Felix tapped his knee impatiently as the train slowed. In the hours since he left Izzy, he had been tormented with worry. What must his family and friends have suffered from the War Office's mistake? It had been three weeks since his injury—when had they heard he was missing in action? A week? Two? All three? "Worried sick," Izzy had said, and he could believe it, especially of his mother.

He dug into his pocket for coins to pay for the sleigh ride from the station to King Farm and came up short of what it would cost. He had some extra in his bag, he remembered, which was quickly followed by the recollection that his bag was in the Pettibones' front hallway. Never mind. He'd walk home if necessary.

It wasn't necessary. The first sleigh driver he spoke to about his predicament said he'd drive him at no charge. "I have a son overseas myself," he said. "I'd hope someone would do the same by him."

The sleigh glided over the snow-packed road. Felix was grateful that it wasn't summer. In his current condition, carriage wheels jostling over ruts would have been more uncomfortable than usual.

When they drew up in front of the house, they found the King sleigh loaded—Alec, Felicity, Cecily, Daniel, even Great-Aunt Eliza. Their faces froze in shock, but one was missing.

"I'm back, it's not as bad as it looks, I'm sorry about everything, where's Mother?" Felix spurted as he shook his driver's hand in gratitude and got out of the sleigh.

"F-Felix?" stammered Cecily.

"Inside," Alec said automatically.

"I'll be right back," said Felix, and rushed to the door.

Strangely, when he entered everything seemed to slow down. He found himself moving slower, and the entirety of the comforting speech he had been preparing since he left Halifax melted from his mind. Two thoughts rose clearly: Elbert Werts wasn't coming home, and Janet King may have been thinking the same of her own son. Between those thoughts, he found himself overwhelmed.

"Now, who is that back in here?" Janet called. "Get out to the sleigh, we have to get to Aunt Hetty's."

She turned, and he saw she was holding his favorite ornament in one hand—to represent him at the family Christmas dinner, no doubt. He couldn't speak, but that was all right because neither could she. All they could do for some time was cling to each other, crying tears of mingled sorrow and relief. Alec came in from the sleigh and joined the embrace, followed soon after by everyone else.

Finally, Janet gasped. "The dinner! It must be getting frozen out there!"

Alec laughed. "Never mind the dinner, Janet." He grasped Felix's shoulder, tears in his eyes. "Our son has come home."

As if in answer, Felix's stomach growled loudly, reminding him he hadn't eaten since breakfasting aboard the ship. The ensuing laughter broke the tension in the room.

"Back in the sleigh, everyone," ordered Great-Aunt Eliza. "We need to get some food into this young man."

Aunt Olivia answered the door at Rose Cottage. Her eyes widened when she saw Felix on the doorstep, and she rushed at him, jumping and squealing in excitement.

Aunt Hetty's plaintive voice drifted from the couch where she was lying. "What's all that racket?"

Rachel Lynde rounded the corner from the kitchen. "Saints above! Felix King!"

"Felix?" Hetty said. There was a rustle as she tried to sit up, then a whimper as she found she had moved too abruptly.

"Hold your horses, Hetty King," said Rachel. "He's coming, he's coming."

Olivia grabbed Cecily's hand. "We have to wire Jasper the good news. Will you?"

"Absolutely," Cecily smiled. "Oh, and Izzy...."

"She knows," said Felix, knowing as he spoke that it would mean an explanation lay ahead as to how she knew before anyone else.

Cecily just smiled more broadly as Olivia pulled her out the door. "We'll be back before you know it."

Great-Aunt Eliza and Rachel Lynde had the presence of mind to put the food in the oven to keep warm. All of the other adults were busy with hugs and tears and requests for information. Felix told them as much as he could without breaking down, but he came close several times as he thought of the Werts family and how this Christmas and all of their Christmases afterwards would be emptier.

When Cecily and Olivia returned, all the food was laid out and Hetty was helped off the couch and led to the head of the table. "We are blessed," she said, smiling around the table and especially at Felix. "Here's a toast. To the joys of the season. To this family. To those gathered here and those in our hearts. And to being loved. A Happy Christmas to us all."

For the first Christmas of all his Christmases at home, Felix felt there was something amiss. The next day's duty—searching out the Werts family to deliver news of Elbert—weighed on him, but that wasn't all. He glanced down at his plate and in so doing caught a glimpse of flour on his uniform jacket.

Janet hadn't been upset when she heard that he went to see Izzy first, especially when he explained that he hadn't known he was listed as missing in action until Muriel told him. "I'm just glad you came to us as soon as you heard," she said. "And that you won't be going anywhere for a while."

He looked over at his mother and saw how fragile she looked. After all this time trying to be strong and hold to hope, she was finally able to let go. He couldn't leave her now. But he'd promised Izzy....

There was only one thing to do. He caught Cecily's elbow as they were filing out of the house, Aunt Hetty's injunction to visit tomorrow, or as soon as Felix felt up to it, following them.

"Can you send a telegram at any hour?"

"You can if you have the key to the office," she said. "But why not just telephone?"

"I tried this morning, but I couldn't get through."

Cecily sighed in exasperation. "That's right, it's Christmas. Sally Potts doesn't have a single operator who will agree to cover the switchboard on holidays. It's maddening."

"Aren't you coming in?" Janet asked when they arrived at King Farm and Felix and Cecily stayed in the sleigh.

"We have to go to town and send a telegram," said Cecily. "The switchboard is down, and it's important."

"It won't take long," Felix reassured his mother. "It's only three words."

They hurried to the telegraph office and Cecily typed out the message as quickly as she could.

"Please come. Felix."