A Texas Holiday Miracle by Linda Warren

Author:Linda Warren [Warren, Linda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780373755479
Amazon: B00NMO9U16
Goodreads: 22557438
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-12-31T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

Lacey could hardly wait for Emma to see the house. She’d turned on the lights before she left so Emma would see them as they drove up.

For the school Christmas program, the first graders were going to sing carols. Today was their first practice, and she’d thought Emma would be all excited because she loved to sing. But when she got into the car, she was somber and quiet. Lacey asked her a few questions but then stopped. Emma was clearly annoyed about something. The house would cheer her up, Lacey was sure.

Emma crawled out of the car and then stopped as she saw the lights. Her face scrunched into her trademark frown.

“What’d you do that for?”

Lacey unlocked the front door. “Because it’s Christmas and Santa has to be able to see our house.”

“There is no Santa, Lacey. Sometimes you make me mad.”

Lacey bent down to her level. “Sometimes you make me mad, too. So there.”

“Daddy puts the lights on the house. And you’re not Daddy.” Emma shot toward her bedroom, the backpack in her hand.

Lacey’s heart took a jolt. She’d screwed up. She sank onto the sofa and buried her face in her hands. Gabe had told her to take it slow and not to force Emma. She should have listened. After a moment, she walked down the hall to Emma’s room. Emma lay curled into a fetal position, the backpack still looped around her arm. She faced the wall, away from Lacey.

Needing time, Lacey went to her room, pulled out a couple of parenting books and tried to figure out how to make this right again. The message was clear: never force a child, be patient, be understanding, be supportive, ask their opinion, let them share their feelings, love them and let them know you love them.

She laid the book on the bed. Gabe was right. Lacey was doing what she wanted, not what Emma wanted. Damn! How could she have screwed this up so badly? She took a deep breath and went to Emma. As she removed the backpack from Emma’s arm, Emma turned over. Her face was blotchy and her eyes were red from crying. Lacey could hardly stand it. She willed herself not to cry. But hurting Emma took a toll on her.

“I know I’m not Daddy, but I’m doing the best I can.”

Emma flew into her, wrapping her arms around Lacey’s waist and crying into her chest. “I’m...sorry I was mean to you. I’m sorry...”

“Shh.” Lacey stroked Emma’s hair and then lifted her sister into her arms. She sat on the bed with Emma in her lap. “It’s okay. Stop crying.”

Finally, Emma’s wails ebbed.

As Lacey held her sister, it occurred to her that Emma’s reaction was over the top. When Lacey had gotten the tree and put up the wreaths and other decorations in the house, Emma had complained, but not paid much attention to what Lacey was doing. Today was different. She thought about Emma’s reluctance to talk earlier.

“Sweetie.” Lacey brushed hair away from Emma’s face and removed the bow that was hanging loose.

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