Read Online A Simple Christmas Wish by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Melody Carlson
Tags: Christmas stories, FIC042000, Orphans—Fiction, FIC053000, Amish—Fiction, Family secrets—Fiction, Forgiveness—Fiction
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dropped her hand down as if to explain how gravity worked. Then as if to further explain, she turned on the tap. “See?”
“Really?” Rachel was impressed. “That’s very clever.”
Sarah looked at Rachel as if she questioned her sensibilities, but instead she simply pointed out the lanterns hanging on the wall. “These are for light . So you can see .” Now she pointed to the matches on a nearby shelf. “You use these to light them with.” Then, shaking her head, Sarah went on downstairs. Thankfully, she did not take the time to explain the towels or the toilet tissue to Rachel.
Holly giggled as she picked up the box of matches. “I’m not supposed to play with these,” she told Rachel.
“I know.” Rachel frowned as she took the matchbox from Holly. “Let me light the lanterns for you.”
“I like how this kind of light looks,” Holly said as the lantern flickered to life. “It’s all fuzzy and warm, don’t you think?”
Rachel looked at Holly, sweetly illuminated in the soft golden light. “Yes, it is kind of fuzzy and warm.” She shivered slightly as the chill of the house ran through her. “And fuzzy and warm can be very good.”
Rachel felt uneasy and slightly intrusive as she and Holly went downstairs. She could hear quiet voices in the kitchen and felt the polite thing to do would be to go in and offer to help, but she had no idea how this would be received.
“Should we see if Aunt Lydia needs help?” she asked Holly.
Holly nodded. She’d carried Bunny down with her but looked uncertain now. “Should I leave Bunny here?”
Rachel agreed. “Yes. She probably won’t be much help in the kitchen.”
Holly set Bunny in a chair, then took Rachel’s hand and together they walked into the kitchen. “Excuse me,” Rachel said politely. “Is there something we can do to help?”
Rachel was relieved when Lydia found several simple tasks that needed doing, and soon both Rachel and Holly were busily helping. Rachel could tell that having unexpected guests for dinner had probably put some extra pressure on their hostess tonight. At least they appeared to have plenty of food. As Rachel smelled the pork roast cooking, she realized she was actually quite hungry.
It wasn’t long until everyone was finding their places at a long wooden table illuminated by a large kerosene lantern that hung from the ceiling. Although it was a simple meal with mismatched dishes on a bare wood table, it felt surprisingly festive due to the flickering golden light. Rachel and Holly were told to sit with Sarah on a bench that ran along one side, and the three boys sat on the bench on the opposite side. Then Daniel came in and, without saying a word, sat at the head of the table.
“Good evening,” Rachel said in a friendly tone, trying not to stare at his odd-looking beard.
“Gut-n-owed,” Daniel said to her.
Lydia set the last of the serving bowls in the center of the table, taking her seat at the opposite end of the table. She took a moment to introduce everyone, and afterward Daniel bowed his head, as did the rest of his family. Rachel nudged Holly, hinting that she should imitate their host too. She waited for him to ask a blessing on the food, but no wordswere uttered. Instead, everyone just kept their heads bowed, with no one saying anything. All Rachel could hear was the ticking of a clock somewhere.
Eventually Holly’s head popped up, but Rachel sent her a quick sideways warning glance, tipping her head to signal Holly to keep her head bowed. She wasn’t sure what was going on here, but she didn’t want to be impolite or disrespectful. Finally, after what seemed an awfully long time, Daniel said “amen,” and just like that, the table sprang back to life in an almost other-worldly sort of way.
It wasn’t so much that they were a chatty bunch, but it was clear from the activity that they were all hungry. They’d probably been working hard; plus it was cold outside. As food was passed and
“Really?” Rachel was impressed. “That’s very clever.”
Sarah looked at Rachel as if she questioned her sensibilities, but instead she simply pointed out the lanterns hanging on the wall. “These are for light . So you can see .” Now she pointed to the matches on a nearby shelf. “You use these to light them with.” Then, shaking her head, Sarah went on downstairs. Thankfully, she did not take the time to explain the towels or the toilet tissue to Rachel.
Holly giggled as she picked up the box of matches. “I’m not supposed to play with these,” she told Rachel.
“I know.” Rachel frowned as she took the matchbox from Holly. “Let me light the lanterns for you.”
“I like how this kind of light looks,” Holly said as the lantern flickered to life. “It’s all fuzzy and warm, don’t you think?”
Rachel looked at Holly, sweetly illuminated in the soft golden light. “Yes, it is kind of fuzzy and warm.” She shivered slightly as the chill of the house ran through her. “And fuzzy and warm can be very good.”
Rachel felt uneasy and slightly intrusive as she and Holly went downstairs. She could hear quiet voices in the kitchen and felt the polite thing to do would be to go in and offer to help, but she had no idea how this would be received.
“Should we see if Aunt Lydia needs help?” she asked Holly.
Holly nodded. She’d carried Bunny down with her but looked uncertain now. “Should I leave Bunny here?”
Rachel agreed. “Yes. She probably won’t be much help in the kitchen.”
Holly set Bunny in a chair, then took Rachel’s hand and together they walked into the kitchen. “Excuse me,” Rachel said politely. “Is there something we can do to help?”
Rachel was relieved when Lydia found several simple tasks that needed doing, and soon both Rachel and Holly were busily helping. Rachel could tell that having unexpected guests for dinner had probably put some extra pressure on their hostess tonight. At least they appeared to have plenty of food. As Rachel smelled the pork roast cooking, she realized she was actually quite hungry.
It wasn’t long until everyone was finding their places at a long wooden table illuminated by a large kerosene lantern that hung from the ceiling. Although it was a simple meal with mismatched dishes on a bare wood table, it felt surprisingly festive due to the flickering golden light. Rachel and Holly were told to sit with Sarah on a bench that ran along one side, and the three boys sat on the bench on the opposite side. Then Daniel came in and, without saying a word, sat at the head of the table.
“Good evening,” Rachel said in a friendly tone, trying not to stare at his odd-looking beard.
“Gut-n-owed,” Daniel said to her.
Lydia set the last of the serving bowls in the center of the table, taking her seat at the opposite end of the table. She took a moment to introduce everyone, and afterward Daniel bowed his head, as did the rest of his family. Rachel nudged Holly, hinting that she should imitate their host too. She waited for him to ask a blessing on the food, but no wordswere uttered. Instead, everyone just kept their heads bowed, with no one saying anything. All Rachel could hear was the ticking of a clock somewhere.
Eventually Holly’s head popped up, but Rachel sent her a quick sideways warning glance, tipping her head to signal Holly to keep her head bowed. She wasn’t sure what was going on here, but she didn’t want to be impolite or disrespectful. Finally, after what seemed an awfully long time, Daniel said “amen,” and just like that, the table sprang back to life in an almost other-worldly sort of way.
It wasn’t so much that they were a chatty bunch, but it was clear from the activity that they were all hungry. They’d probably been working hard; plus it was cold outside. As food was passed and
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