A Baby for Hannah (39 page)

“Yes, it’s a great privilege to bear a child, and a home birth is the best, if the Lord so wills. But we must not tempt Him with our foolishness.”

“I’ll try not to. I’ll be honest with how I feel.”

“Just be sure you don’t overdo it with all the community activities. Perhaps your mom will calm things down for you while she’s here.”

“She will only do me
gut.
I know that much.”

“Do you want me to help with hitching up the horse for your trip into town?” Mattie offered as she put her instruments into her bag.

“Jake already has Mosey’s harness on, but thanks.”

“I’ll see you soon then.”

Hannah nodded and followed Mattie outside. She waved goodbye, and then walked to the barn and pushed open the barn door. Mosey stretched his nose out to nuzzle her hand.

“I didn’t bring anything, silly boy. We have to go to town today. Mom’s coming. Isn’t that just too wonderful to be true?”

Mosey flicked his ears forward and stared out the barn door.

“Come,” Hannah said, untying the rope from the stable door. “We have to go. We might already be late.”

Leading the horse outside, she held the shafts up with one hand, swinging the horse in with the other. The maneuver left her gasping for air.

“I don’t think I can do this much longer,” Hannah admitted with a laugh. “At least not until after the baby comes. I don’t think you’ll mind if you get to stay home for awhile.”

With the tugs fastened and the lines thrown in the front, Hannah climbed in, taking a moment to settle comfortably on the buggy seat.

“Get-up,” she called to Mosey and slapped the reins. He jerked his head and took off at a slow trot. At the end of the lane, Hannah held him at a stop until the highway was clear.

As she passed Betty’s place, Hannah slowed down. There were no
Englisha
vehicles parked in the barnyard, so Miriam must not be busy with the horses. Should she stop and ask Miriam to come along? No, even if Miriam wanted to go along there really wasn’t room for all three of them and her mom’s luggage. Changing to Betty’s surrey wasn’t an option. Her mother’s bus might be pulling into the depot any moment. She clucked to Mosey to increase his pace again.

Behind her Hannah heard her sister’s voice call her name above the beat of Mosey’s hooves. She turned to look back and saw Miriam standing on Betty’s front porch waving at her. Quickly, Hannah pulled back on the reins, bringing Mosey to a sliding stop. The horse shook his head and lowered it in disgust.

“Sorry,” Hannah said. “But I think Miriam does want to go along.”

“Hannah!” Miriam’s voice reached across the lawn, and Hannah leaned out of the buggy door. Miriam came racing toward her, tying her bonnet’s strings as she came.

“Miriam, I don’t know if we have room for you and for Mom and her luggage.”

“We’ll throw it on top,” Miriam said as she quickly climbed in. “We’re closed today. I had to insist, and I don’t care what Betty says about it. We can’t keep up this pace with Mom coming. At least
I
can’t keep up this pace with the wedding so close and so much to do. It’s my wedding, and I only get one in my lifetime. At least I hope there’s only one.”

“Is Betty trying to squeeze the last riding fee out of the summer?”

“You could say that, and it’s gone on long enough. I’ve made plenty of money to pay for my room and board, and lots besides that. Betty has no reason to complain.”

“Sounds like it’s a good thing Mom is coming. You and Betty might drive each other out of the house before the wedding.” Hannah snapped the reins a bit to get Mosey started again.

“I can always come up to your place.”

Hannah glanced sideways at Miriam.

“I’m just teasing. Betty gets on my nerves, but she’s letting me use her barn for the wedding, and for that I will always be grateful.”

“What if the weather turns cold? Will you move the wedding inside then?”

“No,” Miriam said. “We’re having it in the barn even if the snow’s flying, which it won’t be because it’s my wedding day. Betty’s been trying to scare me half to death with her predictions of an early winter, but I’m having none of it.
Da Hah
brought me out here by His mighty hand and is giving me a wonderful man in Dennis. Why would He make it snow on my wedding day?”

“I don’t know.
Da Hah
doesn’t always explain Himself.”

“Now
you’re
trying to scare me.”

“No, I’m not. But I do agree that it’s not likely to snow. Jake said there’s talk among the long-term locals of an Indian summer. I suppose they know more about the subject then Betty does.”

“There,” Miriam sighed deeply, settling back into the seat. “I knew you’d make me feel better. And when I see Mom, I’ll be floating above the clouds.”

“So is everything going well with you and Dennis?”

“Of course it is,” Miriam sat up straight. “What do you mean? Have you heard anything?”

“How would I hear anything that you don’t already know? Don’t be silly.”

Miriam sighed deeply. “I can’t imagine Dennis ever doing anything wrong. He’s so wonderful.”

Hannah laughed. “You do have your head in the clouds.”

“I know. I’ve had it there ever since I came to Montana.”

“I hope you haven’t forgotten the real reason you came,” Hannah said, glancing at Miriam.

“Nope, I haven’t,” Miriam said with a smile.

“Would you take care of the baby if he came next week before the wedding?”

“What!” Miriam shouted so loudly that Mosey jumped forward and Hannah clutched the reins. “The baby’s coming that soon?”

“You don’t have to scare the wits out of me,” Hannah said, bringing Mosey back to his usual lazy trot. “No, he’s not coming that soon. I was teasing.”

“Hannah, are you
sure
you’re teasing?” Miriam searched Hannah’s eyes. “Did the midwife tell you something this morning?”

“Oh, so you do remember I was seeing the midwife?”

“Hannah, stop this! Yes, I do remember. Are you all right?”

“Yes, of course I am. And so is the baby.”

Miriam leaned back in her seat. “And is Jake still being nice to you?”

Hannah laughed. “Of course he is.”

“Oh, Hannah,” Miriam groaned. “I want you to promise me you won’t have the baby until
after
the wedding. And I promise you I’ll take very
gut
care of your baby. I’ll kiss him every day and then some.”

Hannah laughed again. “I can’t promise you that!”

Miriam glanced ahead as they neared the depot. “Do you suppose that is Mom’s bus up ahead?”

“It is!” Hannah gasped, slapping the reins so hard that Mosey lunged ahead. They rattled across the parking lot and pulled up beside the bus with a flourish. Their mother was standing beside it with two other passengers, her suitcase by her side, a happy smile on her face.

“What have we here?” she asked as Miriam and Hannah climbed down from the buggy and ran up to her, leaving Mosey standing with the reins limp across his back.

“Oh Mom!” both young women said together, wrapping their mom on each side with a hug.

“My, my,” Kathy said. “What a welcome! And you come flying in the parking lot like I’m the Queen of Sheba.”

“You are,” Hannah said. “And it’s so
gut
to see you.”

“And you too,” Kathy said. “How are things going for you, Miriam? I assume the wedding is still on?”

“Don’t start that, Mom,” Miriam said. “Betty and Hannah have already been giving me fits. Dennis is the most wonderful, handsome, godly man I have ever met.”

“It sounds like you have it bad,” Kathy said with a smile.

“What did Dad say about you coming two weeks early?” Hannah asked, taking her mom by the arm and leading her toward the buggy.

“He’s fine with it. He’ll be coming out with the van load next week,” Kathy said. “So how is the baby?”

“I just had a meeting with the midwife this morning, and everything’s fine. Isn’t that wonderful?”

“It is,” Kathy said. “You’d better get me to Betty’s place quickly. I’m sure the poor woman is half sick with worry from all the work that needs to be done.”

“She’s almost in bed,” Miriam said, walking up with her mother’s suitcase.

“You don’t say! Hannah, drive that old horse of yours as fast as you can.”

“I’m just teasing, Mom,” Miriam admitted. “Just relax. Everything is under control.”

Forty-Two

Hannah walked toward the kitchen to check out the noise that had awakened her. The sun was not yet up and bright moonlight streamed in through the front window of the cabin, illuminating the living room. Hannah held her hand to her forehead, now throbbing with the warning of a coming headache.

When she arrived in the kitchen, she saw Jake at the woodstove. “What are you doing in my kitchen?” she asked as she plopped into a chair, her hand still on her forehead.

“You’ve been working yourself way too hard, and I decided to fix breakfast,” Jake said, puttering over a pan on the stove. For some reason he looked older this morning—wiser and disgustingly cheerful.

“You haven’t fixed breakfast since your bachelor days.” Hannah groaned. “And who knows how it tasted then?” she added.

Jake smiled broadly, stirring the pot of oatmeal. “Then sample my fare, dear lady, and tell me you detest my sweet offerings.”

“Something has gone to your head,” Hannah said as Jake dipped out a bowl of oatmeal and set it in front of her.

“Perhaps it’s love that’s gone to my head—on the day of Miriam’s wedding,” Jake said. “Now eat while I fix the toast.”

“I could eat three eggs, if you can make them.”

“Coming right up!” Jake said without turning around. “That sounds more like it.”

“What’s the weather like? If we have snow Miriam will be so disappointed.”

Jake didn’t even glance out the window. “I was outside an hour ago, and I’d say Montana has a beautiful Indian summer day prepared especially for your sister’s wedding.”

“That’s a relief!” Hannah said, taking a second bite of oatmeal and feeling her headache slipping away.

“How are you doing?” Jake asked, turning from the stove.

“I’ll be okay, I guess. You’d better watch the eggs. Don’t let them burn. I’m really hungry.”

“I can make eggs with my eyes closed,” Jake said, still looking at her—now with a frown. “Hey, you don’t look so good. Do you think the
bobli
is coming today?”

“Not on the day of Miriam’s wedding. He wouldn’t dare.”

“No, I didn’t think so. I’m just trying to cheer you up because you really do look tired.”

“I don’t have time to be tired. Not today.”

“Then the eggs will help,” Jake said. A minute later he slid them onto Hannah’s plate and bent over to kiss her on the cheek.

“We’ll have to leave soon,” Hannah said, accepting his kiss.

“
Jah,
so let’s eat. I’m starved.” Jake brought his already full plate over and sat down at the table. They bowed their heads in silent prayer. Hannah finished her eggs before Jake was done and left for the bedroom to change. Jake finished his breakfast, quickly washed the few dishes, and then went out and hitched Mosey to the buggy. He tied him up at the hitching post before he came back in. Minutes later he had his white shirt on and his new black suit jacket slipped over his broad shoulders.

“There,” he said. “Now we’re ready to leave.”

“You look handsome enough to get married today yourself,” Hannah said playfully as they left the bedroom.

Jake laughed and turned around to give Hannah a careful hug, “And you look like you are a happily married woman. That makes me feel very
gut.
”

Hannah held his hand as they walked out the cabin door, “I expect this will be my last time out before the baby comes.” She groaned and hugged her bulging waist.

Jake helped her into the buggy and then untied Mosey. He climbed in and softly said “Get-up” to get Mosey on the way.

“At least we don’t have far to go,” Jake said. “The wedding could be at the other end of the community.”

“Do you think Mary and Mr. Brunson will be there?”

“Miriam invited them, didn’t she?”

“
Jah,
but Mary might not want to come if she thinks it will make people uncomfortable.”

“I’m sure she’s welcome.”

“I hope she feels so, and it would be so
gut
to see her again.”

As Betty’s place came into view, Jake said, “It looks like we’re early. There are only a few buggies here.”

At the front door, Betty’s oldest daughter Kendra opened it with her boyfriend, Henry Keim, standing behind her.

“Good morning,” Kendra said as Jake and Hannah came up the walk. “It’s such wonderful weather. Miriam is nearly sick with happiness.”

Henry grinned broadly over Kendra’s shoulder.

“Is your mom coming?” Hannah asked Henry.

He nodded.

“I’m so glad,” Hannah said. “I was hoping she’d come.”

“Miriam’s upstairs with your mom,” Kendra said. “I’ll go tell her you’re here. She’s had her wedding dress on since five o’clock. Mom told her it was much too early, but Miriam was too excited to listen.”