It was like every Christmas, every birthday, every picnic—and the first time Jonathan said he loved her—all rolled into one. Jonathan watched and chuckled. Then shook his head, by turn. He’d had no idea just how much having her own place would mean to her.
“Oh, I can’t wait to bake bread,” she enthused as she ran a hand lovingly over the surface of the new stove’s gleaming enamel oven door. Then she rushed about making up beds, hanging temporary curtains, spreading out rugs.
“Just think. I can unpack all the dishes. They have a cupboard now.”
And on and on she went, savoring every minute of the new experience.
That evening when Jonathan came in from his final chores, Virginia handed him a mug of hot chocolate and beckoned to him to join her by the fireplace. Together they sipped and chatted as the fire crackled in the hearth, and the sound of an occasional whinny was the only intrusion from the outside night.
“You must be exhausted,” Jonathan observed.
“I am a little weary, but it’s a good tired. I like this kind of work much better than any old post-office job,” she noted, inwardly thankful once again that she had been able to quit when they moved.
“I guess your ‘nesting’ is much like my building. Tired doesn’t count.”
Virginia shook her head to clear her thinking and stared at the fireplace flames. Was that how it had been for Jonathan? Was his eagerness to get the home built similar to her eagerness to actually move in and live there? No wonder he often had not come back until the middle of the night.
“I still have more to do tomorrow,” Virginia said, turning to him, “but I’m amazed at how much I was able to get done today.”
Jonathan’s eyes roamed the room. “It looks real homey,” he observed.
“It does, doesn’t it? It feels homey, too.” She moved from her chair to sit at his feet and lean her head against his knee. “Jonathan, I can’t tell you how happy I am. Almost like we’re … we’re starting fresh….” She didn’t explain further, but Jonathan’s hand stroked her hair in unspoken response.
Virginia lifted her head to gaze again at her new surroundings. “Do you suppose you might find time tomorrow to get us a Christmas tree?”
Jonathan nodded. “Where’re you going to put it?”
“In the corner by the window.”
“Got any do-bobs for it?”
“Do-bobs?”
“You know. To hang on it. Fancy it up.”
“Decorations? No. But I’ll make some.”
“That’d be nice. But it’s only three days till Christmas.”
“Oh, I’ll manage,” she said lightly. Then, “I wish … I wish we hadn’t promised the folks that we’d have Christmas with them. It would be fun to have it here, in our new house.”
“Guess we’ll have lots of Christmases here.”
Virginia nodded. Lots of Christmases. Their whole life stretched before them with open-ended promise.
Jonathan set aside his empty mug. “Do you have to wash it up tonight?” he asked Virginia.
She shook her head slowly, puzzled at his question. “It can wait for morning.”
“Good.”
He stood to his feet. “ ’Cause I’m sure anxious to see how you’ve set up our bedroom.”
Virginia flushed and stretched her hand to reach his, and he pulled her to her feet.
Their Christmas celebration with the family included Grandpa Clark and Grandma Marty as well as Grandmother Withers.
“My, I’ve been missing you something awful,” the elderly lady said in greeting as she gave Virginia a tight hug.
“As soon as the weather warms up, Jonathan will be in to get you and bring you out to see the house,” Virginia promised. “We even have a spare bed so you can stay the night.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I should do that. Fires need to be tended in this kind of weather.”
“ We’ll find someone to check your fires. I’m sure Father—”
“Wouldn’t want my indoor plants to freeze. That new violet is blooming now. You should see it. Prettiest thing I’ve ever
“Oh, I can’t wait to bake bread,” she enthused as she ran a hand lovingly over the surface of the new stove’s gleaming enamel oven door. Then she rushed about making up beds, hanging temporary curtains, spreading out rugs.
“Just think. I can unpack all the dishes. They have a cupboard now.”
And on and on she went, savoring every minute of the new experience.
That evening when Jonathan came in from his final chores, Virginia handed him a mug of hot chocolate and beckoned to him to join her by the fireplace. Together they sipped and chatted as the fire crackled in the hearth, and the sound of an occasional whinny was the only intrusion from the outside night.
“You must be exhausted,” Jonathan observed.
“I am a little weary, but it’s a good tired. I like this kind of work much better than any old post-office job,” she noted, inwardly thankful once again that she had been able to quit when they moved.
“I guess your ‘nesting’ is much like my building. Tired doesn’t count.”
Virginia shook her head to clear her thinking and stared at the fireplace flames. Was that how it had been for Jonathan? Was his eagerness to get the home built similar to her eagerness to actually move in and live there? No wonder he often had not come back until the middle of the night.
“I still have more to do tomorrow,” Virginia said, turning to him, “but I’m amazed at how much I was able to get done today.”
Jonathan’s eyes roamed the room. “It looks real homey,” he observed.
“It does, doesn’t it? It feels homey, too.” She moved from her chair to sit at his feet and lean her head against his knee. “Jonathan, I can’t tell you how happy I am. Almost like we’re … we’re starting fresh….” She didn’t explain further, but Jonathan’s hand stroked her hair in unspoken response.
Virginia lifted her head to gaze again at her new surroundings. “Do you suppose you might find time tomorrow to get us a Christmas tree?”
Jonathan nodded. “Where’re you going to put it?”
“In the corner by the window.”
“Got any do-bobs for it?”
“Do-bobs?”
“You know. To hang on it. Fancy it up.”
“Decorations? No. But I’ll make some.”
“That’d be nice. But it’s only three days till Christmas.”
“Oh, I’ll manage,” she said lightly. Then, “I wish … I wish we hadn’t promised the folks that we’d have Christmas with them. It would be fun to have it here, in our new house.”
“Guess we’ll have lots of Christmases here.”
Virginia nodded. Lots of Christmases. Their whole life stretched before them with open-ended promise.
Jonathan set aside his empty mug. “Do you have to wash it up tonight?” he asked Virginia.
She shook her head slowly, puzzled at his question. “It can wait for morning.”
“Good.”
He stood to his feet. “ ’Cause I’m sure anxious to see how you’ve set up our bedroom.”
Virginia flushed and stretched her hand to reach his, and he pulled her to her feet.
Their Christmas celebration with the family included Grandpa Clark and Grandma Marty as well as Grandmother Withers.
“My, I’ve been missing you something awful,” the elderly lady said in greeting as she gave Virginia a tight hug.
“As soon as the weather warms up, Jonathan will be in to get you and bring you out to see the house,” Virginia promised. “We even have a spare bed so you can stay the night.”
“Oh, I don’t know if I should do that. Fires need to be tended in this kind of weather.”
“ We’ll find someone to check your fires. I’m sure Father—”
“Wouldn’t want my indoor plants to freeze. That new violet is blooming now. You should see it. Prettiest thing I’ve ever
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