The Miraculous Campfire

By Christian Saints

I opened my eyes to find Don propped up on one elbow, gazing at me with his deep blue eyes. No matter how often I looked into them, I always got lost in their depths. Contrasted with his dark, curly hair, they had caused many girls to long for him. I still can hardly believe I am the one he wants to spend his life with.

I remember the moment he walked into church with his parents, brother and sister way back in elementary school. His mother and sister were beautiful and his brother was classically handsome, but it was Don’s mischievous grin and dark blue eyes that caught my attention.

• Language: English
• Publisher: ilovetoreadandwritebooks
• Release date: Jul 26, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463963869

Book preview

I opened my eyes to find Don propped up on one elbow, gazing at me with his deep blue eyes.  No matter how often I looked into them, I always got lost in their depths.  Contrasted with his dark, curly hair, they had caused many girls to long for him.  I still can hardly believe I am the one he wants to spend his life with.

I remember the moment he walked into church with his parents, brother and sister way back in elementary school.  His mother and sister were beautiful and his brother was classically handsome, but it was Don’s mischievous grin and dark blue eyes that caught my attention.

Our friendship began when he joined the children’s choir.  The boring warm-ups – Me-ee, may-ay, mah-ah, moh-oh, moooo up and down the scales – became very entertaining as the boys in the back row were reprimanded repeatedly for their antics and inattentiveness.  Mrs. Templeton, Dawn whined, Don just pulled my hair.

I had watched for weeks as Don caught flies in the choir loft and tied hair around them, using the hair as leash to harness the insects while the other boys snickered.  I never told on him; in fact, I was the one who would pull a hair out of my own head and hand it back to him, feeling rewarded as he flashed his little half-grin at me.

We roller-skated every week after choir practice.  Don raced around the roller rink, outdistancing everyone but their classmate Joe, and when they held the races, either Don or Joe always won.  I was heavy and a little clumsy, so I moved slowly around the edges, disappearing into the bathroom for the races.

Our summers were spent in local lakes or pools and playing baseball or basketball at each other’s houses. We wound up the days playing tag or Red Rover.  Everyone in our small town was like family, but those of us who attended church together were even closer.  We celebrated each other’s victories and felt each other’s pain.  Sometimes we fought like siblings but we always made up eventually.

As we moved into junior high, then high school, Don had many girlfriends that came and went, but our friendship was constant.  We would get together in the band room with my friend Kylie and Don’s brother Rick and jam on our instruments.  Kylie was an awesome piano player, Don and I both played guitar and trumpet and Rick played bass and saxophone.  Sometimes our friend John would join us on drums, but his girlfriend Dawn was very clingy and resented the time he spent with us unless she was at cheerleading practice.  We began playing regularly at church and at some school dances, often meeting after school to practice.

One afternoon as we wrapped up, Don looked from Kylie to me.  You two are an odd pair, he remarked.

Kylie looked at him quizzically, but I became defensive.  Why?  Because she’s so little and I’m so big?

Don looked puzzled.  No, it’s that Kylie’s so quiet most of the time and you’re so outgoing.  You’re so organized and you’re a born leader, but Kylie’s content to listen to all our ideas then pick one instead of presenting her own. Your hair, eyes and skin are so light and hers are dark.  You’re observant and Kylie doesn’t notice anything unless it hits her in the head.

Hey!  Kylie objected.

You know it’s true, Don told her.  When I got my hair cut you didn’t notice for a week, and then only because Debbie told you.  And that was a lot of hair!

Kylie blushed.  You’re right, she said.  I really don’t notice things like that.

I relaxed and began laughing.  Kylie doesn’t notice outward appearances,  I agreed.  She sees the person inside rather than their clothes or hairstyle.  I raised an eyebrow.  .  "So I’m