Susanna's Christmas Wish (18 page)

“Who makes all this stuff?” Herman asked.

“The parents,” Susanna replied.

“You didn’t tell me about this.”

“I didn’t want to scare you off. We won’t have to make anything until we have children.” Susanna squeezed his hand.

“I’ll look forward to that!” he said.

Susanna held still, letting her gaze take in the whole scene for a moment. Children playing. Uncles and aunts standing in the background watching.
Daett
and
Mamm
sitting on their rockers. They were so into the moment of this joy that they hardly noticed them. Was this not what coming home meant?

Then
Daett
looked up and leaped to his feet. “I thought I heard the door open, but I’m hard of hearing with all this noise going on. Well, well, if it isn’t Herman and Susanna. Welcome, welcome!”

Susanna tried to keep from crying as
Daett
shook Herman’s hand. He motioned for them to join the others. They did, with Herman leading the way around the circle to shake everyone’s hand.

“I heard you had a bout with the flu,” Ernest said, when they ended up standing beside him. “Pretty rough time, huh?”

“
Yah
,” Herman admitted. “Susanna took good care of me.”

Susanna could only smile. Who would have thought things would end up this way? She had prayed for true love to grow in her heart for her husband instead of just wanting Herman to give her what she wanted. And now she had both. It was almost too much. If she didn’t stop thinking this way soon, she would be crying for sure.

Thankfully it looked like
Mamm
was ready for breakfast to be announced. Sure enough,
Daett
came out of the kitchen and waved his hand. “Okay, everybody! Time to eat.
Mamm
says the food is
gut
and ready.”

Susanna followed Herman into the huge dining room where the table was set up. Food would soon be spread on the table. All the things she had seen so often during her growing-up years: ham, bacon, eggs, pancakes, and golden maple syrup made from their own trees. A simple enough meal, but this was home, and it meant so much more than she could explain—even to Herman.

When they were seated, Herman squeezed her hand under the table and they exchanged glances. Somehow he had come to understand. He had seen much more of her heart in these last weeks than she’d realized. Leaning against his shoulder, she let a few tears run down her cheeks. No one would notice, she decided. She didn’t wipe them away.

“Everyone, please be quiet for a moment,” Daett said from his place at the head of the table. “We’re so happy that everyone could come. The entire family is here this morning! This doesn’t always happen for various reasons, but we are glad
Da Hah
allowed it today. Now, if
Mamm
will bring me the Bible, I will read the story of why we are celebrating.”

Mamm
jumped up and disappeared into the living room. She quickly returned carrying a huge German Bible.

Daett
opened it to the correct page and began reading the words Susanna had heard so many times before. They were like music this morning, divine music playing in the air, as if the angels were here singing just for them.

Daett
read on, relating the story of a young couple who could find no place to stay for the night. Of a young mother who carried heaven’s Child in her womb. Who had found a man who believed in her honor. Susanna held on to Herman’s hand under the table. She was no Mary, but she’d felt a little bit of what Mary must have gone through. What horrible things people must have said about her when they discovered she was pregnant before marrying Joseph.

When the story came to the baby being born in the manger, even the children were listening, just as Susanna had during her childhood. What precious seeds were being planted in their young minds, she thought. Just as they had been planted in hers. Oh that these seeds will also grow into a great crop! One day these children could also love their own spouses and gather around a family table like this. She briefly thought about what it would be like to be sitting at home if Herman hadn’t changed his mind…or if Iva hadn’t changed it for him.

Herman must have noticed her tears forming because he smiled down at her.

Susanna turned her attention back to the story, seeing the angels in her mind as they filled the heavens with their song of joy. A smile played on her face.

“That is a
gut
and precious story,”
Daett
said when he finished. He closed the Bible and handed it back to
Mamm
, who scurried off to return it to its place in the living room.

“And now for our song,”
Daett
said. “Perhaps Susanna can start it for us this morning. I can’t remember exactly who led out last year, but I suppose it doesn’t matter.”

“
Yah
, it’s Susanna’s turn,” one of her sisters agreed.

Susanna choked. She could hardly talk at the moment, let alone sing.

“I would love to hear Susanna sing this morning,”
Daett
said. And that settled it.

Susanna took a deep breath and began singing in a trembling voice. The others joined in with the familiar melody of
Silent Night
. The room rang with the German words sang from memory:
“Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht, alles schläft; einsam wacht.”

When the last note of the last verse had been sung,
Daett
said, “Let us pray.” He led out in a steady voice, “Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name…”

When the prayer ended, several of the sisters jumped up and moved quickly into the kitchen. They returned with the steaming food, which was passed around the table. When the first food dish came to Herman, he held the platter for Susanna and said, “Take some first.”

“
Nee
,” she objected. “I ought to hold it for you.”

He gave her a stern look, and Susanna gave in and filled her plate. Only then did he help himself and pass the food on.

“Thank you,” she whispered. He was being so nice. Pretty soon she’d be crying again.

“You’re welcome,” he whispered back. “And thanks for bringing me here.”

Now she was surely going to cry! Susanna laid her fork down to dab her moist eyes with her napkin. Across the table Mary smiled at her. Susanna managed a smile back.

“It’s turning out to be a very
wunderbah
day,” Mary leaned across the table to say.

Susanna didn’t trust her voice, but thankfully Herman answered for both of them. “
Yah
, it is. I’m very blessed to be here.”

“We’re blessed to have you,” Mary said, and Ernest, sitting beside her, nodded.

The meal continued with happy chatter rising and falling for close to an hour. After
Daett’s
closing prayer of thanks, the children rushed back to their new toys. Most of the older boys went outside to play in the snow and had soon erected a sizable snow fort.

Susanna helped clear the table, joining in the talk to catch up on the news with her sisters and
mamm
. The men settled in the living room. The womenfolk soon drifted to that room too, and Susanna sat next to Herman and nestled in close. Most of the other couples were doing the same. Ernest and Mary were leaning against a wall while sitting on a blanket, warming themselves in front of the woodstove.

Candy and goodies were brought out and spread on the table, along with finger foods. A steady stream of people moved past the holiday fare whenever they wished, filling plates and settling down to munch away.

By late afternoon the buggies began leaving, most of them full of children leaning out to wave as they drove down the lane. Susanna waited beside their buggy while Herman brought Bruce out of the barn. She climbed in after the tugs were fastened on her side. When Herman was settled in, she tucked the buggy blanket around both of them as they took off. Neither of them said much until they pulled into their own driveway and had Bruce comfortably munching oats in the barn.

“Come,” Susanna said, taking Herman’s hand to lead him behind the buggy.

“What is this all about?” he asked.

“Just wait,” she said mysteriously. She reached behind a hay bale and pulled out a small bag she’d hidden.

Herman watched closely as Susanna took out a wreath of cedar branches and colorful red berries.

“Your Christmas gift. From my heart to yours. Thank you so much for everything.”

“Is this like…like what you gave to…to…to him?” Herman held the wreath and looked at Susanna.

“
Nee
,” Susanna said. “This is much nicer—and made just for you.”

Herman took the wreath and held it up, inspecting it. “It’s beautiful! I will treasure it always.” Then he bent over and kissed her. “Merry Christmas,” Herman said as he released her. “Isn’t that what the
Englisha
say?”

“
Yah
,” she said. “They do.”