This is a flashback in Hallie's POV: there's actually a flashback within this flashback – not trying to confuse anyone, but…just read it…
"Are you kidding me? That's not deep enough! After all he's done for you? You gotta love him more than that!"
Martin Belden gave his younger sister a wink as he pushed her back toward her boyfriend who was still standing under the mistletoe and blushing a hue as scarlet as his own hair.
"Kiss him like you mean it this time, Trix!"
Trixie didn't wait for further encouragement. She gave a start and crashed her lips onto those of Jim Frayne with all the intensity of a woman who had been waiting for her love for years. It made everyone watching from the great room of Manor House give out several whoops and clap with joy.
"Now that was a kiss," Jim agreed when he could come up for air.
"My man doesn't complain," Trixie winked to the others and gave a satisfied smirk to her brother.
I'll bet he didn't think she'd do it in front of everyone else, their cousin Hallie thought to herself with a chuckle. He should know better than to ever dare Trixie to do anything.
The young woman scanned the crowd of faces enjoying themselves at the annual Christmas party with the Wheelers, and she felt another nervous twitch in her stomach.
He's still not here.
Hallie was beginning to get scared.
Bill Regan had told her that morning that he was going to White Plains to pick up some supplies for the horses, but he had not yet returned. The gently falling snow accumulating outside would become a lot more threatening once it got dark, and she hoped the red-headed groom would be off the roads by then.
He's a grown man. He can take care of himself.
She tried to reason her fears away, but she just couldn't stop herself from being anxious. She decided to mingle in with the others to keep her mind off of things.
It was bad enough that this was only the third Christmas since her boyfriend Dan Mangan passed away from cancer, but she was also now facing a lot of negativity from her family. They had been happy with her when she'd recently moved to Sleepyside to finish up her art degree and help Nick Roberts with his gallery downtown, but they weren't exactly thrilled with her decision to begin dating Dan's older uncle Bill Regan. Despite a large age difference, Hallie couldn't see what was so bad about it.
We're perfect for each other, Hallie thought.
She sat down to watch her little cousin Bobby play Monopoly with Larry and Terry Lynch, and her mind began to wander back to the day she first realized she was falling for Bill.
(Flashback)*****
Hallie Belden watched the wind take her pathetic looking kite and slam it down into the muddy field ahead of her. It was comical and sad at the same time, and she wondered what her competitive older brothers would make of her dilapidated attempt at aviation.
"I guess that wasn't the best try, was it?" She asked her companion with a snort.
Bill Regan just shook his head and gave a good natured laugh. Hallie couldn't help but be grateful to hear the sound of it. She hadn't thought that either of them would ever have a reason to laugh again when Dan died. Immediately, she understood why Dan had made them promise him that they would take his box kite out and fly it together one day.
(He must have known we'd need this…) Hallie thought to herself.
But, she wasn't so sure she should have tried to make her own kite on such short notice. It was certainly a disaster.
"It needs a tail." Regan said knowingly. He cocked his head to the side and waited to see if she would take the challenge. It made Hallie more determined than ever to make her kite work.
"Okay, Mr. Smarty Pants. I've got just the thing!" She pulled the ribbons from her long black hair, and snatched up the leftover aluminum foil from the picnic lunch her Aunt Helen had packed for her.
"These should do the trick." The dark skinned girl bent down over the grassy plain and began attaching the silky streamers and the shiny film to the flimsy, paper creation.
Having secured the last minute materials to her homemade contraption, the young woman quickly stood up and produced her work for inspection. The two of them burst into gales at the sight of her poor handiwork, and Hallie was suddenly flooded with warmth in the presence of the large man throwing back his red hair and filling the meadow with his deep, booming laugh.
It made her feel good to know that she could entertain him.
Regan shook his head once more and trotted over to his horse to get Dan's kite. His nephew had made it several years before, but he'd never had the chance to fly it. Seeing it again made Hallie's eyes begin to fill with tears. She had, since her boyfriend's death, learned to simply let herself cry, if she needed too. It hadn't exactly been easy for her to do.
But, the sight of her glistening eyes didn't seem to deter Bill from taunting her into a bit of friendly sport.
"So, you think you can get that crazy looking mess up into the air, huh? I'll bet you can't. Let's see who can be first."
"Hey, that wasn't part of the deal. Dan wanted us to fly this thing together. My kite was just a silly joke. You know, I really didn't intend to fly it. But, of course, if you're scared I'll beat ya…"
"Oh, you think I'm scared, do you?"
The teasing and laughter continued as they bickered over who should fly which kite, and then neither one could get anything to lift up into the air. There hadn't been much wind, and despite the clear day, the weather just wasn't cooperating with them.
Exhausted and doubled over with laughter, the two suddenly felt the need to collapse on the grass. Hallie was immediately aware of how close Regan was sitting to her. His familiar scent was only slightly similar to Dan's. She'd never noticed before how handsome the young man was. With a shy sort of glance, she tried to take in a sneak peak at the man beside her, hoping that he wouldn't notice her curiosity. It was as if she were really looking at him for the first time. He was so much bigger in girth and height than his nephew had been, but it did not really intimidate her as she knew it did many others. The quiet man's deep green eyes seemed to lock quickly on to Hallie's dark ones, and she felt an instant surge of electricity pass between them.
(What was that?) she asked herself.
As if nature had decided to mock the pair with an ironic moment, a stiff wind suddenly blew Hallie's loose hair up into the air and swirled it around in soft wisps about her face.
"Oh, sure…now there's a wind…" Hallie said sarcastically.
Regan gently reached out a hand to slip a few strands of ebony silk back behind her ear. His touch made her skin tingle. Realizing that Dan's uncle had probably never seen her with her hair down before, Hallie began to dismiss the odd way he was staring at her as simply his awareness of the new image and nothing more. But, she couldn't stop herself from staring back.
Immediately, her mind began to run wild with panic and uncertainty as her body began to draw itself closer and closer to the man before her.
(Stop! What are you doing?) Her brain screamed at her body to stop leaning toward him. Her heart was pounding violently. All she could think about was the odd way she had bonded with Regan during Dan's last months on earth. How they'd called each other with friendly support over the past few years since the young man's death. How she'd sent Bill news clippings about wrestling matches because she knew he liked that sort of thing. (Oh my Gosh! I can't fall for him! I just can't! It wouldn't be right!)
She nearly jumped out of her skin as the impending contact between her lips and Regan's was violently interrupted by the shrieking sound of her little cousin Bobby.
"Bobby, what do you think you're doing?"
Terry Lynch's words jolted Hallie from her thoughts of the past and forced her to pay attention to the present.
"I'm rolling the dice. It's my turn."
"No it's not," Larry whined. "You aren't out of jail, yet."
"But, if I roll a double, I will be." The blonde boy's face screwed up in an intentional insult at his friend.
"Whatever…" Terry sighed. The three pre-teens continued their game while Hallie stood to walk away from them.
She began to wring her hands nervously at the thought of what might be keeping Bill.
When she realized that she was doing what Regan always did when he was frustrated, she gave out a choked laugh, causing Bobby to turn around and throw her a curious glance.
She hadn't wanted to draw any attention to her concern. Despite her rapidly growing fears, she didn't want to say anything to her friends and family about missing Bill at the party. In an attempt to avoid expressing what was making her shake on the inside, Hallie quickly moved toward the kitchen where she might not only find refuge, but could also possibly learn something about the missing horseman.
She was surprised when Bobby quickly flew around her and beat her to the swinging galley door.
"So, where are you going?" He asked cryptically.
"To the kitchen, Bobby. Is that alright with you? I wanted a drink."
"There was plenty of punch out there." The young boy pointed back to the great room with a decidedly snotty air. He was trying to insinuate that his cousin was up to something. "Where's your boyfriend?"
Hallie couldn't help but notice the slightly bitter way he'd said the last word, and it hurt her deeply.
He still resents my relationship with Bill. Oh, why can't he see that Dan would have wanted this?
"I…I don't know where he is." Hallie said honestly. She could tell that Bobby heard the uncertainty in her voice, and a look of genuine sympathy fell over his young face.
"Did you two have a fight?" His voice was soft.
"Oh, no…it…it's nothing like that," Hallie stammered. She wanted to kick herself for being so ashamed of her feelings for Bill when she was around Bobby. He was going to have to accept them at some point.
"Do you think he didn't want to come because everyone isn't exactly happy about the two of you?" Bobby asked thoughtfully.
Hallie was about to let the little boy have a piece of her mind when the bright ringing of a telephone suddenly interrupted her thoughts. Celia Delanoy, one of the Wheelers' staff, almost immediately emerged from the kitchen door before them, stepped quickly around the two Beldens, and began calling out for Helen Belden to come to the phone.
"It's Mr. Belden," Celia said in a tight voice. "He says it's an emergency."
Hallie felt her stomach drop, and she knew. It was Bill. Something was wrong. Something had happened to him. She instantly grabbed her cousin's hand and gave it a quick squeeze. She felt him stiffen up at her touch.
Poor Bobby. He's afraid it's Uncle Peter, but it's not, Hallie thought mournfully.
She didn't know how she knew the emergency involved Bill, or why she was certain her uncle would even know if such a thing was true, but she was completely sure. As sure as she had ever been about anything in her life. Something had happened to Bill. She knew it.
As Helen disappeared into the kitchen with Celia, Trixie and Jim slowly approached Hallie and Bobby with frightened faces. Honey Wheeler soon followed suit from the great room.
"What's going on?" Honey asked gently.
"Dad's on the phone," Bobby said in a shaky voice, "and it's an emergency." He pulled away from Hallie and tried not to look scared.
After what seemed like an eternity to Hallie, the older woman the Bobwhites lovingly referred to as Moms came out of the kitchen and moved to stand before her niece. She reached out, softly stroked the girl's dark hair, and gently let her hand rest on the young woman's shoulder.
"Hallie, dear, Bill's been in an accident…"
"I…know…" Hallie managed.
"You know? But…" Mrs. Belden looked confused.
"I know it doesn't make sense, but…I just…somehow…I knew something was wrong…" Hallie was suddenly gasping for breath as the reality of what she'd just said began to sink in. "Is he…oh God, please no…is he hurt?"
Helen gripped her niece gently and forced her to look up into her eyes.
"No, baby, he's going to be fine. Peter just happened to pass the scene right after the crash and saw Bill's truck was involved. A drunk driver ran him off the road, but he's fine. He's got one, long cut on his arm and some other bumps and bruises; nothing dangerous. The EMS crew treated him at the scene and released him there. They've been stuck waiting for a wrecker all this time. I imagine the snow made the move pretty difficult…"
Hallie had heard all she needed to hear. He was going to be fine. She broke down, sobbing into her aunt's arms while the rest of the partygoers began to trickle in behind and around them. Trixie, Jim, and the others were explaining the situation to those who were just joining them while Hallie was trying in vain to collect herself.
Over her aunt's shoulder, she noticed Bobby's shell-shocked face.
"Bobby," she choked out. "You just have…to understand…I…I love him. I'm sorry…we aren't trying to hurt anyone…"
"It's okay," Bobby said quietly. "I think I get it now. Dan even told me once he had someone picked out for Regan, but…I never thought it'd be…I mean…hey, I'm okay with it, now…if you are…I won't question it…"
Hallie met Trixie's gaze and noticed that her cousin was in agreement with her little brother. They understood. This was simply meant to be between Hallie and Bill, and even Dan must have seen it.
Hallie remembered the way a very sick Dan Mangan had joined his uncle's hands to those of his girlfriend's and placed them over his heart. She knew he would be okay with their love. She felt his blessing upon it fill her heart to overflowing. And, now, she knew her family was going to accept it, too. It was all too much to handle without more tears.
By the time Bill and Peter arrived to the party a while later, Hallie had cried off all her make-up, but it didn't stop her from running into the arms of the man she loved. She didn't care how she might have looked to him; she knew they were supposed to be together. As sure as she had been about his accident, she just simply knew their love was right. And, like Bobby, she wouldn't question it.