Free A Christmas Home: A Novel by Gregory D Kincaid

were finished, Laura printed out a clean copy for closer inspection.
    “This is good!” Laura said. “I’d hire you.”
    Todd got up from the office chair and paced about the room as if he had been granted a pardon from a life sentence. He sighed with relief at having the dreaded résumé task behind him. He’d spent years in high school barely passing any class that involved writing skills. He had no desire to relive those difficult times—even for one evening. He sat down on the floor next to Christmas and held the dog close to him. He liked being at Laura’s house. This was one of the few times they had been alone together. He wished they were doing anything but writing a résumé. Even so, Laura’s helping him list his accomplishments validated his skills, and he was happily surprised at what he had learned about himself in the process.
    Laura had a knack for taking the ordinary tasks that Todd did, day in and day out, and making them sound significant. He read and re-read the paragraph on his current position. It sounded pretty impressive.
    ASSISTANT SHELTER MANAGER—responsible for caring for, grooming, and feeding over fifty cats and dogs. Developed innovative strategies and processes for promoting high adoption rates at nationally recognized shelter. Highest rating on all employee reviews.
    “Laura?” Todd asked.
    She looked up. “Yes?”
    “Do you think I will be able to find somewhere to work in Crossing Trails?” She didn’t answer right away, so he asked again, “Do you think anyone will hire me?”
    Laura knew the market was tough. “Todd, I think lots of people would hire you if they had work. I don’t know how many people have jobs to fill right now. That’s the problem. If I had an opening, I would hire you and Christmas first thing.”
    Todd yawned, closed his eyes, and without thinking about it rested his head on Laura’s shoulder. Résumé writing was exhausting. “I’m tired.”
    “I don’t like it that you have to drive so far to get home.”
    Todd opened his eyes. “Ten miles is not that far.”
    “In that old truck of yours, it’s too far to be driving, especially at night.” Laura snuggled in closer to Todd. “I miss you when you’re out there in that old cabin. It seems so very far away. Like a whole other world.”
    Todd felt something building in his chest, a mixture of happiness and sadness. He nudged Laura playfully. “Thanks for helping me on my résumé.”
    Laura grinned sheepishly. “You just needed a little help describing what a great guy you are and what a wonderful employee you would be.”
    Todd held up the finished résumé proudly. “I better go.”
    He extended his hand, offering to help Laura up from the sofa. She considered telling him that he needed to walk himself out to his truck. Her arthritis was flaring up and she was feeling tired. She hesitated and looked up at Todd. Pushing through the pain, she said, “Thanks, but Gracie and I can do it ourselves. We need the exercise and the practice. Watch and see what she has learned, thanks to you.”
    She leaned over and called Gracie to her side. Snapping her vest around her was Gracie’s signal that she was on duty for Laura. Laura then gave the “stand” command that Todd had taught the dog to help Laura get up from a chair, because getting down was not the problem. Laura needed to brace her weight against the dog to push herself up from the sofa.
    It’s quite difficult for some dogs to stay firmly putwhile someone seems to be leaning against them, as if pushing them away. In the beginning Gracie had been confused and Todd couldn’t figure out the best way to help her, so he Googled the names on the dog-training videos that he had studied and came up with the phone numbers of some of the leading service-dog trainers in the country. When it came to picking up the phone, even as a young boy, Todd had had no reservations. Over the ensuing months Todd developed a long-distance phone relationship