The Restoration (19 page)

“I don’t mind coming over, but I think it would be wrong to uproot the children. You are their father, and they need to be here in a familiar environment. They also need to spend as much time with you as possible.” Mom got up and stood beside him. “In a few hours, we’ll be starting a new year. Each new year brings something to look forward to. Rather than feeling sorry for yourself and underestimating your abilities, you ought to focus on your precious children and trying to be the best daed you can be.”

“I want to be, Mom. I’m just not sure I can.”

“If you put your faith and trust in God, you can look to the future with hope and purpose. Remember Philippians 4:13: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’” She placed her hand on his shoulder. “You can’t do it on your own strength, son, but you can do it with the Lord’s help. He has given you two precious children to raise. He will help you be the kind of father they need.”

“I’ll do my best to be there for my kinner, but I’m not sure I can trust God for anything. He’s let me down three times now. I can’t take any more.”

Mom gave Jonah’s arm a tender squeeze. “God did not let you down, son. He is always with you. Just reach your hand out to Him, and He will see you through any troubles you may have to face. It’s not been that long since Sara’s passing. You need to give yourself time to grieve.”

“I know.” Jonah could barely get the words out.

“Cherish your memories of Sara and keep her alive in your heart. She wouldn’t want you to give up on life now that she’s gone.”

Jonah’s throat burned as he struggled to hold back tears. In the last month and a half since Sara’s death, he’d done enough crying and complaining. Regardless of whether he could trust God again, he would do his best to be strong for his children.

H
ow’d things go tonight?” Elam asked as he and Priscilla headed toward her home later that evening.

“Quite well. They were a group of farmers’ wives, and everyone seemed to have a good time. Elaine got many compliments on her cooking, too,” Priscilla responded. “We only had one person who seemed to have started New Year’s a little early. She was a real character.”

“Did something happen?” Elam questioned.

“Nothing big, just funny.” Priscilla chuckled. “She was a cute little lady, maybe in her eighties, named Agnes.”

“Sounds pretty normal so far.”

“Not really. Her hair was dyed red on one side and green on the other. Plus, she wore a purple headband around her forehead with blinking lights, spelling out, ‘Happy New Year.’ Kind of unusual, wouldn’t you say?”

Elam snickered. “Different, anyway.”

“I’ll say. Each time she heard someone in the group say the word
celebrate
, Agnes stood up and yelled, ‘Happy New Year!’ One of the other ladies whispered to me that Agnes liked to keep things lively.” Priscilla smiled. “I could tell the other women were fond of Agnes, and they all went along with her antics. I think some of them said
celebrate
just so Agnes would respond.”

“She sounds like a character, all right.”

While Priscilla enjoyed talking about her evening, she wished Elam would reveal his surprise. If he didn’t tell her soon, she would ask.

A few snowflakes began to fall. “I hope the snow doesn’t amount to much,” Priscilla commented.

He glanced over at her. “You don’t like the snow?”

“It’s beautiful, especially around Christmas, but it can also be dangerous when the roads get nasty.”

“Good point.”

They rode in silence awhile. Then Elam reached across the seat and took Priscilla’s hand. “Would you like to hear my surprise now?”

“Jah.” Priscilla’s heart pounded, and she held her breath. If Elam asked her to marry him, she was prepared to say yes. Unlike Elaine, who wasn’t sure whether she loved Ben enough to become his wife, Priscilla had been sure for some time she and Elam were meant to be together. Priscilla knew she shouldn’t be thinking this way, but Christmas had come and gone without a proposal from Elam. Now it was New Year’s Eve. What better time for new beginnings?

“I found another part-time job today,” he said.

“What was that?” Elam’s comment had barely registered because she was so caught up in her thoughts.

“I found a second job. Whenever I’m not at my folks’ bulk food store, I’ll be working for the English cabinetmaker on the other side of town. He said he’d have some evening work for me, and some Saturdays, too.”

“That was your surprise?” Priscilla couldn’t hide her disappointment.

“Jah. I’ll be making more money now.”

Money for what?
Priscilla wondered, but she didn’t voice the question. She felt like crying. She’d gotten her hopes up, expecting a marriage proposal, and all Elam was thinking about was making more money.

“If having a second job is what you want, then I guess we won’t be seeing each other much anymore.” Priscilla looked straight ahead so Elam wouldn’t see her displeasure. Her dreams felt like snowflakes falling, melting away, disappearing. With him about to become busier, they may as well not be courting at all.

“I won’t be working every evening, and of course, not on Sundays.” Elam squeezed Priscilla’s fingers, as if to reassure her. But she felt no reassurance. The only thing she felt was frustration. It seemed that David was more eager to spend time with her than Elam was these days.

“Say, I have an idea. Why don’t we stop by the Morgans’ and see David?” she suggested.

“Now?”

“Jah. David’s grandparents have most likely gone to bed by now, and David might be sitting by himself with no one to ring in the new year.”

“Or maybe he’s in bed, too. Even if he’s not, this is supposed to be our night, Priscilla. We can see David some other time.”

“I realize it’s our night, but if David’s by himself, he’d probably appreciate some company.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want, but let’s not stay too long.”

At least Priscilla isn’t going by herself to see David
, Elam thought.
David’s my friend, too, but he’s been seeing too much of Priscilla. I wish he’d go back to Chicago.

When they arrived at the Morgans’ house, Elam saw light in a few of the downstairs windows. Someone must be up. He stepped down from the buggy and secured his horse to a fence post. By the time he went around to help Priscilla down, she was already out of the buggy and walking toward the house.

Elam was surprised when they knocked on the door and David’s grandma answered. Smiling, she invited them in. “Walt and I are about ready to head for bed, but Davey’s awake. I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.” Letty yawned, before gesturing to the living room. “Please, go on in and stay for as long as you like. I’m pleased Davey won’t have to ring in the new year by himself.”

When Priscilla and Elam entered the living room, David, who’d been reclining on the couch, grabbed the remote and turned off the television. Elam was tempted to tell him if he wanted to become Amish he should start by giving up TV.

“Thanks for stopping by.” Smiling, David sat up. “Gram and Gramps were trying to stay awake so I wouldn’t be alone at the stroke of midnight, but I insisted they go to bed. Now that you two are here, I’ll have someone to greet the new year with.”

“We weren’t planning to—”

“We’d be happy to stay until midnight.” Priscilla cut Elam off before he could finish his sentence.

Elam groaned inwardly. It wasn’t that he disliked David. He simply wanted to be alone with Priscilla. After he and Priscilla removed their jackets and took seats, David asked if Elam would like to sign his cast.

Elam shrugged. “Sure, why not?”

David pointed to the marking pen lying on the coffee table, and stretched out his leg. “Priscilla already signed it.”

“Oh? When was that?”

“One day when she took me for a ride in her buggy.”

Elam clenched his teeth.
I wonder why Priscilla didn’t mention that to me.

“By the way, Priscilla, I have a late Christmas gift for you.” David grinned at her. “Gramps drove me into town yesterday so I could pick something out. I hope you like what I got.”

Priscilla shook her head. “You didn’t have to get me anything, David.”

“Hey, I wanted to.” David motioned to a box on the coffee table, wrapped in tissue paper. “Go ahead and open it.”

Elam watched with irritation as she opened the box and removed a cut-glass dish full of candy.

Priscilla smiled. “Thanks, David. How thoughtful of you.”

David grinned. “Those chocolates have maple centers. They’re really good. I sampled a few at the store.”

“Those are my favorite kind.”

“That’s what I thought. I remembered you mentioning it once.”

Elam thought about the gift he’d given Priscilla for Christmas. Compared to David’s present, the hankies seemed cheap and impersonal.
Someday after I save up more money
, he thought,
I’ll be able to give Priscilla everything she wants.

“I had a feeling they wouldn’t be able to stay awake until midnight,” Leah said when she and Adam returned to the living room after tucking the girls in bed.

Adam chuckled. “Carrie was the first to conk out, but Linda and Amy weren’t far behind.” He took Leah’s hand and led her to the couch. “Guess it’s just the two of us to see the new year in. Unless you’re too tired and want to go to bed now.”

“No, I’m fine.” Leah scooched in beside him, enjoying the quiet and a chance to be alone with the man she loved. She looked forward to the new year and seeing what the future held for her, Adam, and their ready-made family. Sadly, one thing was missing in their life right now—a resolution to the situation between Adam and his mother.

“I hope you won’t get upset by what I have to say,” Leah said, “but I’ve been wondering when you plan to tell the girls about Cora.”

Adam jerked his head. “I don’t see why they’d need to be told.”

Leah paused, trying to collect her thoughts. “They’re being cheated out of knowing their grandmother, Adam.”

“Humph! If she’d wanted to know her grandchildren, she shouldn’t have abandoned me and Mary when we needed her.”

Leah turned to face him. “Won’t you ever let it go? What are you accomplishing by rehashing the past?”

“Nothing, I guess, but I won’t allow Cora to mess up Carrie, Linda, and Amy’s lives the way she did mine and Mary’s.”

“From what I can tell, Cora’s not the same person she was back then. I doubt she’d do anything to mess up their lives. If anything, she could give them something they’re lacking: having a grandmother living close by.”

Adam slowly shook his head. “I don’t know, Leah. I’m not comfortable with Cora coming in contact with the girls. And how would I explain to them who she is?”

Leah reached for his hand. “Pray about it, Adam. I’ll be praying, too. And don’t forget, you have a younger brother who needs you, especially since his dad doesn’t live close by.”

“I will pray about it, Leah.” He gestured to the crackling logs in the fireplace. “Right now, let’s just sit together quietly and enjoy the warmth of the fire.”

Leah leaned her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes. When they woke up tomorrow morning, they would start a brand-new year. Perhaps, Lord willing, things would be different for all of them soon.

When the clock struck midnight, Leah bowed her head in silent prayer. She decided to make Matthew 6:33–34 her verses for the new year: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.”