Page 126 - The Last Gift

how her children would feel watching their
cousins open lots of presents when they had so
few. She tried to keep her voice steady as she
spoke. “How about after we are all through
opening presents?”

Jacob nodded. “We usually eat dinner
around one o’ clock."

“Can I bring anything?’
“Not besides your family,” Jacob said,
almost smiling. “Anna always plans enough food
to feed a third world country.”
With that, he turned and was gone. Rachel
trudged back to the house. Her children soon
could talk of nothing else. Everyone greatly
anticipated the next day — everyone except
Rachel. She was so anxious about what Jacob’s
wife would think of her that she felt sick inside.

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