Abram's Daughters 03 The Sacrifice (18 page)

She had stolen away in the predawn hour of Christmas I r dny to Grasshopper Level, choosing the faster of Dat's two lnvtng horses.*A.t the Masts' orchard house, she dropped off > basket of goodies and fruit for little Jeremiah and the twins.

1 'iice there she got out of the carriage and made her way i h rough the ice and snow to the back stoop, depositing the I'i itflit basket with its red ribbon on the top step.

Duly Aunt Lizzie was aware of her "splendid idea," as .he'll put it, to spread cheer to relatives who'd shunned them Ii >i much too long. Not even Mamma knew of the furtive trip, M nl Leah hoped to keep it that way. Together, she and Lizzie I ml made a big batch of peanut-butter balls dipped in melted i liocolate, several dozen sand tarts, candied dates, and crystal

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stick candy at Lizzie's house yesterday. They'd had a laughing good time doing so. The best part of all was there were still plenty of sweets to go around, even having shared a considerable portion with Cousin Peter and Fannie's family.

Dat would more than likely devour a half dozen or more himself before the weekend was over. Unhitching the horse and buggy in the barnyard, she was glad to bring such happiness to his heart with the surprise. This, along with the fact she'd purposely let slip her intention to marry his choice of a

mate, come next year.

Their neighbors down the road, including the Schwartzes and Nolts, had already taken axes to the dense woods and found attractive trees to chop down and set in a prominent place in their houses. Tonight, following Christmas Eve supper, most English families would carefully decorate fir or spruce with strung popcorn, colorful glass balls, bubbling lights, and tinsel strands.

The Ordnung did not allow for a tree to become an idol in the way of the Englishers. Instead, the People would happily celebrate the birthday of the Son of God tomorrow by attending Preaching service and sharing a common meal. Since Christmas fell on Sunday this year, much visiting would go on throughout the week. Folk would look into the faces of dear family members and friends, enjoying their precious nearness while sharing feasts at noon on Christmas Eve Saturday and sitting around the wood stove afterward to tell stories and recite poetry, giving and partaking of homemade candy, cookies, and other sweets. Dat would also read aloud certain passages from the Good Book to all who gathered

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^fi*. OfhiTs would wait till Monday to celebrate, being SunH? WUK church.

H I ciih had seen the Nolts' tree twinkling from their front ^lilnvvs in the two-story clapboard house where Mary Ruth H^ 11 veil and worked. They must have been eager to put it ^B liiwl ilecorate before Christmas Eve this year, maybe HtmiM' Mary Ruth was living there, and, too, because young Hill wi'ukl enjoy all the merriment.

H[ V. lor the Schwartz family, Leah had observed the enor-

Hmi . nee I he doctor and his two sons dragged from the forest

* i lu- street just yesterday, when she dusted the furniture

11111 ^ .islu'il the floors for Lorraine. She was certainly glad not

li.nv been formally introduced to the younger Schwartz

. I Very, whom Sadie had said such horrid things about

' i > 'Hi \\ i Leah might have had to meet him if she'd stayed much

i-'Hf:t'i ;ii the Schwartz abode. Fact was, Leah had purposely

Milnlii'il up her duties in a jiffy, having clearly recognized

I \

Bh from the dining-room window, hoping against hope to

HtMil either shaking his hand or looking him in the eye.

H Miraculously she had. She'd called rather softly, "Happy

Sprint mas," over her shoulder to Lorraine, not wanting to

H|)W a smidgen of attention to herself, then hurried out the

^ft(H', loo nervous to look back, she found herself rushing

^Wn Georgetown Road, heart in her throat. She was most

Htakl she might not be able to temper what things came fly-

Hg out of her mouth if she encountered Sadie's former beau.

H Thank goodness she's nowhere near Gobbler's Knob, Leah

fHighi, awful anxious for Dat's farmhouse to come into view.

But now, as she slipped into Mamma's toasty-warm

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kitchen, she spotted the pretty presents wrapped and waiting on the sideboard for the family to gather on the day after Christmas, when they planned to celebrate with the Peacheys. After the Monday meal, following Aunt Lizzie's desserts of nut loaf, apple pie, and hot-water sponge cake, they would exchange simple gifts, fewer than any other year before. Mary Ruth's absence would add to the pain of Sadie being gone yet another blessed Christmas. But Mamma, great with child, was the next best blessing of all. Leah could scarcely wait to hold the newborn babe, coming so close to the Lord's own birthday.

Henry had been soundly stunned to see Derek arrive home the day before Christmas Eve, in time to select a tree. The boy had nearly frightened Lorraine to death as he stomped his army boots up the snowy front walk and burst into the house unannounced, wearing a pressed uniform and tossing his hat onto the coat-tree in the foyer as if he owned the place.

For months, Henry had written letters requesting, nearly pleading, for Derek to return home for the holidays. Your pres'ence would cheer your mother greatly, he had penned in his most recent note. It appeared his persuasive efforts had paid off famously; their wayward son was seated at his mother's Christmas table of lace and fine china as Henry said a traditional grace, offering thanks for the bounty with which they had been blessed this year.

When Henry raised his head, he noticed Derek had neither closed his eyes nor bowed his head, and his hand held

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a c r l t i c e

H| l..ik, poised fi) dig in.

H| I I, is lu- learned nothing from his time in the military? Henry

H|i I- it'll. I'or ;i moment he wished he might have saved his

H^> mk, ;mkI stationery. But as the day wore on, things

H |ih d hi lighten up and Henry had a change of heart and

^hil, wqxv hilly as he observed Lorraine smiling and even

^plilltg from time to time, less in her hostess mode than

Hpl lU'ul more relaxed overall. In fact, Henry observed, the

V hIhIosI seemed as pleasant as many Christmases before

iliiN ns they sat together exchanging gifts in the shadow of

iIm Imioi (Christmas tree ablaze with lights. From the radio,

Hit'' ' 'l"osby crooned "Here Comes Santa Claus," backed up

by 11" Andrews Sisters.

Hi lifi gifts were opened and bows and wrapping paper lay n i in| on the floor, Lorraine spoke softly, saying she wished H 11 iic ii short reading. "From the New Testament. . . Luke's ' 'Uiif of the birth of my Lord and Savior."

I 11 Miry happened to catch Derek's dismayed look. The boy I nbruptly and, without excusing himself, left the room.

II' < v footsteps were heard echoing from the hall, and when

ill- I mk door slammed, Lorraine jumped. fc I' > ibcrt pulled out a pocket Testament from his sports coat. Hi H-, Mother," he said. "Don't worry over Derek ... I have Hi i. l>-ii the Lord is at work where his heart's concerned." H More ill at ease than he had been in some years, Henry H ' 11 himself for the Scripture verses Lorraine appeared Hi' i mined to share.

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H I I ii I i I this moment, Mary Ruth wouldn't have admitted to HliiMii)-! her parents and sisters dreadfully during the past

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weeks, but she felt an overwhelming sadness as she helped redd up the kitchen for Dottie. She felt sluggish this Christmas Day, slow to gather up scraps of wrapping paper and odds and ends of boxes from the front room. "I'd be happy to take the trash out," she called to Dottie, who was putting Carl down for his afternoon nap.

Meanwhile, Dan was out back gathering up dry cut wood from the timber box to add to the embers in the front room fireplace as Mary Ruth headed for the front door. Scarcely had she tossed the rubbish and closed the top on the trash receptacle than she heard a pounding of feet on the road. Looking up, she noticed a dark-headed young man running in a military uniform of some sort, though she couldn't be sure, as she'd never before seen a soldier.

She wouldn't have stood there watching, but the young man's angry movements caught her attention the fierce way he swung his arms as he ran, as if ready for a fighting match.

Mary Ruth felt so curious beholding this peculiar sight, she didn't catch the sneeze that crept up on her, calling attention to her, and for that she was perturbed.

Immediately the stranger halted in his tracks, his dark, dark eyes inching together as he frowned hard. When he spoke, she instinctively stepped back. "Hey ... I know you, don't I?" The frown faded and a smile took its place. "Aren't you Sadie's little sister?"

At once she was no longer startled, because she recognized him as the boy who'd stopped by the vegetable and fruit stand years back; this same fancy fellow with the handsome features had handed her a letter for Sadie on that day. Just why was

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lite carrying on like a madman out there on the road, and on

|( Inistmas Day yet?

I "Jah, I'm Mary Ruth." She took a step forward to show

ill' i confidence. "And who are you?"

| I le blinked his eyes, holding her gaze. "An old friend of

I'm. lie's."

I She shook her head. "If you say your name, I might just |l<. ognize it."

I "Name's not important. Truth is, I'm home for the holiIdnys a wounded soldier." Here he leaned down and began to In ill up his left pant leg. "Let me show you " I "No, no, I believe you." She noticed his short hair cut on It In- side above his ears, beneath his uniform-style hat, so what plu-'il said was probably true. "Sorry you got yourself hurt." "Maybe you could help me ... so I won't have to go all

I lie way down the road to visit Sadie, after all." He pushed

I1 is trouser leg back down where it belonged and leaned hard on the other good leg, his right hand on his hip now.

"Just what did you have in mind?" She stood her ground, no longer frightened by him, though she still wondered what luisiness he had with Sadie.

"I've been thinking . . . wondering how she's doing. That's nil. Is she well?"

His question sounded strange. How would 1 know? "My sister's not ill, far as I know." The words popped right off her tongue. Besides, if Sadie were still living here in Gobbler's Knob, what would she want with a fancy Englisher . . . and on Christmas?

"Well, I haven't seen her in a while. Thought I might

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catch her outdoors milking cows, maybe . . . present myself to her as a sort of surprise."

She sighed. "Oh, well, if it's my sister you're after, you best be savin' your steps, 'cause she's married out in Ohio."

He ran his hand straight down the middle of his hat, smiling at her in a way that suddenly made her feel uncomfortable. "Isn't that a pity. She was the prettiest Amish girl I ever laid eyes on." Then, stepping back, he added, "But now that I'm here talking to you, I think you've got my Sadie beat al! to pieces."

My Sadie . . .

Something sprang up in her that instant, and she felt she best return to the house. "I oughta be goin' now." She turned to leave.

But he followed on her heels. "Wait! No need to be afraid. Don't you know who I am, Mary Ruth?"

She stopped walking and turned around and looked him over. Now that she was beginning to put two and two together, this was probably the boy who'd put her big sister in the family way the young father of Sadie's dead baby.

He limped toward her a bit. "You mean to say she never told you about me?"

Her mind leaped to a final conclusion. "So . . . you must be. . . ?"

"That's right. I'm the old man, and I mean to lay eyes on my son or daughter." He breathed in and rubbed his knuckles against his chest, displaying a sickening conceit. "Boy or girl, which is it?"

Silently she prayed; she felt she needed God's help lest this man standing before her begin to thrash his arms yet

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^Hti, directing his anger toward her. And, come to think of ^HiN limping was downright deceitful, because she had seen ^H tunning to beat the band before she'd ever let out her rfi'uM'je. "I take it ... you must not know what happened. Oh,

11' twin I sad, really." \ "WotI . . . what?"

I'I I ling her lungs with air, she told him. "Sadie's baby died I i- .ii' It ever had a chance to live."

I "Stillborn, you say?" To this he appeared rather stunned,

11'Mi yriKlunlly his surprise turned to obvious relief. Without so I lituch as a good-bye, he walked away, leaving Mary Ruth

It ill idl 11)4 there.

Ach, what a wretched soul! How on earth did Sadie ever fall Mil love with such a boy? she wondered. She could not compremi'inl in the slightest. Encountering him as she had, she hoped

t iul prayed the Lord had heard her sister's cries of repentance. HjUldy by now dear Sadie had called out to God for help and ^HlvcLicss. Dear Lord Jesus, please be near and dear to my Ohio ^Hf this day, Mary Ruth prayed. ......,, ,

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1 he day following Christmas, Leah insisted on Mamm:i resting after the big noon meal. Even though their close neighbors, the Peacheys, along with Adah and husband Sam, had come to share the feast, Mamma excused herself at Leah's urging and went to lie down.

Leah followed her to the upstairs bedroom, watching as she sat on the bed. "Here, let me help you," Leah said, getting a blanket out of the chest at the foot of the bed. "Are ya in need of more warmth?"

"No, no ... I'm just fine now, denki." Mamma leaned back and sighed, closing her eyes. "Will ya see to our guests while I nap?"

Leah nodded. "Of course. You have nothin' to worry 'bout." She leaned down and kissed Mamma's cheek, then quietly slipped out the door.