Romance & Christmas Miracles

  Romance & Christmas Miracles

  SKY CORGAN

  Text copyright 2020 by Sky Corgan

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Epilogue

  CHAPTER ONE

  Aurora McGovern awoke to the sound of Jingle Bells playing out from her cell phone speaker. It put a smile on her face, the tune reminding her that it was her favorite time of the year. She was rarely in a grumpy mood throughout December. How could anyone wear a frown with all this Christmas cheer in the air?

  Meow! The sound came just before Aurora's cat Friskers jumped up onto the bed. He immediately began purring and went to work kneading the comforter.

  She pulled him closer by his front legs, bumping foreheads with him, and he nuzzled his face against hers. “You love Christmas too, don't you, Friskers?” she said before letting the cat go to continue his gleeful pawing. He mewed in agreement, though he surely didn't understand what she was talking about.

  This was their morning routine. No matter what music was set for Aurora's alarm, Friskers would always jump up on her bed immediately after it went off, acting as a second alarm clock. She welcomed the cat's presence. He held special sentimental value to her beyond just being a beloved pet because he was one of the last presents her father had given to her before passing away from a heart attack nearly fifteen years ago. That made Friskers an old man, but she could barely tell. There were a few stray white hairs in his black coat, and the fur on his ears wasn't as thick as it used to be, but he still had managed to retain all the energy he had since he was a kitten.

  “You're going to be excited when you see what I got you for Christmas,” Aurora said, thinking about the bag of catnip and jingle balls she had wrapped up for Friskers under the Christmas tree. Even though he was just a cat, she had made sure he wasn't around when she was wrapping the gifts. That spoils the surprise, after all. And he was her baby, the only child she had, though hopefully, that would change once she finished her Master's degree in social services and had more time for dating.

  For now, she was enjoying her winter break, though she hated to be idle, so she had taken on a part-time job at the local grocery store to help with the holiday rush. Being back home was still new and strange to her, and she didn't want her mother to think that she was taking her charity for granted. Aurora would help her mother pay the bills while she stayed there, even though the woman had vehemently insisted several times that it wasn't necessary.

  She crawled out of bed and put on her red robe with white trim, the one she wore only during the Christmas holiday season. On Christmas day, she'd top it off with a Santa hat while they opened presents. The robe was old and worn, and it had been patched up more than a few times, but she just couldn't stand the thought of getting rid of it. It was yet another heirloom of years past when she would sit with her family around the Christmas tree, handing out gifts. The tradition was precious to her, and though her father was now in Heaven, she knew that his spirit was still with them. Both Aurora and her mother had agreed long ago that their Christmas traditions shouldn't change just because Robert was gone. Though things had changed to some degree.

  Instead of Aurora standing outside and helping her father hang Christmas lights on their house, her mother hired the same men she used for decorating the rest of the city. When Aurora had initially shown disappointment that they weren't carrying on the tradition of hanging lights, her mother had gently explained that it was a job better left to professionals.

  Well, not this year. Aurora had taken the liberty of putting up the outside lights herself, getting it done before her mother had a chance to hire anyone. She had wanted to surprise her mother and save her some money, but she still got an earful for doing something so dangerous on her own. Aurora didn't mind, though. Hanging up the lights had filled her with the warmth and Christmas cheer she so looked forward to during the holiday season, and it made her reminisce about her times with her father.

  “You must be hungry,” Aurora said to Friskers as he circled her feet, waiting to be fed. The cat meowed insistently in agreement, his eyes on her every move as she walked around the kitchen.

  She poured him a bowl of cat food and then gave him fresh water before starting on breakfast for her and her mother. Being the mayor of Bandera, Aurora's mother was such a busy woman that Aurora was certain she only ever had coffee for breakfast before Aurora came to stay with her. That just wouldn't do. “Woman can't exist on coffee alone,” she had insisted, setting her mind to the task of cooking every morning for them while she was there so that her mother went off to work with a full belly. It was the least she could do—return the favor for all of the years her mother had spent caring for her when she was growing up.

  “That smells delicious,” Patricia said as she rounded the corner, already perfectly primed for the workday in a red suit, her long white-blonde hair pulled back into a French twist.

  “I made you coffee.” Aurora took a break from the skillet of eggs in front of her to pour her mother a cup of coffee. She gently slid it over to where Patricia had seated herself on the opposite side of the marble kitchen island before returning to her cooking. Patricia lifted the cup to her nose, inhaling the earthy scent, a contented smile taking over her face.

  “You have me so spoiled,” she told Aurora. “I don't know what I'm going to do when you move out again.”

  “Well, don't starve yourself,” Aurora threw over her shoulder. She had noticed that her mother had been losing weight over the past few years. Patricia loved being the mayor, but Aurora worried that she was so invested in her job that she forgot to eat sometimes.

  “I definitely won't be eating like this when you're gone,” she said with a slight frown, and Aurora could tell that her mother sincerely didn't want her to go. But Aurora was a grown woman, and it was only natural that she'd leave the nest. Being back home was only temporary. She'd already lived on her own for most of her adult life, though she honestly didn't miss the loneliness of her apartment.

  “Then you should definitely enjoy it while I'm here.” Aurora placed a plate of eggs and bacon and toast in front of her mother before serving herself and rounding the table to sit by her mother's side. “Anything interesting going on at work today?”

  Patricia beamed while she buttered a piece of toast. Aurora knew that look well. There was a glimmer in her mother's blue eyes that told her this wasn't going to be typical news. Something exciting was happening or about to happen somewhere in their small town.

  “You'll never guess who's coming to town for Christmas.” Her head bobbed slightly, her smile growing larger.

  Patricia's excitement was contagious. Aurora could play along, knowing she'd likely never get the answer right. “Santa Claus?”

  “Every bit as elusive.” Patricia cast a playful side-eye.

  Aurora still had no clue. While she knew most everyone in town aside from those who had moved in since she had lived in San Antonio, she wasn't so involved in the community that she knew all of their comings and goings. Not like her mother.

  “I'm out of guesses. Do you know, Friskers?”

  The cat had finished his meal and was now rubbing against her leg. He meowed in confusion at the c
onversation.

  “Kline. West,” Patricia said each part of the name as if it should stand on its own. And maybe it should. Just the sound of it made Aurora's heart stop beating.

  “Kline West,” she mouthed the words, wondering if they were real.

  Of course, they had to be. She knew Kline's father. Knew that Kline actually existed. She had seen him on television. Listened to his songs on the radio. Heck, she practically knew every word of every song by heart.

  “Mhm.” Her mother gave a satisfied nod. “We're going to throw a huge welcoming party for him when he comes into town on Friday night.”

  Aurora was still stunned. Why hadn't she heard about this yet from Jack, Kline's father? They volunteered at one of the orphanages in San Antonio together, and Aurora often went to his house to help him with his garden. They were close. She figured he would have said something if the news were true.

  “Does Jack know?” she asked finally.

  “Of course, Jack knows.” Patricia jutted her head back as if the notion of Jack not knowing his son was coming to visit was just silly.

  “He never told me,” Aurora mumbled, wondering why he hadn't said anything to her about it.

  Jack knew how excited Aurora was to meet Kline. She had followed his career long before she had met his father. He was her favorite country singer of all time. His songs were filled with deep, meaningful lyrics that really resonated with her soul.

  “Well, that's the big news.” Patricia clapped her hands together. “Kline West will be here on Friday night, and the whole town will be at Jack's place to celebrate.”

  Aurora forced a smile, wondering if Jack had agreed to this massive party. She knew the man well enough to know he lived a quiet private life. It had taken her the best part of two months of them volunteering together before she learned that Kline was his son. From what she understood, their relationship had been strained ever since Kline's mother and younger sister had gone missing two years ago.

  Their disappearance had made the headlines. Kline had been on tour when it happened. Jack had been busy working at his law firm in New York. Lillian, his wife, and Kathy, his daughter, had taken off to visit Lillian's parents for the holidays and they never came back. Their car was found on the side of the road in Connecticut. It looked like they had crashed and left the vehicle for help. No one ever saw them again.

  Both Kline and Jack blamed themselves for having not gone with the women, though Jack was particularly hard on himself. He had told Aurora once that back then he had been a workaholic. That being successful had mattered more to him than anything. Lillian had asked him to go with them, but he had a big case he was working on and wanted to see it through before he took off for Christmas vacation. It was the biggest regret of his life.

  A year later, he sold his law firm and moved to Texas, deciding to retire early and dedicate his life to helping others. When he met Aurora, he was volunteering at the orphanage, the food bank, the volunteer fire department, and for search and rescue. The man seemed dedicated to everything he did, giving 110%. Aurora had never met anyone with so much heart. He was kind and inspired the best in people. If Kline was 1/10th the man his father was, Aurora was convinced he had to be a wonderful person. Meeting Jack had only made Aurora want to meet Kline even more.

  “I expect you'll go over and help decorate whenever you get the time,” Patricia said, pulling Aurora from her thoughts.

  “Oh. Of course.” She nodded, still skeptical that Jack had agreed to the party.

  He hadn't even planned on decorating for Christmas. It had taken everything Aurora had to convince him to let her put up a tree in his house. Even though he hadn't wanted it, he had relented with a smile once Aurora began cheerfully singing Christmas songs while she strung up the garland on the boughs. He even lent a hand.

  In truth, Jack had become a father figure to her over the past several months. There seemed to be a mutual need for them to fill the small voids in each other where pieces were missing. Spending time together gave them both a sense of peace that they couldn't get anywhere else.

  “Was this...” Aurora hesitated, “Does Jack really want this party?”

  “We have to celebrate our big star coming with a big party,” Patricia replied as if it was the only option. That was the evasive way of her saying that getting Jack to approve of the party probably took a whole lot of convincing. Aurora immediately felt bad for him. She knew how persistent her mother could be. The woman always got her way. She thrived on big gatherings and anything that put Bandera in the spotlight. Well, having Kline West there was definitely going to draw attention. Aurora just hoped it didn't add extra pressure on his relationship with Jack.

  “This is going to be one of the best Christmases ever.” Patricia wiped the corner of her mouth with a napkin before taking her plate to the sink.

  It would be, Aurora decided. She would be by Jack's side to help him weather the social storm that her mother was bringing down on him. She would go above and beyond to make it as least stressful for him as possible, because he deserved only good things. And for all of their hard work, she would get to meet the man she'd had a crush on ever since she first heard the sound of his voice.

  ***

  An unsettling feeling festered in Aurora's stomach about Kline's arrival as the days passed. She texted Jack letting him know she was going to come over to help decorate for the party, but he kept his answers short in regards to Kline. Aurora thought she could feel his tension through the phone. The subject would be much harder to avoid in person.

  Thursday afternoon, once she had gotten off from work, Aurora drove over to Jack's ranch. It was nestled a good ways off of the highway, surrounded by trees and secluded. The first time Aurora had gone over, it reminded her of the privacy he was trying to garner by leaving New York. Tomorrow night, Aurora's mother would be peeling back the veil on Jack's private life. Everyone in town would know where he lived then. Everyone would know he was Kline West's father. It was like a superhero taking off their mask and revealing their true identity. Aurora felt like nothing would be the same for Jack after that, and it made her sad. But from what she could tell, her mother had not lied. He had agreed to the party. So maybe he needed this.

  She took a deep breath as she pulled her old Ford pickup into his circular driveway and killed the engine. The large ranch style home loomed against the horizon like something out of a western movie, the sun fading behind it, casting the backdrop in hues of orange and pink. It would be a good place for a party. Certainly large enough.

  Aurora got out of her truck and walked up the stairs to Jack's doorstep, knocking twice. It wasn't long before she heard footsteps and he opened the door with a warm, welcoming smile.

  “So Kline is really coming,” she said, still trying to wrap her head around it. No matter how many times she told herself, it just didn't seem real.

  “He's really coming.” Jack nodded, though there was a hint of uncertainty in his expression.

  Aurora tried not to be hurt by the fact that he had told Patricia before her, but it was hard when she felt so close to him. Her mother barely knew Jack at all. At least, Aurora had thought that. Maybe there was something going on between them that she didn't know about. Aurora would certainly welcome the idea. She loved Jack and would not mind at all having him as a step-father.

  He held the door open to let her in, and Aurora stepped inside and out of the afternoon chill. It rarely ever got cold in Bandera. Their winters were mild. A white Christmas was almost unheard of.

  “Are you excited?” she asked, noticing two boxes sitting under the Christmas tree that hadn't been there before. Knowing that Kline was coming must have put Jack in the mood for Christmas shopping. It warmed Aurora's heart to see him embracing the Christmas spirit, despite his hardships with the holiday.

  “Excited. And nervous,” Jack admitted, closing the door and flanking Aurora's side to look at the tree.

  “You shouldn't be nervous. He's your son.” Aurora rubbe
d his shoulder, trying to soothe his tension away.

  “I feel like we've grown apart these past two years. He rarely ever calls me anymore. To be honest, I was a bit surprised when he told me he was coming home for Christmas.

  “This feels like the only thing we have left. The holiday that tore us apart is the only time we get together anymore.” Sadness crept into his voice, making Aurora's heart ache for him. She could hear the sincerity in his words. Jack felt like he was losing his son.

  “I see you did some Christmas shopping,” she piped up, trying to change the subject.

  She knelt down in front of the Christmas tree to admire Jack's wrapping job and was surprised to see that one of the gifts was for her. The other, as expected, had Kline's name on the label.

  “It's not Christmas without presents,” he said, though there was no joy in his words.

  “Jack, you didn't need to get me anything.” Tears pricked her eyes at the fact that he had thought to get her a gift. She had bought him a scarf for Christmas towards the end of November, but she had never expected him to get her anything in return.

  “I have to get gifts for the two most important people in my life.”

  Aurora's heart swelled from his words. To think that she was important to him meant everything to her. And she felt the exact same way about him.

  Aurora smiled through her tears, waiting until her emotions died down before she looked at him. Jack was facing the fireplace mantel, gazing at a line of pictures set up on display of his family. She stood and went to his side, her eyes following his. They were set on one picture in particular, a candid photo of Lillian and the kids playing outside. Kline couldn't have been more than seven at the time. They were in their yard, a large pile of freshly raked leaves between them. Their faces were glowing with smiles, pure joy in their expressions. Lillian had her arms wrapped around Kathy. Kline's gloved hands were in the air, leaves falling around him like fat orange and brown snowflakes.