In the next room, the tea kettle squealed. “Oh, my!” Lois exclaimed and hopped out of the rocking chair to bring out the tea.
Louis frowned, ignoring his wife. “How many young men are we speaking of?”
Aaron looked at Louis directly in the eyes. “Five would be preferable, sir.”
Louis let out a loud belly laugh. “Lo! Get in here!”
Lois came in, carrying two teacups clattering on a serving tray. She set one down on the coffee table in front of Louis. “Are you sure you don’t want a cup, Mr. Cavett?”
“No, thank you, Mrs. Schramm.” Aaron stared at the floor. Louis Schramm was about to tell him exactly what he thought about Aaron’s plan, and Aaron was afraid he was not going to like it.
Louis grabbed his wife’s hand. “Lo, Mr. Cavett would like us to adopt five boys! Can you imagine?” He laughed as he gestured around the small one-story home. “Where would we put them?”
Aaron felt like it was a lost cause, but he pushed forward nonetheless. “I certainly understand your hesitation, sir. But if there’s any way you could take in some of the boys...it would mean that they wouldn’t get split up. These boys know each other, but they don’t know a single other soul in Nowhere. Please, Mr. Schramm. They need someone to help them.”
Louis stopped laughing. His face grew serious. “I understand you’re in a difficult position. I hope you find a home for all of the boys, I truly do. But we just don’t have the space to take in five children! Or four, or three, or really any amount. Lo and I have been on our own for quite some time, and we like it that way.”
Lois nodded. “We’d be happy to help if you need supplies donated, like notebooks or pencils for the children. But I don’t think we would be a good fit to adopt any of the boys. We’re sorry we can’t help more.”
Aaron nodded. All through town, it was the same story. People understood what he was working toward and why he was doing it, but they weren’t able to help personally. He was beginning to think there was no hope at all for his fifteen charges, and that made him feel like a failure.
He refused to give up, though. There had to be a way, and he was going to find it.
Chapter Six
Katie gazed at the walls of the church, admiring the red ribbons she had hung. She imagined the church filled with townspeople for the Christmas service. After church, she planned to present Aaron and the boys with their Christmas gifts. She couldn’t wait to see the look on Aaron’s face when he opened her gift.
It had taken her a few weeks to think of it, but now she was confident he would love it. Aaron knew that there was some type of gathering that would be held at the church after the service, but he had no idea about Katie’s plan to give each orphan his own gift. He had mostly avoided Katie, but she stopped by the church daily to see how the boys were doing.
Today, Katie was helping Sarah Jane decorate for the season. Sarah Jane had a creative streak and loved to keep the church looking its best for all the holidays and special occasions throughout the year.
Sarah Jane looked up from her spot on the ground. She held the ladder Katie was standing on. “A little higher, I think.”
Katie nodded. She lifted the ribbon a few inches and reattached it to the wall. “How about this?”
Sarah Jane took a close look. “Yes. I think that’s good.”
Katie climbed down the ladder, and she and Sarah Jane picked it up and moved it a few yards away. Katie took another ribbon from Sarah Jane’s decoration basket and returned to the top of the ladder.
As she reached up to pin it on the wall, she heard a few shouts below. The ladder swayed, and Katie put her arms out, trying to balance. She closed her eyes as she tumbled toward the ground, knowing it would be painful.
To her surprise, she landed in what felt like a bed of pillows. Strong arms wrapped around her. She blinked her eyes open.
Aaron Cavett set her down delicately on the floor. His eyes were filled with concern. “Are you all right?”
Katie nodded. She wished she could climb back into Aaron’s arms. She had felt so comfortable there! “What just happened?”
Sarah Jane rushed up to Katie. “I’m so, so sorry I let you fall! Are you sure you’re okay?”
Katie ignored Sarah Jane’s question and watched Aaron, who turned to a group of boys who had gathered nearby.
“You are all punished, effective immediately!” Aaron’s eyes flashed in anger. “Someone could have been seriously hurt! You’re lucky that Katie is all right. What have I said about your behavior in this church?”
The boys were solemn. Katie noticed Jacob fidgeting and avoiding Aaron’s hard stare.
Finally, Jacob stepped forward. “We’re very sorry, Miss Sanders, Mrs. Barton, and Headmaster Cavett. It won’t happen again.” Katie saw true remorse on the boy’s face, and knew he meant it.
Aaron wasn’t satisfied. “Everyone is to sit down in the front pew immediately! You will stay there and think about your actions until I dismiss you.”
The boys froze for a moment, but then began to shuffle to the front of the church. They exchanged hushed whispers as they sat down in the seats of the first pew.
“And you will be silent while you do so!” Aaron thundered.
Katie had never seen him so riled up. “I’m fine, Aaron,” she said gently, putting a hand on his arm.
Aaron took a deep breath. “I’m glad you’re fine, but there could have been real trouble here. Those boys need to learn to follow appropriate conduct in the church.”
“Thank you for catching me. What happened, exactly?” Katie still wasn’t sure what had happened and why Aaron seemed to blame the boys.
Sarah Jane chimed in. “I was holding the ladder, watching you hang the ribbon, and then I was on the ground. The boys ran into me and I fell over. The momentum made the ladder sway, and then you fell. I feel so awful for letting go.”
“It’s not your fault, Sarah Jane!” Katie said. “It was just an accident. I understand what you mean, though, Aaron, about teaching the boys how to act in church. I wouldn’t want anyone to get hurt.”
Aaron nodded slowly. Being around Katie seemed to have a calming effect on him, even when he was steaming mad.
“We have a few more decorations to hang. Would you like to help us? It might help take your mind off work. You seem like you need a break,” Katie suggested.
Aaron shook his head. “Paperwork. I’d better get back to work.”
Katie sighed. “All right. Sarah Jane and I should do the same.”
Aaron disappeared quietly into the corner of the church where he had set up his office.
Sarah Jane watched as Aaron walked away. “Katie, is there something between you two?”
Katie looked down. “No. Not really.”
Sarah Jane grabbed Katie’s wrist. “Oh, my goodness! There is something!”
Katie shook her head. “No. There may have been something, but Aaron’s convinced he’s moving back to New York. And I’m staying here in Nowhere. It would never work out.”
“You don’t know that for sure,” Sarah Jane soothed. “I can tell both of you have strong feelings for one another.”
“I don’t know.” Katie waited as Sarah Jane steadied the ladder, then climbed up it again. “We’ll see.”
After all the decorations were hung, Sarah Jane went back to her living quarters to check on her children and prepare for dinner.
Katie wandered over to Aaron’s office area. “How’s it going?”
Aaron startled. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you coming! There’s just so much to do. There are too many boys...too many families...”
Katie hated seeing Aaron so upset. He seemed about ready to pull out his hair. “Would you like to take a walk?”
“I don’t have time for a walk,” Aaron declared.
“It will help you focus more later. I promise. Please?” Katie held her breath, hoping he would respond positively.
After a short pause, Aaron stood up. “You’re pr
obably right. Just a quick walk, though.”
Katie beamed. Before they left, Aaron walked up to the first pew and made sure the boys were sitting in a straight line and not speaking. Then they walked out of the front entrance to the church.
It was another beautiful winter day in Nowhere, with a slight chill running through the air. Katie shivered.
Aaron swung his suit jacket off and offered it to Katie. “Would you like to wear this?”
“Oh, I wouldn’t want to take your clothes. Then you’ll be cold!” Katie protested.
“I insist.” Aaron helped wrap the jacket around Katie’s shoulders, and she slipped her arms into the sleeves. She loved feeling so close to Aaron.
“How have you been?” Katie asked cautiously. Although she visited the church daily, she and Aaron hadn’t been alone since the day they’d shared a kiss on the walk back to the Sanders house.
“Stressed,” Aaron admitted truthfully. “It’s all but settled. Each of the boys will be going to a separate home at best. There may be some boys who need to keep living at the church for some time.”
“You mean there aren’t enough families who will adopt a boy?” Katie asked. “Have you talked to my sister Penny and her husband, Tom?” In addition to being a talented seamstress, Penny and her husband lived in a large, beautiful home in Bagley complete with several cabins. They often took in boys who needed a home. The boys lived in cabins on the property. They worked on the farm in exchange for a place to stay.
Aaron nodded. “Tom McClain? Their cabins are full right now. Said they might have one spot, but that was it.”
Katie opened her mouth. What Aaron said had given her an idea. It was unexpected, but it just might work. She didn’t want to tell Aaron until she was sure, though, so she kept quiet.
“You know, if I’m hard on them, it’s only because I see so much of myself in them,” Aaron explained as they continued walking through the fields by the church.
“And why is that?” Katie asked.
“I grew up as an orphan, too,” Aaron told her.
Katie nodded. That explained why Aaron was so dedicated to his job, as well as why she felt so comfortable around him. They had both experienced many of the same things in life.
“I never was adopted, but I had a teacher who believed in me. Robert Ballinger,” Aaron went on.
“That’s the name of the school you worked at!” Katie noticed.
“That’s right.” Aaron put his hands in his pockets. “He founded the school. A few years ago, he passed away, and his son runs the company now. They have several schools in New York now. But the son—Lazarus—is not nearly as dedicated as his father, unfortunately.”
“That’s too bad. I bet you would be good in his position. Running a lot of schools,” Katie remarked.
“I don’t know about that,” Aaron replied. “I’m having a hard time finding placements for all of my boys. I guess I just always wanted for them what you and your sisters had—a loving home where they could stay forever. So many of these children have grown up being passed around different homes and schools for years at a time. I want to find a place they can grow to call home. Do you know what I mean?”
Katie smiled and nodded. “I know exactly what you mean. Even though the orphanage in New York is where I met all my sisters, and we had a wonderful matron, things really changed for me when we moved here and had a permanent home with Edna Petunia and Cletus. That’s when I knew I really felt I belonged.”
Aaron stopped walking. “Katie, I need to tell you something.”
Katie’s heart raced. Was Aaron going to admit he had feelings for her and wanted to stay? She smiled at him encouragingly.
Aaron hesitated. He didn’t know how to say what he had to say without hurting Katie. Upsetting her was the last thing he wanted to do. He bit his lip. “Katie, I’ve booked a train ticket. I’ll leave from Austin to go back to New York City the day after Christmas.”
Katie felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. Her expression clouded, full of confusion. “You’re leaving? But I thought you were staying until the boys had homes.”
“My boss sent me a letter. He needs me back in New York to open another school,” Aaron explained. “If I don’t return, he’ll dismiss me.”
Katie’s eyes filled with tears. “I thought...I thought you’d want to stay.”
Aaron sighed. “I want to stay and find homes for the boys, of course, but then I’ll lose my job. And if I’m not employed, what kind of example will I be?”
Katie hated that Aaron’s employer seemed not to understand the position. And there was something else that was bothering her, too. “What about me?” As soon as she heard herself say the words, she regretted them. He had made no promises to her, and she had no right to question his intentions.
“Oh, Katie.” Aaron still didn’t understand the hold Katie had over him. No matter how many times he had sworn to himself that he had to remain logical and unemotional about the situation, he couldn’t stop thinking about Katie’s lovely face and sweet gestures. She truly was the perfect woman for him, and he was a fool to leave her. Hurting her made him feel horrible about himself. He took her hands in his, but Katie pulled away.
“No. If you’re not staying, we can’t be anything more than friends. I can’t get too attached to this, because you’ll be gone in a week’s time,” Katie explained.
Aaron nodded gravely. “I understand. You’re right.” He began walking again, but Katie didn’t budge.
“I think I’d like to be on my own right now,” Katie said.
“Of course.” Aaron started to walk back to the church.
“Wait—your coat.” Katie started to shrug it off her shoulders, but Aaron shook his head.
“No, you keep it. Just leave it on one of the pews when you come back in.”
Katie watched as Aaron returned to the church building. She had never felt so sad or alone.
Chapter Seven
Katie continued to stop at the church daily, but she avoided Aaron at all costs. She went to find Sarah Jane or Micah or spoke to the boys directly. All of the boys were excited for the Christmas service because Katie had been teaching them to sing.
“Please, don’t go, Miss Sanders!” Jacob pleaded.
Katie smile ruefully. She adored the child, and he knew it. “Fine, Jacob. We’ll do one more. But then I'm going straight home.”
Katie looked at all the boys, counted to three, and pointed at them. They began to sing.
When they had finished, Katie clapped her hands. “That was wonderful!”
Jacob rushed up to Katie and tugged on her skirt. “Miss Sanders, could we sing that song at the Christmas service?”
“I don’t see why not. I’ll add it to my notes,” Katie told him, ruffling his hair.
Jacob smiled angelically. “It’s Headmaster Cavett’s favorite!”
Katie’s expression darkened as she thought about Aaron. Every time she remembered he was leaving stabbed at her heart. She tried to pull herself together for Jacob. “Then I’ll make sure we do it. Thank you, Jacob. That’s awfully thoughtful of you.”
Jacob opened his mouth to say something else, but quickly shut it.
Katie noticed his lower lip trembling. “What’s the matter, Jacob?”
“Jonah said he overheard Headmaster Cavett talking to Pastor Barton about New York. Jonah said he’s leaving in a few days and not coming back. Is that true?” Jacob looked down at the floor, blinking his eyes rapidly.
Katie knelt down and looked Jacob in the eye. “Has he talked to you about it?”
Jacob shook his head. “He keeps telling us to worry about our schoolwork and not worry about him. But I’m going to miss him, Miss Sanders. I’m going to miss him very badly.”
Katie saw a wet tear rolling down Jacob’s cheek and wanted to cry herself. “Well, Mr. Cavett has a job to get back to in New York. But I’m sure he would want to talk to you about this himself. Why don’t we go talk to him about it now?�
�
Jacob shook his head. “No, miss.”
“Why not?” Katie was confused.
“Because I don’t want it to be true!” With that, Jacob spun around and rushed out the doors to the church. A few boys raced after him, which caught Aaron’s attention.
“No running in the church!” Aaron yelled. He looked up, and his eyes met Katie’s.
Katie turned away and hurried after Jacob. The poor dear!
She found him outside, listlessly watching Freddy inside the hatbox. “Jacob? Would you like to talk?”
Jacob folded his arms. “No!”
Katie bent down and took a seat next to him on the ground. “Okay. I’ll sit with you for a little while.”
They sat together in silence until Freddy let out a loud ribbit. Katie burst out laughing and Jacob soon joined her.
“Why don’t we go back inside?” Katie suggested. “It’s going to get cold out here.”
Jacob sighed. “Miss Sanders?”
“Yes?” Katie looked the boy in the eyes.
“Do you think Headmaster Cavett would take me with him if I asked nicely and promised to behave?” Jacob asked, a solemn expression on his face.
Katie’s heart swelled. The poor boy! “Oh, Jacob. I’m sure that seems like it would be lovely, but Mr. Cavett wouldn’t be allowed to do that. He’s working hard to find you a nice family who will adopt you forever.”
Jacob pouted. “I don’t want a new family! I want Headmaster Cavett.”
“He’s a very good teacher,” Katie agreed. “But he doesn’t have a wife or any other children. Wouldn’t you get lonely?”
Jacob yawned. “Maybe.”
“You know,” Katie continued. “When I came to Nowhere, we didn’t have a place to stay, either. A family took us in. Edna Petunia and Cletus Sanders—you might have seen them in church. They opened their home to all of us girls from an orphanage in New York—fifteen girls in all. And you know what?”
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