Page 44 of Soldier's Chrismas Hope
“Hey, River,” Jacob replied. “You back for good?”
“Sure am,” River replied. “Great to see you.”
Jacob’s eyes slid over to Nora and the kids, then back to her again, his eyebrows lifting slightly.
He knows too…
To his credit, the cowboy didn’t say a word about it—he just hopped out and began leading everyone around to climb into the back.
“Here you are, ma’am,” he said to Mrs. Williams, helping her up.
She sat in the corner, and Josie joined her, followed by Mr. Williams.
River lifted Pixie in. Pixie was beaming, and Nora figured she had probably never been on a hayride before.
River hopped in next, and then turned back for John-John.
But when Nora went to lift him up, John-John resisted a little.
She stopped trying to lift him right away, and crouched down to see what he was worried about it.
“What’s this?” he asked, his eyes wide.
“This is a hayride,” she told him. “It’s really fun. We’ll all go for a ride together to find a good tree. And then the tree will ride back to the car with us.”
“Okay,” John-John allowed.
She straightened, and this time John-John held his arms up to her so she could lift him easily.
The four of them settled in with their backs against the cab of the truck, the two kids snuggled in between the adults.
Once everyone was seated, Jacob disappeared, and a moment later the truck rumbled back to life.
“Oh,” John-John said, squeezing Nora’s knee.
“You’re okay,” she told him. “We’re just going to find our tree.”
The truck jerked forward and began to move slowly over the gravel drive.
“Look at the kids going to the farm,” Nora pointed out quietly as they passed families heading toward what looked like a barn shop, some with strollers and wheelchairs, and most with big reusable shopping bags.
“They’re happy,” John-John murmured plaintively.
“And none of them get to pick out a tree and cut it down,” Nora reminded him. “We’re having such a special day.”
She could feel his little hand relax on her knee. He leaned against her as the truck moved on, and she glanced over to see how Pixie was doing.
The brave little girl looked positivelythrilledto be on a hayride.
“Up there is the nursery with the cut trees,” Riversaid, pointing. “And the playground and the animal pens and pastures are that way.”
Pixie nodded, her eyes following everything he showed her.
They really get along well,Nora couldn’t help thinking.
As tiny as she was for her age, Pixie was tough and curious. Her enthusiasm for everything out here matched River’s. Nora had a feeling that she would be a great farm kid.
At least for the holidays she will,she told herself.
