Page 63 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
“That means more snow is coming,” River told her. “Tom was right.”
“More snow to make asnow bear,” John-John said happily.
“Maybe we can do that tomorrow,” Nora suggested. “Or later today, if the kittens can spare us.”
“That’s the last thing on our list,” Pixie said. “What do we do after that?”
“Hibernate,”John-John said, and then laughed in delight at his own joke.
As they approached Carla’s Place, one of the two older fellows on the porch stood up to greet them.
“Well, if it isn’t River Young,” Reggie Webb cried out.
“Howdy, Mr. Webb,” River called back to him. “This is Nora, and her niece and nephew, Pixie and John-John.”
“Good to see you kids,” Reggie called back.
“River Young, you’re home,” Joe Cassidy said, standing to greet them all. “I heard you all were at our place to cut a tree the other day.”
“Jacob told you,” River realized out loud. “We had so much fun.”
“Today, we’re singing Christmas carols,” John-John said. “Do you want to hear them?”
“We sure do, young man,” Reggie told them. “Let me run in and grab everyone.”
“Take these with you?” River asked jogging up the steps to hand the box over to Reggie, before turning back to Joe. “The veterans center said your place gave them too many, Mr. Cassidy.”
“That’s Alice,” the older man replied with a fond smile. “She’d give it all away if she could. And your volunteers have been such a help.”
“We’re all grateful to be kept busy, sir,” River said quietly.
Joe nodded to him with a knowing look.
“Are there really Christmas carolers out here?” a lady’s voice quavered from inside the house. “I can’t wait.”
River laughed and jogged back down the steps to join Nora and the kids in the walkway at the foot of the porch.
Five more people came out. River recognized a few—there was Mrs. Lennox, who he thought had been just this age when he was a boy, and an older Asian lady he didn’t recognize, as well as Betty Ann Eustace, Ginny Davies, and Shirley Ludd—three of the town’s most active volunteers.
“Should we do ‘Jingle Bells’ again?” John-John whispered loudly to his sister.
“Oh, yes, please,” Shirley called out to them. “That’s my favorite.”
Once again, their audience joined them in song. After “Jingle Bells” they sang Joe Cassidy’s favorite, “Away in a Manger” and Reggie asked for “The First Noel” and then Mrs. Lennox wanted “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”
By the time they got to the last verse, everyone had rosy cheeks and a big smile on their face. The children dashed up on the porch to give hugs and handshakes to their delighted audience.
“Now you kids be careful out there,” Joe said by way of goodbye. “Weather’s supposed to be taking a turn. I’m heading out shortly myself.”
“We will,” John-John told him importantly. “We still have to make a snow bear.”
“I know that’s going to be a very special bear, young man,” Joe told him, patting his shoulder.
As they all piled back into his truck, River felt a sense of satisfaction that was so much deeper than the good feeling of seeing old friends.
“Farmer Bear really got it right when he said it was good to sing carols to your neighbors,” Nora said dreamily as they pulled out.
“You read my mind,” River told her.
