An Amish Christmas Quilt (7 page)

C
HAPTER
6

Thursday of that week, Mary completed the final squares of the Star of Bethlehem quilt top. Miriam and Ben were working, Sol was at school, and Emmanuel and Lucy were napping, so she stayed at her aunt's treadle machine, stitching the large squares into rows with strips of an evergreen cotton print between them. In the center of each square, an eight-point star made of bold red and green diamonds was encircled by dark green house-shaped pieces and diamonds in a lighter shade of green. With a red triangle in each corner of a square, the design looked cheerful yet masculine.

By the time Emmanuel stirred in his crib, Mary was attaching the last row. It felt so satisfying to complete one major part of her project. The Christmas quilt had been good therapy after Emmanuel's birth and in the aftermath of Sunday's confrontation with Dat.

“Knock, knock!” came a voice from the doorway.

Mary looked up and smiled. “Rhoda and Taylor! Come and see what I've been making—and tell me how I should do the quilting.”

At the sound of voices, Lucy roused from her nap. Her face lit up when she saw seven-year-old Taylor, whose lavender Plain-style dress matched her own. “Can we get cookies in the kitchen?” she asked hopefully.

“
Jah
—but save some for when Sol gets home,” Mary replied. It did her heart good to watch the two little girls becoming friends, just as she was pleased that Rhoda had come to visit at such an opportune time.

“Oh, what a pretty piece,” Rhoda said as Mary smoothed the finished quilt top over the bed. “You've been a busy bee since your boy was born.”

“
Jah
, I figured I'd best take advantage of this time at Miriam and Ben's,” Mary replied. “Once I hear from Elmer's brother about settling up for the farm in Bowling Green, we'll
really
be busy.”

When Mary stood back from the bed, she couldn't help but smile. It was one thing to piece each square of a quilt, and something else altogether to see them stitched into the final design.

“It would detract from that nice, simple pattern if ya quilted the usual loops or swirls over it,” Rhoda remarked in a thoughtful tone. “Why not stitch just inside the house shapes, and inside the red corner triangles, and then tie the center of each star? And if ya ask me—who's not so
gut
at gettin' my stitches perfect and even—I'd do that quiltin' on the machine. But that's just me.”

Mary could easily visualize the way Rhoda's suggestion would look. “What a wonderful-
gut
idea,” she replied. “And it would save me dragging out Miriam's quilting frame—not to mention saving me a lot of time. I could probably finish it by Christmas if I machine quilted it.”

“For somebody special?” Rhoda asked with a sly grin.

Was she that transparent? Or did Rhoda have a matchmaker's heart, the same as most of the ladies here in Willow Ridge? They'd watched her hand Emmanuel over to Seth on Sunday morning, after all—a gesture that had implied a great deal of trust. “Not really,” Mary hedged. “It would just be
gut
to finish this Christmas project before we move on to our new life and a new year.”

“We're all glad you've decided to stay in Willow Ridge, Mary,” Rhoda said as a smile lit her face. “My Brett and your Sol seem to be buddyin' up the way the two girls are. What with Andy's kids bein' betwixt and between—not yet Plain but no longer livin' their
Englisch
life—they're happy to be makin' friends with other kids who're new in town.”

That was a blessing Mary hadn't foreseen.

“Truth be told, you're my inspiration, Rhoda,” she murmured. “Seeing the way Andy's kids have taken to you gives me hope that someday Lucy and Sol will consider me more as their
mamm
than their
dat
's second wife, you know? We've had some rough moments, especially between Sol and me.”

“Can't be easy, takin' up where their birth mother left off—and then losin' the man who glued your family together.” Rhoda slung her arm around Mary's shoulders. “I think a fresh start away from all those memories—and your
dat
's criticism—is the best thing ya could possibly do.

“Matter of fact,” Rhoda continued in a lighter voice, “Taylor and I came to ask if you and the kids wanted to see our Nativity set. Bishop Tom carved it, ya know. And with all the talk last Sunday about puttin' on a Christmas pageant, we thought your kids would enjoy it.”

“How nice of you to ask!” Mary glanced at the clock. “Sol will be walking home from the schoolhouse soon, and with the sun so bright and warm today, it would do us all
gut
to get some fresh air. Let me get our jackets and Emmanuel's basket!”

As they walked, Mary lifted her face to the sun . . . watched Lucy and Taylor skip along the side of the road with Rowdy bounding ahead of them and then circling back. As she looked out over Willow Ridge, where the white homes and cardinal-red barns shone in the afternoon light, Mary felt more lighthearted than she had in a long, long time. “We're having a really mild winter so far,” she remarked as she and Rhoda followed the girls.

“
Jah
, ya just never know how December'll play out. It's like they say—if ya don't like Missouri weather right now, wait a day,” Rhoda replied. “Jacket weather suits me fine, even if snow would be pretty for Christmas.”

Mary waved high above her head when she saw Sol coming down the intersecting gravel road, and he waved back. As Lucy and Taylor called Sol's name, Rowdy raced ahead, barking ecstatically as the boy ran to meet them. A buggy was also coming down the gravel road, and Brett leaned out of its window to call out to the other kids. It made quite a picture, watching Sol, Lucy, Taylor—and Rowdy—jump into the rig when it came to a stop.

“Brett went over to tell Tom we were settin' up his Nativity,” Rhoda explained. “Looks like he convinced the bishop to take a break and join us for a few.”

“I should've brought some of our cookies,” Mary said. “This is turning out to be a little Advent party.”

Once they arrived at the Leitners' home, which was inside the clinic building, everyone gathered around the most unique Nativity set Mary had ever seen. The carved figures were Amish men and women, wearing broad-brimmed black hats and Plain dresses. They were faceless but they certainly didn't lack for personality.

“Look at this!” Mary said as she leaned down to study the set. “The wise men are carrying an ear of corn, a bucket of milk, and a chicken!”

“Bringin' their homegrown gifts to the Baby Jesus,” Rhoda explained.

Taylor giggled, elbowing her brother. “Brett used to call them the
three wise guys
, but we've fixed his thinking.”

“And the little quilts on the animals and in the manger are so detailed—and the star's got a quilt pattern, too,” Mary marveled. She smiled at Bishop Tom, who was watching the Leitner kids show their favorite pieces to Sol and Lucy. “Did you do the carving
and
the painting, Bishop? This is a quite a labor of love.”

“
Jah
, it is, and the tourists snap up every last Nativity I can display at Zook's Market,” he remarked with a humble shrug. “Makin' these sets keeps me busy on winter days. They're intended for
Englisch
more than for us Plain folks—lots of districts don't allow them, as the Nativity figures could be considered graven images.”

“
Jah
, Dat and the leaders of his church are set against them,” Mary agreed.

Bishop Tom smiled at Rhoda then. “But since you bought this for Taylor and Brett before they started down the path to becomin' Plain, I'm happy you've gotten it out,” he said. “Watchin' these kids share Jesus's birth brings new life to the story, even for us older folks who've known it since we were kids ourselves.”

Mary had to agree. Lucy and Sol looked enthralled as Taylor and Brett handed them each carved, painted piece. Then they discussed where the figures ought to be placed beneath the star-topped manger, so humans and animals alike were gazing at the baby. The wooly sheep, the humble donkey, and the contented cow conveyed a feeling of peace, and even without facial features, Mary and Joseph expressed wonder and adoration. It was a treat to hear the four kids tell how each character played a part in the first Christmas as she gazed at the little baby on His quilt, in a hay manger.

When Rowdy barked at something outside, Taylor's eyes lit up. “Bishop Tom, you should carve a border collie for this set—to keep the sheep from wandering off, you know?”

“
Jah
, Rowdy's real
gut
about watchin' Emmanuel. Real gentle and quiet,” Sol chimed in. “And if sheep and cows and a donkey were around, he'd make sure they wouldn't hurt our little brother.”

Our little brother.
The words were music to Mary's ears, for Sol hadn't shown much inclination to hold or talk to Emmanuel.

Tom chuckled. “A border collie, eh? It makes perfect sense, I suppose.” He smiled at the kids then, as though he had a secret to share. “I've given a lot of thought to puttin' on a living Nativity, like you kids were so excited about last Sunday. I think we should give it a go.”

When Taylor and the other kids jumped up and down, clapping their hands, Bishop Tom grinned. “It would solve Teacher Alberta's predicament about puttin' on the Christmas Eve program,” he explained. “And since it would include our younger kids, as well as a few local folks' animals, I think it's a worthwhile community effort. As long as we keep Jesus's birth and the Holy Spirit first and foremost, we're still tellin' the greatest story on earth.”

The bishop focused on Mary then, his expression softening as he stroked Emmanuel's cheek. “Of course, it's really up to
you
, Mary,” he continued in a lower voice. “If you're not inclined to sit outside with this wee boy on a December night, everyone would understand. I suppose we could wrap up somebody's doll baby—”

“That wouldn't be the same!” Taylor protested. “If we're going to have lambs and Lucy's little pony and—”

“Ah-ah! Watch your tongue,” Rhoda warned with a shake of her finger. “It's Mary's choice. If she doesn't want to risk Emmanuel catchin' his death of cold, we'll respect her decision.”

A look of contrition stole over Taylor's face. “
Jah
, you're right,” she agreed. “Who knows but what we might have snow or ice that night? Nobody would want to be outside in that sort of weather.”

Mary's thoughts were racing. Was she willing to take part in such an event because her father had so vehemently spoken out against it, or because the idea of reenacting Jesus's birth stirred something deep inside her? She'd often portrayed Mary in the Christmas Eve skits when she'd been a scholar, but giving birth to her firstborn son had put the story into a new perspective for her.

“Where do you suppose we should have it?” Mary asked. “A living Nativity won't require anyone to memorize parts, but we still have to plan it out—”

“Seth built that new room for Clarabelle and Rowdy and the kitties!” Lucy exclaimed.

“
Jah
!” Sol looked more enthusiastic than Mary had ever seen him. “Clarabelle—or even a cow—could use her stall,” he said. “We could stack hay bales for you to sit on. And if we're there at Ben and Miriam's, you can take Emmanuel back to the house if he gets too cold.”

“That little stable would shield ya from the wind, too,” Bishop Tom remarked as he stroked his silver-shot beard. “Ben could probably borrow some lights or space heaters from the Schrocks. Lots of our Mennonite friends will probably come that night, if we let them know what we're doin'.”

“Rebecca!” Taylor blurted. “She's not Plain, so she can post notices on her computer, and print up posters for store bulletin boards all around here. I bet
bunches
of people will come! This is going to be
so cool
!”

“I think so, too!” Mary said. As she hugged Emmanuel, the whole idea blossomed in her imagination and in her heart. It was so good to see Lucy and Sol wanting to participate with the Leitner kids, who'd originally had the idea. “We'll need a cow and some sheep—”

“I can talk Dan Kanagy into sharin' a ewe and a lamb or two. I'll bring an older cow from my dairy herd—and I've got a trailer to bring them all down the road,” Tom said with a nod. “The Knepp kids and the Zooks'll be tickled to take part, so the only challenge will be gettin' Joseph to cooperate.” The bishop looked at Mary as though he had information from a Higher Source about the nature of her relationship with Seth Brenneman.

Mary let out a laugh. “Last I heard, Seth was telling Teacher Alberta he wanted no part of any play-acting.”

“It's not like anybody'll need to talk. Everyone can sing carols and just enjoy seein' who all comes,” Tom said. “Doesn't have to be Seth who plays Joseph, either. Invite whoever ya want, Mary. Ben would probably help out.”

As they discussed a few more ideas, Mary felt a surge of happiness and Christmas spirit. What a wonderful sensation—all from being invited to see the Leitners' Nativity set, and visiting with a bishop who was open to new ideas. Didn't this afternoon's surprises suggest that she'd made the right decision, selling Elmer's farm to start fresh in Willow Ridge?

As she and the kids prepared to leave, Mary felt a tug on her sleeve. It was Taylor, smiling up at her. “I didn't mean to sound bossy about you and the baby being in an outdoor Nativity,” she said in a low voice.