Christmas Therapy

Her mother nodded. “I love your father. He’s changed, and I trust him all over again.”

It wouldn’t be easy, but she would try. She wouldn’t risk losing her mother and sister. She had no one else. Her stomach tingled at the last thought. There was someone else. How she wanted to hear his voice once more, but Heather focused on her mother.

“Then… that’s all that matters,” she said.

Her mother’s eyes sparkled. “Are you sure?”

She shrugged. “I want you to be happy, Mom.”

“How did you like this one?” another sales associate asked her mother.

“I think it’s perfect,” her mother said. “I‘ll change and then we can leave.”

Heather bobbed her head and then turned over to Sonia sitting in a nearby chair.

“I guess you’re pretty upset with me.” Sonia wrapped her arms around herself.

“I heard you had lunch with him.”

“Can you blame me for wanting to know? I don’t remember him the way you do. I wanted to know my father. I was angry too. I didn’t understand, but I read his letters. There’s no good explanation, but he’s back. Doesn’t that mean something?”

“He still left. What if he does it again? I don’t want Mom to get hurt.”

Sonia reached for her hand. “I don’t either, but she can take care of herself. She’s strong, and she taught us to be the same.”

Heather smiled. “How did you get to be smarter than your big sister?”

Sonia tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Don’t know, but I’ll take it.”

Heather laughed. “Don’t get used to it. So… you and Terrance.”

Her sister’s eyes widened. “I promise I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

“What happened?”

Sonia beamed. “He’s a great guy. He was honest and told me about liking you, but he appreciated your honesty. We started hanging out and at the tree lighting ceremony we…”

“You what?”

“Kissed under the mistletoe.”

Heather’s mouth fell open. “And you’re just now telling me this?”

“You’ve been recovering with your knee so I didn’t—”

“Want to upset me. You and your mother.”

Sonia giggled. “Have you talked to Allen?”

Heather shook her head.

“You love him?” she asked.

Heather rubbed at her pounding chest. “I can’t. I wouldn’t be good at it. I’d only hurt him.”

“You’d be different, Heather. If you love him the way I think you do, you won’t give up on him. Sometimes things happen and couples don’t work out, but you can’t compare yourself to them. Every relationship is unique.”

“I don’t know if I’m ready for that,” Heather said.