* * * * *
It had been hours. Darryl had been in almost constant contact with Sophie, who relayed to him which roads were being searched by which of her family members. Every back road and rural route, logging trail and cow path within a ten-mile radius of Big Falls was being covered. He felt as if he’d driven over most of them himself. And yet, there was no sign of Max. No sign at all.
Darryl was dejected. He was desperate. What if Max had gone off road, out into the middle of nowhere? There was lot of nowhere around Big Falls. A kid could get lost forever out there. And it was cold tonight, and still snowing a little bit.
His phone pinged, and he glanced down at the message screen.
Sophie: Don’t forget to believe.
He sighed. Right. Okay, well, why the hell not?
“I believe I’m gonna find him. I believe I’m gonna find him. I’m gonna find him.”
What he couldn’t believe was that he was saying that to himself over and over as he drove through the center of Big Falls. Every single building was decked in holiday lights. Every lamp post bore a twinkling wreath, gleaming cheerfully in the darkness of the night. All the way up ahead in that round little park in the town’s center, the towering evergreen just twinkled and glowed.
He needed to turn around. He needed to head back out of town, and recheck some of the back roads. But it was easier to keep going and loop around the park than to execute a three-point turn in his truck. So he did. And that’s when he saw the kid, right there on the bench, huddled against the cold and staring up at the giant Christmas tree.
The boy didn’t look his way when Darryl cut the engine and headlights. He took Max’s letter from his pocket, and then, almost as an afterthought, he opened the glove box and took out the other letter. The one he’d sealed in an envelope last night, after Sophie had left him, but never intended to mail anywhere.
He got out and closed the door, then walked slowly over to the boy, trying to see his face in the gentle glow of the Christmas tree lights. When he got to the bench, the kid sat up straighter, still not looking at him. Darryl sat down beside him, took a deep breath. “You dropped your mom’s letter,” he said, holding it out.
The kid nodded, took it, crammed it into his own pocket.
“I didn’t know. I never knew,” Darryl said. “I’m really sorry about back there. Sophie, she’s got an ex with bad habits, and I thought he might’ve sent someone after her. I’m really sorry.”
The kid just nodded. His face was empty, but bore the marks of tears. It was a knife in Darryl’s heart to think of him sitting here in the cold, all alone, orphaned by his mom, attacked by his father, staring almost accusingly at a lighted tree on Christmas Eve.
“You must be feeling like all this Christmas magic is just one big pile of bull, about now, huh? I’ve been feeling that way too. For a long time.”
Max shrugged, still not looking at him.
“I’ve been trying to figure out what to say to you ever since I read that letter,” Darryl said. “But I think maybe you should read this. I think maybe this will tell you everything a lot more easily than I will if I keep running my mouth.” He pulled the envelope from his pocket, held it out. “I wrote it last night. A friend of mine—well more than a friend—she told me it worked for her.” He shook the envelope. “Go on, read it.”
The boy looked at him. First time. He looked right into his eyes. He was damn good looking, if Darryl could trust his own judgment. An oval face, strong jaw, kind eyes that might be deep blue like his own, but right then, only reflected the twinkling colors of the tree. So very wounded, those eyes.
Max, Darryl thought. My son.
“Please?” he asked. “Please read it?”
Nodding, Max took the envelope and tore it open. He unfolded the note, and glanced down. Darryl knew exactly what it said.
Dear Santa,
I only want two things for Christmas, and they’re both impossible. I don’t even know why I’m writing this, except that Sophie has a way of making me want to believe. So here goes. I want to be a father, and I want to be a good enough man to deserve to marry Sophie McIntyre.
That was all the note said, besides his scribbled signature.
The kid looked up and right into his eyes. “You…wrote this yesterday?”
“Yeah. I um, I got injured in Iraq. I can’t have kids. And I thought you…I thought I’d lost you, before you were even born.”
There was silence for a long moment, then Max said, “Do you remember my mom?”
“Oh, do I ever.” He looked at the kid, knew he was craving more than just that, so he went on. “She was the most beautiful girl in the state of Texas. Prom queen. I was nuts about her. So was every other guy in our high school.” He lowered his head. “I’m real sorry you lost her, Max. She was something special.”
Max lowered his head.
Darryl reached out a hand, put in on his shoulder. “You’re not alone anymore. I’m your father. I’m here for you.”
Max knuckled his eyes, nodded without looking up. “I didn’t…I didn’t think you’d want me. You don’t have to—”
“Want you? I wished for you. You’re on my letter to the Claus, how much clearer could it be? Max…I can hardly believe this is happening. You’re my…okay, this is sappy as hell, but it’s the truth. You’re my miracle.”
The boy finally lifted his head. His eyes were wet, but he smiled through his tears. Darryl hugged him, clapping his back, holding on tight. “We’ll stick together from now on, okay? You and me.”
Max pulled back, wiped his cheeks, looked down at the letter in his hand. “And maybe Sophie, huh?”
“I don’t know, man. You think Santa’s good for more than one wish come true a year?”
“I didn’t used to think he was good for even one,” Max said.
Darryl’s already wet eyes got wetter and a tear spilled over. He was pretty sure Max must mean he’d wished for him too. He pulled out his phone. “I’ve gotta let her know I found you. She’s got her entire family out looking.”
“Really?”
“Oh, yeah. And if I get my second wish, that pile of rednecks is gonna be your family too. Just a heads-up.”
Then he texted her. I found him.
“I see that,” Sophie said from nearby. He glanced up to see her walking toward them. Her car was parked behind his truck on the road, and he hadn’t even heard her pull up.
Max elbowed him. “I’ll go so you can ask her.”
“Ask her…no, no, not yet. Not yet. I want to show her the new me first. The happy guy, the guy who believes in magic.” He smiled at his son. “I do, you know. She kept telling me and I didn't believe her, but now….”
He clapped the boy on the shoulder, and said, “Come on.”
They both got up and met Sophie as she hurried toward them, her eyes beaming, her smile irresistible.
“Sophie, I’d like you to meet Max. My son.” Then he looked sideways at his kid. “Max, this is Sophia McIntyre, the woman I love.”
Sophie’s smile died and her eyes rounded. She jerked her eyes from Max to lock onto Darryl’s.
Max said, “Nice to meet you Sophia.”
“You can call me Sophie,” she said, finally managing to tear her eyes off Darryl to look at his son again. “You know you’re a walking miracle, don’t you? You are your dad’s Christmas wish come true.”
“Only half of it,” he said. Then he bumped his shoulder into Darryl’s and said, “You should show her the letter.”
“What letter?”
Max handed an envelope to Darryl and said, “I’m cold. Can I, uh—”
“You can wait in the truck if you want, Max,” Darryl said. “I won’t be long.”
The boy nodded and headed away from them. Darryl heard the pickup door close. He was still standing there, staring into Sophie’s eyes. He could see the Christmas tree lights twinkling their reflection there.
She said, “You wrote a letter to Santa, didn
’t you?”
“I did.”
“And it worked, didn’t it?”
“Remains to be seen.”
“You mean you didn’t ask for Max?”
“Yeah, I did. And I got him. And I have you to thank for that.”
She shook her head. “You have you to thank for that.” Then she frowned.
“And Santa, too!”
“Maybe.”
“Don’t tell me you still have doubts. You got what you asked for.”
“Not everything I asked for.” He slid his arms around her waist. “I kind of made a big declaration there a minute ago.”
She smiled hugely, sliding her hands over his shoulders. “You sure did.”
“You got anything to say back?” he whispered, moving his mouth closer to hers.
“I sure do,” she said, her lips brushing his with the words.
“Well, say it, then.”
She smiled against his mouth. “Merry Christmas,” she whispered.
Laughing, he kissed her, bending her backwards and holding her close. When he paused for a breath, she said, “And I love you too.”
He picked her up and spun her around in a circle. When he set her down again, she grabbed his hand and tugged him with her to the waiting truck. She opened the passenger door and smiled in at Max. “You guys can follow me back to Vidalia and Bobby Joe’s. They have plenty of room, and this way we’ll all be together for Christmas.”
Then she looked from Max to Darryl and back again. “It’ll be our first Christmas together. And if my Christmas wishes all come true, it’ll be the first of many.”
The boy looked relieved, nervous, and tired.
Darryl said, “I didn’t have time to shop for you, son. But I’ve got seventeen years’ worth of Christmas presents to make up for, so I’m gonna give you one very big one this year.” Then he handed his pickup keys to Max. “Hope you like it.”
“What?” The boy blinked. “No way!”
“She’s all yours. Um, but you might have to play chauffeur for me until I find alternative transportation. Shove over, you can drive.”
Max gaped, but he shoved over, stuck the keys in the switch, turned it. The motor started up and rumbled.
“Hear that motor? I did that. Supercharged it.”
“That’s so cool.”
“I’ll teach you how.”
Darryl climbed into the passenger seat and Sophie climbed up after him, gripped his collar, and kissed his face. He pulled her across his lap and said, “Ride with us. We can get your car in the morning.”
“Okay.”
He reached out to pull the door closed, then paused, frowning. “Wait, wait. Do you hear that?”
Max frowned, but turned off the ignition to listen. Sophie cocked her head to one side. “Are those…are those sleigh bells?”
“Look!” Max shouted, pointing skyward.
There was something…a flash, a streak of light, a twinkle, and then just the starry sky, as empty as if nothing had ever been there.
Darryl looked at Sophie. She closed her eyes and whispered, “Thank you, Santa Claus. Merry Christmas.”
––THE END––
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Continue reading for excerpts from the next two books in The McIntyre Men Series:
Oklahoma Moonshine
Oklahoma Starshine