The Storekeeper's Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter

conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
    Of course, Jacob was talking about the need for Abraham to be content with his family and learn to enjoy them more. He said it was time for Abraham to quit grieving over Sarah’s death and realize God hadn’t left him and would never forsake him.
    Abraham closed his eyes, and a vision of his sweet wife burst into his mind. He blinked and tried to dispel the image, but it only became stronger.
    It was the day of their wedding, and he could hear Sarah’s voice and feel her soft touch. Sarah’s dark eyes revealed the depth of her love for him, and they had promised to cherish one another until death parted them.
    “Papa, are you sleepin’? The supper bell’s chimin’, and it’s time to eat.”
    Abraham forced his eyes open, reluctantly letting go of Sarah’s image. Little had he known on their wedding day that she would be the first to pass on.
    When he looked up at his oldest son, he noticed a worried frown on Matthew’s face.
    “You okay, Papa?”
    “Fine. Just restin’ my eyes.” He stood and arched his back.
    Matthew started for the barn door. “You comin’ then?”
    “Right behind you.” Abraham took one more look around the barn. He’d been grieving for Sarah long enough. It was time to move on. Jacob was right. He needed to be content with what he had. Maybe tomorrow, after he got home from the store, he’d set up the tent in their backyard, and they’d have themselves a little campout. He figured the younger ones would like it, and truth be told, he was looking forward to it, as well.

CHAPTER 9
    “Linda, are you awake? It’s time to get up. Our appointment is in three hours.”
    Linda’s only response was a deep moan.
    Jim touched his wife’s forehead. She wasn’t running a fever; that was good. “What’s wrong, honey? Are you still feeling sick this morning?”
    She nodded but kept her eyes closed.
    “Maybe you’ll feel better once you’ve had some breakfast.”
    Linda rolled onto her side. “My head is pounding, and my stomach’s so upset, I don’t think I could keep anything down.”
    Jim climbed out of bed. “I’ll go take my shower and check on you when I get out.”
    “Okay.”
    Ten minutes later, when Jim returned to the bedroom, he discovered that Linda was no better.
    “Honey, I think you’re gonna have to stay here while I go to Maryland to pick up the baby.”
    “I have to go with you.” She lifted her head but let it fall back on the pillow.
    “You don’t have to go, Linda. It will be better if you sleep off that migraine.”
    “What about the papers? Won’t I be expected to sign something?”
    “We both signed the necessary papers in Max’s office several weeks ago. He faxed them to the woman’s lawyer, remember?”
    “Oh, that’s right.” She opened her eyes, and when she looked up, Jim noticed there were tears ready to spill over.
    Linda’s face looked pale and drawn, and he knew she would never make the two-hour trip to Bel Air without throwing up. He bent over and kissed her forehead. “Close your eyes and get some sleep. By the time you wake up, you’ll be feeling better, and I’ll be here with our boy.”
    She nodded, and a tear trickled down her cheek. “Don’t stop anywhere on the way back. Bring him straight to the hotel, okay?”
    “I will, honey.”
    ***
    Before Papa and Samuel left for the store in the morning, he’d nailed a sign to the fence at the end of their driveway, and Naomi placed several jugs of root beer on the picnic table. By nine o’clock, they’d had a few English customers who said they’d driven by the farm and seen the sign. A couple of their Amish neighbors also dropped by. Naomi wondered how she would get any chores done when she had to race back and forth from the house to the yard to wait on customers. Nancy wasn’t good at making change, so Naomi put her and Mary Ann