SECOND CHANCES FOR NATHAN, Chapter 4, Part 6, PAGE 20
Allie jumped out of the stagecoach and ran to hug her grandmother. "Oma, Oma, it's so good to be with you!" she exclaimed. Emily Grant was just as excited to have her precious angel and her son back home with her.
"My angel, how you have grown, you look so much like your mother, God rest her soul. Nathan, my boy, come here and give your mama a big bear hug." With no hesitation he did just what his mother ordered. Emily had tears running down her cheek and wiped them off with her lacy handkerchief. "It's so good the see you!"
Nathan knew his mother would be ecstatic to see them and he was beginning to feel that himself and he could tell Allie did too. Yes, this was a long overdue visit.
"Ma, I am sorry we didn't come earlier, but when we get home, I'll try to explain what took us so long," and with that grabbed his and Allie's bags. "How did you get here?" he asked Emily.
"Aww, the boy next door he enjoys my Sauerbraten I make with Knodels (dumplings) and red cabbage, so I feed him, and while he's eating, asked him for a favor. He drove me here and he's waiting to drive us back. While in town I bought some more food for the three of us. I hope you're hungry!" she smiled.
"Ma, do you have anyone helping you with the farm?" Nathan asked after he helped his mother in the neighbor boy, Jack's car.
Jack quickly spoke up, "I help your mother on a pretty regular basis."
"It's a good thing Jack is right there," Emily nodded. "He's a big help for sure. I had to sell the cattle when you left, but I still have a dairy cow and chickens. Jack plants now for me. You know, feed corn and hay, and I sell what I can. I make do."
"Oma, I want to milk the cow again, but I forgot her name." Allie admitted.
"How could you forget old Berta?" Oma laughed. "I bet Berta will be happy to see you too. It won't take long and you'll remember how to milk, so just in case your uncle will help you." Nathan looked surprised.
"Ma, I wanted to tell you some good news, but it's much better in person, I adopted Allie a little while ago!" he said as he wrapped his arm around Allie.
"Oh my, thank you sweet Jesus!" Emily exclaimed. "This is cause for some apple strudel!"
They all walked in the cozy cottage and smelled the aroma of something sweet. Nathan breathed it in and his stomach growled. Allie laughed and ran upstairs with her duffle bag to her bedroom she had slept in before. Oma had put fresh linens on and opened the window so the breeze cooled off the room. She stuck her head out and saw Berta, the chickens and a DOG!
"Dad, dad," she called to Nathan, "Oma has a dog!" as she ran down the stairs and out the door and right to the DOGS! "Oh boy, two dogs!" The female golden retriever was kissing and lapping her face. Allie giggled as the male German Shepherd, was barking and wagging his tail. Allie was on the ground rolling around with the two of them when Nathan and Emily came out.
"What have we here?" Nathan chuckled. "Ma, when did you get these two?" as he got Barrett to quiet down as he petted him.
"Oh, they were strays, actually they found me." Emily answered. "They were starving, so thin, and neglected. Both of them were joined at the hip, so I kept them both. They like German cooking" she winked at Allie. The Golden retriever is Ella and the German Shepherd is Barrett. Ella is a little pudgy right now."
"Pudgy? Or Pregnant?" Nathan inquired as he looked closer at Ella.
"Well, the vet is coming by sometime soon. He has to check out Berta and make sure she's not drying out. So, I'll bet he'll hear several heartbeats in Ella's tummy."
"How exciting!" Allie said. Off she went to the little barn. "Berta?" she called out.
Berta heard Allie and mooed. "Oh there you are Berta, it's me, Allie, remember me?" Berta looked at her and kept chewing her hay. "I've missed you." and gave her a hug. Off to the chicken coop she went. Emily and Nathan were there gathering eggs.
"My little dumpling" Emily said, "you will be busy collecting eggs and milking Berta in the morning. The chickens have been laying quite a few so I've been able to sell some in town. The more they lay, the more trips I make, but I'm not complaining, I thank God every day for those eggs" she chuckled.
"Let's get Oma back inside so we can rest with some cool lemonade." Nathan suggested.
Back into the house the three of them went. Allie couldn't sit still, she had to walk around and inspect her grandmother's home. Memories came flooding back to her as she smelled the sweet bread, looked out the window to the back yard where her swing was still hanging from the branch of the old oak tree, and the wooden hutch Nathan had built for her from mahogany that held all of her little glass knick-knacks that she had brought here from the old country.
One of the most beautiful things she had ever laid eyes on was the wind up ballerina, that moved to the music of Swan Lake. She was enchanted with the slow moving of the ballerina and the lovely music. Oma had warned her to be very careful of it because it could break, so if she dared to wind it up she always did it above a pillow. There were so many delicate and beautiful objects that caught her eye and she was never allowed to touch. Maybe now that she was older, Oma would let her.
Nathan was sitting at the table and Emily was serving him up some potato soup and hearth bread with thick slices of butter. Apple strudel was on the stove. Allie came as soon as she heard them call her. As they sat at the table and crossed themselves, Oma grabbed Allie's hand, Nathan bowed his head, and they asked God's blessing for their food. Oma added, and thank you Lord for my family coming home!