Read Online A Treasury of Christmas Miracles by Karen Kingsbury - Free Book Online Page B

Persian kitten, Noel,” Susie said as she looked at the picture. “You want a kitten like that?”
    “Yes, yes, yes,” Noel signed quickly. “Please, Mommy,” she pleaded.
    Later that night Susie and Evan discussed the idea of getting Noel a kitten for Christmas.
    “She’s always loved her stuffed animals,” Susie said as she presented the idea. “Maybe that’s just what she needs right now.
     A pet of her own.”
    “But a white Persian kitten?” Evan asked. “They cost hundreds of dollars, Susie. You know we can’t afford that.”
    Evan was a teacher and Susie worked part-time at Noel’s school. With the cost of their daughter’s special education, they
     were barely able to scrape enough money together to meet monthly needs.
    “I know,” Susie said. “But maybe we could save for the next few weeks and watch the advertisements in the newspaper. Maybe
     there’ll be one for sale that we can afford.”
    Evan thought a moment and sighed. “All right, let’s try it. But don’t say anything to Noel about it. I’d hate to get her hopes
     up.”
    For the next seven weeks Susie scanned the newspapers for white Persian kittens and found none for sale. Finally, a week before
     Christmas, she and Evan decided they had managed to save enough money to purchase such a kitten if only they could find one.
    On December 23, while Noel was still sleeping, Susie opened the newspaper and pored over the classified advertisements. Suddenly
     she gasped out loud.
    “Evan! They’re here. The kittens. ‘Persian kittens, white, $200.’ Can you believe it! We’ve found Noel’s kitten.”
    When Noel was up and playing in the other room, Susie dialed the number listed in the advertisement.
    “Yes,” she said when someone answered the phone. “I’m calling about the white Persian kittens.”
    On the other line Mary Jenkins smiled. “Oh, yes,” she said. “We have a few left and they’re both the same, white kittens with
     gray markings.”
    “Oh.” Susie’s face fell in disappointment, and Noel watched closely trying to read her mother’s lips. “We were looking for
     one that is completely white. It’s for my daughter’s Christmas present.”
    “I see,” Mary said. “Well, there is one kitten that’s completely white. I’ll sell her to you for fifty dollars instead of
     the two hundred, if you’re interested.”
    “I don’t understand,” Susie said, puzzled.“Well”—Mary paused—“the kitten is deaf. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to sell her.”
    Susie began to shake, and for a moment she was unable to speak. Noel entered the room and realized something strange was happening.
     “What, Mommy? What is it?” she began to sign.
    “Are you still there?” Mary asked, breaking the silence.
    “Yes! We’ll be over in half an hour.”
    Susie hung up the phone and called Evan into the room. “Let’s tell her,” she said. “That way we can all go get the kitty together.”
    They explained that they had found a kitten for Noel ... and that even though Christmas was two days away, they wanted Noel
     to have her pet that day.
    Evan, Susie, and Noel met Mary on her front porch and immediately Noel was drawn to the perfect white kitten in the woman’s
     arms. “Snowball,” Noel signed. And gently she took the baby cat in her arms, holding the tiny animal close to her chest.
    Evan and Susie exchanged a glance. “Let’s tell her,” Susie mouthed the words and Evan nodded. Stooping to Noel’s level, Susie
     quickly began moving her hands. “The kitten is a girl kitten, and it’s deaf, Noel. A deaf white Persian kitten.”
    Noel’s face lit up as Susie had never seen it do before. “She’s my kitten, Mommy!” she signed.
    They all smiled and Evan paid Mary for the kitten. As he did, she explained how the other kittens would run and hide when
     she ran the vacuum, but the white kitten seemed unaffected by the noise. Evan and Susie exchanged a knowing glance, remembering
     the days when they