Free Naomi’s Christmas by Marta Perry Page A

thought something needed done. She
     had more influence on Elijah than probably even he realized.
    Elijah sipped the coffee, his ruddy cheeks flushing a little. Maybe he sensed Naomi
     watching him.
    “Paula’s made a gut little business for herself here, ja?” He glanced around the room
     as if he hadn’t seen it dozens of times before.
    Did he know that Naomi could read the signs only too well? He was still her little
     brother, when all was said and done, and she knew when he was stalling.
    “Komm, Elijah.” She kept her voice gentle. “You did not stop in to talk about Paula’s
     bakery. Whatever it is, it’s best just to speak out.”
    “Ach, I was trying to lead up to it.” His face relaxed in the slightly shamefaced
     smile she remembered from his childhood. “The thing is, Lovina and I were talking.
     It seems like Daadi surprised us all so much with his news that we didn’t have time
     to think things through. Lovina thinks…well, weboth fear that it wasn’t handled very well. It’s up to Daad if he wants to remarry,
     for sure, but he might have given more thought to you.”
    Naomi was surprised and touched. “Denke, Elijah. Thank you for saying so.” And she’d
     have to thank Lovina, too. She’d clearly been using her influence on Elijah, who was
     too ready to go off half-cocked at every new idea.
    “Ja, well, Lovina and I want to be sure you know that we would be ser glad to have
     you live with us.” He looked as if he were trying to remember all the things Lovina
     had said to him, reminding Naomi of the brother she’d helped memorize his spelling
     words years ago. “There’s no denying it would be helpful to Lovina to have you there,
     and we wouldn’t think of asking you to give up your bees. In fact, I’ll be glad to
     pay the rent to Nathan.”
    Elijah sat back, looking like a man who’d done his duty and was relieved to have it
     over. With one hand he smoothed his beard—chestnut-colored, it persisted in curling
     no matter how he tried to stop it.
    “I’m glad you came tonight, Elijah. It grieved me to think you might be angry with
     me.”
    “Not angry, for sure. Just worried, that’s all.” He was on surer ground now, waiting
     for her to say yes.
    But she was going to disappoint him. “I thank you for your invitation, and my thanks
     go to Lovina, as well. But I am content with things the way they are.”
    It took Elijah a moment to realize what she was saying. His cheeks flushed. “You won’t
     move in with us?”
    “I think it’s best for me to stay here. I have my work in the bakery, and my work
     with Nathan’s kinder as well.”
    Elijah’s eyes narrowed, and he looked more like Daad. “You are taking care of Nathan’s
     kinder. How is that better than taking care of ours? How do you think it looks, that
     you would do that instead of coming to us?”
    She would reply softly, because it was important to preserve her relationship with
     her brother. “I’m not concerned with what other people think of our business, Elijah.
     You surely know I love your kinder, but right now Nathan’s little ones need me.” She
     remembered what Paula had said. “I am only there for a short time, until their grossmammi
     comes back. Ada was my dearest friend. It’s the least I can do for her kinder. That’s
     different from moving in with you.”
    “Ja, it’s different.” His voice was clipped. “You’re picking them over my young ones.”
    “Your kinder have two parents who are willing and able to take gut care of them, and
     you surely know I would drop everything to help you in time of trouble, don’t you?”
    Had he forgotten so easily all the years she’d devoted to him and the young ones?
     Maybe he really was just hurt that she seemed to have put someone else before him.
    Elijah shook his head, his face set in stubborn lines. “You are being headstrong,
     Naomi. I never thought to see that in you. Don’t you see that your behavior has folks