p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"CHAPTER 2/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"1843/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Ebenezer Scrooge sat wrapped in his overcoat, gloves and scarf at his desk. Quickly, efficiently he counted the money before him, sorting it into piles, and making notations in his ledger book./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Cratchit." he muttered under his breath. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"When Bob Cratchit, his faithful associate of 12 years, did not hear or respond to his murmmerings, Scrooge began to shout. "CRATCHIT!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Yes sir, Mr. Scrooge?" Bob said as he wrapped his scarf around his neck even tighter. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Mr. Scrooge was a miser. A penny pincher if ever there was one. He did not heat his offices, only the bare minimum to keep the ink from freezing in it's wells. Bob kept himself wrapped up, wearing many layers of clothing and sitting as close to the poor measly heating stove as he could./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Have you gone deaf as well as silent?" Scrooge spat./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""No sir, Mr. Scrooge. I am deep into the accounts. I must not have heard you."/spanspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"br /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Mmm." Scrooge hummed. "Please send this notice of eviction to this address. They are behind one month in their rent, and I will not tolerate tardiness of payment." With long, skeleton like fingers, he held out the thin white sheet of paper./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Bob had learned many a year ago that leniancy was not something Ebenezer Scrooge cared to know about./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Yes sir." He took the notice from Mr. Scrooge. He cleared his throat. "Shall I wait until after tomorrow, sir?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""No. Why on Earth would you do that?" Scrooge said, glancing up over the round spectacles at the base of his nose./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Well, sir, tomorrow is Christmas. A notice of eviction isn't a very good and proper Christmas tiding, I don't think."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Christmas?" Scrooge asked, as it the date December the 25/spansupspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt; vertical-align: super;"th/span/supspan style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" meant nothing. "Bah. Humbug!" He shouted. "Back to work, Cratchit. The notice will be delivered tomorrow. Please arrange it to be so."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Bob took a deep breath. "Yes Mr. Scrooge." He conceeded, returning to his desk and back to shuffling his papers. "No messengers will be about their business. I'll deliver it myself." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Quite right." Scrooge said, not bothing to look up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Emily would be furious, but it was what it was. Perhaps Bob might bring the unfortunate family a spot of their Christmas dinner as a peace offering. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Some 20 minutes or so later, he glanced up from his work, and outside the window, into the street. The Christmas marketers had set up all along the streets, selling goods and food, fabrics, toys, books, anything you could think of. He longed for the money to go out and buy his children gifts. Peter was nearly a man, 14 years old now. His little Lindy, a lady of 11. And their darling wee Tim, well, today was his birthday. He was 7./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Just as he'd situated their faces in his mind, they appeared before his eyes. Peter, with his dark hair, and warm eyes, Lindy, blonde curls bouncing all around her. Peter walked close by Tim, who leaned heavily on a crutch tucked under his right arm. He'd become ill again, another cold that had infected his lungs. He coughed so fiercely at night that often he gagged until he vomited. Following close behind them was Emily, Bob's wife of nearly 15 years, the mother of those three beautiful, amazing children. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"He'd fallen in love with her so quickly. It was almost frightening. He'd heard of "love at first sight,' but never believed it to be true. That is, until his eyes met Emily's. Long dark hair, soft, milky white skin, blue eyes the color of the sky. Her heart was as beautiful as her face...and she was his. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;"Realizing they were standing in front of Scrooge and Marley Money Lenders, Emily and the children quickly turned to face the window. When Emily's eyes locked with Bob's, she told the children to wave. Daring not to wave back and draw the attention of Mr. Scrooge, Bob simply sat still, admiring his beautiful family. A smile descreetly split his face, and in that moment his heart murmured "Thanks be to God for my family."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""Cratchit what on earth are you staring at?" Scrooge harumphed from his desk./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""I'm sorry, Mr. Scrooge. My family is outside in the market. I was simply admiring God's miracles to me." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""God's miracles. Humbug." He grunted. "Children. Sticky, smelly, squirmy little things."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""My children aren't so little anymore sir." Bob countered. "My eldest son is a man of 14. And my wee boy, Tim, well today is his birthday. He's 7."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""7. I seem to recall he entered this miserable world the day Jacob Marley mercifully departed it." Scrooge responded. Looking up, he glanced out the window. "And your wife..." He said, his eyes landing on Emily. She looked so like her mother. "How does she fare?" He asked with a hint of tenderness./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""She's well sir. I do thank you for asking. She's busy preparing for the Christmas holiday tomorrow."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;""She does so resemble her mother." Scrooge muttered to himself. But Bob had heard. He knew the past. He knew /spanemspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"all /span/emspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"of the past. That's why he'd called Emily, and the family they'd built together, a "miracle." By all rights, a woman like Emily James should not be his wife, but rather his employer. He was blessed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Back to work!" Scrooge exclaimed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"A few moments later, Bob glanced up again, trying to steal a glimpse of his family one last time before they left the marketplace and headed home. As Emily turned, her hand holding tight to Lindy, and Peter tenderly helping Tim with his crutch, she stopped, a forced smile on her face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Fred!" She exclaimed, her cheeks deeply reddened by the cold, and embarrassment. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"br /spanspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""A Merry Christmas to you Emily! And to all your children!" Fred -, Ebenezer Scrooge's nephew proclaimed as he approached them in the street./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Bob's head was down, but his eyes were up, locked on Emily...and Fred. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""How are you? Are you well?" Emily asked, gripping Lindy's hand a little tighter. "And Clara, your dear wife... How is she?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""We are all well Emily." He stopped a few feet from Emily./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Bob knew the past. And he knew the present, but it still didn't stop him from being cautious. Emily had chosen /spanemspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"him/span/emspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;", not /spanemspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Fred/span/emspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;". But Fred's prospects were much greater than Bob's could ever be, and a bacteria of doubt swam in Bob's mind. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""I've come to visit my Uncle." Fred finally said, breaking the silence./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""I've not." Emily said, smiling, and laughing under her breath. "We were just in the market getting the final touches for our Christmas meal tomorrow. Weren't we darlings?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Yes Mother." Peter said, squaring his shoulders. There was no harm in Fred, but Peter was very protective of his mother when his father wasn't around./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""My goodness, how you've all grown!" Fred said, a genuine smile crossing his face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Yes, they're all practically adults now. Peter is 14, he's all but a man. Our Lindy is 11. And our tiny Timmy, he's 7."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""And today is his birthday!" Fred said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small petite four cake wrapped in brown paper. "Happy Birthday lad, and a fair many more to you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Tim looked up at his mother, questions in his eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""It's alright, Timmy, go ahead." Emily said./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Thank you sir! God bless you and merry christmas!" Tim exclaimed, reaching a free hand out and taking the little cake./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""And a merry christmas to you too, young sir." Fred said, standing upright./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Peter, take Tim and Lindy over to that bench," Emily said, pointing to the bench in front of Scrooge and Marley. "Help him to eat his treat."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Mother..." Peter began to protest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Just do it." She commanded./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Yes Ma'am." And with no fuirther questions, Peter did as he was told./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""How is his health?" Fred asked, when finally they were alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""He gets weaker every day. He has another infection in his lungs, his leg withers...he burns with fever more days than not..." She stated frankly, never taking her eyes from the boy./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Is there nothing to be done?" Fred asked, having heard the news that young Tim would die soon./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""No. Nothing." Emily said, looking down into the snow./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""How are you?" Fred asked, pure gentleness in his voice. It was a tone of concern, of friendship, of a love lost long ago./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""As well as I allow myself to be." Emily said, raising her head and smiling. "I wake up every morning, and my sole function is to care for my family. And I love my family, Fred. I love my husband."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""I don't doubt it." Fred said, reaching for her hand. "And I know Bob loves you. But Emily my offer still stands. Let me fund treatment and care for young Tim."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""No." She said, descreetly pulling away./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""You'll let your pride and the pride of your husband keep your son from getting medical care that might save him? Something beyond what poor Doctor Malcom on Henry Street can offer?" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""It isn't pride. It simply isn't your responsibility. I'm no longer yours, Fred. You aren't beholden to me, not for anything. Robert and I make our own way in this world, and we have for 15 years."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Then there was silence. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Finally, Emily shook her head. "Why did you wait so long to marry Clara?" She asked, flatly. "12 years is a long time." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""I suppose I held out hope that one day you'd feel like you'd made a mistake, and come home to me." Emily shook her head. "I could have had your father's debt erased without endentured servitude! Your husband is a slave of my uncle's. And you could have lived in the comfort you deserved."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Fred, no." she pressed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Emily..."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""No Fred. It will never happen. And you don't know what you're talking about. Robert isn't a slave, or a servant. He's gallant, and honorable." A tear fell hard and fast down her cheek. "You have to forget about that life, Fred. It's gone."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Fred stood, solemnly, as if a statue, for a moment before at last swallowing hard and looking away. He'd never love anyone the way he had loved Emily, the way he still loved her. Poor, dear Clara. "If you insist." He finally stated./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""I do, and you know I do. I've always made my own way, Fred. And I found someone to go my own way with." She smiled at her Timmy when he looked up to her. "We've made a good life, Bob Cratchit and I. It isn't glamourous, it isn't decadent. But it is ours. And we are happy in it." She paused and finally locked eyes with Fred. "Stop loving me... I'll only ever be a memory." She watched as his eyes filled with tears. "No tears, Fred. It's Christmas." And just as if darkness became light in an instant, the conversation was over. "Peter, Lindy, Tim. Darlings. It's time to go. We must get the Christmas goose on before Daddy comes home, mustn't we?" She tightened her coat around her waist and smiled. "Merriest of Christmases, Fred. Share my love with your darling wife."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Merry Christmas dear Mrs. Cratchit." Fred managed."Young Tim!" He shouted as the family passed him, and began their journey towards home. Tim turned. "Happy Birthday, lad!"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Thank you Mr. Fred!" Tiny Tim beamed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"Fred locked eyes with Emily's. "Keep tight to your Mother, Peter. The streets aren't safe for a woman."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Yes sir." Peter nodded. And with that the family departed leaving Fred standing in his misery and the snow. He turned, intent to return to his home and lick his wounds in regards to Emily, once again, but spotted the reason for his venturing out and remembered. "Uncle Scrooge." He muttered. Tightening his scarf, he cleared his throat, squared his shoulders and plastered a smile on his face./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Merry Christmas Uncle!" He exclaimed as he stepped through the door. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Christmas? Bah. Humbug!" Mr. Scrooge announced, shaking his head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Merry Christmas, Fred." Bob said, looking up from his chair. /spanspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"br /spanspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;"br /spanspan style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 10.5pt;""Merry Christmas, Bob." he replied, a note of genuine tenderness in his voice. It was hard to dislike the man, when he made Emily so happy. "God Save you."/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="mso-spacerun: 'yes'; font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: SimSun; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 10.5000pt; mso-font-kerning: 1.0000pt;" /span/p