“The responsibility hasn’t hurt her at all. I think she’s maturing.”
Nancy stepped back “If you don’t hear from me, I’ll see you in the morning at Rose’s place.”
“Gut nacht, my dear.”
“Gut nacht.” After giving her husband a quick kiss, Nancy left her family behind and trotted the buggy to Rose’s house. She only wished Mark had given more information so she knew what she’d be faced with once she got there.
She knocked on the door and when no one answered, she opened it and walked in. "Hello?"
Mark walked out of the bedroom to greet her. "Nancy! Hello."
"How far along is she?" Nancy asked.
"Clara said she's got a long way to go yet. But she can’t be that far away because Clara said she’d stay rather than come back later. Come and see her."
Nancy walked into the bedroom to see Rose walking around and Clara, the Amish midwife, sitting in a chair knitting. She nodded hello to Clara and was pleased Rose didn’t look too stressed.
"Hi, Mamm. I’m glad you’re here. I’ve got all the pain across my back at the moment. No pain at the front. Every contraction is kind of across my back."
Nancy looked at the midwife. "Is that normal?"
"Everything is progressing normally. I think we only have a few hours to go."
"Really? My first labor was quite long. Well, the first one was, the rest were relatively quick."
"Rose’s already progressed far in the last few hours."
"Few hours?" She shot a look at Mark. She’d told him she wanted to be present from the very start to the finish.
He dipped his head. "I didn't want to bother you. We thought it might be one of those false alarms."
"Rose, I told you I wanted to be called. I wanted to be here with you the entire time."
"I thought it’d make me too anxious and I wasn’t sure what it was when the pains started. I thought it might have been the flu."
Nancy couldn't say anything more because she didn't want her daughter to be stressed. "Can I do anything?"
"All we can do now is wait," the midwife said.
* * *
With her mother gone, Lily felt like she was in charge and she liked the way that made her feel. Now she was pleased that her cousins were there because it was more fun to be with girls while her mother was out of the house, rather than just be alone with her father. At least she could boss her cousins around. She figured she’d have that feeling of being in charge all the time when she became a mother.
Lily’s father walked back into the house after her mother left to look after Rose. It was quite unbelievable that Rose was actually having a baby. She was the first of her sisters to do so.
“All we can do now is wait,” Hezekiah said as he sat down on the couch with Lily.
“Jah, but for how long?”
“Only Gott knows the answer to that one. It could be a few hours or several.”
For Rose’s sake, Lily hoped it would only be a few.
Violet sat down on the couch with them.
“How’s Willow?” Hezekiah asked.
“She’s okay. She’s in bed now keeping warm with a hot water bottle on her shoulder.”
“I’ll go up and see if she needs anything,” said Lily.
“She’s fine. I just left her. She just wants to sleep.”
“Okay.” Lily wanted to do something. She wanted to go and help Rose, but her mother had everything under control. “Does anybody want a cup of hot tea or a cup of hot chocolate? Mamm was starting to make some before she left.”
“I wouldn’t mind a mug of hot chocolate,” her father said.
“Jah, me too please, Lily.”
“Okay.” Lily jumped to her feet, pleased to have something to do.
“I’ll help,” Violet said.
“Nee, I can do it.”
* * *
In the early hours of the morning, Rose held her baby girl in her arms.
Nancy stood back, allowing Mark to have a private time with his wife and brand-new daughter. She proceeded to help the midwife clean up the room.
"Come and have another look at her, Mamm."
"Okay, I'll just wash my hands." After Nancy washed her hands carefully, she peered over and had another look in the baby's face. She was healthy and she was perfect. "You just forget how tiny they are at this young age.”
"We’re calling her Sarah."
"That's a beautiful name," Nancy said.
Mark said, "I'll call everyone. I've got a long list of people who asked to be called.” He chuckled. "I can't wake everyone at this late hour of the night. I’ll just call the closest family.”
"Of course," Nancy commented as Mark walked out of the room to the phone they had in the barn.
Nancy hoped that the baby would soften Rose’s heartache over the two miscarriages she’d had. She’d been devastated, but looking at her now, she’d never seen her daughter look so happy.
"I'll tell everyone to give you a couple of days before they visit you," Nancy said.
"What about Dat? When’s he coming?"
"He'll come over first thing in the morning if that's all right."
"Of course it is."
* * *
Lily slept on the couch, so she would be closest to the phone in the barn. She wanted to be the first one to hear news of Rose’s baby. She was certain Rose was having a boy and everybody else was certain she was having a girl. More than anything, Lily wanted to be right.
When she first heard the phone ringing, a ringing phone played out in the dream she was experiencing. Then she jolted herself awake, threw back the quilt, grabbed a flashlight and raced out the door. Just when she got to the phone in the barn, it stopped ringing. Immediately, she called Rose’s number, figuring it must be Mark calling with news. Who else would it be at that time of night?
Mark picked up the phone immediately. “Hello?”
“Mark, has she had the boppli?”
“Who’s this?”
“It’s Lily.”
“I was just calling you.”
“I know. I just reached for the phone and it stopped. Quick, tell me the news!”
“Rose and I have a dochder.”
“You do?”
“Jah.” He chuckled.
“That’s wunderbaar news. Congratulations. I’ll wake everyone up. They’ll all be very excited.”
Mark chuckled again. “I’ve got a list of people to call.”
“I won’t hold you up. Is Rose okay?”
“Things went wonderfully well. The midwife said it was a fast birth for a first boppli. And she’s healthy.”
“Gut. Denke for letting us know, Mark.”
“Bye, Lily.” The receiver clicked in her ear.
Lily hung up and, with the flashlight illuminating her way, walked back to the house in the darkness. She raced back into the house as fast as she could. The first person to hear the news should be her father. It was still dark, so she flashed her light onto the clock on the mantle to see what time of the morning it was. After she ran up the stairs two at a time, she ran into his room. “Dat!”
He sat bolt upright. “What?”
“The boppli’s here. Rose’s boppli.”
“Is Rose okay?”
“Mark said she’s fine. She’s only just been born.”
“She?”
“Jah, she’s a girl.”
“Good.” He rubbed his beard. “A girl. That is gut news. What time is it?”
She had to think hard with her brain being so foggy. “Two thirty.”
“I’ll stop by and see her before work. Will your mudder still be there, or is she coming home?”
“I don’t know. No one said anything. She might stay the night there. I’m going to wake the cousins and tell them. Gut nacht, Dat.” Lily leaned over and kissed her father on his forehead before she hurried out of his room.
“Gut nacht, Lily.”
It felt strange to Lily that one of her sisters had
a boppli of her own. It was different when her sisters-in-law had babies. She couldn’t wait to see Rose and the new baby, but she’d have to wait until after work.
She went into Violet’s room and on hearing her snoring softly, didn’t have the heart to wake her. Peeping into Willow’s room, she saw her moving slowly and uncomfortably. “Psst, Willow.”
Willow turned around, whimpered, then opened her eyes before she sat up. “What’s going on?”
“I’ve got another niece.”
“True? Rose’s had the boppli already?”
“Jah, a girl.”
“Oh, that’s wunderbaar. Can we go see her now?”
“Nee, Rose will be tired,” Lily said.
“Does Violet know?”
“Nee, she’s snoring.”
Willow giggled. “I’ll tell her in the morning.”
“Okay.”
“Now I won’t be able to sleep,” Willow said.
“Me either, but I’m going to try my best. I have to work.” Lily sighed. “Anyway, how are you feeling now? How’s your shoulder?”
“Everything’s aching. That’s why I haven’t slept. I can’t get comfortable.”
“Can I get you something? Give me the hot water bottle and I’ll make it hot again.”
“Nee, that’s okay. It doesn’t really help.” Willow exhaled deeply. “I don’t think so anyway. I just wish I could get some sleep.”
“I’ll see you in the morning. If you need anything, yell out. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping much either. I’m too excited.”
“Okay, denke. Night, Lily.”
“Gut nacht.” Lily headed downstairs and then dragged her pillow and quilt back to the comfort of her own bed. Slipping between the covers, she thought about her sisters and how all of them had married good men. Would she remain the odd one out? Daisy had met Bruno quite unexpectedly. Rose and Mark had worked close together at the markets for years. And Tulip had met Wilhem through his cousin, Jonathon.
Chapter 8
When Lily got to work the next morning, she couldn’t wait to tell Matthew about the baby.
“Guess what, Matthew?”
“I know. Your schweschder and Mark have a dochder.”
“What? How did you hear that already?”
“Um … Mark is my bruder.”
“That’s right.” Lily felt silly. Of course he would’ve heard about it. Mark would’ve called him.
Matthew added, “It’s only normal he’d tell his family.”
Lily laughed. “I’m quite dumb sometimes.”
He smiled and shook his head. “You said it, not me.”
Lily ignored his comment. Nothing would upset her today. “I’m going to stop by tonight and see her.”
“That’s exciting for you. Tell Rose I said hi.”
“I will. When are you going to see the boppli?”
“When I’m invited.”
“Do you think that I should wait to be invited?”
“Nee. Your Rose’s schweschder, so that’s different.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”
“Girls and bopplis … you know?”
“What? You mean men aren’t interested in bopplis?” Lily asked.
“That’s right—not especially. Unless they’re their own.”
“This is your niece, though, Matthew.”
“Yeah, I know and I’ll still wait until I’m invited.”
Lily shook her head. “You’re way too polite, Matthew.”
“Denke.”
Lily pulled a face. “That’s not a compliment.”
“I know you didn’t mean it as one, but I’m taking it as one.”
“Men!” Lily got busy serving some customers and then when she became free again, she looked over at Matthew. A man had been talking to him for quite a while without buying anything. The man wore a dark suit and tie, which made him look kind of official and important.
When the visitor left, Lily walked over to Matthew’s stall. “Did you know that man who was just here?”
“Jah, he’s my distributor.”
“Distributor for what?”
“For the products I’ve created.”
Lily was intrigued and stepped closer. “What products?” This was the first time she was hearing about products. They’d talked so much yesterday in between customers, it was strange he hadn’t mentioned products then.
“I’ve created a line of goats’ milk skincare.”
Lily burst out laughing. Skincare was the last thing she would think an Amish man would care about. When he just stood there looking rather hurt, she stopped laughing and cleared her throat. There was a small chance he was serious. She had guessed that since his family ran a goat dairy farm the products might have been to do with goats, but thought it would be something edible.
“For real?” she asked.
He nodded. “Jah, for real. I saw similar products out there and I thought why not get into that?”
Lily raised her eyebrows and placed her hand over her stomach, trying not to laugh. “Isn’t skincare for women?”
“Jah, the products are for women.”
Lily stared at him, trying not to laugh. He was simply ridiculous and his face was so serious. “But you’re a man.”
“It doesn’t matter. Men can create products for women. They don’t have to be made by women.”
His quiet confidence made her think twice. “How do you even know anything about skincare?”
“Well, we’ve got goats—obviously—so I thought there’s no reason that my family and I couldn’t do more with our range other than just products people can eat. We’re increasing our range.”
“And what was, or what is, that man doing for you?”
“He’s getting the products into pharmacies and department stores.”
“Really? And your family’s agreed to this?”
“I’m kind of doing it by myself. They don’t want to take their focus off the dairy.”
She stared at Matthew, seeing him in a new light. He was a real man, a man who got things done, and he would make some woman a wonderful provider.
“I’m impressed with what you’ve done, Matthew. This is a big thing.”
His eyes opened wider. “Really?”
She nodded. “I’m sorry I laughed about it. I shouldn’t have. It was foolish of me. It sounded strange. I guess it sounded strange because it was so unexpected. You’ve done something really wunderbaar! And you thought of this all on your own?”
“Jah, after I saw other goats’ milk products, but I’m sure mine are better. I got together with a chemist to create the range. It’s free of nasty chemicals.”
“Wow!” Lily glanced over and saw customers approaching. “I’d like to hear more about it later.”
“You would?”
“Jah.” Lily giggled. “You might be able to give me some free samples.”
* * *
Lily was pleased to have a job at last. It gave her some independence. Now she was on her way to see Rose and her baby on the way home from work. She hadn’t needed to consult anyone about it. If she’d been at home all day, she would’ve needed permission to leave and to use the buggy.
When she reached the house, she was pleased that there were no buggies there.
She walked up to the door and knocked on it and within seconds Mark opened the door.
“Lily, come in.”
“Is Rose awake?”
“Jah.” He chuckled. “We haven’t had much sleep.”
“I can come back later if it’s a bad time.”
“Nee, come in. Rose would like to see you. Your mudder went home earlier.”
“Did Dat come?” Lily asked as she walked through the front door.
“Early this morning.” Mark led the way to the bedroom where Rose was lying in bed with her baby curled up beside her rather than in the crib.
Lily rushed forward and looked at the baby. “Oh, Rose, she’s so tiny.” Then she gave Rose a hug. “How does i
t feel to be a mudder?”
“It’s better than anything. I love her more than anything already.”
Lily glanced up at Mark to see how he took that news.
He chuckled. “It’s okay, Lily. I’d already figured out where I stood.”
Rose continued, “There’s nothing like a mudder’s love and now I know what it feels like. I loved her when she was inside me, but now she’s out and … it’s just more real. And now I can hold her.”
“I’ll leave you two alone.” Mark backed away.
“Do you need anything, Rose? I should’ve thought to bring you something.”
“I’ve got everything I need.”
There was another knock on the door.
“Who could that be?” Rose asked.
Lily raced to the window. “It’s Mamm with Violet.”
“Oh, gut.”
“Has Tulip already been to see you?”
“Nee.”
“So, I’ve been the first schweschder to see Sarah?”
“Jah. You have.”
Lily was delighted about that.
Soon, the other guests were shown into Rose’s room.
They all waited anxiously for the baby to wake up so they could hold her. Rose didn’t want anyone to disturb her while she was asleep. They sat on the edge of Rose’s bed except for Violet who sat cross-legged on the rug on the floorboards.
“Where’s Willow?” Rose asked.
“She had a hard fall when she was ice-skating and she didn’t feel well enough to come,” Violet said.
“I hope she’ll be all right.”
“She will. She just needs to rest,” Nancy said.
When they heard another buggy, they all looked out the window.
“Who is it?” Rose asked.
“It’s Tulip!” Violet said.
They all waited while Mark showed her into Rose’s room. Tulip hugged Rose and then turned her attention to the small sleeping baby. “She’s beautiful, so beautiful.” Then Tulip cleared her throat. “There’s something I want to tell everybody.”
Everybody looked at Tulip expectantly and remained silent. “Sarah will soon have a cousin.”
Nancy leaped to her feet. “You’re not, are you?”
Amish Lily Page 4
