was looking for a Christmas tree.
“Need some help with this?” Matthew asked quietly. “You might be rusty after so many years.”
She shook her head. “I think I can manage.”
It wasn’t something you ever forgot when you were from the valley. How many times had she stood outside in the cold with her grandfather and her father as they walked someone through the trees to find the one they wanted?
“I’m looking for a tree about seven or eight feet,” Rev. James from Pigeon Forge said. “I want it to go all the way up. We’ve got a lovely star for the top.” His cheeks were red from walking and the cold. He’d taken some chances coming out there to get the tree today.
“I think we’ve got what you’re looking for,” Bonnie told him as they walked toward the bigger blue spruce trees. The trees started at about five feet and went up to ten or twelve feet. They didn’t sell many that big, but it happened sometimes.
He stopped as he looked straight up one impressive tree. “Oh yes, this is beautiful! Can I get someone to wrap it and help me put it in the truck?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “Do you want to cut it yourself?”
“No. No,” he denied. “I don’t want to ruin it.”
“All right.” She got the small chainsaw from the shed where they kept the equipment. “I’ll take care of it, and of course we can wrap it for you.”
“Thank you. Everyone is going to be so excited when they see it.”
Rev. James was twenty dollars short of what she was supposed to ask for the tree, but she gave it to him anyway. The netting machine spun a web around it. She and Matthew helped him load it on his truck and waved as he drove away.
“You’re never gonna make any money at this,” Matthew told her. “You have to get the money upfront, not after you cut the tree.”
“You do it your way. I’ll do it mine. But thanks for the help.” She smiled. “I really do owe you lunch now.”
“I’ll say. Maybe dinner too!”
Another older pickup truck came into the drive. Bonnie hoped it wasn’t someone else wanting a tree—it was nearly two p.m., and she was starving. Her mother had asked when they were coming in for lunch an hour ago.
But it wasn’t someone looking for a tree. It was a tall, dark man who resembled Matthew too much not to be his brother. He was heavier and sporting a small potbelly. He wore his black hair long and free of any restraint. He had a young boy with him—it had to be Peter, Matthew’s son.
“So this is where you are,” Thomas Brown Elk greeted his brother with a sly smile. “I knew it had to be special for you to miss lunch. Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
“Yes,” Matthew said. “I was hiding here. How did you find me?”
“I found you,” Peter replied. “We were sledding down here, and I saw your truck. Why were you hiding?”
“I wasn’t really hiding.” Matthew lifted his son and hugged him. “You know today was Uncle Thomas’s day to make lunch. I just didn’t want to eat his cooking.”
Peter laughed. “I know. The meatballs were terrible.”
They all laughed at the face he made. Matthew introduced Bonnie to his older brother and son. Rose came out on the porch, wrapped in a heavy shawl, and called them all in for something to eat.
“I have to go to Pigeon Forge for a part for our wrapper,” Thomas explained to his brother. “I didn’t want to take Peter with me in case it gets late. We know everything will freeze again, and I might not make it back down the mountain.”
Matthew nodded and thanked his brother. “I’ll see you later. Take care.”
“Nice to meet you,” Thomas said. “It’s good to have you home again. I’m sure your mother is happy to have you back.”
Bonnie thanked him and waved as he left. “Come inside. I don’t know about you, but I’m freezing.”
They went in the house together. Rose was putting lunch out on the table. Steam was rising from the cheese, sausage, and potato casserole she’d
“Need some help with this?” Matthew asked quietly. “You might be rusty after so many years.”
She shook her head. “I think I can manage.”
It wasn’t something you ever forgot when you were from the valley. How many times had she stood outside in the cold with her grandfather and her father as they walked someone through the trees to find the one they wanted?
“I’m looking for a tree about seven or eight feet,” Rev. James from Pigeon Forge said. “I want it to go all the way up. We’ve got a lovely star for the top.” His cheeks were red from walking and the cold. He’d taken some chances coming out there to get the tree today.
“I think we’ve got what you’re looking for,” Bonnie told him as they walked toward the bigger blue spruce trees. The trees started at about five feet and went up to ten or twelve feet. They didn’t sell many that big, but it happened sometimes.
He stopped as he looked straight up one impressive tree. “Oh yes, this is beautiful! Can I get someone to wrap it and help me put it in the truck?”
“Of course.” She smiled. “Do you want to cut it yourself?”
“No. No,” he denied. “I don’t want to ruin it.”
“All right.” She got the small chainsaw from the shed where they kept the equipment. “I’ll take care of it, and of course we can wrap it for you.”
“Thank you. Everyone is going to be so excited when they see it.”
Rev. James was twenty dollars short of what she was supposed to ask for the tree, but she gave it to him anyway. The netting machine spun a web around it. She and Matthew helped him load it on his truck and waved as he drove away.
“You’re never gonna make any money at this,” Matthew told her. “You have to get the money upfront, not after you cut the tree.”
“You do it your way. I’ll do it mine. But thanks for the help.” She smiled. “I really do owe you lunch now.”
“I’ll say. Maybe dinner too!”
Another older pickup truck came into the drive. Bonnie hoped it wasn’t someone else wanting a tree—it was nearly two p.m., and she was starving. Her mother had asked when they were coming in for lunch an hour ago.
But it wasn’t someone looking for a tree. It was a tall, dark man who resembled Matthew too much not to be his brother. He was heavier and sporting a small potbelly. He wore his black hair long and free of any restraint. He had a young boy with him—it had to be Peter, Matthew’s son.
“So this is where you are,” Thomas Brown Elk greeted his brother with a sly smile. “I knew it had to be special for you to miss lunch. Aren’t you going to introduce me?”
“Yes,” Matthew said. “I was hiding here. How did you find me?”
“I found you,” Peter replied. “We were sledding down here, and I saw your truck. Why were you hiding?”
“I wasn’t really hiding.” Matthew lifted his son and hugged him. “You know today was Uncle Thomas’s day to make lunch. I just didn’t want to eat his cooking.”
Peter laughed. “I know. The meatballs were terrible.”
They all laughed at the face he made. Matthew introduced Bonnie to his older brother and son. Rose came out on the porch, wrapped in a heavy shawl, and called them all in for something to eat.
“I have to go to Pigeon Forge for a part for our wrapper,” Thomas explained to his brother. “I didn’t want to take Peter with me in case it gets late. We know everything will freeze again, and I might not make it back down the mountain.”
Matthew nodded and thanked his brother. “I’ll see you later. Take care.”
“Nice to meet you,” Thomas said. “It’s good to have you home again. I’m sure your mother is happy to have you back.”
Bonnie thanked him and waved as he left. “Come inside. I don’t know about you, but I’m freezing.”
They went in the house together. Rose was putting lunch out on the table. Steam was rising from the cheese, sausage, and potato casserole she’d
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