Editor’s note: This is Chapter 10 of a 12-part fictional Christmas tale. Parents are encouraged to read aloud with their children.

Tyler watched as Anna quickly exited back into the storeroom, confusion on his face. “What were you doing in there?” he asked.

Anna shrugged. “It opened and I just stepped a couple feet inside,” she said, trying not to sound like she was hiding something.

“It didn’t show you anything?”

Anna absolutely hated keeping anything from him, especially this, but she couldn’t tell him the truth. Not just yet.

“I’m sure it’s waiting on you to join me, just like I was!” she said, trying to avoid outright lying. “Where have you been?”

His cheeks flushed. “I had some Christmas shopping to do, I’m sorry. Are you ready?”

“Of course! Let’s go.”

As they stepped through the doorway together, Anna wrung her hands nervously. The door had already shown her one memory; what if that was it? She sighed in relief when they found themselves in the middle of another.

Jenny Monroe sat on the back porch of her house, holding a phone up to her ear. Her brow was creased with worry, and she bit her bottom lip while tears fell down her cheeks.

Jenny lived just down the street from Anna and Tyler, and she’d been their babysitter years ago when she was still in high school. She was married now, and her husband was currently working overseas while she stayed home with their 3-year-old daughter, Sarah.

“Yes, I understand.” Jenny cleared her throat and continued. “I have the mortgage payment. We were short again. Things are very tight right now, but I managed to get it together. I’ll drop it at the bank the day after Christmas. Yes sir, goodbye.”

She dropped her phone beside her and laid her head in her hands.

“Oh, this is the worst Christmas ever,” she said to herself. “It was either return all Sarah’s gifts, or risk losing the house. How do you tell a 3-year-old that Santa won’t be coming this year?”

“Poor Jenny,” Anna whispered. “And poor Sarah.”

“What do we do?” Tyler asked.

Anna thought for a few long moments. “I think we need to find a way to give her money so she can buy gifts for Sarah again before the stores close.”

Tyler’s eyes widened. “I have an idea!”

An hour later they were inside Anna’s dad’s store gathering orders. Tyler had the idea to offer all the customers who ordered curbside pickups the option of a free delivery. Customers usually tipped well, especially during the holidays, and he counted on that holding true.

There were 13 orders who accepted the opportunity to not have to leave home. By mid-afternoon all of the deliveries were completed and they had a fat envelope filled with cash to give to Jenny.

“Ty, that was such a great idea!” Anna said excitedly as they sat on Tyler’s front porch planning their next move.

“I agree,” he said, laughing. “About time I started listening to the smarter people in my life about the joy of giving. It really does feel nice.”

Anna grinned back at him, fighting the sting in her eye. Despite the memory she’d seen of him, she got the feeling he was going to be OK — and she would be helping him every step of the way.

Neither of them could contain their smiles as they stood on Jenny’s front porch, handing over the money. Jenny’s mouth dropped open as she looked through the stuffed envelope.

“I don’t understand. What do you guys mean, this is mine?” Jenny asked.

“We want you to have it. It’s for you to go Christmas shopping for Sarah. We wanted to get it here right away so you have time.”

Jenny frowned in confusion. “I still don’t understand. Where did it come from?”

“Please, just take it,” Anna said. “It’s part of the magic of Christmas. We’re just trying to help you give Sarah a great holiday. You both deserve that.”

Jenny’s eyes filled with tears. “How did you know?” she whispered, shaking her head.

Anna smiled and shrugged. “Magic.”

Jenny dropped to her knees to hug them both tightly.

“Clearly you don’t want to tell me. But thank you. Thank you so much.” She kissed both their cheeks before standing up and looking into the house. “Sarah’s inside watching Rudolph.”

“How about we watch her while you get some shopping done?” Tyler offered.

Jenny raised her eyebrows and smiled. “When did you two get so grown up? You’re making me feel very old.”

Jenny thanked them over and over again as she set them all up with dinner trays before she hurried out the door, promising not to be long.

While they sat on the couch with Sarah watching cartoons, they looked over at each other and shared a smile.

Anna had no doubt that the work they were doing was making a difference in people’s lives. And she was going to make sure the next thing she did was perfect.

Read Chapter 11 in Saturday’s newspaper.