Naomi’s Christmas (38 page)

“Sisters.” With five younger brothers, she’d always wished she had a sister. “What
were their names?”

Mamm moved around the table toward her, as cautious as if she were approaching a spooked
buggy horse. “Susanna. She was not quite three. And Chloe, the baby, just a year old.”

Lydia pressed her palm against her chest. Her heart seemed to be beating very normally,
in spite of the beating it had taken in the past few minutes. She had to hear the
rest of it. “They died in the accident, too?”

Silence. She saw in her mother’s face the longing to agree. Then Mamm shook her head.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, as if she couldn’t find any other words. “They were injured,
but they healed. Like you. They went with different families, and since you didn’t
remember, it seemed best not to tell you.”

“Best not to tell me?” Lydia’s voice rose as anger swept
away the pain. “How could it be best for me not to know that I had two little sisters?
Why were we split up? Why didn’t you take all of us? Why?”

“Lydia, hush.” Mamm touched her arm, but Lydia pulled away. “You have to understand
how difficult it was. There were your parents dying and the three of you in different
hospitals, and the rest of the family trying to manage—” Tears spilled over onto Mamm’s
cheeks. “Just sit down and calm yourself. Your daad will be home soon. He can explain.”

Mamm reached for her. Lydia wanted to step into her mamm’s loving arms, feel the comfort
that had always been there. She wanted to hear Daad’s deep, soothing voice chasing
her fears away.

Her breath seemed to catch in her throat. She had relied on them always, just as Daniel
and David relied on her and Adam. Now it seemed she couldn’t trust them at all.

“I can’t.” Tears threatened to clog her voice, but she wouldn’t let them flow. “The
boys will be home from school. I must be there for them. We’ll have to talk later.”

Tears nearly blinded her, but her feet knew the way to the back door without the need
to look. She was vaguely aware of Mamm’s voice, protesting, urging her to stay, but
she couldn’t. She had to think this through. She had to talk to someone she knew she
could trust.

She had to go home to Adam. Adam was her rock. He would know what to do.