A Simple Christmas Wish Read Online Free PDF Page B

full custody of her.”
    “Of course,” Rachel said quickly. “Why wouldn’t I?”
    He grimaced. “Because of Michael and Miriam’s will.”
    “What do you mean?”
    He pulled a folder to the center of his desk. “At my encouragement, Michael made a new will right after Holly was born.”
    “Certainly. That makes sense. I assume everything has been left to Holly. Probably to be held in trust until she’s of—”
    “Yes, yes, that’s true, but that’s not the problem.” He drummed his fingers on the top of the folder. “If there was any legal way to change this, I would do so, Rachel.”
    “Change what?”
    “The guardianship of Holly has been awarded to someone else.”
    Rachel felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach. “What?”
    “As I recall you were out of the picture when Holly was born.”
    Rachel took in a fast breath to remember that dark era of her life—the only time when she and Michael had been at odds, and all because of Curtis Garmin. “Well, yes . . . I suppose I was sort of out of the picture, in a way.”
    “I was honestly quite surprised that Michael hadn’t changed their will in the past several years,” Walt continued. “My assistant and I actually searched everywhere just in case there was a copy of a more recent will. These things do happen, however—especially to younger people. You never think you’re really going to die, and certainly not a couple dying together.”

    “I’m still confused.” Rachel could hear the tremor in her voice. “Who would they possibly give Holly to? To you?”
    Walt frowned. “I wish they had granted custody to me, Rachel. In that case, you and I could easily work this out.”
    “Who, then?”
    “To Miriam’s sister.”
    “Miri has a sister?” Rachel was shocked. “Are you certain?”
    He nodded grimly.
    “But she never spoke of her. Never spoke of any family.”
    “Because she was estranged.”
    “But if she was estranged from her family—why would she give her only child to one of them?”
    “Apparently Miriam trusted her sister to properly care for Holly.”
    “But Holly doesn’t even know this woman. Who is she? Where does she live?” Rachel stood now, pacing back and forth. “For all we know, Miri’s sister could be some sort of lowlife—a drug addict or a prostitute or a murderer. From what little I knew of Miri’s family, there was something really bad and wrong—something that Miri had run away from—something she never wanted to speak about. She buried it deep.” Rachel stopped pacing and looked helplessly at Walt. “We can’t just hand Holly over to criminals, can we?”
    He made an uneasy smile. “They’re not criminals.”
    “How do you know?”
    “Because I’ve been in contact with the sister. Her name is Lydia Miller. And she’s got several children already.”
    “If she has several children, why does she need Holly?” Rachel demanded.

    “I’m not sure she needs Holly, but according to the law, she will be awarded custody of Holly. The will is watertight.”
    “What if Holly doesn’t want to go? Where does this Lydia live anyway? Will Holly have to quit her school to move there?”
    “Lydia lives in Ohio. Holmes County.”
    “Ohio?”
    “In an Amish settlement.”
    “Amish?” Rachel suddenly imagined women in bonnets and horse-drawn carriages, but these images didn’t make sense. “Miri’s family is Amish?”
    “Miriam grew up Amish,” Walt explained. “To be honest, I was as surprised as you are. Miri always struck me as a very modern sort of girl. I never would’ve guessed she was Amish.”
    Now Rachel was remembering some things from when she’d first met Miri. Just little things, but they did seem to make sense. In a crazy, backward sort of way. She sat back down and let out a long sigh, peering hopelessly at Walt. “You’re really going to take her away from me?”
    “I don’t want to do this, Rachel—you know I don’t—and it’s hard not being angry at Michael