The Amish Christmas Kitchen by Kelly Long

shut and tried doing multiplication tables backward in his head. “Are you all right, Daniel?” Sarah’s clear voice broke through the haze in his brain. “I’ve finished. Five neat stitches, if I do say so myself.”
    He almost cried out when Clara got up from his knee; he was utterly bereft and had forgotten completely about the pain of having his skin stitched.
    â€œYeah.” He swallowed, drinking in Clara’s every movement with his eyes. “Uh, danki, Sarah. What do I owe you?”
    â€œA sled ride with my baby sister,” Sarah said brightly.
    Daniel smiled slowly, ignoring Clara’s mingled expression of both surprise and ready denial. “You know,” he said casually. “A gut sled ride might help me forget the pain of my arm.”
    Blinks bleated loudly, adding to the tumult of the room, and Daniel watched in fascination as Clara hesitated, then nodded her kapped head. “If it’ll help your arm,” she had to half yell. “I guess one ride wouldn’t hurt.”
    * * *
    Before they could bundle up and go outside, little Elijah insisted on being able to break the Shatter Candy with his sister, Anne.
    â€œVery well,” Clara agreed, smiling down at her niece and nephew. They really are dears, she thought as she placed the cookie sheet on the cleaned kitchen table. “Use the bottom of the wooden spoons,” she instructed as the kinner scrambled close. “All right . . . Geh! ”
    The pounding of the spoons quickly shattered the candy into a myriad of shapes and sizes. Clara redusted the lot with powdered sugar and then allowed everyone to select a piece. She watched Daniel take a large sliver, his white bandage readily apparent on his tanned skin.
    â€œMmmm—mmm,” he approved and she had to look away from watching his throat work as he sucked at the sweet.
    She took her own small piece, then let Sarah put the candy up for later.
    â€œNow”—Sarah clapped her hands—“we need to bundle up for sled-riding. And, Daniel, you’ve got to be careful of that arm.”
    â€œ Jah, ” he agreed.
    â€œ Ach, and Clara, I’ve got a surprise for you!”
    Oh boy . . . Clara thought, not liking the secretive smile playing about her sister’s pretty lips.
    â€œEdward’s frozen over the back field, and we’re going to have a bonfire and ice-skating tonight!”
    â€œBut—I’ve got to get home,” Clara cried in dismay, not liking the feeling of being cornered.
    â€œI’ll take you home—if you really want to geh .” Daniel spoke softly, but something in his face, perhaps a lingering trace of pain, made her slowly shake her head.
    â€œ Nee, danki, Daniel. I—if Sarah’s planned such a treat, I wouldn’t want to disappoint everyone. I’ll stay over nacht here.”
    She couldn’t miss the look of pure pleasure on his face and was glad when Sarah grabbed her hands in excitement.
    â€œ Ach, Clara, Edward can sleep in front of the fireplace and we’ll share the bed and talk like auld times. And perhaps you’ll geh to church with us in the morning?”
    â€œUh . . .” Clara paused, then looked around at the happy, expectant faces surrounding her. Gott has blessed me with family who loves me, and Daniel lo—likes me as well, I suppose. Just as a friend. Surely it wouldn’t dishonor Seth’s memory to spend some time in his best friend’s company . . . . “ Jah, I’ll go to church.”
    Everyone cheered boisterously, and Clara felt her cheeks redden, but she met Daniel’s approving gaze and knew peace inside for the moment.
    * * *
    Daniel loved the feel of her as she sat between his legs, her skirts tucked protectively around her, her spine straight. They were on the large runner sled at the top of the snowy pasture hill behind Sarah and Edward’s haus .
    â€œRelax,” he chided cheerfully,