A Family for Christmas

Chapter 1

1

The train came to a stop. Steam rose over the windows, obscuring the tiny station. The bystanders were enveloped in the cloud. Holly squinted, trying to make out their faces from the train's window.

As she did, the aisle filled with passengers eager to get off the train. Ruddy-faced children were shushed as they pulled on their mother's skirts while men secured the luggage. Everyone seemed to have somebody.

Holly looked away from the window, reminding herself that she finally had somebody, too. Even though she'd never seen her destination or even met the people who waited for her, her life was about to begin on the platform of this railway station.

An attendant tipped up his billed cap before opening the door. The first person he helped off the train was a young woman traveling alone, just like Holly.

The woman wore a short jacket with a lacy blouse that buttoned up the back of her neck. Her hair was swept back and pinned in a swirl at the nape of her neck. A smart new bonnet was secured to her head with a grosgrain ribbon bow.

Holly stood and nervously tucked an unruly tendril behind her ear, feeling a bit underdressed for the occasion. A quick look down upon her apparel confirmed her suspicions. Her skirt was wrinkled from the long ride, and her second-hand shoes unfortunately looked like hand-me-downs. The thin leather was so worn that no amount of polish would ever make them sparkle. Holly knew she shouldn't snub charity, but today she wanted to look special.

Sister Maybelle's warm voice filled her thoughts. You are special, just as all people are special. God has a plan for you; trust in Him and His judgement.

Holly brushed her skirt and straightened her back. Sister Maybelle was right. Vanity was far less attractive than a wrinkled skirt and well-loved shoes. She had to embrace her new life with a heart as wide-open as the beautiful and wild country she'd traveled through on her way to Oregon.

Holly got in line. When it was her turn to get off the train, the attendant greeted her with a smile as bright as the one he'd given the stylish young woman.

"Here, let me help you," he said.

Before Holly could respond, he had her luggage in one hand and was helping her down the iron steps with the other. When she was on the wooden platform, she thanked him and took her bag in a trembling fist.

"You look nervous," he noted. "You're not getting married to a man you've never met before, are you?"

Holly almost fell over. "Actually, I...well..."

The attendant laughed and gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Don't worry. Many young women come out West searching for something, and most of them find what they're looking for."

Holly's throat felt tight. She knew it was foolish. The man was merely making chitchat and meant nothing by it. However, she could do nothing to dampen the hope that swelled in her heart.

"Good luck!" he called out before stepping back up the iron steps to help the next passenger off the train.

"Thank you," Holly whispered, though she doubts he heard her. His attention was now entirely focused on the next passenger.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward. Turning her head quickly from side to side, she scanned the platform for anyone who might respond to the sight of her.

She'd received no picture of Frank Motherwell, and hadn't sent him one either. He said he didn't care what she looked like, which suited her just fine. Then, he'd said if it mattered to her, he'd arrange to have one taken; however, he preferred saving the money to spend on something more useful. Holly had readily agreed with him, but now that she searched the crowd of strangers after her long journey, she wished she could find a familiar face.

A couple suddenly bolted forward from the crowd. Holly held her breath. She hadn't expected to see a woman accompany the gentleman. What did this mean? Frank Motherwell had said he was a widower. Could this be his sister?

A smile grew across the gentleman's face and the couple picked up their pace, coming directly at her. Though her face grew warm and her hands felt cold as ice.

Now that they were a couple paces away, Holly couldn't help but compare herself to the pretty young woman on the man's arm. Though not unseemly, Holly had never been considered a beauty. Still, she was a hard worker and had a good heart—or at least that was what Sister Maybelle believed. Holly knew many men did not appreciate such hardy qualities, but some did. Frank Motherwell had said he didn't care what she looked like. Was he telling the truth?

Suddenly, the woman by his side spread out her arms in the universal sign of embrace. Holly inadvertently felt a tug at her heart despite her confusion. Then, the woman cried out, "Sarah! We are over here!"

Stumbling, Holly looked over her shoulder and discovered the source of their joy. Another young lady stepped down to the platform and received her luggage from the assistant. Her blonde curls bounced as she returned the couple's smiles brightly. The woman and a man rushed around her to embrace her.

She's probably their daughter, Holly thought. She looks so loved. Though Holly felt a pang in her heart, her observation contained no envy or malice. Still, she couldn't help but hope that one day she'd be able to embrace another with such candor.

Her throat tightened. She wondered if she should loosen the top two buttons of her blouse, but decided against it. Frank Motherwell wanted someone dependable; she couldn't appear sloppy.

She glanced once more at the reunited family. She was nothing more than a bystander. What had possessed her to make such a long journey away from the only home she'd ever known? Yes, she couldn't stay at the orphanage forever, but Oregon was so far from Massachusetts she might as well have gone to Timbuktu.

Holly took another deep breath in and blew out slowly, reminding herself that she had already left this in God's hands. Life as she knew it had been measured out in teaspoons, to make sure that every girl and boy in the orphanage received the same and there was enough for all. This new life she had yet to discover the measure of. She must try not to jump to conclusions.

From the corner of her eye, Holly spied a tall, slender man near the carriages and horses tied at the edge of the station. The man's forehead was furrowed and his eyes cast down to avoid the bright sunlight. He held the hand of a sandy-haired girl who looked to be the age of ten.

Holly felt a pang of sympathy for these two. Despite the father's severe countenance, she could tell he was still a young man. No deep lines creased his face, and he had a full head of thick, dark hair. The little girl's expression cut her even deeper. Instead of joy, indifference seemed wrapped around her tiny shoulders like a shawl. Both of them looked too old and subdued for their ages.

Holly remembered the distant, sorrowful tone in Frank Motherwell's letters. Was this the man she had responded to?

She touched the linen handkerchief in her coat pocket. The words of Sister Maybelle, the five foot bundle of energy and utility who ran the orphanage, filled her mind: You are off to get married. Put your best foot forward. No need for a new boot if you have a flounce in your long skirt. Here's a handkerchief for luck and comfort.

Sister Maybelle's simple wisdom soothed her as much as the smooth handkerchief. That memory of love and best wishes gave her a surge of strength. Without wavering, Holly looked into the eyes of the man she knew would be her future husband.

"Holly Warren?" the man inquired softly.

Holly answered his question with another, "Frank Motherwell?"

He nodded abruptly and reached down for her valise and carpet bag with a long leather handle, allowing her to carry her own parasol and private bag.

Her future husband offered no words other than his simple greeting. Holly smiled as she decided to give her attention to the young girl. "Are you Emily?" she asked.

Emily nodded and moved closer to her father.

Holly's smile deepened. She remembered being Emily's age and hiding in Sister Maybelle's skirts. "You are very grown up for a nine-year-old girl."

"I'm nearly ten," Emily frowned and insisted in a flat and slightly sharp voice.

"Of course you are. And where is young Jake?" Holly asked.

Emily pointed towards the station.

A small boy tended to a horse and cart. He pet the horse's long neck even though it was tied, offering comfort in the wake of the loud and busy station. When the boy looked up, Holly's throat tightened.

It was Jake. There could be no confusion, for the young boy was the spitting image of his father, only fashioned on a quarter of the scale. He removed a man's hat that was far too big (but would perfectly fit his father) and wiped his brow. When Jake caught sight of them approaching, he frowned and Holly once again found herself the recipient of the inquisitive look she'd received just moments before.

"This is Holly," Frank told the boy.

Jake nodded once with the intensity of a drill sergeant. "I figured."

Holly bent over, offering her hand. "Hello, Jake."

"Hello." He reached out and gripped her hand firmly, giving it a sturdy shake. Then, he let go and pointed to her personal bag. "I'll take that."

"Thank you." Holly couldn't help but smile at the sincere way he went about his business. He must have gotten his work ethic from his father.

"Come, I'll help you up," Frank told Holly. He gripped the side of the wagon with one hand and held up the other, ready to catch her if she should fall.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

Holly nodded furiously, unwilling to appear flustered in front of her fiancé. Too late, she realized as the furrow in Frank's brow deepened.

"I thought you said in your letter that you were prepared for work and accustomed to it."

Holly's mouth dropped open, so shocked at Frank's quick dismissal that for a second she couldn't speak.

"Work at the farm is only going to get harder, especially since it's winter," her previously silent husband continued.

Well! Holly crossed her arms over her chest too, mimicking her husband's gesture. "Everyone works together and takes care of one another at the orphanage. I'm well accustomed to hard work, and more than willing to take on any job that needs to be done. It was how Sister Maybelle raised us. Idle hands are the devil's workshop."

Franks expression softened. "I didn't mean to offend you. I just want you to know that I can't offer much, and the things I can offer must also be earned through dedication and hard work. I won't force you to honor this commitment if this isn't the right life for you."

Holly uncrossed her arms, touched by his sincere concern. "You've already paid for my transport and marriage license."

"And I'd pay for your transport back," Frank responded.

Before Holly had a chance to respond, the cart jostled and creaked. She looked back, startled, to find Jake securing her luggage. She decided to sit so she could better weather the unpredictable movements of the cart. When she returned her attention to Frank, he was focused on attending to Emily.

The little girl tugged on her father's coat until he gently picked her up and set her down next to him in the front of the cart.

Holly couldn't have been more touched by the scene. Frank's love for his children was obvious in his every gesture, and his generosity was evident in his offer for Holly. She knew how much the humble farmer had worked and saved so he could pay for both his advertisement and her ticket. Still, his children needed a mother; obviously, Frank had decided that no sacrifice was too great if it was for his children's sake.

Many had warned Holly against going West. Sure, there were few decent prospects for a poor woman back in Massachusetts, but a woman out here was at the mercy of the wilderness and her future husband. Holly had considered following Sister Maybelle's example and joining a nunnery. All children in the world deserved the love of a father and mother, but some did not get it. Holly, being one of those children, knew this well. Sister Maybelle had filled both roles for many and proved time and again that the amount of love the human heart was capable of was truly limitless. Still, Sister Maybelle would never have a family of her own.

A few months ago, on her way home from interviews at manors and humble shops, Holly had seen Frank's advertisement in the window of a Mail-Order Bride agency. His simple request for a wife in name only to help raise children and tend a home had touched her heart. A few letters later, Holly had hastily licked and pressed down the postage on a letter wherein her whole future was folded and enveloped. One moment she was a spinster; by the time the post returned, she was a mail order fiancé.

Sister Maybelle alone had supported her decision. When Holly asked why, Sister Maybelle told her that her faith in the Lord would be justified. Silently, Holly gave the Lord thanks for delivering her unto a family who had health, strength, and love. These were gifts of inestimable value.

But Holly did not have long to pray. Life in the country moved at a different pace, and she welcomed this change. Soon Frank was helping Jake into the cart. The latter, of course, declared at length that he did not need any help, which prompted Frank to agree even as his son jumped from his knee to the cart.

"See, I can do it myself," Jake told Holly as he took his seat.

"I can see that," Holly replied, looking at her husband in a new light. It was a rare man who could salvage a young boy's pride.

Frank finally got in and took hold of the reins as Emily snuggled up next to him. "We will meet pastor Smith and his second wife, Margaret, at the church. Smith will marry us and after that we will return home to the farm."

Home. Holly's heart swelled with warmth despite Frank's bleak delivery of their morning itinerary. For the first time in her life, she'd be able to call a place home.