“Alex Iverson, hold up a second,” a man’s voice called from the crowd.
Alex stopped near the door and looked back over his shoulder. Standing behind him, towering over the children, was the same military officer.
Alex tipped his head back and noticed the ribbons on the man’s chest and the polished insignia. “Hi, Alex. Merry Christmas,” the man said warmly. “Our family got your letter, and we’d really like to give you the gift you asked for.”
He spoke in a calm, easy way, as if they had known each other awhile. “But before we get to the surprise, let’s introduce ourselves properly,” he said with a friendly smile. “I’m Mike Chandler. You can call me Mike, or Mr. Chandler if that feels better.”
From behind his shoulder stepped a graceful, well-dressed woman. “And I’m Susan,” she said in a gentle voice. Then a red-cheeked girl with bright eyes leaned around her mother and smiled.
“I’m Annie, and I’m really glad to meet you,” she said. “I think we’re about the same age, so this should be easy.”
“I’m Alex,” the boy said, guarded. Then, with a trace of dry humor that surprised even him, he added, “Most people here call me Limp.” He braced for the usual reaction.
But Annie only opened her mouth to ask him something else when Mike handed Alex a heavy rectangular box. “This is for you,” he said. “Exactly what you asked for. Let’s find a quiet room, and we’ll show you how to use it the right way.”
The four of them slipped away from the crowd into an empty classroom where the kids usually did homework in the evenings. Annie showed him how to turn the laptop on and off, how to log in, and how to set up his own account online.
Mike sat nearby on a little chair, stepping in now and then with a calm suggestion. Alex could almost feel the steady warmth coming off the man—the kind of presence that made a room feel safer. Meanwhile Annie talked a mile a minute, explaining programs and settings without taking a breath.
But Alex noticed right away that she wasn’t spoiled or showy. She knew what she was doing. And from her running commentary, he also picked up that she had been training seriously in martial arts for years….
