text: On The Fifth Day Of Christmas I can't believe you did this, I can't afford another child. My divorce isn't even final for another month, Stacy would love to drag this through the courts. Miriam hung her head. She knew Michael wouldn't be happy but never expected a reaction like this. She didn't do it on purpose, she was on birth control. How was she supposed to know they weren't guaranteed to prevent pregnancy. Miriam ran to her car with tears in her eyes. It was a shock to her also, but she was willing to look at it as a welcome surprise, not devastation as Michael was implying. She hoped he would sleep on it and realize how he overreacted. They were in a loving relationship, it wasn't like they were involved in a one night stand. Morning came and Miriam waited for Michael's apology. Several days went by and she hadn't heard from him. She had never felt more alone in her life. She was three months pregnant and she hadn't contemplated going through it alone. Now she wondered if he would ever come around or it was where they parted ways. A month went by without any communication with Michael and Miriam decided she needed a more secure job if she was going to be a single mother. She had a couple of years of college and needed only a few more to secure her degree. It was going to be tough to attend after the baby was born so she decided to cram as many classes as possible before. Her hometown of Athens, Georgia didn't have the curriculum that she desperately needed so she packed up her old car and headed out west to stay with her sister. Colorado was beautiful. She had never been in such a winter wonderland. The lake at the end of their street was frozen and wouldn't thaw until summer she was told by the locals. If you looked up at the Rocky Mountains, at any given time you could witness an avalanche in a distance. The weather was bitterly cold but dry. Making a snowball was challenging, the snow wouldn't stick together, She guessed that was why the skiing was so good dry powder. Living with her sister was enjoyable. They were only a couple of years apart and had grown up in Georgia where the weather was warm. Everyone was shocked when her sister came to dinner one Sunday afternoon and told everyone she had accepted a job at Breckinridge Ski Resort in Breckinridge, Colorado. The family was aware that she loved to ski and had taken several trips to Colorado with her boyfriend but no one expected her to move. Jessica and Matt moved together when she came but split up shortly after. The family was hoping she would return home to Georgia but her love for the mountains was too strong Miriam liked it but didn't think she would ever feel as strongly about it as Jessica. After she finished her two classes, she was planning on returning to Georgia hopefully before the baby was born. With the college loans, she had secured, she would be able to live for a couple more months before she had to get a full-time job. Miriam's life was different than she had planned. She thought she and Michael would eventually get married after his divorce was final. She knew Michael while he and Stacy were together but she had no part in their break up. Michael caught Stacy cheating and filed for divorce. Miriam didn't start dating Michael until after he was legally separated and in the process. With the children's custody and property, the divorce had been drug out for three years. Miriam didn't understand how her being pregnant would have affected any of it. The divorce was almost final. Miriam wasn't going to lose any more sleep over it. She had cried to Colorado wandering how someone she thought loved her and would always be there would turn their back on her when she needed him most. She would be fine. She would raise the baby herself without his help. She knew she could, Miriam had always been strong, especially willed and she would do whatever it took to make a stable life for her and her child. Christmas was approaching and she would concentrate on that. Jessica had invited her to several parties as her plus one and she had turned them all down. After setting home staring at the walls on Christmas break from school, she decided to attend one. With the ugliest sweater she could make, she went to Jessica's work party. The people were friendly and Jessica must have talked a lot about her because they acted as if they knew her. Craig was the first who came up to her and introduced himself. He was a lift operator and had worked with Jessica the whole time she had been in Colorado. He made it a point to get her food and drinks even though she told him she was fine. He was the sweetest man she had ever met. Jessica's parties didn't stop. She took Miriam to one of her close friends gathering the following night. The same scenario with her friends acting as if they had always known her. Miriam wasn't sure she appreciated Jessica discussing all of her problems especially the one about the man she was in love with dumping her when he found out she was pregnant. Jess was the man of the night waiting on her and telling her how beautiful and glowing she was. She wondered if men were drawn to pregnant women. If they gave off some pherenome that made men find them more attractive. Jessica had a lot of friends. The apartment complex, the grocery store, her gym. They all seemed to know about her poor sister. The last party the girls were invited to was on Christmas Eve. It was a special party with no ugly sweaters but holiday apparel. Miriam was six months pregnant now and most of her clothes were too tight so she went to the local thrift store to find a holiday outfit. After visiting three, she came across a gold taffeta skirt with an elastic band in three sizes larger than she normally wore and a black choker collar silk blouse. She looked beautiful. Her sister complimented her on how her complexion agreed with pregancy and how she had chose the perfect outfit. After Jessica got ready in her holiday finest, the two arrived at the party fashionably late. The whole town would be attending this party. The tree in the town square would be lit and a live band was positioned outside by the gazebo during the ceremony. After, the function would be moved indoors to the Fire department activity building where food and drinks would be galore. Jessica attended every year and told Miriam what a festive occasion it would be. An open bar would benefit everyone but Miriam who only got to enjoy shebert punch. Craig, the attentive Lift operator from the office party was the first to come and talk to Miriam. He told her that he had never been married but always wanted to and could see that she was in a difficult situation. Miriam was afraid where this was going. Craig continued to tell her that he would love to take care of her and her baby. Miriam thought that was the sweetest thing she had ever had anyone to offer but kindly turned him down. The next suitor who had too much to drink was Jess, he approached Jessica earlier in the week and asked if she thought her sister would merry him. Jessica told him he was crazy. Too much alcohol made Jess forget what her sister had said when he knelt on one knee asking for Miriam's hand. Embarrassing, for Jess but Miriam quietly thanked him for being so kind but declined. Miriam's night wasn't quite over for she had two more proposals from men she had met through Jessica. All they could see was a damsel in distress. None of them considered how they would feel when the baby was born and realize they didn't even know her. Miriam had blushed several times that night and couldn't believe how caring Jessica's friends were and it helped her understand why Jessica chose to stay in Colorado. When the night was almost over, Miriam was tapped on the shoulder as she turned around expecting another one of Jessica's dear, dear, friends. She burst into tears, when Michael dropped to the floor with a ring and asked her to marry him. He told her he was so sorry that he was shocked with the news, and when he tried to apologize she was gone. He said he was an idiot and hoped she would give him another chance. Miriam accepted his apology as he placed the ring on her left finger and the fear of the unknown evaporated as she realized she didn't have to do it alone.