A Miracle of Hope (The Amish Wonders Series) (40 page)
Eighteen hours of hard labor passed in a blur once Lindie held her newborn daughter for the first time. Drenched in sweat and weeping with joy, she counted the tiny toes and fingers.
Perfect
.
“What are you going to name her?” the nurse asked.
“I want to wait and choose the name with my husband.” Lindie had considered several names, including Eva, after her late mother. Now she wasn’t so sure any of the names fit.
“I’m sure you’ll choose a lovely name. Now,” she said, reaching for the baby, “I need to take her into the nursery for some measurements.”
An odd sense of emptiness washed over Lindie as she released the baby to the nurse’s care. She hadn’t held her daughter but a few short minutes and already they’d formed a bond.
Another nurse moved her into a nondelivery room and helped her into a clean hospital gown. A few minutes later the door creaked open. Lindie recognized the fussing baby as her daughter before the nurse rolled the portable bassinet past the curtain.
“It’s feeding time,” the nurse said. She lifted the baby out and placed her in the crook of Lindie’s arm.
“Are you hungry, my sweet one?” Lindie let the baby nurse, stopping after a few minutes to pat her back. When the baby had fallen asleep, Lindie held her close and marveled over the delicate bundle.
Someone knocked softly on the door and then Eli entered the room.
He approached the bed with a big smile on his face. “Congratulations on your
dochder
.”
“
Denki
. How is Josiah? Did he get the stem cells?”
Eli’s expression sobered.
“What’s wrong?”
“The doctor said he was . . .” He looked away.
“What? You must tell me.”
“He should’ve been hospitalized days ago according to the
doktah
. They are worried even with the stem cells that he might not recover.”
Lindie’s eyes burned with tears. “He can’t die.”
Eli looked down at the floor.
“Nay!”
She shook her head. “Hannah prayed and laid hands on him. God’s given her a supernatural gift. He healed Josiah. You’ll see.” Her voice cracked.
Eli removed a tissue from the box on the nightstand and handed it to Lindie. “Lindie . . .” He turned and coughed into his hand. When he faced her again, his eyes were glossy. “Josiah loves you very much. He’s made provisions for you and the
kinner
. Should something happen, he wants you to
kumm
back home.”
Lindie shook her head. “
Mei
home is in Michigan
nau
. With
mei
husband and our children.”
“I know you might
nett
want to return after what happened at the vegetable stand . . . and in the woods. But I’m going to see to it that Silos is punished.”
“You know about that?”
He nodded. “I wish you would have said something at the time. I don’t understand why you confessed to—”
“I didn’t have a choice. He threatened to burn down every barn in the district. I believed him.” He might start a fire yet.
“
Ach,
Lindie, I would have protected you.”
“It’s over
nau
.” She gazed teary-eyed at her daughter. “I have a beautiful gift from God. Josiah and I do.” She shifted the baby to her other arm and used her free hand to press the call button for a nurse. “I have to be with Josiah.”
A tall, dark-haired nurse entered the room. “Did you need something?”
“I need to see my husband.” She turned to Eli. “What floor is he on?”
“The seventh.”
“I’m sure the doctor would want you to rest. It’s only been a few hours since you delivered.”
“I won’t be able to rest unless I see him.”
“Her husband is very ill,” Eli said.
“Let me call your doctor and see what he says.”
“Tell him that most Amish women have their babies at home. I know of some women who gave birth and later prepared the evening meal.”
The nurse smiled. “You make a strong argument. Let me see what I can do.” It wasn’t long before the nurse returned. “You have permission to visit,
but
not the baby. Doctor Barns doesn’t want the baby exposed to any other area in the hospital.” She reached for the infant and gently lowered her into the nearby bassinet. “You’ll want to return before her next feeding.”
“I will.”
“I’ll take the baby to the nursery and then come back with a wheelchair.” She rolled the bassinet out of the room.
“I know Josiah will be happy to see that you are all right,” Eli said. “He was worried about you being alone during the delivery.”
“God gave me a
gut
husband.”
“I wish things were different in how the marriage came about.”
Lindie shook her head. “God used the evil situation for his glory.” She bowed her head. “At first I prayed God would take the
boppli
. I’m ashamed to admit that, but I didn’t know how I could look at the child without being reminded of what had happened. I’m glad
nau
God doesn’t give us everything we ask for. Without the
boppli’s
stem cells, Josiah might—”
“Don’t speak it.” Eli reached for her hand. “This is part of God’s plan too.”
“You’re right.” She couldn’t panic now. She had to stay strong. Besides, she believed with all her heart that everything that had happened was God’s plan. And his plan included directing Hannah to lay hands on her father. Josiah needed to know he was healed. He needed to stay strong.
The nurse returned with a wheelchair and helped Lindie into it. Lindie looked down at the thin hospital-gown material. She hated the idea of wearing such a skimpy covering, but at least the second gown worn backward covered her backside. The nurse must have noticed Lindie’s insecurity because she laid a thin blanket over Lindie’s legs.
Eli pushed the wheelchair out of the room and down the hall and stopped at the elevators. Fortunately, the elevator was empty and she didn’t have to feel the weight of people’s stares at the way she was dressed.
The elevator doors opened and Eli pushed her to the end of the corridor. Josiah’s room was dark when they entered and his eyes were closed.
“Maybe we should
kumm
back later,” Eli whispered.
She shook her head. “I want to sit next to him a few minutes.”
Josiah opened his eyes. “Only a few?” He smiled, though weakly.
Her heart skipped. Focused on Josiah, she was scarcely aware of Eli slipping out of the room. She reached for Josiah’s hand through the bedrail and held it. “I want to stay with you forever. Tell me how you’re feeling.”
He smiled. “Tell me about the
boppli
first. Does she have red hair like yours?”
“
Jah,
and lots of it. Her eyes are blue and she has tiny fingers and toes.”
“Did you count them?”
“Of course! Is there a new
mamm
that wouldn’t?”
His smile widened.
“
Nau
tell me how you’re feeling.”
“Weak, but the
doktah
said that’s expected.” He paused, staring at her a moment. “Lindie, I spoke with Eli—”
“Don’t.” She lifted her hand. “Your
dochder
prayed for you.”
“I know. She told me I had to believe.”
“Then don’t doubt. Don’t speak about
mei
future unless it involves you.”
“But, Lindie—”
“They asked me what name I wanted on the birth certificate. I like Hope or Joy Plank. Do you like either of those names?”
“I like them both.”
She leaned closer to the bed. “You’re
nett
going to ask me why I like those names?”
“I am a little surprised. I thought you would name her after your mother.”
She shook her head. “I placed
mei
hope in the Lord and he made
mei
joy complete.”
“I think either name is perfect.” He paused a moment and
gazed into her eyes. “I love you, Lindie. You’ve filled
mei
heart with joy too.”
She stood, bent over the railing, and kissed him. “You have to get better soon so you can see your new
dochder
.”
He raised his head a couple of inches off the pillow, looked beyond her toward a built-in cabinet, then plopped back down.
“What are you looking for?”
“
Mei
clothes,” he said.
“You can’t leave
nau
.”
“Will you find
mei
pants?”
She didn’t budge.
“There’s a letter for you inside the pocket.” He lifted his head once more, but dropped it back down on the pillow. “
Mei
clothes are probably in that closet.”
Lindie found his pants on a hanger and dug her hand into the pocket. She removed a small envelope with her name scrawled on the front. “Did you want me to open it
nau
?”
“Later,” he said. “I just wanted to make sure you had it.”
F
IVE
M
ONTHS
L
ATER
T
he bedroom’s blue cotton curtains fluttered in the morning breeze, a refreshing break from the August heat wave. Still, Lindie couldn’t sleep. She tossed the covers back and crawled out of bed. She padded barefoot down the hall and into the kitchen. It wouldn’t be long before Hope woke up. Since the infant started teething, she hadn’t slept through the night.
Lindie set the kettle on the stove and stood by the window as she waited for the water to heat. They needed rain, just not today. Within a few hours, buggies would line the lawn, and the members would gather for Sunday service. Lindie didn’t want anything to spoil this day. She also didn’t want anything out of place. She turned away from the window and scanned the room. The floors were spotless, the curtains pressed. She gathered the
Budget
from the table and walked the newspaper into the sitting room. For now, she would shove it in one of the desk drawers.
Inside the drawer, Lindie spotted the envelope Josiah had given her in the hospital. Although she didn’t need to reread the
letter, she could recite every word. She sat down at the desk and pulled the tattered pages out of the envelope.
My Dearest Lindie,
As I take this moment to gather my thoughts, I cannot help but recall the feeling of breathlessness I had the first time I saw you. You stepped off the bus, pretending to be more interested in your rumpled dress than at looking me in the eye.
I never told you, but I was just as nervous. I’m not sure my hands had ever been so clammy. You must’ve noticed when Bishop Troyer told us to join hands at the ceremony. All I remember is how soft your hand felt in mine. And how frightened I was that I could never make you happy.
I regret now that you didn’t have the wedding of your dreams. But I don’t regret marrying you. If I live one day or a hundred years, I’ll always be grateful that you’ve come into my life.
In the first letter I wrote to you, I said I would give you my name, but I could never give you my heart. That was a lie. My heart belongs to you. God has blessed me in that he’s made my joy complete by giving me you.
I say all this because we don’t know the plans of God. Should tomorrow never come, I don’t want to miss telling you how much you mean to me. How much I love you.
Your husband,
Josiah
Lindie dabbed the corners of her eyes with her hankie. Josiah’s letter moved her to tears every time she read it.
The floor creaked behind her and strong arms came around
her shoulders. “Mrs. Plank, you’re going to have a houseful of people in a few hours. What are you doing rereading this old letter?”
She looked up and smiled at Josiah. “Your love letter will never be old to me.”
Josiah brought her into his arms. “I need to write you a note every day and tell you how much I love you.”
Lindie rested her head on Josiah’s chest. “I’m so glad God gave me you.”
He kissed the top of her head. “And in a few hours, God’s going to give you a houseful of people, Mrs. Plank.”
Lindie gasped. “I still have things to get ready.”
Hannah yawned as she shuffled into the sitting room. Already dressed for church, she was closer to being ready than Lindie was.
Lindie gave Hannah a morning hug. “I’ll make breakfast after I get changed.” Lindie thought that since today was the first time she and Josiah were hosting the Sunday services, she would wear the pretty blue dress Simon had given her for Christmas.
Lindie quickly changed and headed into the kitchen, pinning her
kapp
in place. She reviewed the mental list of things still to do. Yesterday Josiah and Simon had cleaned the workshop, arranged the benches, and set up long wooden tables outside. She had the tablecloths pressed and ready. Josiah had found her a few rocks by the edge of the garden to help keep them from flapping in the wind. She still needed to make up the vegetable dip. Yesterday she and Hannah had gathered, washed, and cut broccoli, carrots, celery, and zucchini from the garden.
“Guder mariye.”
Simon entered the kitchen.
“
Mariye,
” Lindie and Josiah said in unison.
Lindie poured him a mug of
kaffi
. “I’ll have breakfast done in a few minutes.”
Hope started to fuss just as Lindie cracked the first egg into the skillet.
“I’ll get her,” Josiah said. When he returned, the
boppli
reached her arms out toward Hannah.
Lindie glanced over her shoulder and smiled. Hannah, Josiah, and even Simon were all doting on little Hope, trying to keep her from crying long enough for Lindie to finish cooking.
Hope didn’t stop fussing until she reached up and grasped Simon’s beard. That made her smile.
Hannah laughed.
“You used to do that too,” Simon said to Hannah as he worked to free his beard. “
Mei
new granddaughter doesn’t want to let go of me.”
Josiah helped Simon, but it wasn’t until Hannah clapped her hands and said, “Hope,” that the baby released Simon’s beard, turned to her sister, and spread out her arms for Hannah to take her.
Laughter filled the room as Lindie placed the food on the table. She smiled. This was her dream come true.
