And she prayed about what the future might hold. She didn’t ask for anything specific, just for God’s best for her and for Sarah. And that gave her peace.

  ***

  “Holly!” Tamara squealed, running toward her to give her a hug. They clung to each other and laughed. “I’ve missed you so much.”

  “Me too,” Holly said. Her fears that her cousin would have forgotten about her after three months away at college were quickly relieved.

  Holly saw Brian come up to them, and she turned to give him a hug. “I see you’ve been taking good care of her.”

  “Absolutely,” he said.

  “Let’s go inside,” Tamara said. “I’ve forgotten how cold it gets up here in the winter.”

  The three of them stepped into the warm house. Tamara and Brian exchanged hugs with Dana and Jack. Tamara went to Sarah playing with a baby doll on the living room floor and picked her up. Sarah carried the dolly everywhere that she’d gotten for her birthday in September.

  “Hey, sweetie,” Tamara said. “How are you?”

  Sarah responded by showing Tamara her doll and saying, “Ba-bee.”

  Tamara hugged her and set her back down to play. Holly had known seeing her cousin again would be a good day. But she did feel apprehensive about how much time they would have together. Tamara and Brian seemed to get closer every time Holly saw them, and she feared Brian may take all of Tamara’s time during these vacation days. But they both agreed to spend as much time with their families as possible since they could be together once they were back at school, giving Holly more time with Tamara than she had dared to hope.

  Holly had to work during the week, but Tamara stayed at the house most evenings, giving them a chance to have some late-night talks again. She heard all about how things were going with Brian. They were still trying not to move too fast or become overly serious. They both wanted to finish college before they thought too much about marriage, but that was definitely in Tamara’s long-range plans. They were growing closer and becoming really good friends. The kind of friends that even if they ended up not being together indefinitely, they would always care for each other. On the nights that Brian came over to spend a couple of hours with their family, they separated with a simple good-bye kiss.

  One day while Holly was at Deb’s, Tamara called and asked if she could come over and help out. Having an extra set of eyes and hands helped the afternoon to not be so busy. Tamara spent a lot of the time talking to Deb, telling her about school and the church she and Brian had found to attend in the small town.

  The following morning she came with Holly and stayed the entire day. Tamara and Holly spent the afternoon helping the older children paint and make some Christmas ornaments. Holly always enjoyed doing special projects, even though more work was involved.

  “Whew!” Tamara said when they got in the car to go home. She closed the door behind her and rested her head against the seat. “I don’t know how you do that every day.”

  Holly fastened her seat belt and started the car. “Do what?”

  “Spend all day with those kids. Don’t they wear you out?”

  Holly shrugged, surprised at Tamara’s apparent exhaustion. “Not really. I mean some days are more trying than others, but mostly I think it’s fun.”

  “Did it take you awhile to get used to it?”

  “No.”

  “And all that constant activity and noise doesn’t absolutely drain you?”

  Holly laughed and pulled onto the street. “Wimp.”

  Tamara laughed. “I guess so. What you do makes my days of going to classes seem like a walk in the park.”

  Holly had never thought of her time at the day care as being difficult or tiresome. In fact she usually left with more energy than she started with.

  Holly, Tamara, and Aunt Dana had a chance to go Christmas shopping together the following week. Holly had saved up plenty of money to get everyone in her family a gift, several things for Sarah, and something for Deb, Madeline, and each of the children at day care.

  She had been trying to save as much of her earnings as possible. Aunt Dana and Uncle Jack refused to take any of her money for rent or food. They told her to stick it away for Sarah and for any future education she might decide to get. Holly thought she might like to go to college when Sarah got older and get a degree in early childhood education, become a teacher, or run her own child care business like Deb did. But she felt content with her life now and didn’t see anything changing for at least another three or four years.

  Holly cherished Christmas Day. Last year she had moved in just before the holidays, but this year she felt very much at home. After having the family gift exchange time in the morning, Tamara wanted to go over to Brian’s for a little while to see his family and give them a gift. Brian had spent Christmas Eve at their house, and he and Tamara had exchanged their gifts then.

  “Would you mind dropping me off at Deb’s and then picking me up on your way home?” Holly asked. “I have gifts for her and Madeline.”

  “No problem,” Tamara said.

  Holly went upstairs to change into her new jeans and an olive green chenille sweater she had received from Tamara. Sarah had gone down for a nap and Aunt Dana said to leave her with them. Holly hoped Deb wouldn’t mind her intruding on her time with her family, but she had wanted to give Madeline her gift in person. Deb greeted her warmly when she arrived, and Madeline came running to give her a hug, squelching any fears she wouldn’t be welcome.

  “Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” she said, lifting the girl into her arms. It had been several weeks since she had seen her.

  Holly set her down and took the gifts from the bench. Madeline ran back into the living room and Holly followed, seeing Scott sitting on the couch next to his brother also in town for the day.

  She said hello to them and to Sean’s wife and handed Deb and Madeline their packages. Deb pointed out a gift under the tree in front of the window and said it was for her. Madeline opened her package carefully, trying not to tear the paper too much. Holly waited anxiously for her to see what was inside.

  “Look, Daddy! A dolly just like Sarah has. Now we both have one. They can be twins!”

  “Wow, honey. What do you say to Holly?”

  Madeline ran across the room and gave her another hug. “Thank you. Can Sarah come play tomorrow?”

  “Are you going to be here tomorrow too?”

  She nodded emphatically. “Two whole days with Gramma.”

  Holly opened her own gift, promising Madeline she would bring Sarah over tomorrow. She thanked Deb for the earrings, and Deb thanked her for the kitchen towels and new place mats.

  “I have something else for you,” Deb said, going to the den where her computer and desk were located. She came back and handed Holly an envelope. “A little Christmas bonus.”

  Holly peeked inside, shocked at the amount of money Deb considered to be a little bonus. “Deb? This is too much.”

  “No, it’s not. Just my way of letting you know how much I appreciate all your hard work. You are a real gem, Holly Stevens. Hiring you is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  On the last Friday in January Holly drove home carefully in the dusting of snow that had fallen throughout the afternoon. Her car had good tires, and she didn’t have any problems in town, but when she climbed the hill winding into the forest, the roadway became more treacherous.

  She made it home safely and entered the house with Sarah in her arms. No one else had arrived yet, and she prayed they would make it safely up the hill also. Aunt Dana arrived first, setting the mail on the counter next to where Holly was washing some potatoes in the sink for dinner.

  “There’s something there for you, two things, I think,” her aunt said. Holly glanced at the pile, seeing a pink envelope with her name on it. She didn’t recognize the handwriting. Her hands were wet, and she had to wait until she had the potatoes in the oven to investigate further.

  Another envelope addressed to her, a long white one, was underneath. She definitely recognized the handwriting on that one and froze. Glad Aunt Dana had left the room, she folded it and tucked the envelope into her back pocket to look at in the privacy of her room later, then opened the pink one.

  She pulled out a baby announcement. Josie and Brandon’s baby girl had been born earlier in the month. A picture of the beautiful newborn was enclosed along with a short note from Josie:

  Dear Holly, Our little Rebecca has arrived. She’s absolutely perfect and getting me up every two hours! I hope you are well. This newest life is another reminder to me of God’s faithfulness. He will not forget you either. Love, Josie.

  Holly didn’t get a chance to open the other piece of mail until after Sarah went to sleep. She sat down on her bed, took the envelope from her pocket, and opened it. Taking out the contents, she unfolded the papers and let her eyes fall on the typed business stationery:

  Dear Ms. Stevens:

  I am happy to inform you that the material you sent in for consideration: Mama Don’t Go; a short story, and your poetry submissions: For Sarah’s Sake, and Voices of Hope have been accepted for publication in future issues. Please read and sign the enclosed contract and return it to my office as soon as possible.

  If you have more work available at this time I would be interested in seeing anything you are willing to share.

  Sincerely,

  Ken Smith

  The Difference

  Drake Publishing

  Holly read the letter twice to make sure she hadn’t dreamed the words. She had hoped either the story she had sent in several months ago or one of the poems would be accepted, but all three? And he wanted to see more? That seemed too good to be true.

  She had several stories and a dozen or so poems in a folder she kept in the bottom drawer of her desk, but only one or two of the poems she felt satisfied with. She hadn’t written anything since sending in these submissions, and she wondered if she could remember all the things she had learned in her creative writing class from last year.

  After Ty had finished using the family computer that night, she sat down in the den, intending to start something new. She’d had an idea swimming around in her head for several weeks, and she had worked out a few of the details but didn’t have a definite plan. Three hours and eight pages later she had managed to type out the complete story, a first draft anyway. Everything she had learned came back to her with ease. She knew there would be lots of revising and corrections to be made, but getting the story out of her head and onto the computer felt tremendously satisfying.

  Before heading upstairs, Holly checked outside and saw that a considerable amount of snow had fallen during the last few hours. It continued to fall on and off throughout the weekend. The schools were open the following Monday despite the weather. Everyone made the trip into town together in the family SUV. Uncle Jack dropped her and Sarah off at the Deb’s first. He said he would be by to pick her up that afternoon.

  Holly was surprised and delighted to see Madeline there when she arrived. Deb informed her that Scott’s work schedule had been changed. He usually had Sundays and Wednesdays off, but from now on he would be getting two days off in a row: Sundays and Mondays, allowing him to stay overnight with his mom and give her an extra day with her granddaughter on a regular basis.

  She didn’t know why seeing Scott pitch in and help with the children surprised her. He was great with kids, especially the boys. The snow lingered on the ground throughout the day, and Holly and Scott took several of the older children out to play. They made a snowman in the backyard and taught the kids the fine art of snowball making--and throwing.

  Holly used her old softball skills to get Scott good one time, but she regretted it when he retaliated. She called a truce, and started shuffling the children inside for snack time.

  “Do you need a ride home?” Scott asked her when five o’clock came. “My truck won’t have any trouble getting up the hill.”

  “My uncle is coming by as soon as practice is over,” she said. “But thanks for the offer.”

  About half of the children had already been picked up. Sarah and Madeline were playing with their dolls. Madeline helped Sarah dress her baby. Holly knew Sarah enjoyed having Madeline there also. She liked to follow Madeline around wherever she went.

  “It will be nice to have Madeline here on Mondays,” she commented to Scott while she waited for her uncle to arrive. “She plays so well with the other children.”

  “She’s always been social like that. Being home alone with me is when she gets restless.”

  Holly smiled. “I bet you’ve been invited to your share of tea parties.”

  “And birthday parties for her stuffed animals,” Scott said quietly, shaking his head. “Welcome to the world of daddyhood.”

  The doorbell rang, and Holly knew it must be Uncle Jack. The parents always just walked in. Going to the door, she invited him inside while she got Sarah into her fleece coverall for the trip home. Uncle Jack and Scott greeted one another and chatted a bit.

  Holly had learned from her aunt that Deb’s husband and Uncle Jack had been close friends for many years. They had taken fishing trips together, sometimes with their boys going along.

  “He looks more and more like his dad every time I see him,” Uncle Jack commented to Aunt Dana on the ride home. “I’m sure glad to hear he’s come back to God. Wyatt prayed hard for him for several years. I wish he could see him now.”

  “I’m sure he can from heaven,” her aunt replied. “He’s probably still praying for him up there.”

  “Yep. I suppose so. I’m sure he still needs it. Must be tough raising that little girl all by himself.”

  Holly found herself looking forward to Mondays in the weeks that followed. Madeline brought a certain spark to the whole house, and Scott’s presence always made for a fun day. The other children, especially the boys, clung to him, begging for pony rides, helping him build industrial-sized Lego structures, and asking to go outside. Oftentimes Deb invited Holly to stay and have dinner with them. She usually did, at the strong urging of Madeline.

  Sarah became more active with each passing day. Her days of sitting in the same spot for thirty minutes to play, taking two naps, and being an agreeable little girl were replaced by days of getting into everything that was off-limits, only taking a two-hour nap in the afternoon, and wanting her own way at every turn.

  The task of disciplining her became more difficult than Holly anticipated, and there were times Holly cried all the way home, feeling like a failure for not having better control over her own child. But with Deb and Aunt Dana’s advice, she learned to do what was necessary to get Sarah to obey. She discovered, after much trial and error, that consistency and patience were the key.

  She made a habit of praying for strength and wisdom as a mother each morning before she got out of bed and whispered prayers throughout the day whenever she felt herself losing it. God always gave her the grace when she asked for His help.

  Once warmer weather came, Sarah became more agreeable. She loved to go outside and play and hated to be put in time-out when the other children were running around, swinging, and going down the slide. She learned new words daily. She also began taking an interest in watching videos with the other children and sometimes sat still for a good twenty minutes. Playing with her dolly continued to be her favorite activity. When Holly sat down to give one of the infants a bottle, Sarah often got her baby too and sat beside her.

  By summertime Sarah had learned to stay within the boundaries on a more consistent basis, and Holly found she wasn’t an exceptionally strong-willed child. She had seen worse. There were still difficult moments, and some days Sarah reverted to testing the limits “just to see if the rules still apply,” Deb explained.

  Madeline and Holly’s birthday fell on a Monday this year, and they had a joint party once again, this time at Deb’s. They had it in the late afternoon while the children were still there, and then Deb served a big dinner, inviting Uncle Jack and Aunt Dana to come. Tamara had returned to camp again for the summer, and Ty had gone this year also. Holly missed them both and went along with Jack and Dana to visit them the Saturday after she turned nineteen. They met Ty and Tamara at the camp and then went down to a nearby reservoir to have a picnic and go swimming.

  In the evening they went into town to have dinner and then to a local carnival. While Uncle Jack took Sarah on some of the kiddie rides, Tamara and Holly sat down on a grassy area to chat. Tamara had been having a difficult summer. She’d had some challenging girls in her cabin this past week, and she missed Brian, even more than she had last year.

  Tamara had wavered between spending another summer at camp or staying home and working for the summer so she and Brian wouldn’t have to be away from each other for three months. Her decision to go back had been based on God’s leading in her heart that this is where she belonged, and she knew that was true despite the struggles. She knew God had a reason for it all even if she wasn’t enjoying herself as much as in years past.

  “I thought I’d be okay,” Tamara said. “Last year was hard but not that bad, and the summer went by really fast. But on the first day of training week I found out that one of my friends broke up with her boyfriend two days before coming. They’d been dating for two years, and he suddenly told her he didn’t want to be together anymore.”

  “That’s scary.”

  “I know. I tried to be strong for her, but hearing her talk about how she never saw it coming made me question how secure Brian and I are. I felt better after he came to see me a few weeks ago and I had a chance to talk to him about it.”