Hometown Christmas Gift. Kat Brookes

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      “Lainie!” her mother squealed in delight the second she opened the door and saw her daughter standing there. Her gaze dropped down to her grandson, her happiness at seeing him written all over her face. “Lucas! Look how big you’ve gotten since we saw you last!” She bent to capture him in a warm hug.

      Lainie waited, fearing her son’s response, because he’d been avoiding any sort of affection where Lainie was concerned. But he reciprocated his grandmother’s warm embrace and then stood smiling while she planted several happy kisses on his cheeks. Lainie felt both relief and hurt.

      Her mother leaned in to give Lainie a loving hug as well. “We didn’t expect you home until tomorrow.”

      “We got an earlier start than we had planned.” She left out the part where her son had threatened to run away so he wouldn’t have to leave his dad. Lainie had tried to explain to Lucas that his father would be with him anywhere he went, that his soul was no longer with his body where it had been laid to rest, but with the Lord. When he hadn’t seemed accepting of her gentle explanation, she’d decided not to wait to go home to Bent Creek. It hadn’t been cheap to change their flights last minute, but the relief she’d felt when they’d landed in Rock Springs, Wyoming, so close to home and the help she so badly needed, was worth the cost.

      “Well, come on in,” her mother said, stepping aside as she motioned them into the one-bedroom, ground floor condo her parents had moved into a little over four years earlier. Her father’s arthritic knees had pained him too much going up and down the stairs in the home Lainie and Justin had been raised in. So her parents had downsized into a much more manageable one-story condo a town over from Bent Creek, selling their house to Justin for far less than they could have gotten for it on the open housing market. But that’s how her parents had always been—striving to make her and Justin’s lives better any way they could.

      “Baby girl!” her father said as he joined them in the entryway.

      “Dad,” she said, stepping into his welcoming embrace.

      Her father turned to Lucas. “And who’s this young man?” He pretended to search beyond her son. “Where’s my baby boy?”

      Lucas groaned. “Grandpa.”

      Her father’s eyes widened. “Lucas? Is that really you?”

      Her mother gave her husband a nudge. “Stop your teasing. We both know we can’t keep him our little boy forever.”

      If only that were possible, Lainie thought sadly. Lucas had always adored her. That’s why this change in him was so heartbreaking.

      “Afternoon, Jackson,” her father said, glancing past Lainie and her son.

      Jackson gave a nod in greeting. “Mr. Dawson.” Then he looked to her mother. “Mrs. Dawson.”

      Her mother smiled. “It’s so good to see you.” Her gaze moved beyond him. “Where’s Justin?”

      “Home, catching up on his sleep,” Lainie explained. “He worked the night shift last night and has to go back in later this afternoon.”

      Disappointment registered on her mother’s face. “That son of mine is always burning the candle at both ends.” She looked to Jackson. “Well, come on in out of that cold.”

      “I’m not staying,” he told her. “Just dropping Lainie and Lucas off.”

      “Don’t be silly,” the older woman said with a wave of her hand. “There’s no sense in you making two trips out here. Stay and visit.”

      He hesitated, looking uncomfortable. “This is family time. You don’t need me around while you’re catching up with your daughter and your grandson.”

      “You are family,” her father said with a warm smile.

      “That’s right,” Lainie’s mother said. “You are. Now come on inside. It’s cold out.”

      Jackson looked to Lainie for help, but if she were to put up any sort of protest it would have her parents asking questions she’d rather not have to answer. So he nodded his consent, swept the cowboy hat from his head and stepped the rest of the way inside, closing the door behind him.

      “Lucas, there’s a plate of Christmas cookies on the kitchen table,” her mother said. “Grandma baked them this morning if you’d like to go pick a few out.”

      Lucas’s face lit up and then her son raced off in search of the sugary sweets his grandmother had no doubt prepared for his arrival.

      “Two cookies!” Lainie hollered after him, knowing full well her son would go for the iced cut-out sugar cookies. They were his favorite. And her mother’s tended to be the size of cereal bowls.

      “I thought your brother told me he was off today,” her mother said as she led them into the living room.

      “He was supposed to be,” Lainie replied as she removed her coat and draped it over the arm of the sofa.

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