Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie, Montana by Tricia Goyer

Author:Tricia Goyer [Goyer, Tricia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Montana, Love Finds You in Lonesome Prairie
ISBN: 9781935416296
Publisher: Guideposts
Published: 2010-04-13T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty

Julia tucked her present for Isaac under the gifts piled on the padded wooden sofa. Then she sat down next to the pile. Her stomach churned with nervous excitement as Isaac sank into the spot on the other side of the gifts.

“Open mine first, Uncle Ike.” Twelve-year-old Christopher thumbed his overalls and licked his lips as he handed Isaac a red bandanna-wrapped gift then plopped down on the bearskin rug next to the other children.

“Hey, is that my bandanna? I’ve been missing it.” He glanced at Julia, with a playful grin.

A tinge of warmth spread to Julia’s neck remembering her emotional outburst that caused him to let her borrow his kerchief. “Yes, and don’t worry, it’s clean.”

Inside the bandanna was a hand-carved slingshot. “Oh, that’s perfect.” Isaac held up his gift for those sitting around the room to admire.

Julia had watched Christopher carve it over the last few days, finally attaching the leather strap. She patted his shoulder.

Isaac eyed it again. “You’ve done a fine job. I think it’s your best work.”

Christopher’s face beamed at his uncle’s approval. “I found the old stick over in the coulee, then I carved it.”

“It’s just right for fetching a quick gopher dinner on the prairie. Thank you.”

As the afternoon sun’s rays sloped through the window, Julia’s foot tapped on the wood-planked floor. She waited as Isaac received each present—painted rocks she’d helped Josh and Bea make, a new hand-sewn shirt from Abe and Elizabeth, and an old dusty commentary on the book of Genesis Miriam and Jefferson gave.

Only her gift remained, and the tension in her stomach made her wish she’d never put the leather Bible cover with the others. She chided herself. Why am I so nervous? It’s only a gift.

“There’s one more.” Miriam pushed the heap of treasures to the side and uncovered Julia’s package. The gift waited inside a simple bag Julia had sewn from potato sack scraps. She’d embroidered “Happy Birthday” on it with thick thread.

Isaac picked it up, his hands smoothing the bag as he examined the stitchery. “That’s some nice-looking needlework. Who’s this from?”

Elizabeth, who sat on Abe’s lap in a wide, high-backed chair, threw Julia a smile. “Julia made it. That girl’s a harvest of talent.”

Bea hopped down and clambered over to Julia, resting an elbow on her knees. “Miss Cav’naw tawented.”

Julia patted Bea’s head and then thrummed her fingers on her leg. “It’s not much, just something I threw together.”

Isaac locked eyes with her then loosened the cinch to open the sack. He lifted out the Bible cover and moved it between his hands, as though trying to make out what it was. Julia’s heart felt as if it would break through her ribs, until a slight grin finally crept over his mouth and into his eyes. He ran his fingers over his stitched name.

“You made this for me?” The grin changed into a full-faced smile. “It’s perfect.”

“That’s real nice, Miss Cavanaugh,” Johannah said. “Maybe you could teach us to embroider in school.”

“I’d love to.

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