A Family for Christmas (13 page)

Maggie nodded slowly. “You're right. This isn't like letting them believe in Santa. It's about real trust. Now the question is, how do we tell them?”

“Right now, I think I'll call Ed and tell him the other shoe really dropped. Then we go chop down a tree. We'll tell the older kids when we get home.”

“That's perfect. Look,” Maggie said, leaning closer and pointing to the court date. “The hearing's scheduled for December twenty-third.”

“How could they do this to kids at Christmas?”

“I don't know, but that isn't what I'm talking about. Don't you see? Getting a tree will show the kids how confident we are that they'll still be with us come Christmas!” A loud squeal from Grace in the kitchen drew their attention. Maggie chuckled. “I'd better get back in there before we have an uprising on our hands.”

Maggie rushed back inside, but Trent didn't move. He knew it was chilly for shirtsleeves but he didn't feel the cold. He was numb with fear. What if they lost?

M
aggie closed the laundry room door as Trent came out of Grace's room. He smiled, but it was a nervous smile. “She's waiting for you to kiss her good-night. Don't let her con you. She's had a drink of water and two stories.”

“The others are in their rooms. Trent, maybe we should wait. Just ‘til tomorrow. After they've had a good night's sleep.” Maggie didn't want to have to do this. She didn't want any of this to be happening. Not because she didn't have confidence in the Lord's protection, but because she could see through Trent's supposed confidence. He was scared to death and feeling guilty because it was his parents causing the trouble. And if the children reacted badly, he'd feel even worse.

Trent pursed his lips, then after a moment's thought shook his head. “Mag, it has to be now. Ed should be here in less than an hour. Suppose they hear us
talking? They've all had a full day. They'll sleep even after we tell them. Try not to worry.” He put his arms around her and gave her a quick squeeze. Maggie leaned into him, wanting to give him the strength he thought he needed to give to her. He looked down, and as often happened when they touched, time seemed to suspend its hold on them. Trent brought one hand up and traced her features in a feather-light caress ending with her lips. Then, on a quick intake of breath he covered her tingling lips with his own. It was a kiss that turned desperate before he suddenly released her.

Maggie stared up at him, her heart racing, knowing with a certainty what caused the haunted look she saw reflected in his blue eyes. “It's not your fault, Trent. None of it. You didn't pick your parents any more than Michael did. This is their doing. I don't blame you for it.”

He nodded but looked unconvinced. “Go tuck Grace in, and meet us in the family room. Okay?”

It was Maggie's turn to nod. She'd have to convince him some other way. Why could he not trust in her love?

The two-year-old had already fallen asleep by the time Maggie went into her room, so she straightened the covers and said a quick prayer for the little cherub. As she entered the hall, Trent came out of Mickey's room with the other three children.

Mickey looked up, his big brown eyes worried and apprehensive. “Is everything okay, Aunt Maggie?”

Trent was right about telling them, because at least Mickey had already figured out that something was
wrong. But she purposely misunderstood the boy anyway, hoping to give him a few more minutes' peace. “Are you kidding? She's already in dreamland.”

“I didn't mean Grace. I meant—”

“Let's go downstairs before we wake her up,” Trent cut in. He scooped up Daniel, who was dead on his little four-year-old feet, and hurried the procession along down the hall and the back stairs.

“So what's up?” Mickey, spokesman for the little group, asked as all three climbed up onto the family room sofa.

Trent sat down opposite the kids in a big overstuffed chair that faced the sofa, and Maggie perched on the arm next to him. “It's nothing we want you kids to worry about,” she said, draping her arm over Trent's shoulders, “but we felt you should know what's going on.”

Trent took over, thankfully saying the words Maggie wasn't sure she could say. “My parents—your dad's mother and father—want you to come live with them. They aren't happy that Aunt Maggie and I were named your guardians.”

“But we want you to guard us,” Rachel said. “I don't want to go live with her. She said I was rude, and she doesn't like Cindy.” The ever-present baby doll got a tight protective squeeze.

Maggie saw tears in Rachel's golden-brown eyes. “We didn't say you're going to live with them, sweetie. Just that it's what
they
want,” she quickly assured Rachel.

“We already told them in no uncertain terms in Florida right after the accident that we wouldn't let
them have you. So they've gone to the court and have begun what's called suing for custody.”

“Uncle Ed's a lawyer. You should call him,” Mickey advised sagely.

Trent smiled. “Already done, pal, but thanks for the advice. He's been working for months just in case they did this. He knows just what to do, so don't you kids worry.”

Mickey narrowed his dark eyes. Clearly angry, he said, “I bet they waited ‘til I could walk and I wasn't a burden anymore. I won't go live with them. Not after what they said about me and Daddy. I'll run away.”

“Me, too!” Rachel added in her most defiant tone.

“None of that's going to be necessary. We aren't going to let it happen,” Trent told the three. He leaned forward, elbows braced on his knees.

Maggie let her hand trail down his back and slid forward, unwilling to break their contact. “And more important,” she added, “the Lord isn't going to let it happen.”

“So, what happens next? Do we have to go into court? Will there be a jury and a judge?” Mickey asked.

“It'll just be a judge. Uncle Ed will present evidence that your mom and dad wanted us to take care of you. Then Aunt Maggie and I will testify—that means we'll tell our side,” Trent explained.

Mickey jumped up. “I want to, too!” Mickey demanded. “I want to tell my side!” Maggie had never seen the boy so angry. She looked at Trent to see his reaction. She'd wanted to protect the children from
all of this, but Trent probably had a better perspective on how Mickey would feel.

“Why do you want to testify?” Trent asked.

“Because I want to live here with you and Aunt Maggie. If it's about where we live, we should get to say how we feel. I don't like them. They made me feel bad. You and Aunt Maggie wouldn't ever have talked about me like they did.”

Trent folded his hands and steepled his index fingers against his lips. He just stared ahead, silent. Finally he nodded. “Aunt Maggie and I will talk it over with Uncle Ed when he comes over later tonight. It's very brave of you to want to do this.”

“I—I could, too,” Rachel said, but sounded unsure. Then fire came into her eyes. “She said somebody should burn Cindy! I don't like them and I don't want to live with them. I like it here!”

“And this is where you'll stay,” Maggie said with deepest conviction. “Don't you worry about it. It's very brave of you both to offer, but Uncle Ed might say it isn't necessary. We'll all think about it.”

“Can I go to bed now?” Daniel said. He sounded a tinge angry, too, and Maggie realized that he hadn't said a word until then. Trent, too, must have realized. “That's the first thing you've had to say about all of this, partner. What do you think about it?”

Daniel folded his arms, looking even more mutinous. “I think that I don't know why everybody sounds so surprised.” He stood and put his hands on his hips. “Why did any of you guys think nothing bad was going to happen? I knew it, and you both made me think I was wrong, but now I know I was
right. Nothing good
doesn't
get wrecked around here. You're all stupid!” Before Maggie or Trent could react to his outburst, Daniel took off and ran up the steps.

Trent jumped up. “I'll go. It was my idea to tell him,” he said, guilt weighing down his very words.

I knew this was a mistake!
Sharper than she meant to sound, Maggie said, “No, I'll go! You wait for Ed.” Standing and putting a restraining hand on Trent's arm, she added, “Come on, kids. Let's hit the wooden hill. It's been a long day.”

Mickey and Rachel both looked for a long moment at her, then stopped in front of Trent, who stood looking both thunderstruck and crushed. Rachel reached up and patted Trent's big callused hand as if he were the most delicate of creatures. “We're glad you told us, Uncle Trent. And one of us would have forgot and told Daniel, so it was a good thing you told him, too. He'll be okay.” She sighed and shook her head, adding, “He just gets weird sometimes.”

“I'll let him sleep with me,” Mickey said, looking at Maggie. “That always works. Night-night.” Both children turned away as if it were a rehearsed movement and climbed the stairs, hand in hand.

“Should I go?” she asked Trent, now suddenly unsure what was right and what was wrong.

Trent sat down and once again leaned his elbows on his knees, only this time he buried his face in his hands. “How the heck should I know? You as much as said it. I heard it in your voice. You think I was wrong about telling them.”

“I thought for a minute you were, but…” She
sighed and shook her head. “Now I'm not sure. Mickey and Rachel certainly don't think telling them was wrong. We'll just have to get Daniel through the next month as best we can. Try to remember that his upset is your parents' fault, not yours. Time and the Lord will teach him that bad things sometimes happen to good people, but not always. I—”

The doorbell rang, halting her words. Trent stood to go to the door, but Maggie grabbed his arm. “No, wait. I need to say this. I'm sorry I doubted you. I'm sorry I snapped at you.”

Trent stared at her for a moment, then nodded. “It's okay. I doubted me, too.”

“I guess all parents do. It must come with the territory.”

The doorbell rang again. “I'd better get that before he has all of them all back down here,” Trent said.

Maggie waited for the two men in the kitchen. She put on water for tea and got a pen and paper out of the drawer of the recipe center in case she needed to take notes. She heard their muted voices in the dining room. The kettle was whistling when the quiet talk stopped and the swinging door pushed open.

“Hi, Maggie,” Ed said, peeking around the door.

“Thanks for coming over.” She held a mug aloft. “Earl Grey?”

“Great! Trent went up to check on the kids. He said you told the older three. It was a good move. I've found it's not good to keep kids in the dark. They almost always find out what's going on somehow. The caseworker usually tips it off.”

“Caseworker?”

“I think I mentioned this. The court will order a home study done on both your home and the Osbornes'.”

They both sat down at the big oak kitchen table. “Thank the Lord, Trent worked as hard as he did on the house,” Maggie said, looking around at what had once been the only finished area of the downstairs. “A war zone wouldn't have made a very good impression. But now the house is a plus compared to Trent's parents' house. I mean, who would put children in that mausoleum where they live?”

Ed took a sip of tea and shook his shaggy head. “They're smarter than that. They've already called in a decorator. Can't you just hear Albertine,” In a nasal drawl he added, “'Give it a homey look, my dear, but not too country. I can't abide country.'”

Maggie grinned at his impersonation of Trent's mother, but she didn't feel much like laughing. She hadn't thought Trent's parents would go to such lengths.

“How did you find that out so quickly?” Trent asked from the doorway. “I only called you this morning.” He walked as far as the table and leaned his forearms on the back of her chair.

Ed comically raised and lowered his eyebrows. “How long have I known your parents? I've been sort of keeping tabs on them, because basically I don't trust them,” Ed admitted, his smile mischievous. “My mother's keeping an eye out. I asked her to tell me if she noticed anything unusual. She called me today to tell me they were having one of those
wooden swing sets erected in their yard. And that a decorator's truck was parked in the drive.”

“Unbelievable,” Trent said, shaking his head.

“Well, you'd better believe it. This isn't going to be a cakewalk. They'll pull out all the stops. Look at the court date they set. They don't care whom they hurt as long as they have their way.”

“Even if it's four innocent children who get hurt,” Trent said, and stalked to the window over the sink. He looked out over the yard. He could put in one of those big wooden things, but he didn't want the kids caught in some sort of game of one-upmanship between him and his parents. The children would be the ones in the middle and they'd be smart enough to realize it “So what do we do, other than play keepup with the elder Osbornes?” he asked as he walked back to the table.

Ed looked up. “You present your family to the caseworker just the way it is. You let her meet Claire White and outline her duties, and again you let the caseworker see the relationship Claire has built with the kids. And I'll file for a continuance. I doubt the judge will object to postponing the hearing until after Christmas.”

“Aren't you going to be ready by the twentythird?” Maggie asked, frowning.

“Oh, I'm nearly ready today.”

“Then, I don't think you should ask for a postponement,” she said.

Now it was Ed's turn to frown. “Maggie, not that I think it'll happen, you understand, but if by some
rotten twist of fate they win, the kids would be uprooted and with strangers for Christmas.”

“But as you said, it isn't going to happen. It needs to be over with. We've told them and we can't have it hanging over their heads or ours.”

“Are you sure, Mag?” Trent asked. He wondered, then knew immediately, where her strength came from. He wished he had just a smidgen of the confidence her faith gave her.

Maggie reached out her hand and pulled him into the chair next to her. “It's going to be all right.”

“Okay, then, you two. We'll let the hearing date stand. Let's get started. I want you both to know what to expect. But I have to know what to expect from their lawyer. Is there anything that could come out in court that would make either or both of you look unfit in the eyes of the court?”

Maggie looked sad and horribly guilty. “They can use my leaving Trent, can't they?”

But it was my fault, too.
Trent sucked in a quick breath, thinking he'd spoken aloud. But when no one looked at him, he realized that it had been his guilty conscience speaking silently. He should tell her. But now, when his parents were threatening to take the kids, would be the worst timing. And he didn't have to risk it at all. It didn't matter anymore. It couldn't.