Prelude
"Mommy." Chrissy looked up with big blue,
Mommy-melting eyes. "Evan said magic isn't real."
Keisha ripped her attention from her daily perusal of the local
want ads. "What? Uh…who's Evan?"
"A stinky boy." Chrissy pinched her nose.
"Boys aren't stinky." With a frustrated sigh, she
logged off the library computer. They
tell lies, break your heart and don't pay child support though. She smiled.
"Magic's like Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny. It's real if you believe
with your heart. Put your things away, please. Time to go."
"Evan's just a big meannie." Chrissy shoved her
crayons and homework into her book bag.
The frustration in her daughter's voice tugged at Keisha's
heart. She knelt and fiddled with Chrissy's jammed parka zipper. "What did
Evan say? There. Let's go."
"I said I wished on a star that you'd find a job. He
said that wouldn't work. And I said, yes it would 'cause it's magic and he
said…"
Keisha bit back the pain that welled in her soul. If you only knew how many stars I've wished
on. Damn the curves life throws at
you. Being an unemployed, single mom wasn't on my to-do list. I've tried to
make a life for you sweetie, but money's getting desperate. She hurried her
daughter past the bus stop.
"But it's so cold out. Can't we take the bus?"
Chrissy dragged her feet.
"No!" It came out harsher than she meant. Keisha
stopped. "I'm sorry. We just can't today. I need to buy groceries. Let's
walk quick as bunnies and I'll make you some soup and hot chocolate."
"With little marshmallows?"
"Lots of them."
"And sprinkles on top?" Chrissy giggled.
"Yuppers."
"Sprinkles." Chrissy skipped down the sidewalk,
leaving trails in the snow. Keisha hurried to keep up with her.
What was she going to do? No job. Bank account getting
desperately low. She couldn't ask her parents for more money. They had their
own financial worries.
Chrissy skidded to a stop. Keisha swerved to avoid running
into her.
"Mommy." Her daughter's eyebrows arched high on
her forehead. She covered her mouth with her red mitten hands. "I think
the snow's alive. There." Chrissy crouched low then crept towards the
small snow bank.
A whimper drifted up from behind it. Keisha leaned over her
daughter and peered down. Tucked between a garbage can and a recycle bin was a small
ball of fur.
"Puppy-y-y-y" squealed Chrissy.
"Ssh. You'll scare her." Keisha lifted the puppy.
"A tag. She doesn't seem hurt. Oh, she's shivering." She slipped the
dog inside her coat and pulled up the zipper. "There's a vet a block or so
that way."
"Can we keep it?"
The hopeful tone in her daughter's voice was another stab to
her heart. "Oh, honey. I wish we could. But this is someone's puppy and
they're going to be sad and worried about her."
"They mustn't have loved her if they let her run away.
I'd never let my puppy do that." Chrissy stomped though the snow.
Keisha snuggled the pup close to her belly. Strangely, it
reminded her of carrying Chrissy before she was born. The desire to protect.
The unwavering love. The overwhelming fear something bad would happen.
The veterinarian's OPEN sign glowed in the twilight. Chrissy
held the door then followed her mother inside. Keisha glanced around. No
receptionist behind the desk. No people waiting with their pets. In the
distance, barks and howls filtered through the walls.
She lowered the zipper on her jacket. The puppy wiggled
until its head popped out.
A side door opened. She turned, readying to explain. A jolt
of dizziness washed over her. Her knees weakened. A strong hand guided her to a
seat.
"I'm so sorry." Keisha rubbed her forehead. "It's
so cold out and so warm in here." She looked up. The dizziness returned.
Was it the heat or the emerald green eyes staring at her?
"We found a puppy." Chrissy pushed past the vet
and rubbed the dog's head.
"That's Bagel. My son's puppy. How can I thank
you?"
The sound of his voice made Keisha think of melted
chocolate. She looked past the vet at the Receptionist Wanted sign. "I
really could use a job. I'm fabulous with people and computers."
"And animals." His eyes twinkled. "Job's
yours. You can start tomorrow."
Chrissy skipped around the office. "See Mommy, it
worked. I wished on a star and you found a job. Ptth to Evan. Magic is real."
What's happening in March on
Romance – Sweet
to Heat
18 – My Blog. My Post. My Books
19 – Backlist Saturday
Spotlight
20 – Weekend
Writing Warriors #8Sunday
21 – #OpenBook Blog Hop
22 – SPOTLIGHT
– J.D. Blackrose – Demon Kissed
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#MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor
24 – Daryl’s
Thoughts and Motivational Things #motivation
25 – My Blog. My Post. My Books
26 – Backlist Saturday
Spotlight
27 – Weekend
Writing Warriors #8Sunday
28 – #OpenBook Blog Hop
29 – SPOTLIGHT
– Judith Sterling - The Spear Alight
30 – Book Hooks
#MFRWhooks #MFRWAuthor
31 – Spotlight –
Anita Philmar - Banished Witch
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