An Amish Country Christmas (21 page)

Vernon considered this as he covered the tray so the cookies wouldn’t dry out. “We
who live without a spouse must get by as best we can,” he said quietly. “Perhaps that’s
why God brought the four of us together at this particular time. He knew Tom would
need our support when he heard the news that lawyer’s letter contained . . . assistance
from friends who have dealt with rumors and other people’s criticism while we’ve sincerely
tried to follow God’s will for our singular lives.”

Jerusalem turned, her hands clasped before her as her expression waxed pensive. “I
like the way you think, Vernon,” she said. “While the
Ordnung
is a
gut
guide for livin’ our lives right, we each of us go through times when we answer to
God alone . . . and our behavior won’t always fit the rules. Or at least other folks
won’t believe it does.”

He held her gaze, his heart beating strongly, steadily, as Jerusalem’s words sank
in. Here was a woman of amazing faith and intelligence, whose insights went far deeper
than most men’s.
It is indeed providential that you’ve met her. Make the most of it.

Vernon blinked. While he often communicated with God, this particular thought had
come to him out of the blue, in a voice that was clearly not his own. It was a message
he knew better than to ignore—not that he wanted to.

“The plow blade is parked in the stable, you know, so what if I hitch Samson to it
and we three could start clearing the lane?” he suggested. He looked out the kitchen
window and smiled. “There! A couple of teams are already clearing the road. Probably
other folks as eager to get out in the snow as we are.”

He glanced out the back window then, but saw no sign of Tom coming from the dairy
barn. “My Percheron loves nothing better than to be pulling a load, and he’s young
enough to need that sort of exercise every day.”

“We’re ready whenever you are,” Nazareth replied. “Dinner can cook itself now, while
we go out and play!”

What a joy it was to step outside into the bright sunshine, where a smooth, flawless
blanket of diamonds covered the earth for as far as he could see. Cardinals called
to each other from evergreens draped in frills of white. All the world seemed steeped
in the season’s peace, and Vernon stood still for a moment, taking it all in.

“Doesn’t get any pertier than this,” Jerusalem remarked as she stopped beside him.
Her cheeks glowed with health, rosy from the cold weather, as she raised her face
to the sunshine.

Vernon fought the urge to kiss her, startled at this flare of desire. He reminded
himself that there was a time and a place for such things . . . and silently rejoiced
that he wanted them again. “Are we still taking that sleigh ride later today?” he
asked when Nazareth went ahead to the barn.

“Wouldn’t miss it.” Jerusalem met his eyes with an unwavering gaze.

“Too bad there’s only one seat. No room for Tom and Nazareth to join us.”

“
Jah
, I’m feelin’ real bad about that. We’ll just have to make do without them, ain’t
so?” she teased softly.

Vernon’s laughter bounced back from the side of the barn as he hugged her sturdy shoulders.
“You’re a peach, Jerusalem.”

“Would that be a pie, a cobbler, or a crisp?”

He paused to gaze into her deep brown eyes . . . eyes that missed nothing. “Just a
peach, sweet and perfect and ripe, the way God alone can create them. And I can’t
wait for a taste.”

She looked ready to cry, but then blinked away the mist. “Oh, Vernon . . . that’s
the nicest thing any fella’s ever said to me.”

“High time, too.” He let out a long sigh and then cleared his throat purposefully.
“Shall we get Samson hooked to that plow? If we loiter out here much longer, your
sister will be doing all the work.”

Jerusalem chuckled. “No, when she sees we’re not comin’ right in, she’ll either fetch
us—or she’ll slip out the other door toward the dairy barn where Tom is. Nazareth’s
not one to go hitchin’ up horses she’s not familiar with, especially when they’re
the size of your Samson.”

“He’s a big boy,” Vernon agreed as he slid the barn door on its track. “Spirited,
but smart about when to run and when not to.”

Jerusalem chuckled. “And wouldn’t most of us be better off if we used the same kind
of smarts?”

They walked through the dim, musky barn past Tom’s horses. Then Vernon chatted with
Samson, stroking his muscled neck as the tall black Percheron acclimated himself to
the two women. The sisters took turns saying admiring things to him, reaching out
their palms so the gelding could nuzzle them.

“Ready to take on a big job, Samson?” Vernon asked as he slipped the harness tracings
over the horse’s head. “I’ve told these ladies what a fine, dependable fellow you
are, so I know you’ll rise to the challenge.”

Samson nickered, stomping eagerly. Nazareth opened the door so Vernon could let the
Percheron step outside into the area he and Tom had cleared earlier. The plow had
a platform with wheels, where the driver stood. Behind that, two wooden beams with
blades slanted in a vee would throw the snow to either side. When he had hitched the
plow to the horse, Vernon stepped up onto the platform and pulled out of the stable.
The ladies shut the door and then scrambled to sit sideways on each side of the plow,
putting their legs up on the wooden beams. There was barely enough room for their
backsides, but he knew better than to mention that.

“Something tells me this kind of ride was easier when you were kids,” he teased.

“You’re sayin’ we’re not kids now?” Jerusalem shot back.

“
Jah
, deep as this snow is,” Nazareth piped up, “you’ll be mighty glad for all our weight
back here.”

Vernon chuckled. “Let me know if you want to get off. I don’t want anybody getting
hurt,” he said. “Let’s
go
, Samson!”

The Percheron stepped proudly into the curve of the lane, where the snow was a foot
deep—even taller where the wind had whipped it into peaked drifts. With steady strength,
Samson slowly dragged the plow between the banks of higher snow that marked where
the lane had been cleared before. Vernon relaxed, letting his fine horse do its job.
He smiled at the chatter the sisters passed back and forth behind him. It felt good
to be working outdoors on this sparkling day, and he was happy to be moving this snow
so they could get out to the road—and so the tanker truck could come for Tom’s milk.

They were about two-thirds of the way down the lane when Tom hollered from behind
them. “Hey, wait for me! I’m supposed to be helpin’ with this job.”

“Whoa, Samson.” Vernon turned to see Tom jogging to catch up to them. The platform
wasn’t wide enough for two men to stand on, so he wondered if he should step aside.
Maybe Tom would feel better doing some physical work after making those difficult
phone calls . . .

“Tom, my backside’s tellin’ me I’ve done enough horsin’ around,” Jerusalem said as
she stood up in the cleared lane. “Probably room for you to stand here in the point
of this plow while we sisters go shovel out the doorways of the house.”

Tom frowned. “I never intended for you girls to be doin’ the heavy liftin’ while I
just ride around—”

“Preacher Tom!” a male voice called out.

“We’ve got our lane cleared, and this section of the blacktop, so we’ll help with
yours now,” another fellow added.

The four of them looked toward the road, where two plows similar to Tom’s were pulling
up at the end of the lane. Each vehicle was being driven by a dark-haired young man
in a stocking cap who was waving eagerly, standing closely behind a bonneted girl.

“Bram and Nate Kanagy!
Gut
mornin’ to ya,” Tom replied. “I see you’ve got your fiancées along to help.”

“
Jah
, can’t get them back to Cedar Creek yet, what with all this snow.”

Vernon studied their young faces more closely. Women all looked alike with their hair
and ears covered by close-fitting black bonnets. “Mary and Martha Coblentz! Happy
New Year, girls—and congratulations are in order, too?”

“Bishop?” one of the Coblentz twins exclaimed, while her sister leaned forward to
gawk at him. “What’re
you
doing in Willow Ridge, Vernon?”

Vernon laughed, as amazed by this coincidental meeting as they were. “Even bishops
must stay put when the snow closes the roads,” he replied cheerfully. “Awfully nice
of you to come over and help Tom with the plowing.”

“
Jah
, you kids might as well come on in and warm up with us,” Nazareth offered. “I was
just ready to make a batch of cocoa—”

“And we’ve got lots of cookies to share while we hear your
gut
news about gettin’ engaged,” Jerusalem went on.

One of the Kanagy boys gaped. “Oh, my! I thought you were two other fellas—”

“Jerusalem and Nazareth?” his brother exclaimed. “You got snowed in at Preacher Tom’s,
too?”

“We were helpin’ with a get-together for Tom and three bishops from hereabouts,” Nazareth
explained.

“And tendin’ our goats, because Tom’s been nice enough to keep them for us,” Jerusalem
went on without a moment’s pause. “The time and the snowstorm got away from us while
we were feedin’ everyone yesterday.”

Vernon watched the four young people’s expressions, almost laughing out loud: they
had their own ideas about four single—
old
—people being snowed in at Preacher Tom’s. And while the polite thing would be to
come inside for a visit, the two boys obviously had other ideas of how to spend this
time with Mary and Martha. When he was their age, he’d felt the same way.

“We told our folks we’d be getting on home today,” one of the girls began.

“On account of how we’ve been here since New Year’s Eve,” her sister finished. “Mamm
and Dat are mighty excited about the farm Nate and Bram just bought, between here
and Cedar Creek.”

“And Dat’s drawn up the plans for our house there, too!”

“
Jah
, you boys have been makin’ a lot of hay over the holidays,” Tom remarked.

“You’ve got that right,” the taller of the two boys replied. Then he looked around.
“Do you want us to come on down your lane with a plow? It would mean you’d have to
turn that big Percheron around—”

“Oh, Samson’s trained to back up with the best of them,” Vernon replied. “But he’d
rather use that same effort to go forward and finish his job. If you’d like to come
on in once we’ve plowed to the road, though, we’d love to visit. Won’t take us but
another ten minutes or so.”

“And if you’ve gotta get those girls home,” Tom said, “we understand that, too. We’ve
got no place to go, so we’re in no hurry to get there.”

The four young people laughed, looking politely relieved. “
Denki
for the invite,” the younger Kanagy boy said, “but maybe we’d best catch up with
you later. Mamm was figurin’ on us for dinner before we head out with the twins.”

“That’s the way it should be then,” Jerusalem replied. “Give your folks our best,
boys.”

“And girls, I look forward to hearing all about your plans when I’m back in Cedar
Creek,” Vernon added. “Drive safely on the snowy roads, now. I’d much rather preach
at your wedding than at your funeral.”

Chapter Six

As Tom sat at the table, he savored the succulent beef brisket and vegetables . .
. the way Nazareth looked especially pretty in a dress of peacock blue, while her
sister’s dress brought to mind a butterscotch drop. He thanked God for their laughter,
too, for it kept him from thinking too much about Lettie and the conversation he’d
had with his son Pete.

“I can just imagine what Leah and Daniel Kanagy must be thinking,” Jerusalem said
with a chortle. “Their boys were mostly in a hurry to get home so they could tell
about Nazareth and me bein’ snowed in with you two fellas.”

“And wearin’ men’s clothes, too,” Nazareth added. “We gave those kids and their parents
quite a lot to talk about!”

Vernon smashed another potato on his plate and then spooned gravy over it. “The romance
between my Coblentz girls and your Kanagy boys must’ve blown up in a hurry. Last I
knew, Mary and Martha weren’t the least bit inclined to settle down.”

“Ah, but then they met up with Bram and Nate.” Tom’s heart lightened. He took hope
from the story that was unfolding for the young people in their two districts. “They’re
doin’ well for themselves, too. Nate’s trainin’ horses, while Bram plans to start
his own auction barn on that spread they bought a few days ago.
Gut
boys, both of them,” he remarked. “Your Martha and Mary’ll be startin’ up a bed and
breakfast once their
dat
’s got the house built with a bunch of extra rooms for guests.”

Vernon’s eyes widened. “My word, I’ve fallen behind even though I’ve only been away
from home a day.”

“I heard all about this a couple days ago, when Nate and Bram said they were ready
to take their instruction for joinin’ the church,” Tom explained. “And comin’ on the
heels of Hiram gettin’ the boot, this was the best kind of news for all of us. It’s
too bad the kids won’t live in either of our districts, but they’re findin’ God’s
way for their lives. Keepin’ the Plain family order instead of jumpin’ the fence.”

“A blessing, for sure and for certain.” Jerusalem started the succotash around again.
“And it sounds like the Coblentz family’s bein’ just as supportive as Leah and Dan,
what with buildin’ the kids a house.”

“Amos Coblentz will construct a home—and barns for the boys, most likely—like no other
carpenter in these parts,” Vernon affirmed. “Sounds like those young couples are off
to a solid start. I look forward to helping with Mary and Martha’s church instruction.
They’re spirited little fillies . . . not unlike the ladies gracing this table.”

Tom had to smile at the way two dear faces took on some color. Nobody who’d ever met
the Hooley sisters doubted for a minute that
spirited
could be their middle name.

“Fillies kick up their heels a bit more when they’ve got playmates,” Jerusalem noted
with a sparkle in her eye.

Nazareth paused over buttering her bread. When she looked up at him, Tom wondered
how his heart could experience joy and sorrow, regret and hope, all in the same moment.
“We can all remember bein’ the same age as those kids,” she reflected. “Not knowin’,
at the time, what life might throw at us . . . or how our expectations might not turn
out the way we’d planned. I, for one, never figured on remainin’ a
maidel
. But it seems that’s what God had in mind for me while my friends were gettin’ married,
back in the day.”

Tom closed his eyes against a welling-up of emotion that was surely due to Lettie’s
passing. But hadn’t Nazareth said it just right? Hadn’t his marriage taken a turn
he’d not foreseen? She was offering a conversational door for him to open, if he cared
to. It wasn’t his way to carry on about the heartache he’d endured this past year,
now compounded by the information in that attorney’s letter. He’d been taught by generations
of Hostetler men that silent, unquestioning acceptance of God’s will was the way to
deal with his feelings when the going got rough.

But where had such stoic behavior gotten him?

“
Jah
, when I was courtin’ Lettie, she was the prettiest girl I’d ever met. Never had eyes
for another,” he admitted quietly. “I’ve tried to make sense of the way she deserted
me, but it was easier to just leave it be . . . to figure God had it in His plan all
along, and that I was supposed to have enough faith to muddle through it. I suppose
bein’ whittled down to size by my son’s sharp tongue this mornin’ fits in there somewhere,
too.”

Vernon’s bushy white eyebrows rose like question marks. “So you reached your kids
on the phone, and it didn’t go well?”

No way to wiggle out of it now . . . trust these friends to honor feelings you don’t
know how to handle
. Tom cleared his throat. “I called Pete first, and he was chorin’ so he answered
the phone in his barn. And
jah
, he’d received the lawyer’s letter and he was ready for me with quite an earful.”
He sighed wearily, pressing down the pain that rose with a big lump in his throat.
“Pete told me I should’ve kept better track of Lettie—should’ve kept her in line—when
she was spendin’ so many nights away from home.”

He paused, considering how to share these details with the trio watching him so closely
now. Their gentle but inquisitive expressions encouraged him to continue. “Lettie
did a lot of caretakin’ for folks who couldn’t get out, or who had terminal illnesses.
Over the years I suppose she helped more than twenty families,” he explained quietly.
“That meant she often stayed overnight with a patient so’s the spouse and the kids
could get their rest.”

“An honorable calling,” Vernon replied. “Not many of us have the courage to serve
those who are so gravely ill.”

“You said a mouthful there, Vernon,” Jerusalem remarked. “Myself, I wouldn’t have
the emotional strength for that sort of caretakin’.”

Heartened by their support, Tom set down his fork and continued. “Pete was quick to
point out that Lettie’s new married name, Redd, belonged to the family she was helpin’
when she took off. And he reminded me that his
mamm
had told everyone it was the husband who was dyin’, and not the wife.”

Nazareth’s brow furrowed as she thought about this. “So . . . are you sayin’ Lettie
was really takin’ care of Mr. Redd’s wife, and that’s when she was stayin’ over at
the house with Mr. Redd?”

Her question pierced him like an ice pick. But he had to answer it, to face the possibility
that it was true. “Pete was also quick to point out that if Lettie was lyin’ about
who the patient was, she might’ve been goin’ to Redd’s house when there was no patient
at all,” he murmured. “That’s where he blamed me for not makin’ her more accountable—until
I pointed out that she was bringin’ home pay right up to the day she left.”

“Which might point up a different situation altogether, if Mr. Redd was paying her
so she could hide their relationship from you.” Vernon closed his eyes for a moment,
pondering. “Speculating about what happened is a waste of our time and emotional energy,
however. We’ll never know what went on at the Redd house, so there’s no need to accuse
Lettie of things she might not have done. I believe your son is speaking out of bitterness
. . . the betrayal he still feels about his mother leaving the family.”

Tom nodded, clinging to Vernon’s quiet wisdom. “
Jah
, the two girls, Lavinia and Sarah, were embarrassed enough about their
mamm
’s sudden departure that they never talked much about it—at least not with me. Pete
and Rudy said plenty, though,” he added with a scowl. “While they insisted I should
be concerned about their mother’s soul, they were mostly insinuatin’ that I was weak
for not chasin’ Lettie down and bringin’ her back.”

“But ya had no idea who she was with until ya opened that letter, did ya?” Jerusalem
asked quietly. “Folks who leave that way have made their secret plans and covered
their tracks, so’s their families won’t suspect anything.”

“And what
gut
would I have done any of us, haulin’ Lettie back here? If she was that unhappy with
her Plain life . . . with me, why would she stay?” Tom let out a long sigh, glad to
release the details that had burned inside him like hot coals since opening that letter—and
since the gut-wrenching day last spring when his wife had abandoned him. “Thanks for
hearin’ me out, and for understandin’ my side of things,” he said as he gazed at each
of them. “I don’t know how I’d be endurin’ this situation if you
gut
friends weren’t here with me.”

When Nazareth grabbed his hand, Tom clasped it tightly. It was a balm to his soul
that she didn’t seem repelled by the dirty laundry he’d aired, just as it was a vote
of confidence when Vernon placed a warm hand on his shoulder.

“It’s yet another example of how God brought us all here for this moment, Tom,” the
bishop said. “And this snowstorm has given you the perfect opportunity for dealing
with a difficult truth. I suggest you focus on your own needs and feelings, rather
than allowing your son’s accusations to hurt you further. Pete hasn’t forgiven his
mother for leaving, and that’s a situation he must rectify if he’s to follow our faith.”

Tom listened closely, gratefully. “I’ll have to work at forgivin’ Pete for his attitude,
as well.”

“Everything to its own season,” Vernon replied. “You’ve got plenty on your plate,
dealing with Lettie’s death.”

As Tom released another long sigh, he felt some of his concerns leaving his heart
and soul. Though this situation with Lettie and the kids was by no means behind him,
he was gaining a valuable new perspective on it. “I appreciate your sayin’ that, Vernon.
Means a lot, comin’ from you,” he said with the best smile he could muster. “And now
I’d like us to get back to this wonderful-
gut
dinner before it’s cold.”

His friends were gracious enough, kind enough, to understand that he’d dished up all
the troubles he could handle at one sitting. After they had done the main meal justice
and devoured the last of Jerusalem’s apple crisp, he and Vernon retired to the front
room while the sisters cleaned up the dishes.

Over a game of Chinese checkers, Tom allowed his dinner and his whirling thoughts
to settle. Vernon focused on strategically moving his green marbles into the dimpled
triangle where Tom’s white marbles had been. It was another gift from God, the way
he and this longtime friend could enjoy each other’s company without having to fill
every moment with chitchat . . . and their sociable silence allowed him to follow
the cleanup noise coming from the kitchen.

“You and Jerusalem gonna take the sleigh out this afternoon?” he asked as he zigzagged
a marble over three of Vernon’s.

“That’s my plan, unless you’d prefer us to chaperone you and Nazareth.”

Tom let out a quick laugh. “Oh, we’ll behave ourselves. Of course, now that Lettie’s
gone, Naz and I can be more than just friends,” he mused aloud. “And while that’s
what both of us have been wishin’ for, it opens up the possibility of me jumpin’ in
feet-first before the time’s really right. Maybe that’s not so
gut
, what with my standin’ before the members this Sunday to become the new bishop. Word’s
gonna get around about her bein’ snowed in here—”

“Under perfectly acceptable circumstances, with two other nosy adults present.” With
quick efficiency, Vernon jumped one of his marbles halfway across the board to position
it at the very peak of his target triangle. Then he glanced up, his blue eyes sparkling.
“If you’d like me to stay through Sunday, I’ll have my preachers cover the Cedar Creek
service. Installing the new bishop for your district certainly warrants my presence,
after all.”

“Would ya do that? It would mean the world to me,” Tom replied earnestly. “It might
keep the gossips from makin’ Naz and me out to be . . . sinful, considerin’ how folks’ll
just be findin’ out that Lettie’s passed. She’s a
gut
woman and I don’t wanna do that to her reputation.”

“Consider it done, my friend.”

Tom felt another rush of relief. Then he chuckled. “For a minute there, I thought
you were doin’ me a favor, Vernon, but it’s really Jerusalem you’re stayin’ over for,
ain’t so?”

Vernon’s gaze toward the door signaled that the ladies were coming out of the kitchen.
“My aunts and my nephew will get along fine without me for another couple of days.
A little vacation now and again is good for the soul.” With that, he jumped his last
green marble over five white ones and into the remaining empty dimple on Tom’s side
of the board, winning the game.

“Ya didn’t answer my question,” Tom teased under his breath.

“We’ll both win if we play the game fair and square . . . and if we don’t lose our
marbles!” Vernon quipped. Then he stood up to flash his best blue-eyed smile at Jerusalem,
who stood beside her sister, looking at the game board. “Ready for that sleigh ride?
Whupping Tom at Chinese checkers has put me in the mood to
play
!”