Parson Clay's Christmas Pup: A Wyldhaven Series Christmas Romance Novella

by Lynnette Bonner

  Kin scrunched his eyes shut. He’d done it now. There would be no getting out of this now—especially considering the parson seemed like he was through putting up with his drinking.

  Kin flopped back onto the bed, but he only laid there for a couple seconds before the call of nature pressed for his attention. He sat up and scrubbed a hand over his face. Whooee! He could really stand some time with his toothbrush, too.

  Chapter 2

  After breakfast PC declared that the dishes could soak in the sink for a few minutes. He took the chair by the fireplace and urged Kin and Tommy to sit on the settee.

  But Kin knew what came next, and he had presents of his own to retrieve. He motioned for PC to give him a moment and then stepped into his room. From the bottom of his clothing chest, he withdrew two small packages then returned to the main room and took his seat next to Tommy.

  This year there was no tree. Mostly because PC had been so sick and only recuperated a couple days ago, and because Kin hadn’t thought of it. But neither he or PC needed a tree, and Tommy didn’t seem to miss it either. Had the poor simple-minded man ever had a tree on Christmas? They didn’t know much about how Tommy was raised. He’d come to live with them when the outlaw gang he lived with had all been arrested.

  Kin rubbed his palms down his denims. He should have thought of getting a tree. Tommy ought to have a tree.

  PC cleared his throat and lifted his big brown Bible. Like he’d done every Christmas since Kin came to live with him, he read the Christmas story from the book of Luke.

  Kin listened, but just like always, he found the story a bit implausible. Sure, the parson believed it was all true, and Kin had sat through enough sermons to understand the gist of the message conveyed. He believed in God, he really did. And he believed God had plans for good men like the parson, Sheriff Reagan, Marshal Zane, Deputy Joe, or even simple-minded Tommy. But God didn’t need a washout failure of a fellow like him.

  The parson had preached a sermon not long ago about how the Bible declared that Moses and Abraham were both called friends of God, and how every person could be too. But Kin had no doubt in his mind…he was no friend of God. He doubted that the good Lord even knew who he was, except maybe to mark down another checkmark in the “failed” column next to his name.

  PC snapped the Bible shut, and Kin realized his mind had wandered.

  Beside him, Tommy rocked in excitement, hands pressed together between his knees. “Baby Jesus w-was b-born on C-Christmas!”

  The parson smiled softly at him. “That’s right. He was, Tommy. And why was he born?”

  Tommy thought for a moment. “To d-die so our bad stuff d-don’t c-count.”

  PC nodded. “That’s right, Tommy. Anytime you do something you know you shouldn’t, all you have to do is ask God, and He will forgive you.”

  “Tommy p-pray.”

  “That’s right. And praying is just talking to God like you are talking to me right now.” The parson grazed Kin with a glance.

  He pressed his lips together and fiddled with the string tied around his top package. He was no fool. He could tell when PC was really speaking to him even though the words were directed at Tommy.

  Prayer might be good for some people, but he was tough enough to make it on his own.

  “W-we get p-presents now?” Tommy grinned hopefully.

  PC chuckled and teased, “Presents? What presents?”

  Tommy wasn’t fooled. He laughed. “T-those ones in the b-brown paper!”

  Even Kin couldn’t withhold a smile.

  The parson looked over at him. “What do you think, Kin? Should we open presents now or later when we get back from the Callahan’s?”

  “Hmmmm…” Kin rubbed his chin pretending to be deep in thought.

  Beside him, Tommy laughed all the more. He pounded his fists on his knees. “N-now!”

  Kin shrugged one shoulder. “I think Tommy’s vote counts for more than yours and mine. I guess we have to do it now.”

  PC nodded. “Seems so.”

  “Yay!” Tommy thrust his hands in the air.

  PC reached for the smaller of the two packages by his side. He handed it to Tommy. “All right, Tom-Tom. Open this one.”

  Tommy gleefully tore into the paper without bothering to untie the string. Inside was a wooden box with a couple of drawers. The top lid of the box was hinged along the back edge. At first Tommy looked perplexed, but then he lifted the lid. “P-paints!” he exclaimed, dropping the lid back into place and clutching the package to his chest like a toddler hugging a kitten.

  Kin grinned. He was glad he and PC had agreed together on what they should get Tommy. He lifted his package for Tommy. “And this is for you too.”

  “Another?!” Tommy tossed his set of paints down on the settee next to him, and snatched the package Kin held out. The paper on this package didn’t last any longer than the other. “P-papers!”

  Helping him finger one of the pages, Kin said, “It’s special heavy paper so you can paint on it.”

  “I l-love it!” Tommy suddenly had tears in his eyes. “I ain’t n-never g-got no p-presents on C-Christmas before.”

  Kin felt his jaw go slack. He exchanged a look with PC, wishing he had spent more money to get Tommy a few more presents.

  PC seemed just as taken aback. Silence hung heavy in the room before he finally said, “Well, Christmas isn’t all about the presents that we get, is it, Tommy?”

  Tommy shook his head. “It’s about Jesus b-being b-born.”

  “That is right. And now that you have Kin and me, we’ll make sure you get a present each Christmas.”

  “Tommy l-like that.” With a huge grin on his face, Tommy stroked his fingers over both his gifts, first one and then the other.

  PC had a soft look about his eyes. “I know you do. Now… Should we let Kin open his present? Or do you think I should take his back to the store?”

  Tommy laughed. “K-Kin likes p-presents too.”

  Batting Tommy with the back of his hand, Kin pretended to take Tommy’s presents from him. “That’s right, I sure do. In fact, I think I like your presents!”

  Grinning as he hugged his paint and paper close, Tommy turned his back on Kin. “N-no, Kin! Y-you get y-your own p-presents!”

  Lowering his volume, Kin leaned close to Tommy and eyed the parson across the room. “You think PC got me something good?”

  Tommy giggled uproariously. “Y-you have to open it to f-find out.”

  Kin and PC exchanged a smile and then the parson handed over the parcel. It was a little smaller than the one Tommy had gotten. Flexible, yet firm. Likely a book of some kind.

  But there was something resigned about the pinched-lip look PC gave him.

  Kin felt caution rise up inside him.

  He slowly tugged the bow of the pink and white string off the package, then pressed the paper open. Inside lay a leather-bound book with the words Holy Bible pressed into the front cover.

  Kin swallowed and ran his hand over the smooth leather. How much had such a beautiful book cost the parson? More than Kin was worth, and that was certain. Especially since it wasn’t likely a gift he would ever use. But because the parson had given it to him and he knew the book meant a lot to the man, he would value it and take it with him. “Thank you. It’s beautiful.”

  The parson planted his elbows against his knees, clasped his hands, and studied the space between his feet. “I know you think you don’t need it. But I pray there will come a day when your eyes will be opened, and that you’ll find life in those pages.”

  “Yes, sir.” And now it was time to get them on a different subject before he had to sit through more of a lecture. “Here.” He handed over the other package that still remained by his side.

  The parson gave him a look that indicated he knew Kin was avoiding the subject, but he seemed willing to let the matter slide. He turned his focus to the gift.

  Kin pressed his lips together as the Parson slowly unwrapped it. Was he going to
like it?

  He had purchased it months ago after saving up all the money he had earned last summer by selling Dixie Griffin fish for her boardinghouse.

  “Well, I’ll be…” PC reached into the box and pulled out the first of the books, An American Commentary on the Book of Matthew. He blinked a couple of times.

  Kin motioned to the box. “There’s a whole set.”

  “I see that. This is very thoughtful of you Kin. Thank you so much.”

  Kin nodded. “Heard you mention to Marshall Zane that you would like to have a set. Jerry Hines ordered them special. All the way from New York City.”

  Beside Kin, Tommy squirmed. “Only b-books? Tommy n-not like b-books.”

  PC chuckled. “Well it’s a good thing this gift wasn’t for you then, isn’t it? Want to go paint at the table?”

  Tommy hopped up from the settee. “Tommy like to p-paint!”

  Kin exchanged another smile with PC and set to gathering up the paper wrappings while PC settled Tommy at the table and helped him understand how to use the new watercolor set.

  The parson settled one hand on Tommy’s shoulder. “Just for a little bit, all right? As soon as Kin and I get the kitchen cleaned up we’ve been invited to spend the day with the Callahan’s.”

  Kin sighed as he tucked the brown paper into the bin by the fireplace. He had forgotten momentarily that he had promised Mrs. Callahan he would come and eat Christmas lunch with them. And then when PC had been prevented from going back east to be with his family, they had invited him also. He supposed if PC was going to be there, it would be less trying than if he went on his own. He always appreciated how the town of Wyldhaven made him feel like he belonged, but that didn’t lessen his feeling of awkwardness whenever he was invited to someone’s family event. It was a constant reminder that he was an orphan with no family of his own.

  Well—he glanced to the kitchen where PC had set to washing up the dishes—no one other than PC. But he didn’t really count as a pa, since he was only a few years older than Kin. A big brother, then.

  Kin grinned. A big brother who was glowering at him because he hadn’t pitched in to help yet. “Coming,” he called.

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