The Wonder of Your Love - By Beth Wiseman Page 0,16

and Katie Ann started the percolator on top of the stove, then set to clearing the table. She was sure Martha would be over first thing in the morning to find out about Lucy’s letter, and then her friend would most likely camp out here on Monday, waiting for Lucy to arrive. She wondered how she would handle Lucy and Martha in the same room at the same time. She knew Martha’s angry attitude was propelled by love, but her ranting and raving were only going to make things harder. She’d just finished cleaning the kitchen and pulled two coffee cups from the cupboard when Eli walked into the kitchen.

“I think I hear the boppli stirring.”

Katie Ann wiped her hands on her apron. “He’s probably hungry. I’m sorry, the kaffi is almost ready. I’ll be right back.”

Eli walked toward her and reached for the coffee cups. “I can ready our kaffi if you’d like.”

His fingers brushed against hers as he took the mugs in his hands, and a tingle raced up her arms. It took her a few moments before she nodded.

When Katie Ann walked into the living room with Jonas a short while later, Eli was sitting on the couch and asked if he could hold the baby. She leaned down and eased Jonas into Eli’s arms, then stepped back. It usually made her nervous for a stranger to hold Jonas, but the warmth of the freshly stoked fire hit her, and the sight of Jonas in Eli’s arms caused a lump to swell in her throat. She could almost see Ivan sitting on the couch holding his son. She shook her head to clear the thought.

She sat down on the couch next to Eli and had to admit it was touching, the way he cradled Jonas and made funny little baby talk. She’d never seen a man do that, and she lifted her hand to her mouth as she stifled a grin.

“He is a beautiful child.” Eli glanced over at Katie Ann. “Like his—”

“If you say grossmammi, I’ll smack you.” Katie Ann was shocked at her own playful comment, but Eli’s face lit up, and a certain amount of tension between them seemed to melt away.

“I was going to say, like his mudder.”

Katie Ann felt the flush filling her cheeks. His smooth, gentle voice sounded almost seductive, and she became very aware of how intimate this scene was. But as he returned his gaze to Jonas, Katie Ann let her eyes scan the stranger sitting next to her. He was handsome, no doubt. Even beneath his long-sleeved blue shirt, she could see the strength in his arms, and she’d already noticed the tall, confident way he carried himself. A trace of gray at his temple and speckled discreetly through his beard lent him a sophistication that was attractive. His hazel eyes were soft, and when he smiled, laugh lines filled his face. Martha’s voice rang in her mind. “He’s happy, Katie Ann.”

“Danki,” she finally managed to say. She watched as Eli lifted Jonas to his shoulder, patting him on the back. She wondered if Ivan would have been as involved with Jonas as this visitor in her living room. “Tell me about your kinner,” she said.

Eli lowered Jonas, placed him faceup in his lap, and rubbed his tummy as though he’d done it a million times. “Jake is my oldest. He’s twenty-three. Then there are all my girls—Hannah, Ida Mae, Karen, Frieda, and my youngest, Maureen.” He leaned down, smiling at Jonas. “And I’ve been blessed with six grandchildren.” He glanced up at Katie. “And one on the way. Laura Jane is expecting in a couple of weeks. She’s Jake’s fraa.”

“When did your . . .” Katie Ann wondered if she was being too personal.

“When did mei fraa die?” Eli looked up, but his eyes drifted somewhere else as he spoke. “She died giving birth to Maureen. Seventeen years ago.”

“I’m so sorry,” Katie Ann said. “I can’t imagine how hard that must have been on you. And the kinner.”

Eli turned to face her, and a different kind of expression filled his face, one Katie Ann couldn’t quite interpret. “I had lots of help in the beginning, but over time I realized that I was somehow going to have to be both parents, and be gut at it, if I wanted mei kinner to have a gut upbringing.” He chuckled. “Everyone tried to match me up with women in our district, but no one could compare to my Sarah.”