A few days after Thanksgiving, Henry and Holly went ice skating. Henry brought Holly back to his house afterwards, planning to cuddle on the couch and drink hot chocolate with her. He was searching for the hot chocolate in the cabinet when Holly came up behind him and tickled him.
He grinned. "Frisky, aren't we?"
"Let's just say I have a lot of extra energy to work off."
"The hot chocolate can wait, you know." Henry winked at her. "There are other ways of warming up that are a lot more fun."
"Mm." Holly made an exaggerated show of licking her lips. "You're very tempting!"
The telephone rang. Henry lifted the receiver. "Hello?"
"Henry? This is Mischa." The sound of his half brother's voice sent chills down Henry's spine. "Our father has gone missing. He was last seen leaving Red Square ten days ago. No one has heard from him since then. The police are doing all they can, but they are so overwhelmed that their resources are limited. I just wanted to let you know."
"Thanks." Henry's voice sounded hollow to his ears. "Do you have any news about my mother?"
"I am sorry, but I do not."
As he set the receiver down, Henry felt as if he'd just been punched in the stomach. Holly's face swam before him, her eyes full of concern.
"What is it?" she asked.
"That was my brother in Russia." Henry drew a deep breath. "Our father disappeared ten days ago. No one has heard from him since then."
"Oh, no!" Holly gasped. "I'm so sorry!"
"I have to call Paige." He tried her home phone and got a busy signal. "Mischa's probably on the line with her now." He walked into the living room and began to pace. Holly followed, sinking into a recliner.
"I'm worried about my Mom," said Henry. "Since she's in a wheelchair now, she can't do a lot of the things she used to, and with Dad gone, who will be there to help her?"
"Maybe they'll find him soon," said Holly.
"He must be being held somewhere against his will," said Henry. "Otherwise, he would have been in touch with Mom."
"Maybe he has called her by now," said Holly.
Just then, the telephone rang. It was Paige. She told Henry that yes, Mischa had told her what had happened, and no, Elizabeth didn't know where he was, either. She was beside herself with worry.
That must have been how Holly's mother felt the night her father disappeared, Henry realized.
Their previous mood spoiled, Henry and Holly drank their white chocolate in silence until it started getting dark and Holly said she had to go home because she didn't want her Mom to worry.
Paige called again the following day, sounding almost cheerful.
"Pastor Shane announced there's a Christmas party at the church Friday night," she said. Pastor Shane had taken Pastor Tim's place after he'd moved to Argentina. "Matthew and I are going. Why don't you come along, too? It'll help take your mind off things."
"Maybe I will," Henry replied.
He told Holly about the party, and she seemed delighted.
"My Mom's church has a Christmas party every year, too," she told him.
"Your Mom goes to church?"
"First Assembly on Brentwood. We've gone there ever since I was seven. Well, I actually stopped going regularly when I was about fifteen, but my Mom has always gone."
On the night of the party, Henry arrived at the Koch household wearing black jeans and his black coat. It had snowed the day before, so piles of slush dotted the brown landscape. As he rang the doorbell, he could see his breath blowing out in faint white wisps.
Mrs. Koch answered the door right away. "Hello, dear. Come on inside. It's freezing out there!"
Henry smiled. "Thanks." In the ten months he'd known her, he'd come to really care for Holly's mother. Although obviously not as well educated as his own mother, she had a good heart and truly cared for her family.
Holly emerged from her bedroom wearing gray corduroy pants and a light pink sweater. She smiled when she saw him.
"Ready to go?" asked Henry.
"I will be in a minute," Holly replied. She fetched her brown corduroy coat from the coat closet, and then they were off.
They arrived to find the church's fellowship hall decorated with red and green streamers, a nativity scene, and a huge Christmas tree in one corner. It was covered with balls, tinsel, and lights. Twenty round tables with white tablecloths filled the room. Matthew and Paige, who were sitting at one of the tables, stood and came over to greet them. Matthew held eighteen-month-old Cody, who wore a red jogging suit.
"You've met Holly, right?" Henry asked them.
"Of course." Paige smiled and held out her hand. "How do you do?"
"Fine, thanks." Holly shook her hand. "Oh, he's adorable! What was his name again?"
"Cody," Matthew told her.
"Hi, Cody!" said Holly.
"Say hi," Matthew encouraged his son.
Cody grinned. "Hi!"
Henry and Holly sat with Matthew and Paige at their table. There were cookies, cupcakes, and punch, Christmas carols, and later, a dirty Santa exchange. In the joy of the occasion, Henry temporarily forgot his troubles.
Several mornings later, he was lightly dozing under a blanket and quilt, dreaming of how he'd like to spend Christmas day with Holly, when he was awakened by a ringing telephone. He held the receiver to his ear and heard his mother sobbing, hard. His heart fell to the pit of his stomach.