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Wade looked back at her body on the bed, Brett’s hands still holding hers tightly. “Or you may stay on Earth and live with the people you love, the people who love you.”
Wade’s eyes found hers a final time. “It is your choice, Carol, but you may only make it once.”
She looked to Brett, feeling as if she had no choice at all. A bright light formed around her before all was black once more.
10
Monitors were beepingin her ears and she tried to take in a deep breath, choking on the dryness of her throat. Strong hands helped her sit up as a loud voice yelled something that she couldn’t make out.
When her eyes opened, everything was too bright and it took her a minute to focus. Carol blinked rapidly until finally she was able to see, her eyes finding bright green in a handsome face.
“Brett…” she croaked, coughing before repeating herself. “Brett, I’m so sorry!”
Brett laughed, a relieved sound before he wrapped his arms around her, his body shaking with emotion. “Carol, you’re awake!”
That was all that could be said before there were doctors and nurses surrounding her, forcing Brett away from her bedside. Carol’s eyes never left his, however, and she watched as he slumped against the wall across the room, relief and happiness in his face.
It took a few hours, but the doctors finally admitted that they had no idea what happened. She couldn’t tell them about her time between the crash and waking up, as she was sure that they would deem her mentally unstable. Brett didn’t mention anything either, only watching from across the room until all the tests were run.
Near to midnight, they cleared her to be released from the hospital, as long as she had someone who could watch and care for her in the next three days to be sure she stayed strong and healthy.
“I’m not leaving her side,” was Brett’s immediate response, making her smile.
The doctors seemed satisfied with that answer, letting her sign the rest of the paperwork and wheeling Carol out of the hospital. Without words, she let Brett lead her to the car, climbing in and settling in for the ride.
Brett took her to his apartment. The lights were off and the house was quiet as Lacy and Andrew were both already asleep. She didn’t question anything as Brett led her to his bedroom, giving her a moment of privacy in the bathroom before he put Carol to bed.
“Give me just a few and I’ll be back,” he whispered, kissing her forehead before he went back out into the living room. She was asleep before he returned.
Morning came faster than she or Brett expected, but she was awakened to sounds of glee from Lacy in the living room. Brett’s arm was around her waist under the sheets and he squeezed her as he stretched, a sigh of relief leaving him as soon as he realized she was still there.
“I don’t understand…” he started to say, but she cut him off with a swift kiss.
“I’ll explain everything, but I don’t know if I even believe it,” she said. “But right now, I think there’s a little girl in there who should enjoy her Christmas morning.”
Brett nodded, getting out of bed. “Want to be the best Christmas present she’s ever gotten?” he asked, a smile on his face. She grinned, nodding.
“Give me five minutes,” he whispered before slipping out of the room. She heard Lacy squeal her glee again over Santa’s presents to Brett, hearing Andrew’s booming laugh as well. She got up while they spoke, heading to the door so that she could listen to the conversation.
“I have one last gift from Santa as well,” Brett was saying, so she silently opened the door. “I didn’t think it would happen, but there was some Christmas magic happening around us when Santa came last night.”
Carol took the few paces from Brett’s bedroom door to the living room, stepping up beside him. “Merry Christmas, Lacy-bear,” she said, tears coming to her face as she screamed even louder than before. She had her arms full of little girl in seconds, hugging her back as tightly as she was hugging her.
Andrew’s face was one of shock, and she couldn’t blame him. She smiled his way over Lacy’s head before she finally sat down, the three Carlingtons looking at her expectantly.
As briefly as she could, Carol explained what had happened to her over the past three weeks. She talked to them about the car crash, about the man in the trench coat, about her unfinished business. She watched Brett tense up slightly at the fact that he was her assignment, but then she opened up even further, telling them about how much their little family had come to mean to her and he relaxed. Carol still didn’t understand why any of it happened to her, but the mention of Wade had all of them tearing up.
“Your dad was a great man, Lacy-bear, and he’s incredibly proud of you,” she said to Lacy before turning to Brett. “And he’s proud of you, too.”
Brett nodded, tears in his eyes.
“Well, I have one last thing to say before we all start crying…” Brett said.
“Carol, you came into our lives and flipped our world upside down. You and Lacy are so wonderful together. I’ve never seen her take to anyone as quickly as she took to you. You saved my shop. You saved me. When I saw you in that hospital bed, it was like my world had come crashing down around me. I can’t imagine my life without you, and I never want to see it that way ever again.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
The brightest smile fell on Brett’s face as he jumped up, pulling her up with him. He kissed Carol with enthusiasm, holding her face between his hands.
“Best Christmas present ever,” she breathed, unable to fathom how drastically her life had changed, all because of a car crash at Christmas.
