Christmas Blessing , livre ebook

Baker Publishing Group - Melody Carlson

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83 pages

English

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When she receives the news in late 1944 that her baby's father was shot down in the South Pacific, Amelia Richards loses hope. Jobless and broke, she has nowhere to turn for help but her infant's paternal grandparents. The only problem is, they don't know that she--or their grandson--exists. When Amelia discovers that the family is wealthy and influential, dare she disclose the truth of her relationship with their son? Or could the celebration of the arrival of another unexpected baby nearly two thousand years ago be the answer to her dilemma? Beloved author Melody Carlson pens a story of love, hardship, and reconciliation that will leave readers filled with Christmas joy.

Informations

Publié par	Baker Publishing Group
Date de parution	05 septembre 2017
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781493410965
Langue	English
Poids de l'ouvrage	1 Mo

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0490€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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Title Page
Copyright Page
© 2017 by Carlson Management, Inc.
Published by Revell
a division of Baker Publishing Group
P.O. Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www .revellbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2017
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-1096-5
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.
Endorsements
Praise for The Christmas Angel Project
“Carlson’s latest holiday offering is sure to become a fan favorite! Full of hope, it embodies all that is beloved about the Christmas season.”
— RT Book Reviews
“A short novel packed with the true meaning of Christmas.”
— Fiction Addiction Fix
Praise for The Christmas Joy Ride
“No one captures the heartwarming fun of the Christmas season quite like Melody Carlson.”
— Fresh Fiction
“Popular and seasoned author Carlson skillfully draws readers into the lives of her characters.”
— Library Journal
“For those that like a tidy ending with all the threads neatly tied together, Melody Carlson’s The Christmas Joy Ride is just the thing. A light, sweet, and uplifting holiday story.”
— Christian Library Journal
Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright Page
Endorsements
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About the Author
Books by Melody Carlson
Back Ads
Back Cover
1

N OVEMBER 21, 1944 S AN D IEGO , C ALIFORNIA
Amelia Richards blinked back tears of hopelessness as she pressed the lid of her over-packed suitcase closed. Pausing to shove an escaped baby sweater sleeve back into the well-worn case, she snapped the last brass fastener with a click of finality.
“There.” She stood up straight, trying to appear confident as she set the heavy suitcase by the bedroom door. “That’s it then, Claudine. I’m packed and ready.”
Her roommate, still in her pale pink bathrobe, looked worried as she gently rocked Baby James back and forth in her arms in an attempt to soothe him after a particularly bad bout of colic. “Are you sure you really want to do this?”
“I’m not sure about anything,” Amelia confessed. She was too tired to think clearly at the moment. The baby had kept her up most of the night, and based on the headache pounding behind her eyes, she was probably getting the head cold that had been circulating around the beauty parlor where she worked as a hairdresser.
“You don’t have to go.” Claudine handed Amelia the baby. “I know it’s been rough going lately, but we can make it work . . . somehow.”
“You’ve already been more than generous.” Amelia continued to jostle the baby, trying to settle him down and hoping he might take a little nap before it was time to leave. “It’s not fair to you, Claudine. As much as I appreciate your help, Jimmy and I can’t be your charity case.” Amelia looked down at her fussing baby and sighed. “It’s not fair to him either.” She forced a smile. “And I’m guessing you won’t miss us when Jimmy cries for his three o’clock feeding—or for several hours like he did last night.”
“But how will you manage?” Claudine frowned. “Juggling your baby and luggage and a long train ride—all by yourself?”
With one arm holding Jimmy close to her, Amelia used the other to get her large handbag, which would also double as a diaper bag on this trip. Slipping the purse’s strap over her shoulder, she picked up the bulky suitcase that she’d inherited from her grandmother and experimentally strolled through the tiny apartment. “See, it’s not so bad,” she assured Claudine. “I can manage just fine.” She continued walking around, feeling her baby relaxing with the motion. Poor Jimmy had been fretting for several hours now—almost as if he was reflecting his mommy’s stress. “Besides, I’ve heard that babies like riding on trains. I think the sound of the wheels on the tracks soothes them.”
Claudine still looked skeptical.
“I just hope he doesn’t disturb any passengers tonight. I’d hate to get us thrown off the train in the middle of nowhere.”
“That’s silly.” But Claudine’s brow creased as if she could imagine this. “What time do you arrive in Rockford tomorrow?”
“Early morning,” Amelia spoke quietly. Jimmy was settling down now. “A little after seven I think.”
“And you’ll call me after you find a place to stay?” Claudine lowered her voice as Amelia nodded down to Jimmy’s fluttering eyelids. “So I can send the rest of your things?”
“Yes, of course,” she whispered. The limp weight of her baby told her that Jimmy had finally nodded off. “Not that I have much. Just those two boxes. They’re in the bedroom closet. Hopefully out of your way.”
“Thanks.” Claudine pointed at the wall clock. “Well, you don’t need to be to the station for a couple hours. And I’ve got a send-off breakfast almost ready for you.”
“You’re a doll.” Amelia bent down to tuck her slumbering infant onto one end of the sofa, wedging a cushion against his back to keep him from rolling off. Not that the seven-week-old baby was doing much rolling yet, but according to the baby-care booklet her pediatrician had given her at Jimmy’s first appointment—a pamphlet she studied almost like her Bible—one couldn’t be too safe.
“It’s only Spam and eggs and hotcakes,” Claudine said as Amelia joined her in the kitchenette.
“ Only Spam and eggs and hotcakes?” Amelia grinned as she sat down at the little plastic-topped table. “Sounds like a royal feast to me!”
Claudine set a cup of steaming coffee in front of her. “I really wish you weren’t going. I’m still mad at Alliette for backing out on her promise to you.”
“Alliette didn’t know that Jimmy would have such a set of lungs when she told me I could bring him to work with me. It went well at first, but you saw how it’s been the last couple of weeks. I know it bothered clients to hear him wailing like that. Especially if you consider how many women come to the beauty parlor to relax for a bit. And the truth is I got so rattled on my last day there that I nearly burned Mrs. Barnaby’s hair with her permanent wave.”
“But what about hiring a babysitter?” Claudine set a tempting plate in front of Amelia.
“You know I can’t afford that. I’m barely getting by as it is.” Amelia grimaced to think about her finances. She’d made a stringent budget for the trip, but she still needed to buy baby formula and a few other things on her way to the train station. The expenses of motherhood never ended. And without any employment lined up in Montana, she would need to keep close tabs on her cash.
“I still don’t understand why you’re not getting a pension from the War Department.” Claudine scowled as she sat down with her own plate. “It shouldn’t take them this long to sort through their paperwork, Amelia. Hasn’t it been at least six months since James died in the war? You really should file a complaint against—”
“I’ll sort it out in Rockford,” Amelia said curtly. And now, although Claudine never said grace over a meal, Amelia bowed her head and prayed her usual silent blessing—adding in a petition for God to give her strength for the upcoming trip. “Amen,” she proclaimed, opening her eyes to see Claudine watching with her usual amusement.
“You’re such a good girl .” Claudine used a friendly, teasing tone. “I’d say you were brought up right.” Her smile faded. “Except that I know that’s not true.”
Amelia pursed her lips. She’d confided a lot about her past to Claudine this past year. But she hadn’t told her everything.
“Sorry.” Claudine looked genuinely contrite. “I know you don’t like talking about your parents.”
“That’s right.” Amelia picked up her fork. “And as far as my childhood and how it relates to my faith, I already told you that I found God through my grandmother when I was a teenager. My parents had nothing to do with it.”
“I know, but I still think you should go to your mom and stepdad. You should demand that they give you some financial help. I’m sure they can afford it. And after everything your stepdad put you through—personally I think the lowlife should be in prison— he owes you . You should make him pay!”
Amelia inhaled sharply as she gave Claudine a severe warning look.
“Okay, okay.” Claudine held up her hands in surrender. “I’m done. No more grousing about that. Like you’ve told me a dozen times, the past is the past.”
“Thank you.” Amelia’s voice was husky and, once again, she worked to hold back her tears. If she wanted to make it through the upcoming days, she would need to contain her emotions. For some reason that had been no easy task of late. One of her beauty parlor customers had assured her that emotional ups and downs were to be expected with new mothers, but Amelia wasn’t so sure.
“I know you’re always saying you were born under an unlucky star, Amelia, but I keep thinking that one of these days your luck has to turn around.” Claudine sighed. “Maybe this trip will do that for you—maybe your luck will change in Montana. Anyway, I hope it does.”
“So do I.” Amelia nodded as she forked her eggs.
“Now . . . I hate to keep nagging you about this, but did you ever write to James’s parents? To let them know you’re coming? Will they meet you and the baby at the train?”
Amelia slowly chewed, staring down at her coffee instead of answering.
“You didn’t contact them, did you?”
Amelia took an uneasy sip of coffee.
“Even if you didn’t do it yet, you can still send them a telegram from the train station. It will get there before you do. And remember you’ll be arriving just one day before Thanksgiving. They might be busy. They s