"Now, my little girl," Grandpa took Samantha's hand to lead her out of the barn. "It's time for us to head home and have some of this nice, warm milk." He looked down at her an winked.
The cow flapped her tail back and forth and offered a big "Moo!" as though, saying 'goodnight".
"Do you really think Grandma made those cookies?" She looked up at him with wide open sparkling blue eyes. "I sure hope so. I love sweet things don't you, Grandpa?" She held on to his forefinger as she twirled around.
"Well, I certainly do, but, first, we have to have some supper," he explained. "Your grandma would bang my head with a pan if I gave you a cookie before supper.' he shifted the milk in his hand. "And if you don't eat everything she puts on your plate, still no cookie." He told her. "She is a hard woman to live with but, since we've been together for forty-nine years, now, I might as well stay with her." He laughed and Samantha joined in but, quit twirling and was silent.
Mr. Williams noticed her silence and asked what was wrong
"Oh, nothing, grandpa," she was quiet again. She twisted a lock of her black, curly hair.
"Are you sure, my little girl?" He probed, afraid he had offended his precious little granddaughter. "You let grandpa know and I'll fix whatever is bothering you."
Silently, they walked the rest of the distance to the house.
"Oh, oh! I smell steak and potatoes!" Grandpa Williams pretended to run up the steps. "Come on, little girl, she's gonna eat all of it!"
Samantha laughed and scurried up the steps. "Don't spill the milk, Grandpa!" She giggled after him.
"Well, what have we here?" Grandma Williams asked in her cheerful voice. "Hmmm, looks like we will have milk after all. I thought you two had gotten lost or either gone to bed with the cows!" She unbuttoned Samantha's coat and tossed her cap over onto the table, which was already set for the three.
A fireplace burned cheerfully in the dining area and Sam went over to warm her hands, holding them just like Grandpa had taught her.
"Well, come on, and eat, little girl," Grandpa Williams coaxed her. "Enjoy!"
Grace was offered and they began eating, Samantha very slowly.
"Grandpa? Is mommy really coming home tomorrow?" She had a sad look about her, as though she would cry any minute.
"Why, she certainly is, little girl!" He said with as much cheer as he could muster. "We'll pick her up around three-thirty tomorrow so don't you eat all those cookies we're gonna have as soon as we get through here! Hurry now, let's eat our food so we can have some. Been smelling them since we got back from the barn!" He pretended to eat faster.
Samantha giggled her six-year-old giggle. "Grandpa! You didn't have anything on your fork, just then!" She squealed with delight.
"You sure, little girl?" He looked at his fork and demanded of the fork what happened to his food.
Supper was soon over and Samantha helped her grandma take the dishes to the kitchen. "Wanta take a bath or is it too cold for you, too?" Grandma asked her.
"Too cold." Sam answered. They giggled.
"Me, too." Grandma agreed. She wiped Samantha's hands with the extra towel she kept in the kitchen drawer. "That should do 'til tomorrow." She smiled at her granddaughter. "I'm so happy you are my grandchild." she told her. She gave her a hug.
"Grandma?"
"Yes?"
"Did mommy go to Vick Nam, too?" She began crying. "She'll get lost just like daddy!"
Grandma stooped down and held her close. "No, honey, Mommy will be home tomorrow, but, daddy still hasn't been found yet." She smoothed her hair. "Honey, they are looking for daddy every day and he's just waiting for them to find him so they can put him on that helicopter and fly away to see his little girl!" She gulped and fought back tears.
David Williams was listed as missing in action three months ago and still no word about him. He had been shot down as his helicopter was picking up wounded soldiers. He was the youngest of the Williams two boys, the oldest couldn't join the military for he had bad asthma attacks and wouldn't have withstood the training.
"Heyyyyy, little girl, what's this crying about?" Grandpa came into the kitchen. "Come on, honey, let's see if Snow wants to sleep inside tonight." He knew Grandma was going to cry as soon as they left. It had really been hard on them not knowing if David was still alive.
They went to the front door, leaving Grandma in the kitchen. "Brrrrrr! Old man winter is upon us, little girl!" He picked her up and gave out the biggest whistle that had ever been heard.
In a minute or two, Snow, their solid white collie, came bounding through the door. He walked through the living room to the dining and lay down in front of the fire. Samantha jumped down from Grandpa's arms and ran to be with Snow. It seemed Snow always brought her comfort.
Grandpa left them there and went to the kitchen to check on Grandma. She was wiping her eyes. "Oh, I'm okay," she started. "You didn't have to leave Sam."
Grandpa hugged her. They went to the fire and found Sam and Snow asleep.
"Alex will be here tomorrow to take us to the airport," Grandpa told her. "How about that?"
"Oh, that will be fine," Grandma answered.
The next day, they arrived at the airport just as the plane was landing. Fighting and pushing through news cameras pretty soon they were on their way back to the country.
Many, many questions were asked about the president and many, many about their son and the only answer Shelly could give was that they were doing all they could to find David; however, she now felt better about the whole situation since she got to meet some of the other wives who had nothing but hope in their hearts. They were strong women and loved their husbands deeply, just as she did David.
Grandpa had insisted Shelly and Sam come and stay with them when news came that David was missing in Viet Nam. Shelly thought that was a good idea since she had no parents of her own; her parents having died in an auto crash some fifteen years ago. They could comfort each other.
Their other son, Alex, came as much as possible and sometimes brought his young daughter, Lily, to play with Sam.
Friends stopped in and they were kept busy by the chores around the farm. However, they did not watch TV for fear it might tell them something they did not want to hear. They talked and read and took Sam to find a Christmas tree in the woods.
It was snowing when they drug the evergreen into the living room. Sam ran on to the porch and held her hand out, palm up, trying to catch a few flakes but, they disappeared before they reached her hand. Finally, she gave up and went inside with Snow. He licked her hand as they plopped down in front of the fireplace in the living room.
"Here's my list you asked for, mommy." Sam handed Shelly her Christmas list.
"Honey, you don't have much listed." Shelly was a bit taken aback for Sam usually wished for a little bit more than that.
"Oh, mommy, I don't need much." Sam insisted. "I got you home and Grampa and Grandma and there's Snow and Lily to play with." She lowered her eyes and Shelly knew she was thinking of her dad.
"Uh, well, okay, my little chickadee." Shelly tried to keep in good spirits, especially around Samantha.
"Mom! You know I'm not a chickadee!" She exclaimed, all excited. It had seemed like months since Shelly had called her that. She ran and hugged her mom.
"Well, if that's the way you're gonna react when I called you chickadee, then chickadee, chickadee, chickadee!" They burst out laughing and Samantha hugged her mom tighter.
"We have got to go shopping, Sam, uh I mean chickadee," they both laughed. "We have got to buy Christmas presents for everyone."
"Oh, that will be fun!" Samantha was in such a good mood.
The next day, they drove the ten miles to town and made some purchases. "We need to get a couple of shirts for your dad, Sam," Shelly said. "You just never know when that man might show up. Right?"
"Right, mommy. You just never know." Sam agreed, gleefully.
They bought the shirts, some wrapping paper, ribbons and boxes and put those in the car. Next, they went to the grocery store to buy some items they needed and picked up ingredients for dip, some wine, then to the candy store for boxes of candy for guests who happened to drop by.
After that, they had lunch in the tea house on Maine street.
Then they paid the florist a visit for a centerpiece for the Christmas table and poinsettias to set around here and there. All they needed for the tree was garland but they didn't really have to have that so headed home.
It has been a tiring day and Samantha was in bed early that night. She slept more comfortable when her mother was there with her.
Two days 'til Christmas. "Christmas is uh comin', the geese are gettin' fat......" Grandpa went about saying that everyday now when he was around Sam. It made her laugh and her laugh made him smile.
Sam and Snow played in the snow the next day. "I can't tell you from the snow, Snow," Sam threw a snowball at him. He jumped, slipping and sliding toward her.
A car drove up and out stepped Lily and Margo, Alex's wife. "We've come to celebrate!" Margo and Lily hugged Sam and Margo went on into the house. The car drove off.
"Who was that?" Sam asked Lily. "My dad. He had work to do but he'll be back tonight."
The women baked cakes and pies and cookies and all the things that go with Christmas.
Soon, they had all gathered around the living room fire, waiting for Alex to return. The grandfather clock tick-tocked away and everyone became drowsy and sleepy from the fire and the supper they had had plus, a glass of wine to accompany it. No matter how the girls pled for a glass, their wishes were denied, even though they whined and carried on like they couldn't do without it.
Pretty soon, car lights lit the front yard. No one had heard the car drive up.
"Must be Alex," Grandpa said as he grabbed his hat and headed to the door. Alex met him at the door.
"Come, dad, help me bring in this Christmas present." He said with a big smile. "It is much too big for me."
They went out to the car, the cold coming through the door had awaken them all, even Snow, who was now barking.
"Hush Snow!" Sam told him. "What do you think you are barking at?" She wandered to the door and looked outside.
Alex and Grandpa were helping someone out of the car. Sam closed the door for it was freezing.
At long last, Alex and Grandpa were on the porch and knocking on the door to be let in.
"Merry Christmas!" They said in unison. Smiles as broad as the Mississippi River were on their faces.
One arm was draped over Alex's shoulder and another over Grandpa's.
"DAVID! DAVID!" Shelly ran to him and hugged him around the waist. David let go of Alex and Grandpa and Shelly had him all to herself. She kissed him all over his face and led him to a chair.
"Dad?" Samantha slowly snapping out of a coma, ran to her dad and hugged him around the knees. "Dad, oh, dad.....you're here!"
Of course, the rest of the family hugged him, tears running down many cheeks that night.
He explained how he had been recuperating in a hospital and how he hadn't wanted Alex to bring them all to the airport for he knew they were all tired of TV cameras. He wasn't sure he would be home in time for Christmas, anyway, but, there was a certain determination he had in getting back to his family So, here he was.
Sam just couldn't believe her eyes. He had lost weight but, she knew it was her dad because of his sparkling blue eyes.
A star shone extra bright in the East that night.
God bless the P. O. W.'s and M.I.A.'s. May they be home soon.