The Christmas Cradle by Charlotte Hubbard Page B

he’s asked me,” the girl blurted out. “Everybody assumes we’ll marry, but I wonder if that’ll happen.” She sighed loudly. “I’ve been crazy in love with Josiah since we were kids, but maybe that’s the crazy part. Maybe we were too young to know any better and I need to move on without him.”
    â€œJosiah’s never had feelings for anybody but you, Lena,” Savilla insisted. “But he has a lot of growing up to do.”
    â€œCould be he’s in Bloomfield, speakin’ with your parents,” Miriam said. “Now that he’s cookin’ for Luke and Nora’s wedding, I want to believe he’s lookin’ toward the future—for you and for his caterin’ business, as well.”
    Ben sensed his wife was trying to keep Lena from getting upset. She’d offered him a useful thread of conversation, however. “Josiah might be tellin’ your folks where the three of ya have landed,” he suggested. “Could be he’s—”
    â€œEmory and Dorcas Esh have nothing to say to Josiah,” Lena declared wearily. “They warned me time and again that he wasn’t dependable, and—much as I hate to say it—maybe they’re right. It’s late. I’m going to bed.”
    When Savilla had followed Lena back into the dawdi haus , Ben shook his head. “Wish I saw a solution to the fix that girl’s in. I hated to rain on her parade when she was lookin’ so happy.”
    â€œAt least we know her parents’ names now,” Miriam pointed out. “I’ll ask Rebecca to look up Emory Esh’s phone number on her computer. I can’t imagine how worried her mamm must be—and I can’t believe Dorcas is as hard-hearted as Lena’s lettin’ on, either.”
    Ben smiled. “Lena’s folks watched that boy grow up, so they probably had him pegged as a drifter early on. That’s why I want you to write out a business agreement, if he and his sister take on a shift in your café.”
    Miriam went to the sink and ran a glass of cold water. “ Jah , that makes a lot of sense. Especially when he didn’t even tell Savilla he was leavin’, right before their big caterin’ date.”
    As he hugged her from behind, Ben prayed for words that would lift Miriam’s spirits. She had so much on her mind, with a baby coming and a big decision to make about running her business—not to mention the two kids who’d landed on their doorstep about to have a baby of their own. Ben held her gently, inhaling the clean scent he’d always found so appealing, so Miriam.
    She turned in his arms. When she rested her head on his shoulder, Ben savored the closeness of this moment as the baby shifted inside her. He glanced at the two baskets on the table and got an idea. “Sit down and finish that glass of water, honey-girl. I’ve got a present for ya.”
    When her eyes sparkled with curiosity, Ben was grateful that inspiration had struck. His pulse thrummed as he grabbed his coat and jogged out to the barn. The scents of horses and manure greeted him as he hurried between the buggies and the animals in their stalls. He took the cradle he’d made from its hiding spot in the empty back stall, brushing away the clean hay. Miriam deserved a gift every day, so why wait for Christmas? Giving her presents and watching her excitement when she received them had become a special joy in his life.
    Ben loped across the snowy yard with the cradle in his arms. He wrapped his coat around it so Miriam would have a few moments of anticipation. She was sitting at the table, watching him as he came inside. Ben stood in the doorway, breathing deeply. He hadn’t thought about what he’d say, and he wanted to make this a special moment.
    â€œI—I made this for ya, honey-bug,” he murmured. “I want ya to have it now, rather than waitin’ for