Laurel hung a glistening red ball on the tree. “Mama, shouldn't Luke and Adam be back?” She walked to the window and stared out at the darkness. The wind had picked up and swirled snow against the glass.
Jean rested her hand on Laurel's back. “Your father has gone to get Robert. They'll look for them.”
“But the weather's getting bad. If they go out—”
“Laurel, all this worrying won't help.” She forced a smile. “I'm sure Luke just got caught up in some of Alex's stories and is heading home right now. They'll probably meet each other on the road.”
“I hope you're right.”
Hours passed and still there was no sign of Luke or Adam. Robert and Will returned after several hours of searching.
Will dropped into a chair at the table. “We went to Alex's. He hasn't seen them since this morning. He's sick, so Luke and Adam went without him.”
“They could die out there!” Laurel said. “What are we going to do?”
“Robert and I came back to get warmed up. We'll keep looking. Tom Jenkins is going to help, and some of the old-timers said they'd look too.” His face lined with worry, he cradled a cup of coffee between his hands.
“You'll find them,” Jean said, pulling a shawl around her shoulders. “They'll be fine. Luke's a clever boy, and Adam's an intelligent man.”
“Yeah, but Adam doesn't know anything about surviving under these conditions,” Laurel said.
Will nodded. “I better get moving. Robert said he'd meet me in thirty minutes.” He held Jean in a tight embrace, then kissed her before disappearing out the back door.
“Is Luke going to die like Justin?” Brian asked, his eyes brimming with tears.
“No, Luke isn't going to die. He'll be fine. We'll find him.” Jean pulled the boy onto her lap.
Laurel paced, her mind creating frightening images of two frozen bodies. “God, help them. Please help them make it home.” Unable to hold back her tears, she let them fall. She'd already lost one brother. Now Luke? And what about Adam? If something happened to him, she couldn't bear it. I love him, she admitted. I love him. She pressed her forehead against the cold window glass.
“Honey, they'll be all right.” Jean eased Brian off her lap and walked to Laurel. Pulling her close with one arm, she said, “Try not to worry. They'll make it back.”
“Oh, Mama, I feel so awful. I can't stand it if I lose Luke. I still miss Justin so much.” She cried against her mother's shoulder.
Brian patted her back. “It'll be all right. Let's look at the tree. It'll make you feel better,” he said and disappeared into the front room.
“Mama, I love Adam.”
Jean pushed a strand of hair off Laurel's face. “I know.”
“You do? How? I didn't until just now.”
“I know you,” Jean said with a maternal smile. “I see the way you light up when you get his letters and the way he unsettles you when he's around.” She kissed Laurel's forehead. “I was young once. I haven't forgotten what it's like.”
“You didn't say anything. Why?”
“What was I supposed to say? Adam was gone, and Robert was here.”
“What should I do?”
“I can't tell you that; only remember that sometimes our hearts can lead us astray. Adam is a fine person, but his life is very different from yours. Robert is steady, he's ready to include you in a life you know, and he loves you.”
Laurel kissed her mother. Walking back to the window, she stared out into the night. If Adam makes it, I'm going to tell him how I feel, she decided.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
OVER SHRIEKING WIND, LAUREL HEARD THE DISTINCT SOUND OF BOOTS BEING knocked free of snow. She ran for the door, flinging it open. Blowing snow swirled in. Will stood alone. He looked at her through anguished eyes. Laurel's legs went weak, and she grabbed the doorframe to steady herself. “Where's Robert?” she managed to ask.
“Home.”
“You didn't … they aren't …”
“Will?” Jean asked.
“We didn't find them.” Closing the door, he stepped inside, pushed off his hood, and unbuttoned his coat. “We looked and looked and didn't find them. We couldn't stay out longer.” He hung up his coat.
Jean walked to her husband and slid her arms around his waist.
Will pulled her close. “I'm sorry. We'll go out again at first light.” He looked at Laurel. “I'm sorry, sugar.”
“There's coffee,” Laurel said, “and Mama made apple cake.”
Will managed a smile. “I can count on you baking when life gets hard. Coffee sounds good.” He held his hands out to the stove. “Where's Brian?”
“He tried to wait up but fell asleep sitting at the table,” Jean said, filling a cup with coffee and handing it to Will before she sank into a chair.
“I carried him up to bed,” Laurel said. Her father looked weary, empty. Wind howled under the eaves.
