“Is that you, Daddy?”
He nodded.
“And that’s Grandpa?”
“Yes.”
She studied the picture.
“He looks really happy.”
Adam wrapped his arm around his daughter.
“He was.”
Across the room, Renee quietly wiped her eyes.
And I sat there wearing Walter’s ridiculous Santa hat, grateful that a Christmas I’d expected to spend alone had brought our family closer together.
Part 5: What happened the following Christmas
A year has passed since that extraordinary Christmas.
Patricia kept her apartment.
A few months later, she found work as a receptionist at a dental office.
She calls me every Tuesday evening.
We talk about the grandchildren, our families, and whatever happened during the week.
She’s become one of my closest friends.
Adam and Renee postponed buying their house.
Instead, they focused on saving money and rebuilding their financial plans.
Eventually, Adam sat down with me and directly asked whether I’d consider contributing a smaller amount toward a future down payment.
