Free A Baby for Hannah by Jerry S. Eicher

He could say what he wanted to, but that was what it was. If things went wrong this summer, and the worst happened with several or even a few of their members being lost to the Mennonite revival, Jake would take a lot of the blame. Word would leak out that Jake had been the one who stood in the way of dealing harshly with the ones who chose to attend the tent meetings.
    She rubbed her forehead again. Thankfully her threatening headache had subsided. It must have been the conversation with Jake. He could do that for her, and soon they would be able to comfort each other as a family. Wouldn’t that be wonderfully gut ? They could sit around the gas lantern at night, the baby playing in the crib, and be a happy and complete family regardless of what people thought of Jake.
    Hannah opened the cabin door, and walked in, hanging her shawl on the rocker before taking off her bonnet. She needed to start supper soon. At this hour it would need to be warmed-over casserole from last night and the blueberry pie she had made yesterday. That would still leave enough pie for Jake’s lunch tomorrow. She would do additional baking then.
    While starting the fire in the stove, the cabin door opened and she glanced into the living room. Jake tossed his hat on the floor and lowered himself on the couch, his face streaked with weariness.
    “I’ll have supper soon,” Hannah said. “It’s already quite late.”
    “That would be gut as I’m starving.”
    While the casserole warmed, she made a batch of popcorn and brought it to Jake. A smile spread over his face as he took the bowl Hannah gave him.
    “Don’t eat too much,” she said, “or you won’t have room for supper.”
    “I can always find room for your delicious food,” he said.
    “Thanks, and I’m glad you like my food. But you haven’t gotten fat yet.”
    “Am I supposed to get fat?” he asked, laughing.
    “Well, some men do once they get married. But I guess you work too hard. And then there’s the church work.”
    He smiled halfheartedly. “It would keep anyone thin.”
    “I don’t want you fat anyway,” Hannah said, nibbling from her own bowl of popcorn.
    Jake sat upright suddenly, listening. “There’s a buggy coming up the lane.”
    “Oh no,” Hannah gasped, standing up so fast her bowl tipped over, spilling the white kernels across the floor. “I hope it’s not trouble. We can’t stand any more of that tonight.”
    His face shadowed, Jake gave her a quick look. “I’m sorry this is so hard on you. But I don’t know what to do about it.”
    “You can’t do anything. It’s not your fault.”
    He ran his fingers gently down her cheek. He stood up, went to the cabin door, opened it, and stepped out onto the porch.
    Hannah quickly swept the spilled popcorn into a pile with her hands and deposited it into the wastebasket. She could at least present a clean house to whomever was coming.
    Voices reached her from the front porch—muffled sounds of laughter. Who would be laughing when the visit has to be a serious one? Hannah wondered.
    She watched as the door swung open and Jake held it while Betty and Steve walked inside.
    “Hannah!” Betty said, coming toward her with open arms. “We had to come over and comfort you poor people. I can’t imagine how hard this has been on both of you.”
    “You came to visit us?” Hannah asked, tears forming again.
    Betty wrapped her in a big hug.
    “You poor things,” Betty said. “And to think I gave you all that advice after church when I should have been comforting you. Thank Da Hah that Steve got me straightened out. He insisted we come over right away and spend the evening with both of you.”
    “You are such dears,” Hannah said, wiping her eyes. “But I don’t even have supper for all of us. I only have enough casserole for Jake and me.”
    “Don’t worry,” Betty said, a smile flooding her face. “I brought supper along. Well, meatballs and baked beans. No dessert though, but perhaps we can live