Once Upon a Second Chance (Once Upon a Holiday Story #1)

Chapter 22

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Aaron

Christmas Eve was relaxing. There was more food than anyone could eat and far too much to drink. We watched movies, played board games, and I listened while the Lavertons regaled me with many stories about Daniel. Much to his chagrin.

Snow was falling Christmas morning, but it didn’t appear to be sticking to the ground. It was the perfect backdrop as we sat around the Christmas tree, opening presents.

I didn’t have a lot of money, just the five hundred the mechanic Vince had given me for my car, but I’d been able to buy everyone a little something from the vendors at the festival.

Rina loved her hand-painted ornament with cardinals on it. She had mentioned they were her favorite birds, and the moment I saw it hanging from one of the sellers, I grabbed it.

Katherine laughed when she opened the humorous book I actually did buy at the traveling library. “ Why Sisters Are Better than Brothers .” She cackled.

Daniel glared at me, but I simply shrugged. I had to win family points—surely, he understood that.

One morning Frank had said he’d needed to see the hockey score and Katherine had mumbled that he was a hardcore Bruins fan. I got him a hockey puck with the Bruins logo on it from the hockey stall, and the seller, who was also an artist, had airbrushed Frank’s name on it.

“This is so cool. Totally going on my desk at work.”

Josh was hard because I didn’t know kids really well, and he was quiet most of the trip. It was obvious he loved video games, but I’d discovered he also loved Star Wars and gross humor. One of the vendors sold shirts and as soon as I’d seen the one he was currently holding up and laughing at, I’d known it was a sure thing.

It was a picture of Darth Vader sitting on the toilet, and the text underneath said, Use The Force.

I clutched the gift I wanted to give Daniel, waiting until the others were done. His family had all graced me with presents—a sweater, a few books, slippers, Christmas staples I’d never before gotten—and I would cherish each one.

Once everyone had opened their gifts Daniel gave me his, and I handed him mine.

“You go first.” He was so excited, and that made me even more curious.

I tore the paper like a mad person, revealing a DVD—which, not many people used those anymore, and I didn’t have a player for; this was special. Daniel promised I’d set down roots and one of the ways to do that was to make memories while in one place.

My vision blurred as I looked up at Daniel. “ While You Were Sleeping .”

“Yup, the first movie we ever watched together.”

I loved it but I tossed it onto the cushion beside me and tackled him into a hug. Yeah, his family knew the night of the festival that Daniel and I were more than friends…honestly, they likely knew before that.

“I take it you love it?”

“It’s the best present I’ve ever gotten.”

We kissed, only stopping when Josh begged us to stop, and then I went back to my seat, waiting for Daniel to open his.

I was beginning to think it was a dumb gift, maybe juvenile, especially after he’d just given me such an amazing present.

He opened it much slower than I did, treating the wrapping paper as though it were a gift in itself.

“What is it?” Katherine asked.

Daniel lifted the black leatherbound journal. Scrawled on the front was Once Upon A Second Chance.

“Our lives are blank slates, Daniel. We have a story full of promises to keep and what better way to solidify those roots than to write our own book? We each deserve a second chance, don’t you think?”

“We absolutely do.”

“Oh, my heavens.” Rina started crying. “Your aunt is going to be sorry she went on a cruise this Christmas and missed all this love.”

This time Daniel grabbed me and, on top of mounds of wrapping paper, kissed me breathless. When we separated, everyone had left the room and Daniel fell into a fit of laughter.

“All these years, I wondered what it would take for my family to give me some space, and all I needed was you to make it happen.”

“And you have me.”

He kissed me sweetly. “I can’t wait to write our story, Aaron.”

“It’s going to be the greatest tale ever told.”

Ten Years Later

What did roots look like a decade later? Unbreakable.

I took Rina’s advice, and once the new year came, I went over to the tavern and spoke to Fanny. I didn’t use Rina’s name, but Fanny inquired where I was living and I told her with my boyfriend, Daniel, realizing it was just as good as using her name. She hired me on the spot. I’d started with bussing tables and had quickly moved up the ladder to waiter and then bartender.

Five years later, she hurt her hip and wanted to retire. With Daniel’s help, I bought the tavern from her. I made some much-needed repairs and renamed it.

Second Chances was a hot spot for the residents of Everlasting Springs, and it was all mine. Daniel wouldn’t put his name on any of it.

A year after the night Daniel asked me to stay in Everlasting Springs with him, he proposed, I said yes, and we were married the following fall.

We talked about kids, but what Daniel really wanted was to help animals. Which meant we now housed six cats, three birds, four dogs, an aquarium of tropical fish, and two painter turtles.

It was a zoo, and we loved every moment of it.

For the last ten years Daniel kept every promise he made, and I did too. I’d had to tell him for years when he doubted our age gap that he wasn’t too old for me or I wasn’t too young. And he’d taught me how to accept help from people who loved me and to stop only depending on myself.

We were on our third journal now. Every night before we went to bed, we put an entry in. Some days it wasn’t much, and others we’d fill a few pages.

We had traditions and more love than I’d ever thought possible. I couldn’t wait to see what the next ten years would bring, the new promises we’d make, the memories we’d create, and the roots we’d plant.

THE END