Laurel walked to the window. The world looked like it had been draped in white eiderdown. Fresh powder concealed tire tracks, footprints, and animal tracks. Tree limbs were encased in unspoiled crystals, and evergreen needles had turned into white fluff. No one had come or gone—the snow was unmarred. Even the tracks left by her father last night were buried. The snow no longer looked beautiful. Instead Laurel saw death. Resting her cheek against the cold glass, she wished she could believe.
The sound of a car engine fractured the quiet. Her heart quickening, Laurel peered up the driveway. A pickup truck bounced and slipped through the deep powder and stopped in front of the house. Laurel held her breath. Were Adam and Luke in the truck? Or had someone come to tell them they'd been found … dead?
The barn door opened. Pushing against snow, it created a mound. Will stepped out, his face creased with fatigue and worry. He stared at the truck. Then a smile smoothed away lines of anxiety. “Praise the Lord!” he hollered and ran for the truck.
Luke stepped out of the cab. He looked weary but healthy.
“Thank you, Lord!” Laurel whispered, hoping Adam would be next. He didn't appear. Where is he?
Then she saw Adam carefully lift his right leg and set his foot gingerly on the snow. His pant leg had been cut open, revealing a bandaged knee. He swung his other leg out and slowly stood, leaning against the truck. After saying something to the driver, he closed the door and watched the truck back away. He said something to Will, then looked at the house. His eyes stopped when they reached Laurel. Smiling, he swept off his hat and waved it at her.
Joy rolled through Laurel. She waved back and ran for the door, flinging it open. “Luke!” she yelled, throwing her arms around her brother. “I thought you were dead.” Tears washed her face. She kissed his cheek.
Luke grinned. “Maybe I ought to disappear more often. I like this kind of welcome. If you treated me this way all the time, I'd be a much nicer brother,” he teased and stepped inside.
Laurel came face-to-face with Adam, who had an arm draped around her father's shoulders. She didn't know what to say or do. She wanted to hug him, hold him close, and tell him she loved him, but knew she couldn't do that. It wasn't proper, and she had no idea how he would receive such a bold announcement. Besides, she'd already embarrassed him his first night in Palmer.
Adam let loose of Will and limped forward.
Laurel's eyes went to his knee. “Adam, you're hurt!”
He grinned and pulled Laurel to him in a bear hug. “It's nothing.” He held her for a moment before releasing her. “For a while yesterday, I was afraid I'd never see you again.”
“You were?” Laurel's heart beat fast.
Resting an arm around her shoulders, Adam limped into the house.
“What happened to your leg?” Brian asked.
“I twisted it when the sled crashed. It's sore and swollen, but it'll heal.” Still leaning on Laurel, he hobbled inside.
Laurel liked the feel of his arm around her and the sensation of helping him. “What happened to you two?”
“It was like a miracle,” Luke said. “We were out practicing for the race, and I let Adam have a hand at the reins. Everything was fine, and then King went wild. He wouldn't slow down. Anyway, Adam and the sled headed down a hill and tipped over. King kept going. We were stuck, and the weather turned bad.”
“How about a cup of coffee?” Jean asked.
“Sounds good.” Adam lowered himself onto a chair at the table, careful not to bend his knee.
“Anyway,” Luke said, pulling out a chair and dropping into it, “I had to leave Adam to get help. The wind was picking up and it was snowing, plus it was getting dark. I'll tell ya', I was scared. I prayed as I walked.” He smiled at his mother and father. “Thanks for teaching me right. Anyway, I stumbled onto this cabin. And would you believe it? King was standing right there on the porch, still in his harness, the sled behind him.” He took the coffee offered and sipped it.
“A man named Mr. Applegate lives there. He was real nice and went with me to get Adam. That's where we stayed last night. We'd have come home, but the storm was too bad by then. I'm sorry if we worried you.”
“All that matters is you're safe,” Jean said.
“Mr. Applegate's kind of a recluse, but he's actually real friendly.”
“Interesting man. I'd like to write a story about him some day—if he'll allow it.”
Jean took a goose out of the icebox. “It's going to be a wonderful Christmas!”
“Yeah, can we open the presents?” Brian asked, running to the front room.
“I don't see why not,” Will said with a chuckle.
Brian grabbed a package from under the tree. “This one's for me!”
Will joined Brian. With Susie on her lap, Jean sat on the sofa, and Laurel sat beside her. Adam lowered himself into the rocker, keeping his leg out straight in front of him, and Luke stood in the doorway.
“Can I open it?” Brian asked. Will nodded, and the boy tore through the paper and opened the box. “Wow!” he said, pulling out a metal dump truck. Immediately he set it on the floor, pushing it over the wood planking while making truck noises. “This is just like a real one!”
“I suppose we might as well open the rest,” Will said, picking up a package. “Here's a gift for Susie.” He handed a gift to the little girl. “This is for Luke.”
Luke took the package and quickly unwrapped it. “A new fishing reel! I should be able to catch a string of fish with this.” He assembled the pieces and held it out, giving it a flick of the wrist to get the feel of it. “This is nice. Thanks.”
Will then handed a package to Laurel. She opened it and found a new pair of silk stockings.
Jean grinned. “I figured I might as well be impractical. I know how much you like dressing up.”
Laurel hugged her mother. “Thank you, Mama.”
“Hmm, there's one here for Adam.”
“Me?” Adam asked incredulously. “You didn't even know I was going to be here.”
“Santa knows everything,” Jean said with a grin.
Adam quickly stripped away the wrapping paper. Inside lay a new notebook, a writing pen, and a scrapbook. He looked at the Haspers. “I don't know what to say. It's perfect. Thank you.”
