Grace carefully placed three sugar crystals on each cake.
Samuel argued that the larger cakes deserved more.
Ruth simply licked her fingers whenever she thought nobody was looking.
Caleb watched the honey jar grow nearly empty.
He knew how little food remained. He knew the money he had set aside for spring was not enough to cover every debt. He knew that after Christmas, there would be more difficult decisions waiting for him.
But when he looked at the children, their cheeks flushed and their hands dusted with flour, he could not regret the small feast Adeline was making out of what little they had.
The meal that evening was simple: beans, potatoes, a little salt pork, and the last of the bread. They ate by candlelight while the wind rattled the shutters.
After supper, Caleb brought out a small bundle wrapped in brown paper.
The children stared at it.
“What is it?” Grace whispered.
“Something your mother saved.”
He untied the string and opened the paper.
Inside lay three small gifts Sarah had bought before she became ill: a wooden horse for Samuel, a cloth doll for Grace, and a knitted rabbit for Ruth.
Caleb had found them in a drawer two weeks after the funeral. He had wrapped them again and hidden them away because he could not bear to give them to the children without Sarah there to watch their faces.
Now he placed them on the table.
“Your mama bought these for you.”
Samuel picked up the wooden horse.
He turned it over in his hands, his expression growing solemn.
“She knew about Christmas?”
“She was planning for it,” Caleb said. “She wanted you to have something special.”
Grace hugged the doll to her chest.
“Does it have a name?”
“Your mama didn't write one down.”
Grace thought for a moment.
“Then I'll call her Sarah.”
Caleb's eyes burned.
“That seems fitting.”
Ruth picked up the rabbit and pressed it against her cheek.
“Mama gave it to me?”
“She wanted you to have it.”
Ruth looked at the rabbit for a long time.
Then she placed it on the table, climbed down from her chair, and walked to Adeline.
The woman looked startled as Ruth held out the little knitted toy.
“Here,” Ruth said.
Adeline blinked.
“What's this, sweetheart?”
“You can hold it.”
“Thank you, but I think you should keep it.”