“Yes, conditions. You want this,” the small woman pinned Brooke with her stare, “then you drop her off here, Christmas at noon and pick her up by eight that evening. I’m going against every grain of my fiber and eight hours is all that you’ll get.”

Brooke tried to contain her thrill at hearing the first few words. “Of course, that will be no problem. I’ll see to that myself.” Relieved, she half-smiled at her accomplishment. “Is there anything else?”

“Don’t worry, her father and I will work out the rest.” Elaine looked smugly at her husband for a split second before settling her gaze on Brooke. “One of us will be with her at all times as long as Sarah is in her presence.” Elaine smiled curtly as she saw the anger come to Brooke’s face. “Take it or leave it. It’s all that you’re going to get.”

“Mrs. Moleson,” Brooke protested. “May I ask you a question please?” The woman hurriedly continued, “Just out of curiosity.”

“Alright, I’ll grant one question…make it good.”

“Will you answer it truthfully?” Brooke watched as the curt smile reappeared on the woman’s face. “Did you ever do anything that you felt so passionately about that your parents did not approve of?” Brooke challenged her, then pushed her even harder with the next question. “How would it make you feel to think that your own mother didn’t want you?”

“What does that have to do with her being perverted? Of course, I did.” She looked defiantly at Brooke for a moment, then turned toward her husband, giving him a sly smile. Seeing the knowing look in Samuel’s eye, Elaine bit down on her lip as her eyes darted away from his sight. “She almost didn’t. That’s why I…I mar…” her voice trailed off to a whisper.

“She married me.” Samuel said, completing his wife’s thought. He moved closer to the woman and touched her lovingly on the cheek.

Seeing an opening in the underbelly of her opponent, Brooke pursued her dream with everything that she had at her disposal. “Please…” blue eyes looked from one to the other of Sam’s parents, “…your daughter loves you so much. You gave birth to her and gave her love. Don’t take that away from her now. She misses you very much and right now, Sam honestly believes that you don’t love her.”

Ensconced with self-doubt, Elaine took in a deep breath and did the only thing that she could. She waved her hand, dismissing the tall woman.

“I’m sorry to have troubled you. I thank you for your time.” Closing her eyes in defeat, Brooke slowly turned to leave. As she took her first step toward the door, the almost out of character hushed voice caught her ear.

“I loved her enough to get married. We…ah…I was…” the woman turned to her husband and buried her head into his shoulder.

“Mrs. Moleson?” Brooke watched as Samuel comforted his wife with his arms wrapped around her.

“Yes…?” She sniffed.

Brooke noticed the still-darting eyes of the woman as she thought of what the next question might be. “Thank you for answering my question and truthfully, at that. But you should realize better than most that you can’t help or choose who you fall in love with.”

Elaine lifted her head and stared at Brooke.

“I think you did a wonderful job raising a daughter who can love so effortlessly and unconditionally.” Brooke took in a breath and forged on. “In a way, I can tell that she got that trait from you. And I mean that, as the highest compliment.”

Samuel studied the tall woman as she spoke about his eldest daughter and her mother’s influence on her. The passion with which the woman spoke showed her dedication to her beliefs. He took in a breath, then spoke softly to his wife. “Sam is a lot like you Elaine, you know that.”

“I hope you’ll think about what I’ve told you.” Brooke looked at the woman still in her husband’s embrace, then glanced at Samuel and nodded. “I hope you’ll have a pleasant evening.” Having stated her case, Brooke took her leave.

Pulling the door closed after her, the tall woman stood there on the stoop, letting the crisp air of the season penetrate and cool her anger before it got the better of her. How could anyone shut out his or her own daughter? Brooke hung her head at her seemingly failed attempt to make Sam happy. God, Sam…I could never do that to our children or to you.

Brooke looked up to the first star of the evening sky and made her wish on it. “If only I could have pulled this off for you,” she muttered under her breath as she tugged at her trench coat. “Some executive negotiating you did there.” She smirked, thinking of the comment she had said a few years ago when she’d first purchased that particular article of outerwear. I guess the power comes from the person and not the clothing.

Walking to the edge of the small driveway, Brooke opened the door to the 300 and got in. With a flick of her fingers, the key turned over the powerful performance engine, but she had no desire to leave. Casting her eyes to the right, she looked back to the house that she had just left. There, walking toward her, was Sam’s father, his hand waving to catch her attention. At the door, she could see the reddish blonde hair of Mrs. Moleson as she clung to the doorframe, calling out to him.

“Ms. Gordon.” Samuel came closer to the car, and knocked on the window, motioning for it to be opened.

Hearing the muffled sound of her name, Brooke lowered the window. “Please, Mr. Moleson, call me Brooke.”

“Ms. Gordon…ah…I mean, Brooke.” He smiled, letting his green eyes twinkle much like his daughters.

“Yes, Sir?”

“You can drop Sam off around noon on Christmas. I’m sure that she’ll be spending the morning with you…er your family, won’t she?”

Brooke smiled at the thought of being with Sam on Christmas morning. “If she’s not going to be here then, I’m sure she will.”

Samuel acknowledged the confident look on the woman’s face with nary a faint smile. “Either way, I’m sure she’ll have the love that’s due her for that day.”

“Excuse me?” Brooke wondered what, if anything, he had read into her words or look. “Mr. Moleson, I’m sorry if I overstepped my bounds in there. We can’t possibly offer Sam the love she craves from her family.”

“Overstepped?” He looked at her with a shocked expression. “No, you didn’t overstep any bounds. You just showed us what love is all about. It’s caring, sharing and looking out for those that we love.”

“I…I showed you that?”

The man stood up and sneaked a peek up his walkway toward the house, then quickly ducked back down to the opened window and winked at Brooke. “Well, at least to me, you did.”

“I’m just trying to take care of a friend,” she assured Sam’s father. “Sam does miss you, Sir. She speaks very highly of you, as well as your sister, Sandy.” She watched the man’s lips turn up into a smile, then offered her hand to him. “It was a pleasure to meet you.”

“And I’m glad that you know that there’s one less Christmas gift to worry about, huh?” The man winked at her.

“Yes Sir. I guess that’s true.” Brooke felt the man’s hand in her own and returned his grasp as they shook on it.

“Nice strong grip there, Brooke. You must work out a lot.”

“Actually, I used to play drums. I work out every once in a while. Why do you ask?”

“A musician, eh? Sam was always into music,” he mumbled.

“So I’ve heard.” Brooke’s eyebrow edged upward.

Feeling as though he was being challenged, Samuel quickly dismissed the thought. “Oh, nothing, I’m just rambling.” He let go of Brooke’s hand and started to step away from the car. “You drive safely.”

The executive reached into her coat pocket and procured the card that she had prepared earlier. “This is any number that you would need to get in touch with me if anything changes.” She handed it to the man. “I’ve written Sam’s numbers on the back for you. I’m sure that she’d love to hear from you sometime.”

Samuel flipped the card over and looked at it, then smiled as he backed away from the vehicle. “Thanks, Brooke.” He gave her a little wave with the hand that held onto the card like it was a winning lottery ticket. “I’m sure that nothing will change here on my end.”

“You’re welcome.” The smiled tugged at Brooke’s lips as she called out her sincerest wishes. “I hope you have a nice evening, Mr. Moleson.”

“You, too,” was his immediate response, then, as an after thought of looking at the business card once more, he called out, “Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas, Mr. Moleson.” Brooke gave a little wave as she raised the window. Well, how about that? I survived the first meeting with my future in-laws. Happy with the out come, she put the car in gear and slowly pulled out of the parking space.

Halting only a few yards away at the stop signed intersection, Brooke looked into her rearview mirror. There, she could see Sam’s father still standing in the same spot, looking at the card. She watched as he looked up and stared in her direction. After a thoughtful moment, she could see the smile growing across his face and, if she didn’t know any better, she believed that she had seen the twinkle in his eyes as he slowly nodded his head.

Hmm…maybe I’ve taken care of two Christmas presents today. Brooke shifted her gaze to the cross street in front of her and drove off.

Taking the steps two at a time, Brooke needed to get her body moving to keep warm. The business-looking trench coat just wasn’t as warm as her leather jacket and she was regretting not having thrown it into the car before leaving earlier. Finally reaching the third floor of the dorm, Brooke moved without hesitation down the hall to where a blonde waited for her. Stopping at the door, the drummer beat out a one handed rhythm on the metal door, then stood back, and waited for it to open.