New Beginnings by Charlotte Carter Read Free Book Online Page B

Izzy’s snoring could be heard all over the house.
    Sarah knelt beside her daughter and stroked her child’s dark hair, so unlike her own blonde coloring. “Why don’t we see how we both feel when I come over to stay?”
    Izzy seemed moderately satisfied with that decision.
    On the couch, however, Rafael’s expression appeared thoughtful, and he scratched his chin. Perhaps the idea of Sarah sleeping in the same house where he usually slept had some appeal.
    It certainly seemed the ideal arrangement for Izzy’s child care.

Chapter Seven
    J AMES COULD HARDLY BELIEVE CHRISTMAS EVE had already arrived.
    As he drove home after work, he noticed that the bit of snow that had fallen a couple of days ago had already melted, leaving brown lawns and mud puddles. There’d been so little snowfall that his boys hadn’t been able to hire themselves out to clear the neighbors’ sidewalks, and it didn’t look like they’d get a white Christmas this year.
    But the weatherman predicted a huge storm barreling south from Canada. Illinois and most of the Midwest would soon get all of the snow they could handle.
    He hoped bad weather wouldn’t affect Elena’s trip to Spain. He knew how excited both she and Cesar were about their travel plans.
    When James arrived home, the house smelled of hot apple cider and cranberry candles. He found Fern in the kitchen.
    “You’re making dinner again.” Smiling, he kissed her on the cheek. Her current meds had her MS symptoms more under control than they had been in years, and he rejoiced in seeing his wife feeling so strong.
    “Just getting the chicken breasts ready to put in the oven.” She turned her face to give him a kiss on the lips. “How was your day?”
    “Quiet. One new gallbladder surgery patient and an elderly pneumonia case. Spent most of the time discharging patients so they could be home for Christmas.” He stepped out of Fern’s way so she could slide the chicken into the oven.
    “It must be terrible to have to spend Christmas in the hospital.”
    “Patients’ families visit, but it can get lonely.”
    Using her cane for balance, Fern walked to the kitchen table and sat down.
    “The boys around?” James asked.
    “They’re both in their rooms. Gideon’s still in a blue funk. I think he called Jenni. Apparently she hasn’t changed her mind about dating other boys.”
    “It’s been tough on him. A whole week, and he still hasn’t cheered up. I’ll go talk to him.”
    “I tried this afternoon. He doesn’t seem ready to hear that his world hasn’t ended just yet. I think he’s going through the seven stages of grief.”
    “I sure hope it doesn’t take him a year to get to the final stage. That’s no way to go into your senior year in high school.”
    Fern nodded in agreement. “I hate that he’s hurting so much. I’m angry at the way Jenni handled the breakup, but there isn’t much I can do about that. What’s done is done.”
    “After I talk to him, I’ll come back and fix the salad for dinner.”
    James hung his jacket in the front closet, took a moment to admire the Christmas tree and all the brightly wrapped packages under it. Fern did her shopping via the Internet and had gotten quite skilled at discovering bargains for the boys.
    Finding Gideon’s door closed, he knocked. The response sounded like a monosyllabic grunt, and he opened the door. Gideon was on his bed looking up at the ceiling.
    “Can I come in?” James asked.
    “Sure.”
    He stepped inside and closed the door. “I guess Jenni hasn’t changed her mind, huh?”
    “I don’t get it, Dad. One day we’re a couple, the next we’re not.”
    “I know this has been hard on you, Son. But a woman has a right to chose who she dates.”
    “I thought she was different. Special.”
    “Look, your mom’s worried about you.” James was too, for that matter. “It’s Christmas Eve. Your mother’s roasting a nice chicken, we’ll play our traditional game of Monopoly and then we’ll go