A Sister's Wish (15 page)

Chapter 17

Friday, October 16

T
wo days had passed since Simon had come over and reclaimed her heart.

Every time Amelia thought of the things he'd told her, of the things he'd revealed, her heart would beat a little quicker and she'd feel warm inside. Though she'd been infatuated with Simon for the majority of her life, she hadn't been prepared for how much his devotion would affect her. She was both dying to share the things he'd said with Rebecca and needing to keep everything that had happened between them to herself in case he changed his mind again.

He'd come the next night, too. However, this time, he'd sat across from her very properly and talked about work. She'd made him laugh when she shared a story about Princess eating Lukas's new straw hat. Their conversation had been sweet and simple, nothing like the intense, heated one the night before.

Tonight, Simon couldn't come over because Rebecca and
Darla had planned a family supper. Though she'd at first been disappointed to not see Simon, Amelia knew it was good for them to take a small break, too. More than anything, they needed time to adjust to their new relationship.

Now Lukas helped her to her seat at the table. After being the center of so much drama, she was content to be an observer. And there was certainly a lot to observe!

Rebecca and Jacob and Lilly and Oscar, the bulldog puppy, were over. So was Peter, Lilly's beau. He kept staring at Lilly while pretending not to. As for Lilly? Well, she blushed a lot.

Rebecca kept staring at Jacob with a smile on her face and was watching Lilly and Peter with a look of soft encouragement.

Evan and Samuel, Darla's younger twin brothers, were in attendance, too. They kept everyone laughing with stories about attempting to help tourists at the lumber mill's retail store.

The meal was as wonderful as the people who surrounded it. Darla and Rebecca had made a platter of fried chicken, a pot of chili, cornbread, green salad, pumpkin bars, and monster cookies.

In fact, the only person at the table who didn't seem relaxed and happy was Lukas. He kept staring at the front door like he was afraid an intruder was going to burst inside and rob them all.

Then, just as supper was winding down, they all heard a clatter at the door before it opened slowly.

Then Amelia saw him.

“Levi!” she called out.

“Hey, Amy,” he said softly.

Before she could reply, tears threatened to fall. Oh, but he looked so good. Tan and fit. He seemed bigger, more muscular. Healthy. But what mattered the most was his expression. He looked happy and at peace—as if all the demons he'd been
fighting before his departure had fled. She was so relieved and thankful, she stopped trying to hold back those tears.

She cried openly as the rest of the family gathered around him. Hugs were exchanged, along with gentle teasing and exclamations about how long it had been . . . and how different everyone looked.

Rebecca introduced her husband to Levi. They shook hands.

Hampered by her cast, Amelia stayed in her chair and looked on. For the first time in several long months, they were all together again. Lukas, so strong and stalwart. Rebecca, so bossy and yet so tenderhearted. And Levi. Brash, handsome, intense Levi. And her, of course.

Levi made the four of them a complete unit. A family again.

She'd gotten her wish. Lukas had listened to her and given her this gift. That was enough. At that moment, she knew she owed Lukas a lot. He'd done this for her.

She'd just swiped her eyes with a paper napkin when Levi turned to her and smiled. “Has it been so long that you don't feel the need to come tell me hello, Amy?”

She kicked out her cast-covered leg. “I still need crutches. I thought I'd simply wait until you had time for me.”

Something flickered in his eyes as he broke apart from the rest of the family and walked to her side. Bending down slightly, he held out his arms. “Come here,” he said as he gripped her under her arms and pulled her to her feet, just like he used to do when they were teenagers and he'd already surpassed her height by four or five inches.

Of course, now he was stronger. She held on tight and buried her face in his neck. He smelled like he always did. Of sunshine and happiness and grass.

After squeezing her tight, he released her and helped her sit back down. “You okay?”

“I'm better now.” Looking at the rest of the family who had grown suspiciously silent, she raised her voice. “Levi, you always did know how to make an entrance.”

He laughed. “One learns to stand out in this bunch.”

Rebecca set a place for Levi at the table. Samuel brought in another chair from the kitchen, depositing it between them.

Holding out a plate, Darla asked sweetly, “Are you hungry, Levi?”

He grinned. “Absolutely.”

After taking his seat, he began serving himself from the many dishes scattered on the table. The twins helped, passing him a bowl of chili topped with cheddar cheese and onions. When at last Levi's plate was filled, he bowed his head and gave thanks before diving in.

After giving him time to have a few bites, Samuel blurted, “Levi, where've you been?”

“Down in Florida.”

“Where in Florida?” Evan asked.

“Pinecraft.”

“Which explains your tan,” Amelia said.

“I've been doing construction.”

Jacob grinned. “I spent most of my life working construction outside in the Florida sun. How did you find it?”

“Hot,” Levi replied. “But good.”

“You look like you put on twenty pounds of muscle,” Lukas said.

“I might have,” Levi replied as he speared another piece of chicken. “I worked hard.”

After Rebecca passed him two piping-hot cornbread muffins, he smiled. “
Danke,
Becky. This meal is wonderful-
gut
.”

“I can't take all the credit. Darla did most of the cooking.”

Tension filled the air as each of them no doubt remembered how upset Levi had been by Lukas's and Darla's courtship. Lukas straightened in his chair, looking ready to shield her from any caustic comments.

But instead of looking angry, Levi turned to her and smiled. “Darla, welcome to the family. Lukas is a lucky man.”

“
Danke,
” she said.

And with that, everyone relaxed. Lukas reached out and squeezed Darla's hand. “It's
gut
you are back,
bruder
. You were missed.”

“I missed being here. I've got a lot to make up for.” Looking at Rebecca, Levi winked. “I've even got a brother-in-law. I can't wait to get to know you, Jacob.” Eyes twinkling, he added, “I'm looking forward to knowing all of you. Even Oscar.”

Rebecca frowned. “You sound awfully well-informed, considering you've been gone so long.”

“To be sure. I've been gone too long but not completely out of pocket. Lukas wrote me a couple of letters.”

Rebecca stiffened. “He wrote to you? He knew where you were?”

When Rebecca looked ready to give him an earful, Lukas held up two hands in defense. “No need to yell at me, sister. Amelia already has.”

“Don't sound so aggrieved, Lukas,” Rebecca retorted. “You deserve to be chewed on and deserve to take it without complaining, too. I've been worried sick about Levi.”

“Settle down, Beck.”

“Oh, no you don't. Don't scowl at me like I burned your toast.”

While the new members gathered around the table looked at each other in confusion, the four siblings laughed, Amelia most of all. She'd needed this more than she'd realized. It was so good to be all together again. At last, she felt whole.

I
T WAS WELL
after ten when Levi opened the back door to the three-season room.

Lukas had been waiting for him. He knew the two of them needed to talk in private. From the moment Levi had arrived, his little brother had been treated like a long-lost hero. He'd shared stories about working construction in Pinecraft. He'd told an amusing tale about getting stung by both a jellyfish and two bees in one day. They'd all laughed, and little by little, the strain around Levi's eyes had dissipated.

Amelia had been right; Levi needed to come home. His dry sense of humor filled the gaps left by Rebecca, Amelia, and himself. It seemed Levi would always act as the fourth leg on the rickety, worn table that was their family. They could remain upright, but it hadn't been easy to carefully balance both company and family needs.

After supper, they'd spent another hour in the living room, catching up. Levi moved from group to group, having brief, private conversations with each of them. Finally, when the hour grew late, Rebecca, Jacob, Lilly, and Peter headed back to their farm. Then Lukas and Darla rode with Samuel and Evan to Darla's old farm. Now that Amelia was doing better and Levi had arrived, Darla had decided to spend a couple of days with her siblings. Gretel and Maisie enjoyed having her around and Patsy always appreciated the help.

Sometimes, Lukas stayed the night there, too. But with Amelia unable to do chores and Levi just back, this wasn't the right time.

When Lukas got home after dropping off Darla, he heard Levi and Amelia talking in her room. A few moments later, he heard Levi walk down the stairs and head outside. Knowing Levi likely needed some time to himself, Lukas finished cleaning up the kitchen. Then he sat down to wait for his brother in the three-season room.

It was a place none of them ever used. He usually didn't feel comfortable there because it had been their mother's favorite room in the house. She'd quilted and sewed in there. If Lukas tried real hard, he could still hear her soft, melodic voice drifting through the air. She'd loved to hum and talk and tell stories and laugh. Daed had often said the silence had been the hardest thing to get used to after she'd gone to Heaven.

Lukas was just allowing himself to wonder what their lives would be like if she were still living when Levi sat down in their mother's old rocking chair.

“Why are you in here?” he asked, taking an experimental rock.

Lukas shrugged. “Don't know. I guess it felt like as good a place as any.”

Levi rocked again. “Maybe so. I don't really remember Mamm, but I remember her sitting in here.”

“I was just thinking about that.” Needing to change the subject, he said, “Did you have a good talk with Amy?”

Levi nodded. He took a big gulp of water from the Mason jar that Lukas hadn't even been aware he was holding. “She seems all right. I wasn't sure if she was going to be mad at me for leaving or not.”

“You came at the right time. She's happy again.”

“What do you mean by that? Was she really that upset with me for leaving?”

“She was disappointed that you left, but lately she and I have been going round and round. She hasn't been all that happy with me. Like I told you after supper, I made a mess of things with Simon Hochstetler. I refused to hold my tongue.” Grimacing, he added, “And I paid the price for that.”

“You had every right to voice your concerns. Simon ain't exactly a poster child for proper behavior.”

“That's true. But then again, I don't think any of us are.”

Levi laughed. “You're right. I, of all people, need to stop casting stones.”

There was something in his brother's tone that struck Lukas as new. He wondered if Levi had been through a whole lot more in Florida than he was letting on. But now wasn't the right time to pry into Levi's secrets, not until he shared a couple of his own.

Though it hurt to be so vulnerable, he continued. “At first, I didn't think Amelia was ever going to forgive me.”

“She ain't the type to hold a grudge.”

Remembering the hurt in her eyes, Lukas shook his head. “She did a pretty fair job of holding on to this one. I deserved it, too. I interfered and said some horrible things to Simon.”

“We all have said and done things we regret.” Lightening his tone, he added, “Why, Rebecca's done that her whole life!”

Lukas grinned. “You have a point there.”

“Amelia ain't perfect. I think she felt badly for giving you the cold shoulder.”

“Perhaps.”

“Come on. I'm sure even our father sometimes blurted things he wished he hadn't.”

Lukas blinked, then chuckled as a memory so stark and vivid it could have happened just yesterday came to mind. “Hey, remember when he forgot Rebecca's birthday?”

Levi ran a hand through his hair. “If he was alive, Becky would still be bringing that up.
Nee,
I was thinking about when Daed hired that fool from Michigan who couldn't tell a post from a toothpick.”

Lukas laughed. “He was working for Simon. I thought Simon was going to kill him at least once a week.”

“And no matter how many times you or I or Simon tried to tell our father that Greg needed to be fired, he would say we were being too hard on him.”

“You're right. He wouldn't listen to a word we said, until he walked in and witnessed Greg lazing about and complaining . . . about him!”

Levi grinned. “He was out the next day. An hour later, I think the men in Warehouse Three were practically throwing a party.”

Lukas leaned back against the cushions of the couch. He doubted he'd been so relaxed in weeks. “What do you want to do now? I saw that you brought home all your belongings, so I'm guessing that you want to stay.”

“I do.”

He was so relieved, Lukas felt like raising his hand in triumph. But after assuming too much with Amelia, he didn't expect Levi would want to continue with how things had always been. “Do . . . do you still want to work at the mill?”

“Of course.” After a pause, worry filled his brown eyes. “You want me there, don't you?”

“Of course I do.” Unable to hold back the emotion in his voice, he said, “You're as much a part of Kinsinger Lumber as I am, brother. I can't wait for you to start.”