A Gansett Island Christmas by Marie Force

Author:Marie Force
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HTJB, Inc.
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

* * *

They opened presents, drank eggnog, sang Christmas songs and took turns going out into the cold for more firewood. Babies were passed from one set of arms to another, and the volume remained just below deafening.

Big Mac couldn’t remember a better Christmas.

Dinner for twenty-five—counting Blaine, if he made it—took some doing, but under Linda and Francine’s oversight, they had a ten-pound beef tenderloin with all the fixings on the table by two o’clock.

Big Mac sat at the head of the table and took in the faces that surrounded him—Linda, who made it all happen. Mac, Maddie, Thomas, Hailey and baby Mac. Mallory and Quinn. Grant and Stephanie. Adam and Abby. Evan and Grace. Janey, Joe, P.J. and baby Vivienne. Ned, Francine, Tiffany, Ashleigh and Adeline.

When he thought back to his wedding day, now forty-one years ago, Big Mac never could’ve imagined what would come of his life with Linda.

She reached for his hand under the table and they shared a smile. “Unbelievable, isn’t it?”

“Best Christmas ever. Look at them—everyone has the one they love most by their side.”

“Except Tiffany, but hopefully he’ll be here soon.”

“He’ll be here the minute he can get free,” Big Mac said. “Wild horses couldn’t keep him away from his wife and girls.”

“Wild horses brought his wife and girls through the snow to grandmother’s house,” Linda said in a sing-song voice.

“That they did. Ned to the rescue.”

“Best friend we ever had.”

“He sure is.”

Ned sat at the other end of the table, holding hands with Francine like the newlyweds they still were.

“We need a toast,” Linda said.

“I’m on it.” Big Mac stood, cleared his throat.

“Oh no,” Mac said, groaning. “Here we go.”

“Hush,” Big Mac said to his oldest son. “I’d like to propose a toast to family—the best gift any of us can get on Christmas.”

The others raised their glasses in support of that.

“And to Ned, our cab driver extraordinaire, who made it possible for us to be together today.”

“To Ned!” everyone said.

Ned’s face turned bright red. “Aww shucks,” he said, waving off the praise. “Twas no big deal.”

“Twas the biggest of big deals,” Big Mac said. “To all of us. Thank you again for coming up with a way to save Christmas.”

“My pleasure,” Ned said, smiling widely.

The front door slammed shut and boots landed on the floor with a loud thump. In came Gansett Island Police Chief Blaine Taylor, hands on hips, hair standing on end. “What in the name of god is wrong with you people?”

“So many things,” Quinn said, earning an elbow to the ribs from his beloved.

“What part of ‘stay off the roads’ wasn’t clear to you?”

Tiffany got up to greet her husband with a kiss. “You’re just in time for dinner, honey.”

“Don’t try to kiss your way out of this, Mrs. Taylor. You took our babies out in a blizzard!”

“They were perfectly safe. Ned knows these roads better than anyone, even you.”

Blaine glowered at her.

“Maddie, can you please watch Addie for a minute while I have a word with my husband?” Tiffany asked.

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