Read Online A Little Christmas Magic by Alison Roberts - Free Book Online Page A

her boyfriend than the children.’
    Emma backed away from the conversation fast. ‘My plans are totally up in the air for next year. I couldn’t commit to anything and Adam hasn’t mentioned the possibility, either. I …’
    The urge to say something more was strong but this wasn’t 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 andwas 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 thenyour 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