He gripped her arm as he tried to see through the snow. Just at the edge of the field, he saw it again.
“It’s Clara.” Faith was already struggling away. “She has a red coat.” Snow kicked up around her as she ran. It fell cold and wet to mix with the tears that blinded her vision. With all the breath she had she called out. Arms spread wide, she caught both girls to her. “Oh God, Clara, I’ve been so scared. Here, here now, you’re frozen, both of you. We’ll get to the car. Everything’s going to be fine. Everything’s all right now.”
“Is my mom mad?” Shivering, Marcie wept against her shoulder.
“No, no, she’s just worried. Everyone is.”
“Up you go.” Jason hauled Clara up in his arms. For one brief minute he gave himself the luxury of nuzzling his daughter. Looking back, he saw Faith gathering up Marcie. “Can you manage?”
She smiled, holding the still weeping girl close. “No problem.”
“Then let’s go home.”
“We didn’t mean to get lost.” Clara’s tears ran down his collar.
“Of course you didn’t.”
“We just went to look at the horses and we got all turned around. We couldn’t find anybody. I wasn’t scared.” Her breath hitched as she pressed against him. “Just Marcie.”
His child. He felt his own vision blur as he wrapped his arms tighter around her. “You’re both safe now.”
“Mom was crying.”
“She’s okay, too.” He stopped at the car. “Can you handle them both on your lap in the front? They’ll be warmer.”
“Absolutely.” After Faith had settled in with Marcie, Jason handed her Clara. For one long moment, their gazes held over her head.
“We couldn’t find the lights of the house with all the snow,” Clara murmured as she held on to her mother. “Then we couldn’t find the road for the longest time. It was so cold. I didn’t lose my hat.”
“I know, baby. Here, get your wet mittens off. You, too, Marcie. Jason has the heater turned all the way up. You’ll be cooked before you know it.” She ran kisses over two cold faces and fought the need to break down. “What Christmas carols did you sing?”
“‘Jingle Bells,’” Marcie said with a sniffle.
“Ah, one of my favorites.”
“And ‘Joy to the World,’” Clara put in. The heater was pumping warm air over her hands and face. “You like that one better.”
“So I do but I can’t remember just how it starts. How does it start, Marcie?” She smiled at Clara and snuggled her closer.
In a thin, piping voice still wavery with tears Marcie started to sing. She was nearly through the first verse when they came to the rest of the search party.
“It’s my dad!” Bouncing on Faith’s lap, Marcie started to wave. “He doesn’t look mad.”
With a half laugh, Faith kissed the top of her head. “Merry Christmas, Marcie.”
“Merry Christmas, Mrs. Monroe. See you tomorrow, Clara.” Marcie barely had time to open the door before she was scooped up.
“What a night.” There were waves and cheers as the car weaved through the crowd.
“It’s Christmas Eve,” Clara reminded her mother. The world was safe and warm again. “Maybe I should open that one big present tonight.”
“Not a chance,” Jason told her and tugged at her hair.
Faith turned Clara in her arms and squeezed tight.
“Don’t cry, Mom.”
“I have to, for just a minute.” True to her word, her eyes were dry when they arrived home. An exhausted Clara dozed on Jason’s shoulder as he carried her inside. “I’ll take her up, Jason.”
