Chapter 1
In the light of the silver moon danced a lady as lovely as the flowers themselves. Her golden curls made as silver in the moonlight, she twirled and laughed as freely as a bird. A sweet smelling breeze cooled her rosy cheeks as the fireflies sparkled in her eyes. On a warm summer night danced the lovely tree nymph around her magical pine. This enchanting scene was hidden from viewers, yet the lady heard the call of, “Marigold! Marigold, where are you?”
The tree nymph stopped dancing and returned the call, “I am here!”
“It’s time to come in!”
Marigold sighed, “Okay.”
The fantasy faded and Marigold was a little girl again. She ran to Mother’s waiting arms.
“Why do I have to come in so early?”
“You’ve been outside all day! Besides, sweetheart, you need to take a bath,” she said as she carried the girl up the wooden porch steps, “We have church tomorrow.”
“Mom, why doesn’t Justin have to take a bath?” she said as they passed her brother in the living room. He was watching cartoons and she longed to join him.
“He took a shower this morning,” said Mom.
While her mother was filling the tub, Marigold stepped on the stool to look in the mirror. Her golden curls were tangled with grass, and her nose was pink from sunshine. She crinkled it to see if it hurt. She looked at her blue-green eyes; she liked to think of them as sea-green.
“Look at you; you’ve got another hole in your pants!”
Marigold looked down at her grass-stained jeans; there was a stringy hole on her knee.
Her mom shrugged, “Oh well, I’ll have to turn them into another pair of shorts. You go through them so fast! Come on, hop in.”
She helped Marigold step into the hot bath; it felt very nice after a long day outside.
“We should probably change this Band-Aid,” said Mom, getting ready to pull it off.
“No, Mommy! Leave it!”
“Look at it, it’s all dirty. It’s gotta come off, baby girl.”
“But, Mom, it’ll hurt.” Marigold’s chin trembled.
“Only for a moment if we yank it off. Only for a second.”
“No, no! Slowly.”
Knowing better, but giving in to the anguished look on her child’s round face, she gave in, “Okay.” With a gentle hand only a mother possesses, Mom soaked the wound to unstick the Band-Aid, and she gently peeled it off; pausing and continuing even more slowly with every whimper. When at last, the ordeal was over, Mom bathed the scrape carefully. Then she shampooed and scrubbed the grass out of the curls, and then cleaned the soil from soft, white skin.
When she had finished, Marigold stepped out onto a towel feeling chilly but fresh. She dressed and Mom dried her silky hair.
“Brush your teeth, love. Mommy’s got to put your brother to bed. Daddy will tuck you in.”
With drooping eyes, she did as she was told. Her father picked her up with exaggerated effort.
“Oh boy! You’re getting’ big—you need to stop growing.”
Marigold giggled. “Airplane, Daddy, airplane!”
“Airplane? Like…this?” he flipped her onto her stomach in his strong arms and made airplane noises as her flew her to bed. He landed her safely on her pink quilted bedspread.
“Tuck me in!”
He pulled the covers up to her chin. “Tuck, tuck, tuck! How’s that, Goldi?”
Marigold reached out her dimpled hand and petted his sandy-colored beard. He kissed her cheek and tickled her with his scratchy beard. Marigold squealed and giggled with delight.
“Alright. Sweet dreams, princess.”
He stood and switched off the light. At the door, he looked back at his rosy daughter with love in eyes that matched her own.
Marigold nestled under her covers and drifted off to a restful sleep after a long and active summer day.
With both children tucked away, Mr. and Mrs. Handel reclined in the living room with a mug of coffee each.
“I can’t believe how fast their growing. Marigold starts kindergarten in the fall. Justin starts middle school!” said Mr. Handel.
“Yes, dear. And they both need new clothes.”
t pay very much.
“I know it doesn’t, but God will provide. You are doing wonderfully with this job, Joshua.” Mrs. Handel smiled at her husband lovingly. Proud of his wife’s faith in him and in God, Mr. Handel put his arm around her, and they reclined there cozy and contented.
