His Holiday Gift Read Free Page A

that she would show up or something. Like one of those stupid Hallmark movies."
    "Don't lose hope now Julian, if she's for you you'll find her. Remind me one day to tell you about a talk we had your Christina and I."

Chapter 5
     
    That tone in her voice held such promise that it made my heart leap. "You talked to Christina?"
    "It was a long time ago son, one of those summers we spent up there. Leave it for now it'll keep. I'll pray for you two, you just keep hoping and believing, and we'll see what we see."
    We chatted for a few minutes more before she had to go. Tomorrow was Xmas and she would be busy in the kitchen all night.
    After the round of goodbyes and well wishes with the rest of my family, I went through the cupboards and the refrigerator to see what goodies mom had stocked.
    She wasn’t lying; there was enough food to feed an army. One look at all the neatly wrapped deli meat choices had my mouth watering for a turkey and Swiss on rye.
    I made my sandwich and chose juice instead of one of the imported beers that I usually liked. I wanted to keep my wits about me tonight, wanted everything to be clear.
    Sitting at the kitchen -island looking out at the snow as it fell, all I could think, was that I can't believe mom knew, and wonder if the others knew too?
    No, I don’t think so, that was just mom’s way. It’s how she kept on top of us kids all our lives, by being observant.
    I wanted to know about this talk she’d had with Christina. What had they talked about? And what did it have to do with now?
    After my little snack I cleaned up and went to look around the rest of the chalet. It had been a whole lot of years since I’d been up here. Mom and dad had visited a time or two while I was in college I think, but I’d never been back since that last summer.
    I wonder if that was part of my problem now, the fact that I was basically banished from one of the places I loved most as a kid; the place where I now believe I’d lost my heart.
    Now I’m being fanciful, Mr. Logical, the guy who dealt in numbers and statistics.
    I puttered around getting reacquainted with the place. Everywhere I looked brought back memories. Things that were long forgotten were now clear, with each attached memory right at the forefront.
    Out the back window I could see the bare branches of the trees that lined the path Christina and I would take almost everyday to go digging in the woods when we were younger, now covered with ice.
    The memory of her infectious smile made my heart hurt, and that shy laugh that use to light up her whole face.
    "Dammit Christina where are you?" I realize how improbable it is for a grown man to expect a Xmas miracle.
    I'd stopped believing in those things a long time ago, but somehow this season, I wanted to believe.
    I felt anger and pain and, desperation. I had no idea what was going on, why the sudden urge to find her. But I knew if I didn't my life would never be the same again.
    I stoked the fire, made hot chocolate, did every, and anything so as not to go to bed. I turned on the radio because the music that had tormented me on the drive up now seemed like the best thing.
    I watched the lights on the tree as they twinkled on and off until I found myself timing them. Outside the wind picked up and knocked against the windows as snow continued to fall.
    In the end, fatigue dragged me down and I stretched out on the plush couch in the living room instead of going up to my old room to bed.
    The place and been cleaned from top to bottom, and it looked and felt as if we'd been coming here all along.
    It was hard to imagine that no one had been in this place in years as I pulled nana's old afghan over my shoulders, and with the fireplace burning bright, lights twinkling on the tree, and Bing Crosby crooning in the background, I fell asleep to dreams of her.

Chapter 6
     
    The loud sound startled me awake. My feet were on the floor before I even knew I was moving. Shoving my feet into my boots that were