The Hearts of Middlefield Collection by Kathleen Fuller

Author:Kathleen Fuller
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Published: 2010-08-11T04:00:00+00:00

“I forgot how tiring having company could be.” Edna wiped the top of the stove with a wet rag. “I’m exhausted. But it was a nice time, ya?”

“Ya, it was.” Despite her disappointment about Lukas not showing up, Anna liked visiting with everyone. She especially enjoyed talking to Elisabeth, whom she suspected was in a bit of denial about her feelings for Aaron. Then again, if anyone was an expert on denying their feelings, it was Anna.

She walked over and took the rag from her mother’s hand. “Let me finish this, Mami. You geh ahead to bed.”

“Are you sure?”

Anna nodded. “There’s not much else to do. I’ll finish up in here and put out the candles in the living room.”

“Zeb is in there.”

“Still?”

“Ya.” Edna shook her head. “He fell asleep about an hour ago. Don’t worry about him. He’ll wake up and go upstairs in a little while.”

“All right.”

“Gut nacht, Anna.” She kissed her daughter’s cheek. “Hallicher Grischtdaag.”

“Merry Christmas. Night, Mami.”

Anna wiped down the last dish and put it in the cabinet. She turned off the gas light in the kitchen and went into the living room. Sure enough, Uncle Zeb was snoring away in his rocker. She took the quilt off the back of the couch and laid it over him, then turned to blow out the candles. Just as she was about to extinguish the last one, she heard a knock on the door.

Startled, she paused for a moment. Who would be coming here this late at night? It was still snowing out, so maybe someone was stranded on the side of the road and needed help. She went to the door and opened it.

“Merry Christmas.”

Anna’s mouth dropped open at seeing Lukas standing in front of her. Snow covered his black hat and the shoulders of his coat. He held a box in his hand.

“All right if I come in?”

She didn’t say anything for a moment, unable to comprehend that he was here. She just gripped the door and stared.

“Anna?” He tilted his head, a puzzled look crossing his face.

“Ya?”

He hesitated, as if waiting for her to respond. When she didn’t, he frowned. “Can I come in?”

“What? Ya. Come in.” She moved so he could walk past her, then shut the door and turned around, still surprised to see him. “I didn’t mean to make you stand out there in the cold.”

“I’m really late, and I’m sorry.”

“I didn’t think you were coming.”

Lukas nodded. “I didn’t think I’d ever get here myself. I was on the way but a buddy of mine stopped by and he needed help with one of his cows. Seemed she decided Christmas was a gut day to have a calf, but the calf had other ideas.”

“Are they both okay?”

“Ya. The calf finally came out. Mudder and sohn are doing fine. But by the time it was over I was a mess and had to get a shower. I got here as fast as I could after that.”

She should have known he’d been helping someone. That was typical Lukas.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.