Zack Baker
Merry Chirstmas.
In the lobby, Matt and Val sought out Zack and his family. Tegan and Val cooed over Noelle, and Zack asked Matt, “When are you having a baby of your own?”
“Maybe soon,” he said.
Zack raised a brow.
“It’s too soon to tell. But I’ll let you know.”
He congratulated his friend. Then he grinned when Matt asked about Zack’s marriage. “You were right. It’s not just about convenience.”
Matt grinned. “Figured so.” After he’d helped his wife into a sweater, they said their good-nights and headed into the Christmas weather.
On their way out of the sanctuary, Beth and her parent’s stopped, reminding Zack and Tegan what time they were expected for Christmas dinner.
“We’ll be there, Mrs. Baldwin,” Zack promised.
“Mom,” the woman corrected.
“Mom?”
“If you don’t mind calling me that, I don’t mind, either.”
His heart gave a funny little skip. A real mom? He hardly knew that to say. Kissing her on the cheek, he said “I’d be honored.”
“Still don’t believe in Santa?” Tegan asked.
“I’m starting to,” he confessed. Being with Tegan and Noelle and continuing with a real family Christmas al his dreams were coming true.
Jimmy Sullivan took off his heat and slapped it against his jeans before saying good-night.
“Would you like to join us for dinner tomorrow?” Tegan invited.
Was there no end to the joy she brought to his life? Zack wondered. Always generous, she was even inviting his single friends for Christmas dinner.
“No, thanks. I got a care package. I’ll have plenty of food tomorrow.”
“You’ll be all alone?” Tegan asked, horrified.
“Don’t mind,” he said. “Give me a chance to catch up on some work. Congratulations on your beautiful baby.”
Without another word, he, too, disappeared.
Finally, they were alone, except for Reverent Sheffield. “I have a favor to ask,” Zack said.
“Sure thing.”
“I’d like to recite my vows again, in front of you.”
John nodded.
“Adding the promise to love my wife, till death do us part.”
“Couldn’t think of anything more appropriate.”
With a few promptings from John, Zack managed his vows again, this time offering them from the heart and with trust.
Then, making his spirits soar, Tegan did the same.
An hour later, they were alone, at home, wrapped in the tradition and magic of Christmas Eve.
Zack was holding his infant and staring with wonder into her perfect little face.
She looked back, eyes wide with pure love. Her tiny hand wound around his much larger index finger as she blinked up at him.
“I’ve been blessed by miracles, Tegan,” he whispered. “Thank you.”
She padded over, her bare feet swallowed by the carpeting in the nursery. Rubbing his forearm, her heart melting, she said, “I love you more each day.”
And she did.
She’d worked at the flower shop an hour a day and had taken over doing the clothing line’s books, almost up until the time she went into labor with Noelle. Zack never tried to tie her down or hold her back, and her soul seemed to open up more every day.
And now that she was a wife and a mommy…Her heart skipped a beat. She’d never been happier.
She wasn’t content to let it rest at that. She tried, every day, in every way, to be the kind of wife he deserved, loving him with everything she had to offer.
Together, they lay Noelle in her crib. By unspoken agreement, they stood arm in arm, watching their child sleep, looking at her during the sacred moments that led to midnight and their first Christmas as a family. And in her pocket, Zack’s talisman rested, a symbol of his love.
“Merry Christmas, darling,” Zack said softly against Tegan’s ear.
All her responses stirred, the way they always did when she was in his arms. “There’s mistletoe near the fireplace.”
“What are we waiting for?” He grinned and led her downstairs, where the white star on top of the tree seemed to offer the same promise of love that it had for nearly two thousand years.
There were presents there for all, as he’d always dreamed—a perfect holiday with his family.
Outside the living room window, snow drifted into fluffy white banks, decorating the landscape and clinging to a wagon wheeled they’d decorated together.
“Thanks for the flowers,” she said, admiring the pots of lilies he’d sent her—telling her it was heaven to be with her. He hadn’t been content to have just lilies delivered to the hospital; she’d also received a dozen red roses and a bouquet of red tulips.
He’d remembered that she’d never received flowers and had taken care of that in a huge way.
“I know it’s too soon to make love yet,” he said wickedly. “But I have a few ideas we could try, to celebrate.”
“Oh?” she asked innocently.
Whispering a very naughty, “Ho, ho, ho,” he reached for her. Reverently he unwrapped her, the greatest gift he’d ever received.
“Maybe soon,” he said.
Zack raised a brow.
“It’s too soon to tell. But I’ll let you know.”
He congratulated his friend. Then he grinned when Matt asked about Zack’s marriage. “You were right. It’s not just about convenience.”
Matt grinned. “Figured so.” After he’d helped his wife into a sweater, they said their good-nights and headed into the Christmas weather.
On their way out of the sanctuary, Beth and her parent’s stopped, reminding Zack and Tegan what time they were expected for Christmas dinner.
“We’ll be there, Mrs. Baldwin,” Zack promised.
“Mom,” the woman corrected.
“Mom?”
“If you don’t mind calling me that, I don’t mind, either.”
His heart gave a funny little skip. A real mom? He hardly knew that to say. Kissing her on the cheek, he said “I’d be honored.”
“Still don’t believe in Santa?” Tegan asked.
“I’m starting to,” he confessed. Being with Tegan and Noelle and continuing with a real family Christmas al his dreams were coming true.
Jimmy Sullivan took off his heat and slapped it against his jeans before saying good-night.
“Would you like to join us for dinner tomorrow?” Tegan invited.
Was there no end to the joy she brought to his life? Zack wondered. Always generous, she was even inviting his single friends for Christmas dinner.
“No, thanks. I got a care package. I’ll have plenty of food tomorrow.”
“You’ll be all alone?” Tegan asked, horrified.
“Don’t mind,” he said. “Give me a chance to catch up on some work. Congratulations on your beautiful baby.”
Without another word, he, too, disappeared.
Finally, they were alone, except for Reverent Sheffield. “I have a favor to ask,” Zack said.
“Sure thing.”
“I’d like to recite my vows again, in front of you.”
John nodded.
“Adding the promise to love my wife, till death do us part.”
“Couldn’t think of anything more appropriate.”
With a few promptings from John, Zack managed his vows again, this time offering them from the heart and with trust.
Then, making his spirits soar, Tegan did the same.
An hour later, they were alone, at home, wrapped in the tradition and magic of Christmas Eve.
Zack was holding his infant and staring with wonder into her perfect little face.
She looked back, eyes wide with pure love. Her tiny hand wound around his much larger index finger as she blinked up at him.
“I’ve been blessed by miracles, Tegan,” he whispered. “Thank you.”
She padded over, her bare feet swallowed by the carpeting in the nursery. Rubbing his forearm, her heart melting, she said, “I love you more each day.”
And she did.
She’d worked at the flower shop an hour a day and had taken over doing the clothing line’s books, almost up until the time she went into labor with Noelle. Zack never tried to tie her down or hold her back, and her soul seemed to open up more every day.
And now that she was a wife and a mommy…Her heart skipped a beat. She’d never been happier.
She wasn’t content to let it rest at that. She tried, every day, in every way, to be the kind of wife he deserved, loving him with everything she had to offer.
Together, they lay Noelle in her crib. By unspoken agreement, they stood arm in arm, watching their child sleep, looking at her during the sacred moments that led to midnight and their first Christmas as a family. And in her pocket, Zack’s talisman rested, a symbol of his love.
“Merry Christmas, darling,” Zack said softly against Tegan’s ear.
All her responses stirred, the way they always did when she was in his arms. “There’s mistletoe near the fireplace.”
“What are we waiting for?” He grinned and led her downstairs, where the white star on top of the tree seemed to offer the same promise of love that it had for nearly two thousand years.
There were presents there for all, as he’d always dreamed—a perfect holiday with his family.
Outside the living room window, snow drifted into fluffy white banks, decorating the landscape and clinging to a wagon wheeled they’d decorated together.
“Thanks for the flowers,” she said, admiring the pots of lilies he’d sent her—telling her it was heaven to be with her. He hadn’t been content to have just lilies delivered to the hospital; she’d also received a dozen red roses and a bouquet of red tulips.
He’d remembered that she’d never received flowers and had taken care of that in a huge way.
“I know it’s too soon to make love yet,” he said wickedly. “But I have a few ideas we could try, to celebrate.”
“Oh?” she asked innocently.
Whispering a very naughty, “Ho, ho, ho,” he reached for her. Reverently he unwrapped her, the greatest gift he’d ever received.