Changing Traditions, A Christmas Novella by Rachel Rittenhouse Page A

begin courting till a few
weeks ago. I was trying my hardest to wait for you, I was. But then
he asked me, and it felt right. Oh it was quite rocky with my need
to constantly be unsure, but then you came back. And…and I
realized, I think I love him.” She looked up at Albert, praying
that she hadn’t hurt him so.
    He appeared wounded, but
then quickly recovered himself. “He’ll make you happy, Bethy, I
know he will. But please tell me that we can part as
friends?”
    She smiled then, “I
wouldn’t want it any other way.”
    Albert hugged her then,
though Bethany couldn’t help but feel that it wasn’t the same as
when Jeremy hugged her. When he pulled back, there was a twinkle in
his eye. “You best go tell him then, before he gets to feeling that
he’s been rejected.”
    Bethany followed his gaze
to where Jeremy was sitting on the school steps. The need to go
over to him was so strong, but she had to say good bye to
Albert.
    He beat her to it though,
“Good bye, Bethany Woodsmall. I wish you all the best.”
    Bethany touched his arm
lightly, “Good luck in DC, Albert. You better be back to
visit.”
     
    <> <> <>
<>
     
    Jeremy sat on the school
steps and tried not to watch his Beth talk with Albert. Well, not
his Beth any long. Not after the way she smiled when she embraced
him. The rumor he heard that Albert Graber returned to bring
Bethany back to the city must be true and Jeremy could do no more.
All his years of loving her but her heart would never be his and he
must resign himself to the fact.
    “ Do you remember when I
first walked into this schoolhouse?” Her angelic voice greeted him
and when Jeremy looked up, he could hardly believe that it was
Bethany standing there. She sat down next to him, “Why, it was only
about five years ago and then I met you for the first
time.”
    He was in no mood for her
reminiscing, “What are you doing here, Bethany?”
    She almost seemed
surprised when he didn’t call her Beth, but he was sure he was
imagining it. “I needed to talk to you. Is now a good
time?”
    He shrugged, “If you’d
like, but I can save you from speaking as I already know what you
are going to say.”
    Her eyes lit up and she
grasped his arm, “Really? And what do you think?”
    “ I think I saw it coming.
All your talk about Albert and now he’s here. Congratulations.” It
was hard not to keep the bitterness out of his tone. But it was
that, or he’d break down and he really didn’t want to do that.
Since there was nothing more to say, he tried to stand but Bethany
held him down. Her mouth was slightly agape and wonder filled her
eyes.
    “ Jeremy, I believe you are
entirely misunderstood. Yes, Albert’s back and yes, he
proposed…”
    Could this hurt any worse?
“There’s nothing more to say, Bethany.”
    “ But there is! I thought
you said you’d wait for me?”
    “ I can’t keep waiting to
get jerked around. Besides, why wait when you made your
choice?”
    “ Because I need you to.
When Albert came back, I confess I wasn’t sure what I’d do. But it
made me realize something. I couldn’t leave all the people I love
to go to DC. I believe I’m falling in love with you, Jeremy, and
I’m asking if you’d come back to me — again. I won’t make the same
mistake twice…” She couldn’t explain any more before Jeremy was
pulling her to him. Closing her eyes, he felt her lean into him,
reveling in the way having her in his arms made him
feel.
    “ Are you for real this
time? Because I don’t think I can bear to lose you again?” His
words whispered against her ear and Bethany could only nod and
smile. “I love you so much, my Beth, and you better not think of
going anywhere.”
    “ I don’t want to, because
now I’ve finally found who holds my heart.”

 
     
     
     
     
     

EPILOGUE
     
    And so diary, it seems as though this Christmas has been the
best one so far! Though we are missing our Henry, nothing could
possibly be better. Seated around the table, I