Her Amish Christmas Sweetheart

“I should check with your vadder.”

“Nay!” Meg exclaimed. “You know how Dat is. He’ll want to bring me home. He’s enjoying himself, Mam. I’ll be fine for a couple of hours. Honestly. I’ll just close my eyes and sleep.”

“Endie Missy, Meg will be fine,” Jacob assured her. “I’ll make certain of it.”

Her mother stood and retrieved Meg’s coat. “Oll recht. I’ll see you at home a little later.”

Feeling sore and highly emotional, Meg rolled her chair closer to her mother. “I love you,” she whispered with tears of gratitude.

Soon, she was riding in Jacob and Annie’s buggy, with EJ seated next to her and Susanna on her mother’s lap up front. Jacob had stowed her wheelchair behind Meg’s seat.

She was never so glad to see her home as when Jacob pulled into the barnyard and parked close to the house. She watched him take out her wheelchair first. She expected him to open it for her, but he placed it near the porch instead, then came back to carry her up the steps and on inside. “Danki.”

“You’re willkomm,” her cousin said with a grin. His good humor faded quickly, though. “I wish I’d thought to bring you home earlier. I should have suspected you weren’t ready to be visiting.”

Meg shook her head. “I didn’t want Dat and Mam to stay home because of me. They would have refused to go if I’d admitted I wasn’t feeling well.”

“Poor Meg,” Annie murmured with sympathy as she followed them into the great room.

Jacob placed Meg into a chair and went outside for her wheelchair.

“You look exhausted,” Annie said as she sat on the sofa not far from where Meg was seated. “Would you be more comfortable here?”

“Nay, I like it here,” Meg assured her. “I can look out the window.”

Jacob entered the room and set the wheelchair near the far wall. Meg smiled her thanks, then studied the children, who played on the floor near their mother. “I’ll be oll recht by myself.” She shifted her leg onto the stool her father recently had handmade for her. “I appreciate your help.”

Annie smiled. “You gave us a gut excuse to get these little ones settled at home.” She watched fondly as the two chatted quietly.

“EJ is a wonderful big bruder.”

The boy’s mother laughed. “Most of the time, but not always.”

Her husband agreed. “He’s a gut boy, though.”

“He looks like Elijah,” Meg said without thinking.

Jacob’s short bark of laughter startled her. “That’s what Eli says. Blond hair and blue eyes. But my bruder is not the only one with those features.” He fondly eyed his wife.

Meg couldn’t help the small smile that came to her lips. “Ja, he does look like his mam, but he looks like his dat, too.”

Her cousin beamed at her.

“Now, go home!” Meg ordered.

Jacob blinked at her vehemence. “I told your mam we’d stay for a while.”

“And you did. Now, take your little ones home.”

“Can we get you anything before we go?” Annie asked, her gaze sharp.

“I’ve had too much to eat and more than enough to drink today. I’ll be fine.”

Jacob picked up his son while Annie reached for their daughter.

“Thanks for noticing how tired I am,” Meg said.

Her cousin shook his head. “Don’t thank us. The credit goes to Peter. He’s the one who suggested you might like to go home.”

The young family left, leaving Meg with a lot to think about. It was as if Peter had read her mind again. The realization unsettled her.

Her parents and sisters came home an hour and a half later. Her father didn’t look happy as he entered the great room.

“I’m well, Dat,” she said, before he could speak. “Jacob and Annie made sure I was settled before they left.”

“You should have told us you wanted to go.” He looked upset. “I should have known it was too soon for you.”

“I’m fine. Please don’t worry about me.”

Dat regarded her with what looked suspiciously like tears in his eyes.

“I could eat, though,” she said teasingly, and she saw the worry leave his expression.

“Supper will be ready soon.” He turned to leave.

“Dat.” He faced her. “Danki for caring,” she said.

His expression grew soft. “I’m your vadder.”

The evening passed quietly after a simple meal of cold cuts and fresh bread, followed by apple pie. Meg hadn’t actually slept after Jacob had brought her home, but she had rested. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep once she’d retired for the night.

She woke up to the sounds of birds outside her window the next morning. She relished the pleasant sensation of lying in bed, listening to birdsong, until it hit her. Peter. Alarmed, she sat up. She was going to be working with Peter for weeks, planning their parents’ party.

She closed her eyes, recalling the way he had studied her when she’d last seen him. He’d been kind to her recently, and he’d convinced Jacob to take her home. She didn’t know what to make of his thoughtfulness.

She stood, grabbed her crutches and tried not to think of him. But his face remained ever present in her thoughts.

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