Christmas Comes to Morning Star by Charlotte Hubbard

Author:Charlotte Hubbard [Hubbard, Charlotte]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-06-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 17

Molly felt a special glow as she sat next to her sister on the pew bench Sunday morning. She especially enjoyed church services when the congregation gathered in the Hartzlers’ large, comfortable home: Deacon Saul, proprietor of the local carriage company, was by far the wealthiest member of their district. Although his home reflected traditional Amish simplicity, he had provided his mother, Martha Maude, and his wife, Anne, with higher-end kitchen appliances and furnishings than most Plain families could afford. The exquisite woodwork glowed with polish. The mantel and window frames, decked with greenery and red candles, looked especially festive on this fifteenth day of December. The Hartzler home radiated a sense of comfort and joy that always made Molly feel welcome.

Molly loved the humbler home she and Marietta had lived in for all of their thirty-five years—wouldn’t trade it for anyone else’s—but it always felt like a special occasion when they gathered in the deacon’s home. God had blessed Saul’s family, and in turn, he and his wife and mother shared those blessings with everyone in their Plain community.

She blinked, catching a movement across the room, on the men’s side. Billy Jay sat taller, gazing expectantly at Marietta from his perch on his dat’s lap—and Glenn was focused on her twin, as well.

Probably checking to see how Levi’s doing after spending the entire service with her. But we all know it’s more than that, don’t we?

Molly smiled. The connection between Marietta and Glenn had strengthened these past few days, even if they were acting as though nothing had changed.

“May the Gut Lord bless and keep you, and make His face to shine upon you, and grant you His peace,” Bishop Jeremiah intoned as he pronounced his benediction. “May we all feel the Savior’s precious presence as He comes to us again as a helpless, humble baby in a manger.”

The roomful of worshippers sighed in communal contentment, awash in the glow of the Christmas message the bishop had delivered earlier in the morning. Molly never tired of hearing about Mary and Joseph on their journey to Bethlehem and about the holy boy who’d inspired choirs of angels, shepherds, and wise men to follow His star.

The tale seemed more personal this season, with Levi in the house—and Marietta’s expression as she beamed at the baby in her arms gave Molly a whole new perspective on the Christmas story. She once would’ve found it odd for her twin to be holding a wee one during church, yet in the two short weeks since Glenn’s family had joined them, Marietta’s role as a surrogate mother had become an everyday relationship—and probably a deeper emotional connection than her sister was admitting.

When Billy Jay waved, Molly returned his greeting—and then her breath caught. On the pew bench beside Glenn, Pete was gazing intently at her, apparently with something urgent on his mind. Then he shot her a goofy look, wiggling his fingers alongside his ears as he stuck out his tongue.

Molly laughed out loud.

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