“Look at him,” Savannah reaches out a trembling hand and touches a tiny fist. “He’s perfect,” she murmurs.
“Yes,” Anika whispers, wondering if Savannah is speaking about the baby or the man. He's so gentle, despite his size. Saul almost erased the memory of how a man should treat women.
Glenn’s blue eyes stare at Anika as Allen turns his face into hers rooting around as if still hungry and buries a small fist in her strawberry blonde curls. Anika smiles and presses a kiss to his temple. He sighs against her and settles back down.
“I’ll try, but you have to stay, Glenn,” Savannah says breaking him free of his reverie. He nods and guides Savannah to a chair. “I’ll hold Allen first,” she nods at him and grins. “He’s a moose, like his daddy.” Glenn laughs as Anika walks over and places him in her arms.
“Just remember to support the head with the crook of your arm or if you lift him to your shoulder, support the back of his head. He isn’t strong enough to do that, yet.” As she moves to step away Allen’s fist closes tightly in her curls.
“Oh!” She laughs as she untangles her hair. “He has developed a thing for my hair, he buries his fist in it every time I hold him.”
Glenn steps forward and grins. “I can’t say I blame him. It looks like spun gold when the light hits it.”
Anika straightens in shock, blushes, and stammers. “I, I, I'll leave you to visit and go save Daisy from Delaney's help in the kitchen.” She hurries from the room.
“Glenn!” Savannah stares in open-mouthed shock at her brother. “You can’t speak to her like that.”
“Like what? It was just an observation.” He pats Quinton and sits near his sister in the window seat. “I meant no harm, Savannah.”
“No harm! If someone else heard, you speak like that… well, you know perfectly well the conclusion they would jump to. You just keep those kinds of thoughts to yourself.”
“People can get stuffed.” He glowers at her. “Those same people did nothing while her husband beat her. I don’t give a da…”
“Glenn!” Savannah gawks at him. “You need her to stay, and if you scare her, she might leave.”
“I'm sorry.” Glenn stares out the door after Anika. “You have a good point.”
Savannah nuzzles the baby and smiles. “Tell me everything you know about her.” Savannah watches his face as he tells her story. His voice grows hoarse as he shifts Quinton to a pillow on his lap.
“There are no words to explain her selfless act, Savannah.” She listens to how they met and the way he speaks of her has her heart sighing.
Glancing out of the bedroom window she wonders what God has in store for these two broken souls. At that moment her decision is made. “I've come home for good, Glenn. I want to be here to help and watch the boys grow. Do you mind?”
He grins with excitement. “Of course not, I’ve been praying for you to come home. I’d feel better having you here. It would allow Mom and Dad to move back to the main house.”
“Good luck with that. I can't imagine they will want to leave these two.”
Glenn laughs and touches his sister’s hand. “I’ve missed you, Savannah.”
“I missed you too. How are you handling things?”
Glenn’s smile fades and he clears his throat. “I’m okay. We should go tell Dad and Mom the good news. Don’t drop him.” He stalks from the room holding Quinton and she watches him go.
“Daddy’s hurting little man. War, death and destruction have stained his soul. We have to pray hard that God will wash him clean.” She presses a kiss and follows him from the room.
Anika watches Daisy work with Delaney, mixing the cookie dough and laughs as they tease each other. Her heart clenches at the thought of her mother teaching her how to make the family recipes.
“Come help, Mama,” Delaney calls and lifts a flour-covered hand.
“Oh, no. Last time you got it all over my dress.” Laughing she looks at Daisy. “I do miss baking though. I used to bake with my Mother.”
“Really? What did you make with your Mama?” Delaney calls as she presses the cookie down out the way Daisy showed her.
“We would make so many things, Delaney. Mama would sell her pies, cakes, and cookies in town. Every year we would spend a few weeks baking, and the house would smell heavenly.”
Daisy smiles wistfully. “I used to cook with Savannah too.”
“True, but Savannahs weren't exactly edible,” Glenn says from the doorway.
Savannah shoves past him and snaps, “Don’t listen to him Delaney, the cows loved my cookies.”
Delaney isn’t sure what to think of the light-hearted banter, but she can’t stifle a giggle at them.
“I'd love to have some help in the kitchen, Anika. We are about to have a bounty of apples. Picking season starts soon, and we usually have a bake sale,” Daisy suggests.
“Oh, maybe I should have come back home after picking season.” Savannah sniffs and explains, “Picking season is our busiest time of year.”
Anika grins, “What do you bake, Daisy?”
“Anything and everything. The proceeds go to the church.” Daisy pulls the first batch of cookies from the oven while Delaney dances around the grownups.
“I'd be glad to help. I have my Mother's recipes, and I'd love to bake again.”
“Don’t forget my favorites…” Glenn starts to say, but Allen steps into the room and calls out loudly.
“Oh, no you don’t, Son. My favorites first.” Daisy smiles at her husband as he presses a loud kiss to her cheek. Delaney has moved to the back wall to watch quietly. Anika moves close to her and smiles when the little hand presses into hers.
“Storytime, Delaney?” Anika
