An Unexpected Christmas Gift

together.
“They’re not that bad,” Troy said. “The snowplows were out all night.”
“Well, then, we’d best be on our way,” Isaac said. “The weather forecaster said there’s more snow moving in this afternoon.”
Naomi spoke directly to Troy. “I’m not sure my sister will even come with you. She’s a bit of a recluse, living on her own all these years.”
“But she knows me,” Nancy said. “And if she’s low on food she might be willing.”
“Maybe you should just bring her food,” Silas said.
“No.” Naomi’s hands clasped her hips. “One more reason for her not to come with them.”
Silas leaned against the counter, crossed his legs at the ankle. “If she decided to stay home it wouldn’t break my heart.”
“How can you say such a thing?” Her eyes narrowed, Naomi flashed a look of anger in his direction. “She’s my sister and I can’t desert her today, of all days. What would the bishop say?”
Silas stiffened. “Don’t use that tone of voice with me. Maybe we should just leave things as they are. It seems your sister never has a good time over here anyway. Plus, she always brings her little dog, which I won’t allow in the house.”
“How can you say that? She loves coming to visit her nieces.” Naomi worked her lower lip. “We must make sure she has food. We can’t desert her just because of a little snow.”
“You call this a little snow?” Silas folded his arms across his barrel of a chest.
“All the more reason to get her. She can spend the night until it’s safe for us to bring her home. We are admonished in the Bible to take care of widows.”
“Don’t ya go quoting the Bible to me.” Silas’s voice grew hard. “It also says in the Bible that a wife should submit to her husband’s wishes.”
“And what is your wish? That Linda be all by herself, possibly out of food and wood for heat?”
Silas’s face reddened, and he seemed to be containing a surge of anger. “Okay. I know you put up with my family when they visit, too.”
“I love your family.”
Silas clamped his lips together, I assumed to mask his irritation. “We appreciate your help, Troy,” he finally said. “But please use extra caution.”
“Absolutely, I will.” He glanced to me. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth. My, what a handsome man. But the last thing I needed was a relationship with anyone. Yet without him today my chances of meeting this woman who might be a relative were slim. I cautioned myself not to let my hopes get too high. I couldn’t take another disappointment.
Isaac shifted his feet. “We’d better leave before the next snowstorm.”
“Then come by for coffee and cookies later.” Naomi brought me the same black wool coat, bonnet, and scarf I’d worn yesterday. “Use a pair of boots by the back door. You know the drill.”
“But did you need my help in the kitchen this morning?” I asked, feeling guilty that I’d offered and now was leaving.
Naomi patted my arm. “There will be plenty of baking to do when you get home.”
“Perfect.” Troy rubbed his palms together.
“What about these dirty dishes? I can’t just leave them in the sink.”
“Anna will take care of them.” Naomi practically scooted us out the back door.
Silas called after us, “Nancy, I expect you home when Troy comes back. You hear me?”
“Yes, Dat.”
“Hmmph, you’d better.”
As I stepped outside, icy air bit into my cheeks. Someone had shoveled the back steps, yet I tread carefully for fear of slipping. In the barnyard stood Troy’s gray metallic Suburban with snow tires—or maybe all Suburban tires came with gigantic treads. At least someone in Lancaster County owned a vehicle that could brave the storm.
Troy opened the passenger door and helped me climb inside. A gentleman. Nice. I clicked on my safety belt as Isaac and Nancy slid in the back seat.
“I sure appreciate this, Troy.” Isaac glanced up at the house.
“They’re watching us from the kitchen.” Nancy giggled.
“There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for your folks.” Troy gave them a wave. “They’ve been good to my family—especially when the electricity goes out—even though we’re not one of you.” Troy craned his neck to see over his shoulder as he backed out of the drive, the tires crunching on the snow.
The moment we were out on the road, Nancy slid over to sit next to Isaac. She leaned against his arm and gazed up at him.
Troy glanced into the rear mirror. “Nancy? Where exactly does your aunt live?”
She straightened her back. “Not very far. On the other side of Route Thirty.”
An enormous snowplow headed our way from the opposite direction, shooting cascades of white onto the side of the road. Troy slowed down and swerved to let it pass, then pulled in behind several other vehicles and a horse and buggy.
Nancy leaned into Isaac to look out his window. “If I could ride around like this all day, I might not tell you where she lives. No heaters in our buggies.”
Troy chuckled. “In that case we’ll run out of gas.”
Finally relenting, she gave Troy the directions. “After we cross Route Thirty, head north for a few miles.”
“This is the perfect vehicle for a day like today.” My gaze swept the landscape. “Look, there’s another horse and buggy.”
“You’d better get used to seeing them.”
“My parents never brought us down here as children.” And now I knew why.
Troy glanced my way and gave me a quizzical look. But I wouldn’t give him personal information about myself. This could be a wild-goose chase for all I knew. Still, I was glad to get away from Hartford, which no longer felt like home. And this area was beautiful, what with its magnificent barns and towering silos. Troy edged around a pickup covered with snow, no doubt abandoned last night. Several cars sat in ditches near it.
After ten minutes, Nancy leaned over the front seat. “Take a right here on this little lane.”
Troy slowed, then maneuvered around the corner. Up ahead