Beth
Charlie took her place in her easy chair. I turned it away from the TV, so that she was facing the center of the room, and could participate in the gift-opening extravaganza.
Mrs. McBride tried to sneak upstairs to give us family time alone, but Lucy caught her and dragged her to the living room. “You have to come too, Mrs. Mac!” She pulled the woman to the couch. “Look! You have a stocking!” Lucy ran to the hearth to get the homemade stocking that we had stuffed with Christmas sweets, roasted nuts, and some warm fuzzy socks. Her eyes welled up as she hugged the stocking against her chest. “Thank you! Thank you for thinking of me!”
Raphael sat on the other end of the couch, so I took the cushion between them. Raphael was fidgety. I knew he was feeling a little anxious about his b
