Anna J. Stewart

Christmas, Actually


Скачать книгу

made excuses to avoid spending time with her.

      If only she’d taken the hint then.

      “I think it was just before...oh, I know. The week my children got out of school, end of May.” Dr. Everly guided Sophie toward a table with punch and cookies set out on plates stamped with The Tea Pot’s logo. “He’d hate us discussing him.”

      “I didn’t mean to.” Maybe her desperation, even for her baby, didn’t make snooping acceptable, but at last his story was starting to make sense.

      They both sipped punch, and Dr. Everly introduced her to members of the hospital staff, who’d also brought their children to the event.

      Everyone sang. When a small group of pajama-and-robe-clad children began to recite “’Twas the Night Before Christmas,” the festivities had started. Nurses and doctors drifted among the little knots of young patients, passing out treats and punch. Sophie joined in. Even her own little girl seemed to understand she was at a party. The fluttery sensations intensified, lending Sophie strength and smothering her guilt over badgering Dr. Everly.

      The carolers offered a few more selections until the children began to fidget, growing impatient for the big arrival. Sophie couldn’t blame them. What little child hadn’t firmly feared Santa would never come?

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEBLAEsAAD/4RKoRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUA AAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAAagEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAUAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAhodp AAQAAAABAAAAnAAAAMgAAAEsAAAAAQAAASwAAAABQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIDcuMAAyMDE0OjEw OjEzIDA5OjQwOjE5AAAAAAOgAQADAAAAAQABAACgAgAEAAAAAQAABkugAwAEAAAAAQAACgAAAAAA AAAABgEDAAMAAAABAAYAAAEaAAUAAAABAAABFgEbAAUAAAABAAABHgEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAIBAAQA AAABAAABJgICAAQAAAABAAARegAAAAAAAABIAAAAAQAAAEgAAAAB/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAgEASABI AAD/7QAMQWRvYmVfQ00AAf/uAA5BZG9iZQBkgAAAAAH/2wCEAAwICAgJCAwJCQwRCwoLERUPDAwP FRgTExUTExgRDAwMDAwMEQwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwBDQsLDQ4NEA4OEBQO Dg4UFA4ODg4UEQwMDAwMEREMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDP/AABEI AIAAUQMBIgACEQEDEQH/3QAEAAb/xAE/AAABBQEBAQEBAQAAAAAAAAADAAECBAUGBwgJCgsBAAEF AQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHCAkKCxAAAQQBAwIEAgUHBggFAwwzAQACEQMEIRIxBUFRYRMi cYEyBhSRobFCIyQVUsFiMzRygtFDByWSU/Dh8WNzNRaisoMmRJNUZEXCo3Q2F9JV4mXys4TD03Xj 80YnlKSFtJXE1OT0pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vY3R1dnd4eXp7fH1+f3EQACAgECBAQDBAUGBwcG BTUBAAIRAyExEgRBUWFxIhMFMoGRFKGxQiPBUtHwMyRi4XKCkkNTFWNzNPElBhaisoMHJjXC0kST VKMXZEVVNnRl4vKzhMPTdePzRpSkhbSVxNTk9KW1xdXl9VZmdoaWprbG1ub2JzdHV2d3h5ent8f/ 2gAMAwEAAhEDEQA/ANm+AxlW6W+rU2HCGw0+p+b+7tUMtz32ENEvrbJk6bnHY2Wt/eb9BM73OoDf dL37d3htj6Xu+goNdtBusbLNwktJ3mtp2enX/X+mxXaadpukXUnMN117RTXY1wsfE2WBzGspa521 7NvqV++tiLnvx6z9orua3HeS6WlhPqe7fUbJc79H+k+n6P0FdzcC7IycXJoGJbjUsacc2WONjHRY Kn0e5jKtu7F/8EWfl0ZmCx9eN9mouvxzZfbVY4Nfef8ACXseba7KPzf9Kq4yHi/YzGA4f2qbdQI2 XMYBMkvBOvdrQfZt2vRnZGFWQ0WscB3DwCOd0z+d7He9VbXZgZYfWpD3MrNO+D7tftDbBTsd6f0P S2/+BqDrs46epjsO+sNeXzNY/pXqN2/o7Pbuo2f+i1Mxth+RjAuPrM2kaGWzJ8WT7vpIT78baDub IPtG8bY2+Ij3O3sTMsyBbcHuosq9Rga5rjuNIe8372u/wzsf02Vf8IhtOSbsdrn1PbvmzYSCGkDb 7v8ASN/8+el/UTgfBBHiu1h/R2SNlji1jgZkxI/6LlBpLLfUIBDtYdrBPi1XMnIZU8PYwFvtBcZc Wg7WbmOb/hP5aBexobTaBLmkbp1B03hh2/1U4S7jdYY9jswn+QfvST+zwH3JJ2nZFHu//9DWyx6N jG+o7aAdwJkt3+x1m36Xub7lG9xrx/tFbLhjMc0OtmGiTH6J2nqf9b9RZH7V6kx4ucYd++5syI27 Pe3btUbur52RcL8qwX2NADfUALdP+Cj09rv3PoK4TKtKWDk5dSHab9azVi014+FjWCshrrbn6kAz 6m2qvbv9jPovQx17Iz7XUt6bjNsvqFTQy0RpDvaDV73bW7dn/be9ZrOvdRrsNtbqxa4EbxVXoD+6 309rUO3q2ba99ljmiy0BtrmtawvaNp2v9NrfzmNcoRjld6MnsSqrDuuZdTubZhMYS07CSyHE/vn0 2/vocWlw341RH0S7c0t2+7+Ru/O/8EVGrrv1htYTXc61m5tbgGtMuIdY3c3b7vZW9Bs6n1gMLrGu DdpsksEBjvZvb7fo+5TAnrv4MZ5SV6SH4um4XMeHNxavTLtPe3j+Tubu3s+motbcxlFpx62DeGGH CAR/Y/O2/wDgSpOzeuSH6ucRUQ8QS4PH6Kuv2/y/fW3+aUHdR621gcWubWBv+gNv+kFjvb/KStH3 WfeP4umA52PbsBdIIDWAdjv+j/ZQhZ6ldFTZgvlrzqP6rf6v0v8Ai1nDr/VP9L2cOGwA76QjaoDr XUA5jw8B9ZBa6GyIGz939xO4vBX3Of7wd3bZ4N/zkljft/P8W/c3/wAgkhfgr7rk/ei//9EOM1+P kXOytKgHMukz6hP0GtH+E3fTVPgSeVcZYzqDG1WkNymCKrOzx+47+UlVh+yxtrD6zSAB3aJOrdf8 J+8rV92zbTBkhIEEgWODWz7nGdB3PtTPcWOIa7cASAdYP3o1eNZaGhu5z7K/VbWNu4s9zd4b/Kcz 2f8AW/8ASIpbxZXVYK6cjJoqtc6sVljg5peWPdiFu39LYxrqfW2/zn6NVvtTP0tTsqy0mjbUxweI sO1z52f4Kllf57Pof8Wrht6u5jWGmIe0sD2NAbt9HZusfb+jpaxlP03/APGKu63qrmvrdjvIt0eP TGhgtd/hv0W7/Cf6ZBaxry22YrNmRey1h9S57C9zRu/SvefzWubbu/8AP3rfo0hdi2kM/aF5reA6 0OYdD9FrXtbu37G/noRycq3LDdp+0XWU2MrDGiLWt24trW7/AG/orfz/ANH+k/SI7/2oS/8AQmGP g1sa3ZugtD21et72bP8ACfQ2Pp/0lSSWpYKQW+g4ubtaSXc7o/SDhv5yGeVdbiZWY594rdvf7i0B rZJmG1M3fSdt2en/AKT2Ko9u1xaQQRyHRM/2ZTgVKSTSPFJJL//So5DMPGvFNhfuO4isnWGA2fmN D/otWpdi5NV11Oe1rrcM1F1rXFhY3In0Xeoz8z2f+lFRr6dk19QsORUbrrqQBdaHM32tbOQ2dz/U +m3+a9mxn82xaP1zDHddbjOdFlwpMRA2hn6TdbPtaxlbnIS5ifQAsoyaHi+lb8VuJk/Z66TkWWtr b7trQJHsO1/p8us2fnPVrGFzPQ+zZzQ29hczaW7hWJM3D3enVvrftbc/+wsJ17s9mVa8S7If9kw2 Ahprrr/Tb3fSbVTTR7dn/al9tvv/AEajZlVYVDsTGEMEb3HTe/b77LP+n6bHf4H+a/TJwzTrWvsZ xjNUfm69ncN9rM+rp7M8+veCam1kPB9WX5G+wfQ9T6dm9Bzc67pz/seVm2Vvgv8ATA3M5nd6v0XO 3e9Z+F0jqr6mdec80Oa4OxCWl5cT7N9oHuZQ799y6jGxcbrOLv6rTXZex2mnDIlmn8lzrE08xIHY EeSDDpbkvyrWV1dR+1WFm6BlNZ7m+kRdvf8An7a7Heyx3/pNAr60xrm0Nzbmm5rXN