Crossing Values (9 page)

Amber looked down at Sassy. “Too many people for my taste, girl.”

The dog wagged her tail in response.

Amber turned to look through the French doors at the interesting mix of people inside. It looks like Micah and Frank are following orders again. Faye had kept them busy adding chairs for people to sit in, taking coats, and slicing meat. Amber was in charge of the punch bowl, keeping it full and cold, while Peter had been assigned trash and parking duty.

Suddenly the door opened and Peter walked out with Amy. “Okay. You sit here for a minute and I’ll grab your coat.” Amber watched Peter go back inside. He left the young brunette sitting in one of the chairs around the fire bowl just outside the French doors. Amber felt the need to be polite but wasn’t sure what to say.

“Hi.”

“Hey, Amber. It’s nice to fin’ly meet you. We didn’t really get a chance to say much at Thanksgivin’.”

Peter came back through the door. “Here, Amy. Cover up with this blanket. Amber, will you watch over her while I go find Chad?” Without pausing for an answer, he turned back into the throb of people. Amber felt a bit uneasy with her new charge. Now what do I say?

“You really don’t have to stay out ’ere wit’ me if you’re wantin’ to go back in. I just got overheated, that’s all. A couple minutes out ’ere ’n I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

Amber thought back to the soup Faye had fixed for Amy. That seems like so long ago. “Are you feeling better? I know you were sick for a while.”

“Oh, some. It comes and goes. Thankfully now the mornin’ sickness is mostly gone, but I get so hot. I was ’bout to die in there wit’ all those folks!”

“Can I get you a drink?” Amber nervously watched the door, starting to shiver some herself. Peter, where are you? Should Amy be out here in the cold like this?

“No, thanks. ’Twas my own fault really. I shoulda never sat down by the fire.”

Now what do I say? Why does my mind always go blank when I’m face to face with people?

Thankfully Amy breached the quiet. “How you likin’ Crossin’?”

“It’s a nice town. Although I think I like it better out here.”

“Yeah, us too.”

“Where do you live?”

“Oh, we just have a small place down from the loggin’ office a bit. We didn’t have much when we got married. Chad has worked for Frank ever since he was a kid, runnin’ errands and whatever else Frank could think of to keep him busy. He knew Chad’s always wanted a place of his own out ’ere, so as a wedding present he gave us a small piece of land.”

Wow. “That was nice.”

“Little Joshua can’t wait ’til he turns seven. Frank’s promised him he can start workin’ some just like his daddy did.”

“Amy!” Chad burst through the door with Peter close behind, immediately crouching beside his wife’s chair. “Are you a’right? Let me take you on home. We’ll—”

“No, not yet. Please, Chad. I’m fine. Really. I just got overheated. The kids are likin’ the time out and I’m enjoyin’ the break from havin’ to watch Caleb so close.”

Amber felt like she was intruding on a private moment, but with Chad’s lowered stance in front of the door, she couldn’t easily sneak away.

“You’ve been out in this cold long enough. How ’bout I get you a seat in the kitchen near Faye. I’ll feel better stayin’ if I know she’s watchin’ over you.”

“Okay. That’d be nice. It was nice to talk wit’ you, Amber.”

“You too, Amy.”

As Chad walked her inside, Peter crossed over to Amber and handed her his wool-lined denim jacket. “We can’t have you catching a cold five days before Christmas.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanks for watching over her for me. She wasn’t looking too good inside.”

“She seems really sweet.”

“She is. They are a neat couple who’ve overcome a lot.”

“Like what?”

“Amy’s parents died when she was young and she was raised by her grandmother, who died shortly after they got married. Chad’s dad . . . well. . . . Let’s just say he was more concerned about his next drink than he was about his family eating. Chad’s mom couldn’t take it anymore and took off when Chad was about six or seven years old. So Dad kinda took him under his wing and made sure he stayed out of trouble. Went toe-to-toe with the man a couple of times about school supplies and new shoes. Stuff like that. Dad always had some hope that he would get things turned around.”

“Is he still around here?”

“No. He took off one night when Chad was about sixteen. An aunt took Chad in until he graduated and could start working with Dad full time.”

This family. They continued to amaze her. Who took that much care about a boy with both a father and an aunt? Who gave away land as a wedding present?

Isn’t it nice to be part of a family, Amber?

Yes. Wait. She looked at Peter. Did he say that? I don’t think so. Where did that come from?

“Are you ready to go back inside?”

“I’m not sure. It’s a little overwhelming,” said Amber.

Peter’s eyes softened as he held her gaze. “Don’t worry about it. There’s a lot of people in there. It’s overwhelming for me and I know all of them.”

Amber hesitated. Peter stood so close. If only I had the right to reach out to him, walk back into the house on his arm. Would he want me to? She looked into his eyes, silently asking for reassurance.

“Am I interrupting something?”

Amber cringed at the syrupy sweetness in Stephanie’s voice. Can Peter really not know what she’s like?

“Stephanie! I’m glad you could make it down here tonight. You remember Amber?”

“Of course.” Stephanie glided over toward Peter and looped her arm through his before turning her cool stare toward Amber. “Isn’t it nice, Amber, that you are able to participate in Faye’s little party this year.”

Amber wasn’t sure if she felt the insult more for herself or for Faye. More fitting for a night in the city rather than the simple town gathering inside, Stephanie’s cashmere sweater sparkled in the moonlight. The princess certainly knows how to play up her strengths.

“Isn’t it.” Amber couldn’t help the icy tone in her own voice.

“How thoughtful of you, sweetheart, to loan Amber your coat so she wouldn’t be cold. Really, Amber, you need to replace that thing you were wearing last time I saw you.”

Her eyes obviously didn’t miss much.

“Would you be a dear, Amber, and go fetch me a drink. I’m simply parched from the long drive here.”

Summarily dismissed, Amber strode angrily toward the door. Peter may think she’s good company, but I don’t have to put up with her! And she can get her own drink!

: : : : :

Amber watched the family drive away Sunday morning in Peter’s Jeep, Faye’s words from a couple weeks ago echoing in her mind: “You’ll have to decide for yourself.”

Amber sighed deeply, nibbling on her bottom lip. So, God, how does this work? Let’s just say I’m curious.

Silence.

“Well, what did you expect? Great. Now I’m talking to myself.”

Sassy whimpered at her feet.

“Maybe I’ll just pretend I was talking to you, girl.”

Amber eyed the library with its shelf of Bibles. “Well, I guess if the lady in the book started with the Gospel of Luke, that’s where I’ll start too.” Amber flipped through the pages as she walked to her chair by the fire.

Amber found Luke and began to read.

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you. . . .

Chapter 14

THE HOUSE WAS FULL OF
activity when Peter walked through his parents’ door on Christmas Eve. Sassy bounded toward him and he reached down to give her a quick rub around the ears.

“Hey, Mom!” As he walked to the tree with the last of his presents, he couldn’t help but look around for Amber, finally noticing her and Brittney sitting at the breakfast bar together.

“Uncle Peter!” Emma came racing across the living room with her arms stretched wide. He scooped her up and swung her around in a big circle before wrapping her tight in a bear hug. She giggled in delight.

Right behind her was two-year-old Taylor. “Unc Pe-er! Me too!”

Laughing, Peter set Emma down. “You bet, munchkin! Come here!”

“Uncle Peter, will you play Candyland with me?” said Emma.

“Me too!” said Taylor.

“Gotta watch that little one, Peter. She cheats!”

Peter grinned at Pops sitting at the chess table across from his dad. “Sounds like she’s been taking lessons from her great grandfather!”

“She’s a smart girl!” said Pops.

“Pops, really!” said Heather. “Hey, Pete!” Heather walked over to give him a hug.

“Uncle Peter! Candyland?” said Emma.

Logan walked into the room carrying six-month-old Megan. “Mom! Pete’s here. Can we eat now?”

“I told you that you should have eaten lunch,” said Heather.

“I wasn’t hungry then. Mom!”

“Logan William. Would you kindly stop yelling at me from the other room,” said Faye.

“I’m hungry!” said Logan.

“And whiny!” said Faye, laughing. “Come on, everyone. Let’s gather for prayer before Logan regresses any farther!”

: : : : :

Dinner was a noisy affair and Peter noticed that everyone was in a great mood. Even Amber. Father, she’s interacting with the family like . . . well, like she belongs.

At that moment Amber was giggling with Brittney over some story from their childhood. “What are you two talking about?” said Peter.

“Britt’s telling her about the time when she tricked you into doing the dishes after she rigged the sprayer to douse you when you turned the water on,” said Logan.

“I remember that one,” said Faye, giggling at the memory. “I was working on some laundry and next thing I knew, you were yelling at your sister. You must have turned the water on full blast because you were soaked!”

Everyone at the table laughed.

Peter rolled his eyes. “I had turned the water on all the way. And as I remember, I was so mad because we were getting ready to leave. I had to go change clothes and then Dad was irritated at having to wait for me.”

Frank chuckled. “It was a good prank.”

“Now I know you didn’t leave it at that,” said Heather. “What’d you do to get her back?”

“He locked me in my room!” said Brittney.

“Now how’d he do that?” said Faye. “I don’t remember that.”

“That’s because he waited until you and Dad were out for a walk,” said Brittney.

Logan and Peter burst out laughing.

“How’d you lock her in?” said Pops. “Doesn’t her door lock from the inside?”

“Yeah,” said Peter. “We turned the door knob around.”

“We had to wait for several days,” said Logan, “before we had the time to get the knob turned around, Britt in her room, and you guys out of the house.”

Amber looked at Brittney. “What did you do?”

“I climbed out the window and about broke my neck!”

Peter shook his head as he grinned. Life at the Yager house had certainly never been dull!

“Is that how that lattice got broke?” said Frank.

“Yeah,” said Brittney. “I made it out the window and to the lattice okay, but partway down, one of the boards broke and I fell the rest of the way. I was sore for three days!”

“And we felt bad for two!” said Logan as he and Peter exchanged looks and burst out laughing all over again.

“Sometimes I wonder that any of you survived childhood,” said Faye.

: : : : :

Presents had been opened and lots of games of Candyland played with Emma and Taylor before Logan and Heather packed them up to go home. Brittney and Pops had left shortly after that. Now Frank, Faye, Peter, and Amber sat relaxing in the living room with cups of hot chocolate.

Peter looked at the clock. “Are you going to the Christmas Eve service tonight?”

“Of course, dear,” said Faye. “What time is it?”

“Almost 8:30, Mom.”

“My goodness. I’d better get ready. Amber, are you ready?” Faye shuffled off without waiting for an answer.

Peter gave his mom a surprised look, then looked at Amber.

“Come on, Frank. You need a clean shirt,” said Faye.

Frank got up to follow his wife down the hall. “I expect dear-heart has somethin’ to tell you, Peter.”

Peter looked at Amber, trying not to hold his breath. She looked at him, then down at her hands. Nibbling a little on her lower lip, she took a deep breath.

“When you all left for church on Sunday, I was curious. So I looked up the book of Luke and started reading. It was interesting, until I got to this one story where Jesus healed a lady. He was on His way with some important synagogue leader to heal the man’s daughter, when a lady in the crowd touched His clothes.”

Amber paused and Peter wasn’t sure whether to say something or remain quiet. Speaking might be more encouraging. “I know the story. She’d been to many different doctors and no one could help her.”

“Well, it really hit me that Jesus stopped what He was doing with this important man to help some poor lady, a stranger. He could have pretended that He didn’t notice; after all, no one else did. He could have shouted out ‘You’re welcome!’ and kept going. But He didn’t do that either. He stopped to talk to her, to acknowledge her, to show her she was just as important as this leader beside Him.”

Amber suddenly got up and walked over to the fireplace. Peter guessed she was nervous. He knew how scary it could be sharing your heart with someone. She was taking a huge risk and although he wanted to reassure her, he needed to hear everything she was going to say.

“I realized that Jesus reached out to me too. He stopped whatever else He was doing the day I arrived in Crossing and He somehow put me and your dad together.” She turned to face him.

“I’ve been struggling to understand why your family would take me in when you knew nothing about me. I couldn’t figure out why anyone would cook a meal for a sick woman, or care that an old man sat in his home after his wife died. Every time I turned around, one of you was doing something nice for someone else. And your family! The way you just envelop friends, treating Heather and Allie and all the others like they belong here.” She paused and looked down at her hands for a moment. “It was just how Jesus treated that woman. It was Him treating me that way too, through all of you.”