Stranded

"But teasing is being mean. We're not 'posed to tease other people 'cuz it hurts their feelings," Phaedra announced.

"It sounds like someone's been paying attention to her mother," Barrett said smiling at Hannah.

"Out of the mouths of babes, right?" she replied. "You're right, honey. Mommy shouldn't tease anyone about something like that." She looked at Barrett then said, "I'm sorry for teasing you."

"Now you have to kiss and wear makeup," Phaedra further announced not quite getting the phrase right.

Barrett sat Phaedra down then leaned over the table and said, "Pucker up!" and stuck his lips out.

"Oh, you're loving this, aren't you?" she said to her dad who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Go ahead, Mommy. You have to kiss then wear makeup."

Her daughter was staring at her and waiting. Her dad was staring and smiling. Barrett had his eyes closed and his lips still puckered up.

"Oh, you think I won't? Is this some kind of dare or something? Because I will!"

Barrett opened one eye and smiled. "I'm still waiting for my apology kiss."

Hannah looked at Phaedra again then said, "Okay, fine!" She leaned over and went to peck Barrett on the cheek but he grabbed both shoulders and pulled her to his mouth and kissed her—fully on the lips.

Hannah made a noise and tried to pull away, but Barrett held on and kept kissing. It was only a couple of seconds, but the resistance ended and Hannah definitely kissed back for a fraction of a second.

"Okay, now wear makeup!" Phaedra said clapping happily.

Barrett couldn't stop smiling nor could Jeff.

"Stop!" Hannah said. "Now you're just being mean."

"Hey, a handsome young man—and an American hero—just let you kiss him. How is that being mean?" Jeff asked holding his hands out palms up.

"Forget it," Hannah said. "Are we done here?"

"I'm still eating fren' fries," Phaedra told her as she shoved a big one in her little mouth and chomped away.

The ride home was very quiet until just before the final turn.

"Don't forget we need to get ready for the sleigh ride this evening," Jeff said breaking the silence.

"I already know what my wish is!" Phaedra said. "You want me to tell you?"

"Oh, no. You can't tell anyone, Fay-Fay or it won't come true," Hannah told her.

"Did you tell someone you wished for Harold to come visit, Mommy?" she asked innocently.

Hannah glanced at Barrett for the first time since they left Mickey Dees and he just shrugged.

Phaedra was still the only one talking when they got home and went inside. Barrett waited until he was alone with Jeff then said, "Look, Jeff. I should probably just go back to the airport. I'm obviously ruining Christmas for Hannah and I'm sure Phaedra is very confused."

"Kids are resilient, kid. Don't worry about Phaedra, okay? Just keep doin' what you're doin'." He leaned closer and said, "I saw Hannah kiss back, by the way."

"Oh, you noticed?" he said making a bit of a face.

"Are you kiddin'? I was beggin' the Blessed Virgin to keep that kiss goin' as long as possible. I haven't been to confession in quite a while, so I guess I ain't exactly in her good graces these days. But yeah, I noticed."

"You think I should go talk to her about it? She seems pretty upset with me."

"Yeah, go upstairs and talk to her. Just...don't apologize—whatever you do."

Barrett went upstairs and saw Phaedra playing in her room and walked right by. He saw Hannah sitting on the edge of her bed and tapped quietly on the door.

"May I come in?" he asked politely.

"Why not? You pretty much live here now so...sure."

Barrett took a couple of steps and Hannah looked up at him. "I'm sorry, Barrett. That was just rude. I apologize. I'm just so...frustrated."

"Frustrated, confused, or both?" he asked stopping a couple of feet away from her.

"Confused? What would I be confused about?" she said as though it was a big deal.

"Oh, nothing," he said. "I was just trying to understand what's going on. That's all."

"What's going on is my fiancee isn't coming home tonight, my father is sabotaging me at every turn, and you're not making things any easier," she told him.

"Wait. Are you saying this is somehow my fault?" he asked unable to believe what he'd just heard.

"You kissed me! And right in front of my daughter, no less!"

"May I?" he said pointing to the spot next to her.

"Help yourself," she said without looking at him.

"You know you kissed me back," he said quietly.

"I did no such thing!" she said indignantly. "I was playing along and prepared to give you a perfunctory little peck on the cheek then you grabbed me and basically attacked me!"

"Even your dad noticed," he said calmly.

"Okay, that is just ridiculous! Why would I kiss you back? I'm engaged for goodness sakes!"

"Well, that's why I asked if maybe you were confused."

"What would I be confused about, pray tell?" she said turning towards him.

"Everything?" he said as he reached up and gently brushed her hair back.

"Barrett? What do you think you're doing?" she asked breaking eye contact.

"I think you're pretty amazing, Hannah," he told her as he continued gently stroking her hair.

"You don't even know me," she said, the edge in her voice tapering off.

"Maybe I'm a little like your dad in that way. It doesn't take me very long to size someone up."

"So you've 'sized me up'? You mean like a sock or something?"

"No, like a very beautiful, very interesting woman who's a loving mother and a devoted daughter who's also very confused about the man she thinks she wants to marry."

"You need to stop doing that," she said moving slightly away from his hand.

"Why? Because it confuses you?" he said just as quietly.

"Maybe," she said even more quietly.

"I asked your dad to take me back to the airport," he told her.

"You did?"

"Uh-huh. And unless you tell me not to, I'm going to go back downstairs and insist or call a taxi or...."

Without warning Hannah turned toward him and kissed him so quickly he had no time to react. She kissed him for a couple of seconds then pulled back and began apologizing.

"I'm so sorry. Okay, this is...this is crazy. Maybe I am confused and...and maybe you should leave." She was looking into her lap where her hands were folded.

"If that's what you want," he said.

Hannah sat there for several seconds then said quietly, "I don't know what I want."

"Yes, you do," he informed her politely.

"I do?"

"Uh-huh. You want to feel safe and secure, but you also want love and passion and you don't want...sterile."

"Stop!" she said. "This isn't funny, Barrett. This is my life. This is my daughter's life."

"That's why it's so important. And that's why you're so confused. Your brain is finally telling you to stop ignoring the negatives you've told yourself don't matter and think about them long and hard. Money isn't a bad thing. But it pales in comparison to genuine love. No amount of money can buy that precious commodity, Hannah. We all know that."

"You make it sound so simple."

"It really is simple, Hannah. Don't cheat yourself out of an opportunity to be with someone who adores you and whom you could and would dearly love. Don't settle for money or security or...anything. It's love that makes the world go 'round."

There were several more seconds of silence then Hannah spoke again.

"Please don't go," she said without looking at him. "Would you please stay and go on the sleigh ride with us tonight? Please?"

"I'm not family," he said without judgment.

"Honestly? Neither is...Howard." She smiled and saw Barrett smile then when he laughed, so did she.

"And while I'm at it, Harold and I have never laughed like this. Ever."

"It feels good, doesn't it?"

"I'd almost forgotten how good," she told him.

"So tell me about this sleigh ride and the Wishing Well."

Hannah spent the next few minutes explaining how she and her late husband and then, Phaedra, went there on Christmas Eve every year and made a wish.

Barrett was asking a question when that 'Fonzie' voice called upstairs, "Yo, Han? Didn't you make the reservations on the sleigh this year?"

Hannah shook her head before calling down, "No! You told me you'd take care of it the day before you left, remember?"

There was a long pause before Jeff spoke. "Oh, yeah. I did say that, didn't I?"

Hannah got up and went to the top of the stairs.

"Please don't tell me you forgot?"

"Okay, I won't tell you I forgot," he said almost humble for once.

"Dad, you know how important this is. This is our thing. It's the one thing we all do together no matter what."

Barrett could hear the sadness in her voice and yet he knew there was nothing he could do to salvage the evening.

Jeff snapped his fingers then said, "Joe and Carly! They got two snowmobiles! You and Phaedra get your coats, scarves, gloves...whatever and I'll give them a call."

"Dad?"

"Yeah, honey?"

"Is it okay if Barrett comes with us?" she asked almost apologetically.

Her father smiled then said, "Yeah, I think we can make an exception this time."

"Thank you, Dad," she said.

"Yeah, yeah," he said the way only he could. He turned around then his daughter spoke again.

"Dad? I love you."

He wasn't about to turn back around. He just said, "Ah, geez. Enough already with the emotional nonsense. It's all estrogen all the time around here. Sheesh."

What Hannah never saw was the smile on her dad's face or the tear in his eye.

She went back to her bedroom where Barrett was still sitting on her bed.

"I'm sure you heard all of that," she said.

"I did. I liked hearing you say that to your dad, by the way," he told her.

"I guess I feel...inspired...this year," she said with a bright, happy smile. "Come on. Go get your things. I have no doubt Dad will be able to get the snowmobiles from our neighbors so we'll be leaving soon."

By the time everyone was ready, there was a loud sound like a chainsaw firing up announcing the good news.

"That's our cue, Fay-Fay," Hannah said then had to explain what a cue was.

They went outside and saw Jeff sitting on a blue snowmobile revving it up. He drove it across the snow-covered lawn and stopped it near the porch.

"This one's all ready to go, but I'm having some troubles with the other one. Why don't you and Barrett take this one and head on out and me and Fay will catch up in a few minutes?"

"That's okay. We can wait," she said.

"I wanna ride with Grandpa!" Phaedra said.

"Go on, Han. We'll be right behind you," Jeff assured her.

"Are you sure?" Hannah asked.

"Yeah, yeah. It's all good. Go on!"

"Well, okay. Barrett? Do you wanna drive?" she asked.

She looked so pretty in her white knit stocking cap, white scarf, and white cashmere gloves and a long, black, wool coat and a pair of jeans with over-the-calf boots.

"Sure," he said.

"It's just like a motorcycle," Jeff said. "Clutch, gas, gears, go."

"Got it," Barrett said getting on in front.

"Just stay on the unplowed area and we'll be taking a trail about a mile from here. It runs all the way out to the Wishing Well," Hannah told him once she got on behind him.

"Will do!" he said as he slowly and smoothly released the clutch.

Jeff stood there waving and smiling like nobody's business.

"Come on, Grandpa. Let's get the other one, okay?"

"How about we go inside and have a cup of hot chocolate first and then we'll go?"

"Okay!" she said. "But why don't we go now?"

"Because...love is in the air, Fay-Fay. And sometimes love just needs a little time to grow."

Hannah was holding on tight and either talking or laughing the entire way as Barrett drove in a lazy-S turn all along the path.

"Are you warm enough?" he hollered over the engine noise.

"I'm fine," she said pulling him as close as she could. "It's just up here a couple hundred more yards or so."

Within seconds, a the apex of a small, snow-covered roof came into view then the stones of the well itself. Barrett pulled up about ten feet away and cut the power.

It was absolutely silent. Not even the sound of an animal was heard.

"Isn't this amazing?" Hannah said as she helped her off.

Barrett was standing right in front of her holding her hands when he said, "Yes it is," without taking his eyes off her.

Hannah looked away then said, "Come on. Let's take a look."

She grabbed his hand and took him over to the edge.

"This is a very popular place in the spring and summer. Not a lot of people come out here this time of year, though."

There were no footprints anywhere so they were clearly the first and only visitors since the snowfall.

They looked over the edge and Barrett asked, "How deep is it? Do you know?"

"Originally it was over 100 feet, but they put a cement cap on it about ten feet down just in case."

"Makes sense," he said. "A child could easily fall in and that would be unimaginably bad."

Barrett put his arm around and said, "Are you gonna make a wish?"

"We can't until we're all here," she told him. She smiled and said, "Family tradition."

"Ah, okay. So...are things any clearer now? Out here?" he asked as he turned to face her.

She took his hands and smiled at him.

"They are," she told him.

"Are you allowed to share that?" he asked with a big grin.

"Um...sure. I don't that's a violation of any tradition."

She moved in a bit closer then said, "After really thinking about all the things you said like 'settling' and what love is, I realized I would never be happy in a...sterile relationship no matter how secure it might be."

"So...does that mean you won't be marrying Harold?" he asked not showing any emotion.

Hannah looked down then back up at him.

"Yes. Yes, it does. I...think I really do love him. I'm just not in love with him. And as much as I hate having to tell him, I can't help but feel he'll accept it as a kind of business loss and just move on."

"Well, that's half the problem solved," he said. "How about the other half?"

"The other half?" she asked.

"Uh-huh. Have you found anyone you think you might love, and who'd love you back, who wouldn't be so...sterile?"

"Well, that depends, I guess," she said coyly.

"On?"

"On...how you feel about me. And Phaedra," she said, her eyes sparkling and filled with hope.

"I could tell you," he said.

"But?" Hannah said her spirits falling.

"But..." He moved closer and put a gloved hand on her face. "I'd much rather show you."

Barrett put his arms around her and pulled her close then kissed her for several seconds.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked with a smile. "Or are you still confused?"

They could hear the sound of a two-stroke engine approaching, but neither of them cared.

"I might need just a little more convincing," she said as she stood on her toes again and kissed him.

"Grandpa! Look! Mommy's kissing Barrett!"

"I told you love was in the air, Fay-Fay. Can I call 'em or what?" he said as he pulled his vehicle up next to the other one.

"Well, well," Jeff said once it got quiet. "What have we here?"

Hannah looked over and said, "Don't you dare gloat!"

"Me? Gloat? Come on already?"

Hannah had never seen her dad smile like that before.

"Come on! Let's go make our wish," Hannah said.

"Nah, that's okay," Jeff said. "You three go. Mine already came true."

Hannah started to give him one of her looks, but instead walked over and hugged her father.

"You were right, Daddy," she said quietly. "You're always right."

Jeff was still smiling and there was another tear in his eye which he quickly blinked away.

"Okay, okay! Enough of the sappy stuff already, huh? You kids go make your wish!"

Barrett took Hannah's hand and said, "Mine already came true, too."

"Hmmm. That makes three of us," she said still smiling brightly.

"Phaedra. You ready to make your wish?" Hannah asked.

"I already wished that you and Barrett would kiss. Do I get another one?"

Everyone laughed and said, "Well, of course you do! Come on!"

Hannah handed her a penny and Barrett lifted her up high.

"I wish I may, I wish I might...." Phaedra said before dropping the shiny new penny into the well.

As they walked away Phaedra said, "So when will my wish come true, Mommy?"

"I don't know, honey. These things take time."

"Oh, okay." She grabbed Barrett's finger then said, "I guess I can wait for Barrett to me my new daddy for a few more minutes."

There was another round of laughter as they got back on the snowmobiles to head home.

Barrett stayed until the day after Christmas. Hannah had called Harold and given him the bad news. Just as she'd predicted he took it in stride and wished her well. Just like that, it was over. She took off the large diamond ring and set aside until she could return it in person then went downstairs and got to work on the all-out Christmas dinner.

After a wonderful day together, Barrett and Hannah found themselves alone for the first time all day and within seconds they were making out like teenagers. There was a lot of kissing and laughing and a even a few tears of joy.

Just before midnight Barrett told Hannah he loved her and after a few more tears she told him she loved him, too.

Just after New Years Day, Hannah flew to Seattle to spend a few days with the new love of her life. On that first night they made love passionately and then did so many other times before she left.

At dinner on her last day, Barrett asked her to marry him. This time, there were no doubts to put aside and no 'con's to ignore. She loved this handsome, younger man with all her heart and knew he loved her and her daughter just as much.

She flew home to Denver to tell her dad the good news and as happy as he was, she could see he was somehow sad.

"Dad? What is it?" she asked.

"I'm just gonna miss you guys. That's all. Don't worry. I'll fly out to Seattle a couple times a year."

"Who said anything about moving? Barrett is quitting his teaching job there and has already been hired by a company here in Denver. Evidently, he was very well-known ballet dancer as a teenager. So no one's moving."

Her father's mood changed immediately. Even so, he quickly said, "I can't stay here with you after you're married. That's not fair to you or the kid. Sorry...Barrett."

"Actually, it was his idea, Dad. We both want you to stay here. In fact, he said if it wasn't for you, he and I would have never met."

"Well, yeah. He's right, you know," Jeff said back to his old self.

Hannah hugged her father and told him again that she loved him and for the first time she was Phaedra's age, he told her he loved her, too.

They were married in a non-denominational ceremony in a quaint-looking chapel on the outskirts of town that summer and the following year, Hannah gave birth to a beautiful baby boy they named Jeffrey Barrett Mammon.

Hannah never had the kind of money she could have had with Harold, but she had something far more valuable. She had unconditional love from a husband who adored her, two children who dearly loved her, and the um...unconventional love of her father who couldn't have been happier for his little girl.

Whenever it snowed, Hannah Mammon smiled and gave thanks that her handsome young husband had been stranded in Denver just before the best Christmas of her life.