LITMIR.BIZ

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Anna recited. How did it go?”

      “I’m afraid I don’t remember offhand. I have a copy at school. I’ll send it to you.” She handed over her money, suddenly eager to leave the store. She grabbed her bag of groceries and rushed out the door.

      Joann followed her. “Are you all right?”

      In the cold air outside, Leah paused to draw a deep breath and recover from her shock. Seeing Caleb made her realize she’d been lying to herself for years.

      She hadn’t forgiven him. It was against everything her faith stood for.

      When her racing heart slowed, she adjusted her dark bonnet over her ears. “I’m fine. Are you coming to help us bake cookies next Wednesday? Sarah and Rebecca have already said they’ll be there.”

      “Of course. What could be more fun than a baking frolic with my friends?”

      “Eating our fill, then taking the rest to the cookie exchange on Friday afternoon and getting wonderful new varieties to try in return.”

      Joann grinned. “My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I’ll see you then.” She waved as she crossed the street. The printing office was only a few blocks away.

      Leah pulled on her mittens. She had a long walk ahead of her. God had allowed winter to take hold of the land. He’d sent a dusting of snow that morning, the first of the season.

      She glanced at the grocery store door. Did Caleb’s family know he was coming? No one had mentioned it to her. She shivered in the cold.

      She shouldn’t be standing around thinking about Caleb and the harm he’d caused. She had better things to do. There was a Christmas pageant to finish planning and papers to grade, as well as chores to be done. Whatever had brought Caleb to Hope Springs, it had nothing to do with her.

      At least his return would give his mother comfort. Maggie Mast would know her son was alive and well. The only contact Caleb had maintained with his family was an annual Christmas card with a brief note. A card mailed without a return address, although for the past few years the postmark had come from Houston, Texas. Leah knew Maggie cherished every one and kept them in a shoe box beside her bed.

      “Mama! Daddy!” The shrill cries of a child startled Leah.

      A girl in a pink sweater and stocking feet ran past along the sidewalk. She paused for a moment, turned in frantic circles, crying and calling, and then started running again. At first glance, Leah thought she might have Down syndrome. Clearly, she was distraught.

      Looking around, Leah realized there was no one else about. The child paused at the corner, then ran out of sight up the block. Had she found who she was looking for? A second later, Leah heard her calling again. Apparently not.

      She couldn’t leave a child alone and in distress. She put her bag of groceries on a nearby bench and went after the frightened girl. She caught up with her and took hold of her arm. “There, there, little one, what’s the matter?”

      “Mama’s gone, and Nana’s gone, and Daddy is gone, too.”

      Leah knelt and used her gloves to wipe the tears from her face. She did have Down syndrome. Leah was familiar with such special children. In her years as a teacher, she’d dealt with two kinder with the same syndrome. She knew the first thing she needed was to get the child calm enough to answer a few questions. “I’ll help you find them. There’s no need to cry.”

      The child threw her arms around Leah’s neck and hung on for dear life. Leah rose with the girl in her arms. She looked up and down the street. Where were the parents? She rocked the child gently from side to side to soothe her. “Calm down, sweetheart. It will be okay. We’ll find your folks in a minute. My name is Leah Belier. What’s your name?”

      “Joy Lynn Perry.” A muffled sniff followed the tiny voice.

      “I’m very pleased to meet you, Joy Perry. Do you live around here?” Leah started walking in the direction the child had been running.

      “I live at one...two...one...seven Hudson Place.”

      There was no such address in the small village of Hope Springs. “That’s very good, Joy. I’m going to guess that you came to town in a car, right?”

      “No.”

      “Then you must have come on the bus. Did you ride the bus to Hope Springs?”

      “No.”

      “Don’t tell me you came in a buggy.”

      “Okay, I won’t.” Joy lifted her face from Leah’s neck. “Can you find my daddy?”

      Leah turned around slowly searching the quiet street. “I’d love to find him. Are you staying with someone in town? Are you staying at the inn?”

      “No. How come you wear such a funny hat?”

      “Is my bonnet funny?” Leah asked with a grin.

      Joy nodded solemnly.

      If she wasn’t familiar with Amish dress, she wasn’t staying with any of the Amish families in the area. That narrowed the number of possibilities. “If you didn’t come to Hope Springs in a buggy, or a car, or a bus, how did you get here?”

      “In daddy’s truck.”

      “Ah, a truck. How silly of me. Can you show me where the truck is parked?”

      Joy looked around. “No. It’s lost.”

      Suddenly, Leah heard a man franticly shouting for Joy. “That must be your daddy. Let’s go see him.”

      She began walking back the way she had come. She rounded the corner of the building just as Joy’s daddy came running toward her. Leah said, “I have her. She’s okay.”

      In the next instant, she was struck speechless as Caleb Mast pulled the child from her arms and held her close, his ragged gasps rising as white puffs in the cold air.

      Looking straight at her, he said, “Thank you, Leah.”

      He had recognized her, after all. Now what did she do?

      Chapter Two

      Leah stood rooted to the spot. Caleb had a child. That meant he had a wife, too. He had found happiness and love in the outside world after turning her life upside down. It was so unfair. She couldn’t stop the bitterness that welled up inside.

      Caleb’s mother never mentioned he had married or that he had children. Maybe he hadn’t told her. Some outsiders were ashamed of a child who wasn’t normal. Had he become one of those?

      Leah quickly pulled herself together. Caleb’s Englisch life was no concern of hers. “She’s fine, only a little frightened.”

      Caleb set his daughter on the ground and took her by the shoulders. “What were you doing? Why did you run off?” he demanded.

      “I got scared. I wanna go home.” She pushed away from him and covered her ears with her hands.

      “Don’t do that! I’m not going to hit you.”

      “I’m not bad. I’m not bad.” She flew back to Leah and wrapped her arms around her legs.

      He pressed his fingers to his temples and exhaled sharply. “I give up. I don’t know what to do with you.”

      Leah laid a protective hand on Joy’s head. “Patience and kindness are the keys to raising a special child. All children are gifts from God, but we believe a child such as Joy is one of His most cherished gifts.”

      Caleb’s hands dropped to his sides. He looked...defeated. “I know what the Amish believe. That’s why I’m here. The only reason I’m here.”

      She didn’t understand. He tipped his head slightly. A mocking smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “The prodigal son has returned. You don’t look happy

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