Chapter Twenty-two
Mary floated through the next day with her head in the clouds and her feet barely touching the floor.
Last night with Noel, they’d made tentative, wonderful plans for their future together.
Before he’d discuss anything, he’d shocked her into tears and silence with his confession of the indescribable weakness he’d conquered on the night they’d met.
About how he’d stood at the bridge in town, his life in tatters, his mind in such turmoil, that exhaustion and hideous pain from losing his family had led him to a point where he’d contemplated ending his own life.
Seeing her horror, he’d quickly explained how he’d forfeited his plans to instead rescue another. Not willing to delve into the faint memory of an angel named Clarence; he kept the story to that of an old man who he never saw again.
Heartbroken for Noel, a man she’d only known as a strong protector, she’d held him and made a promise. “You’ll never be alone again, Noel. We’ll be together, a couple, and whatever battles the world sends our way, we’ll meet them together.”
Seemingly comforted by her tender ministrations, he’d begun speaking of his vision for their future.
“I want us to be together, Mary. Live in Bedford Falls and make a good life helping others. I’ve seen the work you do here with the young people, the poor kids who need your brand of kindness, and I want to be a part of that. ”
She knew he’d taken leave from a high-powered position as a partner in a growing law firm in the city.
That he managed huge cases and made multi-million-dollar settlements.
She suspected he was rich, not that money equalled happiness, but the penthouse apartment on Fifth Avenue didn’t come cheap.
And yet he was willing to give that all up to live the small-town life with her.
She felt honored, humbled by his generosity, and head-over-heels in love with the gentle giant.
For him to be willing to give up such a powerful position, move to Bedford Falls and open a small law office, and help her in the Home was mind-bogglingly crazy-talk, but that was exactly what he’d proposed.
Two dark clouds hanging over their plans kept them humbled. He had to find proof of his family’s innocence with only a few days left.
And weather permitting; they had to deal with the horror of the rescue crews recovering his family’s bodies from the killer snowstorms and rockslides that had taken their lives.
Christmas would be a strange mixture of happiness and sorrow. Thankfulness for finding each other would be overwhelmed by heartrending grief for those who were missing.