A Family for Christmas. Dana Corbit

My last final is on December twelve.”

      “Good. That will give me time to arrange for an electronic ticket and send your receipt by express mail. Have you ever flown before?”

      “No,” she said, “and I’m a little worried about it.”

      “You can get a plane in Jacksonville, and you’ll be flying into the Columbus International Airport. There will be one change, either in Atlanta or Charlotte. I’ll choose the easiest route for you.”

      “Thanks, Evan.”

      “Since I can’t return to Florida for a while, thank you for coming to see me. I can’t wait to see you.”

      He wanted to ask how her mother had reacted to the visit, but Evan thought he might be happier if he didn’t know. He settled down to a week of waiting before he could see Wendy again.

      Considering his eagerness to be reunited with Wendy, Evan couldn’t understand why he took his youngest sister, Olivia, with him when he went to the airport to meet her. Olivia had pestered him for days, wanting to go with him, but he’d resisted her entreaties until the morning he was preparing to leave for the airport.

      Overcome with shyness about seeing Wendy, and with the memory of her harsh words still in his mind, he was uncertain of what they’d talk about. Deciding it might be better to introduce Wendy to his family gradually, he told Olivia she could go with him.

      His little sister was a special gift to Evan, since she’d been born seventeen years ago on his eighth birthday. The fact that they always celebrated their birthdays together had been a bonding factor. But Olivia’s personality made it impossible not to love her because she was as affectionate as a half-grown puppy.

      In their baby pictures, Evan and Olivia could have passed for twins; their physical characteristics were similar. Like him, she had blond hair, blue eyes and a sprinkling of freckles on her creamy white skin. Glancing at his sister, who didn’t even try to conceal her eagerness to be going to meet her brother’s girlfriend, he knew it wouldn’t be long before Olivia would be dating, too. Although she was tomboyish and preferred working in the fields rather than in the kitchen, she was tall for her age, quick and graceful and the local boys were already asking Olivia for dates.

      Wendy’s heart did a little flip-flop, and she stopped in her tracks when she entered the arrivals area and saw that Evan hadn’t come alone to meet her. She’d seen pictures of Olivia, so she knew who she was. She’d been looking forward to the three-hour trip from the airport to the Kessler home to determine the status of her current relationship with Evan. That would be impossible with Olivia along.

      Wendy cautioned herself to avoid being jealous of Evan’s sister. She’d already accepted that, if she married Evan, she would have to share him with his family.

      Evan’s eyes glowed with welcome, and he hurried toward her. He stooped to drop a soft kiss on her lips. With his arm around her, he led Wendy to Olivia.

      Spontaneously, Olivia hugged Wendy. “Oh, you’re so pretty. Evan, why didn’t you tell us that? I’ve always wished I had dark hair, but I guess I’m stuck with being a blonde.”

      “Those freckles would stand out like beacon lights if you had black hair,” Evan said, lightly tweaking his sister’s nose.

      Laughing, Wendy said, “I didn’t like my hair when I was a teenager, either. In fact,” she said, with a knowing look toward Evan, “I’ve always been partial to blondes.”

      “Well, I’m glad to hear that,” he said, feigning a leering grimace. He took Wendy’s carry-on case. “Let’s go and get the rest of your luggage. The weather forecast indicates some snow, and I want to start home. We may have a white Christmas.”

      “Oh, I hope so,” Wendy said, her blue eyes large and luminous. “I’ve seen snow a few times in our area, but it didn’t stick on the ground.”

      “I can’t promise for sure, but I figure you’ll see some snow in a few days.”

      Those words Wendy was destined to remember, since inclement weather had a lot to do with her opinion of Evan’s home.

      Darkness had fallen when Evan turned off the fourlane highway at the small town of Rio Grande to travel on a curving, narrow road. By that time, Olivia had stretched out on the back seat of the Kessler’s sedan and had gone to sleep.

      Soon Wendy felt completely isolated in a sea of darkness. They crossed several small streams as they wound through the gently rolling hills. Leafless trees, as well as evergreens, formed a canopy over the roadway. When the headlights illuminated two deer standing in the middle of the road, Evan braked sharply. Wendy’s hand flew to her throat. The deer stared into the headlights, and Evan turned off the lights. Wendy cringed in the inky-black darkness, and she moved closer to him, clutching his arm.

      “The headlights blinded the deer,” Evan explained, tooting the horn a couple of times. He turned the lights on again. The deer jumped a fence and disappeared into the heavy underbrush at the road’s edge.

      Until they’d left the main highway, Wendy had been chatting easily, but Evan noticed that she’d become unusually quiet after they’d turned onto the byway. This was probably the first total darkness she’d ever seen. He wondered if this was another hurdle he’d have to overcome if he brought Wendy to Heritage Farm as his wife.

      Wendy had envisioned Evan’s farm home in a rustic setting, so she was hardly prepared for the magnificence of the floodlit Kessler home standing on a hill overlooking the Ohio River. As they approached along the curved driveway, Evan explained, “My ancestors came here from Germany before the Civil War. Our home was built several years later. The bricks for the house were made right here on our land. They weren’t of high quality, so my grandfather plastered the exterior of the house and painted it white.”

      Green shutters framed the windows of the square, two-story building, and electric candles glowed in each window. Despite her tension, Wendy sensed a welcome. Evan bypassed the front door and went to a one-story ell at the rear of the house.

      “Daddy built this wing several years ago for a combination kitchen, family room and three-car garage.”

      An electric light over the door illuminated the covered entrance where Evan brought the car to a halt before waking Olivia. Wendy braced herself as Evan opened the door for her. Even his comforting hand on her arm didn’t calm Wendy’s nerves as she went inside to meet his family.

      Chapter Four

      An involuntary shudder swept through Wendy’s body. Had fear or cold caused the reaction? She’d been cold ever since she’d deplaned in Columbus. The strong wind had nearly swept her off her feet and had chilled her thoroughly while they walked to the airport’s parking garage.

      Evan put his arm around her waist as they stepped inside a spacious room. Wendy drew a deep breath and leaned into his embrace. Two women waited for them. The older woman wore a welcoming smile. The other one stared at Wendy, an aloof expression on her face. A moment of tense silence seemed as long as an hour to Wendy as the women scrutinized her.

      Wendy scanned the room. An island divided the kitchen and dining area from the family room. In her brief survey, she saw a large-screen television, two sofas, several chairs and tables, a bookcase and a fireplace framed by a massive mantel displaying many trophies and framed photographs.

      “Welcome to our home,” the older woman said as she stepped forward and took Wendy’s hand.

      “Wendy, this is my mother, Hilda,” Evan said with unmistakable pride, and Wendy sensed the close bond between mother and son.

      Wendy assumed the other woman was Evan’s sister, but she didn’t offer any sign of welcome. A German shepherd stirred lazily from his place in front of the fireplace and came to greet them. Evan knelt down and rubbed his dense short coat of hair, and the dog nuzzled his face.

      “And this is Victor,”