Read Online An Amish Christmas With the Bontrager Sisters by Hannah Schrock - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Hannah Schrock
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his own. She wanted to be there on Ruth’s wedding day, baking a large feast and then dancing on her old feet for her duchder’s happy day.
Most of all she wanted to see her new boppli and see Jeramiah in its tiny face, to see the love Jeramiah had once had for her pouring from her boppli’s eyes. She willed herself to sit up, clutching the edge of the cot for support. She pulled her feet out of bed with an effort and trudged on unsteady feet to the children’s room.
She bent over their tiny heads, their curls like unruly mops. She watched them for a while, then kissed their slumbering faces and left. She couldn’t let them find her in the cot. If she was going to die, she would do it in the only place she felt a deep connection with departed souls of loved ones.
Sarah was drenched to the bone the minute she stepped out of the backdoor. Her hair was matted to her forehead and her body shivered against the cold. Her unsteady, emaciated legs stumbled and she went sprawling in the mud. She lay like that for a few minutes, giving up but then a severe kick made her pull herself up again and make her agonizing way to the barn.
Eli’s barn. Eli had been a very important part of their lives. Kind and generous, he had always been a good listener and Sarah had felt he was one of her greatest friends. Now, she felt keenly that Eli was watching over her, like he did so often with Emma, that Eli knew her time was close and Gott had sent him to guide her across the great unknown.
The animals were huddled in their pens and looked at her with terrified eyes. The storm outside was raging and they were hoping for comfort from the only human face in their midst. Gritting her teeth against a stronger wave of pain, Sarah fell on her knees and knelt in the hay as if she were on her knees, praying.
She lay like that for hours, dozing off a little between spasms of pain that brought her back to consciousness. The storm was abating a little and Sarah heard someone crying her name. She looked towards the barn door that she had left ajar.
“Sarah!” Emma’s shrill voice ran through the night. “Sarah!” it came closer and then Emma was there, a lantern in her hand, her eyes wild with fear, her face and nightgown soaked as well. “Sarah, what happened? You scared me! What are you doing in here?”
“ Boppli ,” Sarah moaned, clutching her belly. Sarah knew something was wrong. This was unlike her previous births, the boppli’s relentless kicks made her feel her child was drowning in the womb. This had never happened before.
“The boppli’s coming?” Emma looked horrified. “I’ll call Jarron. We must take you to the English hospital!”
“There is no time,” Sarah moaned. “ Ach , Emma! He’s coming right now,” Sarah stood up on her shaky feet and the warm gush on her legs told her that her water had broken. Emma was looking at her with horror. Sarah was puzzled by her reaction. Emma had been there when Ruth had been born. She had seen the water break.
“You’re bleeding Sarah,” Emma blubbered.
And Sarah saw that it was so. Her legs and the floor were covered in bright red blood and it kept on gushing out of her. Sarah felt faint at the sight of it. She held a wooden beam to steady herself and Emma rushed forward to help her. The lantern cast eerie shadows around the barn.
“I’m not going to make it,” Sarah’s breathing was shallow. “You’re going to have to cut him out of me. Ach , sweet Emma I would not ask this of you if it weren’t necessary.”
“I can’t,” Emma wailed, bending over Sarah’s writhing body. “Sarah, please! Let me call Jarron. We’ll take you to the hospital!”
Sarah’s screams filled the air. Emma held her sister’s clammy cold hands as the contraction ripped through her. “Sarah, stay with me!” Emma pleaded, her sobs falling on deaf ears, her tears falling on a face that had gone deathly white. “Sarah! Don’t leave us!”
Sarah’s grip on Emma’s hand and
Most of all she wanted to see her new boppli and see Jeramiah in its tiny face, to see the love Jeramiah had once had for her pouring from her boppli’s eyes. She willed herself to sit up, clutching the edge of the cot for support. She pulled her feet out of bed with an effort and trudged on unsteady feet to the children’s room.
She bent over their tiny heads, their curls like unruly mops. She watched them for a while, then kissed their slumbering faces and left. She couldn’t let them find her in the cot. If she was going to die, she would do it in the only place she felt a deep connection with departed souls of loved ones.
Sarah was drenched to the bone the minute she stepped out of the backdoor. Her hair was matted to her forehead and her body shivered against the cold. Her unsteady, emaciated legs stumbled and she went sprawling in the mud. She lay like that for a few minutes, giving up but then a severe kick made her pull herself up again and make her agonizing way to the barn.
Eli’s barn. Eli had been a very important part of their lives. Kind and generous, he had always been a good listener and Sarah had felt he was one of her greatest friends. Now, she felt keenly that Eli was watching over her, like he did so often with Emma, that Eli knew her time was close and Gott had sent him to guide her across the great unknown.
The animals were huddled in their pens and looked at her with terrified eyes. The storm outside was raging and they were hoping for comfort from the only human face in their midst. Gritting her teeth against a stronger wave of pain, Sarah fell on her knees and knelt in the hay as if she were on her knees, praying.
She lay like that for hours, dozing off a little between spasms of pain that brought her back to consciousness. The storm was abating a little and Sarah heard someone crying her name. She looked towards the barn door that she had left ajar.
“Sarah!” Emma’s shrill voice ran through the night. “Sarah!” it came closer and then Emma was there, a lantern in her hand, her eyes wild with fear, her face and nightgown soaked as well. “Sarah, what happened? You scared me! What are you doing in here?”
“ Boppli ,” Sarah moaned, clutching her belly. Sarah knew something was wrong. This was unlike her previous births, the boppli’s relentless kicks made her feel her child was drowning in the womb. This had never happened before.
“The boppli’s coming?” Emma looked horrified. “I’ll call Jarron. We must take you to the English hospital!”
“There is no time,” Sarah moaned. “ Ach , Emma! He’s coming right now,” Sarah stood up on her shaky feet and the warm gush on her legs told her that her water had broken. Emma was looking at her with horror. Sarah was puzzled by her reaction. Emma had been there when Ruth had been born. She had seen the water break.
“You’re bleeding Sarah,” Emma blubbered.
And Sarah saw that it was so. Her legs and the floor were covered in bright red blood and it kept on gushing out of her. Sarah felt faint at the sight of it. She held a wooden beam to steady herself and Emma rushed forward to help her. The lantern cast eerie shadows around the barn.
“I’m not going to make it,” Sarah’s breathing was shallow. “You’re going to have to cut him out of me. Ach , sweet Emma I would not ask this of you if it weren’t necessary.”
“I can’t,” Emma wailed, bending over Sarah’s writhing body. “Sarah, please! Let me call Jarron. We’ll take you to the hospital!”
Sarah’s screams filled the air. Emma held her sister’s clammy cold hands as the contraction ripped through her. “Sarah, stay with me!” Emma pleaded, her sobs falling on deaf ears, her tears falling on a face that had gone deathly white. “Sarah! Don’t leave us!”
Sarah’s grip on Emma’s hand and
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