North Country Mom. Lois Richer

I guess it’s mostly Alicia’s surprise.” Jack pulled up beside his hotel, got out and came around to open Alicia’s door. “Come on. Let’s show her.”

      “I’m not very good with surprises,” Giselle said. Her face reddened. “I guess you already know that.”

      “I’m not sure—” Alicia wanted to escape. But Jack gazed at her, a plea in his eyes. When a man looked at you like that, what could you do?

      “Come on, Giselle,” she said, twining her arm with the girl’s. “Let’s go look.”

      Jack led the way into the hotel. He paused in front of her bedroom door.

      “This is for you. Because I love you. With Alicia’s help.” He pushed open the door.

      Giselle’s face transformed from dread to wonder. She gave a squeal then rushed inside, bounding from one thing to another.

      Relieved, Alicia turned to smile at Jack.

      “I guess she thinks it’s okay,” she murmured.

      Thank you, he mouthed.

      Such a silly thing, but her heart thrummed with delight.

      “It’s perfect. I can’t wait to have a sleepover.” Giselle danced from one foot to the other.

      “A girls’ sleepover,” Jack added.

      Alicia looked at Giselle and they groaned together. Giselle hugged her.

      “How did you know my favorite color is green?” she asked.

      “This.” Alicia pointed to the tiny emerald ring on her pinkie finger. “And this.” She touched a green clip in Giselle’s hair. “And this.” Her fingers brushed the green scarf looped around her neck.

      “Daddy gave them to me.” Giselle tipped her head to one side. “How did you know to do all this? Are you a designer or something?”

      “Nothing like that.” Alicia snuck a look at Jack and let out a pent up breath. He was smiling. “I just thought about what I’d like if I were your age and had a room like this.”

      “Good thinking.” Giselle wrapped her arm around her father’s waist and looked at him adoringly. “It’s absolutely perfect, isn’t it, Daddy?”

      Daddy. The two of them are a family.

      She stood there, watching father and daughter bond, deeply touched by their precious reuniting. Her part had been small, but a tiny thrill coursed through Alicia that she’d been able to help bring them together, to re-create the bond that joined them.

      If only she had someone to cling to, someone to love. As she watched Giselle and Jack, the ache in her heart grew. Because of him she had no family. Because of him she was missing everything about her son. He’d ruined her life.

      Though a silent prayer helped suppress her pain, it didn’t stop her heart from constricting or her throat from closing with emotion. All she could think about was escaping before they noticed and she spoiled their reunion.

      “I have to go,” she said, and wheeled toward the door.

      “Alicia?” Giselle called. Alicia half turned to face her. “Thank you very much for helping my dad with this. I appreciate it a lot.” Her thin arms wrapped around Alicia’s neck, enveloping her in another hug.

      “Welcome to Churchill. I think you and your father are going to love it here.” For a moment Alicia hugged her back. Then she eased herself free and hurried away. She thought she heard Jack call her name, but she ignored it and kept walking, desperate to be alone, to get away from the cloying constriction of emotions that returned whenever she remembered that day and all she’d lost.

      Once in her apartment, Alicia sat in front of her electric fireplace, craving the heat it gave off. Though it had felt warm outside earlier, her soul was icy cold, her spirit crushed, her heart broken.

      It was his fault Alicia hadn’t realized the implications that would follow from giving her child to another. Never to hear Mom, never to be hugged, never to know the soft touch of a child’s lips against her skin. Giselle’s embrace forced her to realize she’d given all that away.

      Alicia had been trying to do the right thing, but somehow, until now, she’d never fully appreciated all that Mr. Parcet’s actions had cost her. Not until she’d seen Jack and Giselle strengthening the bonds that held their family together.

      I’m so alone, her heart whispered. There’s no one to love me, to care for me. She thought of her son, growing up, changing, learning to love.