A Callahan Carol (5 page)

“What do you mean?”

“His letters. Those boxes and boxes of letters he wrote to each of you. He still writes them, you know. At least, he did before this illness.”

“I’ve never looked at mine.”

“I know. You haven’t been ready. I think maybe, after this, you will be. Maddie told me Luke has read all of his. She said he said the experience is like having a one-on-one conversation with Branch.”

“I dunno, Belle. That could be the ultimate frustration. At least now I can bark back at him when he barks at me.”

“Hey, that doesn’t have to stop. I cannot imagine Branch Callahan leaving the earthly plain entirely. Maybe God will assign guardian angel duties to him and he’ll watch over Tanner or Emma.”

Mark winced. “That’s making one great big assumption.”

“Your father is a poster child of repentance, Mark Callahan.” When he shrugged but said nothing more, she added, “I like to think that the good part of what’s happening now is that he’ll be reunited with his beloved Margaret Mary, his Meg.”

Without warning tears stung Mark’s eyes. “I know. And, maybe John, too.”

“Maybe John, too.”

Needing to change the subject before he broke down and bawled like a baby, Mark said, “What are the kids doing?”

“They’re in the home theater room watching Christmas DVDs. I called Chris and he’s on his way. He’s volunteered to take charge of the family little people today.”

Chris was Mark’s adult son by his late first wife. A year ago he had taken over management of the family ranch since neither Mark nor either of his brothers had wanted to step into the job. Branch was pleased beyond belief with it. His frequent comment concerning his eldest grandchild “The boy has cows in his blood” always sent the younger grandkids into giggling fits.”

“That’s good. The kids love him. Maybe Chris will find a way to keep Christmas from being ruined for the little guys.”

“We won’t let it be ruined,” Annabelle said. “Branch wouldn’t want that.”

“Then he needs to do his part and stretch this dying thing out. It’s Christmas Eve. He needs to give us thirty-six hours at least, preferably forty-eight.” With that, Mark grabbed the drugstore sack with diapers and baby wipes from the passenger seat of his truck, shut the door, and held hands with his wife as he walked toward an event he dreaded attending.

#

“Do I stay or do I go?” Branch Callahan repeated the question asked by the spirit who rode a Gold Wing and wore dangling earrings shaped like angels’ wings. He rubbed the back of his neck and said it again. “Stay or go.”

“Well?” Celeste asked. She pulled a pocket watch from her white leather jacket and holding it by its chain, swung it back and forth. “Tick tock. Tick tock. We don’t have all day, Callahan. I want to make it home for midnight services and I have quite some way to travel.”

Branch stood at a crossroads, literally. The way north looked bright, golden and inviting. South, well, he didn’t like that reddish glow to the air, and the octagonal road sign posted a few yards from the intersection made that part of the decision easy.

White letters against red said:
Stop. Change your ways. You don’t
want to travel down this road.

Branch
really
didn’t want to travel south.

East had a roadblock standing in the road. Looking past it, he spied familiar items littering the roadside.
Young Johnny’s blue
bike. Little Samantha’s baseball glove. Those had to be Torie’s red
high heels.
As the shortest adult member of the Callahan clan, Matt’s Victoria endured her fair share of teasing about her lack of stature, and as a result, wore skyscraper heels on a regular basis.

Yep, the way east looked cluttered and comfortable and . . .

inaccessible. That left west and north.

Branch yearned for north. He truly did. But the way west stretched open, clean and welcoming. Ready for more. Ready for clutter.

He made up his mind and climbed onto the Honda Gold Wing making a sweeping gesture with his arm. “Go west, young woman.”

She smiled beatifically at him. “You made an excellent choice, Branch Callahan . . . as you will soon see.”

Celeste Blessing climbed onto the Gold Wing’s driver’s seat and started the engine. She gunned the motor and popped a wheely.

An instant later, Branch Callahan was back in bed, thirsty as a mud hen on a tin roof. He opened his eyes and glanced around the room. He didn’t see his celestial visitor, but three of his boys were here, along with their wives. Everyone’s gaze was on Maddie, who was saying, “. . . my favorite Christmas. The gifts were over-the-top. Branch and my dad competed like sixteen-year-old boys to outdo each other. I made them both take back dozens of gifts.”

Luke laughed softly. “It was an amazing thing to see: a rock star and a crusty oilman pouting like babies.”

Branch’s voice emerged in a croak. “I didn’t pout like a baby. Blade is the one who got teary-eyed.”

Six pairs of eyes whipped around to look at him.

Matt’s jaw dropped. Luke’s eyes rounded in shock. Mark closed his eyes, dragged a hand down his face, then looked again and said, “Dad?”

While their husbands stood gawking, the girls rushed forward. Torie helped Branch sit up. Maddie poured him a glass of water and Annabelle helped him sip it. Eventually, Luke emerged from his stupor and said, “Quick, somebody call the doctor.”

“Hold on a minute,” Branch said, more comfortable now that he’d managed to wet his whistle. “There’s no rush for a sawbones. I chose to go west and I could see enough of the road to know that the trip will take a bit of time, yet.”

“He’s delirious,” Matt said. “Where’s Celeste?”

“She left,” Torie said. “She said her work here was done, that we didn’t need her anymore.”

Branch glanced at the window and took note of the darkening sky. “Say, what time is it? After four? One of you needs to haul your butt downstairs and flip the switch for the Winter Wonderland.”

“Oh, holy night,” Maddie said.

Branch looked at his daughter-in-laws. “Are we going to the early service tonight or were you planning to take the kids to midnight mass? If we’re going to early service, I need to get moving. I feel like I haven’t had a shower in a week.”

“Sweet little baby in a manger,” Annabelle breathed.

Torie laughed, “Well, Santa Claus, you are driving this sleigh, and it appears that Christmas has come early to Callahan House this year. I say we do whatever you want to do–as long as you let the doctor take a look at you first. Somebody call him.”

“I don’t believe this,” Matt said. “They said you were dying. You hadn’t had water in days.”

“Which is why I’m still dry as Moses in the middle of the Red Sea.” Branch smiled gently at his firstborn. “Look, Matthew, to quote a great philosopher, ‘Sometimes the questions are complicated and the answers are simple.’ That’s the case here.”

“Branch can quote a philosopher?” Luke murmured, amazement in his voice.

The women–all mothers of young children–replied, “Dr.

Seuss.”

“So what’s the simple answer, Dad?” Mark asked.

Branch closed his eyes and savored the word he had not heard from Mark in forever. Dad. “The simple answer is faith, my children. You must have faith. You have to believe. Only then do real miracles happen.”

#

Downstairs, just as Rudolph, Hermey, and Yukon Cornelius arrived at the Island of Misfit Toys, Chris Callahan heard the front doorbell ring. “I’ll get it,” Johnny said, scrambling to his feet. “This song drives me crazy.”

Aware that this was a delicate time for the family, Chris rose and followed his young cousin. Dad and his brothers wouldn’t want to entertain visitors right now. He’d play gatekeeper.

By the time he reached the entryway, Johnny had the door open. Chris heard a stranger ask, “Hello. I’m looking for the Callahan family. Do they still live here? Since the Winter Wonderland is dark, I’m wondering . . . um.”

“This is my Granddad Branch’s house,” Johnny said. “He still lives here, but he’s sick. I’m Johnny Callahan. Who are you?”

“He’s sick?” the stranger asked.

Chris stepped up to the doorway. He went to flip on the porch light but accidently hit the switch that lit up the Wonderland.

Staring past the stranger, he saw an SUV parked at the curb. More people were inside.

The visitor was staring at him, a faint smile on his lips.

Chris frowned. “I’m sorry, Mister. This isn’t a good time. My grandfather isn’t doing well. In fact, he’s dying and we don’t–”

“Branch is dying?” The man stepped past Chris and into the hallway. “Where is he? Upstairs?”

“Hey, wait a minute, mister. You can’t–”

“I can.” Troubled green eyes fixed on Chris. “I have to.

He’s my father.”

“Excuse me?” Chris asked, just as Maddie, Torie, and Annabelle entered the room, emotion he couldn’t quite read shining in their eyes.

“I’m Gabe.” The man winced, shook his head. “John. I’m John. John Gabriel Callahan. Where is my dad?”

#

For some weird reason, Luke Callahan was having a Grinch moment. He felt like his heart had grown three sizes in a single day. He was pretty sure that any minute he’d start bawling like a baby. He turned his head to blink away the tears and noticed that the Winter Wonderland was ablaze.

A soft knock sounded on the door, then a man stepped into the room. A stranger. But not a stranger.

The man’s gaze zoomed in on Branch. Luke’s stomach took a funny flop.
I knew it.
He heard the whisper-soft echo in his mind.
You kept the faith.

#

Mark saw the stranger enter the room. At first he thought a new doctor must have arrived. Then he took a second look . . . and the world as he knew it ground to a halt. The flicker of emotion in his heart that had never quite died flared and a voice whispered in his ear.
You never lost hope.

#

Matt took one look at the man and everything inside him froze. He blinked, then gasped as his heart swelled and overflowed, flushing his entire body with warmth and joy. A soft, but certain knowledge floated through his thoughts.
Love can work
miracles.

#

“You’re not dead,” said the man with unfamiliar features.

But he has his mother’s eyes.

Tears welled in Branch Callahan’s eyes and overflowed.

“You’re not dead, either.”

John. His lost son. He’d come home.
Meg, do you see this?

Our Johnny has come home!

Branch’s heart lifted. “Praise the Lord, it’s a miracle. A Christmas miracle.” He clapped his hands in joy. “It’s you, isn’t it?”

Luke’s voice cracked as he asked, “John?”

At the same moment, Mark exclaimed, “John!”

Matt started to laugh. “It
is
you!”

But the stranger–John–still had a question that demanded an answer. He pointed toward the bed. “He’s not dying?”

Luke joined in Matt’s laughter and said, “Apparently not.”

“Shoot, you’re not getting off that easy,” Branch responded, his tone gruff but his grin as big as Texas. “C’mere, boy.”

John sat on the side of Branch’s bed and took his father’s hand.
A handshake?
Branch was having none of that. He threw his arms around his youngest and hugged him hard. “Welcome home, son. Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Dad. I’ve missed you.” Glancing up, he met each of his brothers’ gazes in turn. “I’ve missed you all.”

When Branch finally released John, Matt yanked him up and into a bear hug. Mark repeated the gesture, pounding his youngest brother’s back as he did so. Luke grabbed hold of his brother’s shoulders and shook him. “I cannot tell you how happy we are to see you, John-boy.”

John grinned and in that moment, Branch saw past the changes made by time (and he guessed, some plastic surgery) to the boy who had always been the heart of the Callahan clan. Tears fell from his eyes and he grabbed for a tissue from the box beside the table. As he swiped it across his cheek, movement outside caught his attention and he blinked. Hard.
Whoa. That whole thing
was just a dream, wasn’t it?

If he didn’t know better, he’d say he’d just seen an apparition in the sky. Not Santa and his sleigh, but a woman dressed in white riding a motorcycle.

His focus returned to his son when John replied, “Being home, seeing you again, is something I thought would never happen. I’ve traveled a long, long road to get here. This is an answer to a whole lot of prayer.”

At that point, Matt cleared his throat. “You know, I’m not one to spit in the face of a miracle, but John, about that long road?

What happened to you? Where have you been?”

John drew a deep breath, then exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. “It’s a long story and not a very pretty one at times. It’s certainly not a story for Christmas Eve when I have family downstairs to meet and my own personal miracle waiting out in the car.

“Let’s see to Christmas and give thanks for our blessings, shall we? Then tomorrow, I’ll tell you about the most wondrous place in the world, a little piece of heaven called Eternity Springs.

Geralyn Dawson/Emily March invites you to experience
John’s journey of hope, healing, and happiness in:

ANGEL’S REST

by

Emily March

Coming from Ballantine Books

On sale February 15th, 2011

Pre-Order Now!

www.EmilyMarch.com

ISBN 987-0-345-51834-7

Author’s Note

For those of you unfamiliar with the Callahan clan, you
can read more of the Callahan brothers in Geralyn Dawson’s
novels Give Him the Slip, Never Say Never, and Always Look
Twice.

Angel’s Rest by Emily March both finishes out the
Callahan series and begins my new Eternity Springs series. I
needed to write John’s story, and I knew readers wanted to read it,
too. I’m grateful to my new publisher, Ballantine Books, for giving
me the freedom to bring that bit of the old into my new world.

Angel’s Rest will be released in paperback, e-book, and
audiobook format on February 15, 2011. It will be followed by
Hummingbird Lake on March 22, 2011, and Heartache Falls on
April 26, 2011. Two more Eternity Springs novels are currently in
the works.