A Family for Christmas. Dana Corbit

she couldn’t remember their names.

      In a timid voice that didn’t sound like her own, Wendy asked, “May I speak to Evan?”

      “Evan isn’t here. He’s working in the dairy barn. May I ask who’s calling?”

      “This is Wendy Kenworth, Evan’s friend in Florida. I called to ask about his father.”

      “Evan has told me about you. Thanks for your concern, Wendy. My husband is doing very well, but he has a long road to recovery. He’s in rehab now. We’re hoping he’ll be home before Christmas.”

      “I’m happy to hear that. Thanks.”

      “I’ll have Evan return your call.”

      “I have a ten-o’clock class. I’ll be in my dorm room until then.”

      “Wendy,” Hilda said, “Evan told me he’d invited you to visit us here in Ohio. The family would like to meet you. I know your classes will end soon, and you won’t go back to school until after the first of the year. Why don’t you spend part of your Christmas break with us?”

      “I don’t think I can. I’m supposed to work during the holidays. I need the extra money to help with my school expenses.”

      “If you change your mind, let us know. We’d enjoy having you visit. I’ll ask Evan to return your call.”

      He hadn’t telephoned by the time Wendy had to go to class, and she trudged across campus. It was agonizing to turn off her phone while she was in class.

      She finally received the call at noon, while she was in the cafeteria eating a sandwich.

      “Hi, Wendy.” Evan’s cheerful voice came across the miles. “Sorry I wasn’t in when you called before. I’m missing you.”

      Wendy’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t sound angry.

      “I’m glad your father is recovering.”

      “But it’s as I told you before—he won’t be able to take over the farm interests for several months.”

      “I should have been more understanding, Evan. I know you’re doing what you think is best. Considering the circumstances, maybe it was the best decision to forget our engagement.”

      With a sinking heart, she heard his answer. “You’re probably right, at least for the time being. But I still wish you’d come to visit us during your break. I’ll send you a plane ticket if you’ll arrange to come.”

      “My mother—” she started, and Evan interrupted.

      “Wendy, you can’t seem to understand why I feel it’s necessary for me to sacrifice my plans for my family. Don’t you see that you’re doing the same thing with your mother? Every decision you’ve made, since I’ve known you, has been tempered by how it would affect her.”

      Rather than making her angry, Evan’s comment opened Wendy’s eyes to the truth. She was tied to her mother’s apron strings.

      Chapter Three

      For the rest of the week, Wendy mulled over the invitation to visit the Kesslers. When she went home for the weekend, she’d made up her mind. If she was ever going to get married and have a home of her own, she couldn’t be held back by her mother’s manipulation. In the years since her divorce, Emmalee could have made a life of her own, instead of depending solely on Wendy’s presence to give her life meaning.

      Wendy had allowed her mother to dominate her life simply because she wanted to avoid conflict. Would she have the courage to make her own decision now? As she planned how to break the news to her mother, Wendy sensed an extra strength that she hadn’t possessed before. What had generated this unusual surge of willpower?

      During her annual visits to her paternal grandparents when she was younger, Wendy had gone to church, and she’d heard people pray, but she didn’t have a personal knowledge of the power of prayer.

      Prayer seemed to be an integral part of Evan’s life, not something he did only on Sunday. He prayed before they ate, even in a restaurant. He prayed for help with his exams. He prayed that God would help him make the right decisions. He didn’t start a day without asking for God’s direction.

      As she waited for Emmalee to come home from work, Wendy wondered if the strange new courage she possessed today was a result of Evan’s prayers. Was he praying for her now? It was a comforting thought.

      After they’d eaten dinner, and Emmalee had changed into lounging clothes, Wendy pasted a smile on her face, took a deep breath and flexed her fingers in an effort to relax. She couldn’t delay any longer.

      “Evan and his mother have invited me to visit them during my Christmas break. I intend to go.”

      “So you’ve made up with him.”

      “Yes.”

      An obstinate expression crossed Emmalee’s face. “You aren’t going anywhere without me. You have no idea what kind of people they are.”

      Determined that she wouldn’t bend to her mother’s will, Wendy said, “I am going, Mother. I’m twenty-two. If I’m not old enough to make some decisions now, I never will be.”

      “Obviously it doesn’t bother you that I’ll be spending Christmas alone.”

      Wendy bit her lip nervously, her resolve wavering. Are you praying, Evan?

      “You have single friends at the store who’d be glad to share Christmas Day with you. You’ll be working the rest of the time. I’d like to meet Evan’s family. I want to see why he loves his family so much that he’ll give up, not only me, but his career to take care of them. And Christmas Eve is very important to the Kesslers. I want to experience that part of the holidays with them.”

      Emmalee was in no mood to listen to reason. “I’ve slaved for years to give you a home. Now that you’re about to graduate and be on your own, when you could relieve me of some of my financial burdens, you’re through with me.”

      Tears pricked at Wendy’s eyelids. She felt like she was ten again, but she clenched her fists. She focused on Evan’s strong features, his loving ways and his prayer life as a lodestar to keep her on the right course.

      “I am going to visit the Kesslers during the holidays.”

      If she didn’t keep repeating those words, she’d weaken. She had to keep that goal in her mind.

      “Very well!” Emmalee said at last. “As much as I’ve tried to change you, you’re just like your father. When you have an opportunity to work for two weeks and help with the expenses, you skip out and leave me holding the bag just as he did.”

      Wendy considered reminding Emmalee that she’d refused to accept alimony from her husband or any financial help from his family. Instead, Wendy repeated, “I’m going to visit the Kesslers during the holidays.”

      Perhaps sensing Wendy’s determination, Emmalee said no more. With some dignity, she went to her bedroom and closed the door, leaving Wendy with heaviness in her chest and tears in her eyes.

      She had always tried to avoid conflict. When she’d enjoyed a visit with her paternal grandparents, she hadn’t told her mother about the good times she had, because Emmalee resented her in-laws. When Emmalee had protested that she was going out too much at night, Wendy had stopped dating and had spent the nights at home studying. Actually, that had been a blessing in disguise, for she’d made the honor roll all through high school and had won a full scholarship to college.

      She’d initiated conflict with Evan, and now that they’d reconciled, she was at odds with her mother. What was wrong with her that she seemed to plant discord no matter what she did? But since she’d won the battle, she knew she must move forward before her mother planned a counterattack. She went into her bedroom and dialed Evan’s number.

      Happiness was evident