Shelter Mountain by Robyn Carr

second tray when he glanced up and saw that little blond head, peeking at him from the bottom of the stairs. “Hi,” Preacher said. “You sleep?” Christopher nodded. “Good,” he said. “Feel better?” Chris nodded again.
    Watching the boy’s face, Preacher slowly pushed a fresh-baked cookie across the counter with one finger until it was at the edge. It was a good minute before Chris took one step toward the cookie. Almost another full minute before his little hand touched it, but he didn’t take it. Just touched it, looking up at Preacher. “Go ahead. Tell me if it’s any good.”
    Chris slowly pulled the cookie off the counter and to his mouth, taking a very small, careful bite.
    “Good?” Preacher asked. And he nodded.
    So Preacher set him up a glass of milk right where the cookie had been. The boy nibbled that cookie in tiny bites; it took him so long to finish it that Preacher was pulling out the second cookie sheet and taking off the cookies before he was done. There was a stool on the other side of the counter near the milk and eventually Chris started trying to get up. But he had some stuffed toy in his grip and couldn’t make the climb, so Preacher went around and lifted him up. Then he went back to his side of the counter and pushed another cookie toward him. “Don’t pick it up yet,” Preacher said. “It’s kind of hot. Try the milk.”
    Preacher started rolling peanut butter dough into balls,placing them on the cookie sheet. “Who you got there?” he asked, nodding toward the stuffed toy.
    “Bear,” Christopher said. He reached his hand toward the cookie.
    Preacher said, “Make sure it’s not too hot for your mouth. So—his name’s just Bear?” Christopher nodded. “Seems like maybe he’s missing a leg, there.”
    Again the boy nodded. “Doesn’t hurt him, though.”
    “That’s a break. He ought to have one, anyway. I mean, it wouldn’t be the same as his own, but it would help him get by. When he has to go for a long walk.”
    The kid laughed. “He don’t walk. I walk.”
    “He doesn’t, huh? He should have one for looks, then.” He lifted one of his bushy black brows. “Think so?”
    Christopher lifted the small, worn brown bear. “Hmm,” he replied thoughtfully. He bit the cookie and immediately opened his mouth wide and let the sloppy mouthful fall onto the counter. For a second his look was stricken. Maybe terrified.
    “Hot, huh?” Preacher asked, not reacting. He reached behind him, ripped off a paper towel and whisked away the spit-out. “Might want to give it about one more minute. Have a drink of milk there. Cool down the mouth.”
    They communed in silence for a while—Preacher, Chris, the three-legged bear. When Preacher had all his little balls rolled, he began mashing them with his fork, perfect lines left, then right.
    “What’s that yer doing?” Christopher asked him.
    “Making cookies. First you mix the dough, then you roll the balls, then you smash them with the fork, nice and easy. Then they go in the oven.” He peered at Chris from underneath the heavy brows. “I bet you could do this part. If you were careful and went nice and slow.”
    “I could.”
    “You’d have to come around here, let me lift you up.”
    “’Kay,” he said, putting his bear on the counter, getting off his stool and coming to Preacher.
    Preacher lifted him up to sit on the edge of the counter. He helped him hold the fork and showed him how to press down. His first solo attempt was a little messy, so Preacher helped him again. Then he did it pretty well. Preacher let him finish the tray, then put it in the oven.
    “John?” the boy asked. “How many of them we gotta do?”
    Preacher smiled. “Tell you what, pardner. We’ll do as many as you want,” he said.
    Christopher smiled. “’Kay,” he said.
     
    Paige came slowly awake, her first realization being that she’d slept so hard, she’d drooled on the pillow. She sleepily wiped her mouth and turned her