A Merry Heart (30 page)

“Jah, Mary Ellen. All babies are adorable,” Miriam answered.

“I wish I had a boppli of my own to play with,” Mary Ellen said in a wistful tone.

“Someday when you’re grown-up and married, maybe you will,” her daed answered.

“But I’m still a little girl, and that’s a long time off.”

“Maybe Uncle Lewis still has some of those baby bunnies left.”

“Really, Pappy? Can I have a baby bunny for my own?”

“If it’s all right with Mama Mim, it’s all right with me.”

Miriam smiled. She rather liked the nickname Mary Ellen had begun when they were first married. “If Uncle Lewis still has some bunnies left, you may have one, but only on one condition.”

“What condition?”

“That you promise to help care for the bunny.”

“Oh, I will. I promise!”

Mary Ellen knelt in the hay next to her father. Uncle Lewis had taken all of the bunnies out of their cages so she could have a better look and could choose which one she wanted.

The rabbit Mary Ellen finally selected was the smallest of the litter, but it looked healthy and bright-eyed and was certainly playful. As they left Lewis’s place and headed to Crystal and Jonas’s house, Mary Ellen had quite a time keeping the bunny inside the box she’d been given.

Crystal and the twins were out in the yard when Amos pulled their buggy near the barn. The boys jumped up and down, obviously happy to see their cousin.

“I have a surprise!” Mary Ellen called to John and Jacob.

When Amos lifted Mary Ellen down from the buggy, she and the twins rushed off toward the barn.

“Jonas is in the barn working on his old plow,” Crystal told Amos. “I’m sure he could use a friendly face about now.”

Amos laughed. “Maybe it’s time to retire that aged thing. Floyd Mast has some good buys on the new ones he sells.”

“I know he probably should buy a new one,” Crystal
agreed, “but Jonas is rather partial to the old one. It belonged to his daed, you know.”

The mention of Papa caused a sharp pain in Miriam’s heart. She still missed her father and probably always would. He’d been a devout Christian man, and someday she was sure she would see him in heaven.

“I’ll go see Jonas and leave you two ladies to yourselves. I’m sure you both have plenty to talk about. Women usually do.” Amos winked at Miriam and poked her playfully on the arm.

She lunged for him, but he was too quick. His long legs took him quickly out of reach, and soon, he disappeared inside the barn.

“It’s good to see you looking so happy,” Crystal said as she steered Miriam toward the house.

“I am happy—more than I ever thought possible.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

“I brought you some chunky chocolate peanut butter cookies, and I’ll tell you about my reason for being so happy over a cup of your great-tasting cider.”

“You’re lookin’ a mite tired today,” Jonas said soon after Amos stepped into the barn. “Is that sister of mine workin’ you too hard?”

Amos chuckled and shook his head. “It’s that business of mine that’s wearing me out. I might have to find an apprentice.”

Jonas grabbed a piece of straw from a bale nearby and stuck it between his teeth. “I’ll spread the word if you want me to.”

“I’d appreciate that.”

“Other than being tired, how are things going?”

“Real well. Things are much better between Mary Ellen and the other kinner at school, and Miriam and I are happier than I ever thought possible.”

Jonas thumped Amos on the back. “I’m glad to hear that, because you’ve both been through your share of trials, and you deserve all the happiness you can get.”

The last stop of the day was at Sarah and Andrew’s place. While Miriam was looking forward to seeing her brother and his family, she was most anxious to see Mom and give her the gift she had made.

The sun had been shining all morning, but now, as a light rain began to fall, it slipped behind the clouds. Amos hurried Mary Ellen out of the buggy.

“Wait, Pappy. My bunny’s still in the box. I want to take Dinky in to show Rebekah.”

“Oh, it’s Dinky, is it?”

“Jah, I like that name.”

“Okay then. I’ll get Dinky for you.” Amos grinned at his daughter. “You go on ahead with Mama Mim.”

The warmth of the kitchen was welcoming, but the heat from the stove didn’t warm Miriam nearly as much as the welcome she and Mary Ellen received from her family.

“What brings you by today?” Andrew asked.

“Jah, to what do we owe this pleasant surprise?” Mom questioned.

“Amos and I thought it would be nice to take Mary Ellen for ride.”

“And I’ve got a surprise!” Mary Ellen hopped up and down in front of Rebekah, who had been wheeled into the room by her mother. “Pappy’s gone out to the buggy to get it.”

“What’s the surprise?” asked Rebekah. “I love surprises.”

“I think nearly everyone loves surprises,” Miriam said, smiling down at her daughter. “I have one for Mom, too.”

“Who wants to be the first to share their surprise?” Sarah asked as she pushed her daughter up to the kitchen table.

Miriam touched Mary Ellen’s shoulder. “I’d better let you go first, since you can’t seem to stand still.”

“But Pappy isn’t here yet.”

Just then the door opened, and Amos stepped into the room with Dinky in his hands.

“En gleener Haas!”
Rebekah squealed. “May I hold it, please?”

Mary Ellen reached for the small bunny. With a huge smile on her face, she sashayed across the room and placed the furry critter in Rebekah’s lap.

Dinky’s nose twitched as Rebekah stroked its floppy ear. “He’s awfully cute. Where’d you get him?”

“From Uncle Lewis, and he still has three more, so maybe you’d like a bunny, too.”

With an expectant expression, Rebekah looked first at her mother and then over at her father.

Andrew smiled. “If it’s okay with your mamm, it’s fine by me.”

Sarah nodded. “I think it’s a good idea, but you must help care for the bunny.”

“Jah, of course I will.”

“And you must share the bunny with your younger brother and sister,” her daed reminded.

“I promise, Papa.”

“Come, everyone. Sit awhile.” Miriam’s mamm motioned to the table. “I’ll put water on the stove to heat, and we can have some hot chocolate.”

“And I’ve brought along some chunky chocolate peanut butter cookies,” Miriam said as Amos pulled out a chair for her.

When everyone was seated and the hot chocolate and cookies had been passed around, Miriam lifted the canvas tote bag from the back of her chair and reached inside.

“What’s this?” Mom asked as Miriam pulled out a small package wrapped in tissue paper and handed it to her.

“I made this for you—to let you know how much I love you.”

Mom took the gift, and she emitted a sob when she opened it. “Oh, Miriam, it’s lieblich.”

“What’s lovely?” Sarah asked, craning her neck to see.

Mom held up the beautiful cross-stitched wall hanging Miriam had made. It read: “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.”

Miriam gave her mother a hug. “Those words from the Bible are true, Mom. You’ve been right all along, and I just couldn’t see it. God wants His children to have merry hearts. It’s my hope that anyone in our future generations who see this sampler will know that the only way to be truly healthy spiritually is to have a merry heart.”

“This is a blessed surprise,” Mom said tearfully. “And it’s certainly an answer to my prayers to know that you finally
understand the importance of having a merry heart.”

“God had been calling to me for a long time. I only wish I had listened to Him sooner.” Miriam looked over at Amos and smiled. “Would you like to tell them our other surprise?”

He shook his head. “I think we should let Mary Ellen tell ’em, don’t you?”

Miriam nodded. “That’s a fine idea. Mary Ellen, please tell everyone our other surprise.”

Mary Ellen giggled; then in her most grown-up voice, she announced, “On the way here, Mama Mim and Pappy told me that I’m gonna be a big sister.”

“Miriam, is she saying what I think she’s saying?” Mom asked breathlessly.

Miriam nodded. “I’m expecting a boppli.”

“Now that’s wunderbaar news,” Sarah exclaimed.

“I’m so happy for you.” Mom gave Miriam a hug. “Oh, I wish the rest of our family were here for this joyful news.”

“We’ve already seen Lewis and Grace, as well as Jonas and Crystal, so they’ve been told,” Amos was quick to say.

“Congratulations!” Andrew said, thumping Amos on the back, then hugging Miriam.

Mom dabbed the corners of her eyes with a hankie. “If only my Henry could be here. He would be so pleased to see how happy our Miriam is now.”

“Someday, we’ll be reunited with Papa, but until then, he’ll always be with us—right here.” Miriam placed her hand against her chest. “I hope my own kinner and future
kinskinner
will grow up to love the Lord and have merry hearts, too.”

M
IRIAM’S
C
HUNKY
C
HOCOLATE
P
EANUT
B
UTTER
C
OOKIES

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat margarine, sugars, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate pieces. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand a few minutes before removing from cookie sheet. Makes four dozen cookies.