Amish Christmas Twins. Shelley Shepard Gray

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      Chapter 6

      Seven days before Christmas

      Unfortunately, all of E.A.’s good intentions about keeping the babe a secret flew out the window the next morning. Just as they were getting ready for church, her stomach decided that it didn’t want to keep her breakfast. She barely made it to the bathroom in time.

      But unlike the other times she’d gotten sick, her nauseous feelings didn’t dissipate a couple of minutes later. Instead, her stomach was churning so much, she ended up sitting on the bathroom tile with her back against the wall.

      “Mrs. Kurtz?” Jemima called out. “Mrs. Kurtz, are you all right?”

      E.A. could hear the worry in Jemima’s voice, but she didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t lie—and even if she wanted to, she knew a falsehood wouldn’t be believed, anyway. Feeling weak and woozy all over again, she closed her eyes and let out a small moan.

      “Mrs. Kurtz? Mrs. Kurtz, do you need some help?” Jemima asked. A few seconds later, she added, “Are you stuck in there? Do you need Mr. Kurtz to help you get out?”

      E.A. loved Jemima. She really did. But she was so tired of being called Mrs. Kurtz. Most of the time when she heard the words on Jemima’s tongue, she felt a little sad.

      But today, those words felt like little jabs to her heart. When was the girl ever going to learn to trust her? She moaned again.

      A couple of seconds later, Will rapped on the door. “Elizabeth Anne, you need to talk to us, please. Everyone out here is getting pretty worried.”

      Summoning up what she hoped was a cheery tone, she said, “I’m sorry. Jemima, please don’t worry. I’m a little sick, but that’s all. I’m sure I’ll feel better in a few minutes.” A few very long minutes.

      “You’re sick?” Roy asked, his voice sounding so close she wondered if he was leaning against the other side of the door. “E.A, are . . . are you going to go to the hospital?” His voice was frantic.

      “Nee. Of course not.”

      “Are you sure? How come we can’t go in and you won’t come out?”

      Oh, goodness. What a pickle.

      She saw the door handle jiggle right before it opened. Will peeked in, his expression somber. When he saw her on the floor, he looked pained. “Jem and Roy, we’ll be right out,” he said before closing the door.

      “I’m sorry about this,” she whispered.

      He squatted down on his haunches in front of her. “I’m sorry you feel so sick. Are you going to be okay?”

      “Of course. It’s just a bad case of morning sickness.” She lifted a hand. “I can get up now.”

      Instead of taking her hand, he stared at her intently. “Elizabeth Anne, it’s time to talk to them.”

      Her mouth watered as she tried to pull herself together. “But—”

      “Keeping this secret is making things worse for the kinner, not better. Their lives have already been uprooted many times. Keeping this a secret is causing them more stress that they don’t need.”

      He was right. She was being selfish and thinking only of what she wanted to deal with right at that minute. Resolving to be better, she held out a hand. “Help me up?”

      Looking relieved, he stepped forward and held out both of his hands. After she was steady on her feet, he ran the faucet in the sink, put a washcloth under it, and then handed it to her.

      The cool, wet fabric soothed her warm skin as well as her nerves. Just as she was about to ask where he wanted to have this conversation, the door creaked open and two dear little faces peered at her. Will had been right; they looked frightened half to death.

      “See?” she said to them. “I’m okay.”

      Jemima just gaped.

      Roy, on the other hand, wrinkled his nose in obvious disbelief. “E.A., I’m sorry, but you don’t look okay at all. You look like you’re gonna get sick again all over the floor.”

      “Don’t say that,” Jemima said.

      “But it’s true.” Roy shifted from one foot to the other. “I mean, don’tcha think?”

      “Jah, but we’re not supposed to tell her that,” Jemima whispered back.

      As queasy as she felt, E.A. couldn’t help but chuckle at their conversation. Will had been right. She wasn’t going to be able to keep this pregnancy a secret any longer. “I think it’s time we had a little talk.”

      “About what?” Roy asked.