John chuckled. “I’m not sure, but I think there’s a flower called Alyssium, or a group of flowers with that name.”
“So what if it’s not a flower name? It’s close to a flower name, and we like it.”
“I don’t care about all that anymore, Nerida. Name your boppli whatever you’d like.”
“That’s very generous of you, Nancy,” John said.
Nancy glanced up at John, wondering if she detected a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Why would he say that was generous of her? Maybe he was just being polite.
Nerida glanced up at her husband. “We’ve got a healthy baby girl.”
He nodded. “Gott has blessed us with another dochder. Just when we thought we were going to have an empty haus, Gott once more filled it.”
Nancy looked around and saw that the midwife had stepped out. Now was a chance for John and Nerida to be on their own, since Nancy had been there for the last few hours. “I’ll leave you two alone for a while. Or, I should say, ‘you three.’ I’ll just be outside. I might go to the cafeteria to have a cup of kaffe.”
“Denke, Nancy,” John said.
Nancy nodded and took one more look at the tiny baby, and then she kissed her younger sister on the forehead before leaving the room.
As Nancy sat in the cafeteria drinking a cup of coffee that tasted as bad as she thought dishwater might, she looked out the window at the sky.
She mused on how life changes over a short period of time.
Only a few years ago, Nerida and she weren’t talking and hadn’t talked for many years. Now they were the best of friends, Nerida’s two daughters were married, and Nerida even had a new baby.
What would’ve happened to Willow and Violet if her sister hadn’t made amends with her? Nancy knew that it was due to her that Willow and Violet had made such happy marriages.
Nancy sighed and pushed the coffee cup away from her. Then there was the recently married Ed and Valerie. They never would’ve gotten together if it hadn’t been for her. Nancy gave a silent giggle about breaking Valerie’s kitchen window. That had shocked her into something, it seemed.
She didn’t know whether it was the sleepless night helping Nerida through the labor or what, but tears started to form in her eyes. God had given her so many gifts. Her family had been a blessing. Her two sons and her four daughters were all married, and she had grandchildren now with more still arriving. She’d gently guided each child into choosing the proper spouse, and God had blessed each and every one of them.
“Are you ready to go home?” a deep voice said from behind her, causing her to jump.
She looked around to see Hezekiah. “What are you doing here?”
He sat down at the table next to her. “I’m here because I missed you dreadfully last night.”
Nancy’s heart filled with gladness. He’d not said anything like that for an awfully long time. “You missed me?”
He nodded.
“And you came all this way just to tell me this?”
“I did.”
Nancy chuckled. “Have you seen your new niece?”
“Not yet. I’m guessing she looks and sounds the same as any other boppli. Small and with a loud yowl.”
Nancy shook her head at her husband pretending he wasn’t potty over babies. “I’ll take you to see her and then we can go home.”
He reached out and took her hand. “I love you, Nancy Yoder.”
Nancy gasped and looked around, slightly embarrassed that someone might have heard. “Hezekiah.”
He continued to look at her, seemingly not caring who might have heard. “I do.”
She smiled. “I’ll have to stay away more often.”
“Nee, I won’t let you. Never again.” He stood and pulled her to her feet. “Let’s go home.” On their way out of the cafeteria, he asked the important question, “What did they call the boppli?”
“Alyssa.”
“That’s a nice name.”
“Jah. I think they like that name because it’s close to a flower name.”
“And you’re not mad about that?” he asked quietly, almost timidly.
“Of course not. Why would I be?”
* * *
Thank you for your interest in Amish Willow, the last book in the Amish Love Blooms series.
All the books in the AMISH LOVE BLOOMS series:
Book 1 Amish Rose
Book 2 Amish Tulip
Book 3 Amish Daisy
Book 4 Amish Lily
Book 5 Amish Violet
Book 6 Amish Willow
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About the Author
Samantha Price is a best selling author who knew she wanted to become a writer at the age of seven, while her grandmother read to her Peter Rabbit in the sun room. Though the adventures of Peter and his sisters Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail started Samantha on her creative journey, it is now her love of Amish culture that inspires her to write. Her writing is clean and wholesome, with more than a dash of sweetness. Though she has penned over eighty Amish Romance and Amish Mystery books, Samantha is just as in love today with exploring the spiritual and emotional journeys of her characters as she was the day she first put pen to paper. Samantha lives in a quaint Victorian cottage with three rambunctious dogs.
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