Free Winter’s Awakening by Shelley Shepard Gray

four.”
    Swiping his donut from the plate, Roland grinned. “I know. I already checked your schedule before I asked.” And with that, he chomped down on the chocolate treat with one hand and poured a liberal amount of cream in his coffee with the other—never noticing just how full the mug was.
    With a frown, Gretta watched a bit of liquid slid over the side and down onto the counter.
    Roland didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he was so pleased, he looked like he’d just sold one of his lambs for a mighty good price at an auction.
    As she stood near him, she tried to smile, too. It was time to have a more open mind toward love and companionship. It was time to find happiness…any way that she could.

Chapter 7
    At five o’clock, the snow fell thick outside the Graber Country Store’s front window. Already Sugarcreek had received six inches. Joshua had heard from a few English customers that more was on the way, as well as a temperature drop. One man had stated that this month was on track to be the coldest January in ten years.
    All Joshua knew was that it was going to take him twice as long as usual to get home, and Jim wouldn’t care for the snowy roads either.
    Few people were in the store. As the wind picked up outside, swirling the falling snow every which way, his father worriedly looked at the large clock decorating the store’s entrance almost every five minutes. “We should probably close for the day, but we’re still due to get a load from the dairy in Berlin.”
    “Maybe they’ll postpone the trip?” Joshua ventured. But even as he asked, he knew it was a foolish question.Milk needed to be delivered when it was fresh. Always.
    “I don’t think so. Plus the weather’s most likely not too bad for that big truck.”
    When he noticed his father watching the snow with a frown a few moments later, Joshua patted his shoulder. “I’ll wait for it, Daed. You take Judith and head toward home.”
    “But how will you get home?”
    “If it’s bad, I’ll spend the night. If it’s not so bad I’ll walk.”
    “It’s a long four miles in the snow. I know, I’ve walked it myself.”
    “That’s why it’s my turn, yes?” Joshua shrugged. “Perhaps I’ll see someone I know and he’ll give me a ride. But Jim won’t care for the roads if the snow gets much deeper. It’s time for you to go on.”
    “Can we do that, Daed?” Judith asked, her eyes shining with hope. “There’s no one here. I just rang the last customer up.”
    “I suppose we can, then.” Turning toward Joshua, he added, “That is, if you are sure you don’t mind, Joshua.”
    “I don’t. Go on now.”
    “I guess we will. Get your things together, Judith, then get the basket full of items your mother asked for this morning. I’ll go break the news to Jim that he’s gonna have to leave his cozy stable in the back.”
    Joshua grinned as his sister instantly strode off to retrieve their mother’s requests. “Judith’s anxious to be on her way.”
    “She’s always anxious to be on her way,” his fatheragreed with a laugh. “All right, then. Joshua, if I don’t see you in three hours, I’m gonna be hoping you are staying here.”
    “I’ll stay here until the delivery truck comes, then be on my way,” Joshua promised.
    Moments later, Joshua watched their familiar black buggy make its way down the side street and head toward home, the lantern hanging in the back window casting an orange glow through the multitude of flakes.
    As the wheels made thin lines in the street, Joshua smiled.
    In truth, he’d been exaggerating a bit about his fears for their trusty horse. Joshua didn’t think Jim was finding the snow to be a problem at all—he’d just wanted to lessen his father’s worries. If Daed had stayed at the store, he would have felt torn, worrying about Mamm and the little ones at home.
    Joshua was now old enough to take over a lot of the store’s responsibilities, even if his father didn’t always realize