Page 36 of Christmas at Carnton

He jumped up. “I’ll help.”

She tousled his hair. “I appreciate that. But I think you and I might require a third person for this next part.”

Just then Aletta looked over to see Jake walking from the house, past the barn and toward his cabin.

“Captain Winston!” she called.

He turned, gave a quick wave, and headed in their direction. “Evening, Aletta.” He knelt and gave Andrew a playful poke in the tummy. “Hey, buddy, how you doing?”

“I’m good, Ja—” Andrew cut his eyes in her direction. “I mean . . . Captain Winston, sir. You want some cocoa? Tempy made some just now.”

Jake smiled. “That sounds good, thank you.”

Aletta caught her son’s gaze, appreciating how he’d corrected his mistake. “Do you plan on drinking half of the Captain’s too?”

With an impish grin, Andrew darted back to the kitchen.

“Fine boy you’ve got there, Aletta.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll keep him.”

“With good reason.”

Jake eyed the booth lying in pieces on the barn floor beside the manger, and knelt to examine her work. “Very impressive. Your father taught you well.”

“I only wish I’d learned how to carve like he could. He would’ve taught me, but I didn’t consider it important enough at the time.”

He ran a hand over the manger and looked up at her, a mischievous gleam in his eyes. “It’s never too late to learn something new.”

“I’ve got yours, Captain Winston!”

They looked up to see Andrew slowly walking toward them, his attention homed in on the cup in his hands.

Captain Winston took the cup from him but eyed it suspiciously. “Tell me now . . . how much of mine did you drink?”

Andrew grinned. “Not as much as Mama’s.”

They all laughed, and Aletta packed up the tools in her father’s pouch, having had enough for one day. As they walked back to the house, Andrew pointed toward the sky.

“Hey, Mama! There’s the Big Dipper! Just like Papa showed me.”

Aletta looked up, remembering the night Warren had first pointed out that constellation to him. “Yes, and the Big Dipper is part of . . . what? Do you remember?”

Andrew squinted. “The bear!”

“That’s right! And do you see it too?” She knelt beside him. “Follow the invisible line down my arm to where I’m pointing.”

Seconds passed.

“I see it! Do you see the bear too, Captain Winston?” Andrew asked.

When Jake didn’t answer immediately, Aletta looked up to see him searching the night sky. And she almost wondered if he couldn’t locate the constellation.

“Anybody can see it if they know where to look,” he finally responded. “It’s right up there. Just like it’s supposed to be.”

“Papa told me if you ever get lost, the stars can get you home.”

Jake nodded. “That’s right. Your papa was a very smart man.”