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time—at least that was her plan. But not God’s.
    She smiled at the memory of Howard lovingly kissing her forehead and saying, “Stella, you’ve been a good wife. I intend to see you cared for should anything happen to me. I can put money in the bank for you, but you’ll save yourself a whole lot if you just learn to do the little things for yourself.”
    He’d tried to invest wisely, but the Depression was hard on the country, and money slipped away as easily as ice melting on a hot Pennsylvania summer’s day. There had been only a small savings remaining when a massive heart attack had taken her Howard away.
    But Estella was a wise woman. At least she liked to think herself so. She quickly took what money she had and found ways to make it grow. First she rented out her house and went to live with her mother. She told herself it was for her mother’s sake as much as for her own, but she knew the truth of it. Without someone around, someone to care for, Estella would grow old and bitter before her time.
    Pittsburgh wasn’t really to Estella’s liking, but it was where her mother was happy. Her mother suggested Estella sell her house and stay permanently in Pittsburgh, but Estella knew she would never do that. No, someday she planned to go back to the home she’d shared with Howard. And so, with the economy continually growing worse, Estella took onsewing for a local tailor shop as well as nurturing vegetables in their backyard garden. Selling vegetables or trading them for other store goods, Estella and her mother didn’t have to worry about food.
    Little by little she added to the savings Howard had started. With their small house paid for, something Howard had insisted on doing back in the ’20s, and a small pension left to her from Howard’s job, Estella felt relatively safe and without fear of the future. God had always provided. Always.
    Reaching the telegraph office, Estella went inside. She felt the dismal spirits of the employees, and her heart went out to them. A young man approached her with such a hangdog expression that she couldn’t help but reach out to him.
    “Are you all right, son?”
    He looked at her oddly for a moment, almost as if he found it impossible to believe she would ask such a question. “It’s a hard day. It’s been a hard week.”
    She nodded. “I heard that things weren’t good. It must be especially difficult for you to be here and see all the sad news come in.”
    “Yes,” he said, his voice barely a whisper.
    Estella wanted very much to encourage him. “You have a difficult job to do—just as hard as the boys who’ve gone overseas. I’ll be praying for you. Just know that you aren’t in this alone. God is with you.”
    “That’s what my mother says,” he agreed.
    “Well, she wouldn’t lie—not to a boy so fine as you.” Estella smiled. “Now, I won’t keep you any longer, but the truth is, I’m looking for Andy Gilbert. Is he here or is he out delivering telegrams?”
    “Andy didn’t show up today. I couldn’t tell you where he is,” the young man replied. “He didn’t call.”
    Estella frowned. “You don’t suppose he’s sick, do you?”
    He shrugged. “Sick of the war, like all of us. The boss plans to stop by his house after work, but otherwise I don’t know anything else.”
    Estella nodded. “Well, thank you for your time. Now, don’t forget, I’ll be praying for you and your friends here.” She took her leave and headed back in the direction from which she’d come.
    Oh, Lord, please let Andy be all right. He’s all alone except for you—and now me. Help me to know what to do.
    She prayed all the way to the street on which Andy lived. She had memorized his address and as quickly as her aging legs could manage through the deep snow, she made her way to his small house.
    The blue skies overhead cheered her on. In spite of the cold, the sun shone down, warming her as she made her way. Snow capped each bough of the evergreens,