Page 25 of Christmas Wish
“Not if you weren’t so impetuous. Why couldn’t you have reached out to your father and me before rushing into this crazy plan of yours? What if this man is a serial killer or a child molester? You don’t know anything about him. You should be home with your husband. We’reverydisappointed in you.”
“I’m sorry to worry all of you, but you have to trust that I know what I’m doing. And Ryder is a kind-hearted person.”
“How do you know that?”
“I feel it. I’m good at reading people.Youwere the one who pushed me into marrying Bret—my instincts told me that it probably wouldn’t work since so many of our core values were different.”
“So now this ismyfault? I just wanted what any mother wants for her daughter—to be taken care of by a decent man. Bret gave you a life that none of the losers you dated ever could.”
Savannah heard her mother sniffling and her chest tightened. “Mom, please don’t be so upset. I’m not blaming you for anything. I’m just asking you to have some faith in me. Once I get settled, I promise to tell you therealreason why I decided to leave Bret.”
“Leaving is one thing, but turning your back on your family and taking Timmy away from his grandparents just isn’t right. We never did anything but love and support you even when you gave us a hard time as a teenager.”
Here it goes …“Is Dad there? I’d like to say hi to him.”
“I’m just saying, you should’ve come home to us.”
“I don’t want Corrine to get her claws into Timmy. She’s been sabotaging me since Bret slipped a wedding band on my finger. Timmy’s her first grandchild, and she’ll stop at nothing to take him away from me. I can’t fight their money.”
“Aren’t you being a little paranoid? I just spoke to Bret a few days ago, and he’s very worried about you. He misses you and Timmy.”
“Just trust me,” Savannah whispered. “I’d like to speak with Dad.”
Without another word, she heard her mother say, “It’s Savannah on the phone.”
“Hi, Curly,” her dad said.
Tears filled her eyes as a warm glow radiated through her. Ever since she was little, her dad always called her “Curly.” Savannah figured it was because she had curly hair up until she was about four or five, then it relaxed into wavy hair. When she was a kid, it’d made her feel special to be called something unique. When she had gotten married, her dad told her that he probably should stop calling her Curly, and she’d made him promise to never stop. At that moment, it meant the world to her just to hear the familiar nickname.
“Hi, Dad. I’m so sorry about every—”
“No need for any of that. I know you had your reasons, and you’ll tell us when you’re ready. The important thing is you’re safe, but I wish I could call you.”
“Thanks for understanding, Dad. I didn’t come to this decision lightly, but I had to get away. I don’t want to spend another second with Bret. He’s an awful man and a horrible father.”
“You know him better than any of us. I wish you’d have told me or your brothers what was going on—we would’ve straightened him out.”
Savannah laughed. “I don’t doubt that.”
She and her dad talked for a long time, and his reassurance, support, and love calmed her frazzled nerves. Before she hung up, her mother came back on the phone.
“We love you. Be careful and call us soon. Where are you at right now?”
“Near Pinewood Springs, in Colorado. I’ll give you the number of my new phone in case you need to get a hold of me. But please, Mom, I’m begging you not to tell Bret where I am, and don’t give him my phone number—I don’t want to hear from him.”
“Okay. Now let me get a pen and paper.” Some shuffling in the background. “What’s your number?”
After saying their goodbyes, Savannah stuffed the phone in her pocket as second thoughts about giving out her number pricked at her brain.Mom means well, but I hope she doesn’t give out any of my info to Bret. She just wants us to stay together, but that’ll never be. It’s over.
She swiped on another coat of raspberry lip gloss and walked out of the room.
* * *
After helping Ryderand Timmy build a kickass snowman, Savannah stood by the kitchen window waiting for the kettle to boil while she gazed at the ice man, wearing a purple-checkered scarf snug around his neck, standing vigil in front of the house. Timmy had been happy as he hunted for tree branches to make Freezy’s arms in the small area Ryder had managed to clear. During the past two days, the heat from the sun had helped in melting a bit of the snow on the east side of the cabin.
A blast of chilly air swept around her legs as Timmy and Brutus rushed in.
“Brutus!” Ryder yelled. The dog’s tail went between his legs as he padded back to the mud room.
