Elm Creek: A Readymade Family, Volume 2

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EIGHT

January 1993

The early morning was frigid as Charity stepped outdoors after breakfast for the first day back to school since winter break. Huddled in a heavy winter coat, she made her way down the steps and waded her way through the snow in front of the house to where Jake and Missy waited.

“Hey, who wants to make a snowman?” Jake asked.

Missy hit him in the back of the head. “We can’t make a snowman now. We’ll be late for school.”

Rubbing the back of his head, Jake grinned. “Oh, yeah...”

Rolling her eyes, Missy turned and set off. “Come on, guys.”

Charity and Jake exchanged a grin and followed.

When they passed through the gates and entered the schoolyard, a snowball fight was going on between the children who had already arrived. As Charity was crossing the playground to make her way to the vacant swing she spotted, a snowball smacked her cheek.

“Oops!” Matt’s voice called out. “Sorry, Charity.”

“It’s okay,” she called back without looking at him, wiping the snow off her face.

She and Matt had returned to the casual friendly but distant relationship they’d had before he’d started coming over to her house and hanging out with her and her best friends. She had made a few overtures since that incident with Kevin, but Matt had always declined and she’d given up. Trisha still occasionally came over to her house to play with her and Missy, but Matt hadn’t returned since she’d returned his video game to him.

After she’d successfully scraped the snow off, she continued walking until she reached the swing and sat down. Gripping the chains in her gloved hands, she pumped her legs.

The swing was just starting to sway back and forth when Matt’s voice spoke behind her, “Want me to push you?”

Reminded of that long ago day at the park, she shook her head. “You don’t need to.”

“I want to,” he insisted.

Charity wasn’t sure why. She wouldn’t describe Matt’s actions as rude or mean, but the way he’d suddenly cut off their growing friendship had hurt. She wasn’t sure why he was acting like he wanted to be friends again.

“Fine,” she said but didn’t turn to look at him.

The swing started to move and for several moments an awkward silence hung between them, but he eventually broke it. “What did you do for Christmas?”

She answered in a casual, indifferent tone. “Went to church—” Which he knew since he’d been there with his parents and brother. “—decorated the Christmas tree with Mommy and Daddy, opened my presents, and had Christmas dinner at Jake’s house.”

“Was it fun?” he asked.

“Sure,” she answered, wondering what the point of his questions was. She didn’t ask. It would sound rude.

“What presents did you get?”

“A craft set, a puzzle, some dresses, storybooks, board games, and school stuff,” Charity listed. She didn’t mention the computer Kevin had sent, another extravagant gift that had displeased her father.

“Did you like them?” he asked.

“Of course.” Charity had long ago learned to appreciate and be grateful for what she received as gifts, even if she’d wanted something different.