This Holiday Magic: A Gift from the Heart / Mine by Christmas / A Family for Christmas

She spotted her bags on a cozy love seat in the alcove beneath the bay window. Grabbing one of the handles, she pulled it to the floor. As soon as she did, it tumbled open and a mass of clothing fell to her feet. She knelt and began stuffing things back inside.

“Here, let me help you.”

She stiffened, hearing Tyson’s voice as he knelt beside her. He picked up her hair dryer, curling iron and several pieces of intimate apparel.

“I have it,” she said, quickly taking everything from him and zipping the suitcase up again.

He stood and reached down his open hand to her. She stared at his hand without responding. “I won’t bite you, Janelle. I promise.” She took a deep breath and took his hand and stood.

A few seconds passed, her hand still in his. They stood toe to toe, staring at each other in the muted darkness. Neither spoke; Janelle didn’t even dare to breathe. For the first time that evening there was a silent moment of peace between them.

“You’re wrong,” he said softly, answering her earlier question. “I’ll take these downstairs.” She nodded and followed, and then she stopped when movement in the bed caught her eye. He set the bags down, then walked over to lean down at the side of the bed. Janelle watched his movements. That was when she saw the tiny figure snuggled beneath the covers, holding tight to the bride doll Janelle had brought back from Africa. She walked over and stood near.

“Daddy...” The little girl moaned softly and reached out to him.

“Shh, I’m here. Go back to sleep,” he whispered, giving her a hug and a kiss on her forehead.

After tucking the covers over the child, Tyson straightened and smiled. Janelle instantly saw the unconditional love he had for his daughter in his eyes. It was heartwarming to see.

“That’s not her doll,” Tyson said, turning to Janelle.

“No, it’s not. It’s mine.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“It’s a handcrafted Ndebele bride doll. A friend of mine gave it to me before I left. It represents a bride on her wedding day. It’s supposed to be a blessing for a happy, healthy family and future.”

“It looks expensive.”

“I don’t know about that, but it’s sentimental. It was in the side pocket of my luggage. I guess Aneka found it. That would explain why the suitcases were open.”

He sighed heavily while shaking his head. “I’m sorry. She’s in a curious stage right now—she’s into everything.” He reached down to retrieve the doll, but Aneka’s little fingers gripped it tightly as she rolled to the side.

Janelle touched his arm. “No, don’t take it away from her,” she whispered. “I’ll get it another time.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Thank you. I’ll get it back to you. I promise.”

“No problem,” she said softly, then paused. “She is beautiful.”

He smiled proudly. “Yes, she is, and she’s a handful.”

“I bet. How old is she? Four?” Janelle ventured.

“Almost. She’ll be four years old next month. But, to tell you the truth, she’s more like fourteen.”

“Let me guess. Nonstop energy and fiercely independent.”

He nodded continuously. “Oh, yes, and then some. Running, jumping, skipping, dancing... You name it, she does it. Her favorite storybook character right now is Tigger, the tiger from Winnie-the-Pooh. She hops and jumps everywhere. And of course she wears her princess dress and her crown when she does.”

“Of course,” Janelle said, smiling.

“But she’s also kind, generous, creative and wonderfully imaginative. She loves to draw and play make-believe. She insists on choosing her own clothes, even if nothing matches, and she’s a sponge for learning new things. And, admittedly, she has me wrapped around her little finger.”

Janelle smiled. “Daddy’s little girl.”

“Yes, she certainly is,” Tyson said as Aneka stirred.

“She has your heart. That’s how it should be.” Janelle looked closer at the little sleeping angel. Her features were soft and innocent and her skin was honey-toned, far lighter than Tyson’s deep, rich cinnamon complexion. Her hair, a light brown hue, was lightly tinted with reddish-blond highlights. All at once it occurred to her that Aneka bore very little resemblance to Tyson. “She must look like her mother,” she said without thinking.

“Yes, she does,” Tyson replied.

Suddenly, Janelle realized where the conversation might lead. She wasn’t ready to talk about Tyson having another woman in his life. She took a step back. “I’d better go. My dad is probably waiting outside for me.”

“Janelle...” Tyson began, turning to her.

“Daddy,” the little girl muttered again.

Tyson turned back to his daughter.

“Don’t worry about the bags. I’ll pick them up tomorrow. Take care of your daughter.” She turned and walked out.

Seconds later she was opening the front door and stepping outside.

She took a deep breath. A sudden rush of crisp cold December air chilled her lungs. It was a welcome sensation; she needed the intense shock to her senses. Exhaustion and jet lag had apparently gotten the best of her. She’d actually had a civil conversation with Tyson Croft.

She looked up at the full moon and wrapped her hands around her arms and shivered. It seemed a lot colder than it used to be around Christmastime, or maybe she just needed to get used to the seasonal weather again.

The door opened behind her. She didn’t have to look to know it was Tyson.

“Janelle, can we talk?” he asked.

“There’s nothing left for either of us to say,” she said.

“Yes, actually there is. I’m sorry.”

She turned to him. “Is this your attempt at closure?”

“No, it’s a sincere apology for walking away like I did. I know it’s long overdue, but I still need you to know that I’m sorry for what happened between us.”

Janelle looked away without responding. Car lights turned the corner a block away. A few seconds later she recognized her father’s car approaching. “Here comes my dad,” she said, stepping down to the walkway.

“Aneka’s mother—”

“Look, it’s your life. It’s none of my business. I really don’t need to know this,” she quickly interrupted.

“Yes, you do. Aneka’s mother died two and a half years ago in a car accident.”

Janelle paused and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry for your loss and I’m sorry for Aneka. It’s difficult growing up without a mother,” she said, knowing from her own past experience.

“Her father is— Her father was my cousin, Girard. He survived the accident, but died a few months later from his injuries. Aneka is my goddaughter and as of two and a half years ago, I’m her legal guardian.”

Janelle looked at him, speechless. This wasn’t what she’d expected to hear. “I’m sorry. I know you and he were very close.”

“We were, and now his daughter is my daughter.”

Neither spoke for a few minutes.

Janelle sighed heavily. “I was surprised to see you here. You’re the last person I ever expected to see again.”

“Yeah, I’m full of surprises these days.”

She looked at him sternly. “Nothing’s changed. Just because my father seems to need you doesn’t mean I do or ever will again.”

He nodded. “I deserve that.”

“Yes, you do. And stop being so damn understanding. You were never that way before.”

“Really? What was I like?”

“Ruthless,” she said.

“Yeah.” He nodded slowly. “I guess I was.”

She grimaced at him. “Wow. Enlightenment. So, what did you do, climb a mountain or chat with a shaman or something?”

He smiled. “Or something.”

“What do you want from me, Tyson? A reprieve? Absolution? My blessing to move on with your life? What?”

“Right now I’ll settle for a cease-fire.” He extended his hand.

She looked at him and then nodded slowly. She was too tired to object. They shook hands and a small smile pulled at her lips. “Cease-fire it is.”

“Perfect timing, I’d say,” Ben said as he got out of his car and waved. “Glad to see you two have settled your issues.”

Tyson picked up her luggage, which he’d brought down with him, and walked over to the car. Janelle followed, but headed to the passenger-side door as Ben opened the trunk and Tyson put her luggage inside. She waited, listening as the two men stood and talked a moment.

She shook her head. She had no idea what was really going on with her father’s business and Tyson, but she was definitely going to find out. The trunk closed and her father walked to the front of the car. She looked into the passenger-side mirror and saw Tyson standing there, waiting.

His apology had been sincere, but there was no way she was going to let him into her life again. He’d hurt her before and she was not going to allow that to happen again.

Ben got into the car and looked over at his daughter. “Well, sweets, are you ready to go home?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m ready,” Janelle said.

As the car pulled away from the curb and drove down the street, she glanced in the side-view mirror again. Tyson was still standing at the curb. She watched him watch her until the car turned the next corner.

Closing her eyes, she relaxed for the first time in days. She was on her way home once more.

Minutes later she climbed the stairs to her childhood room and lay on the bed. Within a matter of seconds she was fast asleep.

* * *

After standing at the curb and watching Ben’s car drive away, Tyson went back inside and climbed the stairs. As he headed for the master bedroom, he glanced in on Aneka to see that she was still asleep, holding Janelle’s doll.

He walked over and sat on the love seat beneath the alcove. He laid his head back, thinking about the evening. Hearing Janelle’s voice when she had called earlier had been a shock, but seeing her walk into the office had left him speechless.

Granted, she was stunned and furious to see him. Even so, she was even more beautiful than he remembered. Her soft brown eyes still sparkled when she was emotional and her flawless skin still singed red when she was angry. Her full lips were still as luscious and tempting as ever and her body was just as perfect as always.

Her reappearance in his life was far sooner than he’d expected, yet it had allowed him to take the first step back into her life. Granted, it had been awkward and far more difficult than he’d expected, but nonetheless it was a move toward a new beginning.

He had loved her the moment he’d first seen her walk into the hospital cafeteria years ago. He’d known right then she was the only woman for him. It had taken her a bit longer to see that he was the man for her. But together they had worked it out and their union had ended up strong...before he’d left. Tyson needed to remind her of that. It would take time. She may not be ready to accept him right now, but there was one thing he knew for sure—tomorrow was another day.

Chapter 5

Hours later Janelle rolled over and opened her eyes. It took her a few seconds to realize where she was—at her father’s home in her old bedroom. Smiling to herself, she stretched leisurely and then slowly leaned up on her elbows and looked around the room. Sunlight streamed in and everything seemed brand-new. She chuckled to herself. Her father hadn’t changed a thing since she’d been gone.

Music posters still hung on the walls, trophies and dolls remained on the shelves beneath the crown molding, and CDs, books and DVDs were neatly stacked in her bookcases. It was like stepping into a time warp. Janelle realized the last time she’d actually slept in this room was at the end of her sophomore year in college. After that she’d lived in year-round campus apartments and later on in her own town house.

Her own town house. The instant she thought about her house, she recalled Tyson being there. Of course, now that the home was completely furnished with his things, it seemed more like his than hers. To his credit, the place was stunning. It fit him perfectly—it was stylish, contemporary and tastefully elegant. But she would have expected no less from Tyson Croft. He was the man she thought she’d be with the rest of her life. He was her soul mate, her friend, her confidant and her lover. He was the man of her dreams from the very beginning.

They’d met in the Johns Hopkins cafeteria the start of the second week of her third year in residency. She’d just completed a double shift—all night, all day and well into the following evening. She had been exhausted, too tired to drive home, but also distraught. Her patient, a five-year-old little boy, had been critical.

There’d been about thirty other people in the cafeteria the night they’d met, but she remembered seeing only him. She had grabbed a cup of tea to wind down and take a much-needed break. When she’d walked into the cafeteria, he’d been there, sitting right at the entrance. As she’d entered, he’d looked up at her and she’d stopped. He’d smiled and nodded once. “Good evening,” he’d said.

Her heart had jumped. He had unnerved her the instant he’d spoken. She’d taken a deep breath and managed to return his nod. “Good evening,” she’d replied and then continued walking until he’d stopped her again.

* * *

“Excuse me,” he began. She turned around slowly. “Are you okay?”

She grimaced at his question. “Yes, I’m okay. Why, do I not look okay?”

“Actually, you look distressed, like you’re carrying the world on your shoulders.”

He was more right than he knew, which she admitted to herself. “Thank you for your diagnosis, but I’m fine.” She turned and just before she walked away again he spoke once more.

“In that case, are you a doctor here at this hospital?”

She looked down at her blue medical scrubs, white jacket and badge that clearly stated her name and title. She nodded.

“Good, because seeing you just stopped my heart.”

She smiled and half chuckled at the corny remark. “That’s the worst pickup line I’ve ever heard.”

“True, but it was effective,” he said.

She looked at him, slightly confused.

“It got you to smile. I’m feeling better already.”

She grinned again, then turned to walk away.

“Wait! What about my heart?”

“Sorry, you’re out of luck. I’m a third-year pediatric resident. The best I can do is to tell you to take two aspirin and call me in the morning.” He laughed as she walked away.

When Janelle took a seat on the far side of the room, she turned to see him still watching her. A few seconds later, though, a woman walked up beside him; it was obvious he had been waiting for her.

That was apparently the beginning and end of their first flirtation. She drank her tea while mulling over a troubling case she’d been working. Minutes later, her cell phone rang: her young patient had taken a turn for the worse. Jumping up, she dumped the cup of tea in the trash and ran out, only to discover her five-year-old patient hadn’t survived.

An hour later Janelle walked, zombielike, back into the cafeteria. It was empty this time...except for him.

He stood as soon as she walked in. Seeing her face, he opened his arms to her without a word. She went to him. He was a stranger, yet all she could think about was being in his arms. Janelle never cried at work because doctors weren’t supposed to. They had to be unaffected by human emotion to do their jobs. But the instant he folded his arms around her, she relinquished her detached emotions and sobbed.

He consoled her without a single word.

She didn’t see him again until the following week, when he was waiting at her table, their table, in the cafeteria. Janelle asked him about his heart problems, and she knew right then that her heart was lost to him. For the next eleven months, they were inseparable.

* * *

“Damn,” Janelle said as she snapped back to the present. She closed her eyes and sighed heavily. Her memory was too good. Why did he still have to be so—amazing? She sat all the way up in bed and wrapped her arms around her legs, resting her chin on her knees. Her stomach tumbled the way it used to do long ago when she’d dreamed about Tyson. She tensed and stopped right there. Thinking too much about Tyson had a way of clouding her judgment. He had always affected her that way.

The moment she’d seen him for the first time, he’d taken her breath away. With one smile, he’d taken over her world. Years ago, when they were together, all she’d thought about was being with him. Nothing else mattered—not school, not family, not even being a doctor, something she’d always wanted to be. She’d actually considered dropping out of med school for him. It was a mistake she’d never made. All her life, she had only ever wanted to be a doctor.... She sighed and shook her head.

“This is crazy,” she muttered, then glanced over at the small clock on the bedside table. She grimaced. The time seemed wrong. It was much earlier than she’d thought. Still, she felt rested and not as tired as she’d expected. She grabbed her cell phone and checked her messages. There were welcome-home messages from Mia and Stephen, Tatiana and Natalia. She texted them all back and sent a message to her friend and mentor at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Dr. Meg Richardson.

She got up and took a quick shower and then put on a T-shirt and pair of jeans from her suitcase. Then she grabbed an old heavy college sweatshirt she’d found in the back of her closet.

Her cell phone beeped. It was Meg. “Janelle, I just got your message. Are you back in town?”

“Yes, I got in yesterday. I’m gonna hang around for a while. I was hoping we could grab a quick meal and catch up.”

“That sounds great. We definitely need to talk. Do you think you can stop by the hospital for a quick coffee later on this afternoon, say about three o’clock?”

“Sure, sounds perfect. What’s up?”

“There’s a pediatrics position that opened up here at the hospital a few days ago. I haven’t had time to put out feelers yet. And now I’m thinking with your talent, background and medical experience with Medics International, you’re perfect for the position. That’s if you’re interested.”

Janelle was stunned. She knew she’d have to look for a new job sooner or later, but to have one just fall into her lap was incredible. “Yes, yes. I’m definitely interested.”

“Good. I have to go now. Meet me in my office at three.”

“Sure, okay, see you then. And, Meg, thank you so much.”

“I should be thanking you. See you soon.”

Janelle ended the call with a grin on her face. Practicing medicine at Johns Hopkins was something she’d always dreamed of doing. She stood and opened her bedroom door to the mouthwatering aromas of bacon and rich, roasted coffee brewing. As soon as she came to the second floor’s open foyer, she saw the stunning holiday decorations. She peered over the banister. Christmas had exploded everywhere. A thick strand of evergreen garland, accented with small holiday balls and holly berries, coiled down the railing. A huge wreath, wrapped with red ribbon and red holiday balls, hung in the large window above the front door, and she could see the image of a second matching wreath positioned outside.

The entire first floor had been transformed into a vibrant holiday display. There were colorful garlands, perfect poinsettias, vibrant evergreens, candles, bells, stars and miniature Christmas trees. In the living room, a fifteen-foot Christmas tree stood elegantly poised between one of the front windows and the fireplace. There was another strand of lights twinkling on the mantel, while two giant, red poinsettia topiaries stood on either side. There were ribbons and bows, massive Christmas balls and beautifully wrapped boxes beneath the tree. It was easy to see that her father still loved this season.

On the mantel hung four holiday stockings. She read the names: Ben, Janelle, Aneka and Tyson. She shook her head in wonder. How and when had Tyson become such a big part of her family? She wondered exactly how much had changed while she was away. She continued on to the kitchen, where she saw her father pulling a mug down from the cabinet above the sink.

She smiled to see him wearing the World’s Greatest Dad apron she had bought for him when she was twelve years old. He wore it whenever he cooked breakfast, his favorite meal of the day. She remembered that every morning, her father would be in the kitchen cooking her breakfast before she went off to school. “Good morning. I smell bacon and coffee,” she said.

As Ben turned around, it was obvious that the joy of having his daughter back safely filled his heart.

“Good morning. Oh, yes. That’s still the best way to start the day,” he said as Janelle walked over and gave him a big hug. “I didn’t expect to see you up for another few hours. Any residual fatigue left over from the jet lag?” he asked, pouring coffee into two mugs.

“No, not at all. I feel fine—better than fine actually,” she said, looking at the perfectly crisped bacon on the counter in front of her. “It’s good to be home again.”

Ben smiled proudly. “It’s good to have you home again.”

Janelle sat at the counter and grabbed a slice of bacon and took a bite. “Turkey bacon? It’s pretty good. Not that I’m not happy to see you this morning, but what are you still doing here so late? It’s after nine o’clock. You’re usually at the office by six.”

“Things have changed. I’ve changed,” Ben said as he placed two plates of food on the island counter and sat across from Janelle. “No more smoking cigars, no drinks at lunch meetings and no more fatty meals. Now I get at least seven hours of sleep every night, I hit the home gym for an hour every morning and I eat right—turkey bacon, only one cup of decaffeinated coffee and one egg-white omelet with scallions. I’ve also lost a little bit of extra weight.”

Janelle smiled. “Yes, I noticed. That’s great, Dad,” she said. “I’m proud of you. And this looks delicious.”

“I guess everything you told me for years finally sank in. I’m feeling better than ever. I’m taking care of myself, and I have Tyson to thank, as well.”

“Tyson?” she questioned after sipping her coffee.

Ben nodded. “Seeing him with his daughter got me thinking. I need to take care of myself for my grandchildren. I’d like to be around and be able to play with them in a few years. That is, if my daughter ever decides to settle down.”

“Thanks for the pressure, Dad,” she joked, eating a forkful of omelet.

He chuckled. “No pressure, I promise,” he said, smiling. “I’m just very hopeful.”

“Speaking of Tyson...tell me what’s going on with the business. How is he really involved?”

“Janelle, I’m handling this,” he assured her.

“With Tyson.”

Ben sighed heavily. “When the economy tanked a few years back, we got hit hard, very hard. Real estate and new development projects just weren’t moving. A lot of other companies were going bankrupt or imploding. I was determined to hold on, and I did for a while. I was neck-deep in three major housing development projects. One went belly-up almost immediately. I sank everything into the last two projects, but by then the business was hemorrhaging money. I tried everything to save the projects. Nothing was working. Money just wasn’t there.

“I initially borrowed against a balloon payment I anticipated making, but when the time came, the cash wasn’t there. I borrowed again. The interest rate was astronomical. I put the house and the company up as collateral. I eventually filed Chapter 13 for protection. There was nothing more I could do. The business is circling the drain.” He shook his head in despair.

“Dad, why didn’t you tell me? You know I have my trust fund. I’ve never touched it. I could have helped,” Janelle said softly.

“No, absolutely not,” he said firmly, standing to take his empty plate over to the dishwasher. “That money is from your mother and her family. It’s for you and your children.”

“Dad...”

“Absolutely not,” he insisted. “End of discussion.”

She nodded her agreement, but knew this wasn’t the end. She was going to find a way to help her father’s business. “So what about Tyson living at the town house? How does he fit into all of this?” she asked, following him to the dishwasher.