Rosanna's Gift Read online

  “This is Mollie.”

  “Isn’t Mollie’s mamm upstairs?”

  “Uh, nee, uh . . .” Rosanna tried to give Tobias a look that said to drop the subject. She hoped he was astute enough to pick up on her cue. She wanted to twirl about and shout that the infant was hers, but she didn’t dare until Mamm returned and, hopefully, brought favorable news. Rosanna had a distinct feeling that what she considered gut news might not be so gut to her mamm.

  “Is . . . ?”

  Rosanna threw another quick frown at Tobias and softened her features into a smile when she glanced in Henry’s direction. She had to redirect their attention elsewhere before Tobias asked more questions. “Would you like to stay for supper, Henry? Mamm has a big pot of stew simmering on the stove, and I’m going to make corn muffins in a few minutes.”

  “I should probably get home, but I appreciate the offer.”

  She tried not to let her disappointment show. How could Henry sometimes seem interested in her and other times look at her like she was a two-headed monster to be avoided at all costs? What would he say if he knew Mollie was hers? Would that scare him off for sure and for certain? That was a chance she’d simply have to take. If that paper was completely legal, Mollie would be hers forever. A little tingle of excitement raced up her spine. Please let it be legal. “Maybe another time?” She smiled at Henry again. Why was he making this all so hard?

  “Sure. Maybe. I’ll see you, Tobias.” Henry turned and disappeared through the door he’d entered only moments before.

  “You certainly seem to have a way with fellows. They’re running away from here like a mad bull is behind them.”

  “You are just too funny for words. And who is ‘they’? I only saw Henry tear out of here.”

  “Didn’t I see Paul Hertzler leave earlier?”

  “Ach, Paul.” Rosanna waved a hand in the air but kept her rocking steady. “He was here to pick up a quilt from Mamm.”

  Tobias dropped to one knee beside the rocking chair. “So why were you giving me the evil eye? What’s the story with this one?” He nodded at the bundle in Rosanna’s arms.

  “I wasn’t giving you the evil eye.”

  “It sure looked like it to me.”

  “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Henry—yet.”

  “I thought you were sweet on Henry.”

  “Tobias!”

  “Okay. Okay. What’s the story with, uh, Mollie? Isn’t that what you called her?”

  “Jah. Mollie. And she might be here to stay.”

  Tobias whistled. The infant startled at the sound.

  “Shhh, it’s okay, little one.” Rosanna gently patted the bundle and continued rocking.

  “Why might she be here to stay? Where’s her mudder? Isn’t she still upstairs?”

  “She’s gone, I told you.”

  “Gone as in flew the coop or had to go to the hospital or what?”

  “As in disappeared.”

  Tobias pursed his lips to whistle again but caught himself before any sound came out. “What happened?”

  “I should know more later.” Rosanna smiled down at the infant. “I wonder if Henry is afraid to be around little ones,” she mused aloud.

  “Why would he be?”

  Oops! She hadn’t meant to voice that thought. “He sure hightailed it out of here.” She paused in mid-rock. “Unless it’s me he doesn’t want to be around.” That thought made her stomach slide south. She reached out a hand to snag her bruder’s arm. “You’re his freind, Tobias. Is he, um, interested in another girl?”

  Tobias shook off her hand. “I wouldn’t know about that, Rosanna. We fellows don’t talk about such things like you girls do.”

  “Right.”

  “Honest. I don’t know, but I don’t think Henry is interested in anyone. I’ve never seen him leave a singing with anyone, not for a long time anyway. I haven’t seen him out and about with anyone.”

  He hasn’t left a singing with me, either. “Who did he leave with before?” Rosanna’s curiosity got the best of her. Was that a long, long time ago, before she started attending the singings, or a shorter time ago and she didn’t notice? She didn’t know how she wouldn’t have noticed. She normally paid strict attention to Henry’s whereabouts during singings. And he usually planted himself near the refreshment table with a couple of other fellows. Still, she could have been momentarily distracted by one of the girls and missed a stealthy departure.

  “Just leave it alone, Rosanna. Henry will do whatever he wants to do.”

  That’s exactly what she was afraid of—that Henry would continue to do nothing. Perhaps he needed a nudge in the right direction, her direction. Who had captured his attention before, and how had she done it? “Tell me who, Tobias. Pretty please?” Rosanna hated the little whine that crept into her voice. “I’ll make surprise muffins instead of corn muffins.” She knew Tobias’ favorites were the muffins with strawberry, peach, or cherry jam in the centers. She could tell he was wavering. “I think there might be some blueberry jam, too.” Tobias’ favorite.

  “Nancy Glick.”

  “Oh.” Nancy’s hair was as fair as Rosanna’s was dark. She had big, green eyes. Maybe Henry preferred blondes. “But Nancy’s family moved away.”

  “Only to Pennsylvania. That’s not too far. And letters can travel anywhere.”

  “Are you trying to tell me Henry writes to Nancy Glick?”

  “I wouldn’t know, but he hasn’t really taken an interest in anyone since she moved.”

  “In me, you mean. But the Glicks moved a couple years ago, ain’t so?”

  “Something like that.”

  “Tobias Mast, you aren’t a very gut informant.”

  “I’m not an informant at all. I’m simply having a conversation with my nosy little schweschder. Now about those muffins.”

  Rosanna heaved an exaggerated sigh. “If you’ll bring that cradle downstairs from the spare room, I’ll lay Mollie down and see what kind of surprise I can kumm up with.”

  “It better be a gut surprise. I don’t want any muffins with onions or peppers or anything else disgusting.”

  “Would I do such a thing to you?”

  “Probably, but I’ll get the cradle anyway. You’d better look hard for some blueberry jam.”

  “I’ll see.” Rosanna stopped rocking. She stood with the infant in her arms. “Your onkle is fetching a cradle for you,” she whispered. She carried Mollie into the kitchen. “I’ll have him put the cradle in here so I can keep an eye on you.” She shifted the boppli to one arm so she could pull out the canisters of flour and sugar. What could be keeping Mamm? It seemed she’d been gone for ages.

  “Here you go!” Tobias’ booming voice bounced off the kitchen walls.

  “Shhh!” Rosanna peeked at the infant, who slumbered on, oblivious to her surroundings.

  “Aren’t you a mudder hen? If this little one is going to live here, she’ll have to get used to noise. This house is anything but quiet.”

  “I know.” And Rosanna did know that Mollie would have to get used to a house full of boisterous kinner, but she was a newborn. Surely she deserved a little peace for a few days.

  “Do you want this by the stove? It’s not exactly lightweight, you know.”

  “Against the wall near the stove will be fine. Danki, Tobias.”

  Daed had made the solid cherry cradle years and years ago when Rosanna’s oldest bruder, Adam, had been born. The seven kinner who followed Adam all took their turns sleeping in the cradle. Now Mamm used it for any infant who happened to be born at their house. Usually women gave birth in their own homes and Rosanna and Sarah traveled to them, but occasionally someone showed up at the Mast house, like Jane had.

  Rosanna tiptoed to the shadowed corner and eased Mollie into the cradle. Bless Tobias. He’d even thought to bring an extra blanket.

  “Now about those muffins.” Tobias’ attempt to speak in a hushed tone was almost comical. “Did you find blueberry jam?”
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br />   Rosanna couldn’t hold back a giggle. Her towering bruder looked and acted like an overgrown little bu. “It wouldn’t be a surprise if I told you, would it? There’s a reason they’re called surprise muffins.”

  Tobias’ shoulders slumped. “I hope there will be some blueberry ones.”

  Rosanna laughed. She half expected to see Tobias’ lower lip poke out in a pout. “I can always make corn muffins instead.”

  “Nee. Nee. Any surprise will be a gut one.” Under his breath, he added, “I hope.”

  Rosanna pulled out the other ingredients after shooing Tobias away. “It also won’t be a surprise if you watch me.”

  “All right. I’m sure Daed is ready to start the evening chores anyway. His last furniture customer must be gone by now.”

  Samuel Mast, their father, operated a furniture shop in addition to farming. Of course, at this time of year the corn, hay, and soybean crops had been harvested. The land was ready for its winter rest, but the horses and black-faced sheep still needed tending. All three of her older bruders—Adam, Roman, and Tobias—worked in the shop. Adam and Roman were both married and had their own places to look after as well. Fifteen-year-old Joseph helped out now and again in the furniture shop, but he showed a keener interest in farming. He tended the greenhouses and planned to sell plants in the spring. Katie, James, and Sadie still attended school.

  Rosanna loved her big, boisterous family and would surely miss them when she married, but lately her thoughts had been filled with a home and family of her own. Some of her freinden had already gotten married. But with Mollie’s arrival, Rosanna’s own plans might be drastically altered. She now had someone else who depended on her for her every need. It would be a monumental task, but she found herself eager to take it on.

  Rosanna’s glance kept sliding to the cradle in the corner as she stirred the batter and filled two muffin pans. She smiled as she spooned Tobias’ favorite blueberry jam into the center of half the muffins. If she didn’t watch him, Tobias would poke a little hole in every muffin to find whichever ones might contain the blueberry filling. She spooned strawberry and peach jam into the centers of the other muffins.

  While the muffins baked, Rosanna flitted from the stove to stir the stew, to the cradle where Mollie slept soundly, to the window to look for Mamm. Darkness descended earlier and earlier these days. She had expected Mamm home way before now. She pulled bowls and plates from the cupboard and set the big oak table herself instead of calling Katie and Sadie to help. She needed to keep herself occupied. Even though she loved her little schweschders beyond belief, her nerves would not handle the chattering of a ten-year-old and an eight-year-old right now.

  Rosanna had just tapped the big wooden spoon against the side of the pot and laid it in the ceramic spoon rest when she heard a commotion at the door. Either Mamm had finally made it home or twelve-year-old James had raced to the house after chores, hoping to pilfer a little snack before dinner. He tried that most evenings and was always turned away empty-handed by Mamm. Rosanna didn’t know why he continued the daily ritual. Buwe!

  “Gut, you’ve got supper ready.”

  “Mamm! What took so long? What did Amy say? Is the paper legal?”

  “Let me get my cloak and bonnet off, please.” Sarah untied her black bonnet and hung it with her black cloak on a peg near the door. She reached to reposition her white kapp before crossing the room to wash her hands. “You brought the cradle in here.” It was more a statement than a question.

  “I had Tobias carry it down for me. I couldn’t bear to leave her all alone. Please, Mamm, don’t make me wait until Daed wanders inside. Please tell me what you found out.” Rosanna crossed the room to stand beside the cradle. Mollie slept peacefully. Every now and then the edges of her pink, bow-shaped mouth curved upward as if she was enjoying some pleasant dream. What thoughts and dreams filled a newborn’s brain? Did they dream of floating in the womb, or were their little heads filled with dreams of the Lord Gott, heaven, and angels? Rosanna lifted her eyes to find her mamm staring at her.

  “Amy’s husband called a lawyer freind to kumm over. That’s what took so long, but I figured it would be best to wait to hear what he said. I knew I could count on you to finish fixing supper.”

  Rosanna’s heart pounded hard enough to shake the rafters. She clasped her hands together in front of her to still their trembling. “Wh-what did he say?”

  “I really don’t want to tell the story twice. Your daed will be in soon.”

  “Please, Mamm. I have to know. It’s my life we’re talking about here. Mine and that precious little girl’s.”

  Sarah sighed. “Jah, it is your life.” She sucked in a huge, audible gulp of air. “This lawyer man said the paper was perfectly legal. In fact, Jane went to his office. His partner wrote up the paper. He called the partner while he was at Amy’s house. The partner said he remembered Jane. He said she seemed of sound mind and was absolutely insistent that you be named her infant’s guardian. She gave up all parental rights so you can adopt the boppli.” Sarah collapsed onto a kitchen chair like a sail collapses on a suddenly windless day. The transfer of information appeared to have robbed her of all her energy.

  Rosanna couldn’t resist a little squeal and jump. It was all she could do to keep from racing over to the cradle, snatching Mollie up, and hugging her close.

  “I don’t believe you’ve thought this through, Dochder.”

  Sarah’s words brought Rosanna back to earth. “What is there to think about? Mollie is mine. Jane didn’t give me any choice, but if she had, I would have chosen to take her newborn in a heartbeat.”

  “I know it seems exciting, but an infant is hard work.”

  “I know that, Mamm.” Rosanna had to make her mamm see that she was a responsible adult.

  “It’s a hard task for two parents to raise a little one. It will be even harder for a single woman.”

  “I understand. But I’ll have all of you for support. Mollie will have the love of a bunch of aentis and onkles, as well as a grossmammi and grossdaddi.”

  “What about a daed?”

  Rosanna’s heart skipped a beat. “Sh-she can have that in time. Couldn’t she?”

  “I don’t want you to sacrifice your own happiness and chance to marry.”

  “Having Mollie makes me happy. If a man should want to marry me, he’ll have to accept my boppli as well.” Could Henry do that? Would he?

  “I hope so, Dochder. I hope so. This is all such a mess. What will Samuel say?”

  The last words were spoken so softly Rosanna barely heard them. She knelt beside Sarah’s chair. “Everything will work out. Isn’t that what you always say, Mamm? Who knows? The Lord Gott may have planned this special gift all along.”

  “I hope you feel this way later on.”

  “I will, Mamm. I’ve been around kinner enough to know there will be trying times. I know I’m young, but I’m not so naive to think everything will always be rosy. But everyone has ups and downs and trying times, ain’t so?”

  Sarah grabbed Rosanna’s hand and squeezed it gently. “My little girl has grown up. I guess this makes me a grossmammi.” Adam and Roman had both been married for more than a year, but neither had been blessed with bopplin yet. Mollie would be Sarah’s first grossdochder. She wiped her eyes with the edge of her black apron.

  Rosanna threw her arms around her mamm and held on tightly for a moment. “Danki, Mamm.” She sniffed and pulled away. “Ach! My muffins!” She jumped to her feet and ran to the oven. “Tobias will have a fit if I’ve ruined his surprise muffins.”

  “I hope Samuel doesn’t have a fit.”

  Chapter Four

  Thundering feet heralded the arrival of the rest of the family for supper. James’ hands still glistened with water droplets, as though he couldn’t take the time to thoroughly dry them. Katie’s and Sadie’s giggling ceased when they settled into their big oak chairs. At Samuel’s signal, every head bowed for silent prayer.

  Rosanna offe
red a quick thanks for the meal, but most of her prayer concerned the boppli. Please, Gott, let Daed accept little Mollie. Please don’t let him say I can’t keep her. I don’t know what I’ll do then. Jane entrusted her to me. She would have continued praying, but the tingly feeling that she was being stared at washed over her. She opened her eyes to find most of her family gazing at her. Her cheeks burned. She quickly grabbed the basket of muffins and passed it to her daed.

  “Everything all right, Dochder?” Samuel chose two plump, golden-brown muffins and plopped them on his plate before passing the basket to Tobias, who studied the muffins intently, obviously trying to detect which ones were filled with blueberry jam.

  “Pass the basket, Tobias.” James drummed his fingers on the table.

  “You can’t tell from the outside,” Rosanna said. “That’s what makes them a surprise. You could pass the basket along and take whatever is left if the decision is too great.”

  Joseph snickered. “Jah, Tobias. They’re all gut anyway.”

  Tobias finally selected two muffins and passed the basket to Joseph. He broke into the first one. “Aha! It’s blueberry!” He poked a finger into the second one. “This one, too!”

  “I guess you’ll go to bed happy tonight.” Rosanna lifted a spoonful of stew toward her mouth.

  “You didn’t answer my question, Rosanna.”

  She had hoped the distraction would make Daed forget he asked her anything. Apparently that was not to be. “I, uh . . .” A soft whimper from the corner drew everyone’s attention. Rosanna lowered the uneaten bite of food to the bowl and pushed away from the table.

  “Is this the same boppli? Why isn’t she with her mudder?” Samuel’s voice hitched up a notch in volume.

  Rosanna hurried to the cradle and lifted the swaddled infant into her arms. She returned to stand near her daed. “Th-this is Mollie.”

  Samuel’s face softened when he glanced at the newborn. Rosanna prayed his great love for kinner would extend to this one.