is all this?”
He grinned. “Breakfast, dinner, and supper.”
Helen’s mouth dropped open. She was speechless. Was he serious? Her hands began to tremble.
“I’ve brought buttermilk, tea, spiced apples, potatoes, ham, canned vegetables, sugar, flour, salt, beef, and jam for Naomi.”
Helen’s knees gave way and she slid to the floor. “Oh, thank you, Lord!” she cried out loud.
“Wha...?” Chad said, waking from sleep. He saw Helen on her knees and Gabriel stepping toward her. Chad was out of bed in an instant. “Helen?”
“Oh, my dear. This man is an angel of God! Surely he must be,” she told him. “Look at all this food he has brought to us.”
Gabriel kept quiet his intent to give them all he had – at least three months worth still out in his crates and barrels in the barn. It would keep them through most of the winter.
“Is this true?” Chad asked him.
“Yes, my Christmas gift to you. I know for certain the Lord sent this storm so I would lose my way. He must be taking care of my family, because He re-routed me to you. I feel it is His wish for you to have this food, all of it, including what is still outside,” Gabriel answered sincerely.
Helen was crying. Chad was overwhelmed. He would have to swallow his pride on this one and accept Mister Davidson’s charity. If he did not, his family would surely die this winter. Besides, who was he to deny God’s plan? “Sir, we are in your debt. Thank you,” the younger man said.
“Don’t thank me. Thank God. He has provided.”
“We do, sir. We certainly do,” Helen concluded.
The three Jenkins children awoke to smells of frying ham and flapjacks. Helen quickly whipped up the batter. This morning they would have their largest meal in six months. Buttermilk and spiced apples completed the feast. Naomi was absolutely delighted. She insisted on sitting next to Mister Davidson while they ate. Michael then begged to sit on the man’s other side. Johnathan was still content to sit on his mother’s lap. Everyone laughed and talked as though they had known each other for years.
“I would like to ask if I could stay through Christmas Day,” Gabriel asked Chad and Helen. “I’d love to not have to be alone for another holiday.”
“You know you are welcome,” Chad answered. Christmas was tomorrow, and this man had saved all their lives.
“We’d be honored if you would,” Helen then added.
“Besides, it’s not every Christmas we get a new grandpa,” Naomi put in to the adult conversation.
“Or me three new grandchildren,” Gabriel added. “Besides, I have a good feeling Santa Claus may stop by tonight. I sure wouldn’t want to miss that.”
Chad frowned. What was he saying? He and Helen had nothing to give them. He wished Gabriel would stop getting their hopes up. He looked up to see Gabriel giving him and Helen a wink and a nod. Chad still frowned.
After breakfast, Helen and Naomi made bread dough. It filled the one room cabin with the smell of yeast. The loaves sat rising on the hearth while the females prepared stew. A large pot was filled with the beef, potatoes, vegetables, water, salt and flour. The males entertained themselves with an old game of checkers. It had belonged to Helen’s father years ago.
“Thanks for feeding my horses this morning,” Chad commented to Gabriel.
“It was no trouble. I wanted to see to mine and my mules. All was well and I didn’t want to wake you. I’m a very early riser,” he explained.
“I am, too, in the summer time,” Chad grinned sheepishly. “I take advantage of my warm bed during cold winter days and sleep as long as I can.”
Helen felt a little blush fill her cheeks. She wished Chad had not said that.
“Say, Mister Davidson, can I have a ride in your sleigh?” Matthew asked.
Johnathan stopped playing with his stuffed dog made from scraps of old material. He wanted to know the answer to that question, too.
“Certainly, Matthew. We can all go if you like.”
The children’s faces lit up.
“The children don’t have warm coats, Mister Davidson. I’d fear for their health if they went,” Helen told him with motherly concern.
“Not to fear. I have five extra buffalo hides in the sleigh. You can each wrap one around you,” he told her.
“Hooray!” Matthew shouted.
“Oh, boy!” Naomi gushed.
“Sleigh ride, sleigh ride,” Johnathan chanted, making his play puppy dance around.
Chad and Gabriel went to the barn. They would have to empty the sleigh of all its supplies and hook up the team.
“I’ve never seen horses this big,” Chad told him as harnesses were being adjusted.
“Clydesdales,” Gabriel answered.
The team was ready. Gabriel led them into the snow-filled yard while Chad carried the heavy buffalo furs to the house. “Wrap up everyone,” he told them.
Helen wore an old bonnet over her head. The material was faded to a dull gray-green. The children’s heads and hands were wrapped with clothing to keep them warm. Each took a buffalo hide to drape around their shoulders. The oldest two stepped out into the snow. Old rabbit furs were tied to their feet for shoes. Chad carried Johnathan to the sleigh and put him in the back with Helen and the other two children. Chad sat himself in the front with Gabriel.
“Ready?” the man called to them.
“Ready!” the two eldest shouted. Helen nodded her head.
Gabriel popped a whip over the horses heads. The loud snap sent them shuffling through the snow. The sleigh skimmed over the ice. Every passenger had a smile on their face. Gabriel led them across the winter landscape to a tree far in the distance. He circled wide and turned the sleigh back towards the house.
“Don’t go back home yet,” Michael begged.
Gabriel answered, “We won’t.”
The horses took them past the house. Gabriel had all the children giggling when he asked them to wave at the donkeys in the barn. Helen admitted to herself that this was the most fun their family had had in over a year. Gabriel circled wide again. More giggling and waving to the donkeys as they made their way back to the tree. They circled the house in this manner three times before coming to a stop in the yard. All cheeks were pink from cold.
“Papa, can we go see the donkeys?” Naomi asked.
“I don’t see why not.”
Helen led the children into the barn while the men unhitched the team.
“Mama, are these like the
