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.
Chapter 16
Christmas Day, one year later
The house was in complete chaos, and the fact that it was Christmas Day had nothing to do with it.
Sitting on her bed with her brand-new book in her lap, Jemima Kurtz wished for nothing more than one whole hour of peace and quiet. Unfortunately, it didn’t look as if this wish was going to come true anytime soon.
First, Roy had come into her room and hadn’t wanted to leave. Now baby Christopher was crying in his crib down the hall. Yet again.
“I wonder what’s going on now?” Roy asked.
“We’d better go check,” Jemima said, leading the way to the twins’ room.
“Mamm, Chris is crying again!” Roy yelled as they went.
“I can hear him!” their mother yelled back. “Go pick him up, Roy.”
Roy did just that, but he wrinkled his nose. “Mamm, I think his diaper is dirty!” he said as Chris wriggled and cried even louder.
“We both know what the answer to that is, Roy!” Daed called from down the hall. “Do it now, if you please.”
Roy groaned. “Do you want to change him?” he asked Jemima hopefully.
“I do not.”
“Come on. Please?”
“Nee. You change the babies’ diapers less than anyone else in the house.”
“Fine.” He turned and walked to the changing table as if he was walking the plank. “Come on, Chris. Let’s get it over with. But, Jem, stay here, wouldja?”
She knew better than to do that. If she was in “helping” distance, Roy would have her taking care of Chris in less than two seconds flat.
Instead, she darted out of the twins’ room and headed downstairs. Even from the dining room, she could still hear Roy complain upstairs about Chris’s stinky diaper. Thinking that her bruder was acting a bit like a baby himself, she started setting the table with all the plates and silverware that E.A. had put out.
In the kitchen, Elizabeth Anne was basting the turkey. “You sure got down here fast, Jem,” she teased.
“I just realized that I promised you I’d set the table.”
“Hmm.”
Realizing she was caught in her fib, Jemima put down the last fork and joined her by the stove. Little Merry was resting in a bouncy seat on the kitchen table, no doubt watching every move E.A. made with wide eyes.
Honestly, Jemima couldn’t believe how different two twins could be. While Chris was curious, loud, and demanding, Merry was quiet, attentive, and usually content. She always seemed happiest when one of them placed her in a spot where she could easily observe everything around her.
The twins were even different at night. Then they switched places. The moment either Mamm or Daed set Chris in his crib, he went to sleep—as if he was exhausted from his busy day.
Merry, on the other hand, became not very merry at all once she was in her crib. She fussed and whined whenever she was put down for the night. She liked to be in the midst of things and always acted as if they were hurting her feelings when it was bedtime.
Mamm looked up from the saucepan she was stirring on the stove. “Roy couldn’t talk his way out of that diaper change, hmm?”
“Not this time. I told him that he didn’t change enough diapers around here and then hurried downstairs before he could pester me even more.”
“Jemima, you are sounding a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
“Maybe.”
