Chapter 17

December 20, 1994

Tad walked in the door as Kelsey ran down the stairs the next morning. Tad had been away on business the past few days and the kids were home for Christmas vacation.

"Daddy, you're home!" Kelsey exclaimed as she ran into Tad's arms. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," Tad said. "Where is your Grandma?"

"I think she's in the kitchen," Kelsey said. "I just woke up."

"OK," Tad said. "Let's go in the kitchen."

Tad and Kelsey entered the kitchen. Mrs. G was making breakfast.

"Oh, Tad, you're back," Mrs. G said. "You just missed Blair, Jo took her to rehab."

"I'll have to see her later," Tad said. "How has she been?"

"OK," Mrs. Garrett said. "She talked to me yesterday."

"Really!" Tad exclaimed. "What did she say?"

"She said she loved me," Mrs. G said.

Later that same day, Jo, Jamie, and Kelsey were in the kitchen helping Mrs. Garrett make Christmas cookies.

"Grandma, can we go see Santa Claus?" Kelsey asked.

"If you want," Mrs. Garrett said. "It's time to put the cookies in the oven."

"OK," said Kelsey.

"Go in the bathroom and get cleaned up you two," Mrs. G said.

Kelsey and Jamie ran upstairs.

"That's strange," Mrs. G said.

"What's strange?" Jo asked.

"That Kelsey wants to see Santa Claus," Mrs. G said.

"Why is that strange?" Jo asked.

"Because when Kelsey was three, she asked Santa to bring her Mommy and Daddy home. When that didn't happen, she stopped going to see Santa Claus," Mrs. G explained. "Last year she didn't want to go."

"Blair and Tad are home now," Jo said. "Maybe that's why Kelsey decided she wanted to go this year."

December 22, 1994

Two days later Mrs. G took the kids to see Santa Claus. When it was Kelsey's turn, she went up and sat on Santa's lap.

"What would you like for Christmas?" Santa asked.

"Oh, I don't want anything for Christmas," Kelsey said. "I just wanted to say thank you for bringing my Mommy and Daddy home."

December 25, 1994

Everybody came over to the house Christmas morning to open presents. Blair was sitting on the couch watching the kids open their presents. From across the room, Jo could see tears streaming down Blair's face. Jo got up from where she was sitting and sat next to Blair on the couch.

"Hey Blair, what's the matter?" Jo asked. "Did you remember something?"

"Yes," Blair answered.

"What did you remember?" Jo asked.

"Every…thing," Blair said.