Christmas Story of Hope and Faith
Mabel and her mother Teresa were not very well-to-do. They lived in an old cottage with only a room, bath, and a tiny kitchen. Their home ‘Rumbling Stones’ was at the edge of the river, near the small wood.
Mabel’s father had left them when she was just two years of age and since then, Teresa had been her mother and father. Mabel was now eight years old but could not go to the village school because of the fees.
Her mother had taught her to read and write. Both mother and daughter used to make soft toys and sold them at the local bazaar, but hardly made both ends meet.
Every year, they had managed to celebrate Christmas somehow or the other but this year there was no money to buy even a small Christmas Tree. This was because in October Teresa had been taken ill and all the money saved up for Christmas was spent on buying medicines and some fruits for her.
It was mid-December now, and there was hardly enough savings to get them through the New Year. “Mabel dear, we won’t be able to get a Christmas Tree this year. I am so sorry” spoke Teresa sadly. “I know Mom, it doesn’t matter. We will pray to the Lord, and he will help us celebrate this festive month with whatever we have”.
Christmas arrived and ‘Rumbling Stones’ looked gloomy without a tree. Somehow Teresa had got together the things needed to bake a small Christmas Cake and had made a dress for her daughter with the material a kind lady in the village had given her because her daughter did not like its colour. The dress in blue looked nice on Mabel. Teresa had decided to wear the one good dress she had, which she wore every year.
They were sitting quietly talking of years gone by, “When your dad was here, we had a fabulous Christmas. I know he will come back to us, and we will see the good old days again”. “I have no hope, Mom. Dad’s been gone for six years now.” Just then there was a loud knock on the door and when Mabel opened it, she saw a lovely Christmas tree outside.
“Mum, there’s a lovely tree here! Come and see”. Teresa came to the door and was shocked to see her husband Fabian standing at one side.
“How are you Terry darling?” he said and came inside. His wife was struck dumb with happiness. “Oh! Fabian, I missed you so much! Why did you leave us?” “I do not know how to apologize to you. I did not want to waste my time doing odd jobs and not making enough to keep you in a lovely home. I got too fed up with life one day and left. I had every intention of coming back, darling”.
Mabel hugged her father “How do you like your new tree, Mabel?” asked her father. “It is perfect, daddy. You know this year we had no
Fabian sat with his wife and daughter drinking hot chocolate and telling them about the six years, he had spent without them. At first, he went to the big town nearby and did odd jobs. When he had collected enough, he went overseas and there, he found a kind old man who offered him a job as the ranch manager.
Now the old man had died and since he had no family, he had left everything – his mansion, ranch, farm, stable, jewellery and all his bank balance to Fabian whom he had loved as his own.
“I am going to take you dear wife to your big house where you will have people to do your bidding and sweet Mabel will go to the best school there.”
They had a wonderful time and the Christmas Tree glittered and glimmered as if telling both Mabel and Teresa that from now on there will only be brightness and happiness in their lives.
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Photo by Dan LeFebvre on Unsplash
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash