Free A Widow's Hope by Mary Ellis Page A

bed she had read Galatians 5:26: “We must not be proud, or irritate one another, or be jealous of one another.”
    Seth might have thought her napping, but she was praying instead. She prayed to be delivered from her own pettiness and jealousy. God had shone His grace and mercy on her many times, and she should be grateful for all her blessings.
    But she couldn’t help but wonder…would a man ever love her again? Would she know the affection she’d shared with Adam, born of deep respect and common goals? Dare she hope to find the kind of love Seth had felt for Constance?
    The unpleasant cackle of a mockingbird offered her little assurance as Seth’s wagon turned into the Miller drive. “Wake up, Hannah. You’re home.”
    Home, indeed. If only she could feel that way.

T hree of the four Miller kinner ran toward them with bright, shining smiles as the wagon rumbled up the driveway. The boys aimed their enthusiasm at Seth, while Emma reserved hers for Hannah.
    “Good afternoon, Aunt Hannah. How did you like Mount Eaton?” Emma asked, her dark lashes framing her blue eyes. The young woman grew prettier with each passing day.
    “Very nice, danki. I found everything I needed.” Hannah stepped down and gave the girl a hug.
    Seth set the brake and jumped from the wagon, pulling several little bags from his coat pocket as he approached the group. “Fire-hot cinnamon,” he announced as he handed one bag to the boys. Henry grabbed the sack, and he and Matthew sprinted toward the barn. “Sweet lemon drops,” he said with a grin in Emma’s direction.
    She stepped forward and took the gift shyly. “ Danki, uncle.”
    Hannah watched with amazement. He must have bought the treats while she was having coffee, and apparently selected their favorites. She’d better try harder if she wished to become anybody’s favorite aunt, she thought, reaching for her purchases from the pharmacy.
    “Let me help you with those,” Emma said, popping a lemon drop into her mouth. She grabbed two plastic bags from behind the bench and headed for the house.
    If Emma had been pleased to see her aunt, it couldn’t compare with the unbridled joy on Phoebe’s face when she walked out the back door and saw her daed. The child jumped down the steps, flew across the yard with her pigtails flying, and hurtled herself into Seth’s arms.
    Seth responded with a hug usually bestowed on someone who’s been gone a very long time. “My Phoebe, my Phoebe. How goes your day with Aunt Julia? Have you helped her or merely tormented your cousins?” He swung the child in a wide arc before settling her on his hip.
    Hannah watched them as her eyes filled with tears and a lump the size of a duck egg rose in her throat. Phoebe’s little arms clung to her father’s neck as though her life depended on it, while Seth brushed a string of kisses across her head.
    Will I ever know the unconditional love of a child? Will I ever feel a small heart beating against my breast and know that, at least for a while, that child’s devotion belongs to me?
    She didn’t think so. If God hadn’t seen fit to make her a mother during her years with Adam, she must serve Him in a way that didn’t include motherhood. As many times as she had faced the harsh truth, it didn’t get any easier to swallow.
    “Hello, Phoebe,” Hannah croaked, once her voice returned. She stepped closer as Seth set the child down. “If you check your daed ’s pockets, I think you might find a surprise.”
    Seth grinned over Phoebe’s head. “I was holding off until I got a full report from Julia.”
    Phoebe, however, wasn’t waiting. Her tiny fingers found the bag of gummy worms in Seth’s coat. She tore it open in no time at all.
    “They’re her favorite,” Seth explained, reaching for the other shopping bags.
    “Should I help you unload the feed?” she asked.
    Seth looked startled by the question as he handed her the bags.
    She had often helped Adam because there were only two pairs of