Read Online Sleeping through the Beauty by Regina Puckett - Free Book Online Page A

you’ll go?”
    “Don’t sound so surprised, little Brother. I wouldn’t miss your engagement for the world. I do love you. I know I don’t say it often enough, but I do. I want to be there to see your bride-to-be’s happy face.” Phillip leaned forward and rested both elbows on his knees. “She is going to say ‘yes,’ isn’t she?”
    Roger laughed. “Of course. Why wouldn’t she? I’m a good catch. I’m the entire package of good looks and boyish charm. What’s not to love?”
    Phillip chuckled but, at the same time, his heart compressed. Mixed in with the happiness for Roger, there was that nagging thought that an engagement meant he was soon going to lose the only family member he had ever loved. Phillip shooed away the unpleasant notion and refused to let it take root. He loved his baby brother too much to dampen his excitement.
    Phillip managed to sound cheerful. “If we’re going to the dinner, I need to grab a quick shower and a new change of clothes. No one wants to see me in my stern lawyer suit. Its dullness depresses even me. Give me Donna’s address and I’ll meet you there.”
    Two hours later, with a stomach filled to capacity with turkey and dressing, and a dishwasher loaded with dirty dishes, Phillip found himself all alone in a strange, empty kitchen. As soon as the meal had been consumed, Roger had volunteered for the younger folks to do clean-up duty. Of course, they had all agreed and immediately set about ushering Mrs. Briar out of the dining room. Two seconds after the dishes were loaded and the counters wiped, Roger had flashed a grin in his direction and, without a single word, had vanished outside with Donna in tow.
    Roger was probably out there in the freezing temps and falling snow, proposing marriage. With nothing better to do, Phillip headed in the direction of the living room in search of Mrs. Briar. At first , it appeared as if no one was in the room. The only light emanating from the room was coming from a television set. Since he had never been in the house before, he was at a loss about what to do next. He stood poised in the doorway, trying to decide if he should enter, or go back to the empty kitchen and wait for Roger and Donna to come back inside.
    While indecision kept Phillip rooted in the doorway, he absentmindedly focused on what was playing on the television. It appeared to be a home movie of the Briar ’s recorded from an earlier Christmas celebration. A much younger Donna and another girl were both sitting on the floor by a brightly decorated Christmas tree. An older man kept moving in and out of the camera range, handing out gifts, and then heading back behind the tree to refill his arms with more presents.
    The smiling, self-appointed Santa was dressed in a faded blue bathrobe. His face was creased in a wide smile as he went joyfully about his duties. Both of the young girls giggled as they unwrapped each gift. The young version of Donna had much longer hair and it was pulled up into a tangled ponytail. She looked happier than he had ever seen her.
    Phillip didn’t recognize the other girl in the home movie. Even though her long blonde hair was a tangled mess, she still looked very much like she could have been the angel that had just fallen from the Christmas tree top. Both girls were still in their disheveled bedclothes. It was like watching a scene straight out of a Hollywood Christmas movie. Everyone was teasing each other and laughing. It was just as he had always envisioned Christmas to be with real families.
    When Donna finally called the robed man “Daddy” it became clear why Mrs. Briar was sitting in the dark on the anniversary of her husband’s death with only an old movie for company. As soon as Phillip realized what he was intruding on, he turned to leave, but Mrs. Briar must have seen him lingering in the doorway, because she called out, “Please stay. I can turn this off.”
    Phillip wavered between leaving and staying, but good manners