A Wedding for Julia (20 page)

“Is she…is she healthy?”

His laughter eased the worry that tried to creep into her heart.

“
Ya
. Doc says she’ll outlive him, and he’s fifteen years younger than she is.
Mamm
is what we call sturdy. It came in handy over the years.” Caleb hesitated before adding, “She didn’t have any girls of her own. Maybe that’s why she tends to take special interest in her sons’ wives. You’ll probably receive a letter each week.”

It was with that image in mind that she reread the words this morning. Dawn’s light was a bare tinge on the eastern horizon. The first full day of her married life had hardly begun, but it seemed appropriate that she should pause and take the time to feel Caleb’s mother’s blessing upon their life.

Dearest Julia
,

Since Caleb left Indiana, I have prayed each day for him. Prayed for his safety. Prayed our Lord would guide him. And prayed that Gotte would care for
you
in every way. Yes, I prayed for you even before I knew your name, Julia
.

I have never doubted that Gotte had someone special intended for my son. Caleb has a generous heart, and you will soon learn that he is a hard worker. His faults are no worse than any others. (Does he still fish every chance he gets? Well, at least it provides dinner.) I will pray you have a full measure of patience to help you deal with his shortcomings. And I will pray that your marriage grows in love, is sprinkled with laughter, and always travels the path our Lord has given. Each day is an opportunity to extend Gotte’s love and grace to each other
.

Julia glanced up and across the room, out toward the barn where even now Caleb was working, caring for Missy and Red. He had laughed when they had reached the line about his faults. “Just like
mamm
to warn you,” he’d said as he put his arm around her.

Julia turned the page over and continued reading.

Caleb has explained enough of your situation so that we will know how to pray. Until you can come for a visit, I would love to hear from you. Please know that each morning and each evening I will lift you, Caleb, Ada, and your home there on the banks of Pebble Creek up to our Lord. I will also remember your new café and ask that the Lord will bless the work you and Caleb attempt together
.

This is a time of great change for you both, but also of great joy. Remember, Julia, courage is fear that has said its prayers. Have courage. Pray without ceasing, and write to me as often as you are able
.

Lovingly yours
,

Betsy

Julia carefully folded the single sheet of paper and slipped it back into the envelope. She walked over to the large oak dresser in the room, which now held both her clothing and Caleb’s. Opening the bottom drawer, she tucked the letter between her winter dresses and the old aprons she used while cleaning or canning.

She would write back this evening, after dinner.

As far as praying, that she could do while she worked. Though it occurred to her, as light spilled over the horizon, that perhaps God wanted a moment or two of her undivided attention. So she stood by the window, forced her mind away from all there was to do, and gave her worries to the Lord.

The rest of the week went remarkably well, considering.

They were able to move the downstairs furniture upstairs. Julia had envisioned turning the third bedroom into a sitting room, and Caleb had agreed it would be a good idea. This left all of the downstairs open for dining areas.

It worked unless they had a child, but Julia pushed that thought from her mind. Even if she did become pregnant, they would figure out something before the baby arrived. Besides, she didn’t need to spend her time worrying about what
might
happen. They had their hands full with all that
was
happening.

The extra upstairs room wasn’t big enough to hold all of the furniture from the downstairs sitting room and their sewing room. Some of it would need to be stored in the barn.

“You lap quilt, so we don’t need the quilt stand. We only use the treadle machine for clothes, and Caleb can fetch it when we need it.” Ada patted her on the arm. “It’s not a problem.”

But Julia nearly wept to see her old black sewing machine carried toward the barn by Seth and Caleb. The barn! With the horses and hay and manure! Caleb stopped, said something to Seth, and a moment later they were walking back to her. “It will fit in the basement,” he said.

She nodded, relief surging through her heart. The basement would be a good place for it, and much easier to reach if she had sewing to do.

Crossing the item off her list, she marched back into the house and focused on arranging the tables and chairs David had delivered. Everything fit—barely.

They kept the breakfast area the same and decided this was where they would take their meals as a family. Caleb also set up a rocker and reading table in a corner for Ada.

“She’ll need a place to rest, and she won’t want to always be upstairs.”

He was right. She should have thought of it herself.

What had been their downstairs sitting room held five tables that seated four people each. The front room, the old sewing room, held another three, plus two small tables which sat two and were placed near the front windows. All told, they could feed thirty-six at full capacity.

Things were looking good.

The real problem came with the licensing, which she never would have been able to maneuver through without the help of Jeanette. Caleb had found out about the food handling class from his supervisor at the grocery. Julia had taken and passed it the week before her wedding. And that was just the beginning.

They also had to apply for a business license and tax, zoning, and alarm permits. She had no idea what most of those things were.

“We have a problem,” Jeanette declared. She’d paused to knock on the front door, but Julia had waved her inside.

“This place looks amazing!”

“
Danki
.” Julia sank onto a chair at the nearest table and pulled out her list. “A new problem or an old one?”

“A new twist on an old problem.” She went on to explain that all of the permits had been approved except for the signage permit.

“What is a signage permit?”

“The sign outside your property has to be approved.”

“We don’t have a sign yet.”

“Exactly. That’s part of our problem.” Jeanette twisted one of the short red strands of her hair. “You have to be granted a signage permit before your final application can be evaluated. I’ve found a person in the permit office who says he’ll be there until four p.m.”

“It’s one o’clock now.”

Jeanette gave up on the hair twisting and pulled off her purple glasses. After she’d cleaned them with the hem of her blouse, she pushed them back on and stared at Julia. “We’re too close to give up now. Where are the guys?”

“Barn. I believe they’re hiding. I’ve had them working since daybreak.”

“Let’s find them. If they can knock together a sign, I’ll take a picture of it with my phone and text it over to the permit office.”

“But Grace’s drawing isn’t finished yet, and then we were going to have it blown up and—”

“Doesn’t matter. This is a temporary sign. You can always change it later.”

Somehow they did it. Together they found material to create a five foot by five foot board. Mounting it on the fence near the road wasn’t easy, but Tim’s engineering skills came in handy, and they were able to safely build a support.

It was the Elliotts’ teenaged son, Wess, who came up with the idea of using left-over paint from the front porch for the actual words. He also was better at painting letters than they were.

Standing back, they all studied the finished project.

The words “Plain Café” were centered on the board, and he’d painted a white border around it.

“That definitely won’t win any art awards,” Wess said.

Caleb slapped him on the back. “Maybe not, but anyone who is hungry will know where to stop.”

“One more task completed.” Julia ticked café sign off her list—an item that hadn’t been on the list at the beginning of the day. It was amazing what they had been able to accomplish in one day, thanks to their friends.

“I was happy with it even before Wess put on the border.” Jeanette snapped a picture with her phone and then began pushing buttons.

“Are you sending it now?” Julia asked.

“I am. The man in the permit office said he would e-mail back your permit in the next thirty minutes.” Jeanette slipped her phone into the pocket of her jeans, high-fived Tim, and then turned to Julia and pulled her into a hug.

Caleb, Wess, and Tim let out a cheer. Zoey and Victoria danced in a circle before stopping suddenly, turning to their father, and asking, “What’s a permit?”

Ada pushed up her glasses and hooked her arm through Julia’s as they turned to walk back to the house. “Oh, the joys of those who trust the Lord.”

“Indeed,
mamm
. Indeed.” Julia couldn’t help thinking the psalmist was correct, but he probably didn’t have to deal with obtaining permits in order to serve a meal to a hungry traveler.

They were halfway back up the lane, headed toward home and relieved to have the day’s work behind them, when they heard a horse and buggy turn into their lane.

It was Aaron, and the expression on his face was enough to alert Julia that something was wrong. Her first thought was of Lydia and the baby.

“We need to build that bridge,” he said as he stopped the horse and buggy beside them. “Then I could get here faster.”

“
Ya
. If the weather remains good, we’re starting it next week.” Caleb glanced at Julia and then at Tim. “What’s wrong, Aaron?”

“I’m not sure, but your
mamm
called. She needs to speak with you right away.”

Chapter 17

S
haron stared at her mother and dad. They were sitting around the kitchen table, though it was well past dinnertime. Marion had called her in from the sitting room, where she was watching her little sister, Ruthie, color on a blank page. At her mother’s voice, she’d been surprised to glance outside and see the sky was growing dark already.

How long had she been sitting there? Where were all the boys?

“How late is it, Ruthie?”