I Need Christmas,
An Oakville Family Christmas
by Carol Ann Kauffman
After a
depressing year of sadness, loneliness, and self-doubt, successful civil
engineer and former All-American basketball star Elizabeth (Betsy) Curry
returns home to Oakville, Ohio, for the Christmas holidays a depressed and broken
women. Reeling from her bitter divorce from the handsome, charming, but morally
decrepate Tommy DeMalio, her college sweetheart and first big love, who left
her after two years of what she thought was a good marriage for a stripper he
met at an office bachelor party for her co-worker, Betsy feels lost and empty.
Not exactly anticipating the happy holiday with her family and their multitude
of joyful Christmas customs and long-time storybook-like traditions, she knows she
needs them in order to heal.
Once comfortable at home and feeling somewhat better
about herself, Tommy shows up and claims he wants a reconciliation, throwing
back into the destructive cycle of doubt, hostility, and suspision she is
trying so hard to escape.
She discovers her father has set her up with his protégé
at work, the tall, handsome, athletic red-haired Patrick, who, try as hard as
she can, she can’t find a single thing she doesn’t like about him.
So, what’s the problem? Betsy feels it’s too soon for her
to love again. How can she love anyone again when she doesn’t like herself or
what she’s become since the break-up. Also, she fears she will hurt the sweet,
gentle Patrick.
Will the love, joy, and goodwill of the holiday season be
strong enough to lift Betsy out of her self-induced prison so that she can like
herself enough to take another chance on love again?
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