Kate James - A Child's Christmas

Although not convinced, Paige agreed to speak to the organization’s executive director.

“Her name is Laura Andrews. What harm is there in talking with her?” Mrs. Bennett asked.

It wasn’t at the top of Paige’s list of priorities, but since she’d promised Mrs. Bennett that she’d call Laura, she made time for it the next day.

Paige immediately liked Laura. Laura didn’t cause her to feel inadequate or as if she was unable to care for her own child. Just the opposite. Laura gave her a sense of pride in what she’d accomplished as a single mother. Laura also shared stories of children who’d overcome equally dire illnesses, leaving Paige with a glimmer of hope.

“All you have to do is send me a picture of Jason and a list of the things he’d like for Christmas. I’ll take care of the rest,” Laura assured Paige. “But please do it quickly.”

Shortly after they hung up, Paige emailed Laura a picture of Jason, with a promise to get his Christmas list to her soon. For the first time since Jason’s diagnosis, Paige felt encouraged.

* * *

LAURA WAS IMPRESSED by Paige’s resilience and commitment to her son. She was deeply touched by the small family’s plight. Despite the number of people Laura still had on her waiting list, she couldn’t turn Paige down. Ignoring all the obstacles she knew she’d have to overcome, she promised Paige the Foundation would ensure that Jason’s Christmas wishes were fulfilled.

It meant that Laura now faced a significant challenge—to find a sponsor for Jason, with other families still needing sponsors. She’d just have to work extra-hard. She sat at her desk, staring at the image of the tousle-haired little boy grinning at her from the computer screen, when her phone rang.

“It’s Daniel Kinsley, Laura. How are you?”

“Fine, Daniel.” Laura felt a smile spread across her face. God works in mysterious ways , she thought, and gave silent thanks.

“We’ve raised enough money for everything on both kids’ lists and then some.”

“That’s terrific, Daniel! Two very deserving families will be ecstatic.”

“It’s been my pleasure. It was no trouble shopping for the families.”

Laura knew Daniel was a successful lawyer, a managing partner with his firm. She would never have expected him to do the shopping himself . Her smile broadened. “The families will be grateful.”

“I won’t keep you, Laura. I just need to know where I should send the packages.”

She gave him the address for the Foundation’s warehouse, then tested the waters. “Ah, Daniel? I just received a last-minute request for a brave little boy in dire need. With our program already in full gear for Christmas, I don’t have another company to turn to. I realize it’s asking a lot, but would your firm be willing to sponsor one more child?”

* * *

DANIEL DIDN’T THINK his partners would be enthusiastic about contributing more money. He’d pushed their generosity to the limit with the two families they were sponsoring, especially since he’d made sure they’d gone well above what was requested. No, he couldn’t commit his firm to more.

Laura rushed on before he could decline. “How about if I email you Jason’s picture and his story? Then decide.”

He didn’t see how he could refuse without sounding rude. Besides, if he’d learned one thing about Laura during their brief interactions, it was that she wouldn’t take no for an answer. In fact, he could hear her nails tapping on the keyboard as they spoke. He remembered their initial meeting, and how she’d good-naturedly maneuvered him into sponsoring two families instead of one. He sighed. She was good at her job, and he couldn’t fault her for that. “Okay. Send it to me.”

“Thanks again, Daniel. Please don’t take too long to think about it. Time’s running out...especially for Jason.”

Daniel opened Laura’s email and then the attachments. Reading Jason’s story, he ached for both the boy and his mother. They lived in Camden Falls, a town he hadn’t heard of. According to the report, it was just outside Springfield, Massachusetts, less than an hour from his office in Hartford. The brief overview told him that the mother was single and doing her best to take care of her very sick child. Daniel sat in front of his computer monitor, staring at the little boy who’d been through so much in his short life and—miraculously—was still able to grin. Jason’s blue eyes seemed to gaze directly into his.

Daniel wasn’t going back to his partners for more money. But little Jason would have everything he wanted for Christmas. Daniel would see to it— personally .

CHAPTER THREE

PAIGE WORKED EXTRA hours for a week straight, since she’d traded shifts with a colleague so she could take a few days off to visit her parents. She tried to save her vacation days to accommodate Jason’s medical appointments, and she didn’t want him to be without her over the weekend, either. She hated to leave him, but things were hard enough for Jason as it was; she didn’t want him overhearing their conversations, easily done in her parents’ small bungalow.

As they’d agreed, Paige borrowed Chelsea’s ancient silver Honda Accord for the drive to Great Barrington. The weather forecast concerned her. An accumulation of wet, heavy snow was expected, but she didn’t have much choice. Between her work schedule and Jason’s first treatment, these three days were the only real opportunity she had.

Jason was staying with Mrs. Bennett—a great adventure for him. Other than his visits to the hospital, it was the first time he’d be away from home without her. Chelsea had offered to take him to the park, promising they’d make a snowman if there was enough snow. To prove that she was serious, she’d bought carrots, a small bag of coal and even a toy pipe. Mr. Weatherly, their next-door neighbor, also offered to spend some time with him.

Paige drove through a few intense snow squalls, clinging white-knuckled to the steering wheel. She thought about stopping for a coffee but feared the storm would only get worse. She didn’t want to risk not being able to get to Great Barrington that afternoon. She drove on and hoped for the best.

Fortunately, the squalls were localized and short. She made it to Great Barrington without incident. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief when she pulled up outside her parents’ house.

Her parents adored the little bungalow, with its board-and-batten exterior stained a pale blue-gray and the shutters and trim painted a sunflower yellow. She remembered the excitement in her mother’s voice when her parents had first seen the house. Her mother had said it reminded her of a bright summer sky. Even in the dreary twilight, the house glowed with warmth and welcome.

Her mother loved to tend the gardens on either side of the porch steps. In the summer, ever-blooming annuals crowded the small space with a riot of colors. Now the gardens were cut back and neatly edged, laid to rest for the winter. With Christmas fast approaching, the house was decorated for the holidays. As a child, Paige had loved that she was the envy of all her friends at Christmastime because their house was always the brightest and most cheerful in the neighborhood.

Feeling nostalgic, Paige grabbed her overnight bag from the Accord’s trunk, stood beside the car and inhaled deeply. From the familiar subtle, smoky scent, she knew her mother had a fire going in the fireplace. She mounted the three short steps to the porch, and the muffled strains of Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas” drifted out to her.

The glossy red door, adorned with a wreath of holly, was framed by a garland entwined with twinkling white fairy lights. Pewter-gray urns stood on either side of the door, filled with evergreen boughs, birch branches and twigs laden with red berries.