Miracle on I-40 Read Online Free Page B

to me, you know. And I had plenty extra. Marty’s workin’ late, again...you want to come have a hamburger?”
    Her friend looked tired and lonely, but Lacey declined. “I’ve still got packin’ to do.”
    Everyone called, “Merry Christmas,” back and forth, and at last Lacey got herself and her brood into their apartment and closed the door. She felt an immediate relief, as if shutting out the world.
    Then Jon and Anna were tugging on her, pretending to try to peek into the bags.
    “You’ll spoil your  Christmas,” Lacey cautioned.
    “Not me. I won’t see my puppy until Christmas mornin’ after Santa brings it,” Anna said flatly.
    Jon switched on a lamp and threw himself on the couch, saying,  “I’ve told her and told her that Santa won’t bring her a puppy this year because of the trip.”
    “He might.” Anna jutted her little chin.
    “Pate won’t want a noisy, messy puppy ridin’ all the way back here in his truck from North Carolina.” Jon sent Lacey a look; he was doing his best to help.
    “He won’t care,” Anna said, her voice cracking.
    “Let’s just let the speculation drop and deal with what happens when,” Lacey said, as she sat to remove her shoes and massage her feet.  “You two need to get your baths and get to bed. Come on...”
    She set Jon to packing his things, while she got Anna bathed. After Jon had gotten his bath, too, she had hot chocolate and decorated sugar cookies waiting for them. As they all sat around the faded green Formica table, she explained about the change in transportation plans.
    Anna played her cookie around in her cup of chocolate, but Lacey felt Jon’s careful attention.
    “So...is Cooper his first or last name?” Jon asked. “Do we call him Cooper like we call Pate, Pate, or are we supposed to say Mr.?”
    “Just say Mr. Cooper,” Lacey told him.
    * * * *
    “Jon…music off.” She switched off his boom-box, kissed his head and turned out the lamp beside his bed.
    “Mama, what will we do with the puppy Santa brings,” Anna asked as she crawled into bed in the next bedroom. “Will Mis-ter Cooper let us bring him home in his truck?”
    “Blow,” Lacey instructed, holding a tissue to Anna’s tiny nose. Anna puffed up and blew hard, took the tissue in her own tiny fingers and wiped her nose, then handed the tissue to Lacey and looked expectant, waiting for an answer.
    Lacey stroked the fine brown hair from her daughter’s forehead. “Anna, I told you that your puppy will have to come later, even if we were ridin’ with Pate. A puppy is a delicate thing for Santa Claus to haul around, especially from the cold North Pole. Why, I can’t think of anyone who ever got a puppy for Christmas.”
    “Tammy Henderson did. She said so today.” Anna’s big brown eyes dominated her face.
    “Well, we see,” Lacey said, regretting the words as soon as she said them because she’d always hated to hear that as a child. “Now, you have to get to sleep, sugar. I’m goin’ to have to get you up very early.”
    She tucked her daughter down in the bed and whispered I love you in her ear just as she had every day since Anna had been born. She pulled the bedroom door to, leaving a crack for comfort, probably more for herself than for Anna. She stood there a moment, squeezing her eyes closed against tears. So often she felt inadequate in her role of mother.
    Blinking hard, she pushed herself down the short hall and into the kitchen, where she poured a cup of coffee, carried the phone to the table and called Information for the number of the Santa Fe hospital. Her heart jumped when she heard Pate’s voice, sounding perfectly normal, boom across the line. He had such a big voice.
    “Well, hi ya’, Suzie-Q.”  He often called her or any other female Suzie-Q. He was obviously surprised and touched to hear from her and kept repeating that he was fine. His son, Bob, was coming with his entire family, and they were due in the following morning. His voice