Free The Healing by Wanda E. Brunstetter Page B

started!”
    Yip! Yip!
Cody raced around the yard, running circles around the children. Then he leaped up and grabbed the edge of Marla’s scarf.
    “Hey! Come back with that!” Marla dashed after the dog, waving her hands, and Leon did the same.
    Woof! Woof! Woof!
Cody circled the yard a few times, dragging the scarf through the snow.
    Bonnie clapped her hands and shouted, “Cody, drop that scarf!”
    When the dog didn’t listen, she joined Marla and Leon in the chase. She knew they’d all be exhausted by the end of this day.

    As Esther’s horse and buggy approached Titus’s house, she was filled with a sense of excitement. Since Samuel paid his children so little attention, she’d decided to see if the kids wanted to help her build a snowman today. That was something she hadn’t done in several years, so it should be fun for her as well.
    When Esther pulled into Titus’s yard, she spotted him out by the barn. He waved and then secured her horse, Ginger, to the hitching rail.
    “What brings you by here this morning?” he asked when she climbed down from the buggy.
    “I came to see if Samuel’s kinner would like to help me make a snowman.”
    “That’s too bad, because they’re not here right now.”
    “Where’d they go?”
    “Samuel took ‘em over to Bonnie Taylor’s. They’re gonna make a snowman over there.”
    “Oh, I see.” Esther couldn’t help but feel disappointed. She’d really been looking forward to spending time with the children today.
    “Say, I have an idea,” Titus said. “Why don’t you go over to the Taylor place and join them? Do you know where the house is located?”
    She nodded. “Margaret Taylor used to come into our store sometimes, and when her husband, Andy, was ill, I made a delivery to their house a few times.”
    “Well, good. You’ll know how to get there then.”
    “I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Esther felt a bit awkward and tried to hide her disappointment.
    Titus shook his head. “I’m sure Bonnie wouldn’t mind, and I know the kinner would be glad to see you.”
    “I’d be glad to see them, too.”
    “So if you’re going, would you mind taking Penny’s mittens? She forgot them this morning.”
    “I’d be happy to take them to her.” Esther was glad for a legitimate excuse to show up at Bonnie’s. That way it wouldn’t look like she was trying to interrupt the fun Bonnie had planned for the kids.

    When Esther arrived at the Taylor place sometime later, she spotted Samuel’s children out in the snowy front yard. Marla and Jared were rolling a good-sized snowball, although the little guy seemed to be more of a hindrance than a help. Leon and Penny, with the help of a young woman with curly blond hair peeking out from under her stocking cap, rolled another.
    “Hello,” Esther said as she approached the group. “It looks like you have a good start on a snowman.”
    The kids stopped rolling their snowballs long enough to tell Esther hello, and the woman held out her mittened hand. “I’m Bonnie Taylor. Are you one of my neighbors?”
    “I’m Esther Beiler,” she said as she shook Bonnie’s hand. “My folks used to own the general store in the area, and your grandparents shopped there sometimes.” She gestured to the children. “I’ve been watching Samuel’s kids while he’s working for you, and when I stopped by there this morning, Titus said Samuel had brought the kids over here.”
    “That’s right.” Bonnie offered her a friendly smile. “We’re building a snowman.”
    Esther held up the mittens she’d brought along. “Titus gave me these and said they were Penny’s.”
    “It was nice of you to bring them by,” Bonnie said. “When they got here, and Penny realized she’d left her mittens at home, I gave her a pair of mine, but as you can see, they’re much too big for her small hands.”
    Esther handed the mittens to Penny, and the child smiled appreciatively.
    “Where’s your daed?” Esther asked.
    Penny pointed