Read Online Begin Again: Short stories from the heart by Mary Campisi - Free Book Online Page B

divorce, men called her regularly for dinner, the movies, a ball game. Maggie had turned them all down, opting to stay home and cuddle up with a good book. After a while, the calls dwindled until they became almost nonexistent. It was just as well. The men had all been mediocre and Maggie would bet her next paycheck Matthew Webster would fit into that category, too.
    “Mom?”
    “Yes?”
    “Mr. Webster is totally awesome .”
    ***
    Three days later, Maggie and Danielle plowed down the snow-laden country road to the McKinley Tree Farm.
    “Mrs. McKinley has the best hot chocolate and peppermint sticks. I look forward to those as much as picking out our tree,” Danielle said.
    “I know, so do I.” Maggie rounded a curve and spotted the huge black-and-white McKinley Tree Farm sign. “The McKinleys have been doing this since I was a little girl.”
    “Wow, Mom, that is a long time.” Danielle laughed. “Almost pre-historic.”
    Maggie laughed too and pulled the SUV into the field designated for parking. Snow fell in huge wet flakes, covering the ground with a fresh blanket of white. Since their discussion three days ago, Danielle hadn’t mentioned Matthew Webster’s name. Perhaps she’d thought about their talk and reconsidered her matchmaking plan. Danielle didn’t usually give up that easily but Maggie was not about to pry and open up the subject of Matthew Webster again.
    Danielle ran several feet ahead, kicking up huge clumps of snow as she forged her own path. “Come on, Mom,” she said, motioning with a gloved hand. “Let’s go over by the Douglas firs.”
    Maggie followed, tramping along the path Danielle had created. Snow clung to the trees, glistening like diamonds. The setting was an artist’s palette with color and texture all wrapped in one. Winter is black and white . The words ran through her brain before she realized what they were. Matthew Webster’s words. Pushing them aside, she forged ahead, her gaze focused on Danielle’s purple stocking cap.
    They spent the next half hour walking up and down the rows of trees, considering, deciding, and looking for just the right tree. After the eighteenth one, Danielle smiled and said, “This is it. What do you think, Mom?”
    What she thought was that this one looked the same as the fifth tree they’d seen. And the sixth, seventh, and the next eleven. “It looks fine to me,” Maggie said, shaking a little snow off the branches.
    “Great!” Danielle yelled, suddenly very excited. She glanced at her watch for the tenth time in the last half hour. “I’ll run and tell Mr. McKinley we found a tree and he can send someone to cut it down. Don’t move from that spot. And can I get my hot chocolate and peppermint?” Her words fell out in a rush, as though she was suddenly in a great hurry to leave.
    “Sure. Danielle?”
    “Yeah, Mom?”
    “Why have you been looking at your watch every five minutes since we got here?” What was she up to?
    “Just wondering what time it was,” she said. “Bye.” Then she turned and jogged toward the little log cabin and her annual goodies.
    “Kids,” Maggie muttered under her breath.
    She spent the next ten minutes waiting for Mr. McKinley. Snow fell like a curtain, turning everything white. A real Winter Wonderland.
    “Excuse me, Miss,” a deep voice called from behind. Definitely not Mr. McKinley. “Is this tree taken?”
    Maggie turned and looked up into deep blue eyes, the color of a summer sky. She stood captivated, taking in the man’s rugged good looks—dark hair, strong jaw, cleft chin, tall muscular build. No, this was not Mr. McKinley.
    “Is something wrong?”
    “No.” She shook her head. “No.”
    The man laughed. “Is that no to both questions or one?”
    It was Maggie’s turn to laugh. “No, nothing’s wrong. My daughter examined eighteen trees and insisted we take this one. I’m standing guard until she gets back with Mr. McKinley.”
    The handsome stranger shook his head.