The Snow Globe
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Prologue171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQvXkepslFO
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Ding Dong, Ding Dong rang out the front doorbell. Its sound resonated throughout the small condo startling the lone woman who peacefully napped in her rocking chair.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFW8JyIc6os
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As Eloise Parker slowly rose from her comfortable seat, she faintly heard a male voice call out “UPS”. Her slow steps leading her to the door, she wondered to herself: “What could it be?” Even with Christmas right around the corner, she wasn’t expecting anything. A widow of three years, she lived alone in the senior community condo she and her late husband retired to fifteen years ago. Since Elmer was gone, she hadn’t passed the holidays with any cheer. In her heart, she held a quiet celebration, but it was never the same now that she was on her own.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6PJf7rKfV
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Truly, Eloise told her grown children, she didn’t want anything for Christmas. She was happy to Skype with them just to see the happily glowing faces of the grandchildren but, as for her, Christmas was a time to silently reflect on the good times of the past--and there were many good times to ponder. She had been happy with Elmer. They had prospered in the bakery they had opened together in the early years of their marriage; there were three children to raise in the upstairs apartment and, when the young ones were away at college and the business sold, a home to retire to in Venice, Florida.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv4J4lK5FgU
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The first Christmas after Elmer had suffered his fatal heart attack, Helen, the eldest of the three children, insisted she return to Cape May, New Jersey to celebrate with the family. A secret plan would have brought her brother, Lawrence, and sister, Mariam, in for a big surprise gathering with the seven grandchildren as a big part of the celebration. When she was offered the round-trip ticket, Eloise refused to accept it. Without her closest companion to enjoy the festivities, there would have been more heartache than joy in the occasion. Three years later and she still could not face a big family holiday without Elmer.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jAFFvjJB1
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The UPS package must be from Helen, Eloise concluded as she trudged toward the door. Well, that’s all right, the elderly woman thought, as she opened the door and reached for the large box with the Amazon smile printed on the side. Perhaps, instead of dwelling on the ghosts of Christmas past, she did need a little cheering up.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm86VEeJuKZ
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Carrying the hefty box back to her rocker, Eloise sat down to examine it before reaching for her scissors to separate the tape holding the top flaps together. Extracting a Styrofoam form, she slit that opened also to reveal a beautiful snow globe with the scene of a Victorian couple on a sleigh ride with a gingerbread trimmed house in the background. It seemed an extravagant gift from her eldest child considering she had asked her not to bother with Christmas presents this year. Reaching her hand into the box again, she was surprised to find a greeting card had not been included. No, it hadn’t fallen out onto the floor either. The gift was a curiosity.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3yOLnAAbx2
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Turning it over in her lap, Eloise slowly twisted the silver key to start the music box. What she heard brought a tear into the corner of her eye. The little tinkling tune brought back a long-hidden memory that tugged at her heart.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTZGZLrREo
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“Have yourself a merry little Christmas171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8hgnDs5e1N
Let your heart be light171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfqYUyCHPx7
From now on our troubles will be out of sight171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpwxDGdhyPy
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Have yourself a merry little Christmas171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXy8BeFt0Eg
Make the Yuletide gay171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFiHSVFGfCH
From now on our troubles will be miles away”171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNj64QBxkqC
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Without even realizing it, her mouth formed the name “Seth”.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzBAIsddeEd
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Leaning back in her rocking chair, Eloise closed her eyes and allowed a small tear to leak from each one of her blue eyes. Seth Durham, she mused to herself as she set the chair to rocking again. How many years had it been since she last thought of that particular name?171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlviBP46HBr
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Long ago and far away, before she married Elmer Parker, Seth Durham had been her beau. Their time together, however short, had been magical. They had longed to stay together but time and distance had driven them apart. When it became apparent they were not meant to be together, she had turned toward her workmate/friend for solace. The next year, she put her feelings for Seth behind her to become Mrs. Elmer Parker.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tJCMcZHz1
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Sure, she had made the best of it, she did love her husband and the children they produced together--but somewhere, lingering in the back of her mind, memories of that magical time with Seth remained.171Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTP4gYlGIS
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