The Christmas Wish

  The Christmas Wish

  Book 1

  Spirit of Christmas Series

  by

  Vanessa Miller

  Other Books by Vanessa Miller

  After the Rain

  Heaven on Earth

  Feels Like Heaven

  How Sweet the Sound

  Best of All

  Better for Us

  Her Good Thing

  Long Time Coming

  A Promise of Forever Love

  A Love for Tomorrow

  Yesterday’s Promise

  Forgotten

  Forgiven

  Forsaken

  Rain for Christmas (Novella)

  Through the Storm

  Rain Storm

  Latter Rain

  Abundant Rain

  Former Rain

  Anthologies (Editor)

  Keeping the Faith

  Have A Little Faith

  This Far by Faith

  EBOOKS

  Love Isn’t Enough

  A Mighty Love

  The Blessed One (Blessed and Highly Favored series)

  The Wild One (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)

  The Preacher’s Choice (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)

  The Politician’s Wife (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)

  The Playboy’s Redemption (Blessed and Highly Favored Series)

  Tears Fall at Night (Praise Him Anyhow Series)

  Joy Comes in the Morning (PHA Series)

  A Forever Kind of Love (PHA Series)

  Ramsey’s Praise (PHA Series)

  Escape to Love (PHA Series)

  Praise for Christmas (PHA Series)

  His Love Walk (PHA Series)

  Could This Be Love (PHA Series)

  Song of Praise (PHA Series)

  Publisher’s Note:

  This short story is a work of fiction. References to real events, organizations, or places are used in a fictional context. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead are entirely coincidental.

  Vanessa Miller

  www.vanessamiller.com

  Printed in the United States of America

  © 2014 by Vanessa Miller

  Praise Unlimited Enterprises

  Charlotte, NC

  No part of this ebook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical—including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system—without permission in writing from the publisher.

  Prologue

  “And the Grammy for the Best R & B Performance by a Group goes to…” The announcer took a moment to let the suspense build as she opened the envelope. As a smile crept across her face she shouted, “The Four Ts for their wonderful song, “Peace of My Heart.””

  The crowd exploded in thunderous applause for the group as Trinity, Tara, Theresa and Tina strutted down the aisle to collect their award. The girls were all smiles, Tina was even shedding tears. They had been in the music business for ten years, had released five albums with numerous singles, but this was the first time they had won a Grammy.

  Trinity Thomas thought for sure they would have won for best song last year, because everyone loved the first single from their latest album. But Tina had gotten herself arrested a month before the Grammys for burning down her boyfriend’s house and one of Theresa’s three baby daddy’s was all over the news for a gun charge. It didn’t help matters that baby daddy number three was a famous rap superstar who was always in some kind of beef with the police. As his name was dragged through the mud, so, too was Theresa’s and just because the media had nothing better to do, they also tried to take the Four Ts down by exposing the fact that Tara had just gotten out of rehab for her cocaine addiction and they all speculated that Trinity had a drinking problem.

  Trinity tried to block out all the bad press that swirled around them and just concentrate on the music. The music had always been her salvation. So, she’d kept her head down and went back into the studio. By the time they finished their latest single, “Peace of My Heart,” they all knew that it would be a hit.

  Trinity had wrote the song herself. It had been a reflection of a time in her life when things were a lot simpler and when she believed that love could pull at the heart strings and never let go. They stepped onto the stage and one by one each member of the group gave thanks to God and their family, both of whom none of them had relationships with.

  When it was Trinity’s turn to recite the prepared speech the PR coordinator asked her to memorize, she grabbed the mike, stepped a little closer to the podium. Or at least, she tried to step closer to the podium. The heel of her pumps got tangled in the hem of her floor length dress and she stumbled across the stage.

  Tina grabbed Trinity’s arm, keeping her from falling to the floor. Trinity lifted the microphone and said, “Whoa, I almost took a tumble.” She patted Tina on the arm as if she were her pet. “Thanks, Tina, you always come through for me. Well, except when you’re out burning down houses.”

  A loud gasp was heard throughout the audience. Trinity turned to the crowd with an oops expression on her face. “What did I say?” She put a finger to her lips as she shhh’d the audience. “Don’t tell the media.” She lifted the Grammy in her hand. “We might lose this.”

  Tara took the microphone out of Trinity’s hand and waved to the crowd. “Thank you all very much.” She put the microphone down on the podium and then proceeded to escort Trinity off the stage.

  As they reached the stairs Trinity could be heard asking, “What did I do? Why’d you take the microphone before I gave my speech?”

  Before Tara could answer, Trinity put her hands over her mouth as she tried to run down the three steps. “I’m going to be sick,” she blurted out as her hand fell away from her mouth and vomit splattered all over the stairs.

  Chapter 1

  December 24, 2014

  “I warned you all about your behavior, I feared that something like this would happen,” Darrell Warner said to the women as they sat around the conference table.

  “You certainly never let any of those fears be known. All you’ve ever told us was that we shouldn’t worry because another record label would pick us up in no time,” Theresa said with fire in her eyes.

  “And I believed that. The Four Ts are so talented, that I didn’t think I’d have a problem placing you all with another label. But so far, I’ve had no takers.”

  Trinity didn’t say anything, but she knew they all blamed her, because the record label they had been with for the past ten years had refused to re-sign them two days after Trinity’s Grammy episode. The other members in the group had done so many things to hurt them, but the one night she had a little too much to drink everyone acted as if she needed the Betty Ford Clinic.

  “What if Trinity seeks help for her drinking problem?” Tara asked. “Do you think the label would take us back?”

  “Hold on a minute,” Trinity said as she put down her iced tea that had been mixed with a little bit of rum and turned on Tara. “Who said I have a drinking problem? Maybe you need to concern yourself with the addiction you have and leave me out of it.”

  “I never said I didn’t have problems,” Tara admitted, “but I’m not the one who vomited on the stage while we were accepting our Grammy.”

  “We weren’t on the stage. I vomited on the steps and we had already accepted our Grammy so my little incident wasn’t even on film.”

  “You are the most selfish person I’ve ever met, Trinity. Don’t you know that your little incident didn’t need to be televised,” Theresa interjected, “because the cameras had already caught you tripping and slurring your words. It was awful.”

  “And I suppose you’ve never done anything to
embarrass this group… how’s your three babies’ daddies? Is the last one still on probation?”

  “Ladies, ladies. We don’t need to fight each other. We’re all on the same team here,” Darrell tried to calm the situation.

  “Speak for yourself,” Theresa said as she stood up. “We don’t have a contract and I’m not about to saddle myself with this group one second longer. I’m out.”

  “Are you serious?” Tara asked. “You’re really going to leave us at a time like this? We might be down, but we’re not out, as long as we all stick together.”

  “That sounds good in a song. But this is my life, and I have other deals on the table. I don’t need this.”

  “We don’t need you anyway, with your half-singing self. Get-to-getting,” Trinity told her with no love lost.

  Theresa swung her Marc Jacob’s Crocodile handbag on her shoulder and walked out of the room.

  “I don’t believe she’s acting like this. When we went through that firestorm with the media because of her choice in men, she begged us to stick by her. Now she does this?” Tara just shook her head.

  “Let her go. We don’t need her anyway.” Trinity was positive that they could make a deal without Theresa, who by the way, was the worst singer in the group. Who needs her?

  “I hope you can do without me too,” Tina said as she stood. “I’m tired of all the drama in this group. It was fine when we were making money. But if there’s no money coming in, then I’m out as well.”

  Tina’s leaving would hurt the group. She was a wonderful singer who they always gave the harder notes to hit. But Trinity wasn’t about to let on that she was bothered by this betrayal. As Tina was walking out the door, she told her, “We don’t need you either. Just try not to set any fires on your way out.”

  Tina swung around. “I’ll do that. Just as long as you and Tara check into rehab.”

  Trinity threw her drink at Tina. “Forget you, Tina, I don’t need rehab. I’m not a drunk. But you just made the worst mistake of your life. Because you just made an enemy of me.”

  Tina rolled her eyes at Trinity as she turned to Darrell and said, “You know where to send my check.”

  As she slammed the door behind her, Trinity turned to Tara. “What about it? Do you feel the same as those scrubs?”

  Tara shook her head. “I don’t understand why they are so upset with you for drinking, when they did a bunch of crazy things that hurt the group the year before.”

  “Okay. Then it’s just the two of us. Just like it was in the beginning. We don’t need Theresa or Tina.”

  “Tina will be hard to lose. That girl’s got talent,” Tara admitted.

  “We found her. We’ll find someone to replace her. Backup singers are a dime a dozen so don’t shed any tears over that firebug.” Tina had been much more than a backup; she’d led or co-led many of their greatest hits, but Trinity wasn’t feeling charitable enough to give her any credit. She turned to Darrell and said, “I want the group dissolved immediately. Pay them whatever is owed and let’s close this thing out so Tara and I can move on and find one or two other singers for the group.”

  Darrell hesitated a moment too long for Trinity’s liking. “What’s the problem? Don’t tell me that you don’t have faith in our group anymore either?”

  He shook his head. “It’s not that. It’s… just… that I can’t pay Theresa and Tina their money right now.”

  “I don’t understand.” Tara looked confused. “Why can’t you just have our accountant cut the checks? I mean, we’ve made good money. We should be able to get paid anytime we feel like it.”

  Trinity glanced at her oldest and dearest friend. Tara was normally a soft spoken, go-along-to-get-along kind of girl… until you messed with her money. That’s when the hood chick showed up.

  “What’s going on, Darrell?” Trinity was getting a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had been the one who’d convinced the group to not only let Darrell’s firm manage the group, but he also worked with their accountant on managing their finances. So, if anything had gone wrong, the entire group would blame her.

  “The thing is,” Darrell began, “the money is tied up in investments at the moment.”

  “Investments!” Tara exploded as she lifted out of her seat.

  Quickly trying to explain, Darrell added, “As your manager, I have your best interest at heart. I knew we would have to pay the record label back once they dropped us, so I had the accountant put the money in what I thought would be a solid investment.”

  “I feel a ‘but’ coming on,” Trinity said.

  “But… the market turned and we lost half our investment.”

  “You mean ‘we’”—Tara pointed from herself to Trinity—“lost half our investment. You, on the other hand, didn’t lose anything because you stole our money.” Tara was pacing the floor looking as if smoke was coming out of her ears.

  “Before we throw around words like ‘stole’ or start accusing someone of being a thief, I’d like to remind you that I was given complete control over those accounts to do with them as I saw fit.”

  “You were supposed to have the best interest of the group in mind. Nobody asked you to rob us blind.” Tara grabbed her purse then turned to Trinity. “I’m not staying in this group if I can’t get paid. The two of you will be hearing from my attorney.”

  Trinity stood in front of the floor to ceiling window in her beach home pondering her life, wondering how everything had gone so wrong. Theresa and Tina leaving the group didn’t matter to Trinity, but she and Tara had left Pineville, NC together with big dreams of escaping the small town charm of the south and exploring the world. But now that she had lost her record deal, and was broke and friendless, Trinity longed for that small town that she had escaped a decade ago.

  She had her favorite drink in her hand, Long Island Iced Tea with lots of ice. Tilting her head back, Trinity let the liquid slide down her throat and ease into her body. Christmas Eve used to be a festive event for her family. Actually, her family was still just as festive, but without her.

  Her mother was always riding her about not showing up for family events anymore. She might not show up for family events anymore, but she had shown up seven years ago with the keys to a brand new house in the suburbs. The area had golf, tennis, swimming pools and walking trails.

  Finishing her drink, Trinity wondered if she would have to move in with her parents now that their money was gone and she didn’t have another record deal. She was just thankful that her father took full advantage of that golf course. He’d gone into business with one of his golf buddies and was doing so well that he refused to take any money from her. “At least they will be able to pay the mortgage on that 4,400 square foot home. Because Trinity sure couldn’t pay it for them. She didn’t even know where the money was going to come from to pay the rent on this sprawling penthouse she’d just had to have.

  Swinging around, Trinity made her way to the kitchen counter and poured the remainder of her Long Island Iced Tea from her pitcher into her glass. Drinking the last of her happy juice, feeling the buzz as she wandered around the expansive areas of her home. She recalled the argument she’d had with her manager two years ago when she had wanted to buy this place.

  Darrell had said, “You don’t need to give a bank a two-hundred-thousand-dollar down payment and then still pay almost ten thousand a month to own a penthouse apartment that you may not even want in the next five years.”

  “But the rent payment is ten thousand a month also,” Trinity had argued.

  “Well, pay the ten thousand, and when you’re bored with looking down on the city, and waiting on an elevator anytime you want to leave the apartment… and when you no longer desire all the amenities this place offers, simply hand them the keys and move on.”

  One piece of advice Trinity was glad she’d listened to. Since Darrell lost their money in one of his get richer, quicker schemes, she would be turning in the keys sooner than expected. As she stepped into her
master bedroom, Trinity could feel the warmth of her liquor worming its way back up her throat. Putting a hand over her mouth, she rushed to the bathroom. Holding onto the toilet, Trinity heaved, coughed and sputtered as she threw up the contents of her stomach. Which mostly consisted of the Long Island Iced Tea she’d been drinking all night.

  “Oh my God, what is wrong with me?” This was the third time this month that Trinity had found herself hugging a toilet as she puked. She had to admit that Long Island Iced Tea tasted a lot better going down than coming back up. “I need to find a new drink,” she told herself as she got up, washed out her mouth then stepped out of the bathroom in her master suite and back into her bedroom.

  The room was large, with a sitting room off to the side. Trinity had the room painted in warm brown and tan hues. Every time she opened the double doors to her bedroom, she felt comforted and at home. But not tonight. As she stood in the midst of the room she now felt alone and out of place. She didn’t even want to sleep in here. So, she pulled her blanket off her king sized bed, grabbed a pillow and went back into the living room.

  She threw the pillow and blanket on the sofa and then went back to the big window she’d been standing at earlier. The window that had caused her to fall so completely in love with this penthouse in the first place, because she could look out at the ocean and the beach below and feel so at peace. But at this moment, she wasn’t looking down at the beach, but up at the sky.

  Stars were twinkling so brightly that Trinity couldn’t take her eyes off of them. Then, all of a sudden stars began dropping out of the sky as if they were being shot out of a cannon. Blinking, she wondered again if she should switch her brand of drink. But then she remembered that seeing a shooting star was the perfect time to make a wish.

  Trinity asked herself what she wanted more than anything else in the world. The answer came to her just as the falling star was disappearing from sight. So, she quickly shouted, “I wish I had never left home.”