Christmas Miracle: A Family Read Online Free PDF Page B

having a rough time,” James admitted, not so much in defense of what Tyler had done as in explanation.
    “I guess you have. And it looks to me like Tyler…” Before she could finish, James’s cellphone rang, and he seemed almost grateful for the interruption. Too grateful, she decided as James walked away, leaving her there to make sure Tyler didn’t do something to hurt himself. Half a minute later, James returned, red-faced.
    “Look, I know I don’t have a right to ask this, but…I have an emergency up on Pine Ridge, a child with a broken leg, and I really can’t take Tyler with me. He’s…” He glanced down at the boy. “He’s having a rough time right now, as you’ve already seen, and I don’t have anyplace else for him to stay yet. He’s been through three babysitters in as many days, and I haven’t had time to find someone else to look after him while I’m at work. I wouldn’t normally impose on you, but it may be a compound fracture, and I need to get the child stabilized before transport…”
    “Just go,” she said, not sure why. “Take care of your patient, and I’ll look after Tyler.” She glanced down at Tyler, who was eyeing another hanging shelf and trying to inch his way in its direction without being noticed. “But only for a little while.”
    “You don’t know how much I appreciate that,” James said, the expression on his face turning into genuine relief.“We’ll talk when I get back, OK? I have so much I need to tell you.”
    Fallon reached out and took hold of Tyler’s arm to keep him from moving any closer to his next target. “When you know how long this is going to take, call me, will you?”
    Instinctively, James bent to kiss Fallon’s cheek, but she jerked away from him. So he simply nodded then bent to Tyler who jerked away, too. “You be good, and don’t break anything else, you hear me?”
    Tyler stared him in the eye, not defiantly, though. And didn’t answer. After several seconds James straightened up. “Like I said, we’ll talk,” he said, then turned and left, leaving Fallon alone with what she knew was going to turn the rest of her day into a royal disaster.
    “So, Tyler,” she said, pulling him out into the hall, “tell me why you broke my shelf, and why, right this very minute, you’re thinking about breaking my other shelf.”
    The boy’s eyes opened a bit wider, as if surprised that she could anticipate what he was thinking.
    Fallon laughed. “You do want to pull down the other shelf, don’t you? Are you surprised that I know what you want to do?”
    Naturally, he didn’t respond. But that didn’t surprise her. The answer was in his eyes. Big, beautiful eyes, like his father’s. So beautiful she ached with longing for what she’d lost. “So I don’t suppose I can trust you to stand here and not go back into the bathroom while I go find a broom to clean up the broken glass, can I?” Silly asking the question when she already knew the answer. “Which means you get to go with me.” She pointed in the direction of the utility room, but Tyler kept his eyes glued to the wall across from him. What kind of trauma had done that to him? What kind of upset had caused such a young childto be so removed? James hadn’t told her much. Mostly, she’d heard just the anger from him over being left out of Tyler’s life, over the things he missed. Anger that sank to the heart of what she’d done to him herself, how she’d left him out, too.
    And seeing Tyler, even with his problems, reminded her of how selfish she’d been. She’d made a choice that couldn’t be undone. Fought hard then lost. And never included James. It was the hardest thing she’d ever done because she’d loved that baby, wanted that baby. Should have been strong enough to carry that baby to term. But she hadn’t been, and the day her doctor had come to her and told her it was over…
    Now she ached that their baby wasn’t in her arms. “Well, Tyler,” she said, trying