Anna's Gift

“What would be wrong?” Samuel asked. “It seems to me that waiting to see if the weather’s going to grow worse before starting such a long drive is good sense. You wouldn’t want them to go into a ditch somewhere between here and Ohio, would you?”

“Of course not,” Anna protested. “I was thinking of something else, nothing important. You come in and get warm.”

“We want to stay out and play in the snow,” Rudy said. “Dat said we could.”

“Just the boys,” Samuel said. “Girls inside.”

“But Dat,” Naomi protested. “I want to make a snowman.”

Samuel’s brow furrowed. “I need you to watch over your sisters. Anna has more to do than tend to mischievous children.”

“Ne, Samuel,” Anna put in gently. “Let her enjoy the snow. Lori Ann is a big girl. She can help me bake pies, and I have Susanna to tend to Mae. We see so little snow in Kent County. Let Naomi play in it.”

Naomi threw her a grateful look. “Please, Dat,” she begged.

Lori Ann was beaming.

“Well, if Anna doesn’t mind. But you’re getting past the age of playing with boys. Best you learn to keep to a woman’s work.”

Anna rolled her eyes, but when she spoke, she kept her voice gentle and soothing. “Soon enough she will take on those tasks, Samuel, and joyfully, from what I can see. She’s been a great help to you these past four years.”

“I can see I’m outnumbered,” he answered. “But I’ll not have you spoil them beyond bearing. And little Mae is a handful, as Naomi can vouch for.”

Mae giggled.

Anna bent and lifted the child from the sled. “Nothing to laugh at,” she admonished. “You must respect your father. You’re not a baby anymore. Watch Lori Ann and see how good and helpful she is.”

Lori Ann’s eyes widened and she nodded, pleased by the praise. “Ya,”