Twins For Christmas: A Little Christmas Magic / Lone Star Twins / A Family This Christmas. Alison Roberts

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СКАЧАТЬ the time or place. Caitlin must have sensed something big but her curious glance lasted only a moment. Poppy was tugging on Emma’s hand.

      ‘Sing Miss McMurray the new song, Emma. The Christmas one.’

      ‘We’ve got lots of carols we’re learning already, Poppy,’ Caitlin said.

      ‘But this is Jemima’s song. About Mary.’

      ‘“Little Donkey”,’ Emma supplied.

      ‘Oh …’ Caitlin’s eyes shone. ‘That’s one of my all-time favourite Christmas songs. How could I have forgotten it?’ She began to hum but then stopped. ‘That’s the chorus. How does it start again?’

      Emma could see that Oliver had been totally distracted from finding his reading book by watching the goldfish in their bowl on the science table so she sang the first few lines about the little donkey on the dusty road, plodding on with its precious load.

      Poppy beamed and Caitlin sighed happily. ‘Imagine our play with our Mary coming in on a donkey with Joseph leading her, and all the children singing that.’

      ‘I’m Mary,’ Poppy reminded her.

      ‘I know, pet.’ Caitlin patted her head.

      ‘And I’ve got a donkey.’

      ‘I know that, too. But Jemima’s a real donkey. We can’t use her in our play.’

      ‘Why not?’ Emma was caught by the image. Adam would be there in the audience, wouldn’t he? How amazing would that be, to see his two children and their pet creating Christmas magic for the whole village? She could take photos and give them a new memory that would always remind them of a joyous moment.

      Caitlin was staring at her as if she had lost her mind.

      ‘She’s a very good donkey,’ Emma continued. ‘And Poppy’s used to riding her.’ From the corner of her eye she noted that Oliver had stopped watching the fish and was now watching them. ‘Would she still follow you in a strange place, Ollie? Would you be able to lead her?’

      Oliver scowled at her. ‘‘Course I would.’

      ‘They could just come down the centre aisle and then the children could take their place on the stage and someone could take Jemima out the side door.’

      ‘Ohh …’ Caitlin was clearly completely captured. ‘How would we get her to the hall, though?’

      That was a problem. ‘It is too far to walk,’ Emma agreed.

      ‘My brother’s girlfriend’s aunt runs a donkey sanctuary not far from here,’ Caitlin said thoughtfully. ‘I wonder if we could borrow a float?’

      Poppy was bouncing up and down on her toes. ‘Hooray … Jemima’s going to be in our play.’

      ‘Hang on,’ her teacher warned. ‘Don’t get too excited. And don’t tell anybody else about it. We’ll have to get all sorts of permission, like from the hall committee and from your daddy.’

      The bright glow of the idea dimmed for Emma. Neither authority was likely to be too enthusiastic about this inspiration but she suspected Adam would be the hardest to convince.

      But he was okay with the paper chains now, wasn’t he? And the Advent calendars and the holly? Maybe another small push forward would help get him into feeling the goodwill of the season more. When they passed a man selling Christmas trees off the back of a lorry on their way home, Emma stamped on the brakes.

      ‘I think we need a tree,’ she said aloud. ‘What do you think, kidlets?’

      The twins were silent.

      ‘We could put it in the big living room,’ Emma suggested. ‘And we could make decorations for it. And then your presents can go underneath it on Christmas Eve. Is that what you usually do?’

      ‘We don’t have a tree.’ Poppy’s voice was very small. ‘We only go and see the tree by the church and the one in Gran’s house.’

      A glance in the rear-view mirror revealed an expression on Oliver’s face rather like the one that had been on Caitlin’s when Emma had suggested adding Jemima to the junior school’s play. As if she was completely crazy.

      ‘Maybe that’s because Daddy gets too busy at Christmastime. Would you like to have a tree, Poppy?’

      Poppy thought about this for a long moment. ‘Jeannie has her very own tree.’

      ‘So does Jamie,’ Oliver said. ‘And Ben and … and everybody.’

      Emma channelled Catherine McAllister. It was up to her to make Christmas happen for these children, even if the thought of the repercussions of this step were more than a little scary.

      ‘Right, then.’ She reached for her wallet. ‘Come on. You can help me choose the best one.’

      ‘No.’

      ‘But, Daddy … I want Jemima to be in our play. Please …’

      ‘No.’ Adam’s fork clattered against his plate in the silence that followed the resoundingly negative response.

      It was just as well that Emma had waited until dinner was almost finished before broaching the subject of including the largest family pet in the nativity play. Her appetite evaporated in the face of the atmosphere that instantly filled the McAllister kitchen—her favourite room in this grand old house. That single word had somehow created an impenetrable barrier and Adam was clearly angry. Was he even tasting the casserole he was forking into his mouth?

      The last of the wonderful meals Catherine had left in the freezer, Emma had noted with some alarm. She would have to cook the evening meals herself from now on.

      The children began simply pushing pieces of food around their plates with as little enthusiasm as Emma.

      ‘Eat your dinner,’ Adam ordered, ‘or there’ll be no ice cream.’

      ‘I don’t want ice cream.’ Poppy’s voice wobbled. ‘I want …’

      No, Emma begged silently. Don’t say it.

      ‘I want Jemima to be in our play.’

      Adam dropped his cutlery and his chair scraped back with a screech that made Emma flinch.

      ‘It’s the most ridiculous idea I’ve ever heard,’ he snapped. ‘And it’s not going to happen. I don’t want to hear another word about it.’ The stern glare Poppy was being subjected to was transferred to Oliver. ‘From either of you.’

      Then it was Emma’s turn to get the look. ‘I expect this was your idea in the first place?’

      For a heartbeat she felt frightened. It wasn’t just about potentially getting fired from a job she was coming to love far more than she’d expected. It was more about the glimpse into what Adam McAllister would be like if he lost control. She was sensing the depth of emotion hidden away СКАЧАТЬ