Waiting for Christmas by Lynn Austin

Author:Lynn Austin [Austin, Lynn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: FICTION / Holidays, FICTION / Christian / Romance / Historical
ISBN: 9781496476319
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Published: 2024-09-03T00:00:00+00:00

PART 3THE CANDLE OF JOY

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King!

ISAAC WATTS, “Joy to the World”

You turned my wailing into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy.

PSALM 30:11

CHAPTER 9

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 15

Jack and Polly sat on the same chair as if glued to each other as they ate breakfast. Polly’s wide blue eyes, which were so much like Jack’s, had lost most of the stark terror Howard had seen in them yesterday. Her wispy brown hair, matted and tangled before last night’s bath, reminded him of dandelion fluff. She seemed pale and frail, like a puff of smoke that might vanish in the wind.

“Maybe we should stay home from church today to give Polly a chance to recover a bit more,” Howard suggested. Jack’s instant outrage surprised him.

“No! We gotta go! We gotta light another candle and pray for Papa!”

“But Polly doesn’t have any clothes to wear, or a warm coat,” Howard said.

“It doesn’t matter! We gotta go! She can wear my coat. Polly told me that she wants to go!”

Howard had no idea how Jack knew his sister’s wishes. The strange, silent communication between them remained a mystery. He turned to Addy, who shrugged and said, “I guess we’re going.”

“If we hurry and get there early,” Howard said, “maybe my mother can find something for Polly to wear from the charity box.” They dressed her in one of Jack’s shirts and a pair of his trousers, rolling up the cuffs. Addy swaddled Polly in her warmest shawl, and Howard carried her in his arms. He hailed a carriage for the ride to church rather than subjecting the tiny girl to a tedious trolley ride. Howard’s mother was washing the breakfast dishes when the four of them trailed through the kitchen door of the parsonage. Howard couldn’t help grinning. “Mom, meet Jack’s sister, Polly.”

His mother was so overcome with emotion she swayed in place. “Oh, my goodness! You found her! Oh, heavens be praised! And isn’t she a little darling!”

“Is Dad still here?”

She nodded as she stared at Polly with tears in her eyes. Howard called to his father, who hurried in from the front room a moment later.

“What’s going on? Who—? Oh, my. You found her, then.” He reached to gently caress Polly’s hair as if to see if she was real.

“The police found her wandering the streets nearly two months ago.” He lowered his voice, even though he knew she couldn’t hear him. “She’s been living in the Idiot Asylum on Randall’s Island since the end of October.”

“Oh, no . . . no,” his mother breathed.

“Polly is deaf, Mom. And as you can see, she needs clothes.” He set the girl on the floor beside her brother. His father crouched down to address the children.

“I’ll tell you what, Jack. You and your sister can light all three Advent candles for the service today. Would you like that?”

Jack beamed as he nodded in reply. “What candle is it this week?”

“It’s joy,” Reverend Forsythe replied.

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