It Must've Been the Mistletoe

CHAPTER 1 Adeline “Be careful with the pictures,” I warned. My students carefully passed the century-old photos around the room. Some faces were lit with wonderment, while others couldn’t care less—as was the case with most high school students. I had always been fascinated with history. My grandfather had preserved the pictures as much as he could, by putting them into protective coverings. Each one was a piece of my heritage. Not many people could trace their family back as far as we could. Maybe that was why I had followed in my grandfather’s footsteps and studied history in college. Natalie, one of my most inquisitive students, held up the before and after picture of my house. Her chocolate-colored hair was pulled high into a ponytail and she had on a black and red Riverview High sweatshirt. “Is this the same place?” I walked over and smiled. “It is. Over the years, my family upgraded and restored the original Hamilton Manor. My grandparents left it to me in their will. When my grandfather died over the summer, it passed to me.” She gasped. “That’s amazing. Well, not the part about your grandfather, but that you can actually walk in the same places your ancestors did all those years ago.” That was one of the things I loved about my house. “I couldn’t agree more. My grandfather used to tell me stories about it when I was growing up. And I always dug around the yard, hoping to find something. Sometimes, I did—mainly old tools. Most of them were put in the history museum.” We’d just wrapped up lessons about the Civil War, and I’d wanted to show my students what life was like afterward. Unfortunately, a lot of the Hamilton belongings were destroyed during that time. “Who are these people to you?” Kylie asked, holding up one of the pictures. “On the back, it says Andrew and Mary Adeline Hamilton.” The photo brought a smile to my face. “I was hoping someone would ask.” She handed me the picture, and I held it up for everyone to see. “My grandfather told me the story of these two, right before he died. Andrew Hamilton was a wealthy steel tycoon who took a fancy to my fifth great-grandmother, Mary Adeline.” Kylie raised her hand. “Isn’t your name Adeline?” I laughed. “It is. As you know, my family members are huge history buffs, so I know Mary Adeline was a popular woman in her time. When my grandfather told my mother about her and how much he loved the name, she couldn’t wait to use it when she had a daughter of her own.” I passed it to a group of students who wanted to look at it. “From what I’ve been told, Andrew’s family didn’t approve of Mary Adeline. He was forced to give up his inheritance when he decided to marry her.” Gasps erupted around the room. “What happened after that?” Kylie asked. “Why didn’t they want them to get married?” “She didn’t come from wealth, like the Hamiltons. I guess my great-grandfather’s parents thought she only wanted him for the money. According to their marriage records, they stayed together for seventy-eight years, and had five children.” “You’re not going to catch me giving up my money for a girl,” Liam called out, shaking his head. A couple of the girls threw paper balls at him and he laughed. “What? No woman out there’s going to want a man who’s broke.” I couldn’t help but laugh. Walking to the front of the classroom, I turned to address the class. “Money doesn’t matter, Liam. It can’t buy you love. Speaking of which, did you know that your family, the Blairs, and the Hamiltons have been connected for centuries?” His eyes widened. “How so? Are you saying we’re related?” “If we are, it’s distant,” I said. “In my grandfather’s belongings, I found a lot of Blairs in the registries. I’ve tried finding out more, but the Blair family didn’t keep up with their history like we have. Although, I’m pretty sure you’re part of the original Blairs. My best friend is marrying your cousin this weekend and I know he’s one of them.” He snorted and rolled his eyes. “I know. The wedding is all my family is talking about.” The picture of my great-grandparents was handed back to me and I couldn’t help but stare at it. Their faces had faded over time, but I could still see them as clear as day, even though the picture was over a century old. They were proof that true love existed. She glanced at the clock. “All right, class is almost over. Please pass the pictures up front.” The class broke into conversation, with some talking to their neighbors about their own family history, and as soon as the pictures were collected, the bell rang. “Have a wonderful winter break, everyone. See you in two weeks.” They all raced out of the classroom, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I loved teaching, but I loved my breaks as well—needed them, really. And Christmas was my favorite time of the year. Once my desk was straightened, I packed up my things. Before I could walk out the door, my phone beeped with an incoming text from my best friend. Jessica: I have a surprise for you tonight. I knew exactly what she was alluding to. Me: Please don’t tell me you’re trying to set me up again? Jessica: He’s cute! You’ll like him. Besides, don’t you want a date for my wedding? She had a point, but I also didn’t want to look desperate. I was thirty and single. It’s not like I couldn’t get a date on my own. There’d been plenty of men over the years; I’d just never fallen in love with any of them. Releasing a weary sigh, I texted her back. Me: Fine, I’ll meet him. See you at the party tonight.