Amish White Christmas Pie Read Online Free PDF Page A

have of him right out of your mind.”
     
    The back door opened, and their mother stepped into the kitchen. “Sorry I’m late.” Mom patted her flushed cheeks. “Your grossmudder was especially chatty today, and it was hard to get away.”
     
    “It’s not a problem,” Karen was quick to say. “I got my wedding dress cut out, and then Cindy helped me get lunch going.”
     
    “Has your daed come in from the store yet?” Mom asked as she hung her heavy shawl and dark outer bonnet on a wall peg.
     
    “Not yet. Should I run out and get him?” Cindy asked.
     
    “Jah, please do.” Mom flicked at the wisps of grayish blond hair on her forehead as she moved toward the bathroom door. “I’ll be back as soon as I wash up and fix my hair.”
     
    “No problem. Take your time,” Karen called after her.
     
    Cindy grabbed her shawl and scurried out the door. A few seconds later, Karen heard another buggy rumble into the yard. She figured it might be a store customer. As she lifted the lid on the kettle of soup, a curl of steam wafted toward the ceiling. The delicious aroma made her stomach rumble in anticipation.
     
    The
clump, clump, clump
of boots on the back porch, followed by a
rap-rap
on the door, let Karen know that whoever had driven the buggy in wasn’t a customer. She replaced the lid on the kettle and hurried across the room. When she opened the door, Will stood on the porch.
     
    “This is a surprise! I thought you had gone home.”
     
    “I was halfway there when I decided to come back.” The warmth of his dimpled smile helped calm her anxieties. Maybe he wasn’t mad at her after all.
     
    “I’m glad you did.” Karen opened the door wider. “Come on into the kitchen. I’m just about ready to serve up some soup.”
     
    “That soup does smell good. Is it too late to change my mind and stay for lunch?”
     
    “Of course not. We’d be glad to have you join us.”
     
    Will glanced around the kitchen. “Where is everyone?”
     
    “Cindy went to get Dad, and Mom’s down the hall washing up.” Karen motioned to the table. “If you’d like to have a seat, I’m sure everyone will be here soon.”
     
    Will turned to face her. “I…uh…wanted to say I’m sorry for acting so moody when I was here earlier. I had a lot on my mind, and—”
     
    Karen held up her hand. “It’s all right. There’s no need to explain.”
     
    “But I want to explain.” He grimaced. “This morning’s newspaper carried an article about a little girl who was abandoned—left on a park bench with no identification or clue as to who her parents might be.”
     
    “Oh, how terrible. I wonder what will become of the little girl if her folks don’t come back.”
     
    “She’ll probably be put in a foster home.” Will leaned on the back of the nearest chair. “The article got me to thinking about how I was abandoned, and I guess it put me in a sour mood.”
     
    “At least your daed didn’t drop you off in some park. He had the decency to find you a good home with Mark and Regina.”
     
    “I realize that, and I appreciate them taking me in, but that doesn’t excuse my daed for leaving without telling me…or for not coming back.”
     
    Karen touched Will’s arm. “I feel sad that I never got to meet your real daed. It would be nice if he could be here to see us get married.”
     
    Will shrugged. “Mama Regina and Papa Mark are my parents. They’ll be at the wedding, so that’s all that counts.”
     
    “I know they’ve been like parents to you, but it might be nice if—”
     
    “Can we please change the subject? There’s something I’d like to ask you.”
     
    “What is it?”
     
    “I was wondering if you’d go out with me for supper next week.”
     
    “What night next week?”
     
    “Tuesday evening—on my birthday. I thought maybe the two of us could go to Das Dutchman in Middlebury for supper, and then afterwards we can go over to my place and have cake and ice cream with my