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“How do you know so much about what kids want?” I ask as she steps into me and wraps her arms around my neck.
“Because I was once an eight-year-old girl who adored her daddy too.”
“I just wanted to make this a memorable Christmas since I’d missed all the others.”
“Then, congratulations. You succeeded. I’m pretty sure the year you were stranded in Lake Mistletoe is going to be in the top five stories she tells her own children one day.”
She’s right. This is definitely a year for the books.
“You want to go toast the newlyweds with me?” I ask her.
She smiles. “I thought you’d never ask. There is a glass of Alice’s eggnog with my name on it.”
Isaac
We join the others out in the atrium.
I give my apologies for the hubbub and explain what happened to them all.
“Aww, I think it’s sweet. She wanted to stay here with us,” Willa says.
“I agree,” Trixie chimes in.
Keller rolls his eyes. “Between her and Mom, this baby is going to get away with everything,” he mutters to me.
Trixie stands. “I want to show you something. I’ll be right back.”
She walks inside the inn and emerges a few minutes later with a tiny bottle in her hand.
“This is a wishing bottle. The kids wrote their Christmas wishes and placed them inside. Annette and I have been opening them and cataloging the wishes so we can help spread the magic on Christmas Day.”
She hands the glass bottle to me. “That’s Cobie’s wish. You should read it.”
I pull the cork from the top of the bottle, turn it upside down, and shake.
The paper doesn’t budge.
“It’s lodged in there pretty tight. She wrote an entire paragraph and shoved it in,” Trixie says.
Sela takes the bottle and uses her nails to clasp the rolled slip of paper and tugs it loose.
I spread it out on the table in front of me and read my daughter’s words.
Santa,
I know you’re probably upset with me because you didn’t need my help finding a way to keep us here, but I wanted to make sure Daddy and I didn’t leave before you saw my wish. I don’t want to go to France. I’ve tried to tell him a bunch of times, but he doesn’t hear me. I don’t like airplanes very much, and I don’t want to go someplace where I don’t understand what they are saying. I want to stay here in Lake Mistletoe. Daddy laughs and smiles here. He plays with me. He’s happy. And that’s my Christmas wish. For Daddy to be happy. Thank you for reading this and for keeping my secret even though I know that you know.
Love,
Cobie Ralston
I stare at the words written in her handwriting.
I’ve tried to tell him a bunch of times, but he doesn’t hear me.
Shit.
“It’s my fault she went to such extremes,” I mutter.
