A Pony Express Christmas. Rhonda Gibson

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      Molly jumped up and down. She crossed to Jake and took his hand. Leah followed. It was obvious that Molly was already accepting Jake. The little girl wouldn’t need her here much longer.

      * * *

      Heat filled Jake’s face as he saw his room through Leah and Molly’s eyes. It was a tack room within the barn. Bridles, saddles and other riding equipment stood against the walls or hung on the walls. A bed, small wood stove and a little wooden table were all that stood in the room. A shirt hung on a makeshift clothesline but other than that, the room was tidy.

      Curiosity laced Molly’s expression while mild amusement seemed to fill Leah’s. He set the picnic basket on the table. “I know it’s not much, but stock tenders don’t normally require much.”

      In all honesty, he’d been surprised that Mrs. Frontz had agreed to let him bring Leah and Molly to his room. But, with some fast talking he’d convinced her that Molly would make the perfect chaperon and that they needed privacy to explain to Molly that he was her uncle, an uncle she’d never met.

      Leah’s voice pulled him back to the present. “It’s very nice.” Leah took off Molly’s wet gloves and coat.

      He almost snorted his amusement at her politeness but decided she wouldn’t take the action well. Instead, he pulled a chair up to the table. “I’m sorry. I only have the two chairs. You ladies may have them.”

      Molly scrambled onto the closest one and smiled up at him. Her brown eyes, so much like his brother’s, tore into his heart.

      “Molly and I can share.” Leah scooped the little girl up and sat down. The little girl squirmed in her lap and smiled across at him.

      Jake opened the basket. He wasn’t sure how to tell Molly that he was her uncle. Bitterness clawed at the back of his throat. What right did he have to raise his niece? He’d cut her parents out of his life five years ago. Sadness filled him because, without meaning to, he’d also cut this sweet little girl from his life.

      He placed sliced bread and ham wrapped in a towel on the table, followed by a jar of pickles and sugar cookies. He also pulled out three plates and a fork for the pickles. It wasn’t a large lunch but it was all that Mrs. Frontz had had time to pull together for them. Lastly he placed a jar of milk and three glasses on the table.

      “This looks wonderful.” Leah made a quick sandwich from the bread and ham. She placed it on one of the plates while he opened the pickle jar.

      As they worked together to prepare the simple meal, Molly watched. Jake felt as if her big eyes followed his every move. Was this what it felt like to be a parent?

      Once they each had a sandwich sitting in front of them, Jake sat down and blessed the food. It had been a while since he’d said grace because Mr. Frontz normally said the blessing. He kept it simple and said a quick amen.

      Molly reached for the sugar cookie on her plate.

      In a soft voice, Leah reminded her, “You have to eat half your sandwich and drink half your milk and then you can have the cookie.”

      The little girl looked to Jake. Was she asking him to intervene? What harm would it do if she ate the cookie first? His gaze moved up to Leah’s. The look on her face warned him that now wasn’t the time to dispute her words.

      He grinned at Molly. “Eat up. If I finish my sandwich first I might be tempted to eat your cookie, too.” Jake took a big bite from his sandwich.

      A twinkle filled Leah’s eyes as Molly grabbed her own ham and bread and began to eat at a fast pace. “Remember, ladies thoroughly chew their food before they swallow,” Leah reminded the little girl.

      Molly nodded and her eyes danced with pleasure as she ate and drank her milk. Leah picked at her sandwich and looked about the room.

      Leah seemed to know exactly what the little girl needed to know to grow up into a young woman with manners and healthy eating habits. How was he going to be both mother and father to the child? To take his mind from the scary thought, Jake glanced around his room.

      He was thankful he’d stopped long enough this morning to make the cot up. “I hope you don’t mind eating here. Other than the main dining hall there was no other place, and I wanted to talk to Molly before I spoke to Mr. and Mrs. Frontz.”

      “This is fine,” Leah assured him.

      Molly’s stopped chewing and looked at him. He read the question in her eyes. She wanted to know why he’d want to talk to her.

      He put his sandwich down and placed his elbows on the table, one on each side of his plate. Molly continued to stare at him. She cocked her head to the side and waited.

      Jake took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly. Lord, please help me say the right thing. “Molly, did your daddy ever tell you he had a brother?”

      The little girl shook her head.

      John and Sally had never told Molly about him. What had he expected? He’d abandoned his family. Only, where did he go from here?

      Jake continued to hold her gaze. She looked so much like Sally, with her corn-silk hair, heart-shaped face and rosy cheeks. The only difference was her eyes. She had John’s expressive brown eyes.

      Seeing John’s eyes looking back at him tore into his very soul. Over the years he’d missed his brother and realized that his memories of Sally were fading, but he’d never forgotten his brother.

      Molly slid off Leah’s lap and came around the table. Jake turned so that he could still face her. The little girl reached her arms upward and he pulled her onto his lap. She stretched her small hand up and touched Jake’s hair and then ran her fingers over his lashes.

      He closed them so she wouldn’t poke him in the eye. Was she searching for similarities between him and his brother? Or was she simply curious about him? When he felt her hand on his head again, he looked into her face.

      Leah said in a soft, encouraging voice, “Go ahead and tell her.”

      Molly looked from him to Leah and back to him again. She placed her hand on his heart and leaned her head against his shoulder.

      “I’m your Uncle Jake, Molly. I’m your daddy’s brother.”

      She raised her head and smiled at him. Had she already guessed? “Your daddy sent me a letter and in it he said you can live with me now. Would you like that?”

      Molly nodded and then pointed to Leah.

      Was she asking if Leah could live with them, too? Jake looked to the young woman. Her cheeks were turning a lovely shade of pink. It wasn’t his place to tell Molly that her friend would soon be leaving to marry Mr. Harris.

      Jake found himself holding his breath as he waited to see what Leah would say. Molly climbed down from his lap. She hurried back to Leah and waited to be picked up. Molly was small for her age and weighed very little.

      “Molly, you will be staying here with your uncle Jake, and I will continue on to meet my new husband. Remember? I told you that I was coming out here to get married.”

      Tears filled Molly’s eyes. She wrapped her arms around СКАЧАТЬ