Plain and Fancy (19 page)

Wesley sat on the couch, staring at the Christmas tree. The little white lights blinked off and on, and the red bows hung from the evergreen branches in perfect order—but this Christmas would be anything but perfect.

He glanced at the unlit fireplace. A garland of fake holly had been strung across the mantel, but there was no Foosie lying on the rug by the hearth.

The Christmas cards they had received were stacked neatly in a red basket on the coffee table, but the only card that mattered to him was the one they’d gotten from Laura and Eli. It had included an invitation to come there for Christmas, and Laura had even suggested they stay there with them. Wesley had wanted to go, and he’d even been willing to adjust his work schedule so they could, but Irene wouldn’t hear of it. She had insisted that she couldn’t leave town during the holidays because she had too many commitments.

“Yeah, right,” he mumbled. “She just doesn’t want to give up all the modern conveniences she’s convinced she can’t do without.”

“Who are you talking to, Wesley?”

He glanced at the doorway and was surprised to see Irene standing there holding a large poinsettia plant in her hands.

“I didn’t hear you come in. Did you just get home?”

She nodded and placed the plant on the end table near the couch. “I’ve been out shopping.”

“That figures.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Irene slipped off her coat and laid it neatly on one end of the couch. Then she took a seat in her recliner and picked up the remote. “How come you’re not watching television? Isn’t it about time for your favorite show?”

“I get tired of watching TV.”

“Since when?”

“Since I came to the conclusion that there are better things I can do with my time.”

“You mean like sitting here staring at the tree?”

“Christmas is just a few days away. It seemed like the thing to do.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Are you being sarcastic?”

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“Wesley, are you still pouting because we can’t go to Pennsylvania for Christmas?”

“What do you mean, ‘We can’t go to Pennsylvania’?” He stood and began to pace. “We could have gone if you weren’t so busy with
things.
”

“Those
things
are important, and I—”

He stopped pacing and whirled around to face her. “Don’t you miss our daughter? Wouldn’t you rather spend Christmas with her than go to some silly ball?”

“Of course I’d like to be with Laura, but I’ve been planning this gala affair for several months.” She released a sigh.

“How would it look if the person in charge of the Christmas ball wasn’t there to see that everything went according to plan?”

He grunted and started across the room.

“Where are you going?”

“Upstairs to bed. I’ll need to get my beauty rest if I’m going to escort Princess Irene to the ball on Christmas Eve.”

Laura stood in front of the living-room window, staring out at the blanket of pristine snow covering the ground and every tree in the Yoders’ yard. It looked like a picture postcard, and despite the fact that Laura missed her parents, she felt happier today than she had in weeks.

She moved away from the window and took a seat in the wooden rocker by the fireplace. Even though there was no Christmas tree inside the house or colored lights decorating the outside of the house, a few candles were spaced around the room, along with several Christmas cards from family and friends.
Guess I did end up with an Early-American look after all. It’s just a little plainer than I had expected it to be.

Laura spotted the Christmas card they had received from her parents, along with a substantial check, and her heart clenched.
I do miss Mom and Dad, and I wish Eli and I could have gone there for Christmas or that they would have come here. But Mom was involved with a Christmas ball she’d planned at the country club, and even though Dad sounded like he wanted to come, he never seems to get his way where Mom’s concerned. Maybe he should take lessons from Eli and his father. They don’t have much trouble making a decision, even if it goes against what their wives might want.

Eli had been looking forward to Christmas. He’d made Laura a special gift, and this afternoon, his sister and her family would be joining them for Mom’s traditional holiday feast.

“Life couldn’t be any better,” he said to the horse he was grooming. “Maybe later we’ll hitch you up to the sleigh, and I’ll take my beautiful wife for a ride.”

The horse whinnied as if in response, and Eli chuckled. “You kind of like that idea, don’t you, old boy?”

Eli entered the house a short time later, holding Laura’s gift under his jacket. “Where’s my fraa?” he asked Mom, who was scurrying around the kitchen.

She nodded toward the living room. “Your wife’s in there. I guess she thinks I don’t need any help getting dinner on.”

Eli merely shrugged and left the kitchen. No point getting Mom more riled than she already seemed to be. He found Laura sitting in the rocking chair, gazing at the fireplace.
“En hallicher Grischtdaag!”

She looked up and smiled. “A merry Christmas to you, too.”

Eli bent down and kissed the top of her head. “I have something for you.”

“You do? What is it?”

Eli held his jacket shut. “Guess.”

She wrinkled her nose. “I have no idea. Tell me ... please.”

He chuckled and withdrew an ornate birdhouse, painted blue with white trim.

“Oh, Eli, it’s just like the one you showed me at the farmers’ market the day we first met.”

He smiled. “And now you will have a place for it, come spring.”

She accepted the gift, and tears welled in her eyes. “Thank you so much. It’s beautiful.”

“Does my pretty fraa have anything for her hardworking husband?” Eli asked in a teasing tone.

“I do, but I’m afraid it’s not finished.”

“You made me something?”

She nodded. “I’ve been sewing you a new shirt, but your mom’s kept me so busy, I haven’t had time to get it hemmed and wrapped.”

Eli took the birdhouse from Laura and placed it on the small table by her chair. He pulled her toward him in a tender embrace. “It’s okay. You’ll get the shirt finished soon, and I’ll appreciate it every bit as much then as I would if you’d given it to me now.”

Laura rested her head against his shoulder. “I love you, Eli. Thanks for being so understanding.”

Silent prayer had been said, and everyone sat around the table with expectant, hungry looks on their faces. Mary Ellen had outdone herself. Huge platters were laden with succulent roast beef and mouthwatering ham. Bowls were filled with buttery mashed potatoes, candied yams, canned green beans, and coleslaw. Sweet cucumber pickles, black olives, dilled green beans, and red-beet eggs were also included in the feast, as well as buttermilk biscuits and cornmeal muffins.

Everyone ate heartily. Everyone except for Laura and little Ben. Their plates were still half full when Mary Ellen brought out three pies—two pumpkin and one mincemeat—along with a tray of chocolate doughnuts.

Ben squealed with delight.
“Fettkuche!”

“No doughnuts until you eat everything on your plate,” Martha Rose scolded.

Ben’s lower lip began to quiver, and his eyes filled with tears.

“Being a crybaby won’t help you get your way,” Amon admonished.

“He’s only a child.” Laura pulled one of the pumpkin pies close and helped herself to a piece. “Surely he can have one little doughnut.”

All eyes seemed to be focused on Laura, and Ben, who had moments ago been fighting tears, let loose with a howl that sent Laura’s cat flying into the air.

“Now look what you’ve done.” Amon shook his finger at Ben. “You’ve scared that poor bussli half to death.”

Foosie ran around the table, meowing and swishing her tail. Laura bent down and scooped her up, but the pinched expression on Mary Ellen’s face was enough to let her know that in this house, cats didn’t belong at the table. Laura mumbled an apology and deposited Foosie back on the floor.

“You’re not settin’ a very good example for the boy, Laura.” This reprimand came from Eli’s father. “If you’re not gonna eat all your food, then I don’t think you should take any pie.” Johnny looked pointedly at Eli. “What do you think, son? Should your fraa be allowed to pick like a bird, then eat pie in front of Ben, who’s just been told he can’t have any fettkuche ’til he cleans his plate?”

Laura squirmed uneasily as she waited to see how Eli would respond. She felt his hand under the table, and her fingers squeezed his in response.

“Don’t you think maybe you should eat everything else first, then have some pie?” Eli’s voice was tight, and the muscle in his jaw quivered. Was he upset with her or only trying to please his father?

“I’m watching my weight, and the only way I can keep within my calorie count is to leave some food on my plate.”

“You could pass up the pie,” Mary Ellen suggested.

Laura grimaced. Why was everything she did always under scrutiny? Why did she have to make excuses for her behavior all the time? She pushed away from the table. “I’m not really hungry enough for pie, anyway.” She gave Eli a quick glance, then rushed out of the room.

Spring came early, and the building of Eli and Laura’s home resumed as soon as the snow had melted. It couldn’t be finished soon enough as far as Mary Ellen was concerned. Ever since Eli had married Laura, she had tried to be a good mother-in-law, but it wasn’t easy when Laura seemed so distant and often touchy. Here of late, she’d been acting moodier than ever, and Mary Ellen wondered if
she
might be the cause of Laura’s discontent.

“Why don’t the two of us do some baking today?” she suggested to Laura one morning after breakfast. “We can make a couple of brown sugar sponge rolls. How’s that sound?”

Laura groaned. “Do we have to? I’m really tired this morning, and I thought it would be nice to sit out on the back porch and watch the men work on my house.”

Mary Ellen’s forehead wrinkled. “Are you feeling poorly?”

“I’m fine. Just tired.”

“Maybe a good spring tonic is what you need.” She opened the cupboard near Laura and plucked out a box of cream of tartar, some sulfur, and a container of Epsom salts. “All you have to do is mix a little of each of these in a jar of water. Then take two or three swallows each morning for a few days, and you’ll feel like your old self in no time at all.”

Laura’s face paled, and she coughed like she was about to gag. “I’m fine, really. Just didn’t sleep well last night. A few cups of coffee, and I’ll be good to go.”

Mary Ellen shrugged and stepped aside. “Suit yourself, but remember the spring tonic in case you’re still not up to par come morning.”

“Danki. I’ll keep it in mind.”

As they rode home from church one Sunday afternoon, Eli worried. Laura had seemed so pensive lately. Had someone said or done something to upset her? He offered her a smile. “Sure was a good day, wasn’t it?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Is there something troubling you? You seem kind of down in the dumps today.”

She shrugged. “I’m just getting tired of going to other people’s houses and seeing that they have indoor plumbing, while we still have none.”

“I said I’d build one in our new home, and I’m still planning to put one in Mom and Pop’s house as soon as I find the time.”

“You’ve been saying that for months, Eli, and it’s taking a lot longer than I thought it would.” She grunted. “I can’t stand that smelly outhouse!”

Eli glanced over at her and squinted. “I’m working every free moment I have, and so are Pop and my brothers. Can’t you learn to be patient?”

Laura sat staring straight ahead with her lips pursed and said nothing.

“The Bible says, ‘The trying of your faith worketh patience.’ It’s in the book of James.”

“My faith in things getting better has definitely been tried, and so has my patience,” she mumbled.

Eli blinked. Was there no pleasing this woman? He’d said he would install indoor plumbing in their new home. That ought to be good enough.

“Eli, could I ask you a question?”

He blew out his breath. “Not if it’s about indoor plumbing.”

“It’s not.”

“Okay, ask the question then.”

She reached across the seat and touched his arm. “Do you think Pauline Hostetler would have made you a better wife?”

Eli lifted one eyebrow and glanced over at Laura. “Pauline? What’s she got to do with anything?”

“I just want to know if you think—”

“I can’t believe you would bring that up again, Laura. You should know by now how much I love you.”

Her eyes filled with tears and she sniffed.

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

“Your mother and I were doing some baking the other day, and she brought up the subject of Pauline.”

“Oh? What’d she say?”

“Just that Pauline is a good cook and likes to bake.” Laura’s voice rose a notch. “I’m sure she thinks Pauline would have made you a better wife than me.”

Eli pulled sharply on the reins, steered the buggy to the side of the road, and gathered her into his arms. “I love you, Laura. Only you.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Laura snuggled against his jacket. “But that doesn’t take care of things with your mother. Do you have any idea what I can say or do to make her realize that I’m a better wife for you than Pauline could ever have been?”

Eli touched her chin lightly with his thumb. “You’d best leave that up to me.”

When Eli and Laura entered the house a short time later, Laura went up to their room, saying she was tired and needed a nap.

Eli found his mother sitting in the living room on the sofa, reading a book. Apparently his folks had gotten home from church quite a bit ahead of them. He decided this might be a good time to speak with her about the conversation she’d had with Laura the other day. “Mom, can I talk to you for a minute?”

She looked up and smiled. “Jah, sure. What’s on your mind?”

He took a seat in the rocking chair across from her. “It’s about Laura.”

“Is she feeling all right? The other day she mentioned that she was really tired, and I suggested she take a spring tonic.”

Eli winced at the remembrance of drinking his mother’s sour-tasting tonics when he was a boy. “I don’t think a spring tonic will take care of what ails my fraa.”

“Is she still fretting over your house not being done? She’s mentioned several times that she can’t wait until it’s finished.” Mom’s forehead wrinkled. “I think she’s anxious to have her own place to run, and to tell you the truth, I’m looking forward to having my space, too.”

“Jah, it will be good for both of you when the house is done.” Eli sat there a few minutes, trying to formulate the right words to say what was on his mind.

“You’re looking kind of pensive, son. Is there something more you wanted to say?”

He nodded. “Laura thinks you would have been happier if I’d married Pauline instead of her. When you mentioned how well Pauline can cook the other day, it really hurt Laura’s feelings.”

“I think Laura’s too sensitive for her own good.” Mom clicked her tongue. “I meant nothing by what I said.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Mom stared at the book she held in her hands. “I—I suppose I was kind of hoping you would choose Pauline, but once your decision was made, I accepted it.”

“Then why did you bring Pauline up to Laura, and why does Laura feel as if you don’t approve of her?”

“As I said before ... she tends to be rather sensitive.”

Eli nodded. Laura was touchy about some of the things he said, too—especially in recent weeks.

“I’ll apologize to her and try to be more careful with what I say,” Mom promised.

“Danki. I appreciate that.”

“I’m not feeling well. I think I’ll stay home from church today,” Laura mumbled when Eli tried to coax her out of bed two Sundays later.

“You were feeling all right last night.”

“That was then. This is now.”

“You should get up and help Mom with breakfast,” Eli murmured against her ear.

She groaned. “I don’t feel like helping today.”

Eli touched her forehead. “You’re not running a fever.” “I’m not sick ... just terribly tired.”

“Maybe you should consider taking Mom’s spring tonic. It does put a spring in your step; I promise.”

“I’m not taking any tonic. I would feel fine if I could get a little more rest.”

Eli pulled back the covers, hopped out of bed, and stepped into his trousers. He walked across the room to where the water pitcher and bowl sat on top of the dresser. After splashing a handful of water on his face and drying it with a towel, he grabbed his shirt off the wall peg and started for the door. “See you downstairs in five minutes.”

When the door clicked shut, Laura grabbed her pillow and threw it across the room. “Maybe I should go home to my parents for a while. I wonder how you’d like that, Eli Yoder!”

Laura was quiet on the buggy ride to preaching, and during the service she didn’t sing. Not only was she still tired, but she felt irritation with Eli for not having any understanding and insisting that she get up and help his mother with breakfast this morning. He should have had a little sympathy and agreed that she could stay home and rest.

Laura’s attention was drawn to the front of the room as Bishop Wagler began his sermon, using Mark 11:25 as his text. “In Jesus’ own words, we are told: ‘And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.’”

Laura frowned.
That verse doesn’t make any sense to me. How can I forgive Mary Ellen for her comments about Pauline the other day when she didn’t even say she was sorry? And Eli never said he was sorry for the way he talked to me this morning, either.

She glanced over at Martha Rose, who sat on the bench beside her. She wore a smile on her face and looked almost angelic. But then, Eli’s sister always seemed to be happy, even when she had a bout of morning sickness or things weren’t going so well.
Maybe it’s because she doesn’t have to share her home with her mother-in-law!

“I thought Bishop Wagler’s sermon was good, didn’t you?” Eli asked as he glanced over at Laura on their trip home from church later that day.

She merely shrugged in response.

“If we don’t forgive others, we can’t expect God to forgive us.”

Still no reply.

“I forgive you for throwing that pillow at me this morning.”

Her mouth dropped open. “You knew?”

He nodded. “Heard it hit the door.”

“I wasn’t really throwing it at you,” she said, as a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. “Just venting was all.”

“Because I asked you to get out of bed and help my mamm?”

“Jah.”

Holding the reins with one hand, he reached his free hand over and took hold of Laura’s hand. “Didn’t mean to sound so bossy. Will you forgive me?”

She nodded and slid closer to him. “Of course I forgive you.”

His eyebrows raised. “Is that all you’ve got to say?”

She sat silently for several seconds; then a light seemed to dawn. “I’m sorry, too.”

He grinned and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. “You’re forgiven.”

Laura leaned her head on his shoulder and sighed. “I’m glad we got that cleared up. Now if I could just get your mother to apologize for what she said to me about Pauline.”

Eli’s eyebrows raised. “She hasn’t apologized yet? She said she was going to.”

Laura shook her head.

“She probably got busy and forgot. Want me to have another talk with her?”

“No, just forget it. We’ll move into our house soon; then things should be better.”