Naomi’s Christmas (16 page)

Emma looked up at him and tried to smile despite the pain that ravaged her face. “Ach,
I’m causing so much trouble.”

“Never mind.” Nathan knelt next to her, relieved that at least Emma was conscious
and seemed in her right mind. “What happened?”

“Foolish, so foolish.” She moved her hand in a feeble gesture toward the chair. “Thought
I’d get a platter from the top shelf.”

Foolish, for sure, but nobody ever thought an accident would happen to them. He clasped
her free hand in his. “Tell me where you are hurt. I must call the paramedics, and
they will want to know.”

“My hip, but maybe it’s not so bad. Joshua and Sadie have been taking care of me.”
She tried to move and gasped in pain.

“Just lie still, Emma,” Daad said. “We’ll stay with you while Nathan calls for help.”
He moved to take Nathan’s place, letting Joshua sit beside him.

Nathan nodded, moving carefully away from Emma so that he didn’t jostle her by accident.
“I’ll be right back.”

The phone shanty was by the barn, and he ran across the yard toward it, his mind moving
faster than his feet. Call 911 first, that was the important thing. Someone would
have to tell Jessie, and he dreaded the thought of how upset she might be.

Jerking the door open, he grabbed the phone and pushed the buttons, quickly giving
the information to the dispatcher. Luckily the firehouse wasn’t far, and the Pleasant
Valley emergency teams prided themselves on their fast response.

Once he’d hung up, he turned toward the door and then stopped. He’d have to go to
the hospital with Emma. Daad couldn’t manage the children and take care of the milking
as well. And there was a phone at the bakery.

In a moment he heard Naomi’s voice on the other end of the line.

“Nathan? Is something wrong?”

“Emma has fallen. I must go to the hospital with her. The children…”

“Don’t worry about them. I will be there soon.” He heard her saying something to someone
else and then she was back on the line. “Paula will drive me, and she says she’ll
take you on to the hospital.”

She disconnected before he could stammer out his thanks.

Not that she or any of the Plain People of the valley would be waiting around for
thanks. Soon the word would spread, and there would be plenty of people showing up
to help.

He hurried back to the house, dread seizing him as he opened the door. If Emma had
taken a turn for the worse…

Foolishness, he knew. Emma still lay where she was, making an effort to talk normally
to the children. But her gaze fastened on him, and he read the fear in it.

“It will be all right. The paramedics are on their way, and I will go to the hospital
with you.”

“But the kinder,” she protested. “And how—”

“It’s all taken care of,” he said, hoping the words would soothe her. “Naomi is on
her way also, with Paula driving her, and Paula will take me to the hospital. Don’t
worry. Just rest, and soon you’ll be back on your feet.”

Even as he said the words, he heard the faint wail of a siren in the distance, getting
louder. The emergency team must have beaten their best record to get here so soon.

In a few minutes the kitchen was crowded with people and equipment. Daad took Sadie
and Joshua by the hand and led them into the living room, hushing their protests.

“We must leave the rescue people room to do their work,” he said.

Nathan could breathe easier once the children were out of the way. He didn’t want
them to see their grandmother in pain, and no matter how gentle the EMTs were, it
would be difficult to get Emma onto a stretcher and into the ambulance.

His stomach churned as he watched. This must have been what it was like when they
came for Ada. If he’d been here…But if he’d been here, it would never have happened.

Emma bit her lip as she was moved to a stretcher, a moan escaping her. In the other
room he heard Sadie start to cry, and his heart twisted. He wanted to protect his
children from everything that might hurt them, but he couldn’t.

He hastened to hold the door open as the paramedics
moved the stretcher. They were lowering it down the steps when a car pulled in, swinging
around the ambulance. Paula Schatz’s car, the offending chrome painted black. The
doors swung open, and Naomi was hurrying toward him.

One little piece of his tension slipped away. Naomi was here, and she’d take over.
The children were safe with her.

P
raying
silently for Emma, Naomi hurried into the house, pausing only long enough to hang
up her jacket. She couldn’t do anything for Emma but pray, but there was certainly
something she could do for the children.

Sadie’s sobs reached her as she crossed the kitchen and went into the living room.
Ezra, Nathan’s father, sat on the sofa with Sadie in his lap and Joshua next to him.
He patted Sadie’s back and looked up at Naomi with relief plainly written on his face.

“I told Sadie that Emma would be all right, but…” He let that sentence trail off,
shrugging a little.

“Sadie.” Naomi reached out to take the little girl, and Sadie clung to her, wrapping
her arms around Naomi’s neck. “Komm. Stop the crying. Your grossmammi might hear you.
Think how bad it would make her feel.”

Sadie pulled back, sniffling. “It would?”

“Ja, of course it would. She loves you.”

“She said you and Joshua took gut care of her,” Ezra said, rising and motioning for
Naomi to take his place. “That made her happy.”

“You did?” Naomi sat down, putting her arm around Joshua and seating Sadie on her
lap. “That was wonderful smart of you.”

Sadie nodded and then glanced at her brother. “It was Joshua,” she whispered. “He
told me what to do.”

“So you both helped your grossmammi.” She snuggled them close.

Sadie relaxed against her, but Joshua sat with his shoulders squared, as if he had
to carry a burden. What was going through his mind? Was he blaming himself for Emma’s
accident?

“Do you want to tell me about it?” Surely it was best for them to talk rather than
to keep it inside and worry. She met Ezra’s gaze. He nodded and slipped out to the
kitchen.

“I heard Grossmammi fall,” Sadie announced. “I was playing with my dolly.” She nodded
toward a plastic baby doll that lay under the rocking chair.

“What about you, Joshua? Did you hear her fall?”

He nodded. “I went to the basement to get a jar of applesauce for her. She was going
to make an applesauce cake. When she fell…” He stopped, his eyes dark with misery.
“I could have held the chair for her.”

“Ja, you could have,” she said, keeping her voice calm. Like his daadi, he was quick
to take responsibility. “But you were doing something else for her. You couldn’t have
known she
would fall.” She smoothed his hair back from his face. “Whenever there’s an accident,
we always think there was something we should have done. I’d guess your grossmammi
is thinking that right now.”

Some of the stiffness went out of Joshua, and he nodded. “That’s what she said. After
she fell. She said she should have known better.”

“Ja, we always think so, don’t we? That’s what makes it an accident. Nobody’s fault—it
just happened. And you certain-sure did the right things for Grossmammi afterward.”

“We got a pillow,” Sadie said. “And a blanket. And then Joshua ran to get Daadi while
I held Grossmammi’s hand.”

“You both did exactly the right thing,” Naomi said. “Now, suppose we straighten up
the kitchen before Daadi gets back. Maybe we could bake something.”

“Not applesauce cake,” Joshua said quickly.

“How about snickerdoodles? We can pack some up to take to your grossmammi if she has
to stay in the hospital.”

“I love snickerdoodles.” Sadie slid from Naomi’s lap. “I like to push them down with
a fork.”

“That is the fun part, isn’t it?” She ushered the children toward the kitchen. They
would be upset over Emma’s fall for a bit, but the busier she kept them, the better.
They’d be more likely to mention anything that was bothering them while she was working
with them.

Especially Joshua. She studied his face, noticing the wariness in his eyes. Sadie
would get her bounce back quickly, but it would take Joshua a bit longer, maybe because
he was older and remembered more about Ada’s accident.

She closed her eyes for an instant, murmuring a silent prayer for him. And for herself,
that she would know how best to help these children.

By the time they reached the third sheet of cookies, someone was knocking at the back
door. Naomi wiped her hands on a tea towel and went to answer it. News spread fast,
and the neighbors would have seen the ambulance pull in.

“Naomi, I thought you’d be here.” It was Leah, along with Barbara Beiler, her sister-in-law.
They both carried baskets. “Is there any news of Emma?”

“Not yet.” Naomi gestured them on into the kitchen, where it was warmer. “It’s gut
of you to stop.”

“We saw the ambulance go by,” Barbara said, putting her basket on the counter and
lifting out a casserole dish. Plump and rosy, Barbara was as noted for her cooking
as she was for being something of a blabbermaul. “I had beef stew on the stove already,
so I brought it for your dinner.”

“Denke, Barbara. That’s ser kind of you. I’ll be able to heat some up for Nathan when
he gets back.”

Barbara clucked. “Who knows how long that will be? It must have been pretty serious,
for them to carry Emma away on a stretcher.”

Leah glanced at the children and then gave her sister-in-law a meaningful look. “I’m
sure the paramedics were just being extra careful,” she said repressively. She set
her basket down. “Elizabeth and I made cinnamon raisin bread this morning, so I brought
a couple of loaves.”

Elizabeth was Leah’s teenage stepdaughter, and a sweet, responsible girl.

“Denke. And be sure to tell Elizabeth how much it is appreciated.” Naomi ruffled Joshua’s
hair. “Joshua loves raisin bread.”

“And you are making snickerdoodles, I see.” Leah leaned over the table, where Sadie
was busy pressing the tines of a fork on the rounds of dough. “They look like little
waffles, don’t they, Sadie?”

Sadie nodded. “I like to make them.”

“And eat them, if you’re like my kinder,” Leah said, smiling.

As a former teacher, Leah had a nice way with the young ones, Naomi thought. She glanced
toward Barbara, to find her eyes bright with curiosity.

“How did you get here so quickly?” she asked, not troubling to hide her desire to
know everything that was going on.

“Nathan called the bakery, and Paula drove me. Then she drove Nathan on to the hospital,
so that he could be there with Emma.” She paused, wondering what it would take to
satisfy Barbara’s curiosity. “Paula’s a gut friend. She’s always willing to help with
her car in an emergency.”

“Well, if the accident had to happen, it’s gut that Nathan could call on someone the
kinder already know, like you.” Barbara tucked a pot holder back into her basket.
“Poor Nathan, going back to the hospital again. The memories that must bring back.”
She sighed, shaking her head.

Naomi realized that she was gripping the edge of the counter and forced herself to
relax. Barbara had a warm heart, but she also had a gift for saying things she shouldn’t.

“Why did you say my daadi is poor?” Sadie stared at Barbara, looking as if she’d burst
into tears again at any moment.

“That’s not what she meant,” Naomi said quickly. “Just that it’s a shame Grossmammi
had an accident.”

Barbara opened her mouth, but at a look from Leah she closed it again. “Ja,” she said
finally. “That’s what I was thinking.”

“We’re going to save some of the snickerdoodles to take to Emma if she has to stay
in the hospital,” Naomi said, keeping her voice light with an effort. She knew only
too well what Barbara had meant by her comment. She was comparing Emma’s accident
with Ada’s, saying that Nathan would be doubly upset to be heading to the hospital
again, as he’d done the day Ada died.

And she was probably right, even though she’d have done better not to say it. Nathan
would be reminded, but there was nothing anyone could do about it.

Darkness
came on early in December, and Nathan still hadn’t returned. Naomi was just tucking
the children into bed when she heard the sound of a car coming up the lane.

“That is probably your daadi.” She forestalled Sadie’s attempt to rush downstairs
in her bare feet. “Stay in bed where it’s warm. I’ll go and get him for you.”

When she reached the top of the stairs, Nathan was already on his way up, shedding
his jacket as he came. “The kinder are still awake?”

“Ja, they’re waiting for you.” She couldn’t read anything in his face, so she followed
him into the bedroom.

“Daadi, Daadi,” Sadie clamored, while Joshua watched him with apprehension.

“Hush, now.” He sat down on Sadie’s bed, pulling the quilt over her, and reached out
to Joshua, who came quickly to lean against him.

“How is Grossmammi?” Joshua’s shoulders were stiff again, as if he were bracing himself
to hear bad news, and Naomi’s heart ached for him.

“She is doing well,” Nathan said quickly, his arm snugging his son against him. “I
stayed until she was in her own room at the hospital. She was sleepy, but she said
to tell you she loves you and she’ll see you again soon.”

Joshua relaxed visibly, and Naomi felt herself do the same.
Denke, Father,
she said silently.

“Will she be here tomorrow?” Sadie asked.

“No, not tomorrow. It will take her a little time to get back to normal, so we must
be patient.” Nathan looked at Naomi, and she knew what he was asking without his saying
a word.

“I will be here tomorrow, ja?” She bent to hug Sadie and then Joshua. “Now I should
probably…” She paused, looking questioningly at Nathan. “Did Paula bring you home?”

“I did not want to keep her away from the bakery for so long. I hired Ben Miller to
drive me back. He’ll take you home, too.”