Free A Christmas Family Wish by Helen Scott Taylor Page A

years, what were a few
more days? Rachel laughed and pressed her face against his neck, hugging him
tightly, willing him to sense just how much she loved him, this man who had the
knack of turning problems into new opportunities.

Chapter Eight
    Rachel woke to the patter of small feet and childish
laughter outside her bedroom door. She smiled as she yawned and stretched. It
sounded as though Toby and Ella had found each other already.
    Eager to start Christmas Day, she jumped out of bed, pulled
on her dressing gown, and pushed her feet in her slippers. In the hall, Ella
and Toby sat on the carpet outside Ian's bedroom door, playing.
    "Lulu can be Jimbo's girlfriend," Toby said
seriously. "They have to hold hands." He stood his teddy beside
Ella's doll and pressed their hands together.
    Love and tenderness swelled inside Rachel. The children were
so sweet together. No one would guess they had both lived through difficult
experiences recently and only just met.
    "Hello, you two. Merry Christmas." Rachel stooped
to kiss Toby's head and put an arm around each child's shoulders. Toby kissed
her back and Ella curled shyly against her side.
    Ian's bedroom door stood wide but he was still asleep,
despite the excited chatter of the children. Rachel smiled down at Ella. "I
think we'd better leave Daddy to sleep in, don't you?" He must have been
exhausted after his long drive.
    Rachel rose and moved to close the door. As she did, she
noticed the photo on his bedside table. A wonderful idea came to her.
    She tiptoed into the room, casting a longing glance at Ian,
so gorgeous with his dark hair all ruffled. She kissed him lightly on the neck
without disturbing him, grabbed the photo frame off his nightstand, and slipped
out of the room, pulling the door shut behind her.
    Rachel found dressing gowns and slippers for both children,
then led them downstairs. Max rose from his basket, tail wagging furiously as
the children charged into the kitchen. "Max, Max," they both shouted,
hugging and patting him. The dog looked very pleased with himself as Rachel
opened the back door and let him out.
    Max loped through a foot of snow covering the yard, barking
at a rabbit that had ventured too close to the house.
    "Toby, Ella, look at the snow." The children
rushed to gaze out of the door, the Christmas excitement bubbling over as they
jumped up and down.
    "Can we build a snowman, Mummy?"
    "As soon as we've finished breakfast. You need
something warm in those tummies before you go outside." Rachel tickled
them both so they dashed away giggling, then called Max inside.
    As soon as the children had plates of scrambled eggs on
toast, she made herself a slice of toast and sat down, her sketch pad open on
the table, the photo from Ian's nightstand in front of her. She'd specialized
in horses, but she'd also been good at drawing people. With luck, that skill
hadn't deserted her.
    Finishing her toast, she brushed the crumbs from her hands
and carefully scrutinized the photo, mentally sketching the image of Ian
holding Ella before she put pen to paper. When she was sure she knew what to
do, she started.
    She shielded her drawing from the children with a breakfast
cereal box. She didn't want them to tell Ian and spoil the surprise. After
thirty minutes, she was finished. The picture wasn't as good as she'd wanted,
but then they never were. Given more time, she would have used special paper
and had the drawing framed, but she could do that after Christmas.
    She rolled up the page from her sketchbook, wrapped it in
Christmas paper, then padded through to the sitting room in her slippers and
popped it under the tree with the other presents. As Ella had arrived
unexpectedly, Rachel didn't have a gift for her. Chewing her lip in thought,
she sorted out one of her presents to Toby and relabeled it for Ella.
    With the children bouncing around, eager to get dressed and
go outside, Rachel put the turkey in the oven, then carrying a cup of tea for
Ian, she herded the