The Christmas List: A Novel
: Chapter 46

Sara Ellen Kier was pronounced dead at 2:42 A.M. Christmas morning. After the men from the mortuary had taken her body Kier sat alone in her room, his head in his hands, sobbing. Juliet walked up to him and knelt before him. “Mr. Kier, I’m Juliet. We’ve never met. But I’m so sorry.”

Kier looked up. His eyes were puffy and red. “Thank you. Sara told me what a wonderful young woman you are. You are welcome in this family.”

“Thank you, Mr. Kier.”

“Please, call me Jim.”

“May I call you Dad?”

“I would be honored.” He closed his eyes again, overcome with emotion. Juliet put her arms around him as Jimmy watched from across the room. After a few minutes Kier looked up at his son. Jimmy was also in anguish and it broke his heart to see his son’s pain. “Come here, son.”

Juliet stepped back. Jimmy hesitated a moment, then remembering his promise to his mother, walked over. Then he put his arms around his father and the two of them wept for the loss of a woman they both loved.