that she doesn't have time to prepare for her vacation, she just happily begins throwing sundresses, flip-flops, and her swimming suit into the suitcase. Dad pulls things out from the closet for her.
"I already packed," he announces, and Mom and I both laugh. I can imagine him, this burly mechanic, packing for a beach vacation without my mom knowing. It's romantic in a way I genuinely didn't expect. It's not that they haven't been lovey-dovey all my life, but this is next level.
"I feel bad, though," she says. "I'm leaving you here on Christmas, Silas. You came here to surprise us, and now Dad surprised me, and it means you're going to be all by yourself Christmas morning."
"Seriously, it's going to be great," I tell her, meaning it. "Usually I'm on a boat with a whole bunch of dudes. It'll be nice for some peace and quiet in my own bedroom, honestly." Dad claps me on the back.
"Besides he's a grown man. He'll be fine. How long are you home before you go back to sea?" he asks me.
"Five days," I tell him. "So five days to enjoy Briar Valley."
"Hey, Mom and I got a hot tub earlier this fall. You can enjoy that.”
My eyes widen. "You never told me."
He shrugs. "We didn't want to brag."
"Pops, I guess you really have been saving."
"The shop's been doing well," he tells me. "If you weren't planning on re-enlisting, I would try and convince you to become my partner. It's a lot of work running that place on my own."
I smirk. "You want me moving back here to Briar Valley and living with you and Mom?"
