Chapter 12
Twelve
After a lovely five o’clock Christmas Eve service at the church in town, the group walked the short distance back to the inn for the big dinner Carol and Tom had planned. The table had been set before they left, and all that was left was to take the food out of the warming oven.
The dining room glowed with candlelight as the group gathered around the long farmhouse table for Christmas Eve dinner.
Carol had outdone herself with the traditional feast—roasted turkey with herb stuffing, a baked ham, roasted vegetables that smelled of rosemary and thyme, and fresh cranberry sauce in cut crystal bowls that sparkled from the flame of the candle nearby.
Formal china was set at each place, and fresh evergreen boughs wound down the center of the table, scenting the air with the smell of Christmas.
“This is absolutely beautiful, Carol,” Sophie said, settling into her chair beside Miles. “I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have to slave over a stove making a holiday meal.”
“You’ve really outdone yourself,” agreed Kendall, admiring the elegant table setting. “This is even nicer than dining in a fancy restaurant.”
Carol beamed with pleasure as she took her seat at the head of the table. “Christmas Eve dinner has always been special to me. There’s something magical about gathering with people you care about on this particular night.”
Tom stood to pour wine while Brady helped carry the last few dishes from the kitchen. The conversation flowed easily as platters were passed and plates filled. Lila found herself between Sarah and Brady, feeling surrounded by warmth and belonging in a way that made her chest tight with emotion.
“So, what’s everyone’s favorite Christmas tradition?” Kimberly asked as she spooned stuffing onto her plate. “Besides amazing dinners like this, of course.”
“Miles and I always open one present on Christmas Eve,” Sophie said. “Something small, usually new pajamas or slippers. It started when our kids were little, and we needed something to tide them over until morning.”
“We do breakfast for dinner on Christmas Eve,” Kendall added. “Pancakes, eggs, bacon, biscuits—it’s a feast. It’s completely different from this, but there’s something about breaking the rules on Christmas that makes it feel extra special.”
“What about you, Sarah?” Kimberly asked. “Any special traditions?”
Sarah’s fork paused halfway to her mouth. “This?” Sophie and Carol both laughed. “I can’t even remember what I did before I started spending my Christmases here.”
Just as Brady was asking Tom about how his parents had handled Christmas celebrations at the inn when he was growing up, Ali’s phone rang where she had it face down on the table next to her plate. She flipped it over and glanced at the screen with a frown.
“It’s my sister,” she said apologetically. “She’s pregnant and not due for another three weeks but let me just make sure everything’s okay.”
Ali answered the phone, moving slightly away from the table. The rest of them continued their conversation, but Lila noticed how Ali’s expression changed from casual concern to excitement mixed with panic.
“Oh my God, seriously? Right now?” Ali was saying. “But you’re not supposed to—okay, okay, I’ll look at flights. I love you, and I’ll be praying for the healthy arrival of my beautiful niece.”
She hung up and turned back to the table, her face breaking into a broad smile. “My sister just went into labor a month early. She’s at the hospital right now.”
“How exciting!” Kendall exclaimed. “Are you getting a niece or a nephew?”
“Yes, she’s having a little girl,” Ali said, sinking back into her chair. “I can’t believe it’s happening on Christmas Eve. Mike, we need to see if we can change our flight and head back tomorrow.”
“Of course,” Mike said immediately, already pulling out his phone. “Let me check what’s available.”
The table erupted with congratulations and concerned questions about the baby and Ali’s sister. While Mike worked on finding flights, the group rallied around Ali with support and excitement.
“A Christmas baby,” Carol said, her voice soft with wonder. “How magical.”
Something about Carol’s tone, combined with the coincidence of a baby being born on Christmas Eve, or maybe even Christmas Day if labor took a while, triggered a decision in Lila that surprised her. She felt Brady’s eyes on her and realized this was the opening she’d been waiting for.
“You know,” Lila said, her voice carrying over the conversation, “I’m actually a Christmas baby myself.”
“Really?” Kimberly said. “How fun! Your birthday is tomorrow?”
“Christmas Day,” Lila confirmed, her heart hammering against her ribs. Next to her, Brady put a supportive hand on her knee.
“That must make Christmas extra special for you,” Miles said warmly.
Lila took a deep breath, knowing this was her moment. “It’s always been a little complicated, actually. I was adopted as a baby, so I’ve never known much about the circumstances of my birth.”
Carol’s fork clattered against her plate, and Sarah coughed as she choked on her wine next to Lila.
“In fact,” she glanced at Brady, who gave her a reassuring nod, “it’s why I came to Pine Ridge this Christmas. I discovered that the quilt my birth mother sent with me was made by Emily, who owned the quilt shop on Main Street. So, I thought maybe I could find answers about where I came from here.”
As Kimberly, Kendall, and Ali all spoke at once with excited, “Omigosh, really?”, “That’s crazy!”, and “That’s incredible!”, Carol stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the hardwood floor.
“I’m sorry, I just need to check on the dessert,” Carol said, her voice tight with emotion.
“I’ll help you,” Sarah said immediately, rising from her chair. “That’s a lot of dishes to manage alone.”
They disappeared into the kitchen together, leaving the rest of the table in slightly awkward silence.
Brady reached for Lila’s hand and squeezed it gently.
She wondered if she should follow them into the kitchen, but she didn’t want to confront Carol about her suspicions in front of Sarah.
Based on her reaction though, Lila was even more sure she was on the right track.
“That’s incredible that you traced the quilt here to Pine Ridge,” Sophie said. “Have you ever tried to search for information about your birth family before?”
“Not until recently,” Lila admitted. “Losing my parents made me realize how important family connections are, and I started wondering more about the people I came from.”
“I got a flight,” Mike announced, looking up from his phone. “Well, Christmas night. Nothing available before then, but we’ll be able to make it back late that evening.”
“I guess that’ll have to do,” Ali said. “We can keep checking in case anyone cancels and opens up seats.”
In the kitchen, Lila could hear the murmur of voices but couldn’t make out specific words.
Carol and Sarah had been in there for several minutes now, longer than it would take to simply check on dessert.
It seemed like Sarah had followed Carol to offer support after her obvious distress over Lila’s revelation.
“I assume you asked Cynthia about the quilt?” Sophie asked.
“I did, but she didn’t have much to go on,” Lila said, intentionally leaving out that it had been delivered to the inn. There was no need to expose Carol to everyone else.
When Carol and Sarah finally returned, they were each carrying a pie, and Carol had a pot of coffee in her other hand. Carol’s composure seemed restored, but both her and Sarah’s eyes were slightly red.
“I hope everyone saved room for dessert,” Carol said with forced cheer. “We’ve got a sweet potato pie and a pumpkin pie.”
As they served the pie and passed around coffee, the conversation gradually returned to lighter topics.
Ali shared more details about her sister’s pregnancy, the sisters debated whether the new baby would be spoiled by having a Christmas birthday, asking Lila whether she hated having her birthday presents wrapped in Christmas paper—she did—and Tom told stories about other memorable Christmas Eve dinners at the inn.
But Lila noticed how Carol kept glancing at her when she thought no one was looking, and how Sarah seemed to be keeping a close eye on Carol as well.
“This has been the most wonderful Christmas Eve dinner,” Sophie said as the meal wound down. “Thank you, Carol and Tom, for making it so special.”
“It’s been my pleasure,” Carol replied, but her smile seemed fragile. “Having all of you here sharing stories and traditions, it’s what Christmas is all about.”
As the group began clearing dishes and preparing for the evening’s sleigh ride, Lila caught Carol studying her face with an intensity that made her stomach flutter. Tomorrow was Christmas Day—her birthday—and somehow she knew that everything would change.
Brady appeared at her elbow as she carried plates to the kitchen. “How are you feeling?” he asked quietly.
“Like I just lit a fuse and now I’m waiting for the explosion,” she admitted.
As the rest of the group prepared to bundle up for the traditional Christmas Eve sleigh ride, Lila could see Carol and Sarah standing close together as they cleared the dining room table of dishes, their heads bent in quiet conversation.
“It’s a beautiful night for a sleigh ride,” Brady said softly, his hand briefly touching her back in a gesture of support. “Whatever the truth is, we’ll face it tomorrow.”
Lila felt a mixture of anticipation and terror about what Christmas Day might bring. She’d come to Pine Ridge looking for answers about her past, but she was beginning to realize she might be about to discover so much more than she’d ever expected.
Twenty minutes later, they were all gathered in the lobby in their warmest coats and scarves. Tom had hitched the sleigh to Thunder and Buttercup, whose breath Lila could see through the window creating small clouds in the crisp night air.