murmured, “I loved him so much. He was the father I never knew. I think I married Eric with some subconscious hope that he could replace my grandfather.” She shook her head. “What an awful mistake that was.” After heaving a sigh, she said, “And then there’s my grandmother…”
Deep affection and devotion were clearly expressed in the twinkle of her dark chocolate gaze.
“Well, you met her,” Diana said. “She’s quite a character.”
Travis barely had time to chuckle in agreement before Jared came barreling down the stairs. Josh followed close on his heels, playing the wooden flute Diana had given him as a gift. She’d wrapped one for each of the boys.
“Would you show me how this game works again?” Jared asked, handing Diana the other present she’d given them.
Like the normal children that they were, they had tossed aside what they had initially perceived as hoe-hum strings of hole-ridden beads in favor of the more flashy electronic gadgets they had opened. But now both boys were evidently curious. Josh put aside the flute and crowded close to watch.
As she demonstrated how they were to swing the beads and attempt to catch them on the blunt-tipped needle, balancing as many beads as they could, one on top of another, Travis paid close attention to the three of them. Diana patiently explained that this was a game of skill that was hundreds of years old and how it was meant to develop a young warrior’s eye-hand coordination and balance.
Incredibly she somehow got the boys to challenge themselves rather than each other. Competition was a good thing, Travis thought, but the twins were too young to be comparing their rudimentary skills to anyone else’s just yet.
Josh and Jared giggled gleefully with each failed effort. Then Josh caught the second bead on his needle, balancing the first one on top of it.
“Wow!” Jared congratulated his brother. “How’d you do that?”
Josh beamed with pride. “Just lucky, I guess.”
“It takes practice,” Diana told them. “Lots of practice.”
Reclining into a couch cushion, Travis sipped his coffee. And he marveled at the warmth that filled his chest. Not from the hot coffee he was enjoying, but from the joy and gratitude that filled him to the brim as he looked at his boys.
His life would never be the same.
And not just because of Josh and Jared. His life had been changed by Diana, as well.
She’d diligently guided the boys. She’d shown them things they might never have seen, taught them things they might never have known, had she not taken the time to come into his home and instruct them. But she’d influenced him, too. She’d reshaped some of his thoughts and opinions.
And for that he was thankful. And just as soon as he could, he planned to show her just how thankful he was.
The boys were tucked into bed, their first Christmas in their new home having been a day filled with new family, friends and loads of fun. A bright red fire engine sat on the floor by Jared’s bed. He’d have had it under the covers with him had Travis allowed it. Josh was clasping the bead and needle game that Diana had given him. He’d had great fun in showing Sloan’s daughters how he could catch the beads. Of course, he’d failed more times than he’d succeeded, but he hadn’t lost interest in the challenge.
Travis gently took the beads from Josh’s hand and lovingly tucked the blanket around his shoulders. He planted a gentle kiss on the forehead of one of his sons, then the other. After pausing for one last look at what he’d decided were his two greatest blessings, he closed the door and went back downstairs.
Toys were scattered here and there in the living room. He went to the tree with the intention of straightening up the mess. But first, he surrendered to the urge to have a little fun himself.
He held the needle of Josh’s bead game andflipped the beads with a small jerk of his wrist. Stabbing at the holes in the beads while they were in
Deep affection and devotion were clearly expressed in the twinkle of her dark chocolate gaze.
“Well, you met her,” Diana said. “She’s quite a character.”
Travis barely had time to chuckle in agreement before Jared came barreling down the stairs. Josh followed close on his heels, playing the wooden flute Diana had given him as a gift. She’d wrapped one for each of the boys.
“Would you show me how this game works again?” Jared asked, handing Diana the other present she’d given them.
Like the normal children that they were, they had tossed aside what they had initially perceived as hoe-hum strings of hole-ridden beads in favor of the more flashy electronic gadgets they had opened. But now both boys were evidently curious. Josh put aside the flute and crowded close to watch.
As she demonstrated how they were to swing the beads and attempt to catch them on the blunt-tipped needle, balancing as many beads as they could, one on top of another, Travis paid close attention to the three of them. Diana patiently explained that this was a game of skill that was hundreds of years old and how it was meant to develop a young warrior’s eye-hand coordination and balance.
Incredibly she somehow got the boys to challenge themselves rather than each other. Competition was a good thing, Travis thought, but the twins were too young to be comparing their rudimentary skills to anyone else’s just yet.
Josh and Jared giggled gleefully with each failed effort. Then Josh caught the second bead on his needle, balancing the first one on top of it.
“Wow!” Jared congratulated his brother. “How’d you do that?”
Josh beamed with pride. “Just lucky, I guess.”
“It takes practice,” Diana told them. “Lots of practice.”
Reclining into a couch cushion, Travis sipped his coffee. And he marveled at the warmth that filled his chest. Not from the hot coffee he was enjoying, but from the joy and gratitude that filled him to the brim as he looked at his boys.
His life would never be the same.
And not just because of Josh and Jared. His life had been changed by Diana, as well.
She’d diligently guided the boys. She’d shown them things they might never have seen, taught them things they might never have known, had she not taken the time to come into his home and instruct them. But she’d influenced him, too. She’d reshaped some of his thoughts and opinions.
And for that he was thankful. And just as soon as he could, he planned to show her just how thankful he was.
The boys were tucked into bed, their first Christmas in their new home having been a day filled with new family, friends and loads of fun. A bright red fire engine sat on the floor by Jared’s bed. He’d have had it under the covers with him had Travis allowed it. Josh was clasping the bead and needle game that Diana had given him. He’d had great fun in showing Sloan’s daughters how he could catch the beads. Of course, he’d failed more times than he’d succeeded, but he hadn’t lost interest in the challenge.
Travis gently took the beads from Josh’s hand and lovingly tucked the blanket around his shoulders. He planted a gentle kiss on the forehead of one of his sons, then the other. After pausing for one last look at what he’d decided were his two greatest blessings, he closed the door and went back downstairs.
Toys were scattered here and there in the living room. He went to the tree with the intention of straightening up the mess. But first, he surrendered to the urge to have a little fun himself.
He held the needle of Josh’s bead game andflipped the beads with a small jerk of his wrist. Stabbing at the holes in the beads while they were in
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