A Mummy for Christmas Read Online Free Page A

thing.”
    “How can you tell?”
    The child twisted her hair around her finger vehemently. “Well, this one had a fake beard, and he smelled funny. And I don’t think the real Father Christmas would smell funny.”
    Stan appeared at her side and held out a steaming mug of tea. “Here you go.”
    “Thank you.” Carly smiled as she took it, the smile freezing as she caught sight of the plates on the table. “Oh, I’m interrupting your dinner. I’m sorry.”
    “It’s fine. We hadn’t started yet.”
    “Why don’t you eat with us?” Haley-Jo asked. “Gramma always makes too much.”
    “Oh, I couldn’t do that…” she objected, trying to come up with a reason why not. Truth was she hadn’t eaten all day and just the smell was making her stomach rumble in a very unladylike fashion.
    “Have you eaten?” Stan asked.
    “No. I…” She paused. “Actually I was going to grab something later.”
    “Then please, join us. I’ll get another plate.”
    . “I wasn’t trying to ask for an invitation.” Her stomach growled loudly, and she pressed her hand to it.
    He smiled. “It’s fine. Haley-Jo, set another place, please.”
    Awkward didn’t begin to describe how Carly felt as Haley-Jo laid another place setting.
    “You can sit next to me,” she said.
    Stan came in with the plate and cutlery. “Have a seat, and I’ll be right back.”
    Dinner looked as good as it smelled. Golden brown potatoes atop what she knew had to be beef mince, with carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower in a separate dish. Stan put the dishes on the table and sat. He took Haley-Jo’s hand.
    Haley-Jo snatched Carly’s hand and looked at her. “We say grace like this.”
    Carly hesitated, and then took Stan’s outstretched hand. Her face burned, and she was glad everyone had their eyes shut as Stan prayed. Disappointment speared her as he let go and then anger flared within her. What was she; twelve or thirty-two? She’d even been married, for goodness sake, so she wasn’t about to go all jelly-bellied because some extremely good looking bloke held her hand for all of ten seconds while he prayed. She knew all too well that good looks didn’t make a good man. Neither did praying the blessing before a meal.
    “It’s usually guests first, but some small people can’t wait.” Stan put a spoonful of food on Haley-Jo’s plate, before offering Carly the serving spoon. “Dig in.”
    “Thank you.” Carly loaded her plate and took in a deep breath. Her mouth watered and the first bite more than lived up to her expectations. She relished it. “This is lovely. I haven’t had a home cooked meal in ages. It’s normally beans on toast or a ready meal.”
    “I find it cheaper to cook and divide it into portions and then freeze the leftovers.” Stan smiled. “Of course, I forget to label things sometimes so dinner is a surprise.”
    Haley-Jo laughed. “We had sausage surprise last night.”
    Carly looked at her. “What’s that?”
    “Beans, chopped up carrots, and potatoes all layered on top of each other with cheese.”
    “What was the surprise?”
    Stan rolled his eyes. “The surprise was I forgot to put sausages in it.”
    She smiled. “Sounds like the sort of thing my mother did when we were kids, in an effort to make us eat everything on the plate in the hope of finding the sausages.”
    Haley-Jo took a mouthful of her food. “Do you go to church?”
    “I used to,” Carly said. “I haven’t been for a long time now.”
    “Why not?”
    “Haley-Jo,” Stan said, frowning at her. “Don’t be rude.”
    “I’m not,” she objected. “You said everyone needs to go to church because God loves them.”
    Carly shifted on her chair. She’d used to feel the same way. But she hadn’t since the accident.
    “Sorry,” Stan apologized.
    “It’s fine.” She loaded her fork with food. “Sometimes things happen and you stop talking to God. It’s a bit like when you fall out with a friend and don’t go to their house