Sheridan rubbed her eyes as she came down the stairs, her face lighting up with a smile the second she looked up. "Oh, Luis," she gasped, "did you really put up a Christmas tree last night after we got home?"
Luis took a sip of his coffee as he turned around to smile at her. "Yes—I wanted to surprise you."
Tears sprang to Sheridan's eyes. "This is one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me. I can't wait to decorate it."
"I thought you might say that," Luis smiled, putting down his coffee mug and nudging a box out from under the table.
"I can't tell you how much this means to me." Sheridan looked down at the ornaments and smiled back up at her husband. "Getting to decorate our first Christmas tree—in our first real home. Growing up in the mansion, I never had traditions like this."
"That's why I figured it might be time to start some new ones." Luis crossed the room to her and pulled her into his arms. "And, just think—soon, we'll be doing this as a family of three."
"Yes, we will be." Sheridan glanced down, massaged the sides of her belly, and then smiled back up at Luis. "I have never been happier than I am in this moment."
"I know exactly what you mean." His eyes twinkling at hers, Luis caressed her belly and kissed her forehead. "And that reminds me—I just heard one other piece of good news. The hospital released my father—and not just for the weekend, like they did for Thanksgiving." Luis's face radiated with happiness. "He still has a lot of physical therapy to do, but he's going to be able to do it as an outpatient now."
"Oh, Luis!" Sheridan threw her arms around him. "That's wonderful news! Your mother must be over the moon."
"She is, Sher. She is." Luis cupped the back of his wife's head against his chest and closed his eyes. "I can't believe everything that's happened this year . . . how much our lives have changed . . ."
Snuggling up against him, Sheridan beamed as she felt their daughter move inside of her. "I think it's only going to get better from here."
"Here, Mother, have a drink." Julian walked up to Katherine with a glass. "It will calm your nerves before we land."
"I just can't believe I'm finally on my way home!" Katherine gazed out one of the plane's windows. "I can't believe this day is finally here!"
"Sheridan and I both missed you so much." Julian smiled softly as he sat down beside his mother. "I can't wait for you to see her."
"I can't wait to see her either—I've missed both of you." Katherine glanced back at Eve, who was fast asleep behind them. "If only your father had treated you both better . . ."
Julian clasped one hand over his mother's. "That's all over now."
"Julian, tell me about your life," Katherine pleaded. "Tell me, have you been happy?"
"I am now." Julian smiled as he looked back at Eve. "I'm happier than I've ever been."
"I can see that," Katherine smiled. "But what happened to Ivy?"
Julian patted his mother's hand. "That's a story for another day. Just know that I'm happy."
"And what about Sheridan?" Katherine's voice rose with hope. "Is she happy, too?"
"She is, Mother," Julian smiled. "She and Luis adore each other."
Katherine shook her head and smiled. "I still can't believe she married Martin and Pilar's son."
"Yes, well, not for a lack of trying on my part . . ." Julian's eyes fell to the table next to him.
Katherine's brow furrowed. "Julian, you mentioned something about that earlier—what did you mean?"
Julian put down his drink and rubbed his forehead. "Mother, I've told you that I've done things that I'm not proud of . . ."
Katherine studied Julian, her eyes filling with fear.
"I helped Father try to break them up," Julian blurted out. "Not just once, but a couple of times. I hurt Sheridan deeply, and I always will regret it."
Katherine bit down on her lip; her eyes glistened with tears.
Julian hung his head. "I tried to bribe Luis to stay away from her; I hired an imposter to make her think Luis was using her. I even tried to make Sheridan believe that Luis was cheating on her and that he was beating up another woman."
Katherine gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.
"I'm so ashamed of myself, Mother—that I turned into the monster I did." Julian's eyes flew up to hers. "I know this may sound crazy, but part of me truly believed I was trying to save Sheridan's life when I did all these things to her."
"This Luis, he didn't do any of those things, correct?" Katherine asked. "He never hurt my little girl?"
"No—he didn't," Julian said. "Luis has never been anything but good to Sheridan, and eventually she trusted him enough to help him expose Father and me—and all of our schemes."
Julian rubbed his face. "I should have just told them, Mother. I should have told them Father was trying to kill them. Luis is a cop. He would have figured something out. He never would have let Father hurt her."
"Julian, I can see how much you're struggling with this," Katherine said. "I can see how much pain it has caused you."
"My pain is nothing compared to what I caused Sheridan to feel," Julian said quietly. "It's a wonder she still talks to me."
Katherine smiled softly, hope rising in her face. "You and Sheridan patched things up?"
"Yes, we did." Julian turned back to his mother. "Her capacity to forgive is greater than that of anyone else I've ever known. She has a huge heart, Mother—she got that from you."
"I'm glad to hear that her heart's being taken care of now." Katherine smiled.
"Yes, it certainly is," Julian said. "Luis loves her dearly. Even during all of those months when they just couldn't seem to stop fighting, I could tell just by the way he looked at her that he would do anything for her."
"Kind of the way that you feel about Eve?" Katherine asked, smiling at her son.
Julian glanced over at Eve, his face lighting up. "Yes, exactly how I feel about Eve."
Have yourself a merry little Christmas. . . . Let your heart be light . . .
Luis stoked the fire and smiled over at Sheridan, who was admiring the Christmas tree. Christmas music wafted through the room; the flames in the fireplace crackled. The scent of roasting chestnuts filled the air.
"Oh, Luis, the tree is so beautiful!" Sheridan beamed.
"You're the one who's beautiful, Sher," Luis smiled, rising to his feet.
Luis crossed the floor to his wife and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "How is it that I love you more and more with each passing day?"
Sheridan blushed and glanced down, smiling shyly back up at him. "I feel the same way, Luis."
"I love you, Sheridan." Luis wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace. "I can't believe that this time next year, we'll be doing this with our little munchkin."
"I know, Luis—I can't wait," Sheridan smiled, snuggling in closer to his chest.
Through the years, we all will be together, if the fates allow . . .
Luis closed his eyes as he and Sheridan began to sway to the music. This moment, this entire night—it couldn't get any more perfect.
I'll be home for Christmas. . . . You can count on me . . .
A rush of warmth filled Katherine's lungs as the song on the radio changed, her eyes lighting up with hope as she peered in through the window. Across the room stood her baby girl—swaying softly to the music with her husband. Her head was buried in his chest—her arms wrapped tightly around him.
Katherine's hands flew to her mouth as she watched Luis press a kiss to the top of Sheridan's head. "Oh, Julian, he really loves her, doesn't he?"
"Yes, Mother. He adores her." Julian smiled softly at his mother and then back at Eve. "What do you say? Shall we ring the bell?"
"Oh, yes, Julian, please!" Katherine pleaded. "I can't wait to hold my little girl in my arms."
Eve smiled softly as Julian rang the bell. "She's been waiting for that, too."
Katherine turned her attention back to the scene in the window, gasping as Sheridan turned around and Luis started toward the door.
"Oh, Julian, you didn't tell me that your sister is pregnant!" Katherine turned to her son.
"I wanted that to be a surprise for you," Julian said. "I figured Sheridan could tell you herself."
Julian turned his attention back to the door as Luis opened it.
"Julian, Eve." Luis nodded. "Early merry Christmas."
"Early merry Christmas to you, too, Luis," Julian smiled, peeking over at his sister. "We've come with a surprise for Sheridan. May we please come in?"
At that moment, Luis noticed the woman standing next to Julian and Eve. His mouth falling open, he moved aside to allow her in. Turning to look at Sheridan, his breath caught in his throat—his wife's face lighting up with joy as she took in the sight of the woman in front of her.
"Mother!" Sheridan gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
"Oh, Sheridan! My little girl!" Katherine cried, rushing over to meet her.
Before Luis could even blink, Sheridan and Katherine were flying into each other's arms, tears streaming down both of their faces.
"Oh, Sheridan, I can't believe you're all grown up and having a child of your own!" Katherine cried, rocking her daughter against her. "It seems like only yesterday that you were just my little girl."
"I've missed you so much, Mother," Sheridan cried, smiling through her tears. "I can't believe that I'm holding you again—that you're really here!"
"I'm here, my darling," Katherine smiled, tightening her embrace around her daughter. "And I'm never leaving you again."
"I love you so much, Mother . . ." Sheridan breathed.
"Sheridan, I love you, too."
