Read Online A Home for Hannah by Patricia Davids - Free Book Online
Authors: Patricia Davids
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former Amish who sought forgiveness would be welcomed back into the Amish fold with great joy.
Her mother hollered up the stairs. “You should feed the horse, Miriam. She will have a long day.”
Miriam groaned. Arriving at a church meeting in a car was unacceptable to Ada. Amish people walked or drove their buggies. End of discussion.
To keep her mother from trying to walk the six miles to Bishop Zook’s farm, Miriam would have to feed, water and hitch up their horse. She might be out of practice at harnessing the mare, but she hadn’t forgotten how to do it.
After dressing in work clothes, Miriam walked through the kitchen. At the front door, she waited for Bella to join her. “Come on, the baby’s not going to wake up for another two hours. I just fed her. This might be your only chance to spend time with me today because you are not coming with us to church.”
Bella reluctantly abandoned her post beneath the crib and trotted out the door Miriam held open. Her mother, looking brighter than Miriam had seen her in weeks, was mixing batter in a large bowl. “You’d best get a move on, child. I’ll not be late to services at the bishop’s
home. Esther Zook would never let me live it down.”
“I can’t understand why such a sweet man married that sour-faced woman.”
Ada chuckled, then struggled to keep a straight face. “It is not right to speak ill of others.”
“The truth is not ill, Mamm, it is the truth. There is only one reason I can think of why he fell for her.”
The two women looked at each other, and both said, “She’s must be a wondrous goot cook!”
Laughing, Ada turned back to the stove. “How many times did your father say those very words?”
“Every time he talked about his brother’s wife, Aunt Mae.”
“She was a homely woman, God rest her soul, but your onkel was a happy man married to her.” Ada spooned the batter into a muffin tin.
Miriam’s smile faded. “I miss Papa. He was a funny fellow.”
“ Ja. He often made me laugh. God gave him a fine wit. You had better hurry and get the horse fed or these muffins will be cold by the time you get back.” Ada opened the oven door and slid the pan in.
Miriam walked outside into the cool air. Even after six months, she was still amazed by the stillness and freshness of a country morning. She scanned the lane for any sign of a returning buggy. It remained as empty as it had all night. She knew because she’d looked out her window often enough. Perhaps Hannah’s mother wouldn’t return. What would become of the baby then?
Had Nick had any luck lifting fingerprints from the note or hamper? Surely, he would have called if he had. She still found it hard to believe that he had agreed to leave the baby with them. Was he trying to make amends? Did he care that she hadn’t forgiven him?
Annoyed with herself for thinking about Nick once again, she hurried across the yard to finish her chores. In the barn, she quickly measured grain for the horse and took an old coffee can full to the henhouse. Opening the screen door, she sprinkled the grain for the brown-and-white-speckled hens. They clucked and cackled with satisfaction. She didn’t bother checking for eggs. She knew her mother had gathered them already.
By the time she returned to the house, hung up her jacket and washed up, her mother was dumping golden brown cornmeal muffins into a woven wooden basket lined with a white napkin. The smell of bacon filled the air and made Miriam’s stomach growl. A few more years of eating like this and she would be having her own heart attack.
“What was your blood sugar this morning?” Miriam snatched a muffin and bit into the warm crumbly goodness.
“104.”
Miriam fixed her mother with an unwavering stare. “Have you taken your medicine?”
“Ja.”
“Checked your blood pressure?”
“Ja.”
“What is your blood pressure this morning?”
Ada’s eyes narrowed. “Before or after my daughter began badgering
Her mother hollered up the stairs. “You should feed the horse, Miriam. She will have a long day.”
Miriam groaned. Arriving at a church meeting in a car was unacceptable to Ada. Amish people walked or drove their buggies. End of discussion.
To keep her mother from trying to walk the six miles to Bishop Zook’s farm, Miriam would have to feed, water and hitch up their horse. She might be out of practice at harnessing the mare, but she hadn’t forgotten how to do it.
After dressing in work clothes, Miriam walked through the kitchen. At the front door, she waited for Bella to join her. “Come on, the baby’s not going to wake up for another two hours. I just fed her. This might be your only chance to spend time with me today because you are not coming with us to church.”
Bella reluctantly abandoned her post beneath the crib and trotted out the door Miriam held open. Her mother, looking brighter than Miriam had seen her in weeks, was mixing batter in a large bowl. “You’d best get a move on, child. I’ll not be late to services at the bishop’s
home. Esther Zook would never let me live it down.”
“I can’t understand why such a sweet man married that sour-faced woman.”
Ada chuckled, then struggled to keep a straight face. “It is not right to speak ill of others.”
“The truth is not ill, Mamm, it is the truth. There is only one reason I can think of why he fell for her.”
The two women looked at each other, and both said, “She’s must be a wondrous goot cook!”
Laughing, Ada turned back to the stove. “How many times did your father say those very words?”
“Every time he talked about his brother’s wife, Aunt Mae.”
“She was a homely woman, God rest her soul, but your onkel was a happy man married to her.” Ada spooned the batter into a muffin tin.
Miriam’s smile faded. “I miss Papa. He was a funny fellow.”
“ Ja. He often made me laugh. God gave him a fine wit. You had better hurry and get the horse fed or these muffins will be cold by the time you get back.” Ada opened the oven door and slid the pan in.
Miriam walked outside into the cool air. Even after six months, she was still amazed by the stillness and freshness of a country morning. She scanned the lane for any sign of a returning buggy. It remained as empty as it had all night. She knew because she’d looked out her window often enough. Perhaps Hannah’s mother wouldn’t return. What would become of the baby then?
Had Nick had any luck lifting fingerprints from the note or hamper? Surely, he would have called if he had. She still found it hard to believe that he had agreed to leave the baby with them. Was he trying to make amends? Did he care that she hadn’t forgiven him?
Annoyed with herself for thinking about Nick once again, she hurried across the yard to finish her chores. In the barn, she quickly measured grain for the horse and took an old coffee can full to the henhouse. Opening the screen door, she sprinkled the grain for the brown-and-white-speckled hens. They clucked and cackled with satisfaction. She didn’t bother checking for eggs. She knew her mother had gathered them already.
By the time she returned to the house, hung up her jacket and washed up, her mother was dumping golden brown cornmeal muffins into a woven wooden basket lined with a white napkin. The smell of bacon filled the air and made Miriam’s stomach growl. A few more years of eating like this and she would be having her own heart attack.
“What was your blood sugar this morning?” Miriam snatched a muffin and bit into the warm crumbly goodness.
“104.”
Miriam fixed her mother with an unwavering stare. “Have you taken your medicine?”
“Ja.”
“Checked your blood pressure?”
“Ja.”
“What is your blood pressure this morning?”
Ada’s eyes narrowed. “Before or after my daughter began badgering
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