God's Gift of Love (4 page)

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

- Peter 4:8

When Katie stirred awake, it was dark in her room but for a small lantern on her nightstand. It lit up Gabe, who sat in a chair by her bed, asleep. His head was resting on the wall behind him, and he was awkwardly leaning to the side. It didn’t look the least bit comfortable, but it brought a slow smile onto Katie’s face.

The clock on her nightstand read almost five. The house wouldn’t be this quiet it if were five pm, so it must have been in the morning. She’d slept so much. Maybe she needed it. As things came back to her, the fall, the bleeding and the pain a hand went to her belly and touched it softly. The doctor had assured her everything was leveling out, but still she felt a touch of fear for what was to come. Quickly she offered a prayer of thanks.

Letting out a breath she slowly sat up and realized her hair was down. Quickly tucking her braids back into a bun she pulled her
kapp
on. Then she softly said Gabe’s name.

He stirred awake, his breathing changing. A groan escaped his throat as he pulled himself upright. Sleepy eyes opened and focused on her, his face brightened, bringing her smile with it.

“Katie,” he said, leaning forward. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she replied. “You didn’t have to stay.”

“I wanted to.” He stretched his arms above his head, yawned, and glanced around the room. “Do you want something to eat? I can get you breakfast.”

“No, not yet,” Katie said.

A young
Englisch
woman came into the room. She wore light blue pants and a matching top, and a stethoscope hung around her neck. A kind smile lit up her face. “You’re up. I’m Tara, I’m Dr. Hartford’s nurse, and I’ve been here through the night watching for you. How do you feel?” Her accent was strange, so different from what Katie was used to, but Katie nodded.

The nurse checked Katie’s pulse, her blood pressure, and the baby’s heartbeat. Gabe sat in silence, watching, and Katie felt a well of gratefulness at having him in her life.

The nurse beamed at her. “Everything sounds great.”

Tears welled up in Katie’s eyes. Yesterday had been so scary--the pain, the bleeding, and the doctor. “Thank you so much,” she told the nurse.

“Of course,” the nurse said. “I’ll check back in a bit, okay? You holler if you need anything, I’ll be right out here.”

Katie nodded as Tara left. She looked over at Gabe, who was smiling at her.

“I’m so glad you’re all right,” he said softly. “Katie, I... I remember what you said a month ago. I think about it quite often. But I don’t feel any different. If anything, my feelings for you are only stronger.”

Katie blinked back her tears, looking down at her belly. She felt her baby move inside her. It was a sensation that never ceased to amaze her. “He’s moving. Or she.”

Gabe leaned forward even more. “He is?”

Katie took Gabe’s hand and gently placed it on her belly. Gabe was frozen as she put his hand towards the top of her bulge. The baby was squirming inside, and she felt her skin move as it kicked and squirmed, for some reason she wanted to share this with Gabe.

Gabe felt the movement through Katie’s hand and sucked in a gasp. “Oh my, I felt it!”

Katie laughed. “
Jah
. They always keep going, just wait.”

They sat for a moment, Gabe’s hand on hers, and the look of awe on his face made her heart melt.

It moved again, and Gabe beamed with excitement. “Goodness!”

His excitement was contagious, and she laughed again. “It’s amazing, isn’t it?”

Gabe nodded. He didn’t draw his hand back for a moment, and she didn’t mind. When he finally did, he kept his hand on her bed, resting on the cover. She put her hand over his and softly squeezed it. He turned his hand so his palm rested against hers, and his fingers entwined through hers. The simple gesture, him holding her hand, caught her breath.

Familiar feelings of fear flooded back, the doubts that had plagued her for the last six weeks since she’d moved here.

They weren’t as strong as usual, though. Something in her kept her hand in his.

“
Denke
, Gabe,” she said.

He raised his eyebrows. “For what?”

“For getting help, for staying here, for being here. You bless me so much and I don’t deserve it.”

“None of us earn love,” Gabe said softly. “It’s a gift.”

Mark didn’t give her that gift, but Gabe wanted to, for some reason. He was a good man, she knew now. Maybe she’d been wrong about him, wrong about herself. Maybe his love was a gift she could accept.

Katie wasn’t sure what to say yet, so she didn’t say anything about that just yet. “I think I am hungry now. Do you think I could get up for breakfast?”

“
Nee, nee, nee
, Doctors orders,” Gabe said, jumping to his feet. “You stay here. I’ll get you something. Don’t move.”

Katie laughed. “All right, whatever you say.”

Before he brought her breakfast, she did have to go to the restroom. By then, Jane was up to help Gabe with breakfast, so she helped Katie to the bathroom. Katie felt fine, though. A little sore still, but she didn’t need a helper to the restroom. Everyone was making such a big fuss over her, and she wished they wouldn’t.

After breakfast, Katie slept a little longer, but when she woke up, Gabe was still there. Not in her room, but helping May with things. When he heard she was awake, he rushed in to check on her. He sat at her side and they read through the Christmas story together.

“This is ho
w
the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found pregnant throughthe Holy Ghos
t
,” Gabe read. His voice was strongbut soothing.
“
Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.”

She had a sudden thought, not of her being like Mary and Gabe like Joseph. She didn’t like to think of herself as important as Mary was. But the idea, that Joseph could take her to be his wife even though her child wouldn’t be his. Could she be so lucky?

Gabe had not proposed, but his actions made it clear he wanted marriage from her. This child wouldn’t be his, but he would take Katie and her child to be his own.

They finished the story of the miraculous Christmas story and sat in silence for a few minutes.

“Gabe,” she finally said, “I want to tell you about Mark and me. Perhaps you already know, but he... he was not a kind man.”

Gabe’s expression was sober, and he shook his head. “It does not seem like it.”

“I was not a good wife, either, but. . .” she trailed off. Perhaps she wasn’t a perfect wife, but she tried to please him. She spent so long trying to predict his moods and respect him and love him, but nothing she did ever worked. “I tried. But Mark could never see that. He was always angry, never happy with me. I could never do anything to please him.” Her eyes filled with tears at the painful memories.

Gabe looked like he wanted to say something, but he remained silent. Katie was glad of that. She needed to speak.

“I was miserable. I knew I shouldn’t be. I thought maybe I was asking too much, but when I became pregnant, I was scared.” Katie touched her belly. “I worried he would be cruel to the baby. I prayed for deliverance, for freedom... and Mark died.” She let out a small sob.

“Katie,” Gabe said. “That was unrelated.”

“Was it?” Katie asked. “I love it here. I’m free of him and I can be with May and I have you and all of that’s possibly only because he was killed in that accident, and I feel terrible. I’m benefiting from his death when I should be mourning.”

Gabe took her hand in his, and she instantly felt better. “Katie. We do not know
Gott’s
will of these things. Maybe he would have given you deliverance another way if Mark hadn’t been killed.”

Katie let out a breath. “You think so?”

“
Jah
. He is faithful, he answers prayers. He’s watching over you, and I believe he wants me to watch after you, too.”

Katie smiled. “Even after what I said?”

“
Jah
, Katie, this
mann
has made you afraid to live and you did nothing wrong. I love you with all my heart, will you marry me?”

The question filled her with joy, which was strange for her, not to be afraid. “I want that, too.”

Gabe’s face was unbelieving at first, and then a smile came onto his face until he was beaming at her. “Truly?”

Katie nodded. “I can’t promise it will be easy. I still have nightmares and doubts and I don’t know if I can be the wife you need--”

“I don’t know if I can be the husband you need,” Gabe said. “But we can try. We have
Gott
to give us strength.”

Katie squeezed his hand, smiling with such a joy that it threatened to overwhelm her. “You’re right. I love you, Gabe.”

“I love you, Katie.”

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.

- Psalms 127:3

A group of the family was singing songs in the next room, snow was falling outside, and Gabe was sitting next to his wife and his new child. Katie held a tiny girl in her arms. She had just been born a month early, on the day after Christmas.

Katie’s hair was pulled into a plait, and her
kapp
was gone in the chaos of childbirth. The doctor and midwife had left an hour ago, convinced that both mother and child were healthy. Now it was time to rest, and to celebrate the miracle of birth along with the miracle of Christmas. Gabe kissed his wife’s damp forehead and took his daughter from her arms. The child squirmed against him and he was sure she looked at him, even though he knew she could not focus yet. The urge to protect her was overwhelming and he held her close and told her he loved her.

May sat on a chair next to the bed and all his brothers and their wives were in the room. This was the best Christmas ever. Katie was healing and his wonderful wife and they had their baby. Gabe sat on the bed.

“I can’t believe it,” Katie whispered, stroking down wisps of soft brown hair.

“She’s a miracle,” Gabe said. “In more ways than one.”

Katie nodded with a soft smile. Gabe began to worry if he was holding her properly and placed the baby back in Katie’s arms. He put an arm around her. Katie leaned into him, the baby resting on her chest. They’d only been married a week--so far. It had been the most wonderful week of Gabe’s life.

Gabe stroked the baby’s forehead. Her eyes were closed for now, but every now and then, she fussed and opened her big, blue eyes that were just like his mother.

“She’s beautiful,” Gabe said in awe.

Katie sighed happily. “She is. Praise
Gott
.”

“Praise
Gott
indeed.”

It had been a hard few years for both of them--he’d lost his parents, she’d lived through two unhappy years with a cruel man. But now they’d found each other and they had a new family, a new direction.

“You two need to stop fussing over that
boppli
and tell us what name you’ve decided on?” Samuel said.

Katie and Gabe shared a look and then turned their eyes from the baby to May. Color rose in May’s old cheeks and she raised a hand in protest.

“Sorry, May,” Gabe said. “We both decided that May is such a wonderful name and our
dochder
had to have it.”

A murmur of agreement went around the room.

“Let us sing our praise to Jesus Christ,” Gabe said. “This is our first Christmas as a family; let us give thanks for all we have.”

Gabe looked down at his wife and daughter and gave thanks. God’s gift of love was the most wonderful thing ever. He was watching over them through it all, and His guidance had led them back to each other.

I hope you enjoyed reading about the Schrock brothers. Between then they have had some great moments. Some were full of love and some full of heartache, but they handled everything with faith and a belief that He would be there for them. The Amish have been a big part of my life and they have taught me that plain faith is the route to all things.

God Bless,

Sarah.

If you missed any of the books about the Schrock brothers the other books are:

A Time to Heal 
http://bit.ly/1Q0090V

Miriam’s Amish Drea
m
 
http://bit.ly/1jXiPmc

Coming Home – A Return to the Plain Life

If you love Amish Romance, the sweet, clean stories of Sarah Miller you can join her for the latest news on upcoming books
http://eepurl.com/bdEdSn

Read on for a Bonus Preview of Amish Baby Hope – The Number One Bestseller.