“Teacher let us go. Said this storm was going to be a bad one. We might not even have school on Monday. Wouldn’t that be great?” His expression was filled with pleasure. “I brought Jack inside because it might get too bad to get out to his doghouse later.” He managed to put his books on the table despite the wiggly puppy almost squirming out of his arms.

“Well, put some newspapers down for him by the door.” Gloriana pointed to the stack she’d started saving. “He seems to understand what they’re for, at least.”

“He’s really smart.” JT continued to hold the puppy while getting a handful of newspapers. He finally set Jack down in order to spread the protection over the floor. He grabbed Jack and put him on the papers. “Remember, you can use these, not the floor.”

The puppy yipped and yipped, then shot across the room toward the fireplace.

Melting snowflakes left water droplets on JT’s curls, and Gloriana worried about him catching cold. “Why don’t you give me your coat and hat? I’ll hang them up for you, and you can get warm by the fire with Jack. Would you like some hot milk?”

“No, I want to try coffee. Charley drinks coffee. He said his parents always let him have it in the morning. Can I try it?”

Gloriana thought for a moment. Here was one of those times when she was uncertain what her mother might have done. Frankly, she didn’t think JT would like coffee, and maybe that was her answer. Let him try it and decide for himself.

“All right,” she said, nodding. “I think there’s some left. I’ll warm it up and put some sugar in it for you.”

JT smiled. “Thanks, Gloriana. You’re the best sister ever.”

She had baked that morning, so she cut him a piece of cinnamon cake to go with his coffee. When everything was ready, she brought it to him in front of the fire. He was sitting on the floor and used his little stool as a makeshift table while battling to keep Jack from his refreshments.

He sampled the coffee and looked up at Gloriana with a revulsion so severe, she almost laughed out loud.

“This is terrible. This is coffee?” he asked.

She frowned. “Let me taste.” She sampled the warm brew. “Yes, this is coffee. A lot of people don’t even use sugar.”

His nose wrinkled. “It’s really bad. Could I have warm milk instead?”

She smiled and kept the mug. “Of course.”

And so that battle was dealt with without so much as a single harsh word. JT had tried his first cup of coffee and didn’t like it. Would that other situations could be as easily resolved.

“Jacob said his dad is building a house for Luke. Did you know about that?”