Danielle Steel - Passion's Promise

But her smile deepened as she thought of the real presents she had bought him, the ones hidden in the pocket of the Vuitton case. Those were the ones that mattered to her, and would undoubtedly matter to him. The signet ring with the dark blue stone carved with his initials, and her initials and the date engraved in tiny letters on the inside of the setting. Carefully wrapped in tissue paper was a leather-bound book of poems that had been her father’s, and had occupied a place of honor on his desk for as long as Kezia could remember. It made her happy to know that now it would be Luke’s. It meant a great deal to her. It was a tradition.

She drank a cup of hot chocolate as she stood looking out at the snow. It was cold out, very cold, the way only New York and a few other cities can be. The kind of chill that makes you feel as though you’ve been slapped when you walk out the door. The freezing winds swept your legs and brushed your cheeks like steel wool, and the ice on the windowsill was frozen in patterns of lace.

The phone rang as she stood alone in the silent room. It could be Luke. She dared not ignore it.

“Hello?”

“Kezia?” It wasn’t Luke’s voice, and she wasn’t quite sure whose it was. There was the merest hint of an accent “What are you doing here?”

“Oh, Alejandro!”

“Who were you expecting? Santa Claus?”

“In a way. I thought it might be Luke.”

He smiled at the comparison. Only she could come up with that. “I had a suspicion you’d be here. I saw the papers, and have an idea of what it must be like in Chino. I figured he wouldn’t want you out there. So what are you up to? Ten thousand parties?”

“No. Nary a one. And you’re right He didn’t want me out there. He’s too busy.”

“That, and it’s not a cool scene.” Alejandro was grave.

“No. But it isn’t a cool scene for him either. He’s a fool to get sucked into that now. It’ll just add more fuel to their fires at the hearing. But Luke never listens.”

“So what else is new? What are you doing for Christmas?”

“Oh, I think I’ll hang my stocking up on the fireplace and put out cookies and a glass of milk for Santa, and …”

“Milk? Qué horror!”

“And what would you suggest?”

“Tequila, of course! Jesus, if that poor sonofabitch has to drink milk all over the world, it’s a wonder he bothers with the trip.”

She laughed at him and switched on some lights. She had been standing in the early darkness of the winter dusk.

“Do you suppose it’s too late to pick up some tequila?”

“Baby, it’s never too late for that!”

She laughed again at the earnest sound of his voice. “And what are you up to for Christmas? More work at the center?”

“Yeah, some. It’s better than sitting at home. Christmas with my family is always a big deal. It kind of depresses me to be away from all that, unless I keep busy. How come you’re not going to all those big fancy parties?”

“Because that would depress me. I’d rather be alone this year.” She was thinking of the hearing on the eighth again. It was strange though, lately things with Luke had seemed nearly normal. The first shock of the hearing was gone. It almost didn’t seem real. Just a meeting they would have to go to, nothing more. Nothing could touch the magic circle around Kezia and Luke. Certainly not a hearing.

“So you’re sitting around there all by yourself?”

“Sort of.”

“What do you mean ‘sort of’?”

“Well, okay. Yeah. I am all by myself. But it’s not like I’m crying my eyes out. I’m just enjoying being peaceful at home.”

“Sure. With presents for Luke all over the house, and a Christmas tree you haven’t bothered to decorate, and not answering the phone, or only when you think it might be Luke. Listen, lady, that’s one stinking way to spend Christmas. Am I right?” But he knew he was. He knew her by now.

“Only partially, Father Alejandro. Boy, you sure like to lecture!” She laughed at the tone of his voice. “And the presents for Luke are not ‘all over the house,’ they’re neatly stacked on my desk.”

“And what about the tree?”

“I didn’t buy one.” Her voice was suddenly meek.

“Sacrilege!”

She laughed again and felt silly. “All right. I’ll go buy one. And then what do I do?”

“You don’t do anything. Do you have any popcorn?”

“Hmmm … yes. As a matter of fact, I do.” There was still some left from the last time she and Luke had made popcorn in the bedroom fireplace at three in the morning.

“Okay. Then cook up some popcorn, make some hot chocolate or something, and I’ll be there in an hour. Or do you have other plans?”

“Not a thing. Just waiting for Santa.”

“He’ll be on the subway and down in an hour.”

“Even if I don’t have tequila in the house?” She was teasing him; she was glad he was coming.

“Don’t worry. I’ll bring my own. Imagine not having a tree!” Friendly outrage crept into his voice. “Okay, Kezia. See you later.” He already sounded busy as he hung up the phone.

He arrived an hour later with an enormous Scotch pine dragging behind him.

“In Harlem, you get them cheaper, particularly on Christmas Eve. Down here this would cost you twenty bucks. I got it for six.” He looked chilled and ruffled and pleased. It was a beautiful tree; it stood a head taller than he, and its branches reached out furrily when he pulled off the ropes that had bound them. “Where’ll I put it?” She pointed to a corner, and then unexpectedly reached up and kissed his cheek.

“Alejandro, you are the best friend in the world. It’s a beautiful tree. Did you bring your tequila?” She hung his coat in the closet and turned back to look at the tree. Now it was beginning to look like Christmas. With Luke not planning to come home, she hadn’t done any of the things she usually loved. No tree, no wreath, no decorations and very little Christmas spirit.

“My God, I forgot the tequila!”

“Oh no … how about cognac?”

“I’ll take it.” He smiled at the offer with obvious pleasure.

She poured him a glass of cognac, and went to ferret out the box of Christmas tree ornaments from the top shelf of a closet. They were old ones, some of which had been her grandfather’s. She took them out tenderly, and held them up for Alejandro to see.

“They look pretty fancy to me.”

“No, just old.”

She joined him in a glass of cognac and together they strung lights and hung baubles until there were none left in the box.

“It really looks beautiful, doesn’t it?” Her face lit up like a child’s, and he reached over and gave her a hug. They sat side by side on the floor, their cognac glasses and a huge crystal bowl full of popcorn beside them.

“I’d say we did a damn good job.” He was a little merry from the drinks, and his eyes looked soft and bright.

“Hey … you want to make a wreath?” She had just thought of the ones she had made every year as a child.

“Make one? With what?”

“All we need is a branch from the tree … and some fruit … and … let’s see, wire….” She was looking around, getting organized. She went to the kitchen and came back with a knife and some scissors. “You cut off a branch, one of the lower ones in the back so it won’t show. I’ll get the rest.”

“Yes, ma’am. This is your show.”

“Wait till you see.” The light in his eyes had been contagious and now hers shone too, as she gathered what they would need. They were going to have Christmas! In a few minutes, it was all spread out on the kitchen table. She wiped her hands on her jeans, rolled up the sleeves of her sweater, and set to work, as Alejandro watched, amused. She looked a lot better than she had two hours before. She had looked so lost and sad when he arrived, and he hadn’t liked the sound of her voice on the phone. He had canceled a date, a dinner, and two promises to ‘drop in,’ but he owed this one to Luke. And to Kezia. It was crazy; there she was in her fancy apartment, with all her millionaire friends, and she was alone on Christmas. Like an orphaned child. He wasn’t about to let it stay that way either. He was glad he had canceled his plans and come down. For a moment, he hadn’t been sure she would let him.