To Love and to Cherish Read Free

help.” Thomas lifted Lillie from her lap. When the little girl opened her eyes, he smiled. “Time to wake up. You have company.”
    Lillie wiggled from his grasp and poked at Mary, then ran to the window. “The uncles are coming. And Luke. Is he staying for supper? Are William and Joseph coming, too?”
    Luke’s sons most likely would come later, but this would be a time of discussion for the adults. Emma stood and smoothed her apron. “Catherine, Annie, make some lemonade. And heat up that chicken casserole. Mark, after the twins eat take them to their room so they can get ready for bed. I’ll be up to say prayers later.”
    “I want to see Luke! I want to play with Joseph!” Lillie’s face scrunched up in a frown. Mary’s quickly matched it.
    Before she could add to the refrain, Emma pointed at the door. “Not tonight. Go.”
    The children went, their faces downcast.
    Catherine hadn’t moved. “How can you think of food right now?”
    “Not for us. For them.”
    Her lips drawn in a tight line, Catherine sprang from the sofa and stomped toward the kitchen, her long skirts flouncing. Annie followed, but paused in the doorway. “Don’t worry, Emma,” she said. “We know what to do. You talk to Luke. Ask him…ask him what we’ll do now.”
    What would they do now? Annie had asked the question Emma had been trying to ignore. Without Daed, who would run the farm? Who would harvest the corn and alfalfa and wheat and take care of the livestock? She and the girls could handle the vegetable garden, but an entire farm? With three children who needed supervision?
    The house filled with men, each one greeting her with simple words of condolences. After greeting them, Thomas turned to go, but Luke stopped him with one big hand on his arm. “Stay.”
    “You have talking to do. Plans to make—”
    “You’re a good friend. A wise one.”
    Thomas inclined his head and settled back on the bench next to Mark. The boy scooted a little closer and Thomas laid a hand on his shoulder. Luke turned to Emma. “The arrangements are made. They’ll bring the…bring them here tomorrow morning. The funeral will be the day after.”
    “I’ll get the clothes.” Mudder would need her white apron and Daed his Sunday suit.
    Luke’s jaw twitched. “Uncle Noah will take them to the funeral home.”
    She nodded. The furniture would need to be rearranged. The wake would begin as soon as Mudder and Daed arrived.
    Luke sank into a chair. “We need to talk about what happens… after.”
    “I’ll stop teaching.” The words were out before the thought was fully formed. “Mark and the twins will need me.”
    “The school needs you. And we need your income.”
    “They’ll understand and we’ll make do. The family comes first.”
    “I’ll take care of the children.” Annie stood in the doorway. Thenineteen-year-old’s gaze fell on the deacon. Then Uncle Noah. Uncle Peter. Uncle Timothy. She turned to Emma. “I’m old enough to care for them and the house. And the garden. With Catherine’s help.”
    “But what about Robert? Aren’t you and he—”
    Annie shook her head hard. Her beseeching expression made Emma close her mouth. “Or I could take the teaching job, if you prefer to oversee the household.”
    “I have no doubt you’re capable of taking over the teaching duties.” Luke’s tone was gentle. “But your income from the pies and cakes you sell at the produce stand is more than we can afford to lose. As are Catherine’s earnings from cleaning the Englisch homes. We need everyone to work, and I don’t believe you can bake and sell all those desserts with two five-year-olds underfoot. Even if Mark helps.” He let out a heavy sigh. “But that doesn’t address how we’ll keep the farm going.”
    “Then what do you suggest?” Emma struggled to keep her tone civil. It wasn’t Luke’s fault he’d suddenly become head of two households. “We can’t lose the farm, and we have to take care of the