Christmas Detour

The sheriff patted Gordon on the shoulder as he left, while they ate Gordon was thinking, what the hell am I going to do with a clinging woman and expecting too. Finishing up Gordon turned to the woman, "I've been sitting here waiting for you to tell me what you have decided and what you are wanting to do." The woman sat there for a few minutes the look on her face proof that she was at war with herself in her mind.

"I wish to stay with you if I am allowed, I have no one and you are the first to ever treat me like a person, to really care what I think and say," the woman half lisped out, Gordon could see that her lip was starting to swell, the words making her wince as she spoke, Gordon almost wished he hadn't asked her to speak now.

"I'm not sure if I can take care of you as you should be, I am gone on business a lot, hardly ever home," Gordon blurted out.

"I don't mind, for you I'd wait a long time, I feel I owe you my life." the woman said tears of joy in her eyes. "I wouldn't want you to wait a long time for me, you deserve more of a life than I can provide for you and your child," Gordon said though he almost felt he was trying to convince his self more than the girl.

The girl tried to smile, through the pain Gordon could see it was the first true smile he'd seen on her face since he'd met her. Sighing Gordon got up to leave the woman close behind him, walking to the motel Gordon dreaded what Nick was going to say. About to knock Nick opened the door a huge smile on his face.

"I see that there'll be two in your room I've already set up another bed."

Gordon stood there his mouth hanging open, the woman trying to get him to move, then just as suddenly Gordon asked, "I don't know your name," turning to the woman.

"Oh! I'm sorry in all the excitement I forgot, my name's Mary," she softly replied.

"Alright, I've decided when we leave you can come with me, I have enough room, actually more than enough," Gordon stated, this causing the woman to wince as she tried to smile as wide as she could.

The next week Gordon worked the factory, he'd already increased production one hundred fifty percent and Nick was highly pleased. All that week Strange things started to happen, Gordon began to think of Mary all the time, towards the end of the week being away from her was hard for Gordon, damn! Am I falling for her? but she has no feelings for me. Just like always he thought, last time he felt like this the woman had laughed in his face, that was twenty years ago.

As the week drew to a close Mary stayed with Gordon everywhere he went. Gordon could swear that the look in her eyes was love but who was he fooling? No one loved or wanted him. Sighing Gordon was finishing up the last of the work when Mary screamed, there with his arm around her neck was her old boy friend.

"Yeah bitch, forget me?" the large man said as he licked the side of her face, Mary screamed again till The large man almost choked her to unconsciousness. "Hey asshole! The bitch is mine and I'm taking her, make a move and I'll snap her neck!" With that he started to move out the door when Gordon's rage rose to a fever pitch, launching him self he knocked the man away from Mary.

The large man swung and connected with Gordon's face an evil grin on it, grunting, Gordon shook it off, the large man could only stare as Gordon advanced and started to pound into the man's face, body and head. Had it not been for Mary, he knew he would've killed the man no question. The sheriff and his men were taking the man away when Gordon noticed that it was starting to snow, damn but he wasn't cold. A doctor that Gordon hadn't seen before appeared to tend the beaten man, then moved to checked Gordon's bleeding fists.

Nick walked out of the crowd and approached Gordon, he held a paper in his hand. "This is your bill and this," nick said pulling another longer paper from his vest, "Is what we owe you, it appears that we owe you quite a bit. We will be eternally grateful for all you have done, if you ever need help please don't hesitate to call upon us."

Gordon was a little confused, Nick just smiled as the snow began to swirl around Gordon and Mary. It seemed like hours later when Gordon could see, standing with Mary in his arms near the interstate, his car was 100 yards behind him and exploded. The force of the blast knocking Gordon to the ground trying his best to protect Mary. Cars skidded to a stop, people were climbing out and down to Gordon and Mary.

Gordon could hear women screaming, men shouting call 911, ten minutes later paramedics were helping Gordon and Mary into an ambulance, turning to Mary, Gordon told her, "I know you don't love me but I love you, enough that if you want to leave after this I won't try to stop you as I told you, you are free now." Gordon turned to hide the tears that were now falling freely from his eyes.

Mary turned and smiled at him in her light blue eyes only love shown, " sometimes men can be so silly, I've loved you from the time you were kind to me and gave me your only food." with that she kissed a wide eyed Gordon.

"Merry Christmas you two, you're lucky, normally that road would've been empty for days but everything was detoured this way, seems a man was found beaten laying across the road. The police blocked the road for a few hours to investigate, the traffic had just started to flow past here when your car exploded." the young paramedic explained. Mary and Gordon just looked at each other, shock on both their faces the chain of events were too consequential.

Suddenly Gordon began to laugh there was no way! Mary looked at him worried till he whispered in her ear. Mary's eyes grew large then she too started to laugh. A sweet motherly old woman, a white bearded old man, a factory where everyone was happy working at breakneck speed? Gasping for breath they both were finally able to control their laughing, then their mouths hung open when they heard the sleigh bells from overhead. Looking at Gordon Mary said, "I love you Gordon, Merry Christmas," kissing him Gordon was truly happy for the first time in many, many years.