know how~it feels to lose your parents."
"Thanks," muttered Spencer, obviously feeling self-
conscio us.
"You must remember that God is your father now," con-
tinued Michael with conviction. "And he will never leave
you."
"Yeah, sure," said Spencer without looking back up.
"Okay."
"And Audrey is my mother," continued Maggie, hoping
to relieve Spencer from the limelight. "She moved here per-
manently about a month ago. She lives in that little house
over by the barn-most of the time." She winked at her
mother.
"That is good," proclaimed Michael. "Family is very
good."
"Yes," agreed Maggie. "Family is very good."
Jed's eyes locked with Maggie's from across the room.
"But you're right, Michael," he said, "we are a happy family.
Even if we're not all directly related, we're still like a family."
"Yes," said Michael. "I think it is a most wonderful
thing."
Leah and Jed offered to clean up the supper dishes, and
Spencer hobbled around on his crutches, giving Michael a
tour of the house and property, returning quickly from being
outside on account of Michael's discomfort with the cold.
He hovered over the fireplace, soaking in the heat with a
contented smile.
Looking for You All My Life71
"I hope it doesn't take too long for you to get used to the
cold here," said Maggie from the couch. "I don't know how
long you plan to stay, but it will get even colder when snow
comes."
"Who is snow?" he asked curiously.
Maggie chuckled. "Snow isn't a person. It's what the
weather does when the rain gets so cold that it freezes and
comes down on the ground and makes everything turn all
white and sort of frozen."
Michael looked slightly frightened. "Oh, yes, I have for-
gotten about snow. I have seen photographs of snow before,
but never have I touched it or seen it for real with my own
eyes. It is very cold?"
Audrey nodded. "Yes. And I understand how you feel,
Michael, because I used to live in a place where it was
warmer too. But I think we'll all get used to it in time."
"Yes," he agreed, "God will help us."
Maggie went to check on the kitchen help and found Jed
by himself wiping off the table with a dishcloth. "Hey, you
do good work," she said, looking around the kitchen in
approval.
"Better give Leah the credit; she took the lead. She just