Naomi’s Christmas Read Free Page B

from the corner of his eye, and his heart jolted.
    “Joshua!” He snatched his small son from under the pony, where Joshua was reaching
     for the harness strap. “What are you doing?” He held the boy close for a moment and
     then set him on his feet. “You know better than to mess around the horses.”
    “But I can help, Daadi. I watch you and Grossdaadi all the time. I know how to harness
     Coal. She likes me.”
    “Whether she likes you or not isn’t the point. You are too young to be harnessing
     her.”
    Nathan could sense his father’s gaze on him, no doubt disapproving. Joshua stared
     at him with changeable hazel eyes so like Ada’s that it cut to the heart to see disappointment
     in them. But keeping Joshua safe was more important than anyone’s approval.
    “But, Daadi…”
    “Go back to Grossmammi. I will bring the cart up to the house in a moment.”
    Joshua pressed his lips together. Then he turned and walked back toward the farmhouse,
     his small shoulders drooping.
    “The boy is six already,” Daad commented. “When you were his age you were doing more
     than harnessing a pony.”
    Nathan’s jaw set. “He’s too young. When he’s older I’ll show him how.” He turned to
     the patiently waiting pony and fastened the straps.
    Daad put a hand on his shoulder. “Just because you lost Ada to an accident…”
    “Don’t.” He was instantly sorry for the harshness of his tone, but he couldn’t help
     it. He couldn’t listen again to someone telling him that it wasn’t his fault Ada died
     trying to get the horses out of the blazing barn. Or telling him, as people seemed
     to want to do, that after two years it was time he started living again.
    He couldn’t get over Ada. He couldn’t undo the past. All he could do now was protect
     the children she had given him with all his strength.
    “I’m sorry, Daad.” His voice was tight.
    “It’s all right. You must deal with grief as best you can.” Daad cleared his throat.
     “Have you settled on who is to take care of the kinder when Ada’s mother is away?”
    Worry settled on Nathan like a wet, heavy blanket. “Sarah will komm a couple of days
     a week. She offered to have Joshua and Sadie stay with her every day, but I don’t
     want them away from home so much. I’m still trying to find someone to watch them here
     for the rest of the time.”
    He could hardly fault Ada’s mother for going to help Ada’s middle sister with her
     new baby, but how was he to get along without her? She’d cared for the kinder every
     day of the past two years.
    Realizing that his father was looking at him with concern, he shrugged. “I will find
     someone. You best get on home. Isaiah will be here soon.”
    “Isaiah is here now,” a voice announced, and Isaiah Esch walked toward them with his
     long, loping stride. With his lanky body and wide grin, Isaiah still looked like the
     boy he’dbeen when he first came to work for Nathan instead of the married man he was now.
    Daad nodded to him. “You had a gut birthday party for your sister, ja? Give her my
     best wishes when you see her again.”
    “Ja, denke, I will.” Isaiah still smiled, but Nathan thought he detected something
     at odds with the smile in Isaiah’s normally open face.
    “I will be off now,” Daad said. “No need to make Sarah fuss more than she already
     does.”
    He walked toward his buggy horse. Nathan knew better than to offer to help him. Daad
     resented any implication that he couldn’t do what he’d always done.
    Nathan turned toward Isaiah. “Was ist letz?”
What’s wrong?
He knew Isaiah well enough to realize when something wasn’t right.
    “Ach, you’re not going to believe it.” Isaiah patted the pony absently. “It’s my daad.
     He’s going to marry Betty Shutz. Can you imagine? Announced it right in the middle
     of Naomi’s birthday party.”
    Somehow the timing of the announcement didn’t surprise Nathan as much as it seemed
     to have Isaiah. Sam