27

Sophrena did everything a Believer was supposed to do on Sacrifice Day. She prayed. She confessed. She asked forgiveness. She forgave. Eldress Lilith gave her a blessing. Sister Edna smiled and told her she would be glad when she came back to share the retiring room with her and the other sisters. Brother Kenton looked surprised and then a bit uneasy when she asked his forgiveness for wrong thoughts toward him. She stopped him on the porch as he left the cabin after checking on Heather and the baby.

He stared down at his medicine bag as he seemed to search for the proper words. Finally with a gentle look, he said, “We have shared much in the last few weeks, Sister Sophrena. I have admired your caring spirit and devoted ways to our young sister. Such times of closeness can awaken feelings that tempt us into worldly thinking.”

“Yea.” Sophrena had already faced the truth that Brother Kenton had not looked upon her with the same affection that had sprung awake in her own heart. That seemed even more reason to ask his forgiveness on Sacrifice Day. “I have struggled with worldly thoughts all through the year.”

“Even before Sister Heather came among us?” He let his eyes touch on Sophrena’s face and then quickly slid his gaze back to the ground.

“Yea. Your smile awakened joy within me.”

“Then I must ask your forgiveness for setting a worldly temptation in front of you. Such was not my intent. I rejoice in the peaceful love of the brothers and sisters here in our village.”

“Much simple joy can be found here. It has been mine for many years.”

He looked up at her, this time meeting her eyes. “But now it is no longer?”

“I have entertained feelings I have been unable to whirl away.”

“Perhaps I could make you a tonic,” he suggested.

“Nay.” Sophrena couldn’t keep a smile from tugging at her lips. “There are some things for which there are no tonics.”

Again he looked uneasy. “I am sorry,” he started.

She waved away his words. “Don’t be, my brother. My spirit is well. I am forgiven. I am loved. Whatever God’s plan for me, joy is alive in my heart.”

And it was. She watched him walk away with no sorrow for his leaving. Inside, Heather and the baby awaited her love. Whatever happened on the morrow, she would know it was God’s plan.

Heather woke early on Christmas Day. Her spirit felt light in spite of her worry for Gideon. She had emptied her heart of resentment toward her father for refusing to welcome her home. She had forgiven him and prayed on the Shakers’ Sacrifice Day that somehow he would know her forgiveness.

The Lord had made good come from his anger at her. She had found this warm place of welcome with Sophrena. Not her mother, but a woman she could love much the same as she did her mother. After their morning meal, Heather caught Sophrena’s hand as she got up to clear away their dishes before she left for the Shakers’ Christmas Day worship.

“I have no gift for you, Aunt Sophrena. Nothing but the love I feel for you in my heart. You have been a gift to me. An angel supplied by the Lord when I most needed it.”

Sophrena put her arms around Heather. “Nay, my child. You are the gift. You and your sweet baby. The Lord noted my weary spirit and sent you to renew my joy. I could have no better gift.”

An easy feeling fell over them. The blessing of Christmas love. After Sophrena left for the Shaker worship, Heather held her baby against her shoulder and whispered into his ear. “I will give you never-ending love, my child, just as my mother gave me. Prayers and love.”

He burped in answer and Heather laughed. A good feeling to laugh. “And is that a reminder that it is time for me to give you a name?”

From up in the village, the sound of the Shakers’ singing drifted down to the cabin. She held the baby close against her and went to open the door in order to hear the sounds of worship better. There was joy in the songs. Sophrena had told her that sometimes they gave one another imaginary gifts at their Christmas worship. Things like baskets of love or ribbons of happiness. That would be the gift she would like to unwrap for Sophrena. Happiness.

Perhaps if she had gone with Sophrena to worship, one of the Shaker sisters or brothers would have given her the gift of the best name for her baby. They had already brought him many good gifts. Tactile things she could touch such as bibs and blankets. But how much more important were those gifts that could not be touched.

Had Mary held the Christ child close to her heart when the wise men came bringing their gifts and thought the same? That her own love and that of Joseph’s were better gifts than the gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then there was the love of God evidenced by a new star in heaven. Surely that was the best gift of all.

God loved her baby too. That was why he had made a way for her. She bent her head and listened to the music of the voices while praying that the Lord was making a way for Gideon.

Sun streamed down on her, but the air was cool. She was turning back inside to settle the baby in his basket when she caught sight of a wagon coming. Dark brown horses with white blazes on their faces like her father’s. She froze and stared at the wagon. Could that be her father sitting so straight and unbending on the wagon seat with Willie beside him? Was she only imagining them because her heart so needed family on this Christmas Day?

She hardly dared breathe as the wagon came closer. God’s plan, a voice whispered in her head. Her mother’s voice. Had her father felt her forgiveness? Had that been what drew him here? Pray God it was true.

As they came nearer, there was no doubt it was her father and Willie. The boy was turning to talk to someone in the wagon behind him. Beth stood up and looked toward the cabin. A smile spread across Heather’s face at this beautiful gift coming toward her. Then another person was pulling up to stand behind the wagon seat and Heather’s heart pounded up into her throat. Gideon.

She shouted his name, and clutching the baby close to her, she rushed to meet the wagon with tears of joy streaming down her cheeks. On the wagon, Beth grabbed Gideon’s coat when he started to climb over the side, but he jerked free of her grasp and jumped from the wagon. He staggered and nearly fell, but then he found his feet and began running toward Heather.

He was pale with one arm bandaged against his body, but he wrapped the other around her. “My Heather Lou.”

His lips sought hers and Heather sent thanks to the Lord for this Christmas blessing.

The baby was crying and fighting against her. Heather pulled back from Gideon and peeled the blanket away from their baby’s face. Gideon stared down at him with wonder plain on his face. “My son. Jacob.” He touched the baby’s hand and the baby grasped Gideon’s finger and hushed crying.

“Jacob.” Heather looked from the baby to Gideon. “Have you brought him his name?”

“I hope you haven’t already given him another name.” Gideon suddenly looked worried. “I did promise Jake and it’s a promise I must keep.”

She smiled and touched Gideon’s cheek. “I’m glad you want to name him after Jake. I love Jake. He’s all right, isn’t he?”

Gideon looked sad. “He’d tell you that was so, if he could. I watched him die, but he was smiling when he passed over with the morning coming.”

“Simon’s dead too,” Heather said. “And Mother and little Jimmy.” She blinked back more tears. These of sorrow for all they had lost.

“I know. Your father told me.” He gently brushed away her tears.

“We’ll call him Jacob Simon.” She looked down at the baby and smiled. “Jacob Simon Worth.”

Her father spoke from the wagon where they had all been watching Gideon meet his child. His voice was gruff. “Get my grandson back inside before he catches a chill.”

Heather looked up at her father and a laugh bubbled up out of her.

“A chill is no laughing matter.” He wasn’t exactly smiling, but neither was he frowning.

The Shaker silence fled the small cabin as they gathered around the fire and all tried to talk at once. Gideon sat and held his baby. Then Beth took her turn. Willie was satisfied with a peek and Lucas kissed his forehead and declared him a Christmas baby. Finally, Beth laid the baby in their father’s arms.

“Jacob Simon, meet your grandfather,” Beth said.

Their father looked down at the baby and then up at Heather. “I was wrong to chase you from my door.” There was pain in his face.

“Worry not, Father. I forgave you yesterday.” When he looked puzzled, she went on. “The Shakers have a day they call Sacrifice Day when they are to forgive and make atonements for wrongs. So I forgave you. Now I ask you to forgive me in turn for any hurts I caused you and for not being there with Mother when she passed.”

Silence fell over them all as he looked at her and then at Gideon and finally at the baby. “It is time we were a family again.”

Sophrena came through the door in time to hear him. “Family,” she echoed. She looked at them in turn, her expression softening on each one as though she were taking them into her heart. Even Gideon. But especially Lucas who watched her with big eyes, seeing the same thing Heather had seen when she first met Sophrena.

Lucas moved toward her as if drawn by an invisible band. “You look like Mama,” he said.

Sophrena held out her arms to him and he walked into her embrace. “The gift of family,” she said softly as she held the little boy close to her.

Sophrena brought them all food and they ate their Christmas dinner in the cabin. Not silently as she was accustomed to at the Shaker table, but with much talk and much joy. She held the baby and dreaded the meal to be finished, for she knew then they would leave. A family reunited. Gideon and Heather sat touching hands, sharing a special closeness in the midst of the others.

Then the food was eaten, the dishes cleared away. Susan’s husband was standing, saying they must return home before darkness caught them. The baby’s things were packed. His gowns and blankets. All the little gifts. Sophrena stood by the fire and watched. Her arms had never felt so empty. Her heart never so barren.

They were ready to go. Heather came to her. “Come with us.”

“The Lord put me here,” she said.

“He did, but now he has opened a new door to you. Come with us, Aunt Sophrena.”

“I would have no place there.”

“There is always a place for family.” Heather looked at Gideon and then her father.

Susan’s husband looked straight at Sophrena and spoke without hesitation. “We can build houses in the spring.”

They watched her then, waiting. She too was waiting. For what she wasn’t sure.

The young boy, Lucas, ran to put his arms around her waist. “You can be my new mother so Beth can get married to Perry.”

That made the young girl blush. And Sophrena felt a whirl in her head. God’s plan from her first letter reaching out to Susan, to Heather and her baby, and now to this boy who needed her love. A gift. Without a word, she turned and took down her cloak to follow them out the door. Willie helped her up into the wagon filled with hay to soften the bounces. Heather took her hand and kissed it before she settled beside her husband. Lucas and Beth sat down on either side of Sophrena.

Beth took her hand. “You can share my bed, Aunt Sophrena, until we get those houses built.”

Susan’s husband climbed up on the wagon seat with his son Willie and started the horses moving out of the village. As she passed by the Centre House, Sophrena glimpsed Sister Edna’s face in one of the windows. Good. She could tell the others. She lifted her hand in a wave that Sister Edna did not acknowledge. She would not. They would mourn Sophrena’s leaving as one who had fallen into sin.

But the Lord had thrown open this door. A gift to her. A gift to be simple. A gift to be free.

As the wagon continued on out of Harmony Hill, Sophrena did not look back.