Christmas Therapy

They all sat at the table and Heather willed her sensitive stomach to calm down.

“My dad wanted me to play baseball professionally,” he said.

“That’s not what you wanted?” her mother further asked.

Heather wanted to slide to the floor. Usually, it would amuse her to watch her mother interrogate one of her dates, but Allen was different. She was falling—no, not yet.

They’d only been on one date. Even the night when Elena picked up baby Gabriela, Heather had snuggled against Allen, surrounded by his woodsy scent and sturdy arms watching a movie. She could stay in that place forever.

“No, I had something else in mind. Physical therapy gives me the opportunity to help people. Sometimes the trauma our patients experience during their injuries can be tough to deal with, but we help them get through it,” he said.

“Any other freak accident patients you had to help?” Sonia looked over at her sister. “I’m glad you’re okay, but I still don’t see how you slipped.”

“The walkway was slippery. It could have happened to anybody.” Heather didn’t want to talk about her less than graceful fall.

“I think it was a blessing in disguise. I’ve never seen Heather this taken with anyone,” her mother said with a wink at her daughter.

Heather shut her eyes hoping to disappear. “It seems I’m on display tonight.”

Allen took her hand. “Actually, Ms. Diana, I’m the one that’s taken with her.” Then his eyes focused on Heather. “I’m enjoying getting to know her.”

“I’m jealous,” Sonia said.

Heather eyed her sister but her smile gave her away. “We hope you like our gingerbread cookies.”

Allen raised an eyebrow at her. “You told her?”

Heather shrugged. “Like I can keep anything from my mother.”

He chuckled.

Dinner proceeded with no further questions to her and Allen’s relationship. Relationship. The word didn’t make her skin crawl as it would in the past. Then again, what if it wasn’t relationships themselves? The more she spent time with Allen, the more she thought of him as her person.

Would he carry her over the threshold if they became husband and wife? Heather coughed. Why did marriage come to mind? That commitment was for life.

Could she even last a lifetime? She’d seen his bleak demeanor when he shared about his first marriage. She wouldn’t hurt him that way, but did he know that? She sipped from her glass of tea.

“Are you okay?” he asked as he patted her back.

She touched her free hand to her chest. “I’m fine.”

“So, Mom, how’s your mystery man doing? Heather brought her man,” Sonia asked.

Heather’s mother squinted her eyes. “One interrogation at a time.” She looked back over at Allen. “Not that we would do that to you on purpose.”

“I didn’t think you would,” Allen said.

Heather’s mother continued. “It’s just that we love and care about Heather. We want her to be happy and this is the happiest I’ve seen her. Thank you.”

Heather couldn’t have agreed more. She was happy. Despite the knots in her stomach, she never smiled this much in a long time.

Was she in love with Allen? Every time the question crossed her mind, she brushed it off. Sneaking her hand underneath the table, she grabbed Allen’s. He looked over at her for a moment, his eye contact firm, looking into her soul.

“Who’s ready for dessert?” her mother asked.

“I’ll help.” Heather took her time standing on her feet.

“Are you sure?” Her mother didn’t sound too convinced, but she didn’t stop her.