The Gift — Doug White

Late in Jake Winter's trucking career, the cussedly independent bachelor is roped into raising a neglected and abused child, Peter Stevenson, a waif he met in Slippery Gulch, Montana. During his twenty-two years in the classroom, and as a camp counselor, he'd seen his share of neglected and abused children. But there was nothing in his past to prepare him for Peter. At the time they met, Jake recognized Peter as a neglected and shy child, but quite normal in all other ways. A week later, Jake was informed, Peter's father had murdered the boy in 1901. Unbeknownst to his cultural shock in this, the 21st Century, and to Jake and his ways. Jake accepts the fact that his independence is being sacrificed for the care and nurture of Peter. He comes to cherish both Peter and his new responsibilities. Because of Jake's love, Peter is overcoming the affects of abuse and developing into a normal little boy. Jake, his family and friends see Jake himself changing in good ways. Many questions pertaining to Peter's life in Slippery Gulch have been answered. But many more questions have come up, such as: Who decided, and why, that Jake is the man for this assignment? How long is this crazy parenting thing going to last? What precisely explains Peter, anyway? Peter does little to satisfy Jake's baffled mind and in new ways compounds his bewilderment. Com Autumn, Peter's challenges don't let up. He spends a week in an elementary public school. Then he experiences Halloween, the Thanksgiving and Christmas-all brand new to Peter. As for Jake, he begins to feel like the boy's actual grandfather. In Topeka, Kansas the week before Christmas, Jake introduces Peter to a mall Santa. The three are the sole witnesses to Peter's wish to remain with Jake forever. Suddenly inexplicable tingles play up and down Jake's spine. Harder still to explain is an unsigned, handwritten Christmas note found Christmas morning where the snacks had been left the night before. Whoever wrote it makes reference to Peter's Christmas wish. Then there is the unexplainable gift…