Chapter 18
My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness
all the day long: for they are confounded,
for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
Psalm 71:24
* * *
The next day in the doctor’s waiting room, Bree sat in the chair twiddling her fingers, unable to sit still. She’d been awake nearly all night trying to figure out another plan but she’d come up empty.
“Don't be nervous. Is that why you’re fidgeting like that?” her mother asked.
“I guess I am a little nervous this time.” The last few times she’d been to the doctor, Andrew had taken her and she hadn’t felt nervous at all.
“Don’t worry. I’ll make sure to tell him that you want a caesarean birth. That’s the most painless way and they’ll give you lots of meds for the pain.”
“I'm not sure that's the way I want to go.”
“So, you want horrendous pain, do you?” Her mother was being smart-mouthed as usual.
“Of course, I don’t want pain. I’m just wondering about different options; not everyone wants the same kind of birth. Maybe I’d be interested in a homebirth.”
“Not in my home you won’t.” Mrs. Fortsworth laughed and then looked at Bree. “You’re serious?”
“It wouldn’t hurt to find out about it.” She’d learned from Mrs. Stauffer that most of the Amish had been having their babies at home for hundreds of years.
“It’s not going to happen. It’s not safe. This baby is your ticket to financial freedom and you won't do anything to ruin that.” Then her voice got softer and she said, “Oh, Bree, don’t you understand that your father and I only want what's best for you?”
Bree nodded not certain of that at all. In fact, she was more certain they wanted what was best for them.
“Marrying Ryan is what's best for you. I must say that you having his baby turned out to be a good thing, otherwise he would have married Prue. He had his wedding planned and he had to break things off with her.”
“Wasn’t it she who cancelled their wedding?”
“Well, it doesn’t matter now. All that matters is that Ryan does love you and wants you and him and the baby to be a family.”
“Ryan is a cheater, Mom.”
Her mother scowled. “Then I advise you to look the other way.”
Bree’s jaw dropped open. “You think that’s okay?”
“What does it matter? Everything in this world is a negotiation. I’ve told you that so many times. You have what you want, and in exchange, he gets what he wants. He’s the one with the money after all.”
“What I want is a husband who loves me and wouldn’t want to cheat on me.”
“As long as he's discrete about it …”
“No, Mom. I’m not going to live like that.”
“Yes, you will.” She reached her hand out and patted Bree’s stomach. “You’ve left yourself with no choice.”
“Bree Fortsworth.” The doctor had called out her name.
Bree stood up and her mother stood as well. Mrs. Fortsworth had already arranged permission that she go into the consultation room with Bree.
After they were seated, the doctor greeted them both, and then said to Bree, “How have you been feeling today, Bree?” The doctor looked over his gold-rimmed reading glasses to stare at her.
Bree wished she’d said no to her mother coming in with her. “I guess I've been okay.”
He looked at his notes, and then back up at her. “Still no nausea or any other signs of discomfort?”
“No physical discomfort,” she answered as she glanced over at her mother.
“I just don't want anything to go wrong with the birth, Bill. I want to book her in for a C-section,” her mother said.
He frowned at her. “Judith, I don't recommend it unless there's a health risk to mother or baby. It’s not what I’d recommend.”
“But surely if we request one, you'll do one for us? You did one for me with Bree’s birth.”
“Medical opinion is something that changes all the time. I don’t book C-sections to fit in with people’s social lives. Many people want their baby born on a certain date, and indeed many doctors perform them around their schedules.”
“If we’re paying you, then surely you should do what we ask. We’re your customers after all. Aren’t you supposed to please us?”
“If you want to proceed along those lines, Judith, then I’m afraid you’ll have to find another doctor.” He stared at Bree’s mother. When she remained silent, he continued, “Bree’s a healthy young woman and there’s no reason she can’t deliver this baby with minimal intervention. Sometimes it’s a case of the more we interfere the more things can go wrong.”
Judith scowled. “You’ve changed what you used to believe, then.”
He chuckled. “Experience is often our best teacher.”
“I don’t want to have a caesarean,” Bree said to the doctor. “My mother wants me to have one.”
“Very good. I’m glad we’re singing from the same hymn sheet, Bree,” he chuckled again quietly.
Bree smiled. She was starting to like this doctor more and more. Anyone who could stand up to her mother was someone she liked. “What do you think of homebirths?” Out of the corner of her eye she could see her mother glaring at her.
The doctor’s thin line of a mouth turned down at the corners. “I think all births need to be in a hospital environment for safety's sake.”
That wasn’t really what she wanted to hear.
“Even when a pregnancy has gone well, things can happen at the last minute. The baby could get into distress and in cases like those we’d need to perform an emergency C-section.”
“See? I told you,” her mother said. “Where on earth do you get these strange ideas?”
She wanted to tell her mother to keep quiet, but instead Bree shook her head and ignored her.
The doctor stood up. “I’ll take your blood pressure and check you over.”
When the visit was over they walked out of the office and headed to the car.
“Well, that went well. Except for the fact that he refused you a caesarian, but I’ll keep trying to talk him into it,” her mother said.
“No you won’t. It’s not what I want. And if Ryan’s so concerned about me and the baby, where is he?”
“He’ll be there when the baby is born. That’s all you need to concern yourself with. Now, let’s get you home.”
When they arrived home, Bree closed herself in her room. Her baby was due any time and she had to get out of marrying Ryan.
She heard the doorbell chime, and looked out the window to see a taxi drive away. Hoping it might be Andrew come to save her, she hurried the best she could to the door so she’d reach it before her mother.
She was greeted at the bottom of the stairs by the sight of her mother holding up a Chanel bag. Squinting she saw it was the same bag she’d taken from the house. “Where is he?”
“I’m calling the police,” her mother said.
“What?” Bree asked in horror.
“This Chanel was stolen from the house. Do you know the man at the front door?”
Bree walked straight past her mother and when she got to the front door she saw Andrew’s smiling face.
Chapter 19
For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed,
and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
2 Timothy 1:12
* * *
She was so pleased she hurried to him and flung her arms around him. He encircled his arms around her and held her tight. It was then that she knew he felt the same about her.
“I’ve come to take you home,” he whispered in her ear.
“Who is this Bree? You’re making a fool of yourself.”
Bree let go of Andrew and turned around to her mother.
Andrew s
tepped forward before Bree could say anything. “I’m sorry. I should have told you my name. I’m Andrew Stauffer.” He held out his hand to shake but Mrs. Fortsworth turned up her nose.
“A lady always offers her hand first. If she doesn’t offer it, a man shouldn’t reach out his hand like that.” She looked him up and down. “I can see that you have no idea of etiquette.”
“I’m happy to learn of such things. But knowing nothing about etiquette, my instincts would’ve been that you would’ve ignored my blunder and shaken my hand.”
“Mother, you’re being horrible.”
She held up her Chanel bag. “This money and this bag were stolen from the house weeks ago. What’s he doing with them?”
“Now you have them back and there’s no money missing. Well, not much. Anyway, I took them, not Andrew.”
“Who is this man, Bree?”
“He’s the man I’m leaving with.”
“What do you mean? He’s Amish or something, isn’t he?”
“He’s Andrew Stauffer, Mom. And I’ve been staying with his family and now I’m going back to stay with them.” She looked at Andrew and wondered if his parents wanted her to come back.
“Do you need to bring anything with you, Bree?” Andrew asked calmly.
She closed her eyes for a quick moment. Now she knew what a leap of faith was. When she opened her eyes she said, “I’ll get some clothes and throw a few things in a bag.”
“I’ll wait outside.”
“Don’t leave without me.”
He smiled. “I won’t.”
She hurried upstairs to collect her clothes, with her mother walking behind her trying to talk her out of going. Finally, when she’d stuffed some clothes into a bag, she turned to her mother. “Mother, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I’ll come back and visit you.”
“What are you doing? Your baby is due any day. And what about Ryan?”
“I’m not going to marry Ryan.” She walked past her mother and headed downstairs. When she opened the front door her heart leapt when she saw Andrew's face.
“Let’s go home,” he said.
Chapter 20
I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation:
I have not concealed thy lovingkindness
and thy truth from the great congregation.
Psalm 40:10
* * *
In the taxi on the way back to the Stauffer house, Bree asked Andrew, “Do your mother and father forgive me?” When Andrew smiled, she knew they had forgiven her.
“I explained the entire situation to them and they understand your reasons for telling them what you told them about Simon.”
“I don’t know how they could ever forgive me.”
“They do forgive you, Bree, they do. We’ve missed you. I’ve missed you.” He reached for her hand and she placed her hand in his.
“I’ve missed you too, and Cora, and your parents. I’ve even missed Dusty. It was a dreadful lie I told them. I don’t see how they could ever forgive me.”
“If someone forgives you, you just accept it.”
Bree nodded. “I’ll try to.”
He squeezed her hand. “You’ll figure it out.”
She stared into his eyes pleased he’d come to rescue her just like a hero from a fairy tale. He was her knight in shining armor.
He glanced at her stomach. “The baby’s bigger.”
She laughed. “I’ve not been gone that long. Anyway, the doctor says the baby’s only an average size. Wouldn’t want the baby to be any bigger.”
“My mother’s missed you.”
“She has?”
He nodded. “We all grew used to having you around. Bree, I asked you once before, and this time, I mean it from my heart. Will you marry me?”
Bree giggled. “You really mean it?”
“I do.”
“But I’m not in your community.”
“You could be.”
“I have been thinking more about God, and everything. I even thank God before I eat, so I suppose I must believe in His existence.”
“Does that mean yes?”
“Andrew, I just walked out on my old life to come with you. It meant yes when I did that.”
He smiled, put his arm around her, and pulled her close to him. She leaned her head against him and closed her eyes. Now she felt as though things would work out for her.
It was two weeks later that the Stauffer family members were waiting at the hospital for Bree’s baby to be born. Marie had been hurt when she’d found out that Bree had been lying about having Simon’s baby, but when Andrew had come home, he explained the whole thing. Bree’s intentions had been to leave the baby with them, so she’d been intending to do a good thing.
Now Bree was talking to the bishop about joining their community. Andrew and Bree wanted to marry and in Marie’s opinion that would make their family complete. They’d lost Simon, but Simon had brought Bree into their lives.
At the last minute, Bree had developed toxemia and the doctor had advised she have a caesarian section. She wasn’t happy about it, but they’d all prayed and then she’d felt more confident. Marie glanced over at Andrew who was pacing back and forth. They’d been waiting for two hours before the doctor came out to them.
“It’s a girl, and they’re both doing fine.”
Everyone was relieved.
“When can I see her?” Andrew asked.
“Come with me. She’s able to see one or two of you.”
“You go by yourself, Andrew. We’ll see her tomorrow,” his father said.
Andrew hugged Cora and his parents, and went to see his fiancée.
Bree was relieved that her baby had finally arrived into the world, safe and healthy. It didn’t matter that the birth hadn’t gone how she’d planned; she was delighted that her life had worked out in such a short space of time. The best thing was now she could keep her baby, and know that this beautiful little girl would be loved and cared for. She and Andrew were going to be married. All she had to do was become a full member of the community and in a few months she and Andrew and the baby would become a proper family.
She’d kept in contact with her mother, and her mother had told her that Ryan was now denying he was the father, which suited Bree just fine. She wondered if it had anything to do with the baby being a girl. With him denying his paternity, he wouldn’t want visitation rights. Of course, she would someday tell her baby the truth of who her birth father was. Bree was well and truly through with lies. She hoped to have some kind of relationship with her parents.
She looked down at the precious baby in her arms and understood the pain Marie felt at losing Simon. The love she had for her baby was overwhelming. She couldn’t imagine living through a loss such as Joel and Marie had lived through, and to lose Simon on his rumspringa was doubly tragic.
“Are you ready for a visitor?” a nurse asked.
“Yes.” Bree looked up to see Andrew walking toward her. “It’s a girl,” she said. "Andrea Simone. Named for my two best friends."
He leaned down and kissed Bree on her forehead, and then stared at the baby. “She’s beautiful, just beautiful.”
Tears streamed down Bree’s face.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded. “I’m just happy. I didn’t know I could be so happy. Before I knocked on the door of your parents’ house, I had nothing and no one in my life, and now things in my life are perfect.”
He smoothed her hair away from her face. “You never have to worry about anything ever again. I’m here to look after you and our baby. Our house will be finished soon after we’re married.”
She stared up into his brown eyes. Their house was being built on the Stauffer’s property, not far from where they’d first met when he’d saved her from the bull. “I love you, Andrew.”
“I love you too, Bree. I look forward to the day we’ll be husband and wife.”
She closed her
eyes as he kissed her on her forehead. Now she knew without a doubt that God was real. How else would her life have turned out so perfectly?
* * *
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
Thank you for reading Their Son’s Amish Baby.
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Blessings,
Samantha Price
The next book in the series is:
Book 5 Amish Widow's Proposal
Everything around was broken ...
her heart, her life, and even her house.
Evelyn had spent years being disappointed in her husband and her marriage. When Evelyn's husband died, leaving her pregnant and with a three-year-old daughter, she is faced with many problems including a house in ill-repair. When the quiet and kind Hezekiah suddenly proposes, Evelyn knows this will solve her problems as the hard-working Hezekiah is nothing like her late husband. While pondering on his proposal, a handsome new Amish man visits her community and offers to fix her house. Could this be someone who could also repair her life?
Can Evelyn put the bitter memories of her marriage and other challenges behind her? Or will her fear of being alone cause her to jump feet first into another unsuitable marriage?
Book 5 Amish Widow's Proposal
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
Their Son's Amish Baby Page 11
