Christmas would be a negotiation from now on and Lauren accepted this. That’s how it is after divorce and with grown children who have coupled up.

Cassie and Jeremy flew in from Boston on Saturday; Christmas Eve was Monday. They came directly to Lauren’s house, moved their bags into the guest room and had a snack before going to Menlo Park where Jeremy’s family lived. “Do you have plans for tonight?” Cassie asked.

“I’m at your disposal,” Lauren said. “At some point we should talk about Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and where you’d like to spend them. We have a flood of invitations but I know you guys have to make plans with Jeremy’s family. But can I just tell you how thrilled I am that you’ll stay here? Thank you. I know that in the future I’ll share you with Jeremy’s family.”

“That’s probably true,” Cassie said. “But right now, when you haven’t been on your own for long and have gone through so much drama, we want to be here to support you.”

They indeed had piles of invitations. Beth wanted them all to come to her house on Christmas Day. Beau was hosting dinner on Christmas Eve and he’d told Lauren to please invite her daughters and Beth’s family. His boys, maybe their girlfriends and Tim would join them for ham and scalloped potatoes. Then Tim was going to attend midnight mass and anyone who wanted to go along was welcome. Although Lauren hadn’t asked yet, she wondered if Cassie and Lacey had invitations from their father; she didn’t know if Beau’s boys had invitations from their mother.

“Can we have dinner together tonight?” Cassie asked. “Can you invite your new friend, Beau?”

“He’s already on standby and I’ve included his sons and their girlfriends. I’ve already made a very large chicken parm and am ready to throw a spinach salad and baguette at that. I haven’t figured out dessert.”

“What about Lacey?” Cassie asked. “Will you invite her?”

“I’m going to leave that with you,” Lauren said. “I haven’t talked to her about Beau and she hasn’t met him yet. If you decide you want to include Lacey tonight, please tell her she’ll be meeting my... Oh dear God, what should he be called? A gentleman friend?”

Cassie laughed. “You should relax. He’s the man you’ve been seeing the last couple of months. Am I right about that—couple of months?”

Lauren just nodded. “I don’t feel like a scene. It’s Christmas. Tell her to please come over if she’d like to meet my friend. If she’s pissy, I’m not in the mood.”

After a lovely dinner of chicken parmesan, Lauren reminded herself that every situation would be touch and go for a while. Everyone had come. Lacey looked like she’d been invited to the gallows. She was stiff and uncomfortable and somewhat grim. But Beau expressed how happy he was to meet her, Cassie and Jeremy welcomed her with hugs and Beau’s sons made her laugh. Then there was a fair amount of teasing from Drew and Michael about the new couple, Lauren and Beau.

Lacey seemed a little rigid in the beginning, trying not to like them, but in spite of herself she fell for them all. Beau and his sons were funny, charming and sweet. Not to mention attractive.

From that point on, the days were magical. Lauren spent every bit of time with Beau while Cassie split her time with Jeremy’s family and Lacey split her time with her father. Cassie did not receive an invitation from Brad and didn’t care. In fact she was relieved; she hadn’t heard from her father since August when she confronted him in his office. Nor had he offered her any help with law school.

On Christmas Eve everyone except Lacey went to midnight mass in Mill Valley where Father Tim assisted Father Damien for the last time. By now the word had gotten out and he was seen hugging parishioners, and telling them that he’d be taking calls and visiting with anyone who wanted to see him for another two weeks. He encouraged anyone with questions to call his cell phone.

In the wee hours of Christmas morning, after midnight mass, Lauren and Beau were alone in Lauren’s living room. Cassie and Jeremy had gone to bed. Michael was staying overnight at Beau’s house and Beau had gamely told them not to wait up. In this little bit of time alone at Lauren’s, they exchanged gifts. Beau had a wrapped gift for her and she opened it to find a most beautiful diamond pendant on a platinum chain. “I can’t put a ring on your finger but I can show you how I feel with this.”

“Beau... It’s so beautiful!”

“Let me,” he said, pulling it out of the box to fasten it around her neck. He looked at it for a moment, then treated her to one of his best kisses. “I wish you could wear this to bed,” he whispered against her lips. “This and nothing else.”

She laughed softly. “We might have to wait until company is gone...”

“I don’t know if I can last that long,” he said.

“I don’t know if I could have made it through this holiday without you,” she said. “You and the boys—they were terrific, softening up Lacey.”

“Tim was good, too,” he said. “I hope he’s okay. I told him to call or text if he wanted to talk...”

“I have something for you,” she said, distracting him from Tim. She got up and went to the Christmas tree. She reached into the boughs and pulled out a long, slim envelope.

He smiled as he took it. “We were going to go easy since we don’t have any idea what kind of finances...”

She touched her pendant. “You forgot,” she said, smiling.

He opened the envelope. There was a lovely card inside and some folded pages in the card. He unfolded them to find a printout of airline tickets and an itinerary—San Francisco to Victoria, British Columbia, leaving on Valentine’s Day. He was speechless and just stared at her in wonder.

“The gardens, Beau. They’re beautiful all winter and your busy season really kicks in in March. Someday, when things settle down, we’ll also go in spring.”

He pulled her close. “I guess you forgot you’re unemployed at the moment.”

“Oh, who could forget that,” she said with a laugh. “But I saw the travel agent before I was fired, thank God. We’ll figure it out. I don’t know how, but we’ll figure it out. Just hold me.”

* * *

It was almost two in the morning by the time Tim exited the rectory and went to the truck parked in the small lot behind the house. He tossed a small duffel into the truck bed, jumped into the passenger side and looked at the pretty woman in the driver’s seat. “Would you like me to drive?” he asked.

“I can manage.”

“It’s a long drive...”

“I’m fine. How do you feel?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “If I tell you I feel a little lost, will you think I’m not sure of myself?”

“Are you sure of yourself?”

He leaned toward her. “Come here, Angela,” he said. When she leaned toward him, he slipped a hand around to the back of her neck and pulled her closer, covering her lips with his. He kissed her deeply, lovingly. “I’m sure of this,” he said against her lips.

“Woo,” she said, almost a sigh. “Merry Christmas.”

“There could be phone calls,” he said. “I think a few of my people are worried about losing touch, worried about where I’ll go and what I’ll do.”

“But are you worried?” she asked.

“No, it’s in God’s hands. I’ve known Him a long time and it’s been my experience that when you offer to be of service, your cup runneth over.”

She laughed at him and put the truck in gear. “You have no idea,” she said. “It’s never quite enough. I have ended every day for the last eight or ten years wondering how I could do more.”

“The woman with one can of cream-style corn,” he reminded her. He reached across the console and patted her thigh.

They were on their way to Lake Tahoe. He had reserved a nice room. They were going to drink some champagne, toast the future together and sleep in one bed. Their room would be ready early, when they arrived during the predawn hours. They’d planned a leisurely Christmas Day and night, then they would drive back to Oakland to the Velasquez house the day after Christmas. Tim would ask Senor Velasquez for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The Velasquez family were not his parishioners but he would explain that he had recently transitioned out of the priesthood and while he’d known Angela since he returned to Mill Valley—a few years now—they had not had a romance. Not until recently, when he was officially transitioning into the secular community.

“Are you sure it’s all right for you to do this?” she asked.

“Angela, I began the out-processing five months ago. If you’re talking about the archdiocese, they’ve known for months. I’m leaving them in good hands. Father Damien is young, energetic, driven and alive with the spirit.”

“My mother is going to faint,” she said.

“And your father?” he asked a bit nervously.

“I think he will not only grant permission, he might try to get you to the church long before you’re ready.”

“I wouldn’t worry too much about that,” he said. “I’m ready.”

Their plans had changed, but only slightly. They were still hoping to assist with the refugee program, but that might come later. For now they would be assisting Catholic charities as volunteers in Puerto Rico where there was still so much hunger and destruction after the terrible hurricane. And based on a wonderful recommendation from the Monsignor, they’d been accepted through the New York chapter and would be helped with lodging. That probably meant a room in someone’s house. One step at a time, one day at a time. At least we’re going forward together, Tim thought.

“Did you say something?” she asked.

“I didn’t think I said it out loud—Together.”

Sometime in the future, hopefully the not too distant future, they would blend their special skills to form the right kind of team. They weren’t sure which resource they would attach to—it could be one of any of the many wonderful organizations committed to easing hunger and disenfranchisement and pain. But they would find the right mission as a team.