"I'll leave if you want me to, Mama," JC joked setting his bags down.
"Andrea didn't ride with you?"
"I actually came home early for the holidays to get away from Andi, Ma."
"To get away from...did you two have a fight?"
"I'm not sure what to call it, Ma."
"I'll make some tea and you tell me the whole story." JC did just that and his mother sat there across from him at the kitchen table, stunned by the news.
"Jackie disowned her?"
"That's why she spends Christmas here now. She doesn't go to her mother's house at the end of the night. She stays at Mrs. Schaefer's bed and breakfast. I've asked her to stay here and bunk with Heather, but she didn't want anyone to know about it and pity her. She told me I was never supposed to know she loved me. Mama, if she loved me, why did she help me date other people? She even helped me pick out Julia's ring."
"Josh, when you love someone as deeply as Andi loves you, you'll do anything just to see a smile on their face. Even though it killed her to watch you and Julia take your vows, she was satisfied enough knowing you were happy. So you told her you love her...did you mean it?"
"I'm not sure, I think I may."
"Look who the cat dragged in, dear...oh, hi son."
"Hey, Dad." And then he saw her. Andi stood shocked in the kitchen doorway.
"Thank you for the invitation to stay, sir, but I have a lot of unpacking to do."
"Well tell your mother hello for us." JC and Karen cringed as Andi forced a smile.
"I will. Goodbye." She turned and left without saying a word to him and JC felt his heart drop to his stomach.
"That feeling is the answer you were looking for, Josh. Give her some time and then go to her." JC nodded before excusing himself and bringing his bags to his room.
***************
When you see love
And you don't know what it is
You may find yourself in fear
To show your heart
But when you feel it
And it's oh, so wonderful
You might find yourself in fear
To let it part, in fear to let it part
So hold her closer when she cries
Hold her closer when she feels
She needs a hand to hold
Someone who'll never let her go again
And hold him closer when he tries
To hold the tears back from his eyes
Don't say goodbye
***************
It was starting to get dark and Andi still hadn't returned to the bed and breakfast.
"You're good at finding her, Josh. A lover can always find his other half. Your heart knows that it isn't complete without Miss Andrea, even if your brain took a while to figure out what we all knew. You're the only one she has left, Joshua."
"I know, Mrs. Schaefer. Thank you for the advice." Everything she'd said was true, and he realized that now. However unconsciously, JC had been in love with his best friend for a while now. It had been one of Julia's reasons for leaving, but at the time, JC had thought is outlandish. There was only one other place Andi would be while home and as always, JC slowly walked up the hill to the cemetery. Andrea was so caught up in speaking to her father that she didn't hear JC approach.
"I told him, Dad. I told him everything and now I just feel like the biggest fool. Maybe Mom was right...maybe I'll never find someone to love me. It's not because of Jocelyn though. She's doing so well, Dad, you'd love her. Mr. and Mrs. Addison are the best parents for her. The really cute part is that she's completely in love with Josh's group. Daddy, I wish you were here. I feel so alone this time of year to begin with and I just alienated the best friend I've ever had because I couldn't keep my damn mouth shut."
"You're not alone, Andrea. I've always been right there." She spun around to face JC, tears staining both their faces.
"Josh, I..."
"Shhhhh...just let me say this. Two weeks ago, you dropped a bombshell on me and then said you needed to be alone. So I left, but not before telling you I loved you. I should have stayed after I said it Andrea. Things haven't changed since that night. I'm in love with you, Andrea, and if you'll let me, I'd like to make good on that promise to kiss you." She just nodded and JC drew her body against his own.
"I love you, Andi." He kissed her...their first real kiss while the snow started to fall around them, and it left them both dizzy. But in a good way.
***************
When you heart decides
That it's time to let it through
There's no reason to be scared
To open up
Cause love may be blind
But all of us don't see it
So just once in your life
If you hear the knock of love
Just let it in
So hold her closer when she cries
Hold her closer when she feels
She needs a hand to hold
Someone who'll never let her go again
And hold her closer when she's down
When her world is upside down
Turn it around
And hold her close
***************
(**song used is performed by Blessid Union of Souls**)
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