Free Amish White Christmas Pie by Wanda E Brunstetter Page A

little girl into his arms. “Where’s your big sister?”
     
    “She’s in the kitchen settin’ the table.”
     
    Frank kissed the top of Kim’s curly head. “How come you’re not in there helping her?”
     
    “‘Cause I’m in here with you.”
     
    He smiled and set the child on the floor. “Where’s your mother? Is she in the kitchen, too?”
     
    Kim nodded. “Mommy made hot dogs for me and Carrie.” She crinkled her nose. “That’s ‘cause we don’t like green peppers.”
     
    Frank grimaced. Megan was always pacifying the kids. He thought they ought to learn to eat real people food, but he wouldn’t make an issue of it tonight. He was too tired to argue about anything. He just wanted to relax and enjoy his meal then spend the rest of the evening sprawled out on the couch watching his favorite game show on TV.
     
    Frank took Kim’s hand and headed for the kitchen, where he found Megan making a tossed green salad while Carrie filled the glasses on the table with water.
     
    “Be careful with that pitcher,” Frank admonished. “And don’t fill the glasses too full.”
     
    Megan whirled around, a frown marring her forehead. “Is that any way to greet your daughter?”
     
    “Sorry,” Frank mumbled. He waited until Carrie was finished with the water then bent down and kissed her cheek. “Did you have a good day at school?”
     
    She nodded. “We got to draw pictures of our favorite zoo animal. I drew a monkey, and Teacher said my picture was really good.”
     
    “That’s nice, honey.” Frank snatched a pickle from the jar on the counter and took a bite. “How soon until supper’s ready, Megan?”
     
    Her frowned deepened. “Is that all I get—‘How soon until supper’s ready’?”
     
    “Sorry. It’s been a long day, and I’m hungry enough to eat a horse.”
     
    Kim’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t really eat a horse, would ya, Daddy?”
     
    He ruffled her hair. “It’s just an expression, pumpkin.”
     
    She stared up at him and blinked a couple of times. “What’s a ’spression?”
     
    “It’s ‘expression,’ and it means a way of saying something.” Frank turned to give Megan a hug. “How was your day?”
     
    “It was fine. I—”
     
    “You’ll never guess what I saw on my way to East Earl this morning.”
     
    “What’d you see, Daddy?” The question came from Carrie.
     
    “I saw an Amish buggy turned on its side, and the horse pulling the buggy was on the ground.”
     
    Carrie gasped, and Kim’s mouth fell open. “Was it dead?” they asked in unison.
     
    “It seemed to be. I stopped to see if I could help, but the emergency vehicles were on the way, so I didn’t hang around long.”
     
    “Was anyone hurt, Daddy?” Carrie questioned.
     
    “From what I was told, the driver of the buggy was shaken up pretty good, but he wasn’t seriously hurt.” Frank slowly shook his head. “He sure could have been, though. I’ve heard of some buggy accidents that left—”
     
    Megan nudged Frank’s arm. “Could we please talk about something else? I don’t think this is a good topic of conversation for the girls.”
     
    He shrugged. “It’s a fact of life, and the girls shouldn’t be sheltered from the truth.”
     
    Megan shot Frank an icy stare as she handed him the bowl of salad. “Would you please put this on the table? It’s time to eat.”
     
    “Yeah, sure.” Frank placed the bowl on the table and went to the refrigerator to get the salad dressing. He’d just taken a seat when Megan placed the hot dogs and stuffed peppers on the table. He swallowed the temptation to talk to her about the unhealthy way she fed the girls.
     
    When Megan sat down, she looked over at Kim and said, “Would you like to ask the blessing tonight?”
     
    Kim nodded and bowed her head. “Dear God, thanks for the yummy hot dogs, and please keep all the horses in the world safe. Amen.”
     
    Frank bit the side of his cheek to keep from laughing.