Читать книгу Amish Christmas Twins - Shelley Shepard Gray - Страница 21

Chapter 15

Thirty minutes later, with her arms firmly around little Roy, E.A. looked over at Jemima. Sitting across from them in her dress and cloak, she looked as serious as ever.

And, E.A. thought, twice as sad.

“What’s wrong, Jemima?” E.A. asked softly.

“I feel embarrassed because I misunderstood everything. I’m sorry that I made everyone get up out of bed in the middle of the night.”

“Hey now. Don’t start making things worse than they are. I was awake already, remember?” Will asked.

“I remember.”

“That takes care of that. Now, let’s talk about something else.”

“What?”

“Do you think it’s possible for you to begin to trust us?”

“Jah.”

“Are you sure?”

“Well, I want to trust you both.” Her voice drifted off.

“But you’ve learned to protect yourself, haven’t you?” E.A. said gently.

“Jah. Not everything I want to happen does.”

“Nothing happens like that for anyone,” Will said. “Trust and faith are a lot alike. Both mean believing in something without knowing for sure about the facts. And you can set yourself up for disappointment.”

“But think about Mary when the angels and the Lord told her that her baby was special. Or when the Wise Men were encouraged to ride a great distance to see the future King. Or all the times since when miracles have happened and blessings have occurred to people who might not even have deserved them.”

“You’re talking about Christmas Day,” Roy said.

“I am. Faith is hard. Learning to trust after one has been betrayed before is hard, too. But that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.”

Will studied them for a long moment before standing up. “I’ll be right back,” he said before disappearing down the hall.

Jemima looked at E.A. “Is he upset?”

“Nee. Will doesn’t get upset about much. And especially not about things like this.” Already having a pretty good idea about what her husband was doing, E.A. folded her hands neatly on the table. “I guess we’ll just have to sit tight until he returns.”

When Will came back, he was holding a manila folder filled with papers. “I guess I should have been listening to my own advice about having faith and trust,” he said in a quiet tone. “E.A. and I have been filling out this paperwork and have been in close contact with Melanie and the lawyers, but it all takes time.”

“Will, tell them what you’re holding,” E.A. prompted.

“Oh. Of course.” He set the papers on the table. “This is the adoption paperwork we’ve been working on.” Opening up the packet, he flipped through the papers until he came to E.A.’s favorite piece. “Look at this, you two. What do you see?”

Jemima and Roy got on their feet and studied the official-looking document. After one or two seconds, Jemima’s eyes widened. “There’s our names.”

E.A. smiled. “That’s right,” she agreed, running a finger along their printed names. “Here are Jemima Mary Clark and Roland Irwin Clark.”

Roy giggled. “No one calls me Roland Irwin.”

“I think it’s a mighty fine name, but perhaps it’s a mighty grown-up name.”

“I’m just a boy now.”

“You are just a boy, but you’re also a mighty special boy. Just like Jemima Mary here is a mighty special girl.”

Jemima straightened her shoulders. “I’m named after Mary in the Bible.”

“You are?” Will teased.

Jemima nodded her head fervently.

“I think that means we’re supposed to open Christmas presents then.”

“Right now? But it’s the middle of the night.”

“It surely is, but since it’s now one in the morning, it actually is Christmas. And those presents do look awfully tempting. Don’t you think we should see what’s inside?”

Roy kept staring at him until he looked to where Will was gesturing. Then his expression was so comical, E.A. couldn’t help but giggle. “I fear you have rendered our Roy speechless, Will.”

“That feels like a Christmas gift in itself. Two minutes of quiet.” He winked so the children would have no doubt that he was teasing, then held out a hand. “Well, let’s go open presents.”

But instead of taking his hand, Jemima bit her bottom lip. “We don’t have anything for you.”

E.A. knelt down so she could look the little girl in the eye. “That’s where you’re wrong. You have already given us our presents. You came into our lives, and you want to be with us forever and ever. That’s more of a gift than I ever could have expected.”

“Really? Do you think that’s enough?”

She pressed her palm to her heart. “Here, I feel that it is enough. But if you don’t believe me, then trust in His word, for it says in Psalm 127, ‘Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him.’ ” E.A. paused until Jemima met her gaze. “Do you understand what that means, sweetheart? He doesn’t say ‘only the children you gave birth to are special.’ He says that all children are a gift.”

“He says I’m special no matter what.”

“Yes, He does. You’re special, no matter what, and so is Roy.” Reaching for her hand, E.A. continued. “Jemima, I know you miss your parents. I know your heart aches for them and it isn’t fair that they had to leave you when you are so small. They sound like wonderful people. I know they loved you and didn’t want to leave you. But I can’t help but think that God knew that Will and I would take care of you both, too. And that we would love you for the rest of our lives.”

“Do you think it would be okay with them if Roy and I love you, too, one day?”

“Jah,” she whispered, swallowing the lump that had just formed in her throat. “I think it would be just fine with them.”

Jemima’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

E.A. nodded. “I’m as sure about that as I’m sure that the sun is going to come up tomorrow . . . if we ever get back in our beds and go to sleep.”

Jemima yawned. “Maybe we could open presents in the morning after all? I am kind of tired.”

After reassuring Roy that they would open gifts in the morning, E.A. walked Jemima to her bed and tucked her in. “Merry Christmas, Jemima. Good night.”

“Night, E.A.,” she whispered, calling her by name for the very first time.

E.A. barely made it to the privacy of her bedroom before she let the tears fall. She’d just received a gift more precious than gold.