The Restoration (15 page)

“Is this about your friend?” Gram peered at David over the top of her glasses.

David jerked his head. “What friend?”

“Priscilla.” Gram’s eyes narrowed. “Are you hoping if you go Amish she’ll date you?”

David shifted in his seat. This conversation was not going well. He’d hoped his grandparents would support his decision. Now Gram was basically accusing him of trying to take Priscilla from Elam.
Is that what I’m hoping for?
David asked himself.
If I did become Amish, would Priscilla see me as more than a friend?

“I’m glad we waited till today to open our gifts.” Priscilla smiled as she and Elam took seats on the couch in his parents’ living room. Since Priscilla had spent Christmas Eve with her family, her folks said they didn’t mind if she went to Elam’s to be with his family today. “It’s more fun when we can do it together,” she added.

Elam glanced toward the kitchen, where his mother and sisters had gone to get things started in the kitchen. Priscilla had offered to help, of course, but they’d said she could join them after she and Elam had opened their gifts to each other. Priscilla figured they wanted to give her and Elam some time alone. And since the men and Elam’s younger brothers were in the barn, looking at the new horse his dad had recently acquired, Priscilla and Elam were truly alone.

“Do you want to go first, or should I?” Elam asked.

“It doesn’t matter to me.” Priscilla shrugged; although she was anxious to see what Elam thought of the new hat she’d bought him.

“Okay, I’ll go first.” Elam handed Priscilla a small box wrapped in tissue paper. Inside, she discovered six crisp white hankies, each with the letter
P
embroidered in the corner.

Priscilla forced a smile and said, “Danki.” After all the time she and Elam had been courting, she’d expected something a little more than this. She wished he had given her something to put in her hope chest. It would give an indication that he planned to marry her someday.

As though sensing her displeasure, Elam took Priscilla’s hand, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze. “I wanted to get you something more expensive, but I’m a little short on cash right now.”

Struggling to keep her composure, Priscilla managed a nod. She realized Elam’s only job during the winter months was working in his parents’ store. But couldn’t he have saved some money to buy her a nicer gift? Since the hankies held no promise of a marriage proposal, Priscilla wondered once again if Elam had any plans of marrying her.

Blinking back tears of frustration, Priscilla cleared her throat and handed Elam his Christmas present. “I hope you like what I got.” She held her breath, waiting for him to open it.

Elam’s cheeks colored when he removed the black hat from the box. “Wow, Priscilla, I really feel cheap. A
hut
like this is expensive.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ve earned some extra money helping Elaine host dinners. Besides, your old dress hat is showing some wear. I thought it was time you had a new one.”

“I sure appreciate it, but it really wasn’t necessary. My old one was gettin’ me by just fine.” He plunked the hat on his head. “How’s it look?”

She smiled. “Good. Real good, in fact.”

Elam leaned close and gave her a quick kiss. Priscilla was glad no one else was in the room. “Know what I might do?”

“What?”

“I’m gonna look for another part-time job. That way I’ll have more money comin’ in, which will mean I can buy you a better gift next year.”

Priscilla wondered how things would be between her and Elam by next Christmas. Was there a chance they could be married by then, or would things still be as they were now?

Feeling the need to be alone for a while, Jonah excused himself from the family gathering at his parents’ house and went for a walk. It was a crisp afternoon, with a clear blue sky, which meant no threat of more snow, at least not for today. Toward the east, the moon, although faint, could be seen in the cloudless sky.

Jonah had been doing his best to put on a happy face and engage in conversation all morning, but as the day wore on it became more difficult. Watching his twin sister and her husband with their children was the hardest part. They were a complete family; not one parent trying to raise two children on his own.

Of course, I’m not really raising them alone
, Jonah reasoned as he trudged through the snow along the edge of the road. Jonah’s mother had been a big help watching Mark and the baby while Jonah was at work. Most evenings, she stayed to fix supper and help put the children to bed. But that wasn’t the same as having a wife to come home to every night.

He paused and drew in a deep breath.
Oh, Sara, if only you hadn’t climbed up after that stupid
katz.

Jonah was glad he’d found a new home for the cat, but once again, bitterness welled in his soul as he thought about the injustice of it all. Things could be going along fine one minute, and the next minute a person’s world might be turned upside down.

He wished he’d spent more time with Sara and the children when she was alive. It wasn’t that he’d ignored them; he’d just worked too many hours in the buggy shop, when he should have been with his family.

Regrets. Regrets. So many regrets. But they wouldn’t change a thing.

Shivering from the cold seeping in around the neckline of his jacket, Jonah turned in the opposite direction.
I may as well quit feeling sorry for myself and head back to the house where it’s warm.

Heading down the road toward the Hershbergers’ house, where she’d been invited for Christmas dinner, Elaine spotted an Amish man walking along the shoulder of the road. When he slowed his steps and turned as her buggy approached, she realized it was Jonah.

Elaine guided her horse to the side of the road and opened her buggy door. “Are you all right?” She noticed Jonah’s slumped posture as he stared at her with a dazed expression. Poor Jonah had been through so much; she wished she could offer him comfort. The joy of becoming a father to a healthy baby girl had been overshadowed by the tragic loss of his wife just a month ago. How could a person cope with such unfairness?

Jonah blinked, as though seeing Elaine for the first time. “I–I’m fine. Just out for a walk. Now I’m heading back to my folks’ place.”

“You look cold. Would you like a ride?”

Jonah hesitated but finally nodded.

Elaine held the reins tightly until he got into the passenger’s side, then she directed her horse onto the road.

“Where are you headed?” Jonah asked, glancing quickly at Elaine before staring straight ahead with rigid posture.

“I’ve been invited to have Christmas dinner at the Hershbergers’.”

“I’m surprised you’re not spending the day with Ben. I assume you’re still seeing him?”

“Jah. I was at his folks’ house for Christmas Eve.”

Jonah made no comment.

“How are you doing, Jonah? You’ve been in my prayers.”

“I’m gettin’ by,” he muttered, “but you can save your prayers. If prayer changed anything, Sara would still be with me.” His mouth twisted at the corners. “I prayed for Sara’s safety every day of our marriage, and look where it got me—she’s dead.”

“It’s painful to lose someone you love. But God will give you the grace to get through it.”

“It’s gonna take more than grace to get me through the loss of my
fraa.
”

Elaine winced at Jonah’s bitter tone. He truly was hurting.
Please, Lord, give me the words to offer him comfort.

“Remember, Jonah, Psalm 147:3 says God ‘healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.’”

A muscle on the side of his neck quivered. “I doubt my wounds will ever heal.” He released a shuddering sigh. “One thing’s for sure: I will never get married again.”

M
onday morning, as Cora finished her breakfast before leaving for work, she thought about her decision to tell Adam about his half brother. Jared wouldn’t be working at the store anymore because the Christmas rush was over, so did she really need to tell Adam? But no matter when her sons learned that they were half brothers, it wouldn’t be easy. Still, wouldn’t it be better if she told them now, before they found out on their own? Although Leah had never met Jared, she knew about him and might end up telling Adam, even though Cora had asked her not to say anything.

Pulling in her bottom lip, Cora took a last sip of her coffee and thought things through.
Should I say anything or keep quiet awhile longer?

“Hey, Mom, what’s for breakfast?”

Cora’s head jerked at the sound of Jared’s voice. “I thought you’d sleep in, since you have no school this week.”

Jared stretched his arms over his head and yawned. “I was gonna go to Beachy’s Hardware Store and see if he could use my help this week, but then I remembered he said things usually slow down after Christmas. Besides, I wasn’t sure you’d want me workin’ there anymore.”

Cora’s spine stiffened. “You’re right, Jared. I don’t want you working there, or anywhere else without my permission.”

“No problem, Mom. Scott will be workin’ at the hardware store this week, though, so I may drop over there later and see how he’s doing.”

Cora shook her head. “I’d prefer you stay home today.”

“How come?”

“I’m expecting a package, and someone needs to be here to sign for it.” It wasn’t a lie exactly. Cora was expecting some vitamins she’d ordered online but wasn’t sure if it would be necessary to sign for the package. She couldn’t have Jared going into Adam’s store today, however—not before she’d talked to Adam. Once that was done, she would tell Jared about Adam.

Cora got up to start putting her lunch together.
What a mess I’ve created. It all started the day I walked away from my Amish husband and children. How did I ever think my selfishness would not come back to bite me?

Cora opened the refrigerator door and withdrew a container of leftover turkey. When she set it on the counter and opened the lid, she was surprised to discover only two pieces left.

She turned to face Jared. “What happened to all the turkey? There was more than this left after dinner last night.”

“Umm… well, I may have eaten it.”

Cora frowned. “What do you mean, ‘may have’? Either you did or you didn’t.”

Jared looked away. “Okay, I ate it.”

Normally, Cora was able to tell when her son was lying, but now she wasn’t so sure. If Jared hadn’t eaten the turkey, then who had? Unless Cora had begun to sleepwalk and gotten up in the middle of the night for a snack, she wasn’t responsible for the missing slices.

Cora shrugged. “That’s fine. I’ll use these last two pieces of turkey to make my sandwich.”

“You’re gonna make a sandwich?”

“That’s what I said.”

“That might be a little hard to do, ’cause there ain’t no bread.”

Cora clenched her teeth. “The word is
isn’t
, and why is there no bread? I saw some in the bread box yesterday.”

Jared moved toward the pantry and took out a box of cold cereal. “Guess I must have eaten all the bread, too.”

She put one hand on her hip. “So you ate most of the turkey and all of the bread?”

“Yeah.”

“When did you do this, Jared—at midnight? In case you’ve forgotten, yesterday was Sunday, and we were together all day.”