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Authors: Catherine Palmer
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to their host’s home for the traditional meal—but most were left to fend for themselves on this American family holiday. The I-House dinner filled the void.
“We have roasted a goat!” Peter Muraya entered the fellowship hall bearing a large platter covered with aluminum foil. His wife and baby followed close behind him, while Wisdom and Justice brought up the rear. “I think you will love this meat, Dr. Crane. All Kenyans eat roasted goat on special holidays. We dug a pit in the backyard in which to cook it.”
Tabitha nodded with a warm smile. “The animal was procured for us by Jeremiah Maddox.”
At the name of the man whose visage had filled her thoughts day and night for the past week, Lara suppressed a frown. She hated to think about the way she had spoken to Jeremiah on Saturday. Informing him that she had no interest in him. That she didn’t even want his friendship. What kind of a Christian was she, anyway?
On the other hand, she couldn’t have let him into her house. She didn’t trust herself. He was too handsome. Too smart and interesting. Too much of everything she had always longed for in a man. If she had welcomed him into her life, she had no doubt what would have happened. The doors she had bolted shut would burst open, and the flood of desire she kept so carefully suppressed would wash over her in a drowning tide.
It wasn’t physical desire that threatened her so much as the yearning for a deep, strong, lifelong commitment. She wanted a husband. A home. A family. Children. Since childhood, Lara had cherished the dream that she would become a wife and mother. It hadn’t happened, and she had tried to convince herself she felt perfectly comfortable with the life God had given her. She did, too. Really.
But just the mention of Jeremiah’s name brought it all back—that hammering in her heart. That need to be close to someone special. To belong. To love and be loved.
“The fat of the goat is the best part,” Tabitha Muraya confided as she settled little Tobias into a high chair. “The men will eat it. They believe it makes them strong and brave.”
Covering her mouth with her fingertips, she glanced at Lara and giggled. “In truth, it gives them a large stomach. Courage comes from the heart, does it not?”
Lara instantly thought of her flippant remark about the Cowardly Lion. “You’re right, Tabitha, courage does come from the heart,” she said. “We’ll go ahead and let the men think whatever they want. Who likes goat fat anyway?”
She was helping Tabitha tuck blankets around Tobias when Wisdom tugged on her sleeve.
“Dr. Crane, we are going to Texas for Christmas,” he announced. He stood like a little soldier beside his mother and the baby. Dressed in a freshly pressed white shirt and tan slacks, he looked every bit the handsome young gentleman. “We are going to drive in our car for many hours. My father’s brother lives in Dallas. We will see their family—all our cousins! We will eat another goat and open gifts. It will be great fun.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Lara said, kneeling to meet Wisdom eye-to-eye. “I’ll need to write down the dates of your trip so I won’t come to check on you while you’re gone. How is school these days?”
“My teacher gives me good marks. When I have trouble with reading or math, I tell Daniel. He explains everything to me.”
“Daniel Maddox? He helps you with homework?”
“The young men and women come to the cottage nearly every afternoon,” Tabitha said as she settled into a chair beside Tobias. The baby’s eyes were drifting shut, and his head began to slowly tip to one side. “I am teaching them how to crochet. They want to make Christmas presents for their friends—scarves, you know? For the neck? All of the young people play with Wisdom and Justice. Even Tobias is very much loved.”
Lara’s eyes misted. “The teenagers are helping you.”
“And the Murayas are helping us. ” Daniel Maddox’s large
“We have roasted a goat!” Peter Muraya entered the fellowship hall bearing a large platter covered with aluminum foil. His wife and baby followed close behind him, while Wisdom and Justice brought up the rear. “I think you will love this meat, Dr. Crane. All Kenyans eat roasted goat on special holidays. We dug a pit in the backyard in which to cook it.”
Tabitha nodded with a warm smile. “The animal was procured for us by Jeremiah Maddox.”
At the name of the man whose visage had filled her thoughts day and night for the past week, Lara suppressed a frown. She hated to think about the way she had spoken to Jeremiah on Saturday. Informing him that she had no interest in him. That she didn’t even want his friendship. What kind of a Christian was she, anyway?
On the other hand, she couldn’t have let him into her house. She didn’t trust herself. He was too handsome. Too smart and interesting. Too much of everything she had always longed for in a man. If she had welcomed him into her life, she had no doubt what would have happened. The doors she had bolted shut would burst open, and the flood of desire she kept so carefully suppressed would wash over her in a drowning tide.
It wasn’t physical desire that threatened her so much as the yearning for a deep, strong, lifelong commitment. She wanted a husband. A home. A family. Children. Since childhood, Lara had cherished the dream that she would become a wife and mother. It hadn’t happened, and she had tried to convince herself she felt perfectly comfortable with the life God had given her. She did, too. Really.
But just the mention of Jeremiah’s name brought it all back—that hammering in her heart. That need to be close to someone special. To belong. To love and be loved.
“The fat of the goat is the best part,” Tabitha Muraya confided as she settled little Tobias into a high chair. “The men will eat it. They believe it makes them strong and brave.”
Covering her mouth with her fingertips, she glanced at Lara and giggled. “In truth, it gives them a large stomach. Courage comes from the heart, does it not?”
Lara instantly thought of her flippant remark about the Cowardly Lion. “You’re right, Tabitha, courage does come from the heart,” she said. “We’ll go ahead and let the men think whatever they want. Who likes goat fat anyway?”
She was helping Tabitha tuck blankets around Tobias when Wisdom tugged on her sleeve.
“Dr. Crane, we are going to Texas for Christmas,” he announced. He stood like a little soldier beside his mother and the baby. Dressed in a freshly pressed white shirt and tan slacks, he looked every bit the handsome young gentleman. “We are going to drive in our car for many hours. My father’s brother lives in Dallas. We will see their family—all our cousins! We will eat another goat and open gifts. It will be great fun.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Lara said, kneeling to meet Wisdom eye-to-eye. “I’ll need to write down the dates of your trip so I won’t come to check on you while you’re gone. How is school these days?”
“My teacher gives me good marks. When I have trouble with reading or math, I tell Daniel. He explains everything to me.”
“Daniel Maddox? He helps you with homework?”
“The young men and women come to the cottage nearly every afternoon,” Tabitha said as she settled into a chair beside Tobias. The baby’s eyes were drifting shut, and his head began to slowly tip to one side. “I am teaching them how to crochet. They want to make Christmas presents for their friends—scarves, you know? For the neck? All of the young people play with Wisdom and Justice. Even Tobias is very much loved.”
Lara’s eyes misted. “The teenagers are helping you.”
“And the Murayas are helping us. ” Daniel Maddox’s large
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