Read Online A Simple Christmas Wish by Melody Carlson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Melody Carlson
Tags: Christmas stories, FIC042000, Orphans—Fiction, FIC053000, Amish—Fiction, Family secrets—Fiction, Forgiveness—Fiction
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served and shuffled about, a few bits and pieces of farm information were exchanged around the table, as well as some thoughts about the weather and the forecast. It sounded as if this snowstorm was expected to last a few days. Rachel hoped they were wrong about that. She told them about the good driving weather she and Holly had enjoyed today. However, no one seemed interested to hear more. In fact, no one seemed terribly interested in the two virtual strangers sharing the table with them. Perhaps this was their way of being polite and unobtrusive, or maybe they were just too hungry to express interest in anything but the food.
Yet, as hungry as this family appeared, no one gobbled down their food. No one was in a hurry. Instead, they were content to savor and enjoy the meal, and Rachel thought that was admirable. Too often, she saw people rushing to eat. It was refreshing to witness a family all sitting together and enjoying a meal. It reminded her of some of the old televisionshows she used to enjoy on TV—shows like The Waltons or Little House on the Prairie . Although it was hard to believe that people actually lived like this, she knew they were not putting this act on for her benefit.
Eventually the meal ended, and Rachel and Holly remained in the kitchen to help Lydia and Sarah. Thanks to the number of dishes and the absence of things like a dishwasher, the cleanup was far more tedious than Rachel was used to. When they were finally done, though, there was a good sense of accomplishment to see that all the counters were clear and clean and the dishes were all put away.
“Do you like to play games?” Sarah asked Holly.
Holly’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I have Nintendo in the car and I have—”
“I don’t think Sarah means video games,” Rachel quickly explained.
“Oh?” Holly nodded with a perplexed expression, almost as if she were a tourist in a foreign country, trying to figure out a completely different culture.
“Sarah probably means board games. Like Chutes and Ladders.”
“I like those games too,” Holly said with renewed enthusiasm.
The game Sarah set up appeared to be similar to Chinese checkers. It involved a handmade wooden board and colored marbles, and it didn’t take long before Holly got the hang of it. It also didn’t take long before the two restless older boys disappeared. According to Sarah, they’d probably gone out to the barn to “horse around.” Ezra remained behind, whittling on a piece of wood and eventually joining in the marblesgame. Meanwhile, Daniel tended to the fire and read from a serious-looking brown book. If anyone was curious about their houseguests, they were doing a good job of keeping it to themselves. Perhaps this was simply Amish etiquette.
Rachel had brought her ebook reader with her, and it had a fully charged battery, but she was uncertain about getting it out. She didn’t want to insult anyone with her technology. Instead, she decided to just sit and soak in all this quiet activity. After all, when would she have an experience like this again?
Seeing the children down on the floor—two who appeared to be from another century playing with Holly, who was dressed in a bright plaid jumper with lime green leggings—made for an interesting scene. Rachel almost wished she had her camera, and yet she’d heard the Amish didn’t care to be photographed. She was glad that the children were including Holly and were having fun. After a bit, Lydia joined them in the front room. She had a sewing basket in hand, and with nothing more than a nod in Rachel’s direction, she settled herself onto the high-backed bench near the fire and began to work on mending what appeared to be a pair of trousers. It was all a very homey scene, albeit quiet, and Rachel was determined to enjoy it.
Because, Rachel assured herself, by tomorrow night if all went well, she and Holly would be back in the Chicago apartment and this would be only a memory. It was surprising how the
Yet, as hungry as this family appeared, no one gobbled down their food. No one was in a hurry. Instead, they were content to savor and enjoy the meal, and Rachel thought that was admirable. Too often, she saw people rushing to eat. It was refreshing to witness a family all sitting together and enjoying a meal. It reminded her of some of the old televisionshows she used to enjoy on TV—shows like The Waltons or Little House on the Prairie . Although it was hard to believe that people actually lived like this, she knew they were not putting this act on for her benefit.
Eventually the meal ended, and Rachel and Holly remained in the kitchen to help Lydia and Sarah. Thanks to the number of dishes and the absence of things like a dishwasher, the cleanup was far more tedious than Rachel was used to. When they were finally done, though, there was a good sense of accomplishment to see that all the counters were clear and clean and the dishes were all put away.
“Do you like to play games?” Sarah asked Holly.
Holly’s eyes lit up. “Yes! I have Nintendo in the car and I have—”
“I don’t think Sarah means video games,” Rachel quickly explained.
“Oh?” Holly nodded with a perplexed expression, almost as if she were a tourist in a foreign country, trying to figure out a completely different culture.
“Sarah probably means board games. Like Chutes and Ladders.”
“I like those games too,” Holly said with renewed enthusiasm.
The game Sarah set up appeared to be similar to Chinese checkers. It involved a handmade wooden board and colored marbles, and it didn’t take long before Holly got the hang of it. It also didn’t take long before the two restless older boys disappeared. According to Sarah, they’d probably gone out to the barn to “horse around.” Ezra remained behind, whittling on a piece of wood and eventually joining in the marblesgame. Meanwhile, Daniel tended to the fire and read from a serious-looking brown book. If anyone was curious about their houseguests, they were doing a good job of keeping it to themselves. Perhaps this was simply Amish etiquette.
Rachel had brought her ebook reader with her, and it had a fully charged battery, but she was uncertain about getting it out. She didn’t want to insult anyone with her technology. Instead, she decided to just sit and soak in all this quiet activity. After all, when would she have an experience like this again?
Seeing the children down on the floor—two who appeared to be from another century playing with Holly, who was dressed in a bright plaid jumper with lime green leggings—made for an interesting scene. Rachel almost wished she had her camera, and yet she’d heard the Amish didn’t care to be photographed. She was glad that the children were including Holly and were having fun. After a bit, Lydia joined them in the front room. She had a sewing basket in hand, and with nothing more than a nod in Rachel’s direction, she settled herself onto the high-backed bench near the fire and began to work on mending what appeared to be a pair of trousers. It was all a very homey scene, albeit quiet, and Rachel was determined to enjoy it.
Because, Rachel assured herself, by tomorrow night if all went well, she and Holly would be back in the Chicago apartment and this would be only a memory. It was surprising how the
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