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said, taking the dish. She paused. “Have you heard from Anna Mae lately?”
    Vera stopped and her eyes widened with surprise. “No, I haven’t heard from her since last Christmas. She always sends me a card. Have you?”
    Kathryn nodded. “I have.”
    “You have?” Vera asked. She turned to her sisters. “Fannie! Barbie! Kathryn’s heard from Anna Mae.”
    The three sisters surrounded Kathryn.
    Vera asked, “How is Anna Mae?”
    “When did you hear from her?” Fannie demanded.
    “Is she happy with that English man?” Barbie chimed in.
    “She’s doing well,” Kathryn said, gripping the plate. “She and Kellan are very happy and are expecting their first baby.”
    The three sisters gasped and then fired off more questions about Anna Mae’s life. Kathryn held up her hand, and they stopped speaking.
    “The baby is due in January,” Kathryn said. “Anna Mae and Kellan are both doing well. She said she misses the family and would like to reconnect with everyone for the sake of the baby.” Kathryn bit her bottom lip, debating how much to share. “She wants to come visit.”
    “Oh.” Barbie frowned. “I don’t know how Daed would react to that.”
    Fannie nodded. “Probably not a good idea.”
    “I think it would be wunderbaar gut,” Vera said. “When does she want to come?”
    “She’s still working out the details,” Kathryn said.
    “She should wait until after the baby is born,” Fannie said while Barbie nodded in agreement. “That would help smooth things over with Daed.”
    “Ya,” Barbie added.
    “I disagree,” Vera said, touching Kathryn’s arm. “Any time would be gut. Her visit might be awkward, but it would start to mend some fences.”
    Kathryn glanced down at the cookies. “I better get these out to the men before they start complaining.” She stepped out into the family room with Vera in tow.
    “Does Anna Mae want to come soon?” Vera whispered.
    Kathryn nodded. “Ya. Very soon.”
    Vera raised her eyebrows in question. “How soon?”
    “For Christmas,” Kathryn said.
    Vera patted her arm. “Tell her to come. Daed and my siblings may be against her visit, but it would heal my mamm’s broken heart.”
    Kathryn smiled. “I’ll do that.”
    Later that evening, Kathryn waited until David was snoring before she padded downstairs to the kitchen and found her stationery in the drawer. In the light of the gas lantern, she wrote a letter to Anna Mae, outlining the plans for her trip. After signing it, she sealed it in the envelope and addressed it. She then placed it in the pocket of her apron hanging on the peg in the kitchen and tiptoed up to bed.
    As she snuggled down under the covers next to David, Kathryn whispered a prayer to God, telling Him that she hoped she was honoring His wishes and asking Him to use her as He saw fit to bring the Beiler family back together for Christmas.

CHAPTER 5
    A nna Mae clutched the letter and sank into the kitchen chair. Tears filled her eyes as she studied the words written in Kathryn’s beautiful cursive writing.
     
Dear Anna Mae,
    I hope this letter finds you and Kellan well. Please know you’re in my daily prayers.
    As I’m writing to you, my heart is filled with excitement. After we talked last week I prayed and asked God to show me a sign that I was doing His will by helping you plan a trip here for Christmas. The next day I received the message from God that I’d been hoping for when your mamm came to visit me at the bakery.
    Anna Mae, your mamm shared with me that you’ve been on her mind and in her heart for some time now. She said she thinks of you constantly, wondering if you’re gut and froh with your life in Baltimore. She shared with me that she would love to see you, and I know that’s what God would want.
    Today I attended church at your sister Vera’s home, and I spoke to her about your possible visit. Vera wasexcited and told me that having you visit would be a wunderbaar way to help bring the family back