Changing Traditions, A Christmas Novella Read Online Free PDF

since I was in town and it’s not
like I wanted to be included in your wreath making. I just wanted
to make some suggestions on what we were doing this year. I thought
we were going to do that.”
    Getting too cold for
comfort, Bethany went and pulled Laura out of the doorway and
proceeded to shut the door, barring the cold outside. Then she
wrapped her arms around her sister, “I’m sorry, dear. But wreaths
can be used anytime for any tradition. We’ve always used them to
decorate the house.”
    “ Except that they are St.
Lucia wreaths. Carolyn wouldn’t make any other.” Laura humphed,
“Besides, I thought there wasn’t going to be a St. Lucia this
year.”
    Carolyn almost laughed,
“Oh there is, my dear Laura, I think you should come to terms with
at least that tradition. There is no way we are spoiling it for
Rosie and Adam. Think how disappointed they would be.”
    “ This isn’t Rosie and
Adam’s problem, it’s yours, Carolyn! Can’t you just take that
responsibility instead of passing it on to your siblings for
once?”
    “ Laura!” Jesse rose then,
grabbing his crutch for support, and made his way over to where
Laura was standing. Placing his hand on her shoulder, he said,
“Come now, this isn’t like you. You are being childish and far too
stubborn.”
    “ What?” Laura took a step
back from Jesse.
    “ Yes, and you need to stop
always placing your anger on Carolyn. For the record, we are not
going behind your back, you are just always away. Why don’t you
just let Christmas be Christmas this year as it always has
been?”
    For an instant, everyone
held their breath, waiting to hear Laura’s response. Standing on
the one side of her, Bethany could see tears begin to pool in her
eyes. They were quickly blinked away though before anyone else
noticed them. “I just can’t,” and she turned to Bethany as if
pleading with her to see her reason why.
    Bethany ached for her
sister and wished she could do something to ease the tension. “I
think we all need to sit down and talk peaceably. We must be able
to come to some agreement that will make Christmas pleasurable for
all of us?” Bethany tried to reach out and give Laura a hug, but
Laura turned away.
    “ I need to go. Besides,
you already know, Bethany. I don’t need to be here.”
    “ Yes you do.” But Laura
already swept out the door before anyone could say anything
else.
    Jesse placed his hand on
Bethany’s arm and gave her a hug. “We have to let her go, but
Bethany, if you know what’s wrong...” Jesse’s voice trailed off,
waiting for Bethany to continue.
    Bethany sighed, “I don’t
think it’s my place. Laura needs to be the one to explain why this
is hard for her. But I will say this. We are all hurting and the
disagreement is making it worse. We should be pulling together, not
apart.”
    And though she said the
words, Bethany didn’t know what she could do to fix that
problem.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER SEVEN
     
    Dear
Diary,
    I hardly know what to
think. All I want is for everyone to be happy and remember the
Christmases that we had. Christmas is supposed to be a joyful time
as we celebrate God sending His Son to earth as payment for our
sins. Why is it so hard to remember that?
    Dear Laura is struggling
so much and I hardly know how to reach her. I’ve never seen Laura
so hard. I suppose none of us know how hard the war has been on
her. Not that we were trying to discredit her, but I suppose we all
thought it was easier for her because she didn’t have a spouse at
war. But Laura held us up. She was always trying to be joyful
during the rough times and I knew that I could always talk with her
about missing Albert. Henry and Luke’s death also hit her hard but
she always seemed to make sure Momma was okay.
    Meanwhile Carolyn is at
the opposite end. Carolyn and Heather (and I suppose myself as
well) were a mess. Now that Jesse, Scott, and Poppa are back safe
and sound, they want to celebrate as though nothing has