by Janette Oke
Eventually they were all gathered around the extended table. Chattering children were silenced for a season, joking men became serious, and the busy women laid aside their aprons and sat with hands folded reverently in their laps. Clark lifted down the family Bible and read aloud the Christmas story, as he had done on each of the preceding family Christmases, and then led his household in prayer. He remembered each of the absent ones by name--Willie and Missie and their children, and Clae and Joe and their little ones. He thanked the Lord for bringing Luke back to them for a visit. He prayed for the new family members who were yet unknown and asked that God would bless the mothers who carried them and make the new babies a blessing to many in the years to come. He asked God's blessing on Arnie and Anne as they shared the family table and would soon be establishing a home of their own. He prayed for Josh and Nandry and each one of their children. He thanked the Lord for Lane and his presence in their home and his friendship that meant so much to the family. He remembered the Graham family and this first difficult Christmas without the husband and father of the home. Last, he remembered Marty, his helpmate over the years. He thanked the Lord for her return to good health and asked God to give them both wisdom and direction as they guided the new little life with which He had seen fit to bless them.
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It was a lengthy prayer, spoken sincerely. Even the children sat quietly, for Grandpa was talking to God.
In direct contrast, the meal itself was a noisy affair. Over the steady hum of chatter and loud laughter, one could scarcely hear oneself think. Lane stole a glance at Ellie. Cheeks flushed, golden hair wisping around her face, eyes sparkling with happiness, she answered some teasing coming from Clare. Lane was unable to hear her words, but from the look on Clare's face, he could guess Ellie was able to give as good as she received. After Clare's initial look of surprise at her quick response, he began to laugh and exclaimed loudly, "Well, ya got me there, little sister."
The children were excused to go back to their toys, and the adults settled down with another cup of coffee. The talk was not as boisterous now.
Clark leaned back and looked at his youngest son. "Yer lookin' good, boy. They must be takin' good care of ya."
"The Whistlers? They do all right, that's for sure. Aunt Mindy fusses even more than Ma." Luke looked at his mother with a grin. "An' yer likin' the studies?" Clark went on.
"I love it. Learning something new every day."
"Like?"
"Ya wouldn't believe what they are able to do now--in surgery, for treatment. I'm just getting a glimpse into it, but it's a whole new world out there. In a few years' time, with what they are learning, they'll almost be able to make a man over again if something goes wrong with him."
"Guess I was born a few years too soon," Clark moaned in mock despair and brought laughter around the table.
"No fooling, Pa," said Luke. "You ought to see the artificial limbs they've got on the drawing boards now."
"Ain't no help on a drawin' board," replied Clark, and his sons laughed again.
But it looked like the doctor in Luke was not to be put off with joking. He began to explain the advancements in artificial
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limb design. Before he was finished, he was kneeling before Clark with the pinned-up pant leg containing its stub of a leg unselfconsciously held in his hand. He explained to the gathered family what could soon be done. "You'll forget you even have a leg missing!" he exclaimed. "I told Dr. Bush you were a natural to be one of the first to try it out. I want you to have one, Pa."
Nandry left the table. Marty thought she was going to check on the children. But when the meal was finished and the dishes were being cleared away, Nandry still had not returned.
The afternoon was spent in playing games, toasting nuts, and visiting.
"Remember the Christmas at Missie's when we all joined together in carol singing?" Marty asked Lane.
He nodded his head, remembering it well.
"Henry played his guitar," Marty went on and then interrupted herself. "Ya played your guitar, too."
"You play the guitar?" asked Arnie, immediately interested. "Some," answered Lane.
"I always wanted to play a guitar," continued Arnie.
"Henry taught me. 'Fraid I wasn't too great a pupil, but I learned enough to sorta git a kick outta it."
"Do you have yer guitar with ya?" asked Ellie rather shyly. "At the LaHayes'," he answered.
"I'd like to hear ya play sometime."
Only Lane and Ellie seemed to be conscious of the undercurrent flowing between them. None of the other members of the family seemed to notice that Lane's eyes followed her about the room or that her cheeks flushed when she found him looking at her. Her simple words now were more to him than a statement. They came as a request, and without a spoken word his eyes made a promise.
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Nandry returned--from where, Marty did not know. Perhaps she was not feeling well. Marty hoped she wasn't coming down with something that would keep her from Arnie's wedding. Nandry stayed on the fringe of things, keeping a close eye on the children and even bustling about in the kitchen some.
The day itself was clear and bright, though the air was cold. The children begged to go out to play, but Nandry stated it was far colder than they thought it to be and the outside could just wait.
Lane, too, longed to get out. He ached for an opportunity to be alone with Ellie. He had done some shopping in the nearby town and had purchased a locket, which he had withheld from the Christmas gift exchange. He wanted to give it to her privately. But where and when would he ever find privacy on a day when the family had gathered together? He wished he were daring enough to ask Ellie to go for a walk, but he couldn't gather the courage. The day was swiftly passing, and still he had found no opportunity to speak with her. Ellie herself, perhaps unknowingly, gave him the opportunity he had been longing for.
"I'm gonna take a few goodies to the barn fer Lady and yer pup," she said. "Ya wanna see 'im?"
Lane bounded to his feet. The whole group must have thought he was uncommonly fond of his young dog.
"Better wear yer coat. It's cold out there," Ellie cautioned at the door, for Lane would have left the house in his shirt sleeves, so unthinking was he at the time.
He flushed slightly and pulled on his coat. Ellie was already bundled and ready to go.
"Yer gonna be surprised at how he's grown," Ellie told him as they walked to the barn.
Ellie threw wide the door, and the two little pups pounced upon her, licking and yapping excitedly. Ellie giggled as she tried to get them under control. Lady watched from the sidelines with a mother's pride.
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"My, ya do fuss over a body!" she exclaimed and worked to settle them down so she could give them the pan of turkey meat, gravy, and dressing scraps.
"They love it," she said, watching them wolf it down. "Pa says I spoil 'em."
The pup really had grown. He was still curly haired, and he still had his long, droopy ears, and he still looked awfully good to Lane. In his mind was the picture of a beautiful girl cuddling a small puppy. He reached down and picked it up, holding the wriggling body to his chest as he stroked the soft fur. Ellie stepped closer and touched the puppy, too.
"He doesn't have a name yet," she told him. "Thought of one?"
"How 'bout iffen you name 'im?" asked Lane.
"Me? He's yer dog."
"I'd still like yer name fer 'im," Lane said, looking steadily at her. Ellie stopped stroking the puppy and stepped back.
"I dunno," she said. "I haven't really been thinkin' on it." "What would you have called 'im iffen ya coulda kept 'im? I bet ya had a name all picked out."
Ellie's smile admitted that she had.
"C'mon," said Lane. "Out with it."
"Don't s'pose you'd want my silly name none. It's not a very sensible name fer a man's dog."
"Why? What's a sensible name fer a man's dog?"
"Oh, Butch. Or Pooch. Or Ol' Bob. We used
to name our dogs Ol' Bob. We had one Ol' Bob, and when we got a new puppy, Arnie named it Ol' Bob, too. Mama told me 'bout it."
"Don't think I care fer Ol' Bob," said Lane. "Or Butch or Pooch, either. This here's a special dog. He should have a special name."
He looked at her, coaxing her to share the name that she had picked for his dog. She still hesitated.
"C'mon," he said again.
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"You'd laugh."
"Never!"
Ellie began to laugh softly. "Well, ya might not laugh, ya being' so polite, but ya sure would want to."
"A good laugh is good fer a body," replied Lane, and Ellie's laughter sounded like she agreed.
"Okay," she said. "An' have a laugh iffen ya want to. I woulda called 'im Romeo."
"Romeo?" and Lane did laugh.
Ellie joined in. When they had finished chuckling over the name, Ellie said more seriously, "Why don't we just call 'im Rex?"
"Rex. I kinda like thet. Though it sure be a comedown from Romeo."
They laughed again.
"Promise ya won't tease?" asked Ellie.
"Tease?"
"Bout Romeo."
"Promise," said Lane. "I might even call 'im thet myself--once or twice--in private." And he put the puppy back down beside his mother.
Ellie picked up the pan and turned to go, but Lane stopped her.
In response to the question in her eyes, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small package.
"I wondered when I would git to give ya this," he said softly. "I didn't want to put it under the tree with the others. It's my Christmas gift to you."
Still Ellie said nothing. He passed it to her and she took it, looking down at it with confusion in her face.
"Open it," prompted Lane, and Ellie's trembling fingers began to do his bidding.
As she lifted up the delicate locket, her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Lane, it's beautiful," she whispered, and then the tears did spill. "But I can't take it."
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It was Lane's turn to be bewildered. "Ya mean ... what I was hopin' ... was dreamin' ... I didn't see a'tall?"
Ellie just stood mute, the tears continuing to fall and the fingers gently caressing the locket.
"Ya don't care fer me?" asked Lane.
"I never said ..." sobbed Ellie.
"Then there's someone else."
"No," said Ellie emphatically.
"Then I don't understand--"
"It's Mama. She needs me."
"I know," said Lane gently, reaching out to take her hands. "I'll wait. I'm not meanin' to take ya away now. It won't be long--"
"But ya don't understand!" cried Ellie. "It would near kill Mama. She misses Clae and Missie so. It would break her heart iffen another of her girls were to move so far away. Can't ya see...?"
"But surely--"
"No," said Ellie, shaking her head again. "I just couldn't do it to Mama. I wouldn't." And she pushed the locket back into Lane's hand and ran from the barn, leaving her pan behind her.
Lane felt a sickness sweep all through him. He loved her. Until that moment of losing her, he had not realized how deeply. He looked at the locket lying in his open hand and longed for the comfort of tears. He did not allow them. Instead he sank down upon the straw and reached for the small dog. He pressed his face against the soft fur and remembered how Ellie had looked with her face against the puppy.
"Oh, Romeo," he groaned. "I just don't know how I'll live without her. Yer a mighty poor substitute, I'm a thinkin'."
It was a long time before Lane felt composed enough to return to the house.
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Arnie's wedding day turned out not to be a fair day weather-wise. The wind was blowing and light snow was swirling as Clark tucked the blanket securely around Marty in the sleigh and headed for the church. All of the others had gone on before, and Marty fretted over last-minute concerns.
"Ellie has everythin' under control," Clark reminded her. "Ya needn't worry yerself none. The weddin' dinner will happen all proper like."
Marty knew that was true. She had worked on the dinner preparations in the kitchen with Ellie as much as her family would allow her, and then her physician-to-be son had gently but firmly shooed her to bed.
"You've been on your feet long enough," Luke insisted. "I'll help Ellie with whatever she needs."
And now the rest of the family were all at the church making the final wedding arrangements and waiting for the preacher to give the signal that the long-awaited hour had come.
Clark let the horses pick their own pace. Because they hated the cold and were in a hurry to get the journey over, they trotted briskly, Marty noted with some relief as she held the blanket up to her cheeks to prevent frostbite.
Other teams belonging to family and friends stood waiting in the churchyard when Clark swung his team in close to the steps and helped Marty alight. Luke was there to assist her in and hang up her coat. She was then seated in a spot reserved for the mother of the groom and had only moments to wait until Clark joined her.
The wedding party began to take their places in the front. Marty had never seen Arnie looking happier nor Anne more radiant. Ellie seemed a bit pale and strained, and Marty chided herself. The girl had been working much too hard. She must see that Ellie got a good rest when all of this excitement was over.
It was a beautiful ceremony. The young pastor was able to give it the proper dignity and warmth of feeling that a wedding service
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should have. Before a caring congregation, the young couple exchanged their vows, looking at each other with expressions that said they meant deeply everything they promised.
Marty swallowed hard and blinked back her tears. Another of their children was establishing a home of his own. Soon there would be none of them left to share the big house that Clark had built for his family. And then a little jab under her ribs reminded Marty that it would be a while yet before the house would be empty, and she smiled through her tears and reached down a hand to touch the spot where her unborn child was making its presence known.
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FIFTEEN Back to Routine
Luke now had to board the stage once again and return to school. Marty sighed deeply at the thought of seeing him go, but somehow it seemed easier this time than before.
The household settled back into its routine. Arnie and his new bride took up residence in the little home that he had been so industriously preparing for them. The day Arnie had walked out the door carrying the last of his belongings from his lifelong homestead was very hard for Marty, but the broad smile on his face made her realize the truth: that all was as it should be when Arnie was looking forward to starting out on a life of his own. The thought gave her a measure of peace.
How glad she was to have Ellie as she watched Luke and Arnie leave the home. What a comfort to have at least one of her children still with her. Then Marty looked carefully at Ellie, and her eyes told her that something was not quite right. Ellie still looked pale and overtired. She had been working far too hard, with all the family at home for Christmas and then the added burden of preparing for Arnie's wedding, as well. Marty decided that what Ellie needed was to get away from the kitchen for a while. She had heard some of the neighborhood young people talking about a skating party on Miller's pond. That was what Ellie needed. A chance to be out having fun with young people of her own age.
Marty tucked the information away in her mind, with the intention of doing something about it at her first opportunity.
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Marty was not concerned about who would take Ellie to the skating party. True, the girl no longer had big brothers in the house to escort her to such activities, but that would be no problem. Lane would be happy to take over that role. He was such a nice young man, and he and Ellie seemed to get along just fine. Though she would miss her brothers, Lane would be good company and sort of an "adopted" big brother.
Marty smiled as she concluded these thoughts. She tucked
the small sweater that was taking form under her quick needles back into her knitting basket and went to the kitchen. She had heard the dog bark, and that must mean the men were back from the woods. This was their first day back on the job since Arnie's wedding. She hoped Arnie would stop for a brief chat before he went to his new home and waiting bride.
Ellie was busy at the big stove, stirring a pot of wonderfully fragrant stew. Fresh biscuits sat in a pan at the back of the stove, smelling as good as they looked. Marty noticed the table. It was set for four. For a moment, Marty thought Ellie had forgotten that Arnie would no longer be eating with them, and then she remembered Lane. Of course--Lane always ate with them after he spent a day in the woods. It had been a while since the men had all gone out together, and she had forgotten. She smiled again, thinking this would be a good chance for her to tell Lane about the skating party.
Marty was disappointed when Clark came in saying Arnie had been in such a hurry to get home to his Anne that he had sent his mother greetings and excused himself from coming in. He'd see her sometime soon, he promised, and told Clark to give her his love.
Lane did come in, but he seemed edgy somehow. This was the first they had seen him since Arnie's wedding, and Marty had been all prepared for a good chat. Lane, though he politely answered all the questions that were put to him, just didn't seem much in the mood for chatting. Ellie didn't seem to be too talkative, either.
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Perhaps they were both weary after the rush and busyness of Christmas, Marty concluded. Well, things should slow down now.