“You’re worried about Zee?”
“She’s my sister.”
“But?”
“I believe I finally caught the spirit of Christmas.”
Sandy moved closer to her brother and Cora. “You did? How?”
“Betty Booterbaw said, ‘No matter who your earthly family is or how they failed you, your heavenly Father will never deny you nor forsake you.’ That made me think about why Jesus was born.”
“ ‘Because he will save his people from their sins,’ ” Sandy recited with a grin.
“Yes,” Cora agreed. She let go of Simon’s arm to reach out and touch his sister’s hand. “He came to those who failed our heavenly Father. He didn’t run away from them but came to them. He went to them. I thought my family had failed me, so I ran away. But it’s time to put the past behind, where it belongs, stop judging and resenting them, and just offer love.”
“And that’s the Christmas spirit?”
Cora chuckled and leaned her head on Simon’s strong chest. “The Christmas spirit is giving what you already have, not going out to find something to buy.”
“But I like to give presents.”
“That’s because you are giving from what you already have. The gift is a symbol of respect, love, honor. And that’s what you have.”
Simon hugged Cora tighter. “You’re a gift to me.”
Sandy made a face. “But I don’t like Zee.”
Simon glanced at his sister. “We don’t like what she does, but that doesn’t mean we stop loving her.”
Cora frowned. “That is going to be hard, very hard.”
“I know you can do it. We’ll help.” He captured her lips once more.
Beside them, Sandy sighed.
“Miss Derrick?” Billy stood at her elbow.
Sandy looked at the server. She waved an admonishing finger in his face and chided him. “You were keeping us here on purpose, weren’t you?”
He grinned. “I knew the Booterbaw sisters had been sent to get Miss Crowder, and if you left, you might pass them as they were coming here.”
“That was very sneaky.” She put her hands over her mouth as she giggled. “I like this ball. I like wizards.”
Billy studied her for a moment. “You have it all figured out, don’t you?”
She nodded.
He presented his arm. “May I escort you to the ballroom? I would very much like to dance with you.”
“Is that allowed?” asked Sandy. “I mean …”
“Is an employee allowed to dance with a guest?” Billy winked. “At the Wizards’ Christmas Ball, Princess Sandy, you can dance with whomever you please. Even a humble servant.”
Sandy giggled. “Do you know the fox trot?”
He nodded. Sandy grabbed his arm and tapped Simon as they passed him and Cora. “Come on, we’re going to monkey and fox trot.”
Billy whispered, “Maybe we can invent the monkey trot.”
Simon looked into Cora’s eyes. “Miss Crowder, will you come to the Wizards’ Ball with me and do the fox trot?”
Doubt etched a grimace on Cora’s face. “Fox trot? You’re going to have to help me with that one too.”
Simon grinned. “My pleasure.”
Acknowledgments
God is so good to give me pushers and prodders, supporters and cheerleaders!
Mary Agius
Jessica Barnes
James Matthew Byers
Evangeline Denmark
Jani Dick
Jack Hagar
Jim Hart
Kathy Hurst
Heidi Likens
Joel Kneedler
Shannon Marchese
Shannon McNear
Carol Reinsma
Faye Spieker
Tiffany and Stuart Stockton
Case Tompkins
Beth and Robert Vogt
Kim Woodhouse
Laura Wright
And a special thanks to Dianna Gay
who swooped in and saved my sanity
About the Author
Donita K. Paul is a retired teacher and the author of numerous novellas, short stories, and nine novels, including the best-selling DragonKeeper chronicles, a series which has sold more than 350,000 copies. The winner of multiple awards, she lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she enjoys the fellowship of other writers and is active in promoting literacy for the next generation.
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