The Christmas Quilt: Quilts of Love Series by Vannetta Chapman Page B

soon as your—”
    “ Schweschder. ” The word came out softly as tears stung her eyes for the first time since hearing Samuel mention Leah’s name.
    “As soon as your sister is settled.”
    Annie reversed directions and walked slowly back into the waiting room. Samuel’s phone felt like a stone in her apron pocket. She could call him, but what would she say? Leah’s condition had remained the same during the twenty-five-minute ride. She expected Adam and Belinda would arrive any time. Perhaps it would be best to wait.
    The phone was for emergencies, and this wasn’t one—at least not at the moment.
    The clock on the wall mocked her, its hands moving so slowly she thought it might be broken. Another patient arrived—a man with his arm wrapped in an old shirt, blood soaking through the cotton. Stanley walked back outside, back to his ambulance. Annie sat in the plastic chair and waited.
    During her time as a nurse, the one thing she hadn’t done was spend much time in the visitor’s room. If she had her—
    “Oh my goodness!” Jumping up, she hurried toward the emergency room doors that led back into the parking area. The first set of doors swished open and the cold air did more than any mug of coffee to waken her. She never made it outside though, as Stanley was returning once again through the second set of doors. Older, medium height, with skin as dark as the night, his smile immediately put her worries to rest—the smile and the quilting bag he held up in his right hand.
    “Did you forget something, Nurse Annie?”
    “ Danki , Stanley. I may need that since it looks as if I’ve been banished to the waiting room.”
    Stanley actually laughed. “No worries. You know the drill. Once they have Leah transferred to a bed and confirm she’s stable, they’ll allow family members back.”
    Annie pulled in a deep breath as she accepted the bag filled with her quilting supplies. “ Ya , you’re right. I do know that. It was the same where I worked in Philadelphia, but rules are easy to forget when it’s your loved one behind the emergency room doors.”
    “Don’t I know it. My wife was back there a year ago. I was none too happy about waiting on this side.”
    Studying him, Annie realized how drama worked on your emotions. Normally she was sensitive to other people, but when she was in the middle of her own emergency, she’d immediately forgotten that other people weren’t there only to serve her. It was easy to overlook people she came in contact with—yet they had families, problems, and worries the same as she did. “How is your wife now?”
    “Good. She has to watch her cholesterol, but the docs gave her a stent and fixed her right up.”
    “ Wunderbaar. ”
    Stanley’s radio squawked and he reached to turn it down. “Best get out there or my partner is going to come looking for me. I’ll be praying for your sister.”
    “ Danki. ”
    Annie carried her quilt bag over to the waiting area. There wasn’t much she could do with it yet. She had managed to finish her sample square. She pulled it out and stared at it—Overall Sam. She’d chosen dark blue fabric for his pants, green for his shirt, and the traditional black for his hat. In a word, he was adorable.
    Was one of the babes Leah carried a boy?
    Would he one day work beside her brother Adam, tilling the land, even learning to take apart small mechanical engines?
    Annie ran her fingers over the stitching, closed her eyes, and began to pray. She prayed for the doctors who were looking over Leah’s charts, for the nurses who were checking her IV, running her vitals, and making her comfortable. She prayed for the babies within her womb—for the two of them though she didn’t know if they were boys or girls. She prayed for Leah, that she could remain at peace. She prayed for Adam as well, and was in the midst of asking God to give her wisdom and strength when she heard voices.
    “I believe she’s asleep.”
    “ Nein. She’s prayed that