A Treasury of Christmas Miracles by Karen Kingsbury

Author:Karen Kingsbury [KINGSBURY, KAREN]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: REL036000
ISBN: 9780759526587
Publisher: FaithWords
Published: 2001-12-01T05:00:00+00:00

The First Day

of Christmas

Cara Wilcox was anxious to get out of the house for a while. It was December 12— the first day of Christmas—and already the air was freezing cold outside. Life had been difficult for the Wilcox family lately and Cara had no idea how she’d afford Christmas. Times like that cool winter night, Cara knew the only way to get her mind off her worries was to get outside—even in their crowded neighborhood—and get some fresh air.

“Who wants to take a walk?” she asked as she climbed into her coat. It was very dark outside, and Cara’s secure. And that evening she planned to walk no more than once around the block.

Cara looked into the faces of her four children and saw that none of the older three was excited about the idea of a walk. Sarah, five, and Joey, seven, shook their heads.

“We want to watch TV, Mom,” they said.

Cara looked at her oldest son, Colin, fifteen, and the boy shrugged. “Not tonight, Mom. Okay?”

“Sure,” she said. “But you watch Joey and Sarah, all right? I’ll take Laura.”

Her three-year-old daughter had a lot of energy, and Cara found her riding toy. Even though it was cold, the child could ride alongside her for one block without it bothering her. It would be good for both of them. She took the child’s hand and together they left the apartment.

Once outside Cara and Laura had not traveled far when the child no longer wanted her riding toy. Cara sighed and picked up the toy. As she did, she glanced behind her. She was only about half a block from home, and suddenly she saw Joey and Sarah walking up the street. They were acting sneaky, darting in and out of the shadows as if they were trying to catch up to their mother and surprise her, so Cara decided to play along.

Turning back toward the direction she’d been walking in, she and Laura continued down the street. When they reached the intersection, Cara turned around and looked for them again. This time she didn’t see them.

“Hmm,” she said out loud, and Laura looked up at her.

“C’mon, Mommy,” the child said. “Walk.”

Cara stood unmoving, staring back toward her house and straining to see the children. She wondered if perhaps they had gotten scared of the dark and decided to go back home. Then the thought occurred to her that perhaps someone had snatched them. The neighborhood was often a frightening place, and crimes were committed around them each day. Suddenly Cara began to panic.

“Sarah!” she called out. “Joey!”

There was no response and Cara could feel herself actually shaking in fear. Quickly she turned around, tightened her grip on Laura’s hand, and began heading back toward the apartment.

As they walked, Cara noticed a man across the street who was headed in the same direction. Cara wondered where he had come from, since the few times she had looked back to check her children she hadn’t noticed him. Although she was

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