Amish White Christmas Pie (10 page)

“I wish I didn’t have to get my wisdom teeth pulled this morning,” Karen said to her mother as they sat in the waiting room at the oral surgeon’s office.

Mom reached over and took hold of Karen’s hand. “Are you nervous about the procedure or worried about the pain you might have afterward?”

“A little of both, but I’m mostly worried about not being able to help in our store.” Karen sighed. “I’ll probably be stuck at home taking pain pills and rinsing my mouth for the next couple of days, and I won’t be much help to anyone but myself.”

Mom gently squeezed Karen’s fingers. “It’s okay. Your daed, Cindy, and Mavis can manage things in the store.”

Karen rolled her eyes. “My little sister’s not much help to anyone these days. It seems like she’s always got her mind on some
kall
instead of the job at hand.”

Mom chuckled. “That’s true, but it’s normal for a girl Cindy’s age to be thinking about fellows.”

“Not when she’s thinking about the
wrong
fellow.”

Deep wrinkles formed in Mom’s forehead. “What fellow does Cindy have her eye on?”

“Leroy Eash.”

Mom’s mouth fell open. “Has she told you she has an interest in Leroy?”

Karen nodded. “You should have seen the way she looked at him when he stopped by our house the other day. If it was obvious to me, I’m sure Leroy must have noticed it, too.”

“I’d better have a talk with Cindy.”

“I already did. I reminded her that’s Leroy’s too old for her and said she shouldn’t be thinking about him in a romantic sort of way.”

Mom pursed her lips. “The age difference might be okay if Cindy was older, but since she’s not, it’s good that you discouraged her. I’ll talk to her about the matter, too. If she doesn’t listen, then I’ll mention it to your daed and let him take things from there.”

A middle-aged woman entered the room and called Karen’s name.

“Guess it’s now or never,” Karen said as she rose from her seat.

Mom gave her a reassuring smile. “I’ll be praying that everything goes well.”

When Will entered the makeshift shop he’d set up in their storage shed, he noticed that the door was ajar. He figured Papa Mark must have gotten something from the shed earlier and forgotten to close the door.

He lit the lantern hanging overhead, as well as the small propane-operated stove. He rubbed his hands briskly to warm them up and was about to grab his hammer and a can of nails when he heard a strange squeaking noise. He tipped his head and listened. There it was again.

He followed the sound to the back of the shed and halted when he came to a wooden box full of rags. There lay Sandy with five squealing puppies nestled against her body.

“Well, what do you know?” Will leaned closer to the box for a better look. “I guess you didn’t like the bed I made for you in the barn, huh, girl?”

Sandy grunted as she opened her eyes and looked up at him.

Will patted the top of her head. “Go on back to sleep; I won’t disturb you or your sleeping pups.” He grabbed his tools and some pieces of wood, figuring he could work in the barn. He’d just stepped outside when he spotted his friend Nathan coming from the store.

“Wie geht’s, Will?” Nathan asked.

“I’m doing okay. How about you?”

“Can’t complain. I stopped at your mamm’s store to see if you were working, and she said you were either in the shed or the barn.”

Will motioned to the shed. “I was going to do some work in there, but I discovered that my cocker spaniel snuck in and had her hundlin there. I figured I’d better head out to the barn to work so I wouldn’t disturb Sandy and her brood.”

“How many pups did she have?”

“Five in all. Would you like to see ’em?”

“Maybe some other time. I’m on my way to Goshen to do some shopping at Walmart and wondered if you’d like to go along.”

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I’d better pass.” Will lifted his tool pouch. “I’m heading to the barn to work on a birdhouse I plan to give Karen for Christmas. When I’m done, I’m going over to Karen’s house to see how she’s doing.”

“What’s wrong with Karen? Is she grank?” Nathan asked as he followed Will to the barn.

Will shook his head. “She’s not sick. She was supposed to have her wisdom teeth pulled this morning. If it goes anything like it did when my mamm had hers out a few years ago, Karen probably won’t feel like herself for the next couple of days.”

“Karen’s got youth on her side, so I’m sure it won’t be near as bad as what your mamm went through.”

“Are you saying Mama Regina’s old?” Will asked as he placed the wood and tools on the workbench inside the barn door.

“‘Course not. That isn’t what I meant at all.”

“What did you mean?”

“I meant that Karen’s young and—”

Will held up his hand. “That’s okay. No need to explain. I guess I’m a bit oversensitive where Mama Regina’s concerned.”

“How come?”

“You know the story, Nathan. If Mama Regina and Papa Mark hadn’t taken me in and raised me like a son, I’d have probably been hauled off to some orphanage or put in a foster home.”

“I’d never thought about that possibility. I can see why Mark and Regina are so special to you.”

Will nodded and picked up his hammer and a nail. He positioned it over one of the pieces of wood and brought down the hammer. “Yeow!” He pulled his thumb back, and the hammer thudded to the floor.

“You’d better watch what you’re doin’,
dummkopp
.” Nathan bent to pick up the hammer. “A few more misses like that, and you won’t have a thumb left.”

“I was watching. I just missed the nail, that’s all.” Will squinted at Nathan. “And what’s up with the dunce remark? I thought you were my
gut
friend.”

“I was only kidding, and I am your good friend.” Nathan placed the hammer on the workbench and thumped Will on the back. “Which is why I’ve decided to stay here in Indiana—at least until after your wedding.”

“Really? You’re not going back to Ohio for Thanksgiving?”

“Nope. I may not go back for Christmas or New Year’s, either. I may decide to stay here permanently.”

“That’d be great, Nathan.” Will’s face broke into a wide smile. “Now I know for sure that you’ll be here as one of my witnesses.”

“At your wedding?”

Will gave his friend a playful swat on the arm. “Of course at my wedding. What else would I want you to be my witness for?”

Nathan motioned to Will’s throbbing thumb. “I thought maybe you wanted me to witness you smacking your thumb a few more times.”

Will grunted. “I’ll take that to mean you like being with me.”

“Of course.” Nathan moved toward the door. “I’d better get going.”

Will picked up his hammer. “See you soon.”

W
hen Frank entered his house and smelled the distinctive aroma of stuffed peppers coming from the kitchen, his stomach rumbled. It felt good to be home, and he was more than ready to eat supper.

“Daddy!” Kim squealed as she wrapped her arms around his legs. “I missed you, Daddy!”

“I missed you, too.” Frank bent down and scooped the little girl into his arms. “Where’s your big sister?”

“She’s in the kitchen settin’ the table.”

Frank kissed the top of Kim’s curly head. “How come you’re not in there helping her?”

“‘Cause I’m in here with you.”

He smiled and set the child on the floor. “Where’s your mother? Is she in the kitchen, too?”

Kim nodded. “Mommy made hot dogs for me and Carrie.” She crinkled her nose. “That’s ‘cause we don’t like green peppers.”

Frank grimaced. Megan was always pacifying the kids. He thought they ought to learn to eat real people food, but he wouldn’t make an issue of it tonight. He was too tired to argue about anything. He just wanted to relax and enjoy his meal then spend the rest of the evening sprawled out on the couch watching his favorite game show on TV.

Frank took Kim’s hand and headed for the kitchen, where he found Megan making a tossed green salad while Carrie filled the glasses on the table with water.

“Be careful with that pitcher,” Frank admonished. “And don’t fill the glasses too full.”

Megan whirled around, a frown marring her forehead. “Is that any way to greet your daughter?”

“Sorry,” Frank mumbled. He waited until Carrie was finished with the water then bent down and kissed her cheek. “Did you have a good day at school?”

She nodded. “We got to draw pictures of our favorite zoo animal. I drew a monkey, and Teacher said my picture was really good.”

“That’s nice, honey.” Frank snatched a pickle from the jar on the counter and took a bite. “How soon until supper’s ready, Megan?”

Her frowned deepened. “Is that all I get—‘How soon until supper’s ready’?”

“Sorry. It’s been a long day, and I’m hungry enough to eat a horse.”

Kim’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t really eat a horse, would ya, Daddy?”

He ruffled her hair. “It’s just an expression, pumpkin.”

She stared up at him and blinked a couple of times. “What’s a ’spression?”

“It’s ‘expression,’ and it means a way of saying something.” Frank turned to give Megan a hug. “How was your day?”

“It was fine. I—”

“You’ll never guess what I saw on my way to East Earl this morning.”

“What’d you see, Daddy?” The question came from Carrie.

“I saw an Amish buggy turned on its side, and the horse pulling the buggy was on the ground.”

Carrie gasped, and Kim’s mouth fell open. “Was it dead?” they asked in unison.

“It seemed to be. I stopped to see if I could help, but the emergency vehicles were on the way, so I didn’t hang around long.”

“Was anyone hurt, Daddy?” Carrie questioned.

“From what I was told, the driver of the buggy was shaken up pretty good, but he wasn’t seriously hurt.” Frank slowly shook his head. “He sure could have been, though. I’ve heard of some buggy accidents that left—”