Angels in the Snow Read Online Free Page A

her daughter’s shoulders. “I was looking for you, dear,” she said, sending Jennifer a cautionary look. “We’re about to check out. Excuse me,” she added as she edged past the man. For a moment their glances met.
    â€œIt’s all right, ma’am. I was just suggesting she buy dried fruits instead of that bag of processed sugary treats. Just as sweet, but much better for her.”
    Judith hesitated. “Yes, well. Thank you.” Then she looked down at Jennifer. “We really must be going, dear. Your father is waiting.”
    â€œCan I get the dried apricots and the jelly beans?”
    â€œFine.” Judith gave the man one last glance. He wasn’t as young as she would have expected; probably near her own age. And his eyes seemed kind—serene. Not at all what she’d feared when she’d seen him with Jennifer. Still, he was a stranger, and her daughter had to learn to be more wary. She urged Jennifer past him.
    â€œBye,” he called. “Merry Christmas.”
    Jennifer turned back to him with a bright smile. “Merry Christmas.”
    â€œMerry Christmas,” Judith added as well. But she kept one hand firmly on Jennifer’s elbow.
    â€œDon’t you know better than to speak to strangers?” she whispered angrily once they were out of sight. “Haven’t we told you that over and over again?”
    â€œI was just being polite,” Jennifer defended herself. “Always be polite to grown-ups. Isn’t that what you say? Jeez, Mom. It’s no big deal.”
    Judith didn’t answer. It had been no big deal; she knew that now. Jennifer could come to no harm in the grocery store with both her parents within earshot. Yet she’d felt so vulnerable when she’d seen that man with her daughter.
    But it was more than that, she realized. The real truth was that she felt excruciatingly vulnerable to everything lately, and so she had overreacted.
    As she gazed down into Jennifer’s resentful young face, Judith sighed. “It’s all right, dear. I guess I’m just a little touchy today. The trip and all,” she added with a wan smile.
    â€œHere’s the rice,” Charles said as he came up to them. “And canned mushrooms. There were no fresh ones.” He added the items to the cart. “What kind of cereal does Alex like?”
    â€œHoney Nut Cheerios. Or Shredded Wheat. What else do we need?”
    â€œDon’t forget candy canes,” Jennifer suggested. “We have to have candy canes.”
    Charles rubbed the top of Jennifer’s head affectionately. “We’re going to have a great Christmas, Jenn. Just you wait and see.”
    â€œDad!” the twelve-year-old complained, ducking away from his hand. She quickly combed her fingers through her hair to straighten where he’d mussed it.
    But Charles’s exuberance wasn’t dimmed. “She’ll see, won’t she, Jude?”
    Judith gave him her most determined smile. “I’m sure it will be lovely.”
    OUTSIDE IN THE CAR, Alex was growing restless. How long did it take to buy a few groceries, anyway? He flicked off the pounding rhythms and piercing wail of Slipknot, then removed his earbuds.
    A car pulled out of the parking space to the right, and beyond it he saw an old-time hitching post and watering trough. Three kids were clustered near the trough. The smallest one was poking at it with a stick, while the other two looked on. Then the middle-sized one ran over to an old yellow van and jumped up through the opened side door. In a minute she was back with something in her hand—he could see now she was a girl.
    Alex watched as she and the older boy began to play hacky-sack. He’d seen it done before, tossing a small leather ball back and forth with the feet. The older boy was pretty good, but the girl missed every now and again. Although the boy always laughed at the girl’s mistakes, she