Love Finds You at Home for Christmas
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Authors: Annalisa Daughety
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BY ANNALISA DAUGHETY
AND GWEN FORD FAULKENBERRY
Summerside Press, Inc.
Minneapolis 55378
Love Finds You at Home for Christmas: Sweet Southern Christmas
© 2012 by Annalisa Daughety
Love Finds You at Home for Christmas: Small-Town Christmas
© 2012 by Gwen Ford Faulkenberry
ISBN 978-1-60936-687-2
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission of the publisher.
Scripture references are from the following sources: The Holy Bible, King James Version (KJV). The Holy Bible, New International Version
®
, NIV
®
. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.
â¢
Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. The Living Bible (TLB) © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblances to actual people or events are purely coincidental.
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Interior design by Müllerhaus Publishing Group |
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â¢
is an inspirational publisher offering fresh, irresistible books to uplift the heart and engage the mind.
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Contents
Sophie's Pumpkin Cheesecake with Molasses Cookie Crust
ANNALISA DAUGHETY
Dedication
.........
This book is dedicated with love to my grandmother, Ermyl McFadden Pearle and in memory of my grandfather, H.B. “Pudge” Pearle. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for giving me such wonderful grandparents. Grandma, you are an inspiration and a role model. I love you very much.
Love never fails.
1 C
ORINTHIANS
13:8
NIV
Acknowledgments
.........
Vicky Daughety and Jan Reynoldsâthanks for reading along and offering valuable insight. I appreciate you so much! Ermyl Pearleâthank you for sharing your story with me and for answering my endless questions about your life as a WOW. Gwen Ford Faulkenberryâthanks for being a part of this with me! I had so much fun working with you! Rachel Meiselâthank you for your help and for your amazing editing skills. You helped make this story as good as it could be, and I am so thankful for the chance to write it! Thanks to my wonderful agent, Sandra Bishop, for the prayers and guidance! Kelly Shifflet, Kristy Coleman, Vickie Fry, and Megan Reynoldsâthanks for the encouragement and prayers. It truly takes a village.
Chapter One
...........................
June 1943
Ruby McFadden aspired to be a lot of things, but a pig farmer wasn't one of them.
“I'm not going.” She heaved her suitcase out of the back end of her brother's 1939 Ford De Luxe and set it on the ground with a thud. She and Wade had been arguing outside of her dorm at Harding College for the past fifteen minutes, and as far as she could tell, it was a draw.
Wade sighed. “Come on, R.J., don't be like this. You know Papa only wants what's best for you.”
His use of her despised childhood nickname did little to improve her mood, nor did the mention of their papa, whose master plan for Ruby's summer included raising pigs.
“In three months I'll start my last year of college. Everyone in the world seems to realize that I'm an adultâexcept for my family,” Ruby said. “Y'all act like I'm still a little girl.”
Wade leaned against the De Luxe and crossed his arms. “It isn't like that. We're just worried about you and want you home with us for the summer.”
“Girls my age are married with babies of their own. Look at cousin Lucille. And I don't even have to tell you how many boys from my class are overseas right now.” With the country at war, Ruby sometimes felt like she attended an all-girls college.
“But the ordnance plant is no place for a girl like you. It will be hard workâdangerous even. I know a fellow from Beedeville who worked at one of the plants down South, and he said the hours were long and the work was tedious.” Wade frowned. “Why would you want to put yourself through that when you could just come home?”
The Arkansas Ordnance Plant in Jacksonville wasn't too far from the Christian college Ruby attended in Searcy. “I can't fight,” she countered back, “but this is something I can do. After everything that's happened over the past year, I have to do something besides just ration my sugar and nylons.”
“Plant a victory garden?” Wade asked hopefully.
She shook her head. “That isn't enough.”
“Are you sure this is really what you want? Have you thought it through?” With his chiseled jaw and blue eyes, Wade looked more and more like their father every day. The oldest of the McFadden siblings, he'd always been able to reason with Ruby, the strong-willed baby of the family. At least until today.
Ruby nodded. A few weeks before, she'd seen a poster in the student center depicting a young woman in work clothes. Emblazoned underneath were the words: “T
HE GIRL HE LEFT BEHIND
”
IS STILL BEHIND HIM
. S
HE
'
S A
WOW. From that day forward, Ruby had been determined to do her part to serve her country. “I want to be a Woman Ordnance Worker. It's the least I can do. Think of all those boys giving their lives for our country. Think about Raymond and Jack. They're doing their part. I want to do mine too.”
At the mention of their brothers, Wade's face softened. “But where will you live? And are you certain you're qualified?” He sighed. “I don't like the thought of you being on your own so far from home.”
Despite her irritation, Ruby was touched by his concern. “There's a women's dorm on-site, and Hazel says more women than men work thereâif
they're
qualified, I'm sure I am too. I'm a quick learner. Besides, Hazel lives near the plant with her parents, and they'll be around if I need anything.” Her friend and former suitemate, Hazel Collins, made the work sound so exciting. “The pay is good too.” Ruby softened her voice. “Jacksonville isn't too far from here by bus. I won't be much farther from home than I am during the school year.”
Wade raised an eyebrow. “But won't you miss Lucille? And Mama has been so looking forward to having you home between semesters.”
For a moment, Ruby faltered. She missed her mama something fierce; that was for sure. And Lucille was her favorite cousin. They were three months apart and had been the best of friends since they were just babies. But Ruby couldn't help but feel that Lucille, who had a husband off at war and a baby to raise, lived in a different world.
“I know how busy Mama is during the summertime with the garden and all. And little Annie Sue is probably keeping Lucille busy from dusk till dawn.” She managed a smile. “Tell them I love them, and I'll write as soon as I get settled.”
“You sure are stubborn.” Wade shook his head. “Maybe President Roosevelt should send you in to negotiate the end of the war and bring the boys home. You don't back down easy.” He grinned and reached for her suitcase. “But I guess I know when I'm beat. Now where should I put this? Back inside?”