Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
T he Christmas Eve service was always excellent, and this year was no different.
What was different was the fact that Charity was standing beside Wilson, and even better was the fact that she wanted to and was enjoying it.
She didn’t know that standing beside a man, the right man, could make all the difference when a person went to church.
When she was able to get Clancy to go, he complained the whole time, came late, left early, and always wanted to sit in the back.
They were still sitting in the back, because of the children.
They didn’t want them to interrupt the service for anyone else and didn’t want to have to walk halfway through the church if they needed to leave in the middle of it because one of them got antsy.
Still, everything else was better. Wilson acted like he enjoyed the entire service, and it seemed like he enjoyed the music just as much as she did.
Kyra had given her a special look and a great big smile when she saw that Wilson stood beside her.
She had grinned back, and the communication that had passed between them was happy and joyful.
Charity couldn’t deny that she was looking forward to her marriage, even though it was an adjustment, and every once in a while, she had an attack of anxiety.
Was she making the right decision? Maybe she shouldn’t go through with it.
Was she doing the right thing for her children? Was Wilson going to regret it?
That last question was probably the one that haunted her the most.
“I’ll never get tired of listening to the string music.
So glad we have a trio like that in Mistletoe Meadows.
” Wilson leaned down and spoke in her ear, and it sent shivers the whole way to her toes.
Her two youngest children were in the nursery, and the three oldest had been trained since birth to sit quietly in the service, and they did so now.
It was a peaceful time, coming to church, sometimes the only break she had where she could actually sit and relax.
“Same. This is my favorite service of the entire year.”
“Mine too. I love Sunday evening services. They’re just always so comfortable, but this one beats everything.”
She loved Christmas Eve, loved the anticipation, the excitement, the idea that something special was coming, that God had sent His son, and the whole world rejoiced, the angels celebrated his birth.
Even the mother and father gently watching over their child gave her that happy feeling in her stomach.
The celebration, the quiet anticipation of Christians across the globe.
It was the one time that they were all in tune together.
Of course, she loved the decorations and the sparkle and the lights and the good food and fellowship, just everything.
“Are we staying for refreshments afterward?” Wilson breathed in her ear as the pastor thanked the trio and invited everyone downstairs for refreshments.
“If it’s okay with you. I don’t know how long the kids will hold out, but I know we’d all love to get something.”
“I had my eye on that pie you made.”
“I have another one at home. You can have some of that.”
“I wasn’t sure I was going to get any or not, so I figured I probably ought to grab a piece here while I can.”
“You can have the whole thing.” She owed him that and so much more.
Although she knew if she said that, he would brush her off, saying that she didn’t owe him anything and maybe even arguing that he owed her.
But that wasn’t true. She was definitely the one who was getting the most out of this bargain, and she knew it. And she was grateful.
“All right then, let’s stay. And if we need to go, we’ll go. You just say the word.”
“All right.” He had said that he wasn’t going to stay overnight tonight, although he had asked for permission to come in the morning and spend Christmas with them.
She had gladly given it, of course, and it would have been okay if he had stayed the night.
But she didn’t tell him that. There wasn’t too much she would have denied him at this point, and it wasn’t just because she was grateful.
It was because he inspired her to want to be better, to want to treat others the way she wanted to be treated because that was how he treated everyone.
Still, they were planning on getting married tomorrow sometime in the afternoon. And then he would be sleeping on her couch until they moved into his farmhouse, he’d already told her that much.
It had taken all the guesswork out of everything, and she appreciated that.
She didn’t have to wonder what was going to happen and think about whether or not she should ask him.
Of course, he’d already told her that he wanted her to feel free to ask him anything, but there were some things that were just harder than others, and that was one that would be difficult for her at any point, but especially now when they were just getting to know each other.
As the service ended, they stood, her children filing out behind them and Wilson casually putting an arm on her shoulder, she assumed to keep them together and not necessarily because he wanted to touch her.
There were some quizzical looks and a couple of raised brows, but no one asked, even though everyone had seen them sitting together, and she knew the rumors were going to be running rampant.
“We could have asked Pastor Connelly to announce that you and I are engaged and going to be married tomorrow. That would have saved us all of these looks.” Wilson spoke quietly into her ear, low enough that she was the only one who could hear.
She turned and smiled at him. “Do they bother you?”
“Not at all. I was thinking more along the lines they were probably bothering you.”
“They don’t bother me a bit. They can wonder all they want. And if they ask, I can tell them that I am the most blessed person in the world.”
“I’m sorry, but I think that’s me.”
They grinned at each other and then walked into the fellowship hall, where food was set out on tables.
“Excuse me while I elbow my way to your pie before it’s gone,” Wilson said. Then he grinned. “Can I get you anything?”
“I’ll settle the kids at a table, and whatever you bring back, we’ll be happy for.”
“Can I go with him?” Gifford asked, and Charity’s heart skipped a beat. Gifford had been a little standoffish with Wilson, and she hoped this meant he was warming up to him.
So this new development of Gifford wanting to go with Wilson encouraged Charity. But she didn’t want Wilson to have to take him if he didn’t want to.
“Sure. You can tell me what everyone likes. All I know is I want a piece of your mom’s pie.”
“Mom makes the best pie,” Gifford said as they walked away.
Charity watched them go, her heart feeling warm and happy.
When had that become a normal feeling for her?
She wasn’t sure, but the idea of being happy wasn’t as foreign as it had seemed even a few weeks ago.
Maybe she wasn’t quite looking forward to the rest of her life, but it didn’t seem so bleak and empty and hard and full of struggle.
And it was all because of one man. One man who had decided to follow the Lord.
That thought made her lips turn down. Not because she wasn’t happy that Wilson wanted to do what God wanted him to, but it was more because she remembered that Wilson wasn’t with her because of her.
She knew that shouldn’t bother her, she should just be happy with what she’d been given, but she wanted him to…
like her, be attracted to her, she supposed, although that was so far out she almost laughed aloud.
She, a mother of five and definitely not in Wilson’s league, was not the kind of person who Wilson would ever be attracted to.
“Hey, Charity.”
Charity turned to see Amy, Wilson’s sister who had just gotten married, standing behind her holding a cup of hot chocolate.
“Hey,” she said, feeling a little tongue-tied. She wanted to make a good impression on Wilson’s family, and while they were all very nice people, and she probably didn’t need to worry, there was just something inside of her that didn’t want them to pity her.
“Judd is going to be driving the horses on a short ride as soon as he gets them hitched up. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that your kids are invited,” Amy said, smiling and looking friendly and happy with her rosy cheeks and her sparkling eyes. Marriage agreed with her.
“And I’ll be there to supervise the situation, just in case you’re concerned that there will be an adult in the group.” Jones walked over, putting an arm around Amy and pulling her toward him. She leaned easily on his chest while still smiling at Charity.
Amy laughed and swatted him. “I’m an adult.”
“Charity knows what I mean,” Jones said with a wink.
“I’m sure my children would love to do that.”
“We’re not going to have as many as we usually do Sunday mornings, and if you’d like me to take Evans, I can keep an eye on him,” Amy offered.
“Sure. I’m sure he will love it. Actually, speaking of, I haven’t made it to the nursery yet, but I need to go pick them up.”
“Serafina is welcome too. I didn’t mean to exclude her. She’s old enough and has gone before, so I figured you knew we were expecting you to send her.”
“Of course. Thank you so much. They just love riding behind the horses.”
Amy grinned and glanced at Jones who was looking down at her with such a sweet expression of love and admiration it made Charity’s heart clench as they walked off together.
She hurried to the nursery, thanking the workers and getting both of her children, along with their diaper bag.
“I totally forgot about picking the kids up.” Wilson’s voice came in her ear as she lifted the baby bag onto her shoulder and turned, holding Evans in one arm and holding Serafina’s hand in the other.