They were the only couple in the community without children.
Most people close to the couple understood that they shouldn't ask. Her mother had given up talking about it after seeing the floods of tears her daughter was reduced to whenever the subject was raised. They were trying. But Gott simply hadn't blessed them. Of course some of the older community members, who didn't really understand the situation, couldn't help but ask when they met. Gabrielle would smile and say in a little while and then rush home and cry her heart out for the rest of the day. The couple had even considered visiting an English specialist on the subject. Doctors could do marvellous things these days, Adam had said. He produced a newspaper article all about something called IVF and the countless number of childless couples it had helped. Gabrielle had read that article time after time. But despite her desire for a child she knew that she couldn't do that. Gott and Gott alone had the power to grant them the blessings of a child not a doctor. She put the article away and instead she vowed to pray harder. Gott would surely not forsake her.
She slipped the cookies into the oven and poured herself a large mug of kaffe. She sat down and began to read a few passages from the bible. Whenever she was in doubt or fearful she would read the bible and it would give her strength. At times she felt like Gott had abandoned her. But deep down she knew that that would never be the case, Gott never forgot his people. Today she felt doubt, and she was unsure of what to do. Amazingly, after seven years of disappointment, her normal courses were late. Three weeks late, almost four. Nausea had hit that morning. Adam was worried about her, but she dismissed it saying that Mrs Jones in the tailors had spoken of a bug going around. She didn't know what to do? More than anything she prayed that she was right. She had none of the normal feelings that her courses were going to be appearing imminently. She wanted to share her hopes and suspensions with her husband. And yet she knew that he longed for a child more than her. Adam would have been more than prepared to visit that English specialist, going against their beliefs. She didn't wish to raise his hopes only to have them dashed if she were wrong. She was so lost in thought that she almost forgot about the cookies in the oven. She managed to catch them just in time. They would be a little crisp, but they would do.
A sharp rap on the door brought her back into the present. It was Naomi, her oldest friend, she was armed with a basket of a wonderful smelling kaffe cake. Gabrielle ushered her friend in and placed a large mug of kaffe in front of her.
"What is the matter Gabby?" Naomi asked, immediately sensing that something wasn't quite right with her friend. Gabrielle had that strange way about her that many other women had displayed in the past. It wasn’t something that Naomi could describe. It was just there.
Gabrielle laughed nervously. "I'm glad you came today I have just gotta to tell someone." She started looking at the floor as though if she said the words then it simply wouldn't be true.
"You pregnant aren't you?" Naomi suddenly shouted with glee.
"Keep your voice down," Gabrielle scolded. Yet she couldn't keep the huge smile from her face.
"How long have you known?"
"I'm almost four weeks late and I had morning sickness for the first time today."
"What did Adam say?"
"He doesn't know yet."
Naomi looked at her friend with an inquisitive stare. "Why on earth not?"
"Because I'm not sure. If I told him and it turned out that I was wrong. Well, I'm not sure that he would be able to take it," she whispered.
Naomi shot to her feet. "Come on then," she demanded. "We can't sit around her all day guessing. Let's go and find out."
Three hours and a not insignificant examination fee later, Naomi and Gabrielle were heading back to the community. Naomi drove the buggy, taking care that the horse kept a steady pace, she didn't want to risk a crash. Not today of all days. Gabrielle had barely spoken a word since they had left the clinic. She just kept staring at the piece of paper in disbelief.
Later that evening Adam had come home from work. It had been a long day and Adam had a hard time dealing with a string of rude customers. The first thing he always enjoyed was a kaffe and cookie.
"How's the cookie?" Gabrielle asked.
"Good," nodded Adam, "A little on a crisp side maybe?"
Gabrielle grinned, "Yeah. Sorry about that. I was little distracted today."
"How's that?"
In a flash she pulled out the test results and presented them to Adam. He just stared in the same disbelief that she had in the buggy on the way home.
After seven years they were finally going to have a baby.
After the news sank in, both dropped to their knees and thanked Gott for his blessing.
The story continues…..soon.
An Amish Christmas With the Bontrager Sisters Page 7