A bell sounded, signaling the end of visiting hours.
“We’ll come back and see you tomorrow,” Sarah said.
Joshua’s eyebrows pinched together. “Nee don’t. It’s too much trouble.”
Benjamin huffed. “We want to see you, Dat.”
“I know, but it’s a lot of trouble to get here in the taxi and Mrs. Kurtz has to have someone mind Gretel and get the both of you organized.”
“We don’t mind,” Sarah said.
“See, Dat? It’s okay with Mrs. Kurtz.”
He nodded. “Okay.”
The children hugged their father goodbye.
Just as they were walking out of the ward, they ran into the bishop and his wife.
“How is he?” the bishop asked.
“He’s doing okay. He might be out in a day or two, but he’ll be on crutches.”
When the bell sounded again, the bishop said, “I’ll go and see him quickly before I’m thrown out.”
Chapter 22
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee:
let such as love thy salvation say continually,
The Lord be magnified.
Psalm 40:16
* * *
Two days later, it was Christmas Eve and Joshua had been given the all clear to leave the hospital. He had insisted on coming home in a taxi by himself rather than having Sarah coming to get him.
When Joshua’s taxi drove up to the house, his two children ran out to him.
Sarah walked out just as the taxi drove away.
He looked up at her. “Hello, Sarah.”
“Hello. Do you want to come into my haus? I’ve got a meal ready, or I could bring it into you at your haus.”
“I’d like to come into your haus, Sarah, denke.”
Sarah was surprised. She thought he’d want to get back into his own place.
The children followed him to the couch and then sat by him.
“Look at the tree, Dat. Mrs. Kurtz showed us how to make decorations out of paper.”
“It looks wunderbaar.”
“It kept us busy,” Sarah said.
Soon, the children were distracted by Gretel’s cooing. They started showing her some wooden shapes and laughing at her different expressions as she waved her arms and kicked her little legs.
“Would you like kaffe or anything?” Sarah asked.
“Nee, just come and sit by me.”
“I forgot. A letter came for you.” She fetched the letter and then handed it to him as she sat down.
“Denke.” He ripped it open and unfolded the one sheet of paper. His lips slowly turned upward at the corners as he read. “Well, that’s good.”
“What’s that?”
“My money just came through.”
“Wunderbaar.”
“Sarah, do you remember what I asked you when I was trapped in that barn?”
“I do, but I’m surprised that you remember it.”
“I do. And I meant it.”
She stared at him. “You did?”
“Come closer.”
She leaned closer and then he took her hand, and whispered, “I want to make you my wife. Will you marry me?”
Unable to find words she stared into his eyes.
He continued, “I know we didn’t get off well when we first met, and that was entirely my fault. It must have been a shock for you to find us in your haus.”
Sarah giggled. “It was, and you continued to surprise me.”
“I suppose I did and not in a good way. You told me how important Christmas is to you and tomorrow is Christmas day. I want you to have the security to know that we’ll all be a family, if that’s what you want. I’d marry you tomorrow, but I think the bishop wouldn’t be able to marry us that quickly.”
She looked down.
“Say something?” he pleaded. “Tell me how you’re feeling. I know we probably don’t know each other that well, but I feel there’s something between us and I’m hoping you feel it too.”
“Everything in my life has changed since Joel died. I’m a widow, I'm living in a different place, and now Gretel is here. I do feel the same as what you said, that there's something between us, and it would make me very happy to marry you and we could raise our kinner together.”
“Really? You mean that?”
She nodded.
“You’ve made me so happy. When will we tell Benjamin and Holly?”
“What about Christmas morning? It’ll be a time for them to always remember. Christmas! I need to start cooking for Christmas and getting everything ready. You and I and the kinner have been invited to have the evening meal at Nellie’s haus, but we’ll have two meals here before that.”
He laughed. “It doesn’t matter what we have. We’ll be together. This will be our first Christmas together.”
“That’s why it has to be perfect.”
“It will be, because we’ll all be together. I’ve got plenty of food for Christmas next door. I’ll bring it over and we can cook it here.”
“I’ve got plenty too.”
“Sarah, I want to explain why I was so awful to you.”
“It doesn’t matter now. I’ve got so much to do.”
“The children and I will all help. I’m not sick. I’m not even in any pain. I can watch, but I really won’t be much use in the kitchen.”
“Okay, we’ll all make some food ready for tomorrow and you can watch. I’ll just give Gretel her bottle and then we can cook while she’s asleep.”
Sarah headed to the kitchen to get Gretel her bottle. This was everything she had wanted. She now had a family and her house, this gift from Onkel Harold, was full.
Chapter 23
Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust,
and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.
Psalm 40:4
* * *
It was early in the morning when Joshua and his children came over to her place. Snow was lightly falling, and flakes swept in through the door when they came inside.
After they had greeted one another, Benjamin hurried over and placed some presents under the tree and then he helped his father who was already busy making the fire hotter.
Sarah smiled at Joshua walking in on his crutches and still trying to take over. His attitude had annoyed her at first, but now she knew he wasn’t doing it to be demeaning, he was doing things out of genuine goodness, unaware that he might be too forceful in his actions.
Sarah took the opportunity to fetch the surprises that Holly had made for her father and brother and put them under the small tree.
“They’ll like them, I’m sure,” Sarah whispered to Holly.
Holly smiled and nodded as she stared at the bright paper-wrapped presents.
“Is everyone ready for breakfast?”
“I am,” Benjamin said.
“Me too,” Holly said, heading to the kitchen.
Joshua pushed on his crutches and straightened himself from his crouched position by the fire.
“Are you feeling okay?” Sarah asked Joshua.
“I’ve never been better.”
Sarah gave a small giggle.
“Gretel’s asleep?” Joshua asked.
“Jah, she’ll sleep most of the morning. She was up early to eat. Now, I’ve got pancakes, eggs, bagels…”
“I do have an appetite right now.”
“Gut." They headed to the kitchen.
Throughout the breakfast, Sarah was nervous about what Benjamin and Holly would say about her marrying the man they called ‘Dat.’ The man who’d raised them and the only parent they’d had for a long time. She glanced over at Joshua, wondering if he’d tell them this morning or later in the day.
Finally, he said, “Benjamin and Holly, I’ve got something to tell you.”
“What is it?”
“Mrs. Kurtz has agreed to marry me.”
“Really?” Benjamin looked between the two of them.
Sarah nodded
, hoping he’d be okay with it.
“Wait a minute. Does that mean we’ll all live in the same haus?” Benjamin asked.
“It does.”
“Will you be our Mamm?” Holly asked.
“I will, and Gretel will be your schweschder.”
Holly’s eyes opened wide and she clapped her hands together with delight. “I won’t be the youngest anymore. Can we call you Mamm?” Holly breathlessly pushed some strands of hair away from her face.
Sarah reached over and smoothed her hair. “You can.”
“I’m glad you’ll be my new Mamm,” Holly said.
“Can we start calling you Mamm now?” Benjamin asked.
Sarah glanced over at Joshua, who said, “You might as well get into the habit of it because she’ll be your Mamm soon enough.”
“When?” Holly asked.
“Four weeks.”
Sarah looked up. “That soon?”
“Jah. Is that too soon for you?”
She shook her head. “Nee.”
“This is the best news I’ve heard for a long time,” Benjamin said.
“Me too,” Holly agreed.
“Where will we live? In your new haus, Dat?”
“We haven’t bought one yet. I’ll have to discuss all those kinds of things with your new mudder. We might want to stay right here. Who knows?"
“Jah, we’ve got many things to talk about and we wanted you two to be the first to know.” Sarah noticed that Holly looked particularly pleased to be the first to know. “Anyone for more pancakes?”
Benjamin shot up his hand.
“You don’t want to get a bellyache, Benjamin. Don’t you think you’ve had enough?”
“Nee, not nearly.”
“I’ll cook some more. Anyone else?”
“Can I have just one more?” Holly asked in a small voice.
“Of course you can.”
After the breakfast was over, Sarah had Holly help her in the kitchen while Joshua and Benjamin sat in the living room watching the snow fall out the window.
“I hope they like what I sewed for them,” Holly said.
“They will. I’m certain of it.”
Once the kitchen was clean, Sarah walked out of the kitchen holding Holly’s hand. “It looks like we have some presents under the tree. Shall we open them?”
“Jah,” Benjamin called out. “I didn’t like to ask, but I was waiting until someone said we should open them.”
“Can I give mine out first?” Holly asked.
“Okay,” Sarah said as she sat down on the couch.
Holly passed her father and Benjamin their presents and then she passed one to Sarah. “And this is yours, Mamm.”
“Mine?”
Holly nodded. “It’s from the three of us; Dat as well.”
Sarah looked down at the round parcel and then unwrapped it to see a snow globe. “Oh, it’s so beautiful,” she said softly.
“We thought it looked like this haus,” Benjamin said.
Holly said, “Turn it upside down and it looks like it’s snowing.”
Sarah turned it upside down and watched as the snowflakes fell. “It’s very pretty. I love it. Denke.” She turned to look at the others. “Were you waiting for me? You can open Holly’s presents now.”
Holly stood close by Sarah and watched them open their presents.
Benjamin got his unwrapped first. “Holly, did you sew this?”
“Jah, all by myself. Mrs., oh, I mean Mamm showed me, and told me how to do it.”
“Denke. It’s really gut!”
Holly giggled.
Joshua now had his gift unwrapped.
“Watch and Pray. Denke, Holly. It’s wunderbaar.”
“She sews very well,” Sarah said.
“I didn’t know how until you showed me,” Holly said to Sarah.
“Now you could most likely sew anything you wanted.”
Joshua held up the sampler. “I will watch and pray. I’ll find a special place to hang this.”
Sarah rose to her feet and handed out her gifts to them. She gave Joshua a coffee grinder, Benjamin a pocket knife, and Holly a sewing kit.
“Holly if you go under that tree, I have something for you and something for Benjamin. They're in the green paper.”
“Denke, Dat.”
“You haven’t opened it yet.”
Holly giggled and then opened her present to see that it was another sewing kit.
Holly laughed to see it, and the others joined her.
“We had the same thoughts,” Joshua said to Sarah.
“Jah, next time we’ll have to discuss these things.”
Holly held them both up. “I’ve got lots of sewing things now. I can sew every day.”
“You can.” Sarah looked over to see that Benjamin had just opened his gift and it was a fishing hook and a sinker.
Joshua said, “I couldn’t wrap the whole thing. I’ve got the rest hidden in the barn. It’s a new fishing rod.”
“Wow! Denke, Dat.”
Gretel’s cries were heard from the bedroom upstairs.
"I’ll get her a bottle and she can join us."
Soon, Gretel was nestled in Sarah’s arms drinking her bottle.
“Dat, can we play some games?”
“Jah, that would be a gut idea. Do you have any here, Sarah?”
“Nee, I don’t. I haven’t had any since I was a child and it’ll be a while before Gretel is ready for games.”
“Benjamin, go back to the haus and bring some back.”
Benjamin disappeared and came back a few minutes later with an armful of games. The children were settled down with the games while Sarah and Joshua stared at one another from across the couch.
“You’re too far away. It’s easier for you to move than me with these crutches.”
Sarah stood up with Gretel in her arms and sat next to him.
“I was miserable until you arrived here, Sarah. That’s why I was horrible to you because inside I was wretched. You’ve changed me, Sarah Kurtz.”
She gave a little giggle. “Gott listened to my prayers and He knows how I feel about Christmas and familye. I’ve got the familye that I’ve always wanted and we’re all here together on Christmas day.” Sarah stared into Joshua’s green eyes, knowing that he’d always look after her and Gretel just as he’d taken on the role of father to Holly and Benjamin.
God had taken away Sarah’s first love, Joel, for reasons of His own and she’d had no choice in that. After Joel’s death, Sarah prayed that she’d never be alone and now she had more than another husband—she had a ready-made family.
Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee:
let such as love thy salvation say continually,
The Lord be magnified.
Psalm 40:16
Thank you for your interest in Amish Widow’s Christmas. I do hope you enjoyed it.
If you’d like to stay up to date with my new releases and special offers, add your email at my website in the newsletter section.
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Blessings,
Samantha Price
* * *
If you liked reading Amish Widow’s Christmas, you might enjoy the these two Amish Christmas Romance novels. Or see overleaf if you’d like to continue with the Expectant Amish Widows series.
In Time For An Amish Christmas.
Amish Christmas Bride
The next in the series is:
Book 13 Amish Widow’s New Hope
* * *
They planned to return to the Amish.
A tragic accident caused Isla to continue their plans alone.
When Isla learns she's pregnant, her joy is overshadowed by worry that she won't find forgiveness in her former Amish community.
Isla does her best to create a new life while struggling with guilt and loss.
Will Isla be able to let go
of the past and embrace what God has designed for her future?
If you love reading Amish romances, you'll love this sweet romance tale of finding that one special man ... for a second time.
EXPECTANT AMISH WIDOWS
Book 1 Amish Widow's Hope
Book 2 The Pregnant Amish Widow
Book 3 Amish Widow's Faith
Book 4 Their Son's Amish Baby
Book 5 Amish Widow's Proposal
Book 6 The Pregnant Amish Nanny
Book 7 A Pregnant Widow's Amish Vacation
Book 8 The Amish Firefighter's Widow
Book 9 Amish Widow's Secret
Book 10 The Middle-Aged Amish Widow
Book 11 Amish Widow's Escape
Book 12 Amish Widow's Christmas
Book 13 Amish Widow’s New Hope
Book 14 Amish Widow’s Story
Book 15 Amish Widow’s Decision
Book 16 Amish Widow’s Trust
Book 17 The Amish Potato Farmer’s Widow
About Samantha Price
USA Today Bestselling author, Samantha Price, wrote stories from a young age, but it wasn't until later in life that she took up writing full time. Formally an artist, she exchanged her paintbrush for the computer and, many best-selling book series later, has never looked back.
Samantha is happiest on her computer lost in the world of her characters. She is best known for the Ettie Smith Amish Mysteries series and the Expectant Amish Widows series.
www.SamanthaPriceAuthor.com
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