over. She slapped the reins and drove the wagon toward the road. He watched it go. A sudden shiver ran along him. The breeze was damp and chilly, something he hadnât noticed while gazing into Estherâs pretty eyes.
The sound of the rattling wagon vanished in the distance, and he turned to see Jacob standing by the fence, his fingers through the chicken wire again in the hope an alpaca would come to him. The kind had no idea of what could lie ahead for him.
Take him into Your hands, Lord. Heâs going to need Your comfort in the days to come. Make him strong to face what the future brings, but let him be weak enough to accept help from us.
Taking a deep breath, Nathaniel walked toward the boy. Heâd agreed to take care of Jacob and offer him a haven at the farm. Now he had to prove he could.
Chapter Five
A s Jacob helped with the afternoon chores, which included cleaning up after the alpacas and refilling their water troughs, Nathaniel watched closely. He knew Esther would want to know how the boy did in the wake of the news about his onkel . She worried about him as if he were her own kind . Nathaniel suspected she was that way with each of her scholars.
Jacob didnât say much, but he was comfortable doing hard work. Nathaniel wondered how many of the chores at Titus Fisherâs house had become Jacobâs responsibility as the old manâs health declined. He seemed happy to remain behind, which was no surprise. A chance to skip school was something any kid would enjoy, but Nathaniel couldnât help wondering what the boy was thinking.
One thing he knew from his own childhood. Growing boys were always hungry.
Flashing Jacob a smile and a wink, he asked, âHow about grabbing a snack before we feed the alpacas?â
âWhatcha got?â
Nathaniel chuckled as he motioned for the boy to follow him toward the house. Jacob seemed to walk a fine line between being a kind and being a wraith who floated through each day, not connecting with anyone else.
âI know thereâs church spread in the fridge,â he answered.
Jacob grinned, and Nathaniel was glad heâd guessed what the boy would like. There werenât too many people who didnât enjoy the combination of peanut butter and marshmallow creme. Keeping it around allowed him to slap together a quick sandwich when he had scant time for dinner or was too tired to cook anything for supper.
âWhat else do you have to eat with it?â Jacob asked.
âWeâll look through the kitchen. A treasure hunt without a map. Who knows what we might find?â
âAs long as itâs not growing green stuff.â Excitement blossomed in Jacobâs eyes.
Nathaniel laughed and ruffled the boyâs hair. Jacob stiffened for a second, then relaxed with a smile.
The poor kid! Did anyone treat him as a kind or did others think of him solely as his sad experiences? The boy needed a chance to be a boy. Nathaniel knew that with every inch of his being. After having his own parents, with their gut intentions, nearly deny him his own chance to be a kid, he didnât want to see the same happen to another kind .
He wasnât going to let that occur. God had brought Jacob into his life for a reason, and it might be as simple as Nathaniel being able to offer him an escape, temporary though it might be, into a normal childhood. Reggie had given that to him. Now Nathaniel could do the same for Jacob.
With a laugh, he said, âYouâve got to be tired after tidying up.â
âA bit.â
â Gut. Then you wonât be able to beat me to the kitchen door.â With no more warning, Nathaniel loped away.
A moment passed, and he wondered if his attempt to get Jacob to play had failed. Then, with a whoop, the boy sped past him. Nathaniel lengthened his stride, but the kind reached the door before he could. Whirling to face him, Jacob pumped his arms in a victory dance.
Nathaniel let him cheer for a
The sound of the rattling wagon vanished in the distance, and he turned to see Jacob standing by the fence, his fingers through the chicken wire again in the hope an alpaca would come to him. The kind had no idea of what could lie ahead for him.
Take him into Your hands, Lord. Heâs going to need Your comfort in the days to come. Make him strong to face what the future brings, but let him be weak enough to accept help from us.
Taking a deep breath, Nathaniel walked toward the boy. Heâd agreed to take care of Jacob and offer him a haven at the farm. Now he had to prove he could.
Chapter Five
A s Jacob helped with the afternoon chores, which included cleaning up after the alpacas and refilling their water troughs, Nathaniel watched closely. He knew Esther would want to know how the boy did in the wake of the news about his onkel . She worried about him as if he were her own kind . Nathaniel suspected she was that way with each of her scholars.
Jacob didnât say much, but he was comfortable doing hard work. Nathaniel wondered how many of the chores at Titus Fisherâs house had become Jacobâs responsibility as the old manâs health declined. He seemed happy to remain behind, which was no surprise. A chance to skip school was something any kid would enjoy, but Nathaniel couldnât help wondering what the boy was thinking.
One thing he knew from his own childhood. Growing boys were always hungry.
Flashing Jacob a smile and a wink, he asked, âHow about grabbing a snack before we feed the alpacas?â
âWhatcha got?â
Nathaniel chuckled as he motioned for the boy to follow him toward the house. Jacob seemed to walk a fine line between being a kind and being a wraith who floated through each day, not connecting with anyone else.
âI know thereâs church spread in the fridge,â he answered.
Jacob grinned, and Nathaniel was glad heâd guessed what the boy would like. There werenât too many people who didnât enjoy the combination of peanut butter and marshmallow creme. Keeping it around allowed him to slap together a quick sandwich when he had scant time for dinner or was too tired to cook anything for supper.
âWhat else do you have to eat with it?â Jacob asked.
âWeâll look through the kitchen. A treasure hunt without a map. Who knows what we might find?â
âAs long as itâs not growing green stuff.â Excitement blossomed in Jacobâs eyes.
Nathaniel laughed and ruffled the boyâs hair. Jacob stiffened for a second, then relaxed with a smile.
The poor kid! Did anyone treat him as a kind or did others think of him solely as his sad experiences? The boy needed a chance to be a boy. Nathaniel knew that with every inch of his being. After having his own parents, with their gut intentions, nearly deny him his own chance to be a kid, he didnât want to see the same happen to another kind .
He wasnât going to let that occur. God had brought Jacob into his life for a reason, and it might be as simple as Nathaniel being able to offer him an escape, temporary though it might be, into a normal childhood. Reggie had given that to him. Now Nathaniel could do the same for Jacob.
With a laugh, he said, âYouâve got to be tired after tidying up.â
âA bit.â
â Gut. Then you wonât be able to beat me to the kitchen door.â With no more warning, Nathaniel loped away.
A moment passed, and he wondered if his attempt to get Jacob to play had failed. Then, with a whoop, the boy sped past him. Nathaniel lengthened his stride, but the kind reached the door before he could. Whirling to face him, Jacob pumped his arms in a victory dance.
Nathaniel let him cheer for a
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