Free Angels in the Snow by Rexanne Becnel Page B

Then there’s you. I built you a mansion. You can buy whatever you want from any store in New York. In the world! But are you satisfied? No, you repay me by threatening me with divorce—”
    He stopped abruptly.
    Alex and Jennifer were staring at him in horror. Judith knew she should deny what he’d said, yet she couldn’t muster the words. When the children’s eyes swung to her, she could do no more than weakly shake her head.
    In that terrible silence, Joe Walker’s voice was a welcome relief. “Jennifer, have you got the rabbit’s breakfast? And Alex, I need help cutting more firewood. You, Robbie, and I can take turns with the ax.”
    The children obliged him at once, fleeing silently from the kitchen. Then he turned his perceptive gaze on Judith and Charles. “The apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. You can’t expect your children to exhibit an inner peace when neither of you do.”
    The quiet words struck Judith’s heart with painful accuracy. Even Charles was temporarily silenced. Then Joe left and Charles’s temper returned.
    â€œWho the hell does he think he is? He’s got a hell of a nerve barging into our lives—ruining our Christmas—and then preaching to us!”
    â€œHe didn’t come here by choice. And they aren’t ruining our Christmas,” Judith said, unable to still the tremble in her voice. “They’re just a nice family who had the misfortune to get stuck here with us. The truth is, we couldn’t manage a happy Christmas under the best of circumstances. We’ll probably ruin their Christmas.”
    She smiled bitterly. “The apples haven’t fallen too far from the tree, have they? Are you peaceful inside, Charles? I know I’m not. So how can we expect it of them?”
    â€œYou’ve always been too easy on them.”
    â€œAnd you’ve always avoided what you don’t want to see. The problem is us—not them. They’re just the symptom, like a stomachache that won’t go away. Pepto-Bismol may mask the pain for a while, but the ulcer’s still there, Charles. It’s still there.”
    He shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweater. “The fact is, everyone in this family just needs to try a little harder. I can’t do it all by myself.”
    â€œAll by yourself?” Judith laughed, but she felt more like crying. “You haven’t got a clue, have you? Well, pay attention to this, Charles Montgomery: you don’t know what ‘all by myself’ really means. But you will soon.”
    Then she left.

Chapter Six
    T he pain that gripped Charles’s chest was so acute, he wondered if he was having a heart attack. But he’d been given a clean bill of health only a month ago. His doctor had said he was just working too hard. His stomach pains, constant weariness, and occasional chest pains were stress related. Take a vacation, the doctor had advised, and all those symptoms would go away.
    But Charles’s stresses weren’t due to work, and this vacation was making that painfully clear.
    Out of habit he crossed to the landline and lifted the receiver to his ear. Not a sound. He tried his own phone, too, then resisted the urge to throw the damn thing against the wall. What good was the best damn phone money could buy, if it didn’t work in an emergency?
    Footseps hurried up the stairs. He heard Judith’s voice and then Marilyn’s. Lucy laughed out loud and Jennifer began to giggle. Then Joe Walker called for Robbie and Alex, and in a moment footsteps clattered down the stairs. The three came through the kitchen and Charles immediately straightened his posture. His hands tightened on the kitchen counter when Alex went by without glancing up at all. Robbie followed, shooting Charles a quick curious glance as he hurried past.
    Joe hesitated when the two boys went outside. But Charles’s rigid posture must have warned