CRITICAL PRAISE FOR IRENE BRAND:

“Irene Brand pens a heartwarming romance with a strong message.”

—Romantic Times

“Irene Brand’s The Christmas Children is a delightful and heartwarming reminder of the meaning of Christmas.”

—Romantic Times

“The Christmas Children is one very special story for the holiday season. Alive with the spirit of Christmas and its true meaning, this book is a charming gift of love and devotion that conquers even the hardest of hearts. For a special edition to your holiday keeper shelf, I highly recommend The Christmas Children for your holiday shopping list.”

—Romance Reviews Today

CRITICAL PRAISE FOR DANA CORBIT’S AN HONEST LIFE

“An enjoyable read….”

—Romantic Times

“An Honest Life is a truly charming and heartwarming romance…. I look forward to reading more of Ms. Corbit’s work and hope to once again visit the church community of Hickory Ridge!”

—The Romance Reader’s Connection

“With a delicate touch, Dana Corbit weaves Scripture, spiritual teachings and romance into an entrancing tale. If you are looking for something inspirational to read over the holidays, don’t miss An Honest Life.”

—Romance Reviews Today

IRENE BRAND

has had a lifelong interest in writing; she says that she started her first novel when she was eleven years old and hasn’t finished it yet. However, since 1984, she’s published thirty-two contemporary and historical novels and three nonfiction titles. She started writing professionally in 1977 after she completed her master’s degree in history at Marshall University. Irene taught in secondary public schools for twenty-three years, but retired in 1989 to devote herself to writing.

Consistent involvement in the activities of her local church has been a source of inspiration for Irene’s work. Traveling with her husband, Rod, to all fifty states and to thirty-two foreign countries has also inspired her writing. Irene is grateful to the many readers who have written to say that her inspiring stories and compelling portrayals of characters with strong faith have made a positive impression on their lives. You can write to her at P.O. Box 2770, Southside, WV 25187 or visit her Web site at http://www.irenebrand.com.

DANA CORBIT

has been fascinated with words since third grade, when she began stringing together stanzas of rhyme. That interest, and an inherent nosiness, led her to a career as a newspaper reporter and editor. After earning state and national recognition in journalism, she traded her career for stay-at-home motherhood.

But the need for creative expression followed her home, and later through the move from Indiana to Milford, Michigan. Outside the office, Dana discovered the joy of writing fiction. In stolen hours, during naps and between carpooling and church activities, she escapes into her private world, telling stories from her heart. Dana makes her home in Michigan, with her husband, three young daughters and two cats.

A Family for Christmas
The Gift of Family

Irene Brand

Child in a Manger

Dana Corbit

Dear Reader,

My friend Dana Corbit and I wish you and your family a Merry Christmas, filled with all of the blessings God made available through the birth of His Son. Dana and I have enjoyed working together on A Family for Christmas. As you read our novellas, we pray that you will again feel the awe and joy of the coming of the Christ Child.

In my novella, “The Gift of Family,” I’ve brought together two people who love each other, but whose family backgrounds differ so much that it seems impossible for them to find happiness together. Evan Kessler is the product of generations of close family love and Christian witness. Wendy Kenworth is the only child of a broken marriage. Evan offers Wendy the gift of his family, but it’s a gift that Wendy believes she will never be worthy to accept. On to Dana….

Through my story, “Child in a Manger,” I’ve tried to show how God uses everyday miracles—this time the arrival of a very special Christmas gift—to bring hope and healing to His children. Allison Hensley has forgotten how to dream, having spent a lifetime caring for others’ needs. For Brock Chandler, dreams are a luxury he can’t afford. But the arrival of a little “Joy” encourages them to see the possibilities God has for them—including the possibility that they might build a life together.

We hope you enjoy “Child in a Manger” and Irene Brand’s “The Gift of Family,” and that you create wonderful memories with your own family as we celebrate the season of our Savior’s birth.

Contents

The Gift of Family

Irene Brand

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Child in a Manger

Dana Corbit

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

The Gift of Family

Irene Brand

To the staff of Bossard Memorial Library,

Gallipolis, Ohio, for the efficient research

help they’ve given me. And to my friends,

Torres and Maxine Williamson, who shared

their knowledge of the dairy industry with me.

God sets the lonely in families.

—Psalms 68:6

Chapter One

Blue eyes alight with happiness and warmth, Wendy Kenworth eagerly approached the bench where her boyfriend, Evan Kessler, sat. He laid his textbook aside, rising to his feet as his mouth curved into a soft smile of approval. Florida’s noontime sun illuminated Wendy’s raven-dark hair, sparking a series of iridescent rays. Her head resembled a rainbow appearing suddenly from behind a dark cloud.

An involuntary gasp escaped Evan’s lips, and he strode to meet her with a joyful heart. Finally he knew the answer to a question he’d been struggling with since he’d met Wendy three months ago. He loved her, and if the eager, trusting look in her wide azure-blue eyes was any indication, she loved him, too.

Wendy ran into his outstretched arms, and he hugged her tightly. She buried her head against Evan’s brawny chest, and he whispered into her fragrant hair, “I love you, Wendy. I want to marry you.”

Wendy’s heart raced as if she’d just finished a marathon. Her feet seemed to be planted on a cloud. Evan wanted to marry her! Having lived in a dysfunctional family most of her life, Wendy couldn’t believe that happiness beckoned at last.

Evan held her at arm’s length and thought he’d never seen a prettier sight. Wendy’s full-lipped mouth curved in a lovely smile. Luminous eyes, enhanced by thick black lashes under delicately arched brows, were the focal point of her oval face. He kissed her dainty nose.

“Will you be my wife?”

“Of course, Evan. This is so sudden.” She laughed as she used the timeworn cliché. “You don’t mean right away?”

“No, probably not until I’ve finished the research and written my doctorate thesis. But in the meantime, we can pay a visit to the jewelry store to check out engagement rings. You can visit me in Ohio during our Christmas break, meet my folks and we can announce our engagement to the assembled Kessler clan.”

With his arm around Wendy’s waist, Evan steered her toward his truck in one of the parking lots of the University of Florida. The surprise was over now, and at his words, Wendy’s joy dwindled quickly.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Wendy said slowly. “Maybe we’d better wait until I tell my mother about us.”

As their relationship had blossomed, Evan had been surprised that Wendy was reluctant to let him meet her mother. He’d told his family about Wendy as soon as they’d started dating. He’d felt, right from the start, that Wendy was special.

“Let’s look at rings, anyway, so I’ll know what you like.”

Evan opened the door of his pickup truck and boosted Wendy into the passenger seat. He started the engine and turned on the air conditioner, still amazed at the difference in weather between Florida and his native state, Ohio. Imagine using an air conditioner in November!

Before he fastened his seat belt, Evan leaned toward Wendy and pressed a soft kiss on her lips. As she responded shyly, a quick—and disturbing—thought pierced Evan’s happiness. He pulled away from Wendy and put the truck in motion.

Evan had suddenly remembered why he’d hesitated to tell Wendy that he loved her. Christianity was the focal point of the Kessler family, but Wendy and her mother never attended church. He wanted a wife who shared his spiritual beliefs. Was he happy or sorry that Wendy’s radiant appearance this morning had shocked the words right out of his mouth? With an inward sigh, he realized that he was committed now. Only time would tell if he’d made a mistake.

His abrupt mood swing disturbed Wendy. Evan was always so sure of himself. Now he seemed confused and uncertain.

“What’s wrong, Evan?”

“We’re going to choose an engagement ring. That’s a pretty big step, and naturally, I’m a little shaken.”

His teasing, casual tone didn’t reassure Wendy. She glanced at Evan’s profile, surprised to see a muscle twitching in his right jaw, as if he were upset about something.

“It could be too big a step for us to take without thinking about it,” she said reluctantly. “Perhaps you should come home with me this weekend to meet my mother before we make a decision.”

“I’ve already decided. I love you. I want to marry you,” he said positively, trying to reassure himself as well as Wendy. “But I would like to meet your mother.”

He turned into the parking lot of the mall where the jewelry store was located. “We may have problems to overcome,” he said, “but all engaged couples face those.”

“Especially the Kenworths,” she said bitterly. Evan looked at her sharply. Should he have learned more about Wendy’s family before giving her his heart?

In the jewelry store, the salesperson seated Wendy and Evan in front of a large display case of diamonds. Wendy’s hands grew moist, and she clasped them together.

When the woman went to the vault to bring out additional trays of diamond rings, Wendy whispered, “Evan, we haven’t been engaged an hour. Don’t you think it’s too soon to buy a ring?”

He lifted her hand and kissed her fingers. “We don’t have to buy anything today.”

The next half hour passed in a daze for Wendy. The saleswoman persuaded her to slip numerous rings on her finger. Her sales pitch about the quality and size of the diamonds confused Wendy. She spoke of various diamond cuts and the shapes of diamonds—round, marquise, oval, pear, princess—on and on, until Wendy’s mind whirled and dipped like a carnival ride.

She barely stifled a gasp when she saw the prices of the rings. The only jewelry Wendy owned was the department store variety. She had no idea that an engagement ring could cost thousands of dollars. And the ring she liked best was a “past, present, future” ring with a large diamond in the center and two smaller stones on each side. The ring cost over four thousand dollars, and she wouldn’t choose anything that expensive.

Evan watched her closely, probably trying to judge by her expression the rings she favored. When he pressed Wendy to tell him which of the rings she liked, she kept shaking her head. The prices of the rings had overwhelmed her. She and her mother had to struggle to make ends meet on a moderate income. How could Evan, who didn’t even have a job, afford any of these rings?

When the clerk excused herself to answer the phone, Wendy whispered, “Evan, I can’t make a choice until I know how much you can afford to spend on a ring.”

“So far, she hasn’t shown us anything I can’t afford. My family isn’t rich, but we have some money. I keep all the computer data for our farm operation, and I get paid for that. If you find a ring that you like, we’ll put it on layaway until we have time to talk to our parents.”

Evan was trying to soothe Wendy’s fears, but he had a few of his own. What if his parents were troubled over his choice of a bride? He didn’t want to do anything to worry them, but he couldn’t take back his proposal. Wendy was a sensitive woman, and he wouldn’t hurt her by admitting that he’d been hasty in asking her to marry him. Wendy didn’t talk much about her family, but he’d learned enough to know that her childhood had been unhappy. One thing he looked forward to, as Wendy’s husband, was giving her the opportunity to share the warmth and love of a Christian family.

When Evan’s cell phone rang, he said, “I’ll go out in the corridor to talk. Go ahead and look over the selection.”

He stepped outside the store and touched the talk key on his phone.

“Oh, hi, Mom,” he said when he recognized the caller as his mother, Hilda.

Without any preliminaries, Hilda said, “Son, I have bad news. Your father is sick.”

“Daddy’s sick? You’ve gotta be kidding. He hasn’t even had a cold in years.”

He could sense his mother nodding her head in agreement. “That’s true, but Karl is sick now. We brought him to Holzer Hospital this morning. He’s had a stroke, and the prognosis isn’t good.”

Fearful images formed in Evan’s mind, and he almost dropped the phone. He leaned against a wall to support his trembling knees. “He isn’t going to die, is he?” he whispered.

“Lord willing, he won’t, but the doctors haven’t ruled that out yet,” Hilda said grimly.

“I’ll come home right away,” Evan said.

“Have you finished everything for this semester?”

“Not completely, but I can probably continue the work online.” If he had to make a choice between joining his family in a crisis or finishing the work for his Ph.D., his family would always come first. “I’m coming home.”

“We want you to be here. But, Evan…” Hilda hesitated for several seconds. “Your father’s left side is paralyzed. Even if he lives, it will be weeks, maybe even months, before he’s able to resume working. You’ll have some difficult decisions to make.”

“Yes, I know. I’ll leave right away.”

“Drive carefully. Bye.”

Evan sank down on the nearest bench, his head in his hands. He couldn’t comprehend his mother’s message. Karl Kessler was in the prime of life—only fifty-two years old. Evan couldn’t envision his brawny, strong father dying or, even worse, being an invalid for the rest of his life.

When Evan didn’t return to the jewelry store, Wendy thanked the saleswoman for her help. “We’ll make a decision later,” she said.

She stepped out of the store and looked around, startled to see Evan’s dejected figure on the bench. His chin had lowered to his chest, and his fingers threaded his heavy blond hair.

Rushing to Evan, Wendy sat beside him and took his hand. “What’s wrong?”

He lifted his tear-streaked face. The golden freckles across his cheeks and nose stood out in sharp contrast to the pallor of his skin.

“My father’s in the hospital. I have to leave for Ohio right away.”

“I’m so sorry, Evan. What happened?”

He briefly related the conversation he’d had with his mother. “I can’t believe this happened to Daddy. He’s always been so strong.”

Evan’s words aroused old fears and insecurities that Wendy hadn’t experienced since she’d met Evan. Panic, strong as a snow blast, froze her heart. Evan had been the best thing that had ever happened to her. When he’d asked her to marry him, she’d felt secure, believing that his love would enfold her forever. Why was she so fearful? Was it because she couldn’t understand why Evan would shove his plans for the future on the back burner to rush home because his father was in the hospital?

Panic-stricken, she wondered if Evan ever had to choose between his family and her, would she be in second place? Wendy could hardly bear the pain of it all. For a couple of hours, she’d had a glimpse of paradise. Now in light of Karl Kessler’s illness, paradise was only a dim shadow.

Ashamed of putting her own wishes ahead of Evan’s sorrow, she said tenderly, “I’m so sorry, Evan. What can I do to help?”

He started to say, “Pray for me,” but he doubted that Wendy ever prayed. “You can go with me to my apartment and help pack. I’ll take everything with me, since I don’t know how long I’ll be gone.”

Although annoyed because she was thinking about herself when Evan was so upset, his words startled Wendy like the passage of a fire truck in the middle of the night. But Evan needed her compassion now, so she lifted his hand and kissed each finger.

“Sure, I’ll help you pack. And don’t worry. Your dad will probably be better by the time you get home.”

“Did you choose a ring you like?” Evan asked, trying to change the subject.

“Not really. Let’s forget about the ring until you come back,” she said, refusing to believe he wouldn’t return to Florida.

Wendy walked quietly beside Evan to his truck, still wondering why his father’s illness had shattered him. Evan was such an even-tempered man; hardly anything ever frustrated him. But in his concern for his father’s health, she sensed his total devotion to his family.

Wendy had rarely seen her father since her parents’ divorce when she was eight. So it was difficult for her to understand the close ties between Evan and his father. As they drove to the complex where Evan lived, he talked about growing up on the farm, and of the farmwork, the fishing and hunting trips he’d shared with his father. Wendy gained a vague understanding of what she’d missed by not having a father around while growing up.

Everything in Evan’s apartment was organized, so in less than two hours, his belongings were gathered into the boxes he’d saved when he’d moved into the apartment in August. As he’d hurriedly packed, Wendy had carried the lighter boxes down the single flight of stairs to his truck.

The empty apartment saddened Wendy because it seemed as if he was leaving for good. Evan’s rent was paid through the end of the school year, however, so maybe he would return after Christmas.

Evan’s lips were surprisingly gentle when he kissed her goodbye before they left the apartment. Tears trembled on her eyelids, and Evan wiped them away.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart, and make it worse for me. I don’t want to leave you, but I must be with my family when they need me. I may not be gone long.”

He gave her money to pay for a taxi back to her dorm. “If I leave from here, I’ll save an hour of driving time. You don’t mind taking a taxi, do you?”

She shook her head. “Not at all. You should get started as soon as possible.”

Wendy stifled her tears as she stood in front of the apartment building and watched Evan drive away. Once he was out of sight, she leaned against the building and tears of deep frustration trickled down her cheeks. Was this the end of her relationship with Evan?

Chapter Two

A mass exodus of students heading home for the Thanksgiving weekend had almost emptied the dorm where Wendy lived. She welcomed the quietness. Her thoughts still centered around her relationship with Evan, which, in a few months, had catapulted from friendship to a romance.

One of Wendy’s closest friends stuck her head in the door to say goodbye before she hurried to catch a bus to the airport. As Wendy gathered the items she’d need over the weekend, she wished she could be as excited as the other students about going home. Her four years at the University of Florida had been the happiest time of her life. Since she lived less than a hundred miles away, she went home at least once a month. If she saw her mother only once or twice during the school year, would she look forward to going home? Holidays at the Kenworth apartment weren’t joyous occasions. After her mother had spent long hours working in the department store during the Thanksgiving to Christmas rush, she spent most of her holidays in bed.

Noting that it was almost two o’clock, Wendy shouldered her backpack, picked up a suitcase and hustled to meet a friend who would drop her off at home.

Wendy’s friend was a fast driver. They arrived at the apartment building in Jacksonville before Wendy was ready to face her mother. Wendy’s excitement over Evan’s proposal had been dimmed somewhat by his rapid departure, but she wondered if her mother would sense her daughter’s heightened emotions?

Emmalee Kenworth was overly perceptive where her daughter was concerned, and Wendy knew it would be difficult to keep her mother unaware of her inner excitement and turmoil over the day’s activities. Evan had made such a difference in her life that Wendy was amazed she’d been able to conceal their relationship from her mother for the past few months. Now that Evan had asked her to marry him, she knew that she must tell her mother about him.

Hand on the doorknob, Wendy stopped and took a deep breath before she entered the combination kitchen-living room of their three-room apartment.

“Hello, dear,” Emmalee called. Wendy went into the kitchen area where her mother was placing silverware on the table.

Wendy had inherited her mother’s attractive features, but Emmalee Kenworth was only a shadow of the beauty she’d been in her youth. She was excessively thin, and her mouth had a perpetual droop. Emmalee’s expertly applied makeup did little to hide the unhappiness in her eyes resulting from her broken marriage. She worked in the women’s clothing section at a local department store, and she had her pick of fashionable clothes at a discount, so she and Wendy were always well dressed.

“Dinner will be ready soon,” Emmalee said. “I brought sweet-and-sour chicken with rice and salad from the deli. I’ll put the meat in the microwave to warm now that you’re here.”

“That sounds good. I’m hungry.”

Wendy brought a pitcher of tea from the refrigerator and poured a glass for each of them before she took her accustomed place at the small table. Emmalee served the food in the deli containers, saying, “We won’t have many dishes to wash.”

“Are you working tonight?”

“No, thank goodness. Our store has been a madhouse this week. I think people start their Christmas shopping earlier every year. I’m off tomorrow, but, as usual, the day after Thanksgiving will be the busiest day of the year at the store. It’s hard to tell when I’ll get home Friday night. I have to work Saturday and Sunday, too, so we won’t see each other much this weekend.”

“That’s all right. I have a research paper to finish, and I want to start studying for finals.”

Emmalee talked about problems at the store, and Wendy answered when it was necessary. With her mind full of Evan’s proposal, and his sudden trip to Ohio, she couldn’t think of anything else.

“I’ve arranged for you to work at the store during the Christmas holidays. I know you’d be bored staying home while I’m away, and we can use the extra money.”

Wendy’s thoughts strayed, remembering that Evan wanted her to come to his home during their Christmas break. But considering his father’s illness, the invitation would probably be withdrawn.

Realizing that her mother was staring at her, Wendy tried to keep her features composed. She knew she hadn’t succeeded when her face colored under Emmalee’s suspicious look.

“Wh-what did you say, Mother?” she stammered.

“I asked if you preferred to work in the lingerie or housewares department?”

“I don’t know much about housewares, but either place will be okay.”

They cleared the table in silence, and Emmalee carried a cup of coffee into the living room. Sitting in her lounge chair, she looked at Wendy, who had curled up on the couch, the television remote in her hand.

“Do you have anything to tell me?” Emmalee asked, an apprehensive look in her eyes. “You’ve been staring into space most of the evening.”

“No. Well, maybe I should tell you,” Wendy began uncertainly. Suspecting that her news would hurt and anger her mother, she hesitated, searching for an easy way to explain about Evan. There didn’t seem to be an easy way, so she tried a direct approach. “For the past three months, I’ve been dating a man at the university. He’s asked me to marry him.”

A groan escaped Emmalee’s lips, and her face turned the color of ashes. Alarmed, Wendy bounded off the couch, went to Emmalee and put her arm around her mother’s shoulder.

“Mother, are you all right?”

Slowly, Emmalee regained her composure, and shrugged off her embrace. When she looked at Wendy, her eyes were filled with anger.

“How could I be all right when you’ve sprung such news on me? Are you pregnant?”

The gasp that escaped Wendy’s lips sounded loud in the uneasy silence of the room.

“Of course not!”

“Well, what else can I think? You’ve been dating someone for months and you haven’t even mentioned him before this? Suddenly, he asks you to marry him. Who is this man? Why haven’t you told me about him?”

Wendy wanted to say, “Because I knew you’d react the way you are now.” Instead, she said, “I didn’t know how serious he was until today when he asked me to marry him.”

“Surely you didn’t accept his proposal!”

“Yes, I did.”

Emmalee lunged out of her chair as if a bee had stung her and she walked nervously around the room. Stark fear, mingled with anger, clouded her eyes.

“When am I going to meet my future son-in-law?”

“I don’t know. He’s a graduate student at the university, working toward his doctorate. He plans to teach agricultural studies in a college. His family lives in Ohio. His father is seriously ill, and he had to go home today. He doesn’t know when he’ll come back to Florida.”

Without a word, Emmalee went into her bedroom and slammed the door. Fighting back tears, Wendy turned on the television and stared at the screen the rest of the evening. She had no idea what programs she watched.

Although, at first, Wendy’s news had stunned Emmalee to silence, the rest of the weekend, during their time together, Emmalee grilled Wendy about Evan.

Did he have any money?

If they married, would she move to Ohio?

When did they plan to marry?

And what about me? Are you going to abandon me?

After two days of this, Wendy was in no mood to deal with Evan’s problems when he called at her mom’s apartment. She was more concerned with Evan’s feelings for her, rather than his family’s troubles, but she did ask immediately, “How is your father?”

“Not good,” Evan said grimly. “The doctors have told us he’ll live, but his recovery will be slow. He may never regain the strength he had before his stroke. It could take a year for his rehabilitation.”

“I’m sorry, Evan.”

“I’m sorry, too. Not only for Daddy, but for you and me.”

Wendy’s joy over his phone call diminished sharply.

“What do you mean?” Wendy asked, a chill starting in the pit of her stomach and pulsing rapidly through the rest of her body. Because of the continual animosity between Wendy and her mother during the weekend, Wendy realized that her love for Evan had taken second place to her reliance on him as a ticket to a way out of her present situation.

“It means I can’t come back to Florida next semester to finish my research for the doctoral thesis. I’ll have to take over the farm management—there’s no one else to do it.”

“But you’re already registered for next semester!” Wendy said, her body stiff with shock.

“I can probably handle most of the work online. If not, my Ph.D. will have to be postponed.”

“What about me?” Wendy’s heart seemed to shout as she voiced the question. But she’d lived with her mother’s possessiveness long enough to know what it was like to demand attention. Wendy had made up her mind years ago that she wouldn’t beg for affection from anyone, and she was irritated that she’d asked the question.

The silence that greeted his comment stabbed at Evan’s heart. “We can still be engaged, Wendy. And after you graduate in the spring, we’ll be married. You can come here to live.”

Live on a farm when she’d fleetingly envisioned being the wife of a college professor! Disappointment turned Wendy into the kind of shrew she despised.

“The Bible says that a man is supposed to leave his mother and father and stick with his wife.”

Evan laughed shortly, surprised that she knew anything about the Bible. “When did you learn that?”

“I had to sit through Sunday school and daily Bible readings during the ten years when my grandparents had visiting rights. I still remember some of the things I heard.”

“Then you must not have heard that the Bible also says a man is obligated to take care of his family. Wendy, it’s my duty to take over the farm until Daddy is better,” he said, a pleading note in his voice. “Besides, I want to do it. I love my family.”

“More than you love me, apparently.”

“But you’ll be a part of my family when we’re married,” he argued, trying to control the pain her words had brought.

“No, thank you, Evan. I’m not keen on being Old MacDonald’s wife. Our engagement is off before it ever really started. Maybe it’s good I learned your intentions before you bought a ring.”

She hung up the phone and fell facedown on the bed, feeling as if the bottom had dropped out of her life. Within one week, she had skyrocketed from boredom to the heights of ecstasy and love, only to be plunged suddenly into the depths of despair. Though she lay on the bed for an hour, with her hand on the phone, hoping Evan would call back, Wendy didn’t cry. Her sorrow was too deep for tears.

Evan pocketed his cell phone and walked slowly into the hospital. The thought of marrying Wendy had dominated his mind for weeks. He hadn’t considered when they could get married, or even where they would live if they got married. He had planned to combine teaching agricultural subjects at a nearby college or a high school with work on the family farm. When his father retired, Evan would leave teaching and take over the full-time management of the farm.

Of course, Wendy hadn’t known that. He had put the cart before the horse. He should have told Wendy about his future plans before he asked her to marry him. His proposal had been too hasty, but if he had waited another year or two, his purpose wouldn’t have changed. He loved Wendy, and he wanted to marry her.

Evan was hurt by Wendy’s attitude, but he understood why she would be disturbed. Still, he had no choice. The farm had been in the Kessler family for a long time, and it was a tradition that the oldest son always inherited the farmland. Not only was Evan the oldest child in the family, he was the only son.

On the second floor of the hospital, Hilda Kessler sat patiently beside her husband’s bed, holding his hand, where she’d been since Evan had arrived home three days ago. Evan stood at the foot of the bed and watched his father’s erratic breathing. Karl knew the family when he was awake, but he slept most of the time.

“Mom, please go home and get some rest. Uncle Gavin is coming to spend the night with Daddy.”

“I can’t leave him.”

“He’ll be taken to rehab department soon, on the fifth floor, for a few weeks. You can’t spend all of that time at the hospital.”

“I know,” she agreed, her blue eyes dulled with pain over her husband’s illness. “I’m neglecting the girls, but I don’t want to leave him.”

An hour later, when Gavin Kessler came to sit with his brother, Evan finally persuaded Hilda to leave. Despite her obvious concern for her husband, when Hilda settled into the car beside Evan, and he headed toward home, she said, “What’s troubling you, son?”

He hesitated, not knowing how much to tell his mother. She knew he’d been dating Wendy, but he hadn’t mentioned their relationship to his mother since he’d returned home. He’d figured she had enough on her mind without becoming embroiled in his problems. But on the other hand, perhaps she needed a distraction from her husband’s health troubles.

“A few days ago, I asked Wendy to marry me.”

He sensed the oblique glance his mother sent in his direction. “And?”

“She accepted. We were looking at engagement rings when you phoned about Dad.”

“If you’re engaged, you should be happy about it. Why aren’t you?”

Looking at his watch with an ironic laugh, he said, “As of one hour ago, I’m no longer engaged.”

Hilda Kessler wasn’t one to waste words. She didn’t answer, but Evan felt her gaze upon him, waiting for him to continue.

“I called Wendy to tell her I would be staying on the farm until Daddy recovers. She wasn’t thrilled about becoming a farmer’s wife. She said to forget our engagement.”

“Evan, if you want to marry Wendy, don’t let Heritage Farm be a burden to you. If I hadn’t been a farm girl who’d known the Kesslers all my life, I would have been intimidated by the fact that Karl was wedded to family tradition before he married me. We have good hired help, and we can manage without you until Karl is better. True love is rare. If you’re sure Wendy is the one for you, don’t let anything stop you.”

Evan explained his doubts about Wendy’s spirituality, adding, “And from what Wendy says, she hasn’t ever had a comfortable family home like we have. If she could only visit us and understand why family tradition and our faith are so important to us, she’d surely understand. I’d invited her to come for Christmas, but with Daddy sick, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“I want to meet Wendy, so let’s see how your father improves. If he’s getting along all right, I’ll invite Wendy to visit us. And we must pray for Wendy’s spiritual awakening.”

“I’ve been praying for her. I’ve asked her to go to church with me, but she’s always made excuses. That’s the reason I hadn’t proposed to her.” With a sheepish expression on his face, he admitted, “But I got carried away a few days ago and asked her to marry me, without considering the consequences.”

He remembered vividly how Wendy had looked when she’d walked toward him earlier in the week; he felt as if he were waiting at the altar for her. He realized that much of his love for her stemmed from a physical attraction, but he wanted it to be so much more. He yearned for a marriage like his parents had, united not only physically, but spiritually and emotionally, too.

“Wendy and her mother live alone, and she may not want to leave her mother on a holiday.”

“We’ll find a way. All things are possible to those who believe. Now that my concern for Karl has lessened, I’ll spend more time in prayer for you and Wendy. If it is God’s will that you should marry Wendy, He’ll provide a way.”

Heartened by his mother’s support, Evan picked up speed. They left the town of Gallipolis behind them, and headed south on a highway along the Ohio River toward their home.

“I don’t know what to do next,” he said. “Should I call her, or let the situation rest for a few days?”

“Use your own judgment.”

“I want to call right away, but being impulsive has already caused trouble. Maybe I should wait a few days to give her time to decide if our love is strong enough to overcome all barriers.”

Although she’d angrily ended the conversation with Evan, Wendy was convinced that he’d get in touch with her. Should she apologize or should he? As the days passed and Evan didn’t call, Wendy became more and more distressed. Why had she been so angry with Evan? Was it because she’d been overwhelmed with the possibility of losing him? Yet had she lost him through her own misguided words?

She didn’t leave the apartment during the Thanksgiving weekend, fearing that Evan would call and she wouldn’t be there to talk to him. Wendy didn’t tell Emmalee that she’d broken the engagement. But her mother must have sensed there was trouble because she was more lighthearted than she’d been since Wendy had told her about the engagement.

After her return to the university, Wendy practically lived with the cell phone in her hand, fearing she would miss Evan’s call. Throughout the week, she couldn’t keep her mind on studying, and she doubted she would pass any of her final exams. In desperation, she decided that if she and Evan were going to make up, she’d have to make the first move. And rightly so, she figured, since her bad temper had caused the problem in the first place. She would ask about his father’s health, and if he seemed to be angry, she wouldn’t prolong the conversation.

After another night of sleeplessness, as soon as she got out of bed, Wendy dialed Evan’s cell phone number. No answer. Before she completely lost her nerve, Wendy punched in the number of his parents’ home, hoping Evan would answer the phone.

“Kessler residence. Hilda speaking” was the answer she received.

Hilda! Was she speaking to Evan’s mother or one of his sisters? For a moment, she couldn’t remember their names.

In a timid voice that didn’t sound like her own, Wendy asked, “May I speak to Evan?”

“Evan isn’t here. He’s working in the dairy barn. May I ask who’s calling?”

“This is Wendy Kenworth, Evan’s friend in Florida. I called to ask about his father.”

“Evan has told me about you. Thanks for your concern, Wendy. My husband is doing very well, but he has a long road to recovery. He’s in rehab now. We’re hoping he’ll be home before Christmas.”

“I’m happy to hear that. Thanks.”

“I’ll have Evan return your call.”

“I have a ten-o’clock class. I’ll be in my dorm room until then.”

“Wendy,” Hilda said, “Evan told me he’d invited you to visit us here in Ohio. The family would like to meet you. I know your classes will end soon, and you won’t go back to school until after the first of the year. Why don’t you spend part of your Christmas break with us?”

“I don’t think I can. I’m supposed to work during the holidays. I need the extra money to help with my school expenses.”

“If you change your mind, let us know. We’d enjoy having you visit. I’ll ask Evan to return your call.”

He hadn’t telephoned by the time Wendy had to go to class, and she trudged across campus. It was agonizing to turn off her phone while she was in class.

She finally received the call at noon, while she was in the cafeteria eating a sandwich.

“Hi, Wendy.” Evan’s cheerful voice came across the miles. “Sorry I wasn’t in when you called before. I’m missing you.”

Wendy’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t sound angry.

“I’m glad your father is recovering.”

“But it’s as I told you before—he won’t be able to take over the farm interests for several months.”

“I should have been more understanding, Evan. I know you’re doing what you think is best. Considering the circumstances, maybe it was the best decision to forget our engagement.”

With a sinking heart, she heard his answer. “You’re probably right, at least for the time being. But I still wish you’d come to visit us during your break. I’ll send you a plane ticket if you’ll arrange to come.”

“My mother—” she started, and Evan interrupted.

“Wendy, you can’t seem to understand why I feel it’s necessary for me to sacrifice my plans for my family. Don’t you see that you’re doing the same thing with your mother? Every decision you’ve made, since I’ve known you, has been tempered by how it would affect her.”

Rather than making her angry, Evan’s comment opened Wendy’s eyes to the truth. She was tied to her mother’s apron strings.

Chapter Three

For the rest of the week, Wendy mulled over the invitation to visit the Kesslers. When she went home for the weekend, she’d made up her mind. If she was ever going to get married and have a home of her own, she couldn’t be held back by her mother’s manipulation. In the years since her divorce, Emmalee could have made a life of her own, instead of depending solely on Wendy’s presence to give her life meaning.

Wendy had allowed her mother to dominate her life simply because she wanted to avoid conflict. Would she have the courage to make her own decision now? As she planned how to break the news to her mother, Wendy sensed an extra strength that she hadn’t possessed before. What had generated this unusual surge of willpower?

During her annual visits to her paternal grandparents when she was younger, Wendy had gone to church, and she’d heard people pray, but she didn’t have a personal knowledge of the power of prayer.

Prayer seemed to be an integral part of Evan’s life, not something he did only on Sunday. He prayed before they ate, even in a restaurant. He prayed for help with his exams. He prayed that God would help him make the right decisions. He didn’t start a day without asking for God’s direction.

As she waited for Emmalee to come home from work, Wendy wondered if the strange new courage she possessed today was a result of Evan’s prayers. Was he praying for her now? It was a comforting thought.

After they’d eaten dinner, and Emmalee had changed into lounging clothes, Wendy pasted a smile on her face, took a deep breath and flexed her fingers in an effort to relax. She couldn’t delay any longer.

“Evan and his mother have invited me to visit them during my Christmas break. I intend to go.”

“So you’ve made up with him.”

“Yes.”

An obstinate expression crossed Emmalee’s face. “You aren’t going anywhere without me. You have no idea what kind of people they are.”

Determined that she wouldn’t bend to her mother’s will, Wendy said, “I am going, Mother. I’m twenty-two. If I’m not old enough to make some decisions now, I never will be.”

“Obviously it doesn’t bother you that I’ll be spending Christmas alone.”

Wendy bit her lip nervously, her resolve wavering. Are you praying, Evan?

“You have single friends at the store who’d be glad to share Christmas Day with you. You’ll be working the rest of the time. I’d like to meet Evan’s family. I want to see why he loves his family so much that he’ll give up, not only me, but his career to take care of them. And Christmas Eve is very important to the Kesslers. I want to experience that part of the holidays with them.”

Emmalee was in no mood to listen to reason. “I’ve slaved for years to give you a home. Now that you’re about to graduate and be on your own, when you could relieve me of some of my financial burdens, you’re through with me.”

Tears pricked at Wendy’s eyelids. She felt like she was ten again, but she clenched her fists. She focused on Evan’s strong features, his loving ways and his prayer life as a lodestar to keep her on the right course.

“I am going to visit the Kesslers during the holidays.”

If she didn’t keep repeating those words, she’d weaken. She had to keep that goal in her mind.

“Very well!” Emmalee said at last. “As much as I’ve tried to change you, you’re just like your father. When you have an opportunity to work for two weeks and help with the expenses, you skip out and leave me holding the bag just as he did.”

Wendy considered reminding Emmalee that she’d refused to accept alimony from her husband or any financial help from his family. Instead, Wendy repeated, “I’m going to visit the Kesslers during the holidays.”

Perhaps sensing Wendy’s determination, Emmalee said no more. With some dignity, she went to her bedroom and closed the door, leaving Wendy with heaviness in her chest and tears in her eyes.

She had always tried to avoid conflict. When she’d enjoyed a visit with her paternal grandparents, she hadn’t told her mother about the good times she had, because Emmalee resented her in-laws. When Emmalee had protested that she was going out too much at night, Wendy had stopped dating and had spent the nights at home studying. Actually, that had been a blessing in disguise, for she’d made the honor roll all through high school and had won a full scholarship to college.

She’d initiated conflict with Evan, and now that they’d reconciled, she was at odds with her mother. What was wrong with her that she seemed to plant discord no matter what she did? But since she’d won the battle, she knew she must move forward before her mother planned a counterattack. She went into her bedroom and dialed Evan’s number.

Happiness was evident in Evan’s voice when she told him she intended to come to Ohio for Christmas.

“You’ll be finished with classes by the fifteenth, won’t you?”

“Yes. My last final is on December twelve.”

“Good. That will give me time to arrange for an electronic ticket and send your receipt by express mail. Have you ever flown before?”

“No,” she said, “and I’m a little worried about it.”

“You can get a plane in Jacksonville, and you’ll be flying into the Columbus International Airport. There will be one change, either in Atlanta or Charlotte. I’ll choose the easiest route for you.”

“Thanks, Evan.”

“Since I can’t return to Florida for a while, thank you for coming to see me. I can’t wait to see you.”

He wanted to ask how her mother had reacted to the visit, but Evan thought he might be happier if he didn’t know. He settled down to a week of waiting before he could see Wendy again.

Considering his eagerness to be reunited with Wendy, Evan couldn’t understand why he took his youngest sister, Olivia, with him when he went to the airport to meet her. Olivia had pestered him for days, wanting to go with him, but he’d resisted her entreaties until the morning he was preparing to leave for the airport.

Overcome with shyness about seeing Wendy, and with the memory of her harsh words still in his mind, he was uncertain of what they’d talk about. Deciding it might be better to introduce Wendy to his family gradually, he told Olivia she could go with him.

His little sister was a special gift to Evan, since she’d been born seventeen years ago on his eighth birthday. The fact that they always celebrated their birthdays together had been a bonding factor. But Olivia’s personality made it impossible not to love her because she was as affectionate as a half-grown puppy.

In their baby pictures, Evan and Olivia could have passed for twins; their physical characteristics were similar. Like him, she had blond hair, blue eyes and a sprinkling of freckles on her creamy white skin. Glancing at his sister, who didn’t even try to conceal her eagerness to be going to meet her brother’s girlfriend, he knew it wouldn’t be long before Olivia would be dating, too. Although she was tomboyish and preferred working in the fields rather than in the kitchen, she was tall for her age, quick and graceful and the local boys were already asking Olivia for dates.

Wendy’s heart did a little flip-flop, and she stopped in her tracks when she entered the arrivals area and saw that Evan hadn’t come alone to meet her. She’d seen pictures of Olivia, so she knew who she was. She’d been looking forward to the three-hour trip from the airport to the Kessler home to determine the status of her current relationship with Evan. That would be impossible with Olivia along.

Wendy cautioned herself to avoid being jealous of Evan’s sister. She’d already accepted that, if she married Evan, she would have to share him with his family.

Evan’s eyes glowed with welcome, and he hurried toward her. He stooped to drop a soft kiss on her lips. With his arm around her, he led Wendy to Olivia.

Spontaneously, Olivia hugged Wendy. “Oh, you’re so pretty. Evan, why didn’t you tell us that? I’ve always wished I had dark hair, but I guess I’m stuck with being a blonde.”

“Those freckles would stand out like beacon lights if you had black hair,” Evan said, lightly tweaking his sister’s nose.

Laughing, Wendy said, “I didn’t like my hair when I was a teenager, either. In fact,” she said, with a knowing look toward Evan, “I’ve always been partial to blondes.”

“Well, I’m glad to hear that,” he said, feigning a leering grimace. He took Wendy’s carry-on case. “Let’s go and get the rest of your luggage. The weather forecast indicates some snow, and I want to start home. We may have a white Christmas.”

“Oh, I hope so,” Wendy said, her blue eyes large and luminous. “I’ve seen snow a few times in our area, but it didn’t stick on the ground.”

“I can’t promise for sure, but I figure you’ll see some snow in a few days.”

Those words Wendy was destined to remember, since inclement weather had a lot to do with her opinion of Evan’s home.

Darkness had fallen when Evan turned off the fourlane highway at the small town of Rio Grande to travel on a curving, narrow road. By that time, Olivia had stretched out on the back seat of the Kessler’s sedan and had gone to sleep.

Soon Wendy felt completely isolated in a sea of darkness. They crossed several small streams as they wound through the gently rolling hills. Leafless trees, as well as evergreens, formed a canopy over the roadway. When the headlights illuminated two deer standing in the middle of the road, Evan braked sharply. Wendy’s hand flew to her throat. The deer stared into the headlights, and Evan turned off the lights. Wendy cringed in the inky-black darkness, and she moved closer to him, clutching his arm.

“The headlights blinded the deer,” Evan explained, tooting the horn a couple of times. He turned the lights on again. The deer jumped a fence and disappeared into the heavy underbrush at the road’s edge.

Until they’d left the main highway, Wendy had been chatting easily, but Evan noticed that she’d become unusually quiet after they’d turned onto the byway. This was probably the first total darkness she’d ever seen. He wondered if this was another hurdle he’d have to overcome if he brought Wendy to Heritage Farm as his wife.

Wendy had envisioned Evan’s farm home in a rustic setting, so she was hardly prepared for the magnificence of the floodlit Kessler home standing on a hill overlooking the Ohio River. As they approached along the curved driveway, Evan explained, “My ancestors came here from Germany before the Civil War. Our home was built several years later. The bricks for the house were made right here on our land. They weren’t of high quality, so my grandfather plastered the exterior of the house and painted it white.”

Green shutters framed the windows of the square, two-story building, and electric candles glowed in each window. Despite her tension, Wendy sensed a welcome. Evan bypassed the front door and went to a one-story ell at the rear of the house.

“Daddy built this wing several years ago for a combination kitchen, family room and three-car garage.”

An electric light over the door illuminated the covered entrance where Evan brought the car to a halt before waking Olivia. Wendy braced herself as Evan opened the door for her. Even his comforting hand on her arm didn’t calm Wendy’s nerves as she went inside to meet his family.

Chapter Four

An involuntary shudder swept through Wendy’s body. Had fear or cold caused the reaction? She’d been cold ever since she’d deplaned in Columbus. The strong wind had nearly swept her off her feet and had chilled her thoroughly while they walked to the airport’s parking garage.

Evan put his arm around her waist as they stepped inside a spacious room. Wendy drew a deep breath and leaned into his embrace. Two women waited for them. The older woman wore a welcoming smile. The other one stared at Wendy, an aloof expression on her face. A moment of tense silence seemed as long as an hour to Wendy as the women scrutinized her.

Wendy scanned the room. An island divided the kitchen and dining area from the family room. In her brief survey, she saw a large-screen television, two sofas, several chairs and tables, a bookcase and a fireplace framed by a massive mantel displaying many trophies and framed photographs.

“Welcome to our home,” the older woman said as she stepped forward and took Wendy’s hand.

“Wendy, this is my mother, Hilda,” Evan said with unmistakable pride, and Wendy sensed the close bond between mother and son.

Wendy assumed the other woman was Evan’s sister, but she didn’t offer any sign of welcome. A German shepherd stirred lazily from his place in front of the fireplace and came to greet them. Evan knelt down and rubbed his dense short coat of hair, and the dog nuzzled his face.

“And this is Victor,” Evan said. “He’s the boss around here.”

The dog barked up into Evan’s face, and the expression of delight on his face seemed to be a dog grin.

A blast of cold air stung Wendy’s legs when Olivia opened the door and carried in a piece of Wendy’s luggage. Olivia slammed the door against the strong wind. “Supper smells good, Mom,” she said. “I’m starved.”

“You’re always hungry,” her sister said.

“This is my other daughter, Marcy,” Hilda said.

“Hello,” Marcy said without a degree of warmth in her voice, and turned away toward the kitchen. “I’ll finish the salad.”

Marcy, too, had blond hair and blue eyes, and Wendy was amazed at how much all three children shared their mother’s physical characteristics. Mr. Kessler must also be fair-featured.

With a frown at her oldest daughter, Hilda said, “Olivia, show Wendy to her room, and, Evan, you can bring in the rest of her luggage while I finish supper.”

Evan still had his arm around Wendy’s waist, and she hated to leave him. He gave her a little squeeze, and she picked up her carry-on bag and followed Olivia into the central part of the house and up the carpeted stairway. The family room had been warm and cozy, but the large hallway was several degrees colder. The carpets, the wall hangings, the draperies and the furniture indicated affluence, and Wendy was uncomfortable. Wendy had never seen such a palatial house. She didn’t fit in.

“The guest room is next to mine, and we’ll share the bathroom between the rooms. Daddy and Mom sleep downstairs, and Marcy and Evan have rooms on the other side of the hall.” As Olivia led the way up the stairway, looking over her shoulder, she whispered, “Don’t pay any attention to Marcy. She’s always been jealous of Evan’s girlfriends.”

Wendy stopped in her tracks. She’d been curious about any previous girlfriends Evan might have had, but he had talked so openly about his past and hadn’t mentioned any romances, so she’d assumed that he, like herself, had never dated.

“Has he had lots of girlfriends?”

Perhaps realizing she’d spoken out of turn, Olivia said quickly, “I shouldn’t have said that. Marcy tells me I talk too much.”

Wendy followed Olivia into the square room with ceilings that seemed to be about twelve feet high. She stood in the center of the room, feeling lost in such space.

Watching her closely, Olivia said, “Not to worry. Evan has always had lots of friends, but he’s never wanted to marry anyone before. I’ve heard Mom and Dad fretting about it—wondering if he’d ever have any children. It’s tradition for this farm to pass down to the oldest son.”

Family traditions that determined an individual’s lifestyle before he was even born confused Wendy. Evan’s firstborn son was destined to someday own this huge old house whether he wanted it or not. She shook her head in confusion. Her mother had been an only child, and Wendy had no thought of any responsibility toward past or future generations. Wendy knew so little about her father’s family that she felt no responsibility to them, either.

“But what if Evan doesn’t have a son?”

Olivia shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know! It’s never happened.”

Wendy was still standing in the middle of the room, feeling bewildered, when Evan entered with the rest of her luggage.

“Mom said that supper will be ready in about fifteen minutes, so you can wait until later to unpack.”

Olivia went into her room, and Evan said, “Anything wrong?”

She didn’t answer at first, but her face spoke for her. When his blue eyes met hers wistfulness flitted across her features. Her eyes clouded with uneasiness, and her body trembled.

“I don’t belong here, Evan,” she whispered between uneven gasps. “It was a mistake for me to come.”

Gathering her into his arms, Evan held her tightly, and she buried her face on the front of his flannel shirt.

“Of course you belong here. I invited you because I wanted you to meet my family. This farm is my heritage, and I wanted you to love it as much as I do.” He tucked gentle fingers under her chin and tilted her head backward. He kissed her on the forehead. “You’ve had a long day, but you’ll feel better once you’ve had one of Mom’s meals. Why don’t you take a quick shower and change into a pretty outfit? I’ll tell Mom to hold supper until you’re ready.”

Before he closed the door, Evan favored Wendy with a contemplative glance. She lifted her head and forced a smile to her lips. “I’ll hurry, Evan.”

Although she was uncomfortable and scared, Wendy didn’t want to embarrass Evan in front of his family. She hurried to shower and dress. She chose the warmest pants and shirt she had, knowing that her Florida clothes weren’t suitable for this climate. The soft fabric of the velour shirt felt good to her skin and the shade of blue matched her eyes. She brushed her hair and put on long loop black earrings. Taking a last look in the mirror on the antique dresser, Wendy knew that Evan wouldn’t be ashamed of her appearance. She hustled down the stairs, determined that, in spite of her inner turmoil and doubts, she would be a pleasant guest so that her behavior wouldn’t embarrass him, either.

Chapter Five

As the evening progressed, Wendy learned that she didn’t have to pretend to enjoy herself. She really was having a good time. She felt a little disloyal when she compared the deli meals her mother served to the succulent home-cooked roast beef, baked potatoes, green beans and broccoli and cauliflower salad Mrs. Kessler served. The food was mouthwatering, and she was amazed when Evan told her that the beef, potatoes and beans were all products of their farm. The apples for the still-warm pie had grown on a tree in the backyard.

Marcy unbent to talk a little, while all of the Kesslers vied with each other to show Wendy around their home.

“I refer to this as my rogues’ gallery,” Hilda said with a smile, as she pointed to the wall in the family room featuring pictures of her children from birth to the present. Wendy stared at the picture of Evan with his first birthday cake. When she commented on it, Olivia said, “We get to choose what kind of cake we want and also the menu for our birthday dinner.”

“You make the cakes yourself?” Wendy asked Hilda.

“Yes, just like my mother always did for her children.”

“But what about your birthday? Who helps you celebrate it?”

“That’s one day I don’t work at all. Since the children have gotten old enough to take care of themselves, Karl always takes me out for the day. We have dinner, sometimes go to a movie. I get to choose exactly what I want to do. He always buys me a new dress, too, but I pick it out.”

Wendy thought of the grocery store cakes her mother bought for her birthday. All she’d ever done for her mother’s birthday was buy a card. It seemed strange that birthdays were so special to the Kessler family.

“Look over here,” Evan said, taking her hand and guiding her to the opposite wall, covered with plaques and citations. “There are awards the Kesslers have won for their contribution to the farming industry in the state of Ohio.” He pointed to a trophy displayed on a small ledge. “This was given to my grandfather for a heifer that won first place in her division at the Ohio State Fair.”

“Daddy’s livestock have taken some awards, too,” Marcy said, pointing to the fireplace mantel where several trophies were on exhibit.

“And how is Mr. Kessler? I’m sorry I waited so long to ask.”

“He’s improving slowly,” Hilda said, “but his doctors have promised us that he’ll be home for Christmas.”

“I’ll take you to see him tomorrow,” Evan said. “He’s looking forward to meeting you.”

For an hour they toured the four large first-floor rooms in the original house and Wendy learned much about the family’s history. Victor followed as they pointed out ornately framed portraits of stern-looking Kessler men and their wives. The latest portrait was a colored photograph of Hilda and Karl Kessler, taken on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Momentarily, Wendy wondered if someday her and Evan’s portrait would hang on these walls. If she ever became mistress of this house, would she want the faces of long-gone Kesslers staring at her every day?

It was nine o’clock when they returned to the family room, and Hilda said, “I’m sure Evan and Wendy want to be alone since they haven’t seen each other for a few weeks. So, let’s have our family devotions and give them some time together.”

Hilda sat in a rocking chair and took a Bible from the nearby table. “Usually Karl does this,” she explained to Wendy, “but I’m privileged to do it while he’s away.”

Olivia and Marcy sat on the sofa, and Evan and Wendy took chairs close to Hilda. Victor laid his head on Evan’s knee.

Hilda put on her glasses. “This week, we’re reading verses from the Old Testament prophesying the birth of Jesus. Tonight, I’ll read from the ninth chapter of Isaiah.

“‘For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’

“Let’s think about Jesus as a counselor tonight,” Hilda continued. “When we have problems that seem too difficult for us to deal with, we can take our concerns to Jesus. He’s been a counselor to me during these days of Karl’s illness, and my comforter, as well.”

Wendy had unwillingly participated in family devotions at her grandparents’ home. Her relationship with her father’s parents had been tempered by Emmalee’s opinion of them. Now she wished she’d listened to what her grandfather had said, so she could more easily fit into Evan’s life.

“Do any of you have any requests before we pray?” Hilda said.

“I need help with my final exam tomorrow,” Marcy said.

Evan clasped Wendy’s hand. “Let’s thank Him for Wendy’s safe flight and her presence with us.”

“There’s a new girl at school,” Olivia said. “I’ve tried to be friends, but she’s very distant. I’d like to know how to get close to her. I think she’s lonesome.”

Hilda reached her hands to Evan and Marcy, and Olivia joined hands with her sister and Wendy. Hilda took the requests of her family to the throne of God, and also asked that Karl have a night of rest and that his recovery be rapid. Hilda prayed God’s blessings upon Wendy, and Wendy sensed the conviction that God heard and would answer that prayer.

After she finished praying, Hilda stood and kissed her daughters and Evan. Then she turned toward Wendy.

“May I?” she asked, and Wendy eagerly offered her cheek for Hilda’s soft kiss.

Soon Wendy and Evan were alone, except for Victor who lay down on an old quilt in front of the fire and slept. Evan stirred the embers in the fireplace and put on another log. He piled several large cushions near the hearth and motioned for Wendy to join him. As she settled into the soft cushions, Evan sat very close beside her.

Embarrassed now that they were alone for the first time since she’d broken their engagement, Wendy searched for a safe subject. “I’ve never sat before a fire like this,” she said. “It’s so cozy, it makes me drowsy.”

“I imagine you are tired after that long plane trip, so I won’t keep you long, but I wanted to tell you how happy I am to have you in our home. Christmas is always a special time, and it will be even more so with you here.”

She didn’t want to tell him how out of place she felt, nor was she quite ready to deal with the tenderness and promise she read in his eyes. Wendy didn’t doubt that Evan was ready to renew their engagement, but if she took Evan, that meant taking on his family and their heritage. How could she possibly live up to the example of Kessler wives when she’d never experienced the close-knit bonds of a family? Relationships that Evan took for granted were mind-boggling, frightening to Wendy.

The heat from the fireplace felt good on her face and legs, but Wendy’s back was chilly. “I didn’t realize that Ohio was so cold. I noticed the temperature on an insurance office’s clock as we left Columbus, and it was in the twenties. That kind of weather is very rare in Florida. I don’t have clothes for this kind of climate.”

Evan put his arm around her. “I should have warned you about the weather. My mind hasn’t been working right the past two weeks since Daddy got sick. Some winters our weather is mild, but not this year. The forecast for the next thirty days is for below-normal temperatures. I hope that won’t give you a bad opinion of the area. I want you to like it here.”

Wendy had spent most of her life apologizing to her mother for some infraction or another, so she didn’t know why it was so difficult for her to apologize to Evan, but she knew she had to.

Summoning her courage, she turned to face Evan and lifted her hand to caress his face. “I’m sorry I was so mean to you when you were worried about your father. I wasn’t very understanding. Please forgive me, Evan.”

“I forgave your words as soon as you said them. I’d been hasty in asking you to marry me when you didn’t know what all that would involve. I realize why you were disappointed.”

“It wasn’t only that. I’d just had a little glimpse of happiness, and suddenly it was gone.”

Evan had often wondered about Wendy’s family, and he said, “I’ve noticed this evening that you’ve seemed frightened and uneasy. We’ve done our best to make you feel at home, but you’re still wary of us. Why?”

“It isn’t your family’s fault, Evan. It’s my problem. I don’t know how to accept love and hospitality when it’s offered.”

“Why don’t you tell me about your mother and your home life? Maybe that will help me understand.”

So for the next hour, while wind whined around the old house and flames crackled in the fireplace, content in the circle of Evan’s arms, Wendy told him about her childhood. Of the divorce of her parents when she was eight, of her mother’s disillusionment with men in general, of her mother’s possessiveness that had led to a lonely childhood because her mother didn’t encourage her to have friends. Of the two weeks each year when she visited her paternal grandparents, wanting to love them, but refusing to do so because her mother wanted her to hate them as she did.

As she talked, Evan saw beyond her words and caught a glimpse of a lonely child caught in the cross fire between her parents and grandparents. She’d obviously become a pawn in their dissatisfaction with each other.

When Wendy finished, she looked up at him, a piteous expression in her eyes. “You see, Evan, I can never measure up to the kind of person your family expects me to be. I’m obviously not the right person for you—that’s why I’m frightened. I had a glimpse of happiness, but I know I’m not capable of achieving it.”

He cupped her chin in his palm. “Let’s get one thing straight. If you become my wife, you’ll be marrying me, not my family. True, I want you to love my family. It will be our life, and I hope we can live it out in Kessler tradition, but if that doesn’t work for you, we’ll go another way. Until we see how Daddy gets along with therapy, I feel obligated to stay here, but I would never expect you to live anywhere you’d be unhappy. These two weeks will give you time to know us. I won’t put any pressure on you for a commitment until you’re ready to give it.”

Before he released her chin, Evan’s lips caressed hers.

“Do you want to tell me why your parents divorced?”

“It was a personality conflict more than anything else. As far as I know, there wasn’t any unfaithfulness by either of them. They just didn’t get along. He had a quiet, retiring personality, not very affectionate. For some reason, Mother needed constant affirmation that he loved her. She nagged him constantly. To escape, he went to work on oceangoing steamers that kept him away from home for long periods of time. She filed for divorce, giving desertion as the cause. He really didn’t desert us—he wanted to pay her alimony, but she refused. She did accept child support, which he paid faithfully.”

“Put all of that behind you,” Evan said. “I promise you your future will be much better than the past.”

Chapter Six

After Evan prepared the fire to hold through the night, he turned out the lights in the family room. Hand in hand they walked upstairs. He paused at the threshold of her room. “I get up at four o’clock to go to the dairy barn, and it will be ten before I come in. Sleep as late as you want and then find your way downstairs.”

“Why do you get up so early?” she whispered, not wanting to wake his sisters.

“The cows are milked twice a day. I have to start early, so the afternoon milking can begin by four o’clock.”

If Evan didn’t finish until ten o’clock in the morning and went back out again at four in the afternoon, she wouldn’t see much of him. But she wouldn’t make his work any harder by complaining. After all, Evan had put aside his plans for the future to help his father. She realized he was sacrificing, too.

Perhaps sensing her disappointment, Evan said, “We hired a man and his wife to do the second milking, so we can spend every afternoon and evening together. I’d like to take you to see Daddy tomorrow afternoon.”

“I’d love that,” Wendy said sincerely, wanting very much to see the kind of man Karl Kessler was to cause his son to drop his own plans to take over his work. She lifted her face for his kiss and Evan didn’t disappoint her.

Wendy closed the door and a warm glow of welcome surrounded her as she entered the room that had been prepared for her. A Tiffany-style table lamp shed a soft glow over her bed. The bedspread had been removed and the sheets turned down. Wendy laid her hand on the homemade quilt and felt warmth. An investigation revealed that there was a heated mattress pad on the bed. The room was cool, and she dreaded changing into her nightclothes.

An open Bible and a daily devotional book lay on the nightstand. She sat in the rocker beside the bed and picked up the book.

The verse for the day was “Do not be afraid, Mary, for God has been gracious to you.”

Wendy read with interest the comment on the Scripture. “Perhaps when the Angel of the Lord appeared to Mary, she may have thought that she was in trouble. She soon discovered that she was being called to a particular mission—to play a part in God’s great act of salvation. Was Mary afraid to undertake the mission? Did she feel inadequate to become the mother of the Messiah? Perhaps she sensed that this mission would lead to a difficult life full of heartaches, but she’d said yes.”

Wendy rocked slowly, listening to the wind blowing around the house. Was her situation similar to Mary’s? Was it God’s plan for her to marry Evan and become the mother of his children? Was God calling her to establish her roots in southern Ohio?

The room was cool, but Wendy unpacked a few of her clothes, slipped into her nightgown and got into bed.

Immediately she felt pampered and loved. The bed was warm, and she sensed the love that the Kessler family had shared in this house for generations. She knew that the same love was hers for the asking.

She turned off the lamp and the room was plunged into total darkness. She sat up in bed frightened. She reached out her hand to turn on the lamp again, but she stopped. What did she have to fear? Evan was only a short distance away.

She resisted the urge to turn on the light and settled deep under the covers. She slipped her hand under the pillow and touched a flashlight. Laughing softly, she turned on the light and flashed it around the room, discovering that the Praying Hands figurine on the nightstand, that she’d thought was an ornament, was really a night-light. She pushed a button on the figurine and a faint light glowed around her. Hilda had thought of everything for her comfort!

The warmth from the heated mattress pad eased her body, and Wendy went to sleep.

Wendy awakened to a soft crackling sound and realized that the room was warmer than it had been when she’d gone to bed. She traced the noise to heating radiators under the windows.

She was so comfortable she didn’t want to leave her bed, but she opened her eyes and saw a white piece of paper near the door. She slipped out of the warm bed, retrieved the note and got back under the covers before she read it.

“Good morning, darling,” Evan had written. “I hope you had a good night’s rest. I’m counting the hours until we can be together again.”

Wendy held the note close to her heart. It was six o’clock, and she wondered what time she should get up. She hadn’t heard anyone stir, but after a while, she got up, put on a robe and walked to the window. Daylight was breaking softly, and Wendy had her first look at the farmland Evan loved so much.

The house was on a knoll, overlooking wide fields along the banks of a big muddy river. A row of leafless trees marked a large curve in the river, and Wendy had a slight view of wooded hills above the house. Apparently, the farm buildings were behind the house and hidden from her view.

Accustomed to green trees all year round, the landscape looked stark to Wendy. A few oak trees still retained their brown leaves, and there were patches of evergreens in the middle of the forest. Could she ever be content to live in an area like this when she’d grown up in a sunny climate in a state surrounded by sandy beaches, palm trees and lively tourist attractions?

She turned from the window when she heard a slight knock on the adjoining bathroom door.

“Come in,” she said, and Olivia opened the door and peeked in. The girl’s eyes were heavy with sleep and her short blond hair was tousled.

“Just checking to see if you’re up. We usually eat breakfast at seven, but Mom said to let you sleep late today. I’ve got to hurry and get ready for school, so I’ll take my shower first, if you don’t mind.”

“Go ahead. Do you ride a bus to school?”

“Yes, and it comes at quarter to eight. This is Marcy’s first year in college. She drives to Rio Grande every day. She has a nine-o’clock class so she’s ready to leave. I’ll hurry so you can get ready for the day.”

Wendy went back to bed until Olivia tapped on the door again. “I’m going now, Wendy,” she called. “You’ll have the upstairs to yourself. See you tonight.”

The house seemed unusually quiet after Olivia’s running steps disappeared down the stairway. Wendy stayed in bed a few more minutes, alternately dreading and looking forward to the day. She couldn’t hear anything except the hissing of the radiators, which wasn’t surprising, considering the ten-inch-thick brick walls.

Hilda was in the family room, reading the Bible, when Wendy opened the door.

“Good morning, Wendy,” Hilda said. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yes. The bed was so warm and cozy that I hated to leave it. I’m not used to cold weather.”

Hilda glanced at Wendy’s lightweight slacks, blouse and sandals. “In this area, most of us have three different wardrobes. One set of clothing for winter, another for summer and a third one for spring and fall. Maybe Evan can take you shopping this afternoon.”

Wendy shook her head. “I don’t want to buy clothes to wear for two weeks in Ohio that I can’t use when I go back to Florida. I’ll just have to be cold.”

“We’ll think of something,” Hilda said. “What would you like to have for breakfast?”

“A glass of milk and a sweet roll would be fine.”

“Well, I can provide that,” Hilda said, standing and walking to the kitchen. “Evan drinks coffee and eats a pastry of some kind before he goes to the barn. I have a big breakfast ready for him when he finishes the work. You can eat a little now and then eat with him. How does that sound?”

“Fine. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not just yet, but everyone works around here, so I’ll soon have something for you to do.”

Evan brought the smell of the barn with him when he came into the house, and Wendy wrinkled her nose when she went to the utility room to greet him. She hardly recognized him as the man she loved. He wore stained coveralls and a pair of muddy boots. A wool cap covered his blond curls. When Evan bent to kiss her, his whiskers scratched her face. He seemed like a stranger to her.

In the midst of the pleasure of having Wendy in his home, Evan was aware of the puzzled look on her face, and he guessed the reason for it.

Grinning, he said, “I can’t run a farm looking like a fashion model.” He hung his cap on a wall rack, removed his boots and shrugged out of the coveralls. In his flannel shirt and jeans, he looked more like the man she knew.

Victor trotted into the room, planted his paws on Evan’s chest and barked into his face.

“Hungry, are you?” Evan said. He pushed Victor aside and poured some pet food into a tray and filled the dog’s water bowl.

“Is breakfast ready?” Evan asked.

“Yes. Hurry and wash up. Your mother has a lot of good food ready, and I’m hungry.”

Wendy had watched with interest as Hilda made biscuits from scratch, prepared low-fat bacon on the grill and scrambled several eggs. When Wendy tasted the biscuits spread with blackberry jelly, she couldn’t believe the difference between those biscuits and the ones she’d eaten in restaurants. When she commented on the jelly, Hilda said, “Blackberries grow wild on the farm. I made the jelly last summer.”

When they entered the kitchen, Hilda had already had breakfast. She sat at the table and sipped some coffee.

“Wendy and I have been talking about her clothes,” she said to Evan.

“I should have told her about the different climate, but I’ve been so worried about Daddy, I forgot it. I’m sure you don’t even own heavy clothes,” he said to Wendy.

“That’s true. I’ve never been in a really cold climate before. I knew it would be colder up here, so it’s no big problem. I’ll only be here two weeks.”

“Yes, but there’s no reason for you to be cold while you’re here,” Hilda said. “I don’t know why I didn’t think of this before. My niece moved to Arizona last year, and she left her winter clothes for my girls. But she’s taller than Olivia and Marcy, and although Olivia may grow into them, she can’t wear them now. The clothes are clean and hanging in the closet in garment bags. You’re about Annie’s size, and you’re welcome to use the clothes.”

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