A Hickory Ridge Christmas (19 page)

“You two,” Steffie said, pointing to the church's newest pair of newlyweds, “had better watch out. There's something in the water at Hickory Ridge.”

Hannah scanned the crowd standing around her. At nearly full-term, Serena rested her hand on the small of her back and had removed the shoes from her swollen feet. Charity and Rick were standing next to them, and unconsciously Rick's hand had moved to splay across his wife's slightly rounded tummy. Tricia didn't show at all yet, but a new life grew in her womb, as well.

“Okay, I'd better avoid all the church water fountains,” Hannah said, trying to keep a serious face. “Should I worry about the water we use to make the coffee, too?”

“I say bring on the church's water.” Todd didn't even bother to hide his amusement. “I want to fill up
our house with babies, and we should get on it as soon as possible.”

As if he hadn't realized how the comment would sound until it was out of his mouth, Todd ended his statement with an awkward “oh.” He covered his eyes with his hand.

More laughter filled the room.

“All-righty then,” Rick said with a mischievous grin. “Sure glad we got the Family Life Center finished. It sounds like there's going to be a population explosion at Hickory Ridge, and there would be no place for all the Sunday School classes.”

Finally, the party began to wind down. Hannah allowed Todd to draw her into one of the classrooms for a quick kiss. She was nervous, but she couldn't wait to be alone with her husband, consummating their life together, this time with God's blessing.

As the kiss ended, Todd pressed his forehead to hers. “Are you happy, Mrs. McBride?”

“Very.”

“Are you sorry we waited so long?”

She shook her head. God's timing was perfect, and this was the perfect time for her family to be together.

Todd bent to kiss her again, but a passel of children zoomed through the room, playing hide-and-seek as they often did in the classrooms with their removable room dividers.

“Mommy, Daddy, why are you in here?” Rebecca stopped long enough to ask.

“Just taking a minute to be alone.”

That seemed to satisfy her, so she ran off again.

As soon as the room was empty, Todd sneaked another kiss.

“We'd better get back to our reception,” Hannah said finally. Hand-in-hand they returned to the main room, earning a round of applause from their guests.

When Hannah looked over at her father, he was smiling.

“Does this seem like a dream to you?” Todd whispered in her ear, his warm breath tickling her neck and ear.

Hannah nodded, smiling. “If it is, I don't ever want to wake up.”

“We'll keep dreaming together,” he promised.

“I don't have to dream anymore, when all of mine have already come true.”

Dear Reader,

Isn't forgiveness a wonderful thing? Whether the gift we receive from each other or the perfect absolution that God provides for all of us who ask, it cleanses, heals and restores. But for so many people, true forgiveness is so hard to give. My character Hannah Woods happens to be one of them.

Writing this story has felt like a long journey home for me. The characters of Todd and Hannah first came to me when I was writing
A Blessed Life
(October 2002), and I always knew I would return to them. Readers, too, seem to have found a special place in their hearts for the unwed teenage mother, Hannah, and have asked when I would be telling her story.

The characters in each of the Hickory Ridge sequels have become so real to me over the years. I love returning to visit with them, and hope readers find as much enjoyment on these return visits. I love hearing from readers and may be contacted by visiting my Web site at www.danacorbit.com or by regular mail at P.O. Box 2251, Farmington Hills, MI 48333-2251.

1. Forgiveness is one of the main themes in this story and something that is particularly difficult for Hannah. After trying so hard to be worthy of her forgiveness, Todd comes to the conclusion that forgiveness cannot be earned. He compares the forgiveness of someone you've hurt to God's forgiveness, calling it “a gift.” How do you feel about forgiveness? Can it be earned? Should we forgive people who wrong us repeatedly?
   
2. In the five years that Todd and Hannah were apart, neither seriously dated anyone else. What did each of them give as reasons for not being involved with anyone after their first love? Does anyone ever get over a first love?
   
3. Hannah kept secret the identity of her child's father for five years. Her secret, though, isn't a mystery to several of those closest to her. Who, besides Andrew Westin, knows Todd is Rebecca's father before Hannah reveals the truth? Was it right for those who did know to allow and even help Hannah to keep her secret, or were they obligated to tell? What would you do if placed in a similar situation?
   
4. In this fourth story about the members of Hickory Ridge Community Church, the widower minister Reverend Bob Woods finally begins dating Olivia Wells…with humiliating results. Why does the minister take Olivia's suspected crime and later arrest so personally? Who does he later discover is a more appropriate match, and why does it take so long for him to realize it?
   
5. There is a population explosion taking place at Hickory Ridge Community Church in the coming months. Besides Serena Westin, who is already visibly pregnant, who else announces pregnancies during the story? Is a full nursery a sign of a growing church? What other signs show congregation growth?
   
6. Todd and Hannah have always had what Todd thought of as a poetry of simplicity, “a natural accord that couldn't be squeezed into a box of chocolates.” What does Todd tell her when he decides not to propose to her after the New Year's Eve service? Why did he feel it was too soon to ask her even though he'd already purchased the ring?
   
7. Throughout the story, Hannah and Todd deal with guilt and consequences over their sin of premarital sex that produced a child. Todd continues to struggle with forgiving and even wonders what it would be like if God were to so selective with His forgiveness. If God forgives sin the first time we ask, why do we continue to replay our shortcomings in our memories? Why is it so hard for us to forgive ourselves?
   
8. Reverend Bob suffers a heart attack in this story, which changes not only his life but also the lives of several others. What are some of the warning signs that the minister experiences well before he has the attack? Whose lives are deeply affected by the minister's brush with death?