“Gut afternoon!” the nurse said. “Samantha Woods?”
“Jah,” Samantha said.
“Right this way,” the nurse said. She beckoned Samantha through the door that went to the patient room.
Joshua worked with the secretary at the small desk to sign Samantha in and answer a few paperwork questions, then he took a seat into one of the chairs; Andrew on one side and Melissa on the other. And they waited.
In less time than Joshua had anticipated, Samantha reappeared with Dr. Ben. Joshua rose to his feet, expecting the worse. Since when did the doctor come out except when it was bad news.
“Dr. Ben?” Joshua said.
The doctor gave him a toothy grin. “I wanted to come out and congratulate you,” he said. He reached out and shook Joshua’s hand.
“What?” Joshua asked. He looked from Dr. Ben’s face to Samantha’s beaming smile. She looked radiant, and Joshua was utterly confused. “You’re not sick?” he asked Samantha.
“Nee,” Samantha said. She stepped forward and took Joshua’s hand, tears forming her eyes as she smiled up at him. “I’m pregnant.”
Joshua felt his heart skip a beat, and his mouth fell open. He stared from Samantha to Dr. Ben and back again. His mind began to equate Samantha’s “illness” to pregnancy symptoms, and suddenly it all made sense.
“Really?” Joshua asked, feeling breathless.
Samantha nodded her head, wiping away a tear. “Jah! The nurse had me take a test–and it came out positive! I’m pregnant!”
Joshua let out a whoop and threw his hat into the air, and then he picked her up and twirled with her, Samantha laughing. Joshua had tears running down his cheeks, and after a couple of twirls he set her down and buried his face into her neck, holding her close.
“Ach, praise Gott,” Joshua said once he was composed enough.
“Jah,” Samantha said. She beamed up at him.
Joshua kissed Samantha on her lips, then on her forehead and held her close again. He rubbed his sleeve against his eyes, trying to keep from sobbing.
“Like I said, congratulations,” Dr. Ben said.
Now Joshua heartily shook Dr. Ben’s hand. “Yes, thank you, thank you, Dr. Ben.” Joshua said.
“We’re going to have another bruder or shveshtah?” Andrew asked, his voice excited.
Joshua had to clear his throat first before trying to speak. “Jah, that’s right.”
Andrew and Melissa let out a squeal and began dancing around the waiting room. Joshua laughed, still fighting back tears, and he leaned over and kissed Samantha.
“Gott is gut,” Joshua said.
“He's always gut,” Samantha said. They shared another kiss.
Danke, Gott, Joshua prayed, smiling as he watched his children jump around. Danke for Your goodness and Your many blessings. Your way is always best.
THE END
Book 3
(A Time to Trust)
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” I
Isaiah 41: 10
Chapter 1
“And Gott knows everything about me?” Young Melissa asked, her wide eyes staring up at Samantha.
“Jah. And He loves you so much!”
Samantha and young Melissa sat chatting outside on the porch swing, bundled up in their cloaks. It was a little chilly, but they’d been cooped up all winter, and the beautiful spring weather beckoned the two out of the house. A cool breeze tugged at their cloaks. Samantha and Melissa shivered.
“I better finish cooking dinner now,” Samantha said after sipping the last of her hot chocolate. “Your daed and bruder will be ready to eat soon.”
“Can I help?”
“Of course! I would love your help. Do you want to stir the green beans while they heat up?”
“Jah!” Melissa bounced down out of the swing and held the door open.
“Are you coming?”
“Jah.” Samantha braced herself and pushed, lifting herself up out of the swing. She was a petite woman, and at eight months pregnant, getting up and down was proving to be a bit more difficult.
However, she wouldn’t have traded having a baby for anything else. She had earlier dreamed of becoming a teacher and God had given her the opportunity to teach for one year. But she’d met Joshua, fallen in love, and had married. So, when another woman in the community, Ruth Haier, was in a dire situation and needed a substantial income, it just made sense for Samantha to step down from her teaching position and offer it to Ruth; especially since Ruth had been training for a teaching position.
And God had so graciously granted her a baby not long after making the decision to let Ruth have her teaching job. Thus, Samantha had the chance to enjoy her dream of teaching for a short while, and now was entering into her dream of raising a family of her own. Her heart had finally found rest and peace as she fell more in love with being a wife, mother, and homemaker.
The only concern she had now, aside from normal worries she figured every mom-to-be had, was her blood pressure. During a routine check-in with her mid-wife, she discovered that her blood pressure was abnormally low. Her mid-wife assured her and Joshua that it wasn't anything to worry about, but still, Joshua begged her not to do anything strenuous. Samantha hadn’t really noticed any unusual symptoms except for some dizziness and the need to get up slowly. And here she was, only six weeks away from seeing her baby.
Gott, You are so gut, Samantha prayed.
As she stepped up to the door, she glanced towards the barn which was connected to the small stable. Inside the barn was a workshop where Joshua, her husband and dearest friend, worked on his carpentry business. Smiling to herself, she walked into the house.
“Danke, Melissa.” Samantha hung their cloaks on the coat rack. She glanced into a mirror nearby to tidy up her blonde hair back under her prayer kapp. Despite their similar appearances, Melissa was Samantha’s step-daughter. Samantha had married Joshua not even a year ago, and gained two step-children, Melissa and her older brother Andrew. Andrew was at school but would be returning home soon, and that usually signaled the end of a work day for Joshua.
Samantha went into the kitchen, and checked on the meatloaf baking in the wooden stove. She unscrewed the lid on a can of green beans and then set the can and small pot in front of Melissa at the table, so that she could pour it. Melissa liked to do as much of everything on her own.
Melissa sighed and shook her head. “Can you pour it?” she asked Samantha.
Surprised, Samantha nodded and poured the green beans into the pot and set it on the stove. She used her foot to maneuver a stool closer to let Melissa stir the green beans, and turned to see that Melissa had her head on the table, staring at Samantha distantly.
“Melissa?” Samantha asked.
“I’m really tired,” Melissa replied.
“Why don't you lie down for a bit?” Samantha pulled Melissa’s chair back and watched as the little girl curled up on the couch near the fireplace. Melissa had become quieter as the afternoon wore on and Samantha wondered if the play time with their neighbors’ children yesterday had worn her out and was now catching up with her.
Samantha scooted the stool out of the way and stirred the green beans, adding some seasonings. The quartered potatoes boiling away in the other pot were tender when Samantha put a fork into them. Pouring off the excess water into a mixed broth container she kept for soups, Samantha then set the pot on the counter. She headed back to the living room and noticed Melissa shivering under the quilted blanket.
“Melissa?” Samantha put her hand to Melissa’s forehead. It was warm to the touch.
“Hm?” Melissa said.
“How do you feel?
“Not gut,” Melissa said.
I shouldn’t have taken her outside, Samantha thought. Not that illness was just waiting outside on cooler days, but if Melissa had been getting sick, the cold might have made it worse. A litt
le anxious for the poor girl, Samantha made her way to the linen closest upstairs. Going up was difficult, but coming down with a stack of blankets was tricky – her stomach had gotten big enough that Samantha couldn’t see her feet and she had to take the stairs slow as a result.
Throwing two extra blankets over Melissa and tucking a pillow under her head, Samantha went back to the kitchen to finish cooking dinner. Gott, please heal Melissa, Samantha prayed.
* * *
Danke, Gott, for Your many blessings, Joshua prayed.
He was whistling at his work, ecstatic. Gott, in His sovereign kindness and goodness, had brought Samantha into his life a little over a year and a half ago. She was like a ray of sunshine, and Joshua only felt all the more blessed to know he had a baby on the way.
Six weeks now, Joshua thought. He smiled at his work as he was sanding the last piece of his project, a rocking crib. He’d made one for his sister Mary when she had her baby, and now Joshua was making one of his own. Joshua had a rocking chair that had been gifted to him from his own Daed, but Joshua thought Samantha might appreciate the rocking crib as well.
When Joshua had met Samantha after the death of Jessica, she had been the teacher at their community school. It had been a lifelong dream of Samantha’s, and subsequently Joshua had done what he could to enable Samantha to keep teaching even after they married. But when she had selflessly given up her teaching position to Ruth, Samantha and Joshua had found out she was pregnant not long after, and Joshua couldn’t have been happier. He had wanted Samantha to be a homemaker, but wanted her to follow the dreams that Gott had placed in her heart above his own desires. Now, however, their dreams had merged into one – their family. And Joshua was thrilled.
Joshua blinked his eyes in time to see that he’d almost nicked himself with the sandpaper and he pulled his hand back. Distracted carpentry is not the way to do this, Joshua scolded himself. He took a breath and finished sandpapering the piece and set it aside. Better stop now, otherwise I’ll injure myself.
“Daed!” Andrew exclaimed.
Joshua turned to see his son, just turned eight years old a month ago come running into the barn-turned-workshop.
“Hello, Andrew.” Joshua turned, holding his hands out to pick up his son. Andrew jumped into his arms, and Joshua was amazed at how much heavier Andrew had gotten. He suspected it wouldn’t be long before Andrew would no longer jump into his arms and Joshua dreaded that day. But it hadn’t come yet, and he enjoyed this moment for now.
“How are you?” Joshua asked.
“Gut!” Andrew said. “Miss Haier had us do a writing exercise today, and she really liked mine! She read it to the class.”
“Ach, really?” Joshua smiled. Writing had been Jessica’s thing, not Joshua’s. Joshua also suspected that Samantha’s tutoring in the evenings and weekends was helping Andrew along. Just because Samantha wasn’t regularly teaching at the school didn’t mean she’d given up teaching completely, and the children loved their little mini lessons.
“Jah, the exercise was that we had to describe a skill or a job we don’t know very much about, and that we want to learn more about it,” Andrew said. “So I talked about how you do carpentry and I know a little about it but not that much.”
Joshua smiled. “And you want to learn more about carpentry?”
“Jah! And now I have to, for school, it’s a part of our assignment,” Andrew said. “We even get one day off to go learn more about it!”
“That’s very gut,” Joshua said. “Guess you’ll be stuck with me for one day.”
Andrew laughed as Joshua closed up the shop and they went to the house. Joshua hung his and Andrew’s straw hats on the coat rack by the door while Andrew headed on to the living room.
“Melissa?” Andrew said, his voice tentative.
Joshua looked over to see Melissa bundled in blankets on the couch by the living room, a pillow under her head. She was fast asleep, her prayer kapp set aside on the coffee table, probably by Samantha. Melissa’s forehead felt hot to Joshua’s touch, and he suspected she was sick.
“We better not wake her,” Joshua whispered to Andrew. “Let’s talk in the kitchen.”
Joshua and Andrew went into the kitchen, where Samantha was pulling out a meatloaf from the stove. She was an exceptionally small woman, so the bulge of her pregnant belly was very noticeable under her black dress and apron, and clearly weighing her down as she tried to stand up. Joshua hurried over to take the baking dish from her hands.
“Danke,” Samantha said. Joshua leaned over and kissed his wife, gazing into her beautiful sea-green eyes for a moment. She smiled up at him and put a hand to Andrew’s head as the boy wrapped his arms around her. “Hello Andrew!”
“Hi. Samantha. What's wrong with Melissa?”
“I think she’s sick,” Samantha said. She looked up at Joshua. “I might try and get her up to her bed tonight, but for now I thought to just let her lay on the couch.”
“Jah.” Joshua said. He and Andrew helped to take the food to the table, and they tried to be quiet so as not to wake up Melissa.
“Let me go see if Melissa wants to eat.” He went over and gently shook Melissa’s shoulder. “Melissa? Do you want to eat?”
“Nee,” the little girl breathed. She didn’t even open her eyes, and Joshua sighed and kissed her forehead, wincing at how hot it was.
* * *
Joshua prayed a blessing over the meal, and added a prayer for Melissa. Andrew began to talk about school and Samantha asked him several questions, which Andrew was all too happy to answer.
Suddenly Samantha cried out. “What is it?” Joshua began to panic. Jessica had died during her pregnancy, and with Samantha’s hypotension diagnosis, Joshua was worried about Samantha and the baby. He had no reason to be – Jessica had died because of complications that arose from an illness – but he couldn’t help it. He was afraid to lose Samantha, and the baby.
Samantha smiled at them. “Sorry! The baby gave a little kick. It just surprised me.”
Joshua exhaled in relief. Andrew rushed around and hurried to put his hand to Samantha’s stomach, Samantha guiding the boy’s hand to feel where the baby was moving. Normally the children were supposed to ask to leave the table for any reason, but Joshua could only smile at the huge grin that spread across Andrew’s face.
“I can’t wait to find out if it’s a boy or a girl!” Andrew said.
“Jah, me too,” Samantha said. She shared a smile with Joshua, her face looking radiant and her eyes sparkling. Samantha then yawned and put a hand over her mouth. “Excuse me. I better get dishes going. I’m rather tired tonight,” she said.
“I’ll take care of it,” Joshua said. He leaned over to feel the baby moving around, smiling as the baby kicked at his hand. Then he kissed Samantha. “Get some rest.”
“Danke, Joshua. I’m just really wore out today,” Samantha said.
“Were you working too hard?” Joshua asked.
“Nee,” Samantha said. She chuckled. “You worry about me too much.”
Joshua grinned, although he still felt anxious inside. “Go rest,” he said to Samantha. “Andrew, would you help me please?”
As Joshua and Andrew began picking up the plates and silverware, Joshua watched Samantha make her way to the armchair in the living room, and heard her sigh as she sat down. I hope Samantha’s not getting sick too, Joshua thought, now worried. Gott, please keep my shtamm healthy and strong.
* * *
Chapter 2
By the next day, Samantha knew she was getting sick. Whatever Melissa had, Samantha was getting the same, and she hurried to make a pot of chicken and rice soup as her energy waned. Midday, the soup was done, and so was Samantha. She set everything aside, cleaned up as best as she could, and curled up on the couch just to the side of where Melissa slept.
Melissa was far worse; feverish, shivering, and she often groaned and complained about her body aching. As Samantha developed the same symptoms, she feared they had
the flu, although there was little they could do about it now. But she was also worried about having the flu while pregnant, and what that might mean for the baby.
Gott, be with us, Samantha prayed. Exhausted, Samantha drew a blanket up around her shoulders and closed her eyes.
When Joshua came to the house for lunch, he was surprised and concerned to find that Samantha was asleep on the couch, as pale as Melissa and feverish to the touch. She woke up at Joshua’s touch and looked up at him with bleary eyes.
“I made soup,” Samantha murmured.
Joshua smiled a little, shaking his head at Samantha’s stubborn, hard-working nature. “Danke, but now you need to rest,” Joshua said. He kissed her forehead. “Sleep.”
“Jah,” Samantha said. She dropped her head and closed her eyes again.
Gott, Joshua prayed as he went into the kitchen, please protect my shtamm. I ask that You help Melissa and Samantha to recover, and for Andrew and I to not get sick. And please keep the bobli healthy.
Joshua couldn’t eat much of the soup he was so anxious, and he found himself struggling to concentrate. I won’t help my shtamm if I hurt myself, Joshua thought. Taking a deep breath and trying to trust that Gott would handle everything, Joshua focused his attention on the customer’s chair set he was working on.
Still, he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that weighed heavy on his spirit. Joshua often glanced at the house through the open barn doors, concerned for his family and especially fearful for Samantha and the baby. Was everything about to repeat itself? Joshua prayed that it wouldn’t be so.
* * *
The gut news was that somehow Andrew never caught the illness, or at least hadn’t so far. After two days of much worry, Melissa began to recover. While she was still tired, at least she began eating. The chicken rice soup did wonders for her, and Joshua was grateful that Samantha had made it before she herself became sick.
AMISH ROMANCE: Amish Dreams Box Set: Books 1-3 Page 7
