An Unexpected Christmas Gift

as Isaac let himself in. He entered the kitchen, carrying a brown paper bag full of greenery. “Sorry to stop by uninvited, but I cut these for you. I didn’t figure anyone in this house would wish to forage around outside.”
He scanned the counter. “Ach, looks like someone beat me to it.” He zeroed in on Troy, who seemed to be suppressing a satisfied smirk.
Nancy shot to her feet. “Thank you so much. We can decorate the whole house this afternoon.” She addressed her father. “Dat, could we have a decorating party, since we won’t be out caroling this year?”
“Yah, as long as you don’t go overboard.”
“Did you hear that, Anna?” Nancy clapped her hands. “We’ll decorate the house, bake cookies, make popcorn, and play board games. Since Troy and Isaac brought the decorations, they can help.”
“That okay with you, Mom?” Troy asked. “We open our presents tomorrow morning anyway.”
The corners of Charlene’s mouth tipped up. “Sure, although I thought you wanted to watch the game today.”
“I did, but this will be more fun.” He slipped on his jacket. “I will see you all later.”
As he and Charlene headed out the back door, I felt a sense of loss. What was happening to me?

CHAPTER SIX
This kitchen was beginning to seem familiar, as if I’d always lived here. Naomi had insisted Isaac stay for coffee and pumpkin muffins. Nancy’s voice tittered each time Isaac spoke, but she grew taciturn when he talked to me. I wanted to tell her there was no way I was interested in Isaac. It wasn’t like I was going to become Amish and join their church.
However, would that be so bad? Amish blood flowed in my veins and here was a ready-made community, even without my biological mother living in it. I needed to learn that never knowing her would have to be good enough.
“We’ll put Linda in one of the downstairs guest rooms.” Naomi’s statement harpooned me back to the present. She glanced at Bart. “Don’t worry, we won’t turn you out into the blizzard. This big old house has plenty of room.” She sighed. “Our sons and their families won’t be able to make it this year. There go all my plans for a big family Christmas celebration.”
“Mamm, what about Nancy and me?” Anna asked.
“Yah, don’t we count?” Nancy planted her hands on her hips. “And Aenti Linda and Maria and Bart.”
I was touched she’d included me, but Silas seemed ill at ease. “Bart should spend Christmas with his family.”
“Ach, I should have asked Charlene to leave a message on their phone shanty,” Naomi said. “Once Bart gives us the number.”
“They don’t want to hear from me.” Bart raked a hand through his mop of thick hair. “My Dat has a terrible temper, and I doubt it’s simmered down yet.”
“When the snow lets up, I’ll bring you home,” Silas said, frowning at the snow piling up on windowsills. “But you might be celebrating Christmas with us here.”
Bart shrank lower in his chair. “I wish I had presents to give you in return for your generosity.”
“No need.” Silas crossed his arms. “Christmas is about celebrating our Savior’s birth.”
I’d been so consumed by my personal agony and confusion, that I just then realized I had nothing to give them. I’d only bought my sister, Trish, a sweater online, which would be delivered to her by tomorrow. I didn’t have a clue what Nancy and Anna would want. I figured they couldn’t wear makeup or wear trendy fashion items. A gift card to Amazon would be out of the question without a computer.
I nudged Naomi under the table and spoke in her ear. “Later, could I beg you to open the shop so I can buy a few items for Nancy and Anna? Or is that just silly?”
“Not so silly.” She turned to her husband. “That okay with you, Silas?”
Silas tugged his beard. “I s’pose. Bart has done several hours’ work, but not Maria.”
“I have a credit card in my purse.”
“In the meantime, free room and board,” Silas muttered.
I held up my hands. “Hey, I offered to pay several times.”
Naomi sent him a weary look that told me they’d already had this discussion. “No room at the inn, Silas?”
He glowered. “Don’t use the story of the birth of Jesus to manipulate me. Where have you been picking all of this up?”
“From your sermon last Sunday.”
Nancy came to her mother’s rescue. “It was such a good one, Dat. Really, it was.”
The corners of his mouth curved up—what I could see of them under his shaggy beard. And his shaved upper lip revealed his appreciation. “Denki, Nancy. I’m glad to hear you were listening. And you, too, Naomi. I won’t allow Satan to bring strife into the family.” He looked my way as if I might be the bad influence.
“I’m sorry if I’m making things difficult.” I squirmed in my chair. “I made a terrible mistake by coming without an invitation. I should have contacted you first.”
Silas seemed to weigh the sincerity of my statement. “Never mind,” he said. “There may be no room at the inn, but there’s always room around the manger.”
For the first time in a very long time, I felt the Lord’s love descend upon me. Linda wasn’t my mother, but I was where I was supposed to be.
Several hours later, Naomi brought out a bubbling cheese casserole from the crammed oven while Nancy sliced bread and Anna brought out condiments for dinner. We all sat, Silas initiated a silent prayer, then we devoured our meal without much chitchat. I figured each of us was deep in thought pondering his or her own burden. We all had them.
After we polished off our coffee, Naomi elbowed me. “Bundle up and let’s take a look in the shop.”
“Sorry to make you go out in the snow.”
“It seems to have stopped for the moment. I need to check the building anyway to make sure no pipes have frozen.”
Minutes later, the two of us slogged through the