The Christmas gift - a Christmas story - Chapter 19

                                                       

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Maria made sure that the kids were tucked in safely.  She was too awake to sleep and went downstairs to make herself a glass of warm milk. That usually helps, but not tonight.  She just couldn't fall asleep.  Her brain could just not shut down tonight and she lay there staring at the ceiling. Her thoughts wandered towards Gabriella and she was surprised at how easily Gabriella fit in with her own kids. She's only known her a few hours, but she was already part of the family.  Maria giggled at herself and thought: 

"What family? You left your husband, and now you have to go and work to support your family." 

Maria felt scared but she knew that for once in her life, she had done the right thing. It was now her turn to take responsibility for her actions.  She got married at the mere age of twenty four and she will never forget the day she met Jonah's father.  She was only twenty one, and busy studying to become a nurse.  She had always thought it to be her passion in life, but fate decided otherwise.  She was helping out at a doctor's office during one of her university breaks when Tom walked in.  

She felt her knees go weak when she saw him, and could hardly look him in the face.  He was the most handsome man that she had ever seen in her life and she believed that fate brought them together.  He cut his finger at work and it was bleeding profusely and they stared into each other's eyes without saying a word for what felt like hours while she held his hand to prevent the blood from dripping.  After the doctor stitched him up he asked for her number.  They became inseparable and spent hours talking and laughing.  It was the best days of her life, and when he asked her to marry him three years later,  she felt exactly the same as the day that she met him. It was the best day of her life.  

They had the perfect wedding and  six months after the honeymoon, she discovered that she was pregnant. It was the perfect way to celebrate their love and they were so excited when they finally brought the baby home.  They spent months preparing his room and buying him clothes and all the baby stuff that he needed.  She was sure he was the most loved baby of all time, and she loved being a mother.  Tom was the perfect father and he spent hours playing with Jonah after he came from work.  

Tom never wanted her to work, so she had plenty of time to spend with Jonah and when Jonah was seven years old she finally got pregnant with Mindy.  Jonah just turned eight, and Mindy was about three months old when Tom died in the car crash. It was the most devastating time of her life, and she had two children to care for.  She wanted to find a job but Mr Settler assured her that there was enough money for her to live on and the house was paid off.  

It was the loneliest time of her life, and being a stay at home mom, she needed a little bit of time for herself. Her friends had been nagging her for months to go out with them but she wasn't ready, but finally caved in.  They went out dancing at a nightclub and she can't even remember the name, but that is where she saw Jack for the first time. It has been nearly eighteen months since Tom had been gone, and she was still not over him.  

She saw Jack sitting at the bar, and he seemed like a very pleasant person.  She danced with him once or twice but refused to give him her number.  She did not want to get involved with anyone and was surprised when he phoned her the next day to ask her out to dinner.  Her friend Katie gave Jack her number and she was pleasantly surprised by the way Jack made her feel.  He was so charming and supportive and didn't seem to mind the fact that she had kids.  After six months of dating, she finally let him meet the kids, and he seemed to accept them very easily.  He tried to gain their confidence by showering them with gifts, but gifts did not make up for the fatherly figure that they needed, and things went sour very quickly after they got married.  

She had hoped that things would change, but it only became worse and one night it got totally out of control and Jack slapped her through the face.  She slept with Mindy that night, and the next day Jack brought her some flowers and sounded very sincere when he apologized. During that time Jack started drinking more and things became worse, it was a constant fight and she tried everything to protect her children.  

One night he hit Jonah so hard that she thought that Jack had killed him.  She wanted to stay with Jonah that night, but Jack forced her into bed with him.  When Jack finally passed out, she was able to check on Jonah again, and when she entered his room she realized that he was gone.  Jonah ran away, and all she found was a note saying:

"I can't stay here anymore.  I love you mom, I'll be fine."

She knew that it was for the best but she missed Jonah so much, and she was so worried about him all the time. Jack would not let her go out of the house after that and she started hating Jack so much.  She was trapped in a pathetic situation and she felt so helpless and useless.  She fell into a deep depression and that did not help the situation between her and Jack. The more she pulled away, the more he drank and she didn't care what happened to her anymore.  At one stage she thought that it would be better if he just killed her.  

Then Terrence arrived at the perfect time.  A stranger sent from heaven, and he helped her more in the last few weeks than she could ever imagine. She owed Terrence her life. He helped her to get out of her situation and she got her child back. Her life was close to perfect now, and she was delighted to help Terrence in such a way that he can start rebuilding his life. 

Maria thought about what a wonderful person Terrence was, but she knew by now that people wear masks and that they can change at any minute.  She just hoped that she was right in trusting Terrence but she was sure that he was.  It was important that he got along with the children, but she would give this friendship time to develop. There is absolutely no rush. 

For now, all she wanted was for everything to stay as wonderful as it was now, and for once....just like when she was married to Tom, she wanted a peaceful life.  

 

-To be continued

Chapter 1 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-1

Chapter 2 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-2

Chapter 3 - https://steemit.com/story/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-3

Chapter 4 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-4

Chapter 5 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-5

Chapter 6 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-6

Chapter 7 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-7

Chapter 8 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/https-steemit-com-fiction-giantbear-the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-8

Chapter 9 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-9

Chapter 10 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-10

Chapter 11 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-11

Chapter 12 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-12

Chapter 13 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-13

Chapter 14 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-14

Chapter 15 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/dtbcx-the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-14

Chapter 16 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-16

Chapter 17- https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-17

Chapter 18 - https://steemit.com/fiction/@giantbear/the-christmas-gift-a-christmas-story-chapter-18