A Christmas Wedding

Alison had tears in her eyes. I took her hand, led her away from the room, out of earshot. ‘Cara and Fitz were in love,’ I said. ‘They were ready to be engaged when Rusty…Cara had to leave the country when she found out she was pregnant, because her family—you—wouldn’t help her.’ Alison had the decency to look ashamed. ‘She was alone in a foreign country, had to juggle work with the duties of taking care of a baby. But she handled it. She persevered, then she prospered. Things were looking up. She was moving on with her life, but then she got leukaemia. Life has really not been fair to her. You can help give her a second chance at life, at happiness.’ Alison nodded. ‘Okay.’ By that, I understood that she would be willing to donate her bone marrow if it turned out to be a match. I hoped she would keep her word. *** A month later. Winter came early this year. Streets and buildings in Lisbern were draped in a heavy coat of snow. There were still some flurries today, but Fitz decided that