Noelle grasped Carol and Nicholas’ hands tightly as they made their way to the church entrance. She lifted her chin defiantly, happiness making her chest fill with courage and her soul with light. She’d been on this happiness high for a week now, and she was not allowing anything to burst her bubble, not even the judgmental looks they received from the town gossips as they walked towards the church. Noelle had been nervous to attend at first, afraid of what people might think or say, especially since rumors had started circling regarding what had happened to them in the last few weeks when they’d lost Carol.
Noelle’s heeled boots clicked off the sidewalk, as they stepped into the small courtyard of the sprawling white church. Carol wore her special red dress again, not one bit concerned that the holidays were over, and she was supposed to be returning to normal colors. Her blond curls were pinned up into a bun, wisps of hair falling around her pretty little face.
Nicholas matched his daughter in a red undercoat, winking at Noelle when she glanced over at him in appreciation. The man really knew how to wear that undercoat. Noelle was the odd one out, sporting a white dress and a black coat over the top, her black boots stark against the snow and the white of her dress. Her hair was pinned up similar to Carol’s, but with half of it cascading down her back—just like Nicholas liked it. His frequent touching of her hair did not go unnoticed, either. He’d brushed his hand down her curls about five times in the span of two minutes.
Noelle and Nicholas smiled warmly at Pastor Sam and his wife when they arrived, their friends’ eyes damp with emotion as they watched Carol amble off towards her friends. Katherine burst out crying almost immediately as Noelle hugged her, the woman squeezing her tightly as they shared a few whispered words and tears.
“I am so happy for you, Noelle,” Katherine sniffled, wiping the underside of her eyes as they stepped apart. “My heart was absolutely broken for you when I heard what happened. I am so happy that you got her back.”
Noelle squeezed her hands. “Me too, my dear friend. Me too.”
Pastor Sam smiled broadly as Noelle greeted him, clasping her hand gently. They did not have time to speak as he stepped away, calling the congregation in for the start of the sermon. Noelle and Nicholas took their seat towards the back of the church, her husband staring down any fool who tried to look at Noelle in any manner that wasn’t friendly. Sometime during the sermon, Noelle had to pinch his arm to get him to stop staring a hole in the back of a woman’s head; she’d been the ringleader of the group that started a particularly nasty rumor about why Noelle and Nicholas had lost Carol. He hadn’t looked in the least bit apologetic, and Noelle had had to bite back her laugh.
Pastor Sam spoke about the kindness of strangers, and how one kind act from someone might change the chain of events in another’s life. He told the story of the Good Samaritan, and how we might be kinder and more caring towards those around us, because we never know what might be happening to them or if one word or act could change the course of their life forever.
Noelle couldn’t help but think of her own life, how it might have ended differently for her if Pastor Sam had not encouraged Nicholas to look deeper than the surface of what she’d shown him—a little tale he only told her about the day before when they’d laid in bed that morning. How they might have never gotten Carol back if it hadn’t been for Nicholas’s effort, and Pastor Sam’s kind words.
She thought of the truth behind what he was saying, how one act of kindness could hold so much power that it could make or break another person's character, or alter the way they might live their lives for the rest of it.
And while Noelle had not gotten the start to her life that she’d hoped; as she glanced over to her husband, and then down at their intertwined hands, where he rubbed the palms of hers, Noelle was grateful for the blessings God had sent her way through the middle of it. She had a loving and caring husband who would do anything for her.
A daughter who was perfect in every way, and would grow to be a wonderful young lady. A ranch that was flourishing thanks to the aforementioned husband, along with two new horses; one dapple for Carol and one Friesian to help Goliath with his burden of pulling the wagon and plow. And she was happy. Irrevocably, and unfathomably happy. So Noelle closed her eyes, sending a prayer to her all-powerful Lord, and said thank you.
***
Noelle and Katherine sat at the breakfast table in the kitchen of her and Sam’s home, the pastor having changed from his official’s clothes and into his casual wear. They gazed out the window, the children screaming and laughing with joy as they embarked on yet another make-believe adventure, and started a snowball fight that all of them knew would only have one victor, just as it always had—Jack. The boy, just two years older than Carol, at age 8, had a mean arm when it came to throwing snowballs; so much so, that his father had refrained from ever playing against him again after he’d knocked him out cold last year with a solid ball of compact snow.
Noelle watched as Carol cupped a heap of snow in her small hands, rolling and cupping the ice until it formed a solid round ball. She raised her eyebrows as Carol cocked her arm, aiming with the other hand stretched out in an ‘L’ shape, and threw it right into little Bethany’s face.
She threw it hard enough that the impact of it made a dull thumping sound, the 6-year-old girl immediately bursting into tears at the force of it. Noelle gasped, jumping from her seat, ready to apologize. But it seemed there was no use. Katherine was still seated, clutching her stomach as she howled in laughter. Noelle stared in shock, maybe a bit of disbelief too.
Bethany entered the home via the front door that led into the kitchen, clutching her face as she scrambled to her mother. Her face was red where the ice had struck it, snot and tears running down her face as she sought comfort from her still-laughing mother.
Katherine bit her lip to keep the laugh from boiling over, pressing her child’s head right into her chest as she shook with the force of it. Noelle put her own hand to her mouth, closing her eyes as they laughed at the poor child. She felt horrible, felt like the worst aunt in the world, but she had to admit that it was really very funny.
Katherine stroked her child’s hair. “Now, now, Bethany. Carol didn’t mean to hit you that hard.”
Bethany surged up from her mother’s chest, anger twisting her little face, “Yes, she did! They were all laughing at me, Mama!”
The child wailed again, and Noelle felt absolutely horrible. Katherine smiled softly, shaking her head. She rolled her eyes, patting Bethany’s back until she was calm enough to attempt a conversation. Noelle pouted her lips in sympathy when the girl lifted her face again, those little cheeks blood red and her eyes puffy from the crying.
“Are you ready to go play again, my love?” Katherine asked the girl softly, smoothing strands of dark hair from her face. The girl nodded, rubbing at her eyes as she slid from her mother’s lap. Bethany hesitated at the door, turned back to her mother in silent question. Her mother winked, gently shooing her out the door with a waving hand. The girl went reluctantly, armed with courage only a mother could provide. Noelle shook her head in wonder, Katherine winking at her when she noticed Noelle’s incredulity.
“Just you wait, sugarplum,” her friend said, sipping from her own cup of coffee. “That’ll be you soon enough, soothing your child because Carol almost dented their face in with compact snow.” Both women laughed.
Suddenly Noelle gasped. “Nicholas and I haven’t even talked about kids yet. I’m not even sure if he wants any.”
Katherine wiggled her eyebrows. “Oh trust me honey, he wants kids. He wants hordes of them.”
Noelle’s eyes widened and she sat forward in intrigue, whispering softly. “Really? How do you know?”
Katherine frowned as if Noelle had just said she sprouted a second head. “We’ve known him about as long as we’ve known you. He’s always said he wants kids, and judging by the way he looks at you, he’d love to have thousands of them—with you.”
Noelle looked towards the living room where she knew Nicholas and Sam were seated, as if she could see him through the wall. Katherine suddenly stood, grasped her coffee mug, and motioned for Noelle to join.
“We should probably leave the kids be for a little bit. We look like bored old women with nothing better to do than watch the neighborhood children in hopes they’ll do something naughty so we can scold them,” her friend said, as Noelle trailed after her, laughing.
Noelle took a seat next to Nicholas, her husband absentmindedly tucking her into his side as he slung an arm around the back of her seat, deep in conversation with their friend. They were talking about some inventor having created a sketch for the first ever car. She had no idea what it was, but apparently it was supposed to be the new big thing.
Katherine and Noelle busied themselves with their own conversation, leaving the men to their dreams and inventions. During it all, Noelle wondered if life could really get better than this. Her daughter was outside playing with her friends, Noelle was tucked against her husband who just could not stop touching her or her hair. Some part of him had to brush against her, or be pressed against her—whether it be a hand on her knee, his fingers twirling her hair, his arm slung across the back of her seats. Nicholas was always touching her in some way, never sated with proximity alone. Not that she was complaining.
Noelle loved every minute of every day with him, loved being near him and waking up next to him every morning. She loved having his scent wrap around her like a phantom blanket; a comfort when she had a bad day, or when she felt the dread that things were too good to be true and would soon fall apart, just as she feared. And when she felt that way, and his scent wasn’t enough to alleviate that worry, he’d be there—flesh and blood—to hold her through it all.
Noelle realized that her days of sorrow and disappointment were over. That all of those years of despair and heartbreak had earned her this happiness. That she had suffered enough and been blessed with everything she’d ever dreamed of. Noelle Birch placed her hand on her husband’s thigh, squeezing the muscle briefly as she continued her conversation with Katherine. A smile cut across her face when he placed his own hand on hers, and she knew everything would be alright, as long as he was with her. As long as her family was with her.
(turn the page)