A Kauffman Amish Christmas Collection (33 page)

Her cheeks flushed a deeper pink. “I’m glad to hear that.”

“I wanted to tell you that I—” he began.

“I think it’s time for you to get some rest, Naomi,” Irma interrupted, stepping into the room. “It’s very late and tomorrow is Christmas.” She tapped Caleb’s shoulder. “Robert is here. He stopped by to see if we’d found you. He’s ready to take you home.”

“Okay.” Caleb stood. “Let me just say good-bye.”

Irma gave him a stern expression. “Keep it short.”

Feeling like a teenager, Caleb nodded and suppressed a grin. Did Irma truly think he was planning on misbehaving with her injured daughter?

Caleb waited until Irma stepped out to the kitchen and then walked around the bed to Naomi. Taking her hand in his, he looked deep into her eyes, which rounded with surprise.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” he said softly. “I was very worried about you.”

She nodded, looking speechless.

“Danki
again for the note you gave me with the drill,” he said, holding the note up before putting it back into his pocket. “Your words touched me deeply. I, too, am looking forward to where our friendship takes us.” He shook her hand.
“Frehlicher Grischtdaag, mei freind.”

“Frehlicher Grischtdaag,”
she echoed, her eyes still wide.

He then stepped out into the kitchen. “Gut
nacht,”
he said to Irma.

“Danki
, Caleb,” Irma said, shaking his hand. “We’re so glad you rescued her.”

Naomi adjusted herself in the bed. The pain from her ankle radiated up her leg in waves, stealing her breath.

However, the buzz in her mind affected her more deeply than the pain from her foot as she watched Caleb walk out into the kitchen. Her heart pounded and a smile spread on her lips as she remembered the look on his face as he’d held her hand. His words had left her both dizzy and speechless.
The note she’d written to him had touched him, and he looked forward to a future with her.

A future
?

But what did that mean exactly? Did he only want to be friends or did he want something more?

“You’re a very blessed
maedel,”
Irma said, stepping back into the bedroom. “You could’ve been lost out there all night.”

Naomi sighed. “I know.” She tried to move her leg and sucked in a ragged breath when the discomfort shot through her ankle.

“Ach,”
her mother rushed over and took her hand. “Are you okay?”

Naomi nodded as the pain subsided a bit. “I think so.”

“Do you want more painkiller?” Her mother’s eyes were wide with worry.

“No,
danki.”
Naomi forced a smile. “I’ll be okay in a moment. The pain comes and goes.”

Her mother pulled a chair up next to her. “Caleb is a
gut
man.”

Naomi blinked, stunned by how direct her mother was.

Irma smiled. “I believe he may have feelings for you.”

Naomi cleared her throat. “I’m not certain about that, but I hope so.”

Irma raised an eyebrow. “I believe you know the answer to that.”

Shaking her head, Naomi smoothed the quilt over her nightgown. “Susie told me that Caleb found a house and they’re moving here, but I’m not certain of what that will mean for him and me. All I know is that I do care for him and Susie, and I hope to get to know them better.”

“He cares for you too, Naomi,” Irma said with a knowing smile. “I believe he cares quite deeply for you. I wish you could’ve seen his face when your
dat
carried you in.”

Naomi rubbed the back of her neck, which was stiff from the fall. “I don’t understand.”

Irma rubbed Naomi’s arm. “He was worried sick about you. I was wrong to tell you not to consider him because he’s a widower.” She smiled. “My mother’s favorite verse was from Romans. It went something like this: ‘But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.’”

Naomi shook her head. “What are you trying to say, Mamm?”

“You’ve waited for your true love,” Irma said, still smiling. “Now let God lead you and Caleb down the road.”

“My true love?” Naomi whispered.

“I think so, but only time will tell. See where God leads you and Caleb. I think you’re off to a
gut
start.” Irma stood. “You need to get some sleep.”

“What about the Christmas table?”

Irma kissed Naomi’s head. “I’ll take care of it.”

“Danki,”
Naomi said, trying to find a comfortable position on the bed despite the discomfort in her ankle.

“You get better.” Irma wagged a finger at her. “And don’t you ever take off alone in the snow again. You hear me?”

Naomi smiled. “Yes,
Mamm
. I definitely learned my lesson.
Gut nacht.”

“Gut nacht.”
Her mother left, gently closing the door behind her.

Naomi stared up at the ceiling, ignoring her injury and
thinking of Caleb. She fell asleep with a smile on her face, dreaming of her possible future with Caleb and Susie.

N
aomi smiled despite the pain in her ankle while sitting at the kitchen table the following afternoon. Around her, all of her siblings laughed, ate candy, and played with their new toys.

“Naomi,” her father said, tapping her on the shoulder. “You have visitors.”

“I do?” She looked up at him, hoping that her prayers had come true. She’d been thinking of Caleb and Susie all morning.

“Let me help you into the
schtupp.”
Taking her arm, Titus helped Naomi while she half hopped, half limped.

Moving to the doorway, she found Caleb and Susie standing in the room, and tears filled Naomi’s eyes. Her prayers had been answered. She was going to spend Christmas with her new friends.

Caleb rushed over and took Naomi’s other arm. “Let me help you.”

“Danki,”
Naomi said, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

“Are you in much pain?” he asked, his green eyes filling with concern.

“I’ll be fine,” she said.

They helped her to the sofa, and she sank onto the end cushion.

Susie rushed over and hugged Naomi.
“Frehlicher Grischtdaag
!”

“Frehlicher Grischtdaag, mei liewe,”
Naomi said before kissing the little girl’s head.

“Can I go see Levina and Sylvia?” Susie asked.

“Of course,” Naomi said, gesturing toward the adjacent room. “Have fun.”

Susie ran off toward the kitchen.

The sofa shifted beside Naomi as Caleb lowered himself down next to her.
“Frehlicher Grischtdaag.”
He handed her a bag.

“Oh, Caleb,” Naomi said, taking the bag. “You didn’t have to.”

He laughed. “Of course I did. Please open it.”

Naomi’s heart fluttered as she opened the bag and pulled out the black Bible she’d longed to buy for herself. She ran her fingers over the cover. “Caleb,” she whispered, meeting his intense stare. “You spent too much.”

“No, I didn’t.” He nodded toward the Bible. “Please open it. There’s something inside.”

She opened the cover and found a note in neat handwriting:

She read the words over and over again, and she was both stunned and confused by the sentiment they contained. Questions swirled in her mind. She needed to know what the inscription truly meant, but she couldn’t form the words to ask him.

Finally, with tears pooling in her eyes, Naomi looked up.
“Danki
. It’s
schee.”

He touched her hand, and her pulse skittered. “I need to know something. What did you mean last night when you said you thought I was discussing business with Hezekiah and Irene?”

“Susie said you were going into business with Hezekiah,” Naomi said.

Caleb shook his head. “No, I’m not. I found a house that has a shop, and I’m going to open my own carriage shop.”

Naomi smiled. “That’s
wunderbaar
!”

“Hezekiah and Irene were talking my ear off last night, but it was nothing but idle conversation.”

Naomi took a deep breath and glanced down at the Bible.
She needed to know the truth about him and Irene. “Are you courting Irene?” she asked while running her fingers over the cover of the Bible.

He snorted. “No. Why do you ask?”

She met his expression, not finding any sign of a lie. “I heard Sadie talking.”

He frowned. “What did
mei schweschder
say now?”

“She was telling someone that you and Irene would be a
gut
couple. She made a point of saying that Susie needed a
mamm
, implying that Irene could be a
gut
candidate for that role.”

Caleb rolled his eyes. “Sadie tries too hard to run my life. She means well, but she does more damage than good.” His frown deepened. “And the last role that Irene would be
gut
for would be a
mamm
. She’s terrible with Susie, and she’s been nothing but rude to my precious
dochder.”

Naomi shook her head. “I can’t imagine ever being rude or nasty to Susie. She’s such a special girl. I’m sorry that Irene isn’t nice to Susie, but I’m so glad Sadie was wrong.”

“Sadie has been wrong about a lot of things,” Caleb said. “Most of all, she was wrong about who I belong with. I definitely don’t belong with Irene.”

“Is that so?” Naomi’s smile reappeared.

He nodded, his own smile growing. “She’s not any fun to go shopping with.”

“And I would imagine she doesn’t like root beer.” Naomi coyly tapped her chin. “I seem to remember that you promised me a root beer float.”

He grinned. “I did. And I intend to keep that promise.” His smile faded. “But I must ask you one question first.”

“What’s that?”

He took her hands in his, and the feel of his warm skin caused her heart to beat at hyper speed. “Naomi, that time we sat on the porch together, you asked me if I believed God gave second chances at true love. I told you yes, but I honestly wasn’t sure.” His eyes sparkled. “Since I’ve met you, I know that answer for certain. I think God has given me a second chance when he brought me to you. We would be a
gut
couple, and I would be honored to court you.”

Tears filled her eyes. “After I had my heart broken twice, I was certain I’d never find love. Now I see that God had a plan all along for me. I think this is the Christmas miracle Susie wanted for you. It’s also a miracle for me.”

“She told me that she’d asked you if you believed in miracles,” he said, running his finger down her jaw line.

She nodded, butterflies fluttering in her belly at the feel of his gentle touch.

“She also asked me if I believe in miracles, and I do believe in them,” he said. “And,
ya
, my little girl was right because you’re my miracle. No, actually, you’re a miracle for Susie and me. We both love you.” He nodded toward the Bible. “There’s a reason why I didn’t have your name engraved on the Bible. I thought that you might change your name someday and I wanted to be certain that I put the correct name on the cover.”

Before she could respond, he leaned over and gently pressed his lips against hers, sending the pit of her stomach into a wild swirl.

“Frehlicher Grischtdaag
, Naomi,” he whispered against her lips.

“Frehlicher Grischtdaag,”
she whispered, leaning her head against his shoulder and closing her eyes.

Mix together all ingredients and pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Icing

Stir together in a saucepan, then boil 5 minutes. Cool cake and cover with icing.

Defrost raspberries. Combine vanilla wafer crumbs and ¼ cup melted butter. Press into bottom of 7 ½-inch spring form pan. Cream ½ cup butter and 10x sugar. Add eggs, beating well after each. Blend in extracts. Spread over crumb layer. Chill until firm. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and raspberries in a pan. Cook on stovetop at medium heat, stirring constantly until clear and thick. Pour raspberry filling over torte. Refrigerate several hours. Garnish with whipped cream.

W
hile this novel is set against the real backdrop of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, the characters are fictional. There is no intended resemblance between the characters in this book and any real members of the Amish and Mennonite communities. As with any work of fiction, I’ve taken license in some areas of research as a means to create the necessary circumstances for my characters. My research was thorough; however, it would be impossible to be completely accurate in details and description, since each and every community differs. Therefore, any inaccuracies in the Amish and Mennonite lifestyles portrayed in this book are completely due to fictional license.