Chapter two.

Lincoln opened the back door for Holly and Eve. Holly said thank you as she passed him, Eve regarded him sceptically, aware of how uncomfortable her mother seemed to be around him.

Lincoln felt a pang of sadness pierce his heart. He always imagined himself the father of Holly’s children. How he wished he could turn back the clock. Feeling guilty he snapped out of it. He had a beautiful fiancée, and Holly did not want him. What was he thinking? He shook the thoughts from his head and quickly got in the car.

“I am sorry to hear that your mother is sick.” Lincoln knew how close Holly was to her mother. He understood how hard this must be for her, especially after the loss of her father when they were teenagers. Unfortunately, there wasn’t anything he could do to comfort her.

“I am, too.” Holly sighed. It was hard for her to talk about.

“Are you excited to visit your grandma?’’ Lincoln asked the young girl, who he strangely wanted to be closer to. Kathy, Holly’s mother, never mentioned the child to him. If he didn’t know Holly was pregnant when she left, he would have been shocked to learn that she even had a daughter. Lincoln assumed that Kathy had only been trying to spare his feelings. He never spoke to anyone about his true feelings regarding Holly, and yet somehow, everyone but Holly seemed to know how madly in love with her he had been all those years ago.

Eve looked to Holly; Holly knew it meant that Eve was asking her permission to answer the question. Holly nodded.

“Very, I love grandma.” Eve responded shyly.

Maggie studied the girls from the front seat. Eve respected and loved her mother; they had a very good bond, it was obvious.

Eve wore a stunning red and gold Christmas dress, with long white socks that extended all the way up to her mid-thigh, she had on the cutest little red flats to match her dress. Holly was dressed in almost an identical outfit. They both looked so healthy and happy, it warmed Maggie’s heart to know that her friend had not spent all these years struggling to her by.

“What’s your name?” Maggie asked. If she knew Holly, she had a good guess.

“My name is Eve.” The little girl smiled brightly.

“That’s such a pretty name.” Maggie smiled, but behind the smile she wanted to weep. How cute, Holly had always wanted a little girl, and she always wanted to name her Eve.

Holly looked away. She felt so guilty. She knew how much her friend would have wanted to be apart of their lives.

“How old are you, Eve?” She asked. Holly tensed beside her daughter. She knew why Maggie was asking. Maggie had obviously guessed who Eve’s father was, and was wondering if she was old enough.

“I’m five.” Eve said proudly holding up five fingers.

“Oh, wow so big.” Maggie smiled. She knew it. Her hands itched to smack her brother across the back of the head, but thought that might frighten Eve.

Lincoln could not understand why Holly had not married Eve’s dad. He knew it was none of his business, and that he should leave it alone but he was unable to let go of the jealousy he had long harboured. “Is your daddy coming for Christmas?” He asked Eve, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Eve frowned. Lincoln felt bad as he watched the smile fade from the little girls face in his rear-view mirror, he didn’t mean to make the girl feel sad.

“I don’t have a daddy.” Eve whispered looking away from them. Hearing eve mumble like that crushed Holly. She hated that she had not been able to give her daughter both parents. Eve deserves better.

This time Maggie did slap Lincoln across the back of the head, what an ass she thought. Lincoln shot Maggie a dirty look, that slap had hurt, and he didn’t understand why she did it.

Lincoln stole glances when possible at Holly in the back seat. He felt bad for her, what had happened after she left? Clearly, the boy who got her pregnant did not stick around. What sort of idiot would give up his chance to be with a girl like Holly? And Eve, she was so cute, who would turn their back on being that little girl’s dad. He wanted to smack the man, if he ever found out who he was, he would do exactly that. His hands grasped the steering wheel so tight his knuckles turned white just thinking about it.

“I am sorry, Eve.” Lincoln apologised. He wanted to ask Holly more about it, but decided now with Eve present it wasn’t the best time to do so and let it go.

All too soon the ride was over. He wished they lived further away so that he could have spent more time with them.

“Please come around soon, I know Mom and Maggie would love to see you while you are in town.” Lincoln asked Holly. What he didn’t tell her, was that it was he who would love to see her while she was in town, but saying such things would be inappropriate, and he wasn’t sure that Holly would care if she knew it was him who wanted her around so he played the only card he had.

Maggie got out of the car after glaring at her brother, she couldn’t help it, he was being such an idiot. Their mother would in fact love to see Holly again, but Lincoln and his fiancée were staying at the house. Why would Holly want to be around either one of them given their history. But she kept her mouth shut, she didn’t want to fight with her brother, or upset Holly and Eve.

“I will think about it.” Holly replied, but she was not sincere. She already knew she would be avoiding Lincoln at all costs. She had been lucky tonight, he hadn’t figured out who Eve was to him but how long would that last? The only reason she was going to allow Maggie to follow her into the house was so that she could beg her not to say anything to him when she got home. Things should be left as they were, It was what was best for everyone.

Lincoln bid the three of them goodnight with a heavy heart and left. As he drove away he found himself feeling a little jealous, he wished he had been able to stay like Maggie.

Maggie silently followed Holly and Eve into Holly’s mother’s house.

Kathy blinked in surprise when she saw Maggie walking through the door with Holly. She did not think her daughter would have sought out her old friend. Seeing the girls together again, brought her so much joy, she felt like she might cry.

“Maggie, what a pleasant surprise.” Kathy couldn’t hold back her smile. Maggie was like a second daughter to her, keeping Holly’s secret had been hard. Hopefully, she would not have to keep it any longer.

“It seems to be the night for surprises.” Maggie answered, glancing at Eve.

Kathy understood the implication but did not answer.

Holly knew how smart Eve was, and also what a good eavesdropper her daughter could be. She turned to her friend,

“Please wait until I have her in bed.” Holly whispered. She would answer any questions Maggie had, as long as she kept her secret. Not just from her brother, but from their daughter as well.

Maggie was patient enough not to push the issue, she believed her friend was a good person. Whatever decisions Holly may have made, she would have had good reason for them. She would hear her out. If she wanted to have a relationship with her niece, it was also probably not a good idea to push Holly away right now. Maggie simply nodded to show her understanding and Holly sighed in relief. It was a massive weight lifted from her shoulders.

Kathy ever the saviour in any crisis said, “Hey Eve, should we watch a Christmas movie? I have the fireplace going, I can make popcorn and hot chocolates? Hm what do you say?”

Eve’s blue eyes lit up. She loved her grandmother’s hot chocolates. “Will you use little marshmallows?” She squealed joyfully.

“Uhm it’s not hot chocolate without little marshmallows.” Kathy smiled sweetly at her granddaughter.

“Mommy doesn’t like them.” Eve reminded her grandmother. Holly thought marshmallows tasted a little too sweet.

“Well, I love them.” Maggie announced. She couldn’t help but think to herself, and so does Lincoln. Maggie wondered; how much she might have in common with her niece.

Kathy left the girls to pick a movie while she got the treats she promised ready.

“Would you like to pick the movie?” Maggie asked Eve.

“Mommy always watches The Grinch with me at Christmas time. Do you like The Grinch?” Eve asked Maggie sweetly.

Holly and Maggie watched The Grinch every year during the holidays when they were children. Maggie still did even now that Holly wasn’t there to watch the film with her.

“You did that with her?” Maggie looked at Holly, she felt so sentimental about it. It made no sense, but it made Maggie feel as if, even though she had never met the girl, she still had a part in her life, even if it were only in a tradition the child had not even been aware of.

“Of course.” Holly could see how much it meant to Maggie in her teary eyes. Holly watched the movie to feel closer to her friend whom she dearly missed. In some ways it felt like it brought the three of them closer together, even when they were so far apart.

Dabbing the tears from her eyes, Maggie told Eve, “I love The Grinch. Your mother and I used to watch that together in this house when we were little girls.”

“Is that true, Mom?” Eve looked up at her mother curiously.

“Yeah, Maggie and I were best friends. We did everything together” Holly explained.

“Is she not your friend anymore?” Eve wondered why she had never met her mommy’s friend.

“Of course, we’re friends.” Maggie quickly told Eve. At least she wanted to be Holly’s friend, but maybe Holly didn’t want to be hers anymore. The thought of it still stung after all this time.

“Yes, honey, Maggie is still my best friend.” Maggie was grateful to hear Holly say such things.

“Then why don’t we see her?” Eve asked her mother. Her mother never brought anyone by the house.

“Because she lives here, and we live so very far away.” Holly felt guilty, she hated that she was lying to Eve after she promised that she wouldn’t, but what else could she say ?

Eve understood. After all, she only got to see Grandma on special occasions like Christmas and birthday’s because they lived so far away.

“Here we go, girls.” Kathy returned with a tray full of hot chocolates and four bowls of buttery popcorn.

“Oh, I thought you would have the movie started.” Kathy remarked.

“We were just deciding what to watch.” Holly told her mother as she took the tray from her and set it gently down on the coffee table.

“I thought that would be obvious.” Kathy stated. “The Grinch.”

“That’s what I said.” Eve said happily. She was so excited that her mom got to see her friend again. She worried about her sometimes.