Even Now 01 - Even Now by Kingsbury Karen

Author:Kingsbury, Karen [Kingsbury, Karen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Sent 120620
ISBN: 9780310610236
Google: kEu6BLWjWxIC
Amazon: 0310247535
Publisher: Zondervan
Published: 2005-01-02T05:00:00+00:00

SEVENTEEN

The meeting Angela had been dreading was about to take place.

She and Bill woke earlier than usual and made Emily her favorite breakfast: cinnamon French toast with scrambled eggs. She came down groggy and smiling, her pink padded slippers scuffling along the floor. “Hey.” She gave Bill a hug first and then crossed the kitchen to hug Angela. “You guys are so sweet. Christmas never ends around here.”

The words pierced Angela’s heart. It would end soon enough. In about an hour, she guessed. Emily was chattering on about what a wonderful Christmas day it had been and how much she liked her new sweaters and her cute purse.

Her chatter was like music. If only they could hold on to that innocence, that joy.

“You were up late again.” Angela studied Emily. “Are you finding what you wanted to know?”

“I am.” She lowered her chin, her look a mix of gratitude and apology. “You can join me any time, Grandma. But thanks for letting me see it all first.” Her eyes shone. “I feel like I actually know Mom now.” Her smile faded some. “At least the way she was as a teenager.”

“Yes.” Angela’s throat ached. This was too much. All the memories of Lauren, the terrible awareness of what was coming . . . She didn’t want to cry, not yet. “Yes, your mother was quite something back then. Never rebellious or sarcastic, the way so many teenagers are today.” She leaned over and kissed Emily’s cheek. “She was a lot like you in that way.”

“Well, I need a little background music.” Bill stood and slipped his Mitch Miller CD back into the player. A few seconds passed, and then the sweet refrains of “White Christmas” filled the room. “I always say Christmas songs should play till January 1.” He did a little soft-shoe shuffle on the living room carpet. Then he smiled at the two of them. “That’s what I’m talking about.”

Emily giggled and waltzed her way into the living room, where she took her grand pa’s hand and let him twirl her between the sofa and the television. Their voices mingled, a sound that was glorious, and not because either of them could sing on key. Angela watched them, mesmerized, fighting the sorrow struggling to overtake her.

Precious moments like this needed to be savored, because if the doctors were right their time together would end all too soon. But oh, if only they could go on this way another ten years. And how she wished Bill had danced like that with Lauren. What if he’d been more concerned with making memories than protecting her from Shane’s parents?

Angela needed to flip the last batch of French toast, but she couldn’t draw herself away from the picture they made. Bill and Emily, waltzing around the room, knocking into a bookcase and stepping on each others’ toes. Their singing eventually dissolved to giggles, and before the song ended, they were doubled over, laughing hard at themselves.

They each worked their way to a standing position.

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