Joseph shared a look with Rebekah, who nodded. He patted the bed beside them. “Come here, Thomas.”
Thomas dragged his feet and did as he was asked.
Rebekah took her little bruder’s hand and held it in hers. “Will you help us when bopplin comes?”
“I suppose.” Thomas gave her hand a squeeze and tried to smile. “‘Fraid you won’t have much need of me then, since you will have grown your own helper.”
“You will always be my best helper.” Joseph reached over and flicked the brim of his straw hat.
“Mine too,” Rebekah said. “This little bopplin will love you so much.”
He snapped his fingers. “Hey, I have an idea,” Joseph said. “Thomas, would you like to help us come up with a name?”
Rebekah smiled. Sometimes, Joseph’s actions threatened to crack her heart—like in the barn with Katie’s letter. However, the majority of the time, it was her mann’s selfless actions that made her heart swell and her fall in love with him all over again.
You have to remember that in those trying times, Rebekah. She cleared her throat. “Do you have any names that you like, Thomas?”
“Ja.”
Thomas was silent as he studied the quilt over Rebekah’s feet.
Joseph nudged him. “Well, what is your name?”
Thomas looked up at him. “Can Schwestie tell me hers first?”
Joseph shared a look with his fraa. “You heard your bruder’s request, Rebekah.” He offered a wink that made her flush. “Let’s hear your names.”
“There are so many.” Rebekah’s excitement threatened to bubble over within her breast. “I like Abraham. Josiah. Jedidiah. Zechariah.”
“I detect a trend.” Joseph laughed. “I also see that you seem to think we are having a sohn.”
Rebekah froze. “A sohn.” A slow smile spread across her face. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would become someone’s mater someday. Sure, she silently hoped she would, but she, herself, a mater? She had not thought that was a blessing Gotte had in store for her. To dare to dream that perhaps this was a blessing meant for her, too, was almost too much to comprehend.
“A sohn.” Rebekah’s heart beat faster. “Perhaps I do.”
Joseph’s hand found hers atop the blanket. She could feel his excitement mixing with hers.
“I would love that,” she said. She gave his fingers a squeeze. “What names do you like then, Mr. Graber?”
Joseph’s eyes widened. Their mysterious sparkle was even more so today. “I like Ruth, Rebekah, Jesse, and Judith.” He offered another wink to his fraa. “But my absolute favorite name of all is Thomas.”
He smiled down at his little bruder-in-law. “How would you like it if the bopplin were named after his Oncle Thomas?”
“I like that,” Samuel offered from the doorway. He had taken over Joseph’s chair and offered a wan smile as he mopped at his forehead with a hanky. Elnora stood beside him, a worried look on her face that would have been imperceptible to anyone but Rebekah.
She narrowed her eyes at her father. He did appear to be breathing heavier, as Thomas said earlier, and his skin had taken on a haggard, gray appearance. He had leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees.
“Danki, Joseph.” Thomas shrugged. “But I like Lil’ Bit.”
Rebekah tore her gaze away from her father and met Joseph’s grin. She was powerless not to return his bright smile.
“Lil’ Bit,” Rebekah repeated.
Joseph mouthed the name. The pair of them shared a look.
“Lil’ Bit,” Rebekah said again. “I like that, wonderful gute.”
Joseph nodded. “So do I.”
Encouraged by their reactions, Thomas continued. “And it goes for a boy or a girl, too,” he said wisely. “So, we all win, whether I’m an aendi or an oncle.”
Rebekah cocked her head. “An aendi or an oncle?”
“Well, doesn’t that depend if you have a boy or a girl? If I’m an aendi or an oncle?”
“You’ll be a fine oncle, no matter what.” Joseph chuckled and stood. “You, Oncle Thomas, will have a niece or a nephew.” He held out his hand to the youngster.
“Oh, that makes sense.” Thomas jumped up and linked his hand into Joseph’s. “Where are we going?”
“We have work to do. Your mamm said that your schwestie has to rest. That leaves the chorin’ to us.”
All hurt feelings forgotten, Joseph and Thomas strode out the door, hand in hand. Elnora waited for the front door to close whispering something to Samuel before stepping ever-so-quietly from the hallway into Rebekah’s room.
“You are going to be a grossmammi,” Rebekah whispered. She stretched her hand toward her mamm, who took it but did not sit. Something in her hesitation melted the newfound grin from Rebekah’s lips. “Mater?”
Elnora drew in a deep breath. Long fingers of wrinkles crept from the corners of her eyes when she smiled, however, today, they were deeply present with her frown. No smile was in sight. “I have things to tell you, Dochder.” Her slightly gnarled fingers tightened around Rebekah’s. “This bleeding. I have seen it before.”
Rebekah tried to still her beating heart and ignore the icy chill within her veins at the same time. “You have?”
