“No, it’s not.” Stella grabbed at the page and pulled it down so she could see. “It’s you, Calliope. I look at that and I see you. Those glass stones, the water. The ribbons in the trees. That’s all you.”
“Out of the mouths of babes,” Matt said with a grin. “Gil’s in his office for the next few hours. In case you want to drop by. As an official committee member that is. If you had a recommendation to make?”
“He’d have to come back.” Stella squealed and jumped up and down. “Calliope, if he builds the sanctuary he’ll have to come back to Butterfly Harbor!”
“I can’t do that.” As much as she wanted to see him again, as much as she missed him, it wouldn’t be fair. To either of them. “I love him. I can’t manipulate him like that.”
“Sure you can.” Lori snorted. “What?” She gaped at her husband, who looked shocked. “She loves him. She just said it. And what’s love but a special kind of magic? Magic you of all people know how to use, Calliope.” She held out her hand to Stella. “Come on, kiddo. you and your team deserve hot fudge sundaes at the diner. Your sister has someplace to be. Right, Calliope?”
“Ah. But I’m—” Calliope shivered.
“Right.” Matt held her by the shoulders and pivoted her toward the stairs.
“What if he says no?”
“Gil?” Matt asked.
“No. Xander.” Calliope didn’t think she had enough hope left inside of her. “What if he gets the job and he turns it down?” She wasn’t sure she could bear him walking away, even metaphorically, a second time.
“I think you’re asking yourself the wrong question, Calliope.” Matt moved in and pulled her into a hug. “What if he says yes?”
* * *
“AT SOME POINT are you going to be in the Christmas spirit or are we just going to call you Scrooge from now on?” Antony dropped onto the sofa in their parents’ spacious living room and pushed a mug of hot chocolate into his hand. “Mom’s orders. Drink up.”
“Is there cyanide in it?” Xander looked down at the melting whipped cream and sniffed. “I don’t smell almonds.” He sipped, sipped again and managed to find a grin. “Ah, peppermint schnapps. Nice.” Another half a dozen of these and he might become jolly after all.
A fire roared in the fireplace, offsetting the cascade of snow that had been falling since his and Alethea’s plane landed days before. The live Christmas tree in the corner had been decorated the day after Thanksgiving with the family’s history of ornaments, which should have lightened his heart. There would be no skiing this year. No family trips. Just a nice quiet holiday at home while his father continued his therapy.
“Dad seems a lot better than the last time I saw him,” Xander said.
“He’s turned a corner.” Antony drank his own hot chocolate. “Seemed to happen all of a sudden, too. Mom was taking him to PT about a week ago and once she got him out of the car and into his chair, he made her stop. He put out his hand and caught a butterfly.” Antony chuckled. “A butterfly. In Chicago. In winter. You know, one of those orange-and-black ones—”
“Monarchs.” Xander’s chest tightened. “They’re called monarchs.”
“Yeah, well, ever since then, he’s been nonstop. His speech has improved and his therapists are accelerating his strength training. They’re saying he can start trying to walk again in a few weeks. If I didn’t know any better, I’d bet it was—”
“Magic.”
“Okay, if you’re going to start interrupting me all the time, I’m going to need another drink.”
Xander watched his brother leave, his heart ka-thudding in time to the Perry Como CD that was his mother’s favorite. The sounds of his squealing nephew and niece echoed from the playroom, while Ophelia, Dyna and Alethea argued over which vegetable would accompany the ham currently roasting in the oven.
Butterflies again. How was it he could be in the middle of a deep-freeze winter and still end up with butterflies on the brain. He ran a hand over his chest, over his heart, and wondered when the ache would go away. Today was the gingerbread-sandcastle competition. He wondered how Marlie, Stella and Charlie had done. Had Calliope managed all right? Had Charlie and Simon made up? What plans had Kendall decided on for the lighthouse? By now the camera crews and photographers and guests had to have arrived for the wedding. The town would be packed to the rafters. He could only imagine that Abby was going a bit frantic, but Calliope would be there to support her. And make sure the day went off without a hitch.