A Treasury of Christmas Miracles by Karen Kingsbury

Austin’s hair. “Austin has quite an imagination lately.” He looked
     at Stella. “I guess we didn’t know exactly how much.”
    “Anyway,” the woman said, “he seemed to know where he was going.”
    Stella nodded, paying little attention to the women. She swept the boy into her arms and thanked the women once more for their
     help. Then, fresh tears of relief streaming down her cheeks, she and Burt drove off to share the good news with the police
     and the others.
    They were at the end of the street when Burt hit the brakes. “How thoughtless of me—I should have offered those women a ride
     home. It’s freezing outside.”
    He did a U-turn and headed back down the block, but the women were gone. Stella checked her watch. Not even two minutes had
     passed since they had left the women, but now as she and Burt looked up the street, there was no one in sight.
    “That’s strange,” she muttered aloud. “No one could walk that fast. I wonder where they went.”
    “Let’s keep looking,” Burt said. “Maybe if we drive the length of the street we’ll find them resting somewhere.”
    For ten minutes Burt and Stella drove back and forth on the street looking carefully for the women who had so kindly watched
     over Austin.
    “You’re right,” Stella said. “I feel awful. They were so nice to look after Austin and then we didn’t even offer them a ride
     home.”
    “Oh, well,” Burt finally said. “I guess they got home some other way.”
    There was silence for a moment as Stella thought about her prayer. Protect him with your Christmas angels . . .
    “Burt,” Stella said, her voice quieter than before. “You don’t think they might have been angels, do you?”
    “Oh, Stella, come on. They were just friendly women taking a walk and doing a kind deed.”
    “You’re right,” Stella said. She thought about Austin falling into the ditch and remembered how a man in nearby Vancouver
     had fallen into a similar bog once and been trapped by the mud. He’d nearly died of hypothermia before rescuers found him.
     She shuddered. A child would never have fared so well. “Well, whoever they were, they were an answer to our prayers, that’s
     for sure.”
    Back at the house Stella and Burt ran inside with Austin in their arms. “We found him walking a mile from here. Three neighborhood
     women were walking behind him, watching out for him.”
    “Oh, thank you, dear Lord.” The neighbor kissed Austin on the cheek and then left the Rozelles to themselves. By then Daniel
     had come into the room, awed by the fact that Austin had actually left and grateful that he was home safe. Burt and Stella
     put their arms around Austin, pulling him close once more as the family formed a circle.
    “We were worried about you, Austin,” Stella said softly.
    “I know, Mommy. I won’t go to Michael Jordan’s house anymore. Next time he’ll come here.”
    “That’s good,” Burt said.
    Stella smiled and took the boy’s cold damp hands in hers. “Listen, Austin, remember those ladies who helped you and stayed
     with you?”
    The child nodded. “Yes, Mommy. They were strangers.”
    “But you weren’t afraid of them, were you?”
    “No, they were nice.”
    Burt nodded. “Yes, they looked after you. Did they tell you their names?”
    “They told me they were from God,” Austin said simply.
    There was a pause as Stella, Burt, and Daniel leaned closer, curious expressions on their faces.
    “Oh, yeah.” Austin looked up at his mother. “What’s an angel, Mommy?”
    The adults stared at the child for a moment, and then exchanged a knowing look as goose bumps rose up on each of their arms.
     Quietly, and with a greater understanding than at any time in his life, Burt directed his family to hold hands; then he closed
     his eyes and bowed his head. When he spoke his voice was filled with awe.
    “Dear God, we do not know your ways and we do not pretend to have answers. But somehow today we know that you brought