“Are you sure? It looks swollen,” Benjamin said.
“I’m quite sure.” He lifted Holly into his arms. “She needs rest and we need ice on it.”
“I’ve got ice,” Sarah said.
“Good, because we don’t have any.”
“I’ll go and get it now.” While Sarah ran to get ice, Joshua carried Holly back to his house.
When Sarah ran inside, she looked over to see her baby still fast asleep. She broke up the large block of ice with an icepick and hurried back to the grossdaddi haus with a bowl of ice chips.
Holly was lying on the couch sobbing and Joshua was unwinding a roll of bandage.
She passed him the bowl.
“Denke.”
“What can I do?” Sarah asked.
“That’s fine. We’re okay now denke.”
“Nee, stay, Mrs. Kurtz. Sit by me. I don’t want you to go.”
Joshua stopped what he was doing and stared at her.
“I can stay a few minutes, but I have Gretel asleep next door.”
“Denke,” Holly whimpered.
Joshua folded some ice into one of the bandages and carefully wrapped it around Holly’s arm while Benjamin looked on.
“What were you doing?” Joshua barked at Benjamin.
“We were climbing a tree.”
“I know that, but why?”
“It's fun. We do it all the time and she’s never fallen before.”
Joshua shook his head.
“It’s not my brother's fault, Dat. It was just an accident.”
“This will stop your sewing,” Joshua said, which made Holly cry.
“I think it’ll be okay. We can manage. The main work is done with the right hand and the fabric is held still with the left. I think we can work around it until it heals.”
Then Sarah heard Gretel cry. “I’ll have to go and feed Gretel.”
“Nee, please stay. Can you bring her back here?” Holly asked.
Sarah glanced at Joshua who gave a nod.
“I’ll feed her and come back with her.”
“Please hurry.” Holly’s voice was now a small whine.
“I will.”
Chapter 15
Better are the wounds of a friend,
than the deceitful kisses of an enemy.
Proverbs 27:6
* * *
Sarah fed Gretel and then took her along to see Holly, who was still lying on the couch with her wrist wrapped in the iced bandage.
“I was as quick as I could be. And I’ve brought some arnica oil. It’s a special blend that I keep on hand. We can rub it on her arm when it’s done being iced.”
“Gut! I’ve heard of that. It reduces swelling?”
“Jah, and bruising; it does all kinds of good things.”
“Sit by me?” Holly asked Sarah.
Sarah sat down and placed the small bottle of oil on the table while balancing Gretel in her other arm.
“Would you like me to take Gretel?” Joshua asked.
“Okay.”
Joshua reached down and took Gretel out of her arms. Holly took hold of Sarah’s hand and clutched it tightly before she closed her eyes.
“Will she be okay?” Benjamin asked Sarah.
“She’ll be fine. It might hurt for a few days and be a little uncomfortable.”
“No climbing trees again,” Joshua said.
“Okay. Did you climb trees when you were a girl, Mrs. Kurtz?” Benjamin asked.
“Maybe once or twice when I was visiting friends. I didn’t have any siblings, so I mostly helped my mudder with the work around the haus and with the cooking.”
“And sewing?” Holly asked, her eyes still closed.
“Jah, and the sewing.” Sarah looked over to see Joshua walking around patting her baby on her back. “She looks quite comfortable with you.”
“She’s not crying, so that’s a start.”
“Dat loves bopplis,” Holly opened her eyes and lifted her head to watch him.
“Does he?”
“Jah, he does.”
“Who doesn’t?” Joshua said.
“They’re more fun when they’re bigger and can laugh and play. How old will Gretel be when she can walk?” Benjamin asked.
“Most likely when she’s around one year old. Some babies walk before then, but some don’t walk until closer to two years. They’re all different.”
“If you want to put her down, Benjamin might go and bring the crib in from next door. It's pretty small.”
“Jah, would you do that, Benjamin?” Joshua asked.
“Okay. Where is it?”
“It’s in the living room.”
When Benjamin left to get the crib, Joshua said, “I could hold her all day, but I do have to get the evening meal on.”
“I could do that for you,” Sarah offered
“Nee,” Holly squealed, holding her hand tighter. “Stay by me, please. You make me feel better.”
“You stay there. I’ll start cooking when Benjamin brings the crib back. After dinner, Holly, I’ll bandage your wrist and you must keep it raised. You can sleep on the couch tonight.”
“Okay,” Holly whimpered.
“You’ll stay for dinner, Mrs. Kurtz.”
“Nee, I’ll be fine.”
“I’m telling you, you’ll stay for dinner. You wouldn’t be able to get a meal cooked while you’re sitting here with us.”
“Okay, denke.”
“Dat’s bossy,” Holly whispered.
“What’s that, Holly?” Joshua asked.
“I said you’re bossy.”
“Holly! If you weren’t injured, I’d have you go to your room for that. You don’t disrespect adults.”
Sarah tried not to look at Holly through fear of Holly seeing she was amused. He was indeed bossy and now she knew she wasn’t the only one who had noticed. Joshua was bossy and controlling, but it was always for the best reasons, from what she could tell.
When Benjamin brought the crib back, Joshua instructed him to place it close to Sarah and then Joshua lay Gretel into it.
“Now, I’ll start on the food. Benjamin, you can come and help me.”
“What?”
“No arguments. The women are doing other things right now.”
Sarah sat there beside Holly who had her eyes closed, but Sarah knew she wasn’t asleep because she still had a tight grip on her hand.
When the dinner was ready, Holly still insisted that Sarah stay by her. Sarah sat and ate her food and helped Holly eat hers.
“Denke for helping us today, Sarah,” Joshua said as he took up both dinner plates.
“I’m happy to help. Shall we put that arnica oil on her now?”
“I want you to do it, Mrs. Kurtz.” Holly pouted.
“How about I massage the oil on and then your vadder can bandage it after that?”
“Okay. It won’t hurt will it?”
“Nee, it won’t. I’ll just massage it in slightly with my fingertips.” Sarah looked around. “I’ll need a towel to get all the moisture off her arm.”
“I’ll get one.” Benjamin hurried to get a towel.
Sarah could hear Joshua in the kitchen washing the dishes.
“Here you are.” Benjamin handed her a white towel.
Sarah wiped Holly’s hand carefully and then rubbed a generous amount of oil all over her hand, wrist and up her arm. “That’s not hurting is it?’
“It doesn’t hurt when it’s still, but does a little when it’s moved.”
She continued to massage the oil until Joshua returned from the kitchen. “Okay, now your vadder will wrap it in a bandage.”
Sarah stood up.
“Nee, Mrs. Kurtz, please stay sitting by me.”
“Holly, Mrs. Kurtz has to go home.”
“Please stay here tonight?”
“She can’t.”
Holly started sobbing and the sobs turned into howls. Joshua and Sarah looked at each other.
Sarah whispered, “
I could perhaps stay tonight if we move the other couch over here, next to her. That is, if you don’t mind?”
He nodded. “What about the boppli?”
“She’s been sleeping through the night, so I won’t have to feed her until early morning and she almost certainly won’t wake again before then.” Sarah looked into the crib where her baby was sleeping soundly.
“Are you certain? I don’t know how comfortable the couch will be.”
“It’ll be fine. I don’t mind at all.”
“You’ll stay?” Holly asked.
“Jah, your Dat said it was okay. We’ll move the couch and I can stay by you all night.”
“Will you hold my hand?”
“Jah, I’ll hold your hand.”
Holly smiled and wiped her eyes.
Her father leaned down and kissed his daughter on her forehead. “You see? There’s no need to cry, but it’s only this once. Mrs. Kurtz has her own home to sleep at. It’s just this once.”
“Okay.”
Benjamin helped his father move the couch.
“Do you have enough blankets? I could get some from my haus.”
“Nee, we have plenty of pillows and blankets.”
Holly smiled and Sarah settled down with her. Minutes later, Joshua brought her two pillows and two blankets.
After Benjamin went to bed, Joshua sat there in the lounge.
Chapter 16
He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love.
1 John 4:8
* * *
“Denke for doing this, Sarah. Not many women would go to this much trouble.”
Sarah glanced at Holly who was now sleeping. “I think many women would do this for you and your kinner.”
“I know I haven’t been an easy man to get along with. I’ve had a few struggles.”
“We’ve all had struggles.”
“I suppose you’ve heard that Benjamin and Holly are the kinner of my late fraa? Other than from them recently?”
“Jah, I heard that. She was a widow when you met and she died soon after.”
“That’s right. I grew up an only child to one parent. My mother became a widow at a young age. I watched the struggles she went through to give me a gut life. I didn’t realize how hard things would’ve been for her until I got older. When I met Katherine, who was recently widowed, I didn’t want her to struggle like my mudder had to. We got married fairly quickly.”
Sarah stared into his eyes, wondering why he was telling her all this. And she had to wonder whether he had really been in love with his fraa, or whether he married her to help her.
“I grew up as an only child as well. I don’t want Gretel to be alone, like I was always alone. I was surrounded by adults and I always wanted many kinner. Now it looks like it might just be me and Gretel.”
“You’ll marry again, if that’s what you want.”
“You think so?”
He smiled and gave a nod.
“I liked being married. It was nice to have someone to do things for and always having someone there. I even like having you living next door rather than living here all on my own.”
“You like having people around?” he asked.
“I do. I don’t like being alone.”
“I think I’m alright on my own, but I’m grateful to have Benjamin and Holly. They’re everything to me.”
“Jah, I couldn’t imagine being without Gretel. She’s the only thing that kept me going after Joel died.”
“He died recently?”
“Jah. He knew that we were having a boppli. He was out of work and he was traveling to get a job with his cousin. It meant that he would work two months away and have one week at home. It wasn’t ideal, but that was the only work he could get. He died on the bus coming home. There was a bad accident and five people died, and he was one of them.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
Sarah wiped away a tear. “Most of the time I try not to think about him. It’s easier that way.”
“I thought I would never marry again, but seeing how Holly is with you makes me think that she needs a mudder.”
Sarah wondered whether he thought that she might make a good wife for him and then it would solve all their problems. A marriage to Joshua would make sense. They could blend their families and in time have more children.
Sarah said, “I think all children need both a mudder and a vadder.”
He was silent and she wondered what he was thinking.
“I might stretch my legs now that Holly is asleep.”
“The bathroom is off from the kitchen.”
“Denke. I might get myself a glass of water.”
“Would you like a cup of tea, or something?”
“Nee, denke. I’ll be okay with just the water.”
After Sarah had gone to the bathroom, she was in the kitchen drinking water when Holly woke up.
“Where’s Mrs. Kurtz?”
“She’s in the kitchen,” Joshua answered in a calming tone.
“Is she coming back?”
“Jah, close your eyes. She said she’d stay here tonight.”
“Do you mean it?”
“Of course I do.”
Sarah drank her water quickly and hurried back to Holly. “I’m here. I was just having a glass of water. Do you want anything?”
“Nee, denke. Will you hold my hand again?”
“Okay. Your vadder has moved the couch close to you so I can lie down too.”
Holly gradually closed her eyes but not before reaching out her hand.
Sarah took hold of her hand and got comfortable.
“I’ll leave you both to it. Call out if you need anything, Sarah. I really appreciate you doing this.”
“I’m happy to do it.”
“I’ll leave the low light burning in the corner.”
“Denke.”
Chapter 17
Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:3
* * *
Joshua and Sarah woke early, before the children.
Sarah opened her eyes and sat up when she saw Joshua come into the room. Sarah had slept fully clothed.
Joshua sat down beside her. “I’m sorry I unburdened myself on you last night and told you all my problems.”
Sarah shook her head. “You hardly did that. And I did a little unburdening myself."
Holly opened her eyes and looked around. “You’re still here?”
“I told you I’d stay by you all night. Before Gretel wakes, I’d like to take another look at your wrist.”
Her father helped her sit up. Holly held out her wrist while Sarah carefully unwrapped the bandages.
“It still hurts,” Holly said.
“You can stay home from schul today.”
“Nee, I want to go, Dat.”
He chuckled. “You can go if you wish.”
“Could you fetch me the oil?” Sarah asked Joshua.
He looked around and came back from the kitchen with it in his hands. Sarah rubbed the oil into Holly’s wrist and then bandaged it again.
“The swelling’s gone down.”
“Gut!” Joshua said.
“I’ll wake up Benjamin to collect those eggs and I’ll make everyone some breakfast.”
“I must get home. I’d like to get home before Gretel wakes. Would you help me with the crib?”
Joshua nodded.
“Denke for staying with me all night,” Holly said.
Sarah leaned forward and kissed Holly on her forehead. Then Sarah stood up, and Joshua helped her carry Gretel back next door.
* * *
The next time Sarah saw Joshua was after he’d taken the children to school. He knocked on her door.
Sarah was a little surprised to see him there. "Would you care for a cup of kaffe? Gretel’s asleep and I have a little time.”
“Denke, I’d like that.” He stepped into the ho
use.
“Come through to the kitchen and I’ll put the pot on to boil.”
After she put the pot on the stove, she sat down with him at the kitchen table. “How’s Holly feeling?”
“She’s fine. I told her she could stay home, but she wanted to go to schul. I said she has to keep her wrist still.”
“Jah, I was there when she said she wanted to go to schul. I’m surprised. I thought she’d want a day or two off.”
“She might as well be there.”
“I suppose so, but she could lie down at home and rest.”
“I agree, but she felt she was alright. It must have been the arnica you massaged in last night and this morning.”
“It does work wonderfully well.”
“I’ll have to get some."
"I can give you some. I make my own mixture.”
He nodded and Sarah thought he didn’t look too interested in having some of her arnica oil. Perhaps he had come to propose and suggest they merge their families? It certainly would make sense; it was a practical idea. And what’s more, she knew Benjamin and Holly liked her as much as she liked them.
“The water’s boiling.”
“Oh.” She jumped up and proceeded to make the coffee. “Would you like a cookie with it?”
“Nee denke. I’ve only just had breakfast.”
Sarah placed a mug in front of him and then sat down again.
“Sarah, the reason I came over here is that I was hoping to discuss something very important with you.”
“What is it?”
“It hasn’t been easy raising the children on my own. They only have me and it doesn’t help when they grow an attachment to someone else.”
Something wasn’t right. This did not sound like the proposal that Sarah had wanted to hear. “I’m not certain of what you’re trying to say.”
He took a sip of coffee and then placed the mug back on the table. “It’s like this. You’re not always going to be around. We’ll be gone from here in a few months and then we’ll be on our own again. I don’t want Holly getting used to having a woman around.”
Sarah frowned. “Aren’t you considering getting married again at some stage?”
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