Read Online Amish Christmas Joy by Patricia Davids - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Davids
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tracks?”
“That’s a good guess. Puppies have little feet, but this was made by someone who hops along.”
Her eyes grew round. “A rabbit?”
“That’s right.”
She jumped up and rushed toward the edge of the path. “Can I see it?”
He caught her by the shoulder. “Whoa. We might see a rabbit later, but we can’t follow him. We have to stick to the path.”
“Why?”
“Because rushing into the woods without knowing your way around is how you get lost. You must never do that. Let’s keep walking and see who else has shared our path.”
She gazed longingly toward the rabbit tracks but allowed herself to be led away. After a few dozen yards, she pointed ahead of them. “I see more tracks, Daddy. Who made those?”
“Those were made by a big deer. Can you see how they are split in two and pointed?”
She ran ahead of him and stopped, pointing at her feet. “Who made these?”
“That’s the footprints of a raccoon. See how the paw marks are like little handprints? Mr. Raccoon has hands a lot like you and I for gripping things. He has a face like a bandit with a black mask around his eyes and a short snout with sharp little teeth.”
She took a step back and pulled her hands to her chin. “Does he bite?”
“He would bite you if you tried to pick him up. If you let him mind his business, he will let you mind yours and everyone will stay happy.”
“Did you walk to school by yourself? Grandpa says I’ll have to learn to walk to school by myself. When I’m grown up I can drive a buggy.”
So his father was considering letting Joy live with them. “You won’t have to go by yourself until you feel good about doing it. I didn’t walk alone. I walked with my brother until he got too old for school.”
“Uncle Wayne? I don’t like him.”
His first impulse was to say that he didn’t like Wayne, either, but he held his tongue. He loved his brother. He didn’t like the way things had turned out between them. Joy was going to be living here. She would have to learn to get along with everyone in the family.
“Your uncle Wayne can seem gruff, but he is a good man. I think you will come to like him in time. His little boy is almost the same age as you.”
They heard the sound of crashing in the underbrush. Joy threw her arms around his leg and held on tight. “What’s that?”
They had their answer as a black-and-white dog bounded out of the woods and came loping toward them. Caleb’s heart gave a glad leap when he thought it was Trixie, but he quickly saw he was mistaken. This dog shared similar markings but was taller and heavier with more brown on his legs.
“Duncan won’t hurt you.” They both turned as Leah walked up beside them.
Caleb hadn’t forgotten that she and Rhonda used to take the same shortcut through the woods on their way to school. Had he subconsciously come this way in the hopes of meeting her? Maybe.
In any case, he was pleased to see her again. Very pleased.
“Leah!” Joy shouted and waved.
“Hello.” She smiled brightly at his child.
The tug of attraction was strong, but it was foolish to dwell on it. He’d be leaving in a few weeks. Still, something about her made the morning brighter. If things had been different, if they had met in another time and another place, he would have followed the urge to know her better, but she wasn’t for him.
To her, he was an outsider. The man who’d dishonored and abandoned her sister. He should be thankful she had taken an interest in helping Joy.
“I’m so happy to see you.” Joy ran to her and wrapped her arms around Leah’s legs. Duncan joined the game and jumped up, too. The impact of the child and the big dog together knocked the teacher off balance. Caleb lunged forward to catch her.
Leah staggered into Caleb. His strong arms closed around her and kept her upright, saving her from a tumble in the snow.
She looked up and saw a slow smile curve his lips. Her heart skittered wildly for an instant before
“That’s a good guess. Puppies have little feet, but this was made by someone who hops along.”
Her eyes grew round. “A rabbit?”
“That’s right.”
She jumped up and rushed toward the edge of the path. “Can I see it?”
He caught her by the shoulder. “Whoa. We might see a rabbit later, but we can’t follow him. We have to stick to the path.”
“Why?”
“Because rushing into the woods without knowing your way around is how you get lost. You must never do that. Let’s keep walking and see who else has shared our path.”
She gazed longingly toward the rabbit tracks but allowed herself to be led away. After a few dozen yards, she pointed ahead of them. “I see more tracks, Daddy. Who made those?”
“Those were made by a big deer. Can you see how they are split in two and pointed?”
She ran ahead of him and stopped, pointing at her feet. “Who made these?”
“That’s the footprints of a raccoon. See how the paw marks are like little handprints? Mr. Raccoon has hands a lot like you and I for gripping things. He has a face like a bandit with a black mask around his eyes and a short snout with sharp little teeth.”
She took a step back and pulled her hands to her chin. “Does he bite?”
“He would bite you if you tried to pick him up. If you let him mind his business, he will let you mind yours and everyone will stay happy.”
“Did you walk to school by yourself? Grandpa says I’ll have to learn to walk to school by myself. When I’m grown up I can drive a buggy.”
So his father was considering letting Joy live with them. “You won’t have to go by yourself until you feel good about doing it. I didn’t walk alone. I walked with my brother until he got too old for school.”
“Uncle Wayne? I don’t like him.”
His first impulse was to say that he didn’t like Wayne, either, but he held his tongue. He loved his brother. He didn’t like the way things had turned out between them. Joy was going to be living here. She would have to learn to get along with everyone in the family.
“Your uncle Wayne can seem gruff, but he is a good man. I think you will come to like him in time. His little boy is almost the same age as you.”
They heard the sound of crashing in the underbrush. Joy threw her arms around his leg and held on tight. “What’s that?”
They had their answer as a black-and-white dog bounded out of the woods and came loping toward them. Caleb’s heart gave a glad leap when he thought it was Trixie, but he quickly saw he was mistaken. This dog shared similar markings but was taller and heavier with more brown on his legs.
“Duncan won’t hurt you.” They both turned as Leah walked up beside them.
Caleb hadn’t forgotten that she and Rhonda used to take the same shortcut through the woods on their way to school. Had he subconsciously come this way in the hopes of meeting her? Maybe.
In any case, he was pleased to see her again. Very pleased.
“Leah!” Joy shouted and waved.
“Hello.” She smiled brightly at his child.
The tug of attraction was strong, but it was foolish to dwell on it. He’d be leaving in a few weeks. Still, something about her made the morning brighter. If things had been different, if they had met in another time and another place, he would have followed the urge to know her better, but she wasn’t for him.
To her, he was an outsider. The man who’d dishonored and abandoned her sister. He should be thankful she had taken an interest in helping Joy.
“I’m so happy to see you.” Joy ran to her and wrapped her arms around Leah’s legs. Duncan joined the game and jumped up, too. The impact of the child and the big dog together knocked the teacher off balance. Caleb lunged forward to catch her.
Leah staggered into Caleb. His strong arms closed around her and kept her upright, saving her from a tumble in the snow.
She looked up and saw a slow smile curve his lips. Her heart skittered wildly for an instant before
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