A Place Called Home (A Place Called Home 1)

by Lori Wick

  Baxter’s general store was small but packed to the hilt with barrels of molasses, kerosene lamps, sacks of flour, a shiny new plow, and bolts of fabric. Christine could have looked all day.

  She picked out the buttons she needed to finish Luke’s Christmas present and then found two beautiful ribbons for Emily. She picked up extra yarn to finish the mittens for Calvin and Charles.

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  Christine took a few minutes after paying for her purchases to count out her money, and decided to pay some more on her medical bill.

  The walk to Mark’s place was cold, and Christine kept her head down against the wind. Had she been looking up, she would have seen a familiar horse out front.

  “Well, Christine! What are you doing out on such a cold day?” Mark spoke and stepped to take her coat.

  “Oh, I’m not staying. I just came to pay on my bill. Please, Mark, please let me pay without a lecture this time.”

  Mark agreed, but Christine could see he was not happy about it. He was still standing by the front door after Christine left when he heard Luke’s footsteps on the hardwood steps.

  Luke looked at the money in Mark’s hand before turning questioning eyes to his brother.

  “Don’t say it, Luke. I’ve tried to talk with her, but you’ve got one independent woman on your hands.

  Luke certainly couldn’t argue with that. His hand went to his back pocket. He handed some bills to Mark. “If this doesn’t cover it, let me know. If it’s too much, put the balance in Christine’s bank account.” Luke reached for his coat and hat.

  “Are you going to tell her?”

  “Right now. If the next time you see me I have a few battle scars, you’ll know why.”

  Christine had just taken off her things when Luke came in the front door.

  “Hello!” he called out, and Christine came from the kitchen.

  “Luke, I didn’t know you were in town!”

  “Actually, I was just at Mark’s, but you left in such a hurry that you didn’t see me.”

  “Oh, well, I just needed to pay on my bill and get home. It’s too cold to be out.”

  Luke took Christine’s hand and led her over to the couch.

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  “I talked to Mark after you left. I paid off your bill.” Luke watched as a frown covered Christine’s face.

  “Why?” she asked flatly.

  “Why what?”

  “Don’t mince words with me, Luke. I don’t like to be a burden to anyone. You did not need to pay my bill.”

  “I realize I didn’t need to pay your bill, but I wanted to. It was no burden. I had the money and it was my pleasure.”

  Christine couldn’t come up with an argument after the simple, practical way he stated his case.

  Luke watched as she stood and paced a bit before coming to stand before him.

  “It just doesn’t seem right.”

  “I love you, Christine, and I want to take care of you. What could be wrong with that?” Again she had no argument.

  Christine stood for a moment in thought before bending and kissing Luke’s cheek. “Thank you,” she stated humbly, and Luke knew it had cost her. He was sure that in her own mind she was accepting a handout.

  Before Luke could yield to the temptation of pulling her down into his lap he said, “Where’s Gram?”

  Christine sat beside him before she spoke. “I think she’s upstairs. Your brother Paul wrote and he’s not coming home for Christmas. I’m sorry, Luke.”

  Luke’s face fell. “Our first Christmas without Paul! It won’t be easy. I’ll go up and see her.”

  Christine went into the kitchen to work on lunch. She prayed for Grandma Em and the family, asking God to give them a special peace about Paul’s absence. She ended her prayer with a thankful heart that God had led her to a man as kind and sensitive as Luke Cameron.

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  “Hey, you’re all bundled up! Don’t tell me you’re going somewhere. I just arrived.”

  “Luke, I got a letter from Spooner today. I need to go see Mark. Will you take me and then stay while we talk?”

  Luke looked at Christine’s face. She was pale and he could tell she had been crying. Wordlessly he led her to the cutter. Some of the snow had melted off and Christine wondered absently whether Christmas, only a few days away, would be a white one.

  When Luke and Christine arrived, with Christine obviously upset, Maggie discreetly took the children and withdrew upstairs with them.

  After the four adults were alone, Mark astutely guessed the problem. “You’ve heard from Spooner.”

  Christine nodded. “Mrs. Hall’s letter came today. Carl Maxwell is dead. Mark, how could God let this happen? Carl was the only one who could answer my questions.” Christine began to cry and Luke’s arms went around her from his place next to her on the divan.

  Sue’s eyes also filled with tears and Mark reached for her hand.

  “Christine,” Mark said after she had composed herself, “what else did the letter say?”

  Christine sniffed and pulled the letter from her skirt pocket. She handed it to Mark, who read it and then gave it to Luke.

  “Listen, Christine, Mrs. Hall has not finished going through your grandfather’s things yet. The sheriff is still on the job. And I think you’ve known deep in your heart for some time now that Carl Maxwell was probably dead. Am I right?”

  Christine nodded.

  Luke spoke up, correctly reading her mind. “Christine, none of this is your fault. I’m sure you feel helpless, but

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  right now all that any of us can do is trust God to straighten this out.”

  Mark and Sue added their words of encouragement and Christine began to feel somewhat better. When Christine seemed in control again, Sue went to the kitchen to fix coffee. Mark went with her.

  Once Luke and Christine were alone, Christine stood up and moved away from him. She didn’t look at him when she spoke. “Everyone I get close to dies. If you don’t want to see me anymore, Luke, I’ll understand.”

  Luke was across the room in an instant and taking Christine’s arms in his hands. Turning her around to face him, his words of rebuke at her foolish talk died in his throat at the misery he saw in her eyes. How could he explain to her that he was in over his head? If he told her about the burned man now, it would scare her witless. And the idea of no longer seeing her was like asking Luke Cameron to stop breathing.

  “Christine, you haven’t been listening to me. I love you. When a person loves someone, he doesn’t run when he’s needed the most. I’m going to be here beside you, taking care of you, loving you, and praying for you until you’re sick of me.”

  “I will never be sick of you.”

  Susanne had started through the door back into the living room when she stopped so abruptly that Mark nearly ran into the back of her with the tray he was carrying.

  Shifting to one side, Mark saw what had stopped his wife. In the front room stood Luke, holding in his arms the woman he loved. Knowing the way Christine was hurting, Mark and Sue wouldn’t have interrupted them for anything, save another fire.

  Mark put the tray back in the kitchen and leaned against the counter. “I think my brother had the right idea,” Mark said as he pulled Sue against him. Sue looked up as she leaned against Mark’s chest, her head not even up to her husband’s chin.

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  “It’s almost like watching you out there holding Christine.”

  Mark’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I can see, Mrs. Cameron, that if you’ve had time for such wild ideas, I’ve been neglecting you. I will remedy that instantly.”

  Susanne giggled and raised her mouth for his kiss.

  The Cameron twins’ thoughts at that moment were running on identical tracks: Home is anywhere as long as this woman is in my arms.

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  Christmas Eve Day. Christine lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling. If she were in Spooner right now and her grandfather were alive, they would be getting read
y to go uptown for their traditional birthday breakfast. They had missed only one year since Christine was seven. The year she had turned 12 there was a blizzard, and Grandfather didn’t want to risk getting caught in it.

  Twenty years old! “Thank You, Lord,” Christine prayed, “for finding me now when I still have most of my life to live with You in my heart.” At the thought that her life might be cut short by a selfish man’s greed, Christine pushed out of bed and refused to dwell on the idea.

  Christine found Grandma Em up and breakfast ready. Grandma Em hugged Christine in the doorway. “Happy birthday, Christine!” Christine was surprised, since the only person she had told was Luke.

  Grandma Em led her to the table. Christine was speechless as she sat down at her place to find a small, brightly wrapped package.

  “I don’t know what to say.”

  “Don’t say anything. Just open it.”

  Under the wrapping Christine found a small black-bound diary.

  “I know you came from Spooner without your things. The new year is upon us, and with all the changes you’ve been through, I thought you might find this helpful. Recording answers to prayer and then looking back on them can really lift your spirits.”

  Christine was too moved to speak. She turned the pages to see that Grandma Em had written in the front, “Happy 20th Birthday, Christine. May God bless you today and always. Love, Grandma Em. Proverbs 3:5,6.”

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  Moving around the table, Christine kissed Grandma Em’s cheek and hugged her. “Thank you,” she said softly.

  “You’re welcome.” Grandma Em smiled at her. “We’ve got a full day ahead of us. Let’s eat.”

  Grandma Em was not kidding about the schedule. Silas would be bringing a tree in this afternoon and the parlor needed to be readied. At 6:00 there was to be a Christmas Eve service at church, and then the Cameron family would be headed back to trim Grandma Em’s tree and have cookies with hot apple cider.

  The day rushed by in a flurry of activity. Christine took a bath and dressed for the evening with special care. The dress she had made for the season was a deep green, near the color of her eyes. It had a high neck with long sleeves and a stark white collar and cuffs. Christine’s hair, freshly washed, was brushed out and left long down her back.

  The women were ready to go when Luke and Silas arrived to collect them. Christine was surprised but not disappointed when she saw Silas lead Grandma Em to a larger sleigh, one she had never seen before, while Luke guided her to the cutter and bundled her inside. The night air was crisp and Christine snuggled close to Luke.

  The service that evening was one that Christine would never forget. The lamps were low, Pastor Nolan explained, because he didn’t want the people to follow along in their Bibles but to just listen as he read.

  “Luke 2. And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, everyone into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that

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  she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, ‘Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.’ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.’ And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.’ And they came with haste, and found Mary and Joseph and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.”

  Christmas took on a new meaning for Christine that night. She sat in awe as she thought of God coming to earth in the form of a tiny infant to one day become the Savior of her soul.

  No hymnbook was opened and no music was played, but the congregation raised their voices in one accord. They sang with reverence and thanksgiving in their hearts.

  Christine cried through most of the service and had to ask Luke for his handkerchief. When Pastor Nolan ended

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  the service, Luke bent to tell Christine he had offered to douse the lamps and close up.

  There were many hugs and much laughter. And when the last person left, Christine went to the stove for warmth as she waited for Luke to finish.

  When the only light was a lamp burning up front and the fire, Luke joined Christine by the stove.

  “Oh, Luke, it was such a beautiful service!”

  He smiled tenderly.

  “It makes such a difference hearing the story of Christ’s birth when that same Christ lives within you.”

  They stood quietly together, unsure if the warmth they felt came from the fire without or within.

  Luke reached into his pocket and brought out a thin gold chain. He held it for Christine’s inspection. Hanging from the chain was a delicate gold locket, in the middle of which was a tiny diamond.

  Luke waited until her eyes raised to his. “Happy birthday, Christine.”

  Christine struggled desperately to keep from crying and ruining this precious moment. Luke moved behind her and, raising his arms, clasped the necklace on her. _* When Christine felt the locket drop below her throat, her finger reached for it and she gently opened it up to reveal an empty space within. Her eyes went questioningly to Luke.

  “I was hoping you would put our picture inside, Christine-our wedding picture.”

  Christine’s breath caught in her throat. She could only stare at the man before her.

  “I wanted to ask you here, Christine, in church so you would know I’ve prayed and trusted God in this. Christine, will you marry me?”

  “Oh, yes, Luke!” Christine spoke without hesitation and went into his arms. Luke held her as if he would never let her go, and Christine clung to him.

  “When, Christine, when will you marry me?”

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  “Anytime you want.” Christine was in a daze.

  “January.”

  “But that’s next month!” she answered, some sanity returning.

  “January 21st. That’s four weeks from today.”

  It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him it was too soon, but she looked into his eyes and knew she wanted it as well.

  Without a word Christine nodded her head and Luke kissed her with all the love and longing he felt. In that kiss Christine knew it would be the same for her as it had been for Grandma Em. Every day she would awake and know that Luke Cameron loved her with all his heart.

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  January 5, 1888

  My Dear Christie,

  My heart is filled with joy over your wedding plans. I wish I could be there, and you know I would be if it were at all possible.

  I continue on here, as I hope is your want. The house is in fine ord
er and the horses are well taken care of. The sheriff spoke to the bank as you requested, and extra money was made available for salaries and household needs.

  I hope this finds you safe. Please write and tell me about the wedding.

  Love, Mrs. Hall

  “Her letter is a little shorter than usual and she didn’t say anything about my accepting Christ,” Christine commented to Luke as they sat at Grandma Em’s kitchen table.

  “Maybe she’s afraid it will change things and she’ll be out of a job.”

  “I’ve been thinking about that. I will have to go back home at some point. Things aren’t really settled with grandfather’s estate.”

  “When are you going to start thinking of Baxter as home?”

  Christine could only stare at Luke, unsure of what he meant. Luke tugged on a strand of her hair. “I was just teasing, Christine. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

  “There are times I don’t know where home is, Luke. Can you understand that?”

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  “Considering what the last year of your life has been like, it’s completely natural.” He stood up. “I’ve got to go. As usual, I told Si I wouldn’t be long, and then I stop over here and you won’t let me leave.”

  “Oh no you don’t, Luke Andrew Cameron! You’re not going to blame your tardiness on me!” Christine shook her finger at him.

  “You, Madam,” Luke said with mock sternness, “are entirely too big for your britches and much too sassy. That is all going to change after we’re married. Is that understood?”

  “Yes, Luke,” Christine answered with all the meekness she could muster.

  “All right. Now act like a good wife and get my coat and hat.” Christine moved like a humble servant and barely kept a straight face. While Luke was putting his coat and hat on, Christine moved around the kitchen table away from him.

  “All right, I’m ready to go. You may come and kiss me goodbye.”

  “No.”

  Luke regarded his playfully defiant fiancee from across the table.

  “Come here, Christie.” His voice was no longer commanding but deep and persuasive.

  Christine shook her head and stepped away from him as he moved toward her. His use of her nickname told her she would be kissed or he wouldn’t be leaving.