Noelle wiped off her hands on her apron. “Would you like some help?”
Makelle held up her hand like a stop sign. “No. You can’t help with your own birthday cake! Besides, my mom says it’s good to struggle because that’s what helps you to grow. And I really want to be taller because this girl in my class, Trisha, has me beat, and she’s not even nice. Don’t worry—I’ve got this.”
Noelle chuckled and glanced in the direction of the door again. Still no Jack. The place looked amazing, though. The big tree in the family room never looked better. Garlands werehung over every doorway, every side table and the mantle was decorated, the gingerbread train was moving around its tracks, Christmas music was playing over the speakers, and all of her family was surrounding her.
She should feel like she had everything she needed. But there was a particular pang of longing. A hole that wasn’t filled. And that hole was Jack-sized.
“He’ll come,” Hope said as she reached around Noelle to grab the tray of mushrooms to slide them into the oven. “He has to.”
She set the timer on the oven and took a breath. Based on their conversation in his office earlier today, she knew he would come. So why was she so nervous that he wouldn’t?
“Happy birthday to Noelle,” her five-year-old niece, Sadie, shouted out.
A chorus of voices shouted in return, “And to Noelle, a good night!”
Noelle grinned, held onto her Santa hat withbirthday girlstitched into it, and took a slight bow as Sadie giggled.
Noelle went over to the big dining room table and helped Julianne to set it. She loved setting the table for this meal because they used the special white Christmas plates with the red rims, the white tablecloths, the red napkins with the red and white striped rings, the fancy crystal goblets, and the greenery down the center of the table that she and Gran-gran had picked out together.
She wished she hadn’t left the cards from Gran-gran at work. She wanted them home with her, especially over Christmas. She’d realized she’d forgotten them at the end of work the day before and had meant to grab them when she’d gone to give Jack her letter of resignation earlier today, but she’d had so many other thoughts in her head then that she’d forgotten. And it wasn’t like she could’ve just gone back at that point and seen Jack again after the way she left things.
The doorbell rang and her seven-year-old niece, Erika, jumped up to go get the door. She heard adult shoes stomping off snow, so she hurried over to the side of the family room by the stairs so she could see down the short hallway to the front door.
It was Rachel and Aiden, brushing snow out of their hair and off their coats before they stepped inside. She stood on her toes and peered around them but didn’t see Jack. Erika said, “You can put your coats right there,” and pointed to the couch in the living room, then she skipped back to the family room.
Noelle gave Aiden a hug. “Oh, I’m so glad you two came!”
“Me, too,” Aiden said, then added, “Santa is coming tonight,andit’s even snowing!” Captain had heard them come in, too, and was wagging his tail. Aiden gave the dog a big hug around the neck, then ran to join her nephews.
Then she gave Rachel a hug. “You look like you’re feeling pretty good.”
She smiled. “It’s been a good day.”
Noelle swallowed and couldn’t put off asking any longer. “Is Jack not coming?”
Rachel gave a little shrug. “I think he’s planning on it. He was still at work last I talked to him, so I told him a neighbor was heading this direction and could give us a ride. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”
She nodded and walked with Rachel into the family room.
“Whoa! This place is magical,” Rachel said as she looked around in wonder.
Noelle looked around, too, with fresh eyes. It really was. She was lucky to be able to spend her Christmases here.
Rachel looked at her and must’ve been able to sense her nervousness because she put a hand on her arm and said, “He’ll come.”
She nodded and went to help the others with the last-minute preparations in the kitchen. But by the time they all sat down to eat, Jack still hadn’t come. She was starting to believe Rachel’s and Hope’s encouraging words a little less.
The sound of people chatting and the excitement of Christmas Eve filled the air as everyone passed around the plates of maple bacon Brussels sprouts, prime rib, mashed potatoes, stuffed mushrooms, and baked vegetables. But next to Noelle was an empty seat, and she felt that emptiness deep in her soul. Jack’s absence made her realize exactly how much she longed to have him at her side and how much she enjoyed every minute of being around him.
Why wasn’t he there? Did he decide he didn’t want to be? Did something happen to make him not be there? Would he have told Rachel if he wasn’t going to come, or was she just as clueless about the situation as Noelle was?
He had seemed that he wanted to accept Noelle’s resignation and date her when she’d laid her heart out for him earlier today. She should’ve just waited for his answer then, instead of letting everything come down to tonight. Then she wouldn’t be dealing with all this nervous anticipation right now.
“Happy birthday to Noelle,” Porter shouted.
Everyone else replied with “And to Noelle, a good night!”
She grinned at everyone, even though she wasn’t feeling it. Now that she’d experienced having Jack in her life, it no longer felt right to not have him there.
