In the Father's Arms Read online

  © 2015 by Elizabeth Wiseman Mackey

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, scanning, or other—except for brief quotations in critical reviews or articles, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

  Published in Nashville, Tennessee, by Thomas Nelson. Thomas Nelson is a registered trademark of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc.

  Thomas Nelson titles may be purchased in bulk for educational, business, fund-raising, or sales promotional use. For information, please e-mail [email protected].

  HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

  Publisher’s note: This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. All characters are fictional, and any similarity to people, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  ISBN 978-0-7180-0187-2 (eBook)

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  An Amish cradle / Beth Wiseman, Amy Clipston, Kathleen Fuller, and Vannetta Chapman.

  pages cm

  ISBN 978-0-529-11867-7 (pbk.)

  1. Amish--Fiction. 2. Christian fiction, American I. Wiseman, Beth, 1962- II. Clipston, Amy. III. Fuller, Kathleen. IV. Chapman, Vannetta.

  PS648.A45A36 2015

  813’.01083823--dc23

  2014032853

  14 15 16 17 18 RRD 5 4 3 2 1

  CONTENTS

  Glossary

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Reading Group Guide

  Acknowledgments

  Recipes

  Other Books by Beth Wiseman

  Author Bio

  An excerpt from A Son for Always

  To Raelyn Cutbirth

  GLOSSARY

  ach—oh

  danki—thank you

  Englisch—non-Amish person

  gut—good

  kapp—prayer covering or cap

  kinner—children or grandchildren

  maedels—girls

  mamm—mom

  mammi—grandmother

  mei—my

  mudder—mother

  nee—no

  sohn—son

  ya—yes

  PROLOGUE

  Ruth Anne squeezed her eyes closed and held her breath as she sat beside her husband in the hospital waiting room. They left Bethany’s room because her best friend’s wailing was more than Ruth Anne could bear. Levi leaned closer to her, the roughness of his brown beard grazing her cheek as he whispered, “You know your delivery won’t be like this. Bethany has never had gut tolerance for pain.”

  She opened her eyes, glanced around the waiting room, then also spoke softly. “Having babies hurts. Even Mamm said that God makes sure we shed the memory. Otherwise, we’d all just have one child.” She squeezed her lips together and held her breath again, remembering Bethany’s cries.

  Ruth Anne looked around the room again. Both of Bethany’s parents were here, along with her in-laws and cousins. About twenty folks waiting for little Esther Rose to arrive.

  Levi leaned close to her again. “Ruthie, you’re gonna do real fine. Mary Elizabeth is going to see to that.” He gave a taut nod at the mention of the midwife who would be delivering their baby. Unlike her best friend, Ruth Anne had chosen not to deliver in a hospital, and she’d also opted not to have an ultrasound. Or pain medication. But as she listened to Bethany struggle, she was starting to second-guess her choices. But her husband was right. They’d all grown up together, and Bethany made a fuss over the smallest of ailments.

  Ruth Anne stood and walked down the hall to listen at her friend’s door. She strained to hear something since Bethany had grown quiet. She silently prayed that the worst of the pain was over and that little Esther Rose had made a safe and healthy arrival into the world.

  It was about twenty minutes later when John walked into the waiting area, a tiny bundle swaddled in his arms. His ear-to-ear smile was proof that all was well. Everyone rushed toward him, and Levi helped lift Ruth Anne from her chair. As scared of the delivery as she was, she had to admit she was ready to hold her own baby in her arms.

  She waited until the grandparents and other family members had a chance to see Esther Rose before she and Levi moved toward the proud father.

  “She’s beautiful,” Ruth Anne said as she eyed the tiny infant with a hint of Bethany’s red hair. “Welcome, Esther Rose.”

  Ruth Anne and Bethany had both found out they were pregnant the same week, and they’d spent the last nine months knitting baby clothes, setting up nurseries, and preparing for these blessed events. She thanked God for Esther’s safe arrival.

  “The doctor said she’s just perfect.” John beamed as he gazed down at his daughter. He didn’t lift his eyes when he added, “And Bethany did just great.”

  Ruth Anne swallowed hard. If that was great, she wondered what not-so-great would have sounded like. She put a hand across her tummy, wondering if God would bless her with a boy or a girl.

  Levi said it didn’t matter to him if they had a daughter or a son, but Ruth Anne knew he wanted a son. All three of his brothers had daughters. Five total. Levi was hoping to give his parents their first grandson.

  Ruth Anne smiled as John said he needed to get back to Bethany, and then he gave both sets of grandparents a final peek at Esther Rose before he left the waiting room. Ruth Anne and Levi said their good-byes and left through another door that led to the parking lot where a line of buggies were tethered. Levi reached for her hand and squeezed.

  “I can’t wait to see who shows up in our life—Joshua or Eva Mae.”

  Waddling alongside him as fast as she could, she said, “Me either.”

  And if truth be told—Ruth Anne was secretly hoping for a boy too. Somehow she sensed that Joshua would be making his entrance soon.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Ruth Anne held off pushing when Mary Elizabeth said to, even though she was sure the baby was going to come out anyway. Levi stood at the end of their bed, white as the sheet that covered Ruth Anne. He apparently had forgotten everything he was supposed to do during the birthing process. Ruth Anne had asked for her mother to come in four hours ago, and she’d only just arrived. And she’d asked for pain medication. Repeatedly. As she focused on a stuffed elephant on her bedroom dresser, she tried to recall the day she and Levi had gone to the fair, but the pain wouldn’t allow her to shift her thinking. She’d packed a small red suitcase, which now sat in the corner, in case of an emergency and they needed to rush to the hospital, but Mary Elizabeth had assured her that everything was going well.

  “Not quite yet,” Mary Elizabeth said as she positioned herself on the stool at the end of Ruth Anne’s bed. She pulled the sheets to the side and checked Ruth Anne again. “Levi, I see the head. Look.”

  Ruth Anne hadn’t cried out and wailed the way Bethany had, but this was indeed the worst pain she’d ever felt in her life. Even worse than when she broke her leg in three places when she was seven. But when she saw her husband move in closer and a smile light up his face, she knew that Joshua was almost here.

  “Wow,” her husband whispered before he looked up at Ruth Anne. “I can see the head. I can see the head.”

  “
Oh, blessed be the Lord,” Ruth Anne’s mother said as she reached for her daughter’s hand.

  “It’s time, Ruth Anne. You can push.” Mary Elizabeth edged Levi to the side as Ruth Anne held tightly to her mother’s hand.

  Ruth Anne pushed with all her might, knowing she sounded like Bethany and not caring. She followed Mary Elizabeth’s instructions and kept pushing and pushing and pushing—and crying. The pain, the anticipation, the miracle of birth . . . Her emotions were all over the place. But when she heard a tiny cry and felt the pressure ease from her body, she drew in a deep breath and wept. Her mother walked to the end of the bed, her eyes tearing up.

  “It’s a boy,” Mamm said as she brought both hands to her chest.

  Thank You, God. She closed her eyes and thanked Him again. After a couple more deep breaths, she looked up just in time to see her mother and Mary Elizabeth exchange looks, both leaning closer to the baby.

  “What? What’s wrong? What is it?” She tried to lift herself, but couldn’t. “Levi!” she screamed. “What’s wrong?”

  Levi was sure he’d never seen a more precious sight in his life. He quickly counted his son’s fingers and toes. Ten. And he was breathing. And beautiful. He looked at Mary Elizabeth, waiting for confirmation that everything was okay since his wife was acting concerned all of a sudden.

  “Ya, dear. Ya. Everything is fine.” Mary Elizabeth smiled as she and Ruth Anne’s mother cleaned the baby. Once they were done, both women touched Joshua’s feet, and as Levi leaned closer, he saw why they were studying his son in such a way.

  “His big toes are a long way from the other ones.” It was almost like an extra toe could fit there. “Will he be able to walk okay?”

  Mary Elizabeth nodded. “Everything is fine.” She swaddled Joshua and handed him to Levi. He couldn’t take his eyes off his son. He’d always heard that the love a person has for a child isn’t like any other kind of love, but experiencing the emotion had caught him off guard. He hated to cry, but a tear slipped down his cheek just the same.

  “Let me see. Let me see.” Ruth Anne had both arms stretched toward him.

  Levi didn’t want to turn his son loose, but Ruth Anne was anxious. He handed her their baby boy, then put a hand on his wife’s arm. He wished his mother were here. Levi’s parents and siblings lived in Hershey, too far to travel by buggy, so he didn’t get to see his family as often as he would like. Had it not been for a mutual friend’s wedding in Paradise, Levi might not have ever met Ruth Anne. His mother had planned to hire a driver so she could be here, but a feverish cold had kept her away today.

  “You did gut, Ruthie. You did so gut. Isn’t he the most beautiful person you’ve ever seen?”

  Ruth Anne met eyes with her son, each studying the other. There was no doubt that it was love at first sight for her too. “His eyes are so blue. Will they stay that color?” She glanced toward the end of the bed, but both the midwife and Ruth Anne’s mother were talking in low voices in the corner of the room. After a few seconds, Mary Elizabeth walked back to the bed.

  “He is a beautiful baby.” She shrugged, smiling. “And who knows if his eyes will stay so blue. Some do and some don’t.”

  Both Levi and Ruth Anne had brown eyes, so Levi figured the likelihood of Joshua’s eyes staying blue were slim. And that was fine by him. Joshua was perfect in every way. Except maybe his toes, but that was certainly something they could live with.

  “Mary Elizabeth said we need to cart little Joshua to the pediatrician. Maybe tomorrow if you feel up to it.” Carolyn smiled, but Ruth Anne’s mother had never been good at hiding her emotions, and Levi could tell the smile was forced.

  “What’s wrong?” Ruth Anne’s eyes grew round, and Levi could feel his pulse quickening.

  “Everything is fine,” Mary Elizabeth said again. “Remember, we talked about this, that the baby would need to be thoroughly checked out by a doctor.”

  “But you said we could wait a few days as long as everything looked okay.” Ruth Anne peeled back the swaddling and began inspecting their son, eventually latching onto one of his tiny feet. “Are you worried about his feet?” She glanced at Levi before she looked at Mary Elizabeth. “Because no one will see his little toes most of the time anyway.” She smiled.

  Levi helped her bundle Joshua back up. Their son had closed his eyes, but Levi could see him breathing.

  “So beautiful.” Levi’s mother-in-law folded her hands in front of her as she stared at Ruth Anne and Joshua. But Levi saw her blink back tears before she asked, “Shall I go get the others?”

  Mary Elizabeth finished cleaning up Ruth Anne and draped fresh covers on her. “Are you ready to show the world your precious son?”

  Ruth Anne and Levi both nodded. Levi was anxious for their family to see their boy. There were probably twenty people in the living room waiting to visit.

  Levi gazed upon his son with so much love in his heart that it almost hurt. When he finally pulled his eyes from the baby, he saw that Ruth Anne’s mother and Mary Elizabeth were back in the corner again. Despite the fact that everyone kept saying everything was fine, in the pit of his stomach, Levi knew it wasn’t.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Two days after Joshua’s birth, Ruth Anne was sore, tired, and disappointed that Joshua hadn’t latched onto her breast, so she’d been pumping her milk and feeding him with a bottle. Mary Elizabeth had set the appointment with the pediatrician in Lancaster for today. What made the niggling worry bearable was the love that was growing by the minute for little Joshua.

  Watching Levi interact with Joshua was deepening her love for her husband in a way she didn’t know was possible. And he wasn’t only attentive with Joshua, but also with her. She didn’t remember her father ever being so involved in their lives. Just five years ago they’d gotten a surprise when Katie came along. Ruth Anne tended to her mother while her father headed back to the fields within an hour of Katie’s delivery.

  “Do you think everything is okay?” Ruth Anne twirled the string on her kapp as Levi held their sleeping infant. “Dr. Prescott said they were doing some blood tests. Is that normal?”

  “I’m sure Bethany’s baby had all that stuff done too. It’s routine.” Levi continued to gently rock Joshua, not taking his eyes off of him, while they waited in Dr. Prescott’s office. Ruth Anne looked at the clock on the wall. They’d been waiting for almost thirty minutes. She jumped a little when the door opened.

  Dr. Prescott was young. The woman must have had to go through lots of schooling to be a doctor, but Ruth Anne didn’t think she looked old enough for that.

  “Hey, you guys,” she said as she walked around her desk and sat down. She even talks like a young person. Ruth Anne scanned the doctor’s desk. On the desk sat a wedding picture of Dr. Prescott and her husband, lots of file folders, and a stack of books on the doctor’s left. “Sorry it took so long.” She opened a folder. Smiling, she said, “What a beautiful boy Joshua is. Isn’t he just amazing?”

  “Ya. He is.” Ruth Anne glanced at her baby in his father’s arms, then back at the doctor. “Is he of gut health?” The doctor had examined Joshua earlier for what seemed like a long time. Then they’d been asked to wait in her office until she finished with another patient.

  Dr. Prescott opened her mouth to speak, but pressed her lips together when the door opened and an older man walked in. He was slightly hunched over, with gray hair and gold-rimmed glasses, and wearing a white coat.

  Dr. Prescott nodded toward the man. “Ruth Anne and Levi, this is Dr. Calhoun. I’ve invited him to join us.”

  When the doctor offered his hand, Ruth Anne shook it. The older man gave Levi time to shift Joshua into the nook of his left arm, and they shook hands as well.

  “Listen, guys.” Dr. Prescott sat taller and folded her hands on her desk. “I’ve brought Dr. Calhoun in so that he can talk to you about a condition we believe your son has.”

  Ruth Anne swallowed back a lump in her throat, but quickly thought about the power of pra
yer. She’d prayed away problems, ailments, worries, and the like her entire life. She held her breath. Please, God. Don’t let it be bad. Please, God. Please, God. Please. Don’t let anything be wrong with our baby. Ruth Anne looked at her husband, sure he wasn’t breathing either, but a glance at Joshua let her know that even if they weren’t, their son was breathing just fine.

  “Have either of you heard of Down’s syndrome?” Dr. Calhoun took a step farther into the room, but he remained standing despite the fact that there was another chair against the wall. Ruth Anne shook her head, then looked at Levi. Her husband blinked back tears.

  “Don’t tell me our Joshua has Down’s syndrome,” he said as he shook his head. “He doesn’t. I know he doesn’t. I’ve seen kinner with Down’s syndrome. Their faces look different. Our Joshua looks just fine.” He lifted the baby a little bit. “Look at him. He looks like a normal baby.”

  Ruth Anne felt light-headed. She’d never heard of this Down’s disease, but it was scaring her the way Joshua was reacting. “Can you tell us what this is? This disease?”

  “It’s not really a disease. It’s a syndrome, and I know this is a lot to handle for anyone, to get word of this about your child. Especially since you are both young and first-time parents.” Dr. Calhoun pulled the chair closer to Ruth Anne. Maybe he sensed that she might keel over. He sat down, put his hands on his knees, and focused on Ruth Anne since Levi was scowling and wouldn’t even look at him.

  “How sick is he?” Ruth Anne wished her mother were here holding her hand. Mamm had offered to come, but Ruth Anne was trying to be a grown-up, so she’d declined. She’d only been married to Levi for a year, and while he’d been very nurturing throughout her pregnancy, right now he was trembling and just staring at Joshua. But they were both nineteen. Mature adults.

  Levi glared at the doctor. “He doesn’t have it. My third cousin had Down’s syndrome and this isn’t it.” He looked at his son again.

  “Doesn’t have what? I don’t understand what this is. Will he be all right?” Ruth Anne’s voice was cracking, and the woozy feeling in her head was getting worse. “Is there medicine for it?”