The yuletide spirit carried on into the evening. The children played with each other and with the litter of puppies that the McGowans had given the children, with their parents' permission of course.
"These are all such nice looking dogs. I can't believe that they're not purebreds," Jerry exclaimed, looking over the pups in their basket.
"Their parents are purebreds, just not the same breed," Gideon laughed.
"Daddy, they have black tongues!" Cecilia noticed.
Gideon leaned down and explained to all of the children, "They have black tongues because their father was a Chow Chow. That breed of dog is the only one in the world to have a black tongue. They are the said to be the descendents of polar bears, who also have black tongues."
The children and adults all marveled at this idea. Owen Ford then added, "It is a well-known fact that the old Queen Victoria had one as a pet too. The President of the State, Calvin Coolidge, and his wife have two at the White House. "
Ginny was anxious to see who picked whom, and suggested, "Why don't you children pick out which you want?"
Being the oldest, Tenny and Hope walked hand in hand to the puppies, and then Tenny asked, "Are these puppies Boomer's grandchildren?"
"Yes Tenny, they are," Gideon answered.
The prospect of having a puppy that was a descendant of the dog they once loved and played with made the decision even more important. They looked at the rowdy bunch of pups, and chose one that was bullying the others about. She had a rich black mane that was neither short like a lab's, nor long like a chow's. Her head and ears looked like that of a lab, but her body was stocky like a chow, and her tail curled up and looked as if someone had attached it separately. Her brothers and sisters all basically looked the same, but with a few differences.
Walt and John picked next and chose one with bushy, cinnamon colored fur and a mischievous glint in the eye. Gilly and Graceful Anne chose one that was a sort of grayish blue color. Cecilia took the lone white puppy. Barry and Teddy were given another black one. The Douglas children chose a pup with a plush russet mane.
As all of the commotion of picking and naming pets was occurring, Persis felt the need to step outside for a breath of fresh air. The crisp December air was a welcome change from the crowdedness within Ingleside's walls.
How lovely the world looked that night! The stars in the sky twinkled in conversation with the counterparts glistening in the snow. Persis shivered, realizing she had forgotten her coat, but suddenly someone wrapped his around her, holding her tightly from behind.
"It's a beautiful night, isn't it?" he asked.
She demurely glanced down, allowing the moon to illuminate her face very delicately. "I can't remember a holiday so filled with love, joy, and happiness."
"Neither can I," he quietly agreed.
She turned to where she could face him. "I've wanted to speak with you since I saw you in the church last night."
His face brightened. "Really?" he asked, not sure if he was dreaming or not. "I've wanted to talk with you ever since I… Since I…" he was too ashamed to admit the last part.
"Walked away from me eight years ago?" she finished.
He hung his head with shame. "That was the biggest mistake I ever made. I have regretted it ever since."
She turned her back to him, attempting to hide the tears that slowly began to form in her eyes. "I should say so. You came home in better shape than many men, and yet you called off our engagement because you lost the sight in one eye? Don't you know that I wouldn't have cared if you were completely blind, or if you had lost your arms or legs. I only wanted to be your wife! It didn't matter to me whether or not you could provide a living or not. I was already selling my photographs. I could have provided for us! Why were you so cold when you came back? Why did you walk away from me, leaving me alone and crying in the streets of Toronto, Carl? I love you more than life!"
Carl seemed to have lost his voice. He was barely able to whisper, "You still love me?"
"You could kill me a thousand times over, and I would continue to love you. It's not something that can be stopped, she whispered back."
"I was a fool all those years ago. I was lost, confused, and angry. I was so angry that part of my sight was taken, angry that so many years had been lost for everyone."
"It does make it more difficult to study things," Persis surmised.
"It makes it more difficult to see the wonderful thing right in front of a man, but I think pride caused the greatest blindness of all. I was too proud to let you help me heal from the war. I was afraid that you would be with me out of pity. That, I could not stand."
"Carl, you broke my heart when you left."
"I know. Can you ever forgive me?"
She had many questions to ask, "Why have you waited so long to tell me these things? Why now?"
Persis always had a way of getting straight to the point of the matter. Carl slumped against old Ingleside to answer. "It took me a long time to realize my mistakes, too long. Then you were already off photographing the world. You had your career, and from what I heard, you were extremely happy. That is all I wanted for you."
"Yet happiness is very hollow when you have no one with whom to share it," she interrupted.
"True. However, I always remembered hearing that if you really loved something, you had to let it go, so I let you go and told myself that I didn't really love you. I've devoted my life to my work, and I've kept up with your career. I went to Hillwynd last night to talk to you, and then lost my nerve," he admitted.
"I thought I heard a car door last night," she though aloud. He still had not fully answered her question, though. "Why now, though, Carl? What makes 1926 so different than all the other years we've been apart?"
"Jealousy," he plainly admitted.
"What?" she asked incredulously.
"I've always known that you would find love again, and it didn't really bother me much because I couldn't put a face to the person who won you. However, in recent months, all I've heard from my family is how Persis Ford and Walter Blythe have been spending all their time together, how they're the best of friends, how good it would be if they were married. There was face with that name, a face I knew well. In truth, I had to see for myself if the rumors are true."
She took his hand, "You can see that they're not?"
"Yes, I can." He thankfully admitted. "You look at Walter the same way you look at Jem, Jerry, and Shirley. You don't look at him the way you look at me."
"That is because through all my travels, I have never loved anyone as I continue to love you, Thomas Carlyle Meredith."
Carl took her lovely hand and asked her, "Persis, do you think that perhaps, we could start over?"
"Only if you promise to marry me this time," she directly told him. Then they kissed as the moon and the stars witnessed from above. The Heavens weren't the only witnesses of love's blossom blooming once more. Walter Blythe gazed out the window and momentarily lost himself to another time, another Christmas. Una Meredith witnessed both, and couldn't forget the pained expression on Walter's face.