THE WORTH OF ONE - A CHRISTMAS STORY 

By Tessa Harvey

    The younger child already had her head lowered to support her brother and protect herself, but as the doctor rustled through his notes, he felt the boy move. He looked up over his funny round glasses. The boy was looking straight at him!
    Startled, Melissa jerked up. Both children had the same astonishing deep blue eyes like a Swedish lake reflecting a clear summer sky.
    "Where is your mother?" interrupted Anna, the young doctor. Melissa looked down, Jacob allowed his eyes to drift mindlessly, staring at the off-white paint of the wall. Arthur sighed. Perhaps he had imagined it, but he had seen clear intelligence in the boy's eyes.
    The children were able to leave and join the other two new arrivals. Maureen, the principal watched them drift toward a small cluster of trees, dressed in shining, fresh new leaves. Mrs. Smith was moving to interrupt them, but Maureen cleverly distracted her. She wanted to catch up with the hard-working woman anyway and then check with Dr. Phelps.
    Three of the children were talking animatedly and as they moved out of sight of adults, Jacob joined in occasionally, haltingly half-afraid. Augustus felt in his jeans pockets and eventually amongst the fluff, sweet wrappers, bits of string, a small blunt penknife, produced a partially chewed rubber ball.

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