Grace: A Christmas Sisters of the Heart Novel (21 page)

Just then, another contraction rocked Melody. “Oh!” she called out before biting her lips.

Leah gripped her hand. “No matter what, I’ll be by your side, Melody, but you might want to take Zack up on his offer sooner than later. He’s a good man … and I don’t know what to do.”

Pain flowed through Melody’s face in such a tangible way, Levi was sure he could reach out and grasp it.

Beside him, Zack tensed. Everything in the man’s posture told Levi that he was used to taking responsibility in emergencies. That he was used to doing what needed to be done. It was obvious that he wanted to help, that he knew how to help Melody. But still he waited.

That hesitation assured Levi of the man’s worthiness more than anything else. This man obviously knew what had happened to Melody, and was willing to let her make the decision. Even if it meant doing nothing.

“Maybe you should let him, Melody,” Levi said.

“Melody? Please?” Leah whispered. “I promise, I’ll be here, too.”

Finally Melody looked at Zack. “If you can help me, please do,” she finally bit out between pants.

The tension in the room broke free.

Immediately Zack stepped forward. “I scrubbed my hands before I walked in the room. Leah, go wash up, then ask Mrs. Brenneman for another sheet, more towels, and
something to wrap the baby in.” To Levi, he added, “Go get a pair of scissors. Make sure they’re clean. Sharp. And bring alcohol, too. And hot water.”

Just as Levi turned to go in a rush to the officer’s bidding, he saw Zack quietly sit by Melody’s side. “You’re going to be okay,” he gently murmured.

As Zack’s words registered, Levi watched a change come over her. The wild, terrified look in her eyes quieted. In its place came trust. And determination.

Lifting up Melody’s hand, Zack placed his fingers on her wrist, obviously taking her pulse. “Together, we’re going to bring this baby in the world,” Levi heard him murmur. “Just in time for Christmas Day. All right?”

Melody nodded just as Leah came running back, her arms laden with supplies.

She pushed by Levi with a brief, apologetic look … and then as soon as he stepped out of the room, she closed the door.

December 24, 7:00
P.M.

Katie didn’t know if she’d ever be able to praise God enough. Eli’s congestion finally seemed to be easing.

And he was now sleeping peacefully in the bed next to Jonathan, who was sound asleep, too. The picture of the two of them, finally relaxing after hours of touch and go … well, it was surely the most amazing of scenes. Though she, too, was exhausted, she felt just as strong a pull to check on Melody.

She couldn’t believe two
Englischers
had arrived while she’d been upstairs, one Melody’s friend Leah … and the other—wonder of wonders—a man who had worked on an ambulance.

As she walked into the kitchen, she found Levi standing practically motionless, his whole attention on Melody’s closed door.

Just a few feet away, her mother and father stood together, looking like they didn’t know whether to shout for joy or cry.

“I still don’t understand why they’re here,” Katie said.

“The girl said she’s a friend of Melody’s,” her father replied. “They’ve been driving through all kinds of weather to get here.”

Levi stood nearby, not speaking.

Just then, the door opened a crack. A pretty auburnhaired girl with green eyes peeked out. “Levi? Do you have the towels and water yet?”

“What? Oh, no. I’ll be right there.” When the door closed, Levi turned to Katie’s parents. “Zack will be needin’ clean scissors, hot water, and towels.”

Immediately, her mother poured water into a large bowl and handed Katie two hand towels. “Go take this in, I’ll get the scissors.”

“All right.”

Levi’s face looked pained as Katie walked by him and went into the room. For a moment, she ached to say something reassuring, but no words seemed appropriate. Instead, she walked to the door and let herself in.

When she walked into the bedroom, the man and Leah were counting, helping Melody breathe.

“It’s almost time, I think,” the man murmured. Then he turned to Katie. “Oh, good. Leah, grab that, will you?”

“I’m Leah,” the girl said. “That’s Zack.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” Katie said. “I’m not really sure how you got here, but I know you were sorely needed.”

When Melody moaned again, her cry high-pitched and shrill, Katie turned back out. The girl was in capable hands, her friend’s, the officer’s, and God’s.

“How is she?” Levi asked the moment Katie returned to the kitchen.

“About as well as she can be doing, I imagine. Zack looks to be a capable person.”

“I hope so.”

Mrs. Brenneman patted his shoulder. “It’s a difficult thing, being the one to wait. But it’s how it’s done.”

Katie fixed a mug of hot tea for herself, and one for him as well. When she set it in front of him, Levi stared at it glumly.

“Take a sip. You’ll be glad for it.”

“Danke.”

“I think everything is going to be all right,” Katie murmured with more assurance than she’d ever felt before in her life. “Don’t you feel him with us tonight?”

“Him?”

“Our Lord? Levi, think about it. Here we are all, together. A houseful of scattered individuals. It makes no sense that so much should have happened. So much during tonight, of all nights.”

Her mom nodded, her cheeks pink. “I must say, this is a Christmas like I’ve never experienced. I had planned for my family to sit and relax. Spend time reading. Doing puzzles. Going for walks. Baking. But here, we’ve all been
entangled in your story. And Melody’s! Now, I promise I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.”

Levi slowly relaxed beside her. “If the Lord brought me here, I hope he’s still watching over us.”

Down the hall, Melody let out a cry. Beside her, Katie watched Levi grip the kitchen counter hard. Unable to say anything more, she simply held out her hand to him. Then bowed her head and prayed. His hand covering hers, he did the same.

She prayed silently, as was their way. But she prayed with all her heart. She thanked the Lord for being with her and Eli. Thanked him that he guided her through her selfishness, and through each person’s own worries and concerns.

She asked him to be with Melody. And with Zack. And with Leah, too.

And because the sense of peace felt so wonderful—because she felt so close to God, as though he was holding her other hand—she silently said it all again.

Down the hall, Melody cried out again. And then, miracles of miracles, a far different cry was heard.

Tears were in her eyes when Katie opened them again.

Across the kitchen, her mother clasped her hands together and beamed. “Praise God. A child is born.”

Beside her, Levi wiped his cheeks with a fist. “Indeed,” he murmured. Then he finally smiled, too.

December 25, 6:00
A.M.

“That had to have been the most incredible night of my life,” Leah gushed to Melody the next morning.

After Melody had given birth to the most perfect little girl in the world, Leah and Mrs. Brenneman had helped her get settled, then she and her baby had fallen into an exhausted slumber. Now, just as dawn was breaking on Christmas Day, she was holding Faith in bed. Leah had just come in to help Melody wash and get dressed.

Now Melody was more than happy to let Leah continue to chatter like a magpie about the wondrous events in her life.

“I mean, Melody, who would have ever thought I could have fallen in love on the way to see you?”

“Not I.” Though she’d only heard snippets about the romance, Melody had to agree that it did indeed seem incredible. “Are you sure it’s love, though?”

“Yes.” A new awareness shone in Leah’s eyes. “I’ve been infatuated before. I’ve liked other men a lot. Sometimes I’ve wondered if the relationship I was in was going to turn into love. But never before have I felt anything like this. What I feel for Zack is so strong. So right. It must have been meant to be.”

“I imagine so.”

“Gosh, are you laughing at me?” Leah grinned. “Even if you are, I don’t care. I’m just so happy.”

“I’m not laughing.” In her arms, tiny Faith made a little fist, then relaxed her hand and continued to sleep. Both Mrs. Brenneman and Katie had warned her that newborns slept almost constantly their first twenty-four hours. Melody was glad they’d told her, otherwise she was sure she would be very nervous.

Looking at Leah, she shook her head in wonder. “I just can’t believe you are here. When you appeared in the doorway, I promise, at first I thought you were a dream.”

“I didn’t want you to be alone.” Turning serious, Leah murmured, “This whole time, I’ve been so worried about you, Melody. I haven’t understood why any of this happened.”

“I don’t think we had to understand, at least not right now. Perhaps one day we will?”

“Maybe you’re right. Anyway, I can’t tell you how nice the Brenneman family has been to me. When we left you last night, Mr. Brenneman had two rooms ready for Zack and me.”

“They are truly the nicest people. They’ve made me feel so welcome and almost like I was a part of their family,” said Melody. “It’s been a wonderful gift. Now, how long do you intend to stay?”

“As long as you’d like me to.”

“What about Zack?”

“I think he took off until December twenty-seventh.”

“My bus reservation is on the morning of the twenty-seventh.”

“Melody, there’s no way I’m going to let you and Faith travel home on a bus! You can return with Zack and me.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to be any trouble.”

Leah grinned. “Too late. If you thought my being here was like a dream, traveling here was a nightmare.”

Melody chuckled, because she knew Leah didn’t mean anything bad. “Then I can only hope that the return trip will be far better. But you had better ask Zack first, Leah. Don’t you think?”

“I’ll ask him, but I can’t imagine why he’d say no.”

“Last night, I was so thankful he was here.”

“He’s an amazing man. Nothing seems to faze him, Melody.”

As Melody thought again of how his take-charge attitude had steadied her fears and brought a new sense of calm to the room, she knew she’d always be grateful.

After a brief knock, Katie Brenneman peeked inside. “Good morning! Merry Christmas!”

“Good morning to you,” Melody said.

“Can I come in?”

“Please do! And please meet Faith.”

“Ah. Yes, Faith is a wonderful-gut name for your
boppli.”
Katie leaned forward and admired her with a soft smile. “She’s beautiful. And so tiny.”

“Zack thought she was six pounds.”

“My Eli was almost eight when he was born. No wonder she looks so small.” Turning to Leah, Katie murmured, “We’re having breakfast now. Your Zack has been sitting with us, but I have to say he is looking a little lost out there, sitting among the Amish.”

Leah stood up abruptly, then bit her lip as she glanced Melody’s way. “I’m sorry. Do you mind—”

“I’d mind if you let Zack sit in there all by himself! Go now.”

“We’ll be back after we eat. I know he’d love to see you and Faith again, first thing.”

“I’ll see you after breakfast.”

Katie grinned as she took the chair Leah vacated in a flash. She and Melody watched her practically run out the door, and she said, “Your friend is smitten.”

“It sure seems that way.” As she looked at Katie, she noticed dark smudges under her eyes. “Are you all right? How is your boy? I remember he was sick?”

“He’s better,
danke.
He’s still sick, but his fever is down, and the steam steeped with peppermint seems to have helped a great deal.”

“I’m glad.”

“May I bring you some tea or coffee?”

“I’d love some coffee.”

Katie stood up. “I’ll bring it right out to you. My
mamm
made homemade cinnamon rolls this morning, too. Would you care for one of those?”

“Your mother is a wonder, making cinnamon rolls so early. She must not have ever gone to sleep!”

“She is a wonder, but these rolls are easier than most. They use a box of yellow cake mix.”

“I would love to have one, although I feel bad, with you having to wait on me.”

“Don’t feel bad at all. I’m glad to help you, Melody.” She stepped away, then turned back to her. “Listen, I don’t want to forget to say this. I … I am glad you are here. I know I wasn’t at first, and I know I’ve already apologized, but I don’t think it will ever be too much to tell you I’m sorry again.”

“There’s no need.”

“I think there is. I’m ashamed. I just wanted you to know that your visit has been a joyous event for our family. I, for one, will always be grateful that you came here.” She pursed her lips. “And, I just want you to know … I think you’re very brave.”

Melody was too choked up to immediately reply. “Your words mean a great deal,” she whispered.
“Danke.”

Moments after Katie left to get her some breakfast, Melody leaned back on the cushions of the bed. Once again, all her attention turned to her precious Faith. “What a miracle this Christmas has been,” she murmured. “It’s a miracle that everything has turned out so well.”

The well-known verse from 1 Corinthians floated through her mind. People often talked about that verse
for romantic love, but she remembered someone telling her once that Paul’s talk of love hadn’t really been meant for romance. He was talking about love of faith. Love of each other. Love that was strong and patient and kind.

And that’s how she felt when she looked at her baby. Suddenly, all the ugliness that had filled her life didn’t seem to matter anymore. Suddenly, all that really mattered was here in her arms.

“I brought you coffee,” Levi said from the doorway.

“Levi!” She didn’t even try to contain her smile for him.

“May I come in?”

“Of course. I’m so glad to see you. Would … would you care to meet my daughter?”

Warily he stepped forward, gingerly handling the coffee mug like he was afraid he’d spill it. She noticed he hardly looked at her until he put the coffee cup down. Only then did he straighten and look her way.