The Paper Bag Christmas by Kevin Alan Milne Read Free Book Online Page A

seventy-nine,” I said, reading the inscription aloud. “Is that a special date or something?”
    “Sort of,” she said through her bag as she walked around from the other side of the bed. “It’s when I was supposed to die, last December. The E.D. stands for estimated death.”
    “Oh,” I said, wishing I hadn’t been so nosey. “Sorry.”
    “That’s alright. It just helps me remember to be thankful for every day. The doctors all told me I probably wouldn’t live to see last Christmas and I’m still here.”
    I didn’t like to hear about dying so I changed the subject as fast as I could.
    “Do you still have the red Christmas list from Dr. Ringle?” I blurted out. “I’m supposed to get it back for him.”
    “Oh, I already gave it to him,” she said.
    “You did?” I was more than a bit surprised to hear that. “But he told me to come get it from you. When did you give it to him?”
    “On the night we met. I was pretty mad that night because, well, you know, what with the candy cane and all. Once you were gone he gave me the paper and I wrote down what I wanted. Then I wadded it up in a ball and threw it right back at him. It hit him square in the nose!”
    “Perhaps,” Madhu interjected, “Dr. Ringle misplaced your list, Katrina. That is certainly a possibility.”
    “Right,” added Aaron. “He probably lost it. How about you write it down again for us?”
    “No way. You’ll look at it! I don’t want anyone but Santa to see my list. Besides, I already gave it to him once, and that should be good enough.”
    “Suit yourself, but don’t blame us elves if you don’t get what you want for Christmas,” I said jokingly. She didn’t think it was very funny.
    Crossing her arms, she shot back at me in a voice that was closer to her usual self. “I
know
I’m not getting it for Christmas anyway! Santa can’t give me what I want. I shouldn’t have even bothered writing it down on that stupid paper.”
    Madhu didn’t seem bothered by Katrina’s quick change in temperament. In his typical upbeat way he squelched the fire that was starting to burn with a few speedy words.
    “Well then,” he said, “that makes two of us who are definitely not getting anything for Christmas. Your list is lost, maybe in one of Dr. Ringle’s nostrils if you threw it hard enough, while mine was ripped to shreds by a crazy Indian boy and sent out with the trash.”
    Katrina laughed at that. It was probably the first time in a long time that laughter had escaped her white paper disguise.
    “Katrina,” I said as the chuckles subsided. “We didn’t just come here to get your list. We’re going tonight to get parts in the Christmas pageant and were wondering if you’d like to come? It’s gonna be fun to be—”
    “No,” she said before I even finished speaking. Her tone and body language had changed again without warning.
    “But Katrina,” chimed Aaron. “We thought you might like—”
    “Didn’t you hear me?” she asked nastily. “No means no.” Silence followed. I didn’t dare open my mouth again for fear of what Katrina might do or say if I did. Aaron, too, kept quiet while Madhu paced slowly around the room, seemingly in deep thought. Katrina stood firm, her eyes darting back and forth among the three of us.
    Finally Madhu broke the silence.
    “I have an idea!” he shouted as he turned to face the pair of green eyes glaring out through the paper bag. “Katrina, I’ve heard you used to participate in the gurney races. Is that true?”
    “Yes,” she replied questioningly. “But I stopped going. Too many kids made fun of me. Besides, nobody could beat me so the thrill of it was gone.”
    “I can beat you,” Madhu said, still looking her straight in the eyes.
    I didn’t know what gurney races were, but if Madhu could race as fast as he could speak, I figured he could beat just about anyone.
    “Nobody can beat me,” she snarled as she planted her hands on her hips. “’Cuz I’m not