Free The Gift of Christmas Present by Melody Carlson Page B

water on her bedside table, along with a pain pill on a little china saucer, just in case she needed it. Which she usually did not. Not only that, but the girl had even begun turning down her bed for her lately. Just like in a nice hotel. Next thing, she’d probably be putting a chocolate on her pillow. Esther chuckled to herself as she pulled on her pajama top.
    And yet, despite all this good service, there was something about the girl that disturbed Esther. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it. But something just didn’t feel right. It was like the old adage “If it sounds too good to be true . . .” Somehow Esther suspected this might be thecase with this Christine Bradley. If that was her real name. One couldn’t be too careful these days. She had just read about an elderly woman getting swindled in a bank deal. The old lady had been befriended by a young handyman who had worked for her a few days. After gaining her trust, he’d told her that his father was trying to transfer some money to him so he could rent an apartment, but the bank wouldn’t accept the transfer unless he opened an account and deposited enough money to cover the transfer. Naturally, “enough money” had amounted to several thousand dollars. Several thousand dollars the poor old woman would never see again. People prey on the elderly, Esther reminded herself as she eased into bed.
    Still, Christine didn’t exactly seem like a scam artist to her. Although you can never be too sure, she told herself. Kids were sharp these days, and everyone has an angle. She just wished she could figure out what Christine’s was. She seemed too smart of a girl to be stuck living in a college dorm during the holidays, then working as a housekeeper, of all things. Why, other kids her age were probably off doing exciting things like skiing in the mountains or sunning down in Florida or whatever it was that college kids did these days. More and more it seemed that young people had become a bit of a foreign commodity to her. The last young person to live in her home had been Lenore. And even she’d been something of a mystery. Then, to make matters worse, just consider what her own daughter had done to her. Well, maybe she’d better watch out for herself with Christine. Maybe she just shouldn’t trust young people at all.
    She laid her head back on the pillow and sighed. Still,she had to admit she liked the girl. And despite her misgivings and suspicions, this particular girl had a way of growing on a person. But perhaps that was simply the result of Esther’s temporary handicap. She’d read accounts of victims, people who had been kidnapped by hoodlums, but after a while they learned to love and actually trust their ruthless captors. She thought it was called Stockholm syndrome, but she wasn’t positive. Perhaps that was happening to her with this caregiver or housekeeper or whatever it was she’d been trying to classify Christine as.
    It was hard being needy like this. But, in reality, it wasn’t going to get any better in the coming years. Good grief, she’d be eighty soon. She’d never intended to live this long, to outlive two husbands and wind up all alone like this. She didn’t like feeling so vulnerable and defenseless. And to be so dependent, and to have to rely on a perfect stranger like this. Well, it was downright discomfiting, and she’d be highly relieved when this nonsense was all over and done and she could be back on her own two feet again. Although her doctor had said that wouldn’t be until after New Year’s.
    Despite her worries, Esther smiled to herself in the darkness. She’d been surprised at how easily Christine had interacted with Jimmy’s kids. It was rather sweet, really, and perhaps a sign that the girl wasn’t of a criminal character after all. Didn’t they say that children and animals had good instincts about people? Of