Writing Yuletide Memories on a whim to enter Booknet’s Christmas short story contest was a beautiful feeling and I enjoyed every moment of writing this story.
Grace Hensley and Vincent Knight are beautiful characters that portray the true essence of the story. Vincent the protector, and Grace, a young pregnant woman healing from abuse.
I love how she finds the courage to fight off the clutches of her abusive first love, though it takes her staring danger in the ye to realize she has to let go completely and embrace a new path.
While writing this story, I fell in love with some of the emotional lines in this story, and I’m sharing some of the book quotes from Yuletide Memories with you in this post.
Snippets Of My Book Quotes From Yuletide Memories
I heard tires screech just a block away from me when the apartment door unlocked from the inside and I stumbled into his arms and the safest place I’d ever pray to be on a night like this.
“Grace?”
My knees buckled and I held on tightly to him. My safe haven, and pleaded as if my life depended on it. “Save me from him. He’s threatening to kill me.”
Grace Hensley: Yuletide Memories
Vincent took a menacing step forward, his growl threatening. “You speak to her like that again, and I guarantee that you’ll be carried out in a body bag.”
“You wouldn’t dare. You’re a cop and I’m an unarmed civilian.”
“That’s not it way it looks to me,” he said, staring pointedly at the bloodied baseball bat.
Vincent Knight: Yuletide Mmemories
“It’s a girl,” I blurted out with a sigh eyes transfixed on my belly. “She deserves more, you know. That’s why I accepted to come here, and why I don’t intend to run for the hills.”
Grace Hensley: Yuletide Mmeories
He confessed and stared at me with such honest longing, my heart skipped a beat. “Since we’re opening up our hearts, I think I still like you very much,” he blurted out.
“Vincent!” I chided him and looked away. “We talked about this month’s back.”
“Yes. When I didn’t know you were dating a psychopath and a violent addict.”
Vincent Knight: Yuletide Mmemories
“No, she won’t,” I spoke up, suddenly filled with the courage I never had all these years as he was hurled to his feet and cuffed. “My little girl will be a reminder of my new life away from you, Jason. My baby will be a reminder of the hope, love, and light I found away from you.”
“You were too cowardly to accept this beautiful life we created and chose to destroy it instead as you did your life, but I won’t let that happen. What she’ll be to you, Jason is a reminder of the future you could have had but destroyed.”
Grace Hensley: Yuletide Memories
I raised myself on my tippy toes and wrapped my hands around his neck. “Before we leave, I want you to know that there’s hope for us, Vincent Knight. I may have denied it for a while, but I’m not afraid to want you anymore.”
“What are you trying to tell me, Grace Hensley?”
I giggled. “I’m trying to say that we’ll figure ourselves out, I promise. But first, kiss me.”
Grace Hensley: Yuletide Memories
I cupped his face. “The first kiss was for gifting me a glimpse of the type of Christmas I never had.”
“And the second?”
I giggled. “That’ll be for more beautiful memories I get to have with you.”
He hugged me close, “Deal.”
Grace Hensley: Yuletide Memories
“Hello, beautiful.”
I lifted her to my face and inhaled her scent, planting a loving kiss on her temple, just as her chubby toes tickled my chin. My heart soared, filled with immeasurable love and tenderness for this little one. “Welcome to our brave new world.”
At that moment, I knew that I had made the right choice to choose her over Jason.
“Iris,” I said.
The room fell silent and I heard Vincent ask, “What?”
“She’ll be called Iris Hensley because she reminds me of Christmas, bravery, and hope. She’s the reason I found the strength to embrace my truth and fight my way out into the light. She gave me a reason live and I love her even more than she is here in my arms.”
Grace Hensley: Yuletide Memories
Get the tissue boxes close because there are some teary rides ahead.
Grace Hensley and Vincent Knight were a power couple in this story and I loved every moment of writing their stories.
Have you read this Christmas short story? Share your favorite book quote from Yuletide Memories in the comments below.