Chapter 9 (µÚ2/2Ò³)
ys away.
"Landon," so me after ting it up, "this is a miracle!¡±
"; I asked. I knely was.
"t t in ts acked i little piles all over t all quarters and dimes. c table, ing urned he sound of her voice.
"Do you ts enoug; I asked ily.
Little tears believing of er t been nearly t at me.
"Its . . . ; sion t;Last year, I only collected seventy dollars.¡±
"Im glad it better t; I said t . "If you placed t so early in t not ed nearly as much.¡±
I kno I didnt care. For o to do.
I didnt toys-I figured ster a I go o tmas Eve so t I could be ts.
"Please, Landon," sed and all, I just didnt to turn her down.
So ter, y at toot and my best tie and o my moms car be my last feer because t o get exactly t person to shop for.
I o be at t seven, but ty port, and I o until an outbound freigs , I arrived a fees late. t door time, and I o pound on it until Mr. Jenkins finally of keys until one, and a moment later epped inside, patting my arms to he chill.
"A; ;eve been ing for you. , Ill take you to where everyone is.¡±
o t a moment to exhale deeply before finally heading in.
It ter than Id imagined.
In ter of t tree, decorated insel and colored lig s. Beree, spread in all dires, s of every size and sting close toget clote collared ss, , and most of t.
On table beside tters of cookies, smas trees and sprinkled s sitting ting on ts laps, t tention as teo " t Before Cmas.¡±
I didnt see Jamie, t least n. It . Sory, and I finally located ting on t of tree beh her.
to my surprise, I sa tonig as it of tead of times, ser t someuated t blue eyes. Even sparkles in e flo of ing. it even notig it, Id bee tain trol.
Jamie paused only oo look up from tory. Siced me standing in t back to reading to t took e or so to finisood up and smoot, to make o knoo go, I stayed where I was.
By then Mr. Jenkins had slipped away.
"Im sorry arted you," s;but t so excited.¡±
"Its okay," I said, smiling, thinking how nice she looked.
"Im so glad you could e.¡±
"So am I.¡±
Jamie smiled and reaco lead t; ; she said.
" ts.¡±
e spent t t, and cos t ts t Jamie boug t some tossed around ted frenzy, t every least, it seemed t all of ted, and t thanking Jamie over and over.
By time t tled and all ts mospo calm doidied up by Mr. Jenkins and a , and some of to fall asleep beree. Some of to ts, and ts on t tree lig a;Silent Nig; played softly on a p up in till sitting on t to Jamie, alk, not t eit ts on tree, and I rutold, I didnt kno sender look about -no,I k Cmas Eve Id ever spent.
I gla s gloy as anyone Id ever seen.
"I boug; I finally said to ;A gift, I mean." I spoke softly so I tle girl, and I would he nervousness in my voice.
Surned from tree to face me, smiling softly. "You didnt o do t." S oo, and it sounded almost musical.
"I kno; I said. "But I ed to." Id kept t off to one side, and I reac, -o her.
"Could you open it for me? My no; S ttle girl, to me.
"You dont o open it no," I said, s;its really not t big of a deal.¡±
"Dont be silly," s;I in front of you.¡±
to clear my mind, I looked at t and started opening it, pig at tape so t it make mucil I reacer setting to ted t ter, up to s I figured she could use a new one.
pared expect mu.
"See, ts all. I told you it muc; I said. I disappointed in it.
"Its beautiful, Landon," sly. "Ill t time I see you. thank you.¡±
e sat quietly for a moment, and once again I began to look at ts.
"I brougoo," Jamie finally ree, and my eyes folloill beree, partially and, and I reac. It angular, flexible, and a little it to my lap and t even trying to open it.
"Open it," s at me.
"You t give to me," I said breat believe remble.
"Please," so me voice Id ever ;open it. I you to .¡±
Relutly I slo gently, afraid to damage it. I stared at it, mesmerized, and sloed .
I gla knoo say.
Jamie had given me her Bible.
"t you did," so me. "It Cmas Ive ever had.¡±
I turned a responding and reay glass of punc;Silent Nig; ill playing, and took a sip to soot. As I drank, all times Id spent o my mind. I t about t s nig about t about times Id he orphans.
As t still. I looked at Jamie, to t to keep my posure, to Jamie again. S me and I smiled at h a girl like Jamie Sullivan.
¼ÇסÊÖ»ú°æÍøÖ·£ºwap.966xs.com
ys away.
"Landon," so me after ting it up, "this is a miracle!¡±
"; I asked. I knely was.
"t t in ts acked i little piles all over t all quarters and dimes. c table, ing urned he sound of her voice.
"Do you ts enoug; I asked ily.
Little tears believing of er t been nearly t at me.
"Its . . . ; sion t;Last year, I only collected seventy dollars.¡±
"Im glad it better t; I said t . "If you placed t so early in t not ed nearly as much.¡±
I kno I didnt care. For o to do.
I didnt toys-I figured ster a I go o tmas Eve so t I could be ts.
"Please, Landon," sed and all, I just didnt to turn her down.
So ter, y at toot and my best tie and o my moms car be my last feer because t o get exactly t person to shop for.
I o be at t seven, but ty port, and I o until an outbound freigs , I arrived a fees late. t door time, and I o pound on it until Mr. Jenkins finally of keys until one, and a moment later epped inside, patting my arms to he chill.
"A; ;eve been ing for you. , Ill take you to where everyone is.¡±
o t a moment to exhale deeply before finally heading in.
It ter than Id imagined.
In ter of t tree, decorated insel and colored lig s. Beree, spread in all dires, s of every size and sting close toget clote collared ss, , and most of t.
On table beside tters of cookies, smas trees and sprinkled s sitting ting on ts laps, t tention as teo " t Before Cmas.¡±
I didnt see Jamie, t least n. It . Sory, and I finally located ting on t of tree beh her.
to my surprise, I sa tonig as it of tead of times, ser t someuated t blue eyes. Even sparkles in e flo of ing. it even notig it, Id bee tain trol.
Jamie paused only oo look up from tory. Siced me standing in t back to reading to t took e or so to finisood up and smoot, to make o knoo go, I stayed where I was.
By then Mr. Jenkins had slipped away.
"Im sorry arted you," s;but t so excited.¡±
"Its okay," I said, smiling, thinking how nice she looked.
"Im so glad you could e.¡±
"So am I.¡±
Jamie smiled and reaco lead t; ; she said.
" ts.¡±
e spent t t, and cos t ts t Jamie boug t some tossed around ted frenzy, t every least, it seemed t all of ted, and t thanking Jamie over and over.
By time t tled and all ts mospo calm doidied up by Mr. Jenkins and a , and some of to fall asleep beree. Some of to ts, and ts on t tree lig a;Silent Nig; played softly on a p up in till sitting on t to Jamie, alk, not t eit ts on tree, and I rutold, I didnt kno sender look about -no,I k Cmas Eve Id ever spent.
I gla s gloy as anyone Id ever seen.
"I boug; I finally said to ;A gift, I mean." I spoke softly so I tle girl, and I would he nervousness in my voice.
Surned from tree to face me, smiling softly. "You didnt o do t." S oo, and it sounded almost musical.
"I kno; I said. "But I ed to." Id kept t off to one side, and I reac, -o her.
"Could you open it for me? My no; S ttle girl, to me.
"You dont o open it no," I said, s;its really not t big of a deal.¡±
"Dont be silly," s;I in front of you.¡±
to clear my mind, I looked at t and started opening it, pig at tape so t it make mucil I reacer setting to ted t ter, up to s I figured she could use a new one.
pared expect mu.
"See, ts all. I told you it muc; I said. I disappointed in it.
"Its beautiful, Landon," sly. "Ill t time I see you. thank you.¡±
e sat quietly for a moment, and once again I began to look at ts.
"I brougoo," Jamie finally ree, and my eyes folloill beree, partially and, and I reac. It angular, flexible, and a little it to my lap and t even trying to open it.
"Open it," s at me.
"You t give to me," I said breat believe remble.
"Please," so me voice Id ever ;open it. I you to .¡±
Relutly I slo gently, afraid to damage it. I stared at it, mesmerized, and sloed .
I gla knoo say.
Jamie had given me her Bible.
"t you did," so me. "It Cmas Ive ever had.¡±
I turned a responding and reay glass of punc;Silent Nig; ill playing, and took a sip to soot. As I drank, all times Id spent o my mind. I t about t s nig about t about times Id he orphans.
As t still. I looked at Jamie, to t to keep my posure, to Jamie again. S me and I smiled at h a girl like Jamie Sullivan.
¼ÇסÊÖ»ú°æÍøÖ·£ºwap.966xs.com