Gift of Faith

by Shanna Hatfield

  “I don’t think mom should get any. She wasn’t being very nice today and she makes us skip dessert when we’re sassy-mouthed.” Rogan’s comment made Amy fight to bite back a smile. Sarah Rawlings had definitely been sassy-mouthed, perhaps for the first time in her life.

  “Well, you can ask your nonna if your mom gets her share. How about that?”

  “Okay!” Rogan and Rory rushed ahead of her into the kitchen and began chatting excitedly with her parents.

  “Everything okay?” her dad asked as she poured glasses of milk for the boys and settled them at the table with a plate of cookies.

  “I think so. Mrs. Rawlings can’t find her husband. They thought I might know something about his whereabouts.”

  “Hmm. That’s interesting,” Jeff said, stopping as he scrubbed a dirty baking sheet. “When I ran to the store earlier, I heard Doctor Nash had left a hasty note he was going to be gone a few days. I’m wondering if the two are connected.”

  “Probably, but I have no idea why. You don’t suppose…” Amy let her sentence trail off. What if Kade had found Marc? What if Marc was injured? What if he took Nik along because Marc needed assistance? What if she was dreaming up scenarios in hopes of getting to see Marc for Christmas? More than likely, Kade and Nik were gone on something that had to do with a legal case, not a personal matter. She knew for a fact, Kade often traveled and Nik did on occasion, too. It could be a coincidence they both left town the same day. After all, with Christmas fast approaching, they both might have gone to Portland for some shopping for all anyone knew.

  “What are you thinking, honey?” her father asked, drawing her back to the present.

  “Nothing, Dad. Nothing at all.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Carols played in the background on the radio, a pleasant musical undertone to the constant buzz of customers rushing into the bakery to retrieve last-minute orders or greet friends over a mug of hot chocolate or a cup of Myrtle’s special Christmas tea. Nutmeg and cinnamon infused the air along with the decadent fragrance of fresh-baked breads and pumpkin pie, blending with the scent of the Christmas tree in the corner. Colored lights flickered from the garland draped around the window, giving the bakery a decidedly festive appearance.

  Amy smiled as she sold dozens of cookies, including the special soft amaretti cookies Ruby had mentioned were Marc’s favorite. Amy had gotten the recipe from Caterina and baked batch after batch until Caterina said they were perfect.

  The day after she and Sarah had stormed into the bakery looking for Kade, Caterina had returned, saying she found a note from her husband tucked into her spice cupboard, letting her know he was out of town on business but would be home for Christmas. Caterina had invited Amy over for tea and told her stories about Marc when he was a little boy. Amy had loved hearing his grandmother speak of him with such affection and laughed at the mischief he’d gotten into. He certainly wasn’t quite as prone to unbridled shenanigans as the twins, but it sounded like he got into his share of trouble. When Caterina gave her the family recipe for the cookies, Amy felt like she’d come out the victor in a vigorous battle.

  Sarah had stopped Amy a few days later when she was leaving the post office and apologized, quite profusely, for her outburst. She begged Amy to forgive her, which she promptly did. After exchanging hugs, Amy promised she and her family would happily join the Rawlings family for Christmas dinner at the restaurant and offered to bring dessert.

  Pleased to have mended her relationship with the women in Marc’s family, Amy smiled at the next customer in line and rushed to fill their order. The past month, she’d been boxing up their day-old cookies and packing them into boxes to mail to soldiers. When Kade heard what she was doing, he contributed to the postage, telling her to mail all she could because it would surely boost the morale of those who received them.

  With the help of Ruby and a few of her friends, they wrote holiday greetings to tuck in with the cookies and randomly mailed them overseas to soldiers who had no family to send them Christmas cheer. They’d all donated gifts to leave at the airfield for soldiers who had no other family. They’d also contributed decorations and supplies, even coat hangers, when a need for them was made known.

  As a group of soldiers came into the bakery, laughing and teasing each other, Amy smiled at them, hoping wherever Marc was, someone would make the day special for him.

  “Happy Christmas Eve,” she said to the young men in greeting when they stepped up to the counter.

  “Hiya, doll.” A handsome corporal offered her a toothy grin and leaned on the counter, propping his elbow beneath his chin. “I’m sure you’re the sweetest thing in here, but what do you recommend?”

  She ignored his flirting and got the men cups of hot cider with slices of warm coffee cake.

  At noon, her father slapped together thick ham sandwiches they could eat between waiting on customers and finishing up the last of the orders for apple and pumpkin pies.

  Mid-afternoon, snow began to fall in big, wet flakes.

  Rory and Rogan came in an hour later coated from head to toe, excited that it was snowing on Christmas Eve.

  “Santa won’t be able to escape our trap, now,” Rory commented as he dunked a sugar cookie in a glass of milk.

  “Trap? What trap?” Amy asked as she arranged cookies on a large tray. Klayne volunteered to pick it up later and take it to the airfield for the soldiers there to enjoy.

  “We put a trap up on the roof to catch Santa. When he steps out of the sleigh, we’ll catch him, but good.” Rogan grinned, his milk mustache widening at the thought of his devious plans.

  “Are you sure trapping Santa is a good idea? You might get on his naughty list for life. That would mean no more presents from Santa ever again.”

  Grins dripped off two little faces. Rogan wiped his mouth on his sleeve and looked from Amy to her father. “Do you think Santa will be mad at us, Mr. Madsen?”

  “Well, he probably won’t like being trapped. Even if you don’t catch him, it might make him upset to know you tried.”

  “Jeepers, Ror. We better skedaddle and take down our trap.” Rogan shoved the last of his cookie in his mouth and yanked on his mittens as he raced toward the back door. “Thanks for the cookies!”

  “Yeah. Thanks!” Rory echoed as he followed his brother out the door and yanked it shut with a bang.

  Jeff laughed as he wiped up the crumbs the boys left on the table. “With those two around, there is never a dull moment.”

  Amy laughed. “None at all. Imagine. A trap for Santa. We’ll have to remember to mention that to their father or someone might get hurt the next time they climb up on the roof.”

  “I think I’ll just phone over there right now so we don’t forget,” Jeff said, walking over to the telephone located on the wall near the door.

  The bell out front jangled again.

  Myrtle sighed, exhausted. “Let’s turn the sign to closed and lock the door. I don’t know what we’ve got left to sell, other than a few cookies and the desserts I’m saving for dinner tonight and tomorrow.”

  “It’s okay, Mom. I’ll take care of it.” Amy brushed her hands on her apron and hurried toward the front of the bakery. “Go upstairs and rest a while.”

  When she stepped through the doorway, three men waited on the other side of the counter, all beaming with smiles. However, it was the man in a wheelchair with a big red bow tied around his chest that made her heart thud to a stop then skip into an accelerated rhythm.

  “You’re home! You are really home,” Amy squealed, racing around the counter and dropping to her knees in front of Marc’s wheelchair.

  Chapter Twelve

  Marc felt like he’d fallen asleep and awakened in a fabulous dream as he stared into Amy’s gorgeous blue eyes and felt the brilliance of her smile warm him from the inside out.

  “Amy,” he whispered, cupping her cheek in his palm. “My, sweet Bella.”

  “Oh, I can’t believe you’re here,” she said, laughing
and crying all at once as she hopped to her feet, wrapped her arms around his neck and rained kisses on his cheeks, forehead, and chin.

  He chuckled and started to pull her onto his lap, but a restraining hand on his arm kept him from doing it.

  “You need to be careful, son,” Nik cautioned, as Amy straightened and took a step back.

  Chagrined, Marc shrugged and smiled at her. “I’m not quite ready to take you out dancing, but I’m sure glad to see you, beautiful.”

  “I’m glad to see you, too,” she said, taking his hand between hers and holding it tight, as though she never intended to let go. If she didn’t, that would be perfectly fine with Marc.

  She glanced at Kade and then Nik. “I think you two have some explaining to do.”

  “We do, but Nik needs to get home to his family and if we don’t get this boy to see his mother soon, I might as well never show my face at home again,” Kade joked.

  “Oh, my stars!” Myrtle screeched as she rushed into the room with Jeff right behind her.

  “Marc!” Jeff beamed from ear to ear as he braced Myrtle when she looked as though she might faint. He helped her to a chair then hurried over to shake Marc’s hand. “It’s wonderful to see you. Welcome home.”

  “Thank you, sir. If you don’t have other plans, will you all join us this evening?” Marc asked, not wanting to spend a moment away from Amy, but knowing he needed to see his family, too.

  “You sure you don’t want to come home with me?” Nik asked as he backed toward several pieces of luggage and gaily-wrapped packages piled by the door.

  “I’m sure, but thanks, Doc.” Marc looked at Nik over his shoulder. “Thanks for everything.”

  “My pleasure, Marc. Merry Christmas everyone!” Nik grabbed one suitcase and a bag of gifts then hurried out the door into the swirling snow.

  “Let’s give these kids a few minutes alone, then I really do need to take him home,” Kade said, grinning at Myrtle as he helped her to her feet. “You have any of that delicious coffee cake you always make on hand?”

  “For you, I’ve got a whole cake set aside,” Myrtle said, leading the way into the kitchen.

  She glanced back at Amy with an encouraging smile before disappearing from view with the men.

  The moment they were gone, Amy bent over and pressed her lips to Marc’s. Everything in him wanted to pull her close, to hold her against him and lavish her with his love, but Nik had warned him about being careful of his healing wounds. In fact, Doc had pounded the message into his skull that if he didn’t want to be sent right back to the naval hospital, he’d obey every single directive Nik gave him.

  Amy didn’t seem to mind as she kissed him so tenderly, he felt his heart melting in his chest. Oh, how he’d missed her, missed this closeness he shared with her.

  When the kiss began to deepen, she pulled back, giving him a knowing smile. “So, what’s the ribbon for?” she asked, playfully pulling on one loop of the bow tied over his heart.

  “For obvious reasons, I didn’t get to do much Christmas shopping this year. I was hoping you might accept the gift of me as a present.”

  She dropped down to her knees again, took both of his hands in hers, and kissed his knuckles before gazing at him with moist eyes brimming with both tears and love. So much love.

  “Don’t you know the best gift, the only gift, I will ever need is you? I can’t imagine anything better than having you home for Christmas, Marc. I love you so much and I’m so grateful you’re here.”

  “I’m so happy to be here, too, baby. You have no idea how much it means to me to see you again, to hear you say you still love me. Your love is what kept me going, Amy, when nothing else could have gotten me through one more day. Knowing you were here waiting for me is what gave me the strength and the will to keep on.” Marc brushed away a lone teardrop on her cheek. “I love you, Amy. Just as soon as I can walk down the aisle, will you marry me?”

  “Yes, of course I will.” She pulled his face down to hers and they kissed gently, a kiss of renewal, reacquaintance, reverence.

  When he touched his forehead to hers and breathed in her fragrance, the very essence of her, he felt like he’d come home.

  He kissed her gently again, then felt her smile against his lips. “I hope you don’t mind getting cookies for Christmas because I shipped your Christmas presents to you weeks ago,” she whispered.

  He laughed. “All I could ever need or want is you, Bella. And maybe one or two of those cookies I can smell. Is that Nonna’s recipe?”

  “It sure is. She’s been teaching me to make them.” Amy rose and grinned at him. “And I told her no coconut balls this year.”

  Hours later, after a boisterous meal with all of Marc’s family, as well as Amy’s parents and Helen, followed by the Christmas Eve service at church, Marc and Amy were finally alone in the living room at his parents’ home.

  A fire crackled merrily in the fireplace and the lights on the tree glowed in raspberry, blue, and amber hues against the silvery strands of tinsel. Colorful packages were piled haphazardly beneath the tree including the gifts Kade had helped Marc purchase back in San Diego before they boarded the train. Toy tanks and a Jeep would make the twins happy while he was sure Ruby would love the red sweater he’d purchased to replace the one that now belonged to Barkley.

  Marc couldn’t quite believe he was home. Home with his family and the woman he loved.

  The house smelled of evergreen and oranges, and there was a bit of dog lingering in the air since Barkley rested on an old blanket near the fire. He could also detect a hint of bayberry from the candle that had been burning when Gramps wheeled Marc to the front steps and shouted for everyone to come outside.

  Marc thought they’d have to call Nik to revive his mother and Ruby when they both nearly fainted at the sight of him. Nonna, though, started crying and shouting in Italian, kissing his cheeks and slapping at Gramps, chastising him for running off then praising him for bringing Marc home.

  “Now that we can talk without you being interrupted every five seconds, tell me again how your grandpa found you,” Amy said, snuggling against him as they sat together on the couch. His father had helped him out of the chair to settle on the soft cushions and said he’d give them an hour before he came to help Marc to bed.

  Even though he was so exhausted his body begged for rest, Marc couldn’t get enough of seeing Amy. She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Although the pictures he had of her had earned plenty of whistles from the few men who had seen them, they didn’t capture the sweetness of her spirit, the warmth of her smile, the love that shone from her eyes and her heart.

  She rested her head on his shoulder and held his hand between hers. Since he’d left home back in May, nothing had felt as good, as right, as sitting with her in the glow of the firelight and lights on the tree in his parents’ living room.

  He kissed the top of her head then released a contented sigh. “Well, after I got hurt, I was kind of out of things for a while. When I finally came back to my senses, I was already at the hospital in San Diego. I thought everyone had forgotten all about me, then last week your letters caught up to me. There were a few from my family they’d sent in early autumn, but none after that. Yet the letters from you kept coming. I even received a few you’d written quite recently. I got the one about the twins creating an ice rink. Poor Klusky laughed so hard, I thought they were going to have to give him a new set of stitches.”

  Amy giggled quietly. “It was so funny, but don’t tell your dad I saw the whole thing. He thinks I just happened to show up about the time he finally got to his feet after crawling out of the carport.”

  “Your secret is safe with me.” Marc kissed her temple. “Anyway, I was reading your letters and missing you, missing the family, wishing I could come home for Christmas when all of a sudden Nurse Bossy, that’s not really her name but what we called her because she had no trouble telling us exactly what she thought about everything. So, she came into the room one
afternoon and said I had visitors and it turned out to be Gramps and the doc. Gramps told me about the telegram saying I was dead and that you refused to believe it. He said the two of you vowed not to listen to anyone else and to go on praying I’d stay safe and make it back home. Thank you, baby, for the gift of faith that you gave me and Gramps.”

  “My pleasure,” Amy whispered. “I knew in my heart you were still with us.”

  “You amaze me, Amy Madsen, and I love you so much for never giving up on me. If it wasn’t for you, I’m not sure I’d be alive.”

  When she offered him a confused look, he pulled his dog tags from beneath his shirt and held them so she could see them in the soft light. Hanging from the chain was the metal medallion she’d given him, bearing a bullet hole in the middle of it.

  At her gasp, he placed the disc and tags in her hands and wrapped his around them. “If the bullet hadn’t struck the medallion first, I’d be dead. You saved my life, Bella. In ways you’ll never know, you saved my life.”

  “I’m just so grateful you’re here with us, Marc. And I’m so terribly sorry you lost your friend, Davey. It was nice your grandfather and Nik took you to see his family on your way home so you could speak to them in person.”

  “It was hard, but good to meet his folks and tell them what a great guy and soldier Davey was.”

  Marc cleared his throat and waited for the lump lodged there to clear. Thoughts of Davey always made him feel overwhelmed with emotion.

  Amy’s soft sigh brought him back to the moment. “I never stopped thinking you’d come home to us, to me. Every night, I’d sit on my window seat, look up at the sky, and pray for you, Marc. I’d pray and think of you sitting somewhere under the same bright stars, thinking of me.” She looked up at him with those big baby blues and Marc wanted so badly to show her how much he loved her, to kiss her until they both were lost to everything but each other, only he wouldn’t. Not yet. Not until he was healed and whole again.