As soon as everything was hanging in the basement, she rushed up the stairs and put the bacon on to fry while she whipped up a batch of pancakes. Karl came out as she was setting plates on the table. "I'll go wake Simon," he said after kissing her good morning.
"Thank you," she said, watching him walk away. Her heart was full, but she hadn't mentioned her love yet. She needed to, but Karl was so unromantic. If she said she loved him, would he respond by telling her she should love him?
Karl came back down with a sleepy-looking Simon right behind him. Simon's eyes lit up when he saw the food on the table. "Are you going to cook every day?"
Sarah laughed. "Three times a day even."
Simon grinned. "And you didn't even make me do the dishes last night!"
Karl looked at Simon. "Did you do the dishes at your grandmother's house?"
"Yessir."
"Then you'll do dishes here. Sarah's taking on extra work by having you. It's the least you can do."
"Shoulda kept my big mouth shut." Simon stabbed a couple of pancakes off the stack, dragged them to his plate, and added butter and syrup. "At least I get to eat like a king."
"I noticed that your clothes need some mending, and I'm betting you've outgrown most of them, haven't you?" Sarah asked.
"Yeah. Nothing fits like it should. Grandma kept saying she'd get caught up as soon as she was better, but she never got better." Simon stabbed his pancake savagely.
Sarah looked over at Karl. "Do you mind if I put making more socks for you off for a little while? Simon's wardrobe needs a lot more help than yours does."
Karl shrugged. "Yeah, I can make do now that you've mended all of my others. Soon, though, because I wear two pairs on cold winter days when I'm out chopping."
"Thank you." Sarah looked at how the pants Simon wore fit him. They looked fine in the waist, but they were much too short. "We'll go to the store this morning before we start on your schoolwork. You can pick out what colors you want for your new pants and shirts."
"And socks?" he asked.
"Of course."
As soon as she finished eating, Sarah hurried to the sink to do the dishes. Karl stopped her. "Sarah, Simon will be doing the dishes from now on. You can keep sewing and mending."
Sarah turned from the sink, but it took effort. She didn't feel like Simon should be doing dishes, but she wouldn't argue with her husband. "Yes, Karl."
She got a pencil and paper and made a list of what she needed from the store instead. "Were you warm enough last night, Simon? Or do you need another quilt?"
"I need another if there's a spare."
Sarah nodded. "There is. You need to let me know whatever you need so I can take care of it."
Thirty minutes later, she'd kissed Karl goodbye, and she and Simon were on their way to the store. Mr. Fredericks took one look at Simon and asked Sarah how she and Karl had managed to have a son so quickly. Sarah had smiled, sending Simon off to find the color yarn he wanted his socks in while she quickly explained.
"Oh, that must be Mrs. Simmons's grandson. She was a nice lady."
Sarah collected the things she needed and quickly laid them on the counter. She found fabric for more pants and some shirts. She would use Simon's clothes that he'd outgrown as a pattern, and just make the new ones a little bigger. Not for the first time since she'd arrived in Minnesota, she said a quick prayer of thanks for the years she'd spent working in the factory. Sewing was second nature to her, and she was thankful for that.
"Do you want everything delivered, Mrs. Schneider?"
Sarah nodded. "I'll carry the yarn, because I can start knitting more socks right away. I must say, my hands are going to be much stronger by the time I finish making socks."
Mr. Fredericks grinned at her. "You're a good wife."
Sarah shrugged. "Not always, but I try." She took the four skeins of yarn and turned toward the door, Simon right beside her.
"I'll carry those, Sarah," he said quietly.
"All right." She passed them to him.
"I feel funny calling you by your first name. You don't mind?" Simon asked, worried he'd offend her.
"Not at all. I think it's probably best if you do. It certainly makes things easier for me. I'm not used to answering to Mrs. Schneider yet!"
As they walked, she realized he had no hat or scarf on, and the sleeves of his coat didn't reach all the way to his wrists. "Do you have a scarf and a hat? I can see I need to buy you a new coat." She could make one, of course, but there had been a good selection in the store, and that would save her some time.
"I left them in the coat room at school one day and never saw them again."
"Well, then we'll have to make you those as well. Preferably before you go back to school on Monday." She could see her days would be filled with knitting, sewing, and crocheting but little else for a while. Hopefully she could help him with school while she worked on the many things he needed.
When they reached the house, she sat down beside him at the table in the kitchen and she started on a pair of socks. He pulled out his school books, and frowned. "I do okay with math, but I'm really slow at reading and writing. Maybe I could just read out loud to you?"
"Absolutely. I think that will work well."
He followed along in his book with his finger under the word as he read, and she kept her knitting needles flying. It took her three hours to finish the first sock, and by then he was growing hoarse.
Sarah was pleased that he wasn't as far behind as he'd made it sound. His reading was good, but he needed to be helped with a few of the words here and there. "You've done well," she said. "Let me fix some lunch, and you take a break from reading."
Simon nodded, obviously relieved to get a break. He went to the sink and got himself a glass of water while she heated up some leftover beans for their lunch. She put a chicken on to boil, thinking she'd make chicken and dumplings for supper.
Simon explored the downstairs while she cooked. "This is a really nice house," he told her. "Karl must make a lot of money."
Sarah shrugged. "I have no idea. I've never asked." She knew he was right, but she didn't want him to think he could take advantage of the situation.
"Isn't that something you should know?" he asked.
"It's really none of my business. He gives me what I need to buy all of the supplies for the house, and I take care of things. That's how it should be."
Simon nodded, taking a seat at the table. "Are you going to bake more cookies today?"
Sarah shook her head. "Not today, there are enough left from yesterday. I need to bake some bread this afternoon though. You can read to me while I do it."
"Do you want me to help?"
"No, you're off school this week to give you a chance to catch up." She didn't think he needed it though. He wasn't really behind by much. What he needed more was time to grieve from the death of two grandmothers so close together.
"Yes, ma'am." He looked down at his school book. "I'd rather work than go to school."
"Why?" she asked, making no secret of how she felt about the idea.
"I feel like I need to earn my keep," he said, after a long minute of consideration. "I'm not related to you at all, but you've opened your house to me. It's the least I can do to help out."
Sarah shook her head. "No, you don't need to work to help out. Keep going to school so you can make a good living later, and that's all we ask."
"I know that feeding a boy my age takes a lot of money. Grandma used to complain about it all the time."
"Did it make you feel like she didn't want you?" Sarah asked.
He nodded. "I've always felt like a burden."
Sarah ladled the beans into two bowls and carried them to the table. "You're not a burden to us. We have plenty, and that leaves you time to go to school and learn."
"Does Karl feel the same way?"
Sarah nodded emphatically. "He'd probably let you help out on Saturdays if you wanted, but there's no need really."
; "Grandmother said I was lucky you had agreed to take me in, and that I should work hard to not be a burden."
"It's going to help out a lot with you doing the dishes. It will free up time for me to get other things done. I promise, we're happy to have you here." She realized it was true as she said the words. Karl didn't much like the lack of privacy, but he didn't seem to mind the boy. She made a mental note to tell Karl of his feelings, so they could work together to be sure they did nothing to make it worse.
Chapter Ten
At dinner that night, Karl brought up something Sarah hadn't yet thought of. "Have you considered what gifts we'll take to my brother, his wife and their boys for Christmas?"
Sarah gaped at him for a moment. "I don't even know them. How will I know what to take?"
He shrugged. "She's a new wife. I'm sure she could use some new recipes. I'll figure out something for Jakob. The boys are easy to please. Find them some trains from the store."
"I can't give them something so impersonal!" Sarah felt like she needed to stop doing everything and work on Christmas presents now. How would she ever get everything she needed to do finished? "I'm going to have to start mending while we talk in the evenings, Karl. There's just no way around it."
He nodded. "That's fine. And Simon's doing the dishes, so that will give you more time a couple of times a day."
Sarah sighed. "I'll figure something out for everyone."
Simon looked back and forth between them. "I have a good hand with whittling," he announced. "I could make the boys some wooden critters to set around."
Sarah gaped at him. "You could?"
He nodded. "I like doing it, and they end up right pretty."
"I'll let you do that then." Sarah looked at Karl. "Any ideas what kind of animals the boys would like?"
He shook his head. "Use your imagination. No wait—make Lukas, the younger boy, a skunk. I always tell him he stinks like a pole cat. And the older boy—let me think." He made a face, thinking for a minute. "Make a pig for the older boy, Konrad." Karl grinned, happy to find a way to insult the boys even as he gave them gifts.
Sarah just shook her head. "I can make a quilt for Jakob and his wife. What is her name anyway?"
Karl frowned. "I think it's Roberta. I'm not sure, though."
Sarah just gaped at him. "Roberta? She wasn't a mail-order bride from Massachusetts, was she?"
"I think she was. Why?"
Sarah dropped her fork and put her hands over her face, jumping up and rushing from the room. It couldn't be true. She and Roberta were married to brothers? And so close, without ever realizing it?
She wanted to insist Karl row her across the bay immediately, but then she realized she was due to see her on Christmas Day. There wasn't a better surprise for her life-long friend than her. She looked up as she dried her tears.
Karl sat beside her on the bed. "What did I say?"
"I think your brother married my best friend. We thought we were going to be very far apart, because of how much longer my train ride took than hers. But—I'm sure it's her."
"Is that a bad thing?" he asked, confused by her reaction.
"Well, I wasn't impressed with your brother when I met him, but no, it's not a bad thing at all."
"Then why are you crying? I don't understand."
Sarah sniffled, taking the handkerchief he offered her. "I'm crying because I'm happy. I'm going to see my friend, and I was worried we may never see each other again. Why, from what you said, we'll be close enough to visit frequently."
"So you're crying because you're happy? Because that makes no sense to me." He still wasn't sure what had happened.
"I don't expect it to make sense to you. That's the way it is, though." She brushed the tears off her face. "I'm sorry to seem so crazy. I'll be fine. I don't want you to tell Jakob what we've figured out though. I want to surprise Bobbie on Christmas morning."
"I'm not sure it's the same person. Jakob said her name was Roberta."
"Bobbie's name is Roberta. All of her friends call her Bobbie, though."
Karl shrugged. "Don't get your hopes up too high. I don't want you to be sad over Christmas."
Sarah shook her head. "I won't be. I promise."
*****
Sarah felt like her life had become like a snowball rolling down a hill, picking up more and more snow, and people and debris, as it rolled. All she could think about was Christmas. The holiday had always been special for her, but never like it was that year. In the six weeks leading up to the day, she did little but sleep, eat, and work, but she didn't complain one bit. Her days were filled and she was gloriously happy.
Simon went back to school and no longer complained about being behind. Sarah suspected he'd never really considered himself behind, but had wanted to get out of going so he could "contribute." Once he understood the only contributions they wanted from him were doing the dishes and going to school, it was as if a weight was off his shoulders. Every day he seemed to adjust a little better.
A few days before Christmas, Sarah went to the doctor, because she was worried she was expecting. Well, not worried exactly, but she thought she might be, and she couldn't think of a better Christmas gift for her Karl than a baby.
She left the doctor's office an hour later, feeling a bit shocked. Even though she'd suspected the news, hearing the doctor say the words surprised her. She couldn't believe it had happened so quickly for them.
She had all of her presents ready and wrapped, including one for Simon from Jakob's family. She didn't want Bobbie to feel bad, but she wanted to surprise her as well. Karl assured her his brother's house had room for all of them.
They would leave Christmas Eve and stay through the twenty-sixth, which seemed a long time to Sarah, but Karl told her they shut down the lumber camps from Christmas Eve through January second every year, to give the men time to celebrate with their families.
She walked into the store on her way home and bought a skein of yarn, deciding to tell Karl she was expecting by making him a pair of baby booties for Christmas. He would open the gift and know what she was trying to tell him. She couldn't wait!
She hurried home and started crocheting the booties immediately, knowing she had little time to finish. They'd be leaving just after lunch on Christmas Eve, and that was only two days away. She couldn't decide if she was more excited to see Bobbie or to give Karl the gift to let him know about the baby.
*****
On the morning of Christmas Eve, while Simon was washing the dishes, Sarah pulled Karl into the parlor, and pulled the gift she'd carefully wrapped in brown paper from the pocket of her apron. "I want to give you something a little early," she said.
Karl frowned. "But I didn't get you anything to give you early."
"That's okay. This isn't your main gift."
He turned it over in his hands with a frown, untying the string she'd used to secure the paper. Two tiny little socks fell out, and he frowned at them. "These won't even fit my big toes."
"No, they won't. They're not meant for you."
"Then why are you giving them to me?" he asked, confused.
Sarah shook her head, the smile pricking the corners of her mouth. "Well, they're something we'll be able to use in about eight months."
He frowned at that. "Why give them to me now then?"
Sarah put her hands on her hips. "Think about it, Karl. Don't add the word dense to your title as well as bumbler."
He looked down at them again and his eyes grew wide. "Are you saying—Sarah, are we going to have a baby?"
Sarah nodded, her face lit up with happiness.
Karl grabbed her and hugged her tightly. "When I sent for you, I never imagined that I would get a beautiful bride. Then you came, and I never imagined that I would love you the way I do—and now, a baby. You've made me the happiest man alive!"
Sarah pulled back and looked up into his face. "Did you just say you love me, Karl?"
He frowned. "Haven't I told you that?"
&n
bsp; She shook her head. "No, you haven't."
"Well, I'm sure I have." He looked at her intently. "Are you sure?"
She nodded. "I think that's something I would remember."
He cupped her face in his hands, looking into her beautiful blue eyes. "Sarah Schneider, I never dreamed I could love a woman the way I love you. I'm so glad you're my wife."
"I love you too, Karl. I've known for so long, but I wasn't sure how to tell you!"
They heard slow clapping from the door that led to the kitchen and looked over to see Simon watching them. "Is the show over? Can I finish the dishes now?"
Karl looked over his shoulder at the boy. "Go away, Simon. There's about to be some kissing going on here."
Simon groaned. "When isn't there kissing going on here?" He wandered back to the kitchen.
Sarah shook her head. "I do think he's comfortable here."
Karl laughed. "Someone needs to take a switch to him." He kissed her softly. "You make me very happy."
Sarah wrapped her arms around his neck, thrilled to be married to this man. "And you make me happy."
*****
Sarah bundled up as warm as she could for the rowboat ride across the bay. One of Karl's men was driving them to the lumber camp where Karl stored his boat. Sarah handed Karl the bag of presents she'd carefully wrapped, and Karl handed the smaller bag that contained all of Sarah's presents to Simon.
Sarah was so excited she could barely contain herself. She had two letters from friends back home to share with Bobbie, so she'd brought them along, unread. She thought it would be more fun to read them with her friend.
When they were in Jakob's wagon on their way to his house, Sarah bowed her head and said a silent prayer. "Please God, let me be right about who is married to that man. I so badly want to see Bobbie. Don't let this all be wishful thinking!"
When they got to the house, Karl helped her down before grabbing the bag of gifts. He took Sarah's hand and guided her up the icy path to his brother's house with Simon trailing along behind them, looking nervous about whether he'd be accepted.
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