A Marriage Carol by Chris Fabry, Gary D. Chapman Read Free Book Online

my eyes as the mist ascended and the power of the snow enveloped me.
     

     
    Music had taken me to the threshold of my past, but this time I heard a voice crackling through a tinny speaker. It gave an ominous weather forecast, a freak storm that had taken the region by surprise. Equally ominous traffic reports told of motorists stranded in cars and urged everyone to stay inside and not venture out.
     
    “Shhh!” Becca said. She was huddled in the living room with her brothers under a cover they had dragged from my bed.
     
    “Why don’t we just watch a movie,” David said.
     
    “There’s no electricity, dope,” Justin said. “That’s why we can’t turn on the lights.”
     
    “Then how can we hear the radio?”
     
    “It uses batteries, goofball.”
     
    “Quiet!” Becca said. She pulled the radio closer and turned up the volume.
     
    The newscaster gave a list of closed roads and many accidents. Her cell phone rang and she fumbled in her pocket and opened it. “Mom?”
     
    “No, it’s your aunt Susan. Becca, have you heard anything from your mom and dad?”
     
    “Not yet. And the electricity went off.”
     
    “I figured. We’ve been trying the home line for a while.”
     
    Becca got up from the couch and walked out of earshot of the boys who kicked at each other from opposite sides of the couch.
     
    “Aunt Susan,” Becca said softly. “I’m scared.”
     
    “Your dad’s a good driver. They’re probably stuck somewhere in a bad cell area and—”
     
    “No, I don’t mean that. I’m worried about them, but I’m scared something’s happening. There was a letter on Dad’s desk. From a lawyer. I opened it.”
     
    “Oh Becca. I’m so sorry. I’m sure they’ll work it out.”
     
    “No, it’s talking about a divorce and papers and their agreement. I don’t understand most of it but it looks like it’s a done deal. Do you know anything about this?”
     
    Silence on the other end. “Honey, I wish I could drive down there right now and be with you. I’m so sorry. We’ve been praying for your mom and dad, and I knew things were bad. I didn’t know they’d hired a lawyer.”
     
    Tears streamed down Becca’s face. “Why are they doing this?”
     
    A pause on the other end. “Honey, you have to pull together for your brothers. Let’s just get you through tonight and we’ll deal with all of this. Together. Do you understand?”
     
    Hearing my sister talk this way to my daughter gave me a chill. We had never been what I would call “close,” but I could tell Becca was comforted by her words. Susan was acting in my stead, providing the support and comfort I couldn’t.
     
    The boys were ratcheting up the noise, then David came running in with his blanket wrapped around him and bumped into the doorjamb and fell. Wails pierced the room.
     
    “Justin!” Becca yelled.
     
    “I didn’t do anything!”
     
    “I have to go, Aunt Susan.”
     
    “Call me if you hear anything.”
     
    “I will.”
     
    “And know that we’re praying for you.”
     
    “Thank you.” Becca hung up and gathered David in her arms and dragged him to the living room. “We have to work together to get through this. Mom and Dad are stuck somewhere.”
     
    “Are they going to be okay?” David asked, sniffling.
     
    Hearing his concern broke my heart.
     
    “They’ll be fine, but they can’t call right now. So we have to stick together. I want you to go upstairs and get all your covers. We’ll push the couch and love seat together and make a big tent in the living room to keep us warm.”
     
    “Yes!” Justin said.
     
    “But what about Santa?” David said. “If we’re in the living room, he won’t come, will he?”
     
    Justin snickered and Becca ignored him. She sounded just like me when she said, “He won’t care, if we’re asleep.”
     
    “But how will he see the tree if the lights don’t work?”
     
    Justin rolled his eyes. “The guy can come to every house on the planet