A Season of Love (23 page)
“Elmer tells me you’ve been working at the bakery,” Malinda began. “Tell me about your project.”
Between bites of the food and sips of water, Jake described the display cabinets he and Eli had been designing and installing in the bakery. His grandmother listened with interest while he talked.
“They sound lovely, Jacob,” Malinda said. “I’ll have to come by to see them sometime.”
“Maybe I’ll take you over there one day soon,” Elmer said. “You haven’t been to the bakery in quite a while.”
“I’d love to pick up some of Elizabeth’s chocolate cake,” his grandmother said. “I could never match her recipe. I’m convinced she has a secret ingredient she’s not sharing with anyone in the district.”
Jake chuckled as he sipped more water. “You just might be right about that.”
“What brings you here tonight, Jacob? You said you needed to talk to your grandfather.” She looked excited. “Can you share your secret with me? Do you have a wedding date set? Is that what this is about?”
“No, Grandma,” Jake began, “I’m sorry I’m not announcing a wedding. I know you’d like to see me married, but I don’t think that will happen soon for me.”
“Oh.” She looked confused as she sliced another piece of roast for herself. “What is it then?”
“Jacob was asking me about when Anna Mary left the Amish faith.” His grandfather looked serious. “He has some questions he felt he needed answered.”
“Oh.” Malinda looked surprised. “What did you want to know?”
“I know it was a hard time for you and Grandpa when my mom left,” Jake said. “I’ve heard the family was healed when
my brother and I were born. Is it true it took the birth of your grandchildren to heal your hearts?”
“Ya
,
”
Malinda said. “It was a very painful and complicated time for us.” She glanced at Elmer, and he nodded in agreement. “We felt like we lost our daughter when Anna Mary left, but we always loved her. When you and your brother were born, it was as if our family was renewed. The pain of her leaving wasn’t erased, but it was easier to accept she was gone from our community.”
“Do you think it’s like that when any member leaves the community?” Jake asked. “Is it always that painful for the parents?”
Malinda nodded. “
Ya
, I think so. It’s never easy when a member leaves, no matter what the circumstances are.” She looked curious. “Why are you asking about this now?”
“Jake was wondering what life would’ve been like if he’d been raised Amish,” Elmer said. “He asked if we would’ve accepted John if he converted instead of Anna Mary.”
“Why not?” She shrugged, buttering a homemade roll. “If he truly wanted to be Amish, we would’ve welcomed him into our family just like any other family member.”
“Jacob asked if I thought he’d make a good Amish man,” Elmer said, smiling. “I told him absolutely.”
His grandmother’s grin was wide. “
Ya
, you would, Jacob. I would’ve loved to have seen you be baptized into the faith, but we love you no matter what.”
“Danki
,
”
Jake said, and his grandparents laughed.
While his grandparents continued to talk, he contemplated his grandmother’s words. After hearing how much pain his mother caused when she left, he knew he could never ask Katie to leave her family and become Mennonite. He couldn’t bear the thought of causing her or her family any more pain.
R
ebecca sat across from Lindsay at a small restaurant on a Thursday afternoon a month later. She sipped her water and smiled. “The doctor said everything looks
gut.
I should stay on complete bed rest, but my blood pressure is excellent, and the
boppli
’s development is perfect.”
“That’s
wunderbaar gut!
” Lindsay clapped her hands together. “And the ultrasound was
gut
too?”
“Ya.”
Rebecca sipped her water again to wet her parched throat. “Daniel was excited, and he squeezed my hand so hard, I yelped.”
Lindsay smiled. “I wish he could’ve come to lunch with us, but I guess they’re very busy at the store finishing up Christmas orders.”
“
Ya
, I know, but it was nice of him to tell us to go ahead and enjoy lunch. I wanted to do something special for you today. You’ve been working so hard for me.” Rebecca leaned forward and took her niece’s hands in hers. “I’m so thankful for you, Lindsay. You’ve been very generous and thoughtful throughout this pregnancy. I know you’d rather be working with your
freinden
and cousins at the bakery, but you’ve been stuck with me and the
kinner
all day every day. I’m glad Nancy could come over today to relieve you so we could have a special lunch together.”
Lindsay waved off Rebecca’s words. “You’re just
gegisch. Ich liebe dich
and the
kinner
more than anything. At
heemet
with you and them is where I’d rather be. Besides, I’m not with you all day every day. I get to see
mei freinden
at church and at youth gatherings.” She looked curious. “Now your due date has stayed the same,
ya
?”
Rebecca nodded. “Early January is what the doctor says.”
“Yay.” Lindsay clapped her hands again. “I can’t wait! I’ll have another little cousin.”
The waitress arrived with their grilled chicken sandwiches and potato chips, and Rebecca and Lindsay prayed before beginning to eat.
“Have you heard from Jessica?” Rebecca asked, grabbing a chip from her plate.
Lindsay shook her head. “No, it’s been quite a while since I’ve heard from her. I may call her this evening.”
“Ya
,
”
Rebecca said. “Please do. I’d like to know if she’s still planning to come for the holidays. I hope she does. I miss her.”
“I do too.” Lindsay sipped her soda. “Last I heard, she was coming for Christmas, but she can’t get away before then. She’s taking a very difficult load of classes this semester and can’t afford the time away from her schoolwork the weekend of Thanksgiving.”
Rebecca shook her head, thinking of her older niece. “Jessica works awfully hard. Sometimes I worry about her.”
“I do too.” Lindsay frowned. “I hope she doesn’t work so much that she gets sick like she did after her internship. She was putting in about fifty hours per week, and she sounded awful when she finished up. Nothing is worth getting yourself that sick.”
“I agree,” Rebecca said. “The holidays are coming fast,
ya
?”
“
Ya
, they are.” Lindsay placed her sandwich on her plate. “I can’t believe Lizzie Anne’s wedding is only a few weeks away. The material she bought for her dress and the attendants’ dresses is going to be beautiful. It’s royal blue.”
“That’s lovely.” Rebecca smiled. “I’m sure she’s very excited.”
Lindsay nodded while chewing more of her sandwich. “I just wish Katie had been involved in more of the planning. It isn’t the same without her around. I hope her
dat
will forgive her before the wedding. Her father said it was indefinite, but surely he will forgive her and lift it at some point.”
“Have you heard how she’s doing?” Rebecca asked.
“I haven’t seen her since church two weeks ago,” Lindsay said, lifting a potato chip from her plate. “Lizzie Anne saw her the other day when she went to visit Samuel, and she said Katie is very unhappy.” She shook her head. “I feel so bad for her. She tries to make it up to her parents by helping more around the house when she’s not at work.” She looked incredulous. “I still can’t believe she and Jake have feelings for each other. I always hoped Jake and
mei schweschder
would work things out even though they are so very different.”
Rebecca considered the comment. “I agree Jake and Jessica are different. They may like each other and be attracted to each other, but I think they want a different kind of life. Jessica wants something fast-paced, and Jake is satisfied working in a furniture store and having a simple life. I don’t think they would mesh very well.”
Lindsay nodded. “You’re right. I thought they gave each other balance, but they could never be together since they want such different things in life.” She ate a few more chips. “But Katie and Jake could never be together either. He’s not Amish. I feel so bad for her because she’s stuck at
heemet
with a broken heart while I’m getting to know Matthew better, and Lizzie Anne is planning her wedding. Poor Katie must be so lonely. I wish I could make things better for her, but I know it’s not my place to get involved. I would only make it worse with her
dat
if I said something to him.”
Rebecca took another bite of her sandwich, chewed, and swallowed it. “You’re right. It’s not our place to get involved,
but Katie must be lonely. I wonder if you could go visit her. Do you think her
dat
would allow that?”
A serious expression marred Lindsay’s features as she shook her head. “Samuel said Katie is completely cut off from all of her friends, except for seeing us at church. Her
dat
is very strict.”
Rebecca ate more of her sandwich and thought of her sweet niece. She’d always known Robert and Sadie were tough on their children. She could recall many times when Robert reprimanded his children for insignificant infractions in front of the whole Kauffman family, embarrassing the children and the rest of the family at once. On one occasion, he’d hollered and then spanked Samuel for turning his head just before one of the younger children fell off the swing set. In reality, it was an honest mistake, but in Robert’s eye it was an inexcusable lapse of attention.
After witnessing many incidents like those, Rebecca had always secretly vowed to be more loving and forgiving to her own children if she and Daniel were blessed to become parents. Now she and Daniel were parents, and she hoped she lived up to that promise to herself.
“I’m sorry to hear Katie is having a hard time,” Rebecca said. “I hope she is back at your youth gatherings to meet more
buwe
soon.” She smiled. “You mentioned you’re getting to know Matthew better. How’s that going?”
Lindsay’s pretty mouth formed an embarrassed smile. “It’s going well.”
“Oh?” Rebecca leaned in closer. “Can you share more with me?”
“He’s very thoughtful and kind.” Lindsay stared down at her half-eaten sandwich and moved the remaining pile of chips around on her plate. “He enjoys romantic walks when we’re at the youth gatherings. We talk about everything. I feel like I can share things with him without worrying he’ll think I’m
gegisch
or immature. He always seems to understand. And when we’re
together, time flies by. We can start talking about something, and an hour goes by in a flash.”
“I remember those days with Daniel,” Rebecca said, smiling. “He and I used to talk for hours when we were getting to know each other. Those were some of our best times together. Be sure to enjoy getting to know him.”
“Oh, I am.” Lindsay picked up a potato chip. “Did you feel like you could see your future when you were dating
Onkel
Daniel? What I mean is — did you feel like you were always meant to be together? Did you know you would someday get married and have a family?”
Rebecca wiped her mouth while considering the questions. “I think I always knew in my heart Daniel was my future.”
Lindsay smiled. “I feel that way with Matthew. I think he’s my future.”
“That’s
gut
,” Rebecca said, lifting her sandwich. “I’m so glad you met him. I believe he’s a very nice young man and will treat you well.”
They discussed Lizzie Anne’s wedding while they finished their sandwiches.
When Rebecca ate her last chip, she glanced at the clock on the wall. “We’d better get going. I don’t want Nancy to worry. I’ll go ask if I can use the phone to call the driver.”
“No, no.” Lindsay stood. “You rest. I’ll call.”
As Lindsay walked toward the front of the restaurant, Rebecca smiled. She was so very thankful for her wonderful niece.
Lindsay sat on the porch later that evening and smiled at Matthew. “I’m so
froh
you stopped by. I’ve been thinking of you today.”
“Have you?” He grinned and his eyes sparkled. “I’m glad I had to return a few tools to Daniel.”
“Did you really have to return them to him today?” she asked.
“No.” He moved closer to her on the swing. “I just really had to see you.”
“Oh?” Her heart skipped a beat. “Why did you have to see me?”
“Because it’s been a few days,” he said. “How is your family?”
“Wunderbaar gut
,
”
Lindsay said with excitement. “Rebecca, Daniel, and I went to her doctor today, and she received a
gut
report. The
boppli
is growing well, and Rebecca’s blood pressure is fantastic. She has to remain on bed rest, but everything is going as it should.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said. “I’m just
froh
to see you, Lindsay.”
He looked at her with an intense expression that made her heart thud in her chest. She studied his handsome face and wondered what he would look like with a beard. The thought excited and scared her all at once. Yet, it was difficult not to wonder if Matthew would ask her to marry him since Lizzie Anne and Samuel would marry in only a few weeks. Would Lindsay and Matthew possibly be the next married couple in their youth group?
“Tell me about your day,” Lindsay said. She listened with interest while he talked about his current projects at the furniture store. She loved hearing him discuss his work, and she wondered if someday he would create furniture for their home. She smiled at the thought.
The back door opened with a squeak, and Lindsay jumped at the sight of her uncle. “
Onkel
Daniel,” she said. “I didn’t hear you in the kitchen.”
“Matthew,” Daniel said, holding out his hand. “Wie
geht’s
? I didn’t realize you were here.”
“I came to return those tools you loaned me last week.” Matthew stood and shook Daniel’s hand.
