by Traci Van Wagoner
Part 3 of 5
The sun sank low and Jacob breezed past me. “Last one home is a lump of coal!”
I raced to catch up. “Maybe Pa is home by now!”
Jacob beat me home, and I saw his shoulders sag when he didn’t see the horse and wagon.
“He’ll be home,” I muttered as we brought in coal and wood for the fire. But the sun was going down.
“Don’t you miss him?” I asked.
“Sure, I guess,” Jacob said.
He acted casual, but I knew better.
I worried as we pulled out the Christmas box. “I don’t care if he doesn’t bring us presents,” I said.
I worried while helping drape the popcorn garland around the tree.
I heard Jacob mutter, “I don’t care if he doesn’t bring us a Christmas orange.”
“Can we put on the topper?” I asked.
“No, not ‘til Pa comes home,” Jacob said.
While we ate supper, my eyes drifted to Pa’s empty chair. I noticed Ma and Jacob looking too. Afterward, we joined Mama at the piano for some Christmas caroling.
Bong, bong, bong… the clock struck nine.
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Come back tomorrow for Part 4. Will Papa make it home?