Kevin and Isabelle go to bed first. Isabelle looks utterly exhausted, the kind of exhausted only known to pregnant women in their first trimester. She kisses Margaret on both cheeks and thanks her for the wonderful dinner. It’s the first meal she’s managed to keep down in weeks, she says.
“I’ll take that as a sign that my future grandchild likes my cooking,” Margaret says.
Jennifer takes the kids upstairs to one of the rooms at the inn and puts them to bed. Patrick follows behind her, but first he stops to give Margaret a long hug.
“I’ll give you Hollis Chambers’s number in the morning,” Margaret says. “I’ve always got your back.”
“I know you do, Mom,” he says.
“You’re my golden boy,” she says.
“But not anymore,” he says.
“Oh, honey,” she says. “Yes, you are. Forever you are.”
Nathaniel leaves, and then a little while later, Scott bids everyone good-bye.
Margaret says to Ava, “Are you okay, honey?”
Ava sits down at the piano and starts to play “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night,” very softly. The fire crackles, the tree shimmers. Kelley is laid out lengthwise on the sofa, his feet in Margaret’s lap. She thinks she sees snowflakes out the window. It would be a nice way to end Christmas, with a light, pretty snowfall. Maybe Margaret can take the kids sledding tomorrow.
She stands up and goes over to the window to check.
Yes, snow!
Ava says, “This one is for you, Daddy.” She starts to play “Silent Night.”
Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright
Margaret sings into the cold window; her breath fogs up the pane.
Round yon virgin mother and child, holy infant so tender and mild
Kelley says to Margaret, “So, Maggie, how long do you think you’ll stay?”
Margaret pulls the paper angel out of her pocket and presses it to her chest. This time with Kelley has been magical. She has spent the last twenty-four hours in a state of delirious happiness, and they brought closure to certain issues—they are the best of friends, and they will always love each other. Who knows, they may even decide to be buried together. But when Margaret replays Ava’s question, So, are you two getting back together, or what?—Margaret thinks, No. It will never work out. The same thing will happen. Margaret will become absorbed in her work, and Kelley will resent it.
Sleep in heavenly peace, sleep in heavenly peace.
Margaret’s phone buzzes, which startles her. She hasn’t had a text all day except for the marriage proposal from Drake.
Would it be so bad to marry a surgeon? she wonders.
She checks her phone. The text is from Darcy. It says: Bart Quinn was on that convoy. He and the 44 other soldiers have been officially announced missing. I’m so sorry. You may already know this. Family is being notified presently.
Margaret stifles a cry just as a phone rings in the house.
Kelley says, “That’s weird. No one ever calls the landline. Maybe it’s Eddie Pancik with a buyer.” He stands up.
No. Nononononono! Margaret thinks. Not on Christmas! Missing, not dead. But still… missing. Missing!
Tears blur Margaret’s eyes, but she doesn’t want Kelley’s peace of mind shattered one second sooner than it needs to be. She intercepts him on his way to answer the phone. She gives him a kiss on the lips and looks straight into his blue eyes.
“I’ll stay as long as you need me to,” she says.