Christmas Awakenings

By Lorelei Confer

Christmas Awakenings 

A compilation of four short, uplifting and Inspiring Christmas stories.

A Star Bright Christmas

A young family can't be late with their mortgage payment again. So, two days before Christmas, at the onset of a blizzard, he goes to town leaving his wife and two young sons alone to endure a blackout on the 24th of December. Will he make it back in time for Christmas?

Christmas Promises

When a young newlywed soldier returns from deployment tells his young wife he has to work Christmas Day she goes ballistic. He'd promised her they would never have to spend another holiday apart. When she finds his things removed from the apartment and instead the furniture and fixtures they hadn't chosen together; she discovers the true meaning of spending the holiday together.

Christmas Salvation

A widower and a younger woman get to know each other better but not until after he accepts the concept that 'life goes by in a flash and you don't want to miss anything'.

A Palm Tree for Christmas

A young family travels from the northeastern United States to the hot sweltering south for a better way of life. Sunny days, sandy beaches, and summer heat. Their dreams are squashed and their surplus of money from the sale of their house dwindles to their last pennies. Until Christmas Eve….. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: WM Publishing
• Release date: Nov 4, 2019
• ISBN: 9781705415221

Lorelei Confer

Amazon bestselling author of romantic suspense, Lorelei Confer, has been writing since the fourth grade. She lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with her husband and AJ, a longhaired Chihuahua, who are both her constant companions.In 2010, her first novel, Deadly Deception was published, the first in the Deadly series. Another series, Saddle Creek, began with the first release, Rustlers and Romance in 2016. This series is set in the shadows of the Grand Teton mountains in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.Mentoring children years ago led to helping aspiring authors set goals, and generally, meet their objective to finish the book. She practices her own discipline every day.After six years as a copy editor and two years as an editor at The Wild Rose Press, she ventured out on her own as an indie author.Sign up for her newsletter at https://www.loreleiconfer.com/subscribe to receive exclusive excerpts and bonus material, receive alerts when books are released, and take part in great giveaways.

Book preview

Dedication

A special thanks to my family for carrying forward traditions of the holiday season and finding the true meaning of Christmas in their hearts and of those around the world.

And as always, thank YOU!

A Star Bright Christmas

Chapter 1 

Two days before Christmas Lisa Williams stood at her kitchen window watching her husband Bill and their two boys, Jake and Chance drag the Christmas tree out of the woods and across the yard to the back porch. She couldn’t help the knowing smile that lifted the corners of her mouth. With their rosy cheeks, runny noses and snow-covered clothes, she could clearly see the evidence of their snowball fights.

As the boys stomped their feet on the outside porch, she heard Bill say, Go on in and ask Mom to get the hot chocolate ready. I’ll be in as soon as I get the tree stand on the bottom of the tree.

She hurried to the door to help the boys out of their snow-covered scarves, mittens and boots, laying their wet clothes by the fireplace to dry. Hurry. Go change into clean clothes while I make a pot of hot chocolate and Jake, please try and help your brother get changed, okay?

She had just set the table when her husband opened the door, dragging the tree inside. The room quickly filled with the scent of fresh air and woodsy pine.

Why does our tree have a hole without any branches on one side? When we looked at it in the woods, I didn’t see it then, Jake the older of the two boys asked.

The tall but scraggly tree looked best with the bare spot turned to the wall as Bill pointed out to his sons. Every Christmas tree has a hole on one side of it so it fits better against the wall. Otherwise, it would stick out in the middle of the room. The reason you didn’t see it in the woods is because you and your brother were trying to kill each other with snowballs and giggling too hard to take a close look.

I think it looks perfect, don’t you Chance?

It sure does Mom, but can I have some hot chocolate, now? jumping up and down, looking toward the stove.

Hon, it really is a beautiful tree but not as beautiful as you. He leaned in to her to nuzzle her neck. She turned to wrap her arms around his neck and kissed his masculine, but soft lips.

I’m just glad my three boys are home. It was way too quiet here for me while you were gone. She rubbed his cold rosy cheeks and ran her fingers through his unruly dark curly hair.

We were only gone a couple hours. Bill held her tight around the waist, so she couldn’t move away from him.

Two hours too many. I like it when we’re all together. You know that, Bill. She gave him another kiss.

Bill kissed her and released his hold on her so she could deliver the much-sought-after-drink.

As they sat around the kitchen table, Lisa asked, So who won the snowball fight?

Both boys looked at their dad while he studied his cup, lifting his laughing eyes to her face only when he lifted his mug to take a sip.

Dad did, Chance finally answered.

That’s what I thought.

THE BOYS, WARMED BY the heat of the kitchen and the fire in the fireplace, had drank their full and were beginning to fade from tiredness. Bill studied his wife’s face.

When we’re finished here, I’m going to get ready and go into town. When I get back I’ll get the tree decorations down from the barn and we’ll trim the tree. How does that sound, boys?

Yeah! Trim the tree. But can we do it now Dad, please? Jake asked.

No, the little bit of snow we got last night is the edge of a bigger storm and I need to get to town to get our Christmas ham at Momma and Pap’s before the storm gets any closer. We’ll have plenty of time when I get back, I promise. as he looked at the concern on his wife’s surprised face.

Why don’t you boys go lie down in your beds and read some Christmas stories? I need to talk to your mother before I leave. Both boys got out of their chairs, kissed and hugged their Dad and ran to their room.

Chapter 2 

"I know what you’re thinking, hon, but you know I have to go. We can’t be late with the mortgage payment again. I think I can make it to town and back before the big storm hits. The old pickup has four good tires and four-wheel drive. It should be able to get through any amount of snow. But if it gets really bad I’ll stay over with Mom and Dad, and come