A Precious Gift

by Shelley Shepard Gray

  And even more importantly, he realized now that he couldn’t bear for it to be lost for good. She was important to him, and he wanted her in his life. Now all he had to do was figure out how to make sure they both knew that.

  * * *

  An hour later, Jimmy knew he would always be glad that he’d listened to his parents. It took a lot of convincing, but he managed to convince Sarah to take a walk with him. She’d wanted to go someplace nearby, which meant they were walking in one of Sarah’s family’s fields. As romantic or perfect sites went, Jimmy reckoned it had a lot to be desired.

  But perhaps it was better this way. The utilitarian area suited their relationship. Nothing about them had ever been full of grand gestures or exciting moments.

  But, then again, those were things he had once thought weren’t necessary. Instead, he’d yearned for something longer lasting and steadfast. Now he realized that it was possible to have both.

  “Jimmy, what did you come over here to talk about?”

  She sounded impatient, but she sounded anxious, too. As if she was hoping for him to say something special. With his mother’s prodding still ringing in his ears, he spoke. “Sarah, I came over to tell you a lot of things. That I’m sorry I haven’t been more attentive. That I wish I would’ve complimented you more and been more affectionate. I wish I would have asked you more about your days and talked about work less.”

  He paused for a breath. When he saw that she was still staring at him intently, he continued. “But, Sarah, most of all, I think the two of us deserve to work harder and fix our relationship. I think our future deserves that.”

  Her gaze softened. “I don’t know if that’s possible.”

  Looking at the fields, he smiled. These fields were much like their lives. Fitting symbols, even. “Sarah, do you remember back when we were just fourteen or fifteen?”

  “Of course. What about it?”

  She still had her guard up. He tried again. “I’m remembering the time just after we’d graduated school and we thought we were so old and mature.”

  Slowly she smiled. “My, but we were full of ourselves.” She shook her head. “I was sure I knew everything back then.”

  “My father had already explained to me that I would have new jobs around the farm, but that I was also going to be allowed to have some extra time, too.”

  “So we could run around.”

  “But all I wanted to do was be with you,” he murmured. “I thought you were the sweetest, most perfect girl I’d ever met.”

  Her eyes widened. “You never told me that.”

  “I didn’t know how. Or maybe I was too afraid? But just because I never said the words didn’t mean I never thought them.” While she continued to stare at him in wonder, he said, “The reason I brought it up was because I remember the first time we sat together at a singing.”

  “And then after, you held my hand.”

  He nodded. “I felt like I had done something pretty amazing, getting you to settle on me.”

  She laughed softly. “I don’t understand.”

  “You could have had anyone, Sarah. But you chose me.”

  Something new flickered in her eyes. “What do you think happened?”

  “I’m not sure. Maybe I was so used to having you by my side, I stopped worrying about losing you?” He gestured to the fields. “Or, maybe, instead, we had to wait for the right time. Just like some years a field needs to rest in order to produce a good crop, maybe our relationship needed some time to settle and grow, too.”

  “It feels like it’s taken a long time for us.”

  “Compared to Harley and Katie? Maybe, maybe not. They were friends for years before their romance blossomed.”

  “And your brother with the English girl?”

  “Kyle and Gabby were meant to be together, I think. When I see them together, I realize they make sense. Even though everything about the two of them shouldn’t work, it does. They’re a good couple.”

  Before she could comment on that, he turned to face her and reached for both of her hands. “Sarah, I want us to try again. I want to stop worrying about the perfect time and be impulsive and just be together.”

  She looked up at him, hesitancy bright in her eyes. “I want a future with you. But do you think it’s even possible?”

  Because he had seen not only hesitancy but also longing in her gaze, he knew it was. After all this time, and after all the delays, the love that they had for each other was still there.

  Feeling like he was finally following his heart instead of the doubts in his head, he cupped her cheeks in his hands and kissed her. Sarah inhaled sharply before relaxing against him and kissing him back with all the love and passion that he’d ever dreamed about.

  After several long seconds, he pulled back, breathless.

  And then smiled. “Jah. Sarah. I think a good and certain future between us is very possible. In fact, there is no doubt in my mind at all.”

  Sarah, looking as young and beautiful as she had when he’d first fallen in love with her, smiled right back.

  And then, to his surprise, reached for him again.

  TWELVE

  “So that’s what I did. When we got home, I admitted to Mamm and Daed that I’d disobeyed Harley, got stuck in a tree, and would’ve been alone in the woods if the Eight hadn’t gotten me out. Just as I had expected, our father was mighty upset.”

  To Gabby’s surprise, going to the Amish midwife with Kyle and his mother hadn’t been as awkward or strange as she’d thought it was going to be. Milly was in her early thirties, very matter of fact and competent, and also incredibly comforting and kind. From the time Gabby first met her, to the private examination, to the later meeting with both Kyle and Mrs. Lambright, Gabby had felt at ease.

  She’d also realized that she’d been guilty of harboring some preconceived prejudices that hadn’t been fair at all. It seemed that even though she’d had many experiences to the contrary, her mother’s views of Amish culture had rubbed off on her. She’d almost been expecting an old woman in a dark room ordering her about. Not the pleasant examining room in the back of Milly’s house.

  “How do you feel now?” Kyle asked as they rode back to their house in the buggy. He was driving the horse and she was sitting snugly by his side. Mrs. Lambright was on Gabby’s right. Sitting so close together felt a little awkward. But yet again, Mrs. Lambright’s sweet demeanor and Kyle’s positive manner made the journey easier than she’d anticipated.

  “I feel a lot less nervous,” Gabby admitted. “I wasn’t sure what to expect would happen at an Amish midwife.”

  “Did you think she would be a lot different than a regular doktah?”

  “Yes.” Feeling self-conscious, she added, “No offense, Emma.”

  Kyle’s mother chuckled softly. “None taken. You forget that I spent a lot of time with all of my kinner’s friends. Most were Amish, but many were not. Because of that, I’m used to giving most people the benefit of the doubt.”

  “I guess that’s worked in my benefit.”

  Emma’s eyes widened. “Not at all, Gabby. Kyle’s father and I have liked you from the moment we first met.”

  Taking a chance, Gabby glanced at Kyle, then said, “I’m sure you wish Kyle had dated another girl . . .”

  “You two will be fine, Gabby. The Lord makes His plans, jah? I wish you wouldn’t worry so.”

  “I’ll try not to,” she promised, but she knew that would be a hard promise to keep. Everything in her life was so different right now, and her future was so up in the air. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen.

  “Well, look at that. I didn’t expect to see him here,” Kyle said as he slowed the buggy near the barn.

  Gabby turned to look where Kyle was staring and felt a jolt of surprise. Lane was sitting on the Lambright’s front porch steps and watching them pull up.

  “Who is that?” Emma asked.

  “Gabby’s brother.” Kyle didn’t sound pleased. “Gabby, what do you wa
nt me to do? Do you want to see him, or should I ask him to leave?”

  She’d been so shocked to see her brother that it took Gabby a long minute to reply.

  “I can’t believe Lane is here,” she whispered. “What do you think he wants?” Though he hadn’t been mean to her before she left, he hadn’t stopped by. Not one time. She’d been disappointed but had figured that her mother had convinced him to stay away.

  But maybe that hadn’t been the case at all?

  Kyle set the brake on the buggy. “Let’s go see.”

  Though a part of her wanted to avoid him, she nodded. She’d already learned that avoiding uncomfortable topics didn’t necessarily make them go away.

  “One thing at a time, Gabby,” his mother said as she slid down from the buggy. “Remember?”

  “I remember. Thank you,” Gabby said as Kyle helped her down.

  Feeling Kyle’s strong hands on her waist, she exhaled. No matter what happened, she had Kyle, and that was most important. Besides, Emma was right. All worrying about the worst possible scenario would ever do for her was make her even more stressed-out.

  “We’ll be all right, Mamm,” Kyle murmured.

  Emma smiled. “I think that is true. I’ll be just inside if you two need me.”

  “Jah, Mamm. Danke.” Smiling at Gabby again before looking at Lane, he said, “Let me go put Lightning back in his stall.”

  She nodded but didn’t walk over to the house until Kyle returned to her side.

  As they walked over, Lane watched them silently.

  Gabby didn’t think he looked angry, just tense. When they got near, he at last stood up.

  “Hey,” he said.

  “Lane,” Kyle said with a nod.

  “Hi,” she said simply. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

  He hung his head before lifting his chin and speaking. “I should’ve come over the day you moved out. Or in the weeks since.”

  Yes, he should have.

  All their lives she’d tried to make things easier for him. But now all she wanted to do was make him see that she might be his older sister but that she had feelings, too. “Why didn’t you?”

  “You know why. Mom.”

  He was actually going to blame his actions on their mother? Gabby was sure she hadn’t been around. He was also sixteen. He wasn’t a small child, he could have found a way to come over to the Lambrights’ home if he’d really wanted to.

  “Okay,” she said at last. “I guess that tells me everything I need to know.” And yes, she had let a good dose of sarcasm seep into her tone.

  Kyle edged closer to her, offering her support. “Let’s go inside. Gabby could probably use a glass of water, and you could, too.”

  “Thanks, but I can’t,” Lane said. “I need to get to class. I really just wanted to tell you that I’m sorry that I worried so much about Mom that I wasn’t around for you. But that’s changed. I want to be here for you … and the baby.”

  She scanned his face, noticing that he looked as sincere as his words sounded. “Does Mom know you came over here?” she asked quietly.

  His chin lifted. “Yes.”

  Hope flared. “Did she encourage you to stop by?” Maybe things with her mom were going to get better after all.

  He shook his head. “Nah. I told her I wanted to see you, that there was no way I was going to kick you out of my life, even if she did.”

  “What did she say to that?”

  “Not a lot, but she didn’t yell or anything.” He shrugged. “Can I stop over later this week? Will you be around?”

  “Yeah. I’ll be around.” She looked at Kyle.

  Once again, he didn’t disappoint. “Anytime you want to come over to see Gabby, just show up, Lane,” he said. “No matter what.”

  “Thanks,” Lane said before pulling Gabby into a quick, awkward hug.

  She hugged him back before he dropped his arms and hurried to his car—her old Camry.

  As they watched him leave, Kyle said, “Does it bother you that he is driving your car now?”

  She thought about her answer before speaking. “No. He needs it more than me.” And that really was the truth. She had moved on.

  “You sound so sure about that.”

  “I am. See, I have you now.” Gabby smiled up at him.

  The smile he returned meant the world to her. And so did the sweet kiss and hug he gave her, too.

  “Let’s go inside and get you something to eat before I go help my brother,” he said as he started walking.

  His words reassured her that everything, no matter how new or stressful it might be, was going to be just fine.

  THIRTEEN

  “But I hadn’t expected Harley to stay by my side when I told my story.”

  Another week had passed. After taking a leave of absence from her job, Gabby settled into the Lambrights’ routine. On some days, she’d even felt like part of the family. She’d stopped being so worried about doing or saying the wrong things. Instead, she’d just decided to do her best, knowing that was enough for Kyle and his family.

  Actually, she’d gotten so relaxed that she hadn’t really been watching what she’d been doing when she’d tripped over a forgotten hoe and fell hard on the cement.

  Mr. Lambright had been the one to rush to her side. “Gabby? Gabby, are you all right, child?”

  She struggled to sit up. “I think so.” Though tears were in her eyes, she attempted to shake them off. “That hoe got the best of me. I guess I should’ve been looking where I was going.”

  “Someone should have cleaned up after themselves.” He stood and helped her to her feet. When he noticed her wince, he frowned. “We better take you to the hospital, I think.”

  All she could think about was the expense and the trouble. “No, I’m fine. It was just a silly mistake.”

  “Perhaps. But silly mistakes can have serious consequences, jah?” Before she could say another word, he murmured, “It’s better to be safe than sorry,” before telling her to sit down while he walked down the street to the phone shanty that they shared with a couple of other families and called for a driver.

  * * *

  Now, sitting in the hospital bed and hooked up to a monitor, Gabby kept repeating William’s words of wisdom to herself. Tripping over a forgotten hoe and falling hard on the cement had been a stupid accident, but it really was better to be safe than sorry. She realized that even though she’d been upset about the baby initially, he or she was very much wanted now. She needed to take special care.

  At first Gabby had been surprised that William hadn’t insisted on them going to see Milly, the midwife. But he’d shaken his head and said that in this instance they should take advantage of modern technology.

  As the monitor beeped and the blood pressure cuff tightened on her arm, Gabby shifted uncomfortably. Though the room was relatively quiet and everyone had been very nice, she was still surprised at how uneasy she felt in the sterile environment.

  During the six weeks that she’d lived with the Lambright family, she had gradually become accustomed to a warmer, more familiar environment. The rushing nurses, brusque doctors, and cold cotton sheets on her hospital bed were a far cry from Kyle’s family and the soft, worn sheets, blankets, and quilts that she now slept on.

  “Gabby?”

  Startled, she turned to the open doorway. After checking her in and sitting by her side when the nurses took her vitals, William had vacated the room. She knew he was giving her privacy, as well as attempting to reach the rest of the family.

  He’d obviously been successful, because there was Kyle. He was still dressed in his work clothes, and his shirt looked a little damp from sweat. But his face and hair looked damp and freshly scrubbed.

  He also looked panicked.

  “Hey,” she said. “I’m okay.”

  He crossed the room and reached for her hand. “Are you sure? You’ve got a lot of machines hooked up to you.”

  “I know, but they don’t hurt or anything
.”

  Still looking stricken, he said, “I’m so sorry I wasn’t at home with you.”

  “You were working at Emerson’s remodel with Harley. That was important. I was fine with your dad.”

  “And I canna believe you tripped over a hoe. I’ll see who left it out and—”

  “You’ll do no such thing. It was simply an accident.”

  He didn’t look like he believed her. “An accident that could have been prevented.” Looking increasingly pained, he murmured, “I’ll never forgive myself if something happens to our babe.”

  “The doctor already listened for the heartbeat and did a sonogram. He said it’s okay. He just wants me to stay here for a couple more hours to be on the safe side.”

  “They’re sure that everything’s all right?”

  “They’re as sure as anyone can be, I think.” She squeezed his fingers. “Calm down. You’re going to make me stressed-out, staring at me like that.”

  He exhaled. “Sorry.” After kissing her knuckles, he moved to sit on the side of her bed. “I canna tell you how glad I am to see you looking so good. My heart nearly stopped when Harley told me the news.”

  “Harley told you?”

  “Jah. Mei daed called Harley from the shanty, and then Harley told me. I couldn’t get over here fast enough.”

  Warmth spread through her as his sweet words sank in. This was the type of man Kyle was—the type to drop everything to be by her side.

  “I’m not going to lie, I was pretty scared there for a while, too,” she admitted. “But your daed really helped. He was the one who said we needed to call for a driver and get to the hospital.”

  He grinned. “There is something between you and Daed that’s mighty special. I’m glad, but it never fails to take me by surprise.”

  Thinking about how well she got along with Kyle’s rather formidable, rarely smiling father, she smiled back at him. “Sometimes I feel the same way.”

  It was then that he noticed the bandages on her palm and her knee and cheek. “Gabby, you are hurt.”