Prayer Trilogy. Kimberly Gordon
the adult conversation.
“Or me three new grandchildren,” Gabriel added. “Besides, I have a good feeling Santa Claus may stop by tonight. I sure wouldn’t want to miss that.”
Chad frowned. What was he saying? He and Helen had nothing to give them. He wished Gabriel would stop getting their hopes up. He looked up to see Gabriel giving him and Helen a wink and a nod. Chad still frowned.
After breakfast, Helen and Naomi made bread dough. It filled the one room cabin with the smell of yeast. The loaves sat rising on the hearth while the females prepared stew. A large pot was filled with the beef, potatoes, vegetables, water, salt and flour. The males entertained themselves with an old game of checkers. It had belonged to Helen’s father years ago.
“Thanks for feeding my horses this morning,” Chad commented to Gabriel.
“It was no trouble. I wanted to see to mine and my mules. All was well and I didn’t want to wake you. I’m a very early riser,” he explained.
“I am, too, in the summer time,” Chad grinned sheepishly. “I take advantage of my warm bed during cold winter days and sleep as long as I can.”
Helen felt a little blush fill her cheeks. She wished Chad had not said that.
“Say, Mister Davidson, can I have a ride in your sleigh?” Matthew asked.
Johnathan stopped playing with his stuffed dog made from scraps of old material. He wanted to know the answer to that question, too.
“Certainly, Matthew. We can all go if you like.”
The children’s faces lit up.
“The children don’t have warm coats, Mister Davidson. I’d fear for their health if they went,” Helen told him with motherly concern.
“Not to fear. I have five extra buffalo hides in the sleigh. You can each wrap one around you,” he told her.
“Hooray!” Matthew shouted.
“Oh, boy!” Naomi gushed.
“Sleigh ride, sleigh ride,” Johnathan chanted, making his play puppy dance around.
Chad and Gabriel went to the barn. They would have to empty the sleigh of all its supplies and hook up the team.
“I’ve never seen horses this big,” Chad told him as harnesses were being adjusted.
“Clydesdales,” Gabriel answered.
The team was ready. Gabriel led them into the snow-filled yard while Chad carried the heavy buffalo furs to the house. “Wrap up everyone,” he told them.
Helen wore an old bonnet over her head. The material was faded to a dull gray-green. The children’s heads and hands were wrapped with clothing to keep them warm. Each took a buffalo hide to drape around their shoulders. The oldest two stepped out into the snow. Old rabbit furs were tied to their feet for shoes. Chad carried Johnathan to the sleigh and put him in the back with Helen and the other two children. Chad sat himself in the front with Gabriel.
“Ready?” the man called to them.
“Ready!” the two eldest shouted. Helen nodded her head.
Gabriel popped a whip over the horses heads. The loud snap sent them shuffling through the snow. The sleigh skimmed over the ice. Every passenger had a smile on their face. Gabriel led them across the winter landscape to a tree far in the distance. He circled wide and turned the sleigh back towards the house.
“Don’t go back home yet,” Michael begged.
Gabriel answered, “We won’t.”
The horses took them past the house. Gabriel had all the children giggling when he asked them to wave at the donkeys in the barn. Helen admitted to herself that this was the most fun their family had had in over a year. Gabriel circled wide again. More giggling and waving to the donkeys as they made their way back to the tree. They circled the house in this manner three times before coming to a stop in the yard. All cheeks were pink from cold.
“Papa, can we go see the donkeys?” Naomi asked.
“I don’t see why not.”
Helen led the children into the barn while the men unhitched the team.
“Mama, are these like the donkey Mary rode on to Bethlehem?” Naomi asked.
Helen smiled. Tonight they would read the story again from their family Bible as they had every Christmas Eve in the past. “Yes, honey, they are. Just like Mary’s donkey.”
Naomi and Michael stroked the animals. “I think it’s wonderful we will have donkeys in our barn tonight, of all nights!” the little girl gushed.
Helen agreed, “Yes, that is special. God has given us a Christmas we will never forget.”
Michael grabbed a handful of hay and began to put it near the donkey’s mouth.
“I wouldn’t do that, Michael,” Gabriel said quickly. “That one is ornery; he might take a finger off.” Michael quickly dropped the hay and stepped back.
The empty sleigh was now in the center of the barn. All the children climbed into it, imagining all sorts of adventures.
“I’d better go check on the bread,” Helen told them. “Chad, you’ll bring the children in?”
He agreed. Helen entered the cabin, savoring her few minutes of privacy before they all returned. The men and children remained in the barn for an hour. Helen had time to put the bread in the oven, do a little cleaning, set the table, pray, mend two socks and read a little from the Bible. It was quiet time she treasured.
When they all returned, Johnathan was very fussy. Chad immediately put him to bed for a nap. “Children, time for your reading lessons,” he told the other two. It was the only way they would remain quiet long enough for Johnathan to fall asleep. Gabriel sat with Naomi, reading along from her book of poetry. Chad read quietly with Matthew, letting him sound out words from the Bible. These were the only two books in the house.
Gabriel fell asleep in his chair. Naomi had to keep her giggles quiet. She continued to read silently as the smell of baking bread filled the room.
Late in the afternoon, a meal of bread and stew was enjoyed by all. Gabriel shared with the family stories of Denver. They explained to him all their trials and troubles the year had wrought.
Losing a baby, a twister and a fire, no wonder they were destitute, Gabriel thought to himself.
After the meal, Chad read from Luke. Naomi listened carefully to the Christmas story. She smiled when her father mentioned the donkey. All the adults shared fond Christmas memories afterward.
“I have to say, I thought this was going to be our worst Christmas ever,” Helen confessed. “But God turned it around for good, and it shall be our best, thanks to Mister Davidson.” Chad nodded agreement.
“May Matthew and I sing a song for you, Mister Davidson?” Naomi asked.
“Certainly.”
Naomi and Matthew huddled together to decide on the song. They broke out in unharmonic chords of “Silent Night.” The adults smiled, hearing the tune. Chad and Helen both knew their children had little musical talent. Gabriel was a good sport though. He pretended to enjoy it.
“Fit for angels! That was great!” he boasted when the song ended. “What other songs do you know?”
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come . . .” Naomi quickly bellowed. Matthew caught up quickly. Johnathan covered his ears.
When they finished, Gabriel told them, “That was just marvelous!”
Chad wondered if the old man was part deaf. “Say, why don’t we all sing some now,” he suggested.
Gabriel had a deep baritone voice. Helen sang soprano. Chad was somewhere in between. It was