The McRae Series 01 - Twelve Days Sam and Rachel

Zach never felt the way Sam had when he was a little boy, and he hoped to God he could make sure he never went back to a father who abused his mother.
    * * *
    On the tenth day of Christmas, they all went to see Santa Claus. It was a clear, merely cool December night with a full harvest moon hanging brightly in the sky, and the town was lit up from end to end in Christmas finery, like something out of Zach's book. Greenery and bright lights draped from anything that didn't move. People were out in force shopping and eating and happily thinking about the days to come. There were carolers strolling the streets in downtown, hot cider for sale in the town square, and Santa presiding over the festivities.
    There was a line of kids waiting to see Santa, but Zach started playing with the little boy in line in front of them. Grace was enchanted by all the lights, and Emma seemed to be covertly eyeing a boy about her age who'd been given the task of taking his little sister to see Santa, but she was too shy to even say a word to him.
    "I used to look at you just like that," Rachel said to Sam, but she didn't seem sad about that. She seemed to be merely caught up in the past, a time when their lives seemed filled with infinite possibilities.
    Sam edged closer, slipping his arm around her. Grace gurgled up at him and cooed. He brushed a hand down her back, and she smiled at him, making his chest feel full to bursting.
    "Hold it. Right there," someone said, and the flash of a camera went off in their faces.
    When the flash faded, he looked up to see their neighbor, Mrs. Watson, smiling back at them.
    "You all make such a lovely picture," she said. "I couldn't resist."
    Rachel chatted with the woman for a few moments, and it was typical of the conversations they'd had with so many people that night.
    "How are these fine-looking children doing?"
    "They're fine," Rachel assured her.
    "Still no news?" she whispered, although neither Zach nor Emma was paying any attention.
    "Not yet," Rachel said.
    "Well, maybe this time. I just know that one day, everything's going to work out for the two of you, because you're such nice people. I've been praying for you all along."
    "Thank you," Rachel said.
    Everybody in town knew they'd always wanted children, and there would have been a time when Sam would have resented that. But standing there in the town square at Christmas hearing about their good wishes and their prayers for the two of them, he saw, too, that everybody in town seemed to want them to have children.
    It was all a part of that small-town mentality he'd resented so much as an angry, sometimes reckless teenager; they'd all talked about him then, too. But it was different tonight. Everyone was pulling for them now. He felt it, suddenly felt very much a part of this community. It was a nice town, and they were mostly good people. He couldn't imagine living anyplace else.
    "Now, let's get all five of you together," Mrs. Watson insisted. Rachel drew the children in close. They all crowded together and the flash went off again. "Got it. Your first Christmas together. First Christmases are so special. You'll remember this your whole life."
    Sam looked down and saw Zach standing grinning next to Emma, who was tucked against Rachel's side, the baby in her arms.
    Their first Christmas...
    He didn't want it to be their last.
    "I'll send you a copy of the picture," Mrs. Watson promised. "Oh, and thank you for the basket of goodies, Rachel. Not that we needed them, but we sure will enjoy them, and it is Christmas, after all. The calories shouldn't even count this time of year."
    Rachel laughed at that, and Mrs. Watson moved along. It wasn't long after that when it was their turn with Santa. Grace refused to get anywhere near him. She curled up her nose and made a face and cried, clinging to Rachel for all she was worth, while Sam deposited a suddenly shy Zach on Santa's lap.
    Dave Nelson, one of the town's firemen, was stuffed into the Santa suit. He gave a credible version of "Ho, ho, ho! What have we here? A little boy? What's your name, little boy?"
    "Zach," he whispered.
    "And have you been a good boy, Zach?"
    Zach hesitated, looked a bit worried. Sam put a hand on Zach's shoulder and reassured Santa that Zach had indeed been very, very good this year.
    "And what do you want for Christmas, little boy?"
    Zach leaned over and whispered in Santa's ear. Santa gave another hearty "Ho, ho, ho!" and when Zach turned his head to look back at Sam