My Christmas Angel by Debra Salonen

Author:Debra Salonen
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, love, angels, holiday, short story, gifts, biracial couple, christmas and family, happy endings, story of christmas, new york city christmas
Publisher: Debra Salonen

Chapter Five

Quicker than Abby ever would have thought possible, they were all four skating. She'd used the lace-up time to introduce Ben to "...my old friend, Richard." She'd decided last night not to mention the book or Dickie, unless Richard brought it up. Her mother, of course, had made the connection immediately, but, so far, their conversation had stayed general--family, school, jobs, losses...

"Your mother was a beautiful soul," Mom told Richard as the three of them skated slowly, trying their best to stay out of better skaters' paths. "She was exactly the sort of person the system was set up to help. I wish I could say that was always the case, but after twenty-seven years on the job, I saw so much abuse, heard so many lies." She shook her head sadly. "I felt dirty from the greed and corruption. So many times, I thought of her and wished I could call her up and find out if her life improved, if you were able to break the cycle of poverty."

Richard patted the gloved hand gripping his arm. "Mom never finished school, but she made sure all of her children did. She worked non-stop but never complained. My sisters and I share the same work ethic, but we had benefits Mom didn't. I know she'd be very proud of us if she were alive."

Mom blinked back tears and dabbed her nose with a tissue.

"Mommy. Gramdma. Watch me," Ben shouted, rising up on the pointy tips of his skates to push off and glide across an open patch.

Abby looked up, trying to take in the splendor of the setting. The golden fountain, the holiday lights glistening on what remained of last night's snow. She'd been to Rockefeller Center dozens of time but had the plaza ever looked this magical? Abby couldn't begin to explain how alive and happy she felt. It made no sense. She was a hardcore realist, weaned on the milk of divorce and marital disappointment. Her idea of the perfect romance was a book or movie that ended happily...unlike real life.

"This has been delightful fun," Mom said after a surprising half hour of steady--if slow--skating, "but I need a breather. Ben? Are you ready for some hot chocolate?"

Naturally, her son--the human calorie vacuum--nodded hard, his chin bobbing in a way that was all boy.

"Me, too," Richard said. His lovely, masculine lips curved into a smile that told her he liked kids. He'd spoken fondly of his nieces and nephews. Maybe Ben wouldn't be too hard on him. Her son never liked any of the men Abby dated...not that she went out all that often.

Ten minutes later, four steaming paper cups in hand, they settled on a bench. Richard hunched forward, elbows on his knees.

"What's in your backpack?"

Richard glanced sideways, his expression serious. "What's not in my backpack. Who's in my backpack."

"Huh?" Ben looked at Abby, his brow a scrunched line identical to his father.

"What's on second," she explained. "I don't know is on third, right?"

She looked at Richard for confirmation.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.