After Thanksgiving came Christmas. Elizabeth looked forward to being able to spend most of the day with Paul very much. He arrived at the Waltons' home at about ten o'clock that morning, laden with presents for everyone and bundled up warmly, his eyes twinkling merrily.
"Well, hello there!" Olivia exclaimed. "Come on in! Don't just stand there shivering!"
"Thank you, ma'am," Paul replied in his slightly shy way. His whole face lit up when he saw Elizabeth. Together they went into the living room, where the rest of the family sat listening to the radio. They all greeted Paul politely.
"So how's the job at the saw mill working out for you?" Jim-Bob asked him.
"It's going very well so far," Paul replied. "I make enough to meet all my basic expenses plus send a little to my family in Germany, and I even have a little bit left over for savings."
"Paul is one of our hardest workers," added Ben.
"How's your family, Paul?" asked Olivia.
"They're doing all right, considering," Paul told her. "My father's still pretty depressed about the outcome of the war. My mother does what she can to cheer him up. Mathias is really growing fast. Already has an eye for the ladies, my mother says." Everybody laughed.
"So what are you saving up for, Paul?" asked Jason.
"That's none of your business!" Ben told his brother. Paul looked at him gratefully.
Soon dinner was ready, and after everyone had eaten, it was time to exchange presents. Elizabeth had bought Paul a pair of warm socks, and now she wondered whether that had been enough or if she should have gotten him more, especially when she saw that his gift to her was a beautiful necklace.
"I hope you like it," he said shyly.
"I love it!" she exclaimed, hugging him and kissing his cheek.
She watched his eyes as he opened her present to him, hoping that she wouldn't see disappointment in them. To her relief, they lit up when he saw the socks.
"Thank you!" he said. "These will really come in handy on cold winter nights! I think I'll put them on as soon as I get home!"
After awhile he asked Elizabeth if she wanted to go on a walk with him. The cold air outside was sharp and crisp but refreshing. As Elizabeth inhaled, it gave her a tingly feeling. Paul seemed very nervous, absentmindedly kicking rocks and watching them skip across the bare ground. Elizabeth hoped that it wasn't because of anything she'd said or done.
"There's something I want to talk to you about," he began. "The first time I saw you, Elizabeth, I knew that you were special. During the time I've gotten to know you, my feelings for you have grown stronger and stronger. What I'm trying to say is..." He dropped to one knee and took her hand. "I love you, Elizabeth. Will you marry me?"
She gasped, surprised. "You mean now?"
He laughed and shook his head. "Oh, no. After you're finished with school."
"After I graduate...why, yes, of course!"
He laughed as he embraced her, then slipped the ring onto her finger.
Over the next few days, she couldn't stop staring at it, turning it around and around on her finger. Having always thought of herself as a little girl in the back of her mind, she was having a very hard time thinking of herself as being old enough to be someone's wife.
She'd shown the ring to the rest of her family right away, of course. Everyone had smiled and congratulated her, and for the rest of the day, she'd been on top of the world.
When school started back and Aimee stopped by the house to pick her up, she held up her hand to show her friend the ring first thing.
"Wow, Elizabeth!" Aimee exclaimed. "Paul?"
Elizabeth nodded.
"When?"
"After I graduate this summer."
The two girls chatted happily all the way to school. Aimee had long ago lost her jealousy of Paul and Elizabeth's relationship.
Winter soon became spring, and the days grew longer. Paul and Elizabeth now saw green grass and flowers when they went for walks.
One day Elizabeth was sitting in class listening to her teacher when she heard a commotion outside and, a moment later, a knock on the door. The teacher opened it to reveal Ben, whose face bore a panicked expression.
"There was an accident at the mill!" he gasped. "Paul's been hurt real bad!"
