Christmas Kisses Collection. Louise Allen

waitress came to their table for their order.

      “I’ll have afternoon tea,” Ellen told her.

      “I’ll have the same,” her father said. As the waitress moved away he continued, “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I had lost you. It isn’t fair to put me through something like that. Sometimes you’re so like your mother.”

      There it was. The guilt. Had her mother really been reckless or just enjoying life? Even if Ellen was like her mother, her feelings and desires had merit. She deserved to live her own life.

      “I’m sorry. Maybe I do need to be more careful but that doesn’t mean I need to give up my dreams just to make you happy.”

      She had to make it clear she wasn’t going to live in a bubble just for him. That she needed his love and support but not at the cost of what she wanted. She’d learned life was too short for that. More recently, and in the past.

      “Dad, it didn’t happen to you. I was the one who had the reaction to the spider bite.”

      “Yes, but I was the one scared to death that I might lose you.”

      What little she could remember about Chance after she’d become sick, he had been scared too but he had still praised her for her strength, encouraged her to keep going. He’d been concerned about her but had never wanted to hold her back. Her father wanted to do just that.

      “Yeah, it was pretty frightening in parts. But I’m here.”

      “And that’s where I want you to stay.”

      “That’s what I want to talk to you about.”

      His bushy brows rose.

      “Daddy, I’m going back to Honduras if the clinic will have me. If not, then I’ll go to another Central American country to work.”

      Her father’s palm slapped on the table, rattling the silverware. “Haven’t you had enough? After what happened to you?”

      “Daddy, I know you love me. I know I’m all you have. But this is something I’m compelled to do. I’m grown, heaven’s sake I’m a doctor. I’m needed there. I wished you would understand but if you don’t, that is fine. I have to go anyway.”

      Her father studied her. “Does this have something to do with Dr. Freeman?”

      She looked away. “Some, but not all.”

      “That’s what I thought. I had him checked out. He’s known for having women falling for him.”

      Her chest tightened. She could understand why. She certainly had. “That may be so but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t do good work. That the Traveling Clinic doesn’t have value.”

      “There’s plenty of work you can do here. Of value. Did you even talk to the hospital about the job?”

      “Daddy, I’m not going to. That’s not where I belong.”

      The waitress returned with their tea. They sat quietly until she had finished placing the tea stand in front of them and left.

      “I love you, Daddy. I do, but I have to be true to myself. I know you have lost. I have too. I miss Mother every day. I know you worry about me. You’ve worked to protect me. But you can’t do that forever. I’ll get hurt. Bad things will happen to me. That’s life. What I need is your support. Encouragement.”

      Her father ate without saying anything. He finally looked at her. His eyes glistened. The last time she’d seen him close to tears had been when he’d sat beside her bed in the hospital and had had to tell her that her mother had died.

      “I love you dearly. The only thing I’ve ever wanted to do was keep you safe. See that you were cared for.”

      “You have.”

      “I do support you. Want the best for you, but you can’t stop me from worrying about you.”

      She placed her hand on his arm. “I know and I love you for it.”

      For the rest of their time together they talked about their plans for Christmas and what gifts they might like to receive. They were pulling on their coats to go out into the snowy weather when Ellen asked, “Dad, have you ever thought about dating? You’re still a young man.”

      Those brows of his rose again. “What brought that on?”

      She tugged at his lapel, lifting in around his neck. “I just think that everyone should share their life with someone who cares about them. You’ve concentrated on me long enough. It’s time for you to live.”

      “Have you found someone you want to share your life with?”

      “I thought I had.”

      Her father kissed her forehead and tucked her arm though his. “One thing I’ve learned in this life is that anything can happen.”

      Did she dare hope?

      She returned to her father’s penthouse to prepare for her shift at the clinic that evening. An envelope lay waiting on the table in the hall with her name on it. Inside was an invitation to a gala event to benefit the Honduras Traveling Clinic.

      Would Chance attend? Did she care if he did?

      Chance had been in the States a week. There had been meetings at the foundation and a couple of speaking engagements. Ellen constantly called to him. If he went to her would she even speak to him after so much time had passed? She had to be mad. He couldn’t blame her.

      He’d kept tabs on how she was doing. Once he had called and spoken to her father. Not known for being easily intimidated, Chance’s conversation with Mr. Cox had been an uneasy one. He was a man who loved his daughter deeply and Chance had put her in danger. It wasn’t something her father was going to forgive quickly. Their discussion had been to the point but Chance had learned what his heart so desperately wanted to know. Ellen was doing well. Had recovered. For that Chance would be forever grateful.

      He also checked up on her through Michael. He had seen her at Thanksgiving and Chance was jealous. What he wouldn’t give to just see her for a second. Make sure for himself she was fine.

      When Michael had returned he’d had enough compassion for Chance that he hadn’t made him ask about Ellen. Michael had offered right off that he’d had lunch with Ellen.

      “She’s back at work at the same inner-city clinic she was at before she came down here.” Michael had spoken to everyone at the dinner table but had given Chance a pointed look. “Says she coming back here or another Central American country as soon as the doctor gives her a complete release. Which should be soon.”

      Karen spoke up. “We sure could use her here.”

      In more ways than one. Chance ached with the need to touch her, hold her. See her smile.

      “You should talk to her when we you go to the States next week, Chance. Get her to consider coming back here,” Pete added.

      “Yes, you should speak to her,” Michael stated. “She asked how everyone is doing.”

      Michael looked at him again. There was a deeper meaning to his words, he was sure.

      Would Ellen really want to see him? He’d done the one thing that could destroy her trust.

      Called her father. She’d said she wanted his love. Could he give it? Take a chance on her leaving him? Maybe she had changed her mind. After all, their relationship had been during a fight for life. They’d been emotionally strung out. Had what she’d said about wanting love been in the heat of the moment?

      What Ellen had done was make him determined to contact his sister. See if he could repair that bridge. He’d put off seeing her long enough. Gripping the phone with a knot in his throat, he remembered