Free A Family for Christmas by Irene Brand

“I probably should phone my mother and let her know that I’m all right. If she hears about this ice storm in Ohio, she’ll conjure up all kinds of trouble. I phoned her when I landed in Columbus, but I haven’t talked to her since.”
    â€œGo right ahead and call anytime you want to—that is, if the lines aren’t down,” Hilda said. “Tellher we’re used to coping with emergencies like these.”
    When Wendy picked up the receiver, there was no dial tone, but Marcy entered the room and said amicably, “The cell phones should work. I’ll get mine for you.”
    Marcy was fairly friendly when she brought the phone from her room, and Wendy wondered at the change in her attitude. Hilda or Evan, maybe both of them, had probably had a chat with Marcy. Wendy sensed that they hadn’t approved of Marcy’s coldness to her.
    She had no trouble making the call, but there wasn’t an answer, and Wendy left a message on the answering machine.
    The sleet continued falling until midafternoon when the blustery wind blew the clouds away. The sun spread a mantle of brilliance over the valley that radiated off the ice covering. Wendy squinted when she tried to look outdoors because the dazzling brightness blinded her.
    Though the sun was shining, the temperature was still below freezing and the Kesslers prepared for several cold days. The local radio station reported that thousands of southeastern Ohio residents were without power and that it could be a week or more before trees were cleared from all roads and power lines.
    â€œIf that’s so,” Marcy said, “we won’t have any power until after Christmas. Does that mean we can’t have our family get-together, Mom?”
    â€œOh, we’ll manage somehow,” Hilda said. “We’llprobably have power in this area before the outlying residents do.”
    Some of the major highways were blocked by fallen trees or broken electric lines, and the family had to keep in touch with Karl by using cell phones.
    Wendy despaired of having any time with Evan, and she wished she had stayed in Florida. He was an hour later than usual coming in for his breakfast, and as soon as he ate, he went back to work.
    Wanting something to keep her occupied, Wendy helped Hilda prepare the evening meal. When she couldn’t turn on a faucet and get water to wash the salad vegetables, she gained a new appreciation for the benefits she’d always taken for granted. While she worked, she sensed that Hilda was unusually quiet.
    Suspecting the reason, Wendy said compassionately, “Are you worried about Mr. Kessler?”
    Hilda cast a warm smile toward Wendy. “Not worried exactly, because I know the hospital will take good care of him. He’s better off there than he would be at home. They have an auxiliary system that activates within minutes of a power failure. They have emergency plans that go into effect immediately when there’s a crisis. There are food and water supplies to last for several days. I phoned this morning, and one of the nurses told me that there will be a full staff at the hospital all the time. The hospital has emergency four-wheel vehicles to bring in their workers. Karl is doing fine, but I miss him very much. He’s always stayed close at home, and even if he leaves for a few days, since the girls have been old enough to stayalone, I’ve gone with him. It’s been several years since we’ve been apart.”
    Wendy’s hands paused over the bowl of lettuce she’d shredded. “Was it very difficult for you to take on all the responsibilities you have here?”
    Hilda smiled sympathetically. “Not really. You see, I just gradually eased into being the mistress of this house. Karl’s parents lived here when we were married. We didn’t move here until his father got sick, and Karl took over full management of the farm. Besides, I grew up on a nearby farm,