Abram's Daughters 04 The Prodigal by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page B

comically and went to sit beside Leah. "My mouth's gonna get me in trouble yet," he told her softly.
    She patted his arm. "You're just fine."
    The merriment continued on through a good half of the afternoon, till time for milking rolled around again. Gid rose with Abram at four o'clock and told both Sadie and Abe to
    "stay put."
    Not putting up a fuss, Sadie smiled her thanks, and the two men left the house for the barn.
    "I wonder if the manger is even smoother now," Abe whispered to Leah. "For baby Jesus' birthday, ya know."
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    Leuh was touched by her boy's remark, and she pulled him Into her arms. "Come here and don't be sayin' you're too nli,l fin1 a big hug," she said, her heart truly gladdened by the ilny,
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    V/n the walk to the barn, Abram was suddenly aware of the heavy moisture content of the recent snow. Every tree branch, every shrub, and even the roof of the old corncrib sagged with the weight. Several large limbs had snapped under the burden, and he made a mental note to turn them into firewood tomorrow.
    Meanwhile, he and Gid had the afternoon milking to tend to, and feeling the cold creep through his work jacket and trousers, Abram quickened his pace toward the barn, as did his son-in-law.
    Inside, they washed down the cows' udders, pushed tin buckets beneath, and perched themselves on low wooden stools, talking in quiet tones as they milked by hand. The dogs, all three of them, rested in the hay nearby Blackie eyed them fondly and wagged his long tail while Abram listened without commenting as Gid mentioned their desire to have a hex doctor at the birthing of their third child. "Not in place of a midwife, mind you ... just in case something goes wrong. What do ya think of that?"
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    "Why y.iaskin'me?"
    "Well, Vihiso Hannah said she and Aunt Lizzie had been nil- Hi1 il over,"
    Ahum was fairly sure if Lizzie and Hannah had hashed it Hit, .1. < Mil said, that Lizzie would've had her say and then gnu ' >i ill, he didn't want to butt in since Gid was Hannah's UmUtuil iiikI the man of his house. Abram saw no point, iriily, In speaking his mind, because far as he knew, Gid had UhimI through Lizzie what his stand on powwowing was. "Yon don't need my two cents' worth." "No ... no, Hannah and I want your opinion." I k1 toyed with saying straight out they ought to have as no h help with Hannah's delivery as possible, especially if she it'i lecling nervous for any reason. If that meant having the twwovv doctor, then all well and good. He certainly didn't FHul 10 he held responsible for their making a bad decision, lill loo mindful of all that had gone wrong when Ida birthed
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    It- went ahead and told Gid how he'd kicked himself for having the Amish doctor on hand for Ida that terrible
    Ilnlii. "I'd d t things completely different now if I could." jrWim.y to have saved Ida's life. . . .Yri his wife's feelings had mattered, too. Ida's opinion had ways mattered to him, thus the reason he'd let her have her .iy now and again, although he had managed to rule his roost, l-i-eping the upper hand for the most part. Sadly that sort of iippmnch had caused great strife and despair for his family, as I if had seen all too clearly for some time now. Looking back, I if realized how rigid he'd been about Leah's choice of a mate, IliiI lie kicked himself every time he thought of her being a (in ulei. He had been equally harsh with Mary Ruth, insisting
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    on his own way when it appeared Hannah's twin was as content as can be teaching English schoolchildren, boarding with the Nolts, and attending the Mennonite church. The truth pained him, making it difficult for him to stand by and watch the circumstances unfold. On the other hand, he believed in the deep of his heart that his daughter had somehow found her intended way, although the path she trod no longer embraced the teachings of the Amish church. It wasn't that she