“To everything there is a season,” the Bible said. “A time to plant and a time to pluck up that which is planted.”
Jonathan reminded himself that the daylight was lasting until a little after five o’clock now. Spring would come again and his outlook would brighten. Until then, he just had to keep going through the motions of his daily routine. And at this moment, that means eating lunch with my sister-in-law and her bobblemoul friend, he thought as he forced himself to rejoin them in the kitchen.
Chapter Two
Except for one trip to Lancaster for the funeral when Betty’s husband died, this was the first time in almost twenty years that Leah hadn’t slept in her own bed. So when she was awoken abruptly by Rebekah’s cries the next morning, it took her a minute to figure out where she was.
She tossed back the quilt and slipped next door to the baby’s room in order to pick her up before she woke her parents. Gabriel had only managed to come downstairs long enough to get a glass of water and say hello to Leah yesterday afternoon. And by eight o’clock, Esther looked so exhausted that Leah claimed to be too tired to stay up talking after all, just so her friend would go to bed early. If possible, Leah hoped they’d both sleep in.
As soon as she reached down and scooped Rebekah up, the baby stopped crying and looked at Leah with big eyes, as if to say, “Who are you?”
Leah couldn’t help but laugh and the baby giggled, too. She changed her diaper and then brought her to the guest room and laid her in the middle of the bed. After getting dressed, Leah brushed her hair. She turned her back for one moment to glance in the mirror as she pinned on her prayer kapp and when she looked at Rebekah again, the baby was near the edge of the bed. Leah dashed around to the other side to stop her from falling off.
“Who taught you to roll like that?” she cooed, smiling down at her. “Have you been watching your mamm use her rolling pin? Are you your daed’s favorite little cinnamon roll?”
With each nonsensical question, Rebekah gave Leah a big giggle and then she raised her eyebrows and puckered her mouth until Leah asked her something else and then she’d break into a giggle again.
“You’re the first person who thinks my jokes are schpass,” Leah told her. “But we don’t want to wake up your eldre, so let’s go into the kitchen and get something to eat.”
Esther had confided that she’d had to switch to formula when Rebekah was four months old due to insufficient milk supply, so Leah figured she’d prepare the baby’s bottle. She sat her in her high chair and opened the cupboards to look for formula and infant cereal, but Rebekah immediately began banging on the tray.
“Shh-shh, you’ll wake your mamm and daed,” Leah whispered, a finger to her lips. For some reason, Rebekah found that funny, too, and she squealed loudly.
Leah scrambled to give her a couple of her plastic, doughnut-shaped stacking toys but Rebekah clapped them together twice and then threw them to the floor. As Leah bent to retrieve them from where they’d rolled under the table, she commented, “No wonder your mamm is so worn out. We haven’t even been awake for ten minutes and I already want to go back to bed.”
“You want me to watch her for you?” Jonathan asked from the threshold of the mudroom, startling Leah. As she straightened into a standing position, she knocked the back of her head on the table.
“Ouch!” she exclaimed vehemently. Maybe it was because of the fierceness in Leah’s voice, but the baby screwed her face into a knot and began to wail. Leah had clunked her head so hard she felt like wailing, too.
Jonathan strode across the room and lifted the baby from the high chair. He barely jostled her half a minute before she was smiling again. Leah, however, was not.
“What are you doing here so early in the morning? You frightened me.” And now I’ve got a koppweh, Leah thought, gingerly touching the back of her skull.
“I’m sorry. I always kumme here to worship with Gabriel and Esther on off-Sundays,” he explained, gently bouncing the baby up and down, while also shifting from foot to foot. “My bruder is always up early and Esther is usually making breakfast or has a pot of kaffi on.”
“Well, I was trying to let them sleep in, but after all the ruckus, they’re probably awake now,” Leah retorted even though she didn’t hear any stirring from the room overhead. She hoped Jonathan didn’t expect her to have breakfast on the table anytime soon—Leah’s focus was on making sure the baby was fed, which wasn’t easy to do since she couldn’t find what she needed.
“If you’re tired, I’ll take Rebekah,” Jonathan offered again. “You can go back to bed for a while longer.”
“Who says I’m tired?” Esther snapped, irritated that he seemed to want to take over. Did he think she was incapable of caring for the baby just because Rebekah had cried when Leah said “ouch”?
“You did,” he answered. Before Leah could ask him what he was talking about, he explained, “I heard you telling the bobbel you wanted to go back to bed.”
“That was just a figure of speech,” she said. “Besides, you shouldn’t be listening to other people’s private conversations.”
“Is it actually considered a conversation if one of the people can’t talk yet?” Jonathan countered.
Ordinarily, this technicality would have cracked Leah up, but she was embarrassed he’d overheard her babbling to Rebekah and her head was really starting to throb. “Maybe not, but it’s still considered private.”
“In that case, I’m sorry for the intrusion, as well as for startling you and causing you to bump your head.” Jonathan momentarily stopped bouncing to look at Leah. His eyes were an inky shade of blue and it looked as if he’d done a better job of shaving today, because the skin on his jaw and cheeks was smooth. Leah noticed his hair was freshly combed, too. If only he’d wipe that scowl off his face, he might actually appear handsome, she thought.
Rebekah squawked, indicating she wanted Jonathan to keep moving, so he complied. There was something about such a tall, lean and serious man coddling such a little tubby, smiling baby that made it impossible for Leah to stay annoyed. “It’s okay. I suppose I’m a little frustrated because I can’t find where Esther keeps the formula and I think Rebekah is really hungry.”
“I’ll show you.” Jonathan pointed to a freestanding cabinet on the other end of the kitchen. “Esther needs to keep Rebekah’s bottles and food supplies at an easy-to-reach level. She’s often holding the baby and with only one hand, it would be too difficult for her to balance Rebekah in her right arm and reach overhead for what she needs at the same time.”
Leah was aware that sometimes Esther struggled with simple tasks because she didn’t have the convenient accommodations most people took for granted. Not this time, however; the cabinet appeared to have been custom-made to suit her needs. Not only was it the perfect height for Esther, but the shelves slid out, too, allowing easier access to their contents.
“Did Gabriel make this cabinet?”
“Neh. I did.”
Leah vaguely remembered Esther mentioning Jonathan had been a carpenter with an Englisch crew before he was baptized into the Amish church. Touched that he’d obviously put a good amount of thought and effort into making Esther’s domestic tasks a little easier, Leah complimented him on his handiwork. She removed a baby bowl, spoon and container of infant cereal from the shelves and then asked, “Do you still make furniture or do any carpentry work?”
His face clouded. “Neh.”
“Why not? With craftsmanship like this, you could earn a fortune. And since it’s winter, surely you have time to do it?”
“I—I’ve put carpentry behind me—except for helping build heiser and barns for the leit in our district.” Jonathan set the baby back in her high chair and she instantly began to fuss. “If you have what you need now, I’ll go out to the barn. Since Gabriel and Esther are both sleeping, I’ll take care of milking the kuh and gathering the oier.”
I suppose Esther was right. He is quite helpful, even with chores that are usually considered “women’s work,” Leah silently acknowledged. But would it kill him to crack a smile?
She tried to pacify Rebekah while simultaneously measuring out the cereal, but it was of little use. As soon as Jonathan left the room, the baby began to cry and she didn’t stop until her mother came to see why she was making such a racket. And then, of course, she was all giggles, the little scamp.
* * *
Even after he’d milked the cow and collected the eggs, Jonathan dawdled in the barn. Maybe Leah wasn’t used to dealing with a baby in the morning or maybe she was reeling from whacking her head on the table, but she seemed kind of grouchy and he wanted to avoid talking to her alone again. Especially about carpentry.
Granted, she’d brought up a valid point; there was no reason Jonathan couldn’t work on an occasional carpentry or furniture project during the winter months. No reason timewise, anyway. But what Jonathan didn’t want to tell Leah or anyone else was that he couldn’t get motivated enough to start working on something like that, as much as he might have enjoyed it. He’d never considered himself a lazy person before, but he was starting to feel like one now. He didn’t want to call attention to it by telling Leah it was taking all of his energy just to keep up with the winter responsibilities on the farm.
When Jonathan finally did go inside again, he was relieved to find Esther sitting at the table, across from Leah, who was holding the baby on her lap.
“Guder mariye,” he greeted his sister-in-law as Rebekah reached out her arms for him to hold her.
“Do you mind taking her?” Leah asked, handing the baby to him before he could answer. “Esther is feeling under the weather, so she doesn’t want to get too close to the bobbel in case she’s coming down with what Gabriel has, and I need to turn the bacon over.”
“I never mind holding this sack of sugar, do I, Rebekah?” Jonathan said to his niece, who smiled at him and then promptly drooled on his wrist. While he was aware most people would say he was spoiling her, Jonathan continued holding Rebekah on his knee throughout the meal, jiggling his leg to keep her content. It helps to know I can make someone else hallich, even if I can’t seem to make myself feel better, he thought.
“I can hardly keep my eyes open.” Esther had only taken a couple bites of scrambled eggs before she pushed the plate aside. “I’m afraid I have to go lie down until we’re ready to worship.”
Leah jumped to her feet and felt her friend’s forehead. “I knew it—you’re burning up!” she announced. “I’ll get you a glass of water and something for your fever.”
The two women left the room and when Leah returned, she said, “I’m worried about her. That fever came on very quickly. Your bruder seems quite ill, too.”
“Jah, I’ve heard the flu is especially virulent this season. Should we say a prayer for them?”
The two of them bowed their heads and asked the Lord to heal Esther and Gabriel quickly and to keep the rest of them from getting sick, too.
When they opened their eyes again, Leah said, “I think I ought to stay here a couple extra days to help out.”
Jonathan hesitated before replying. On one hand, he didn’t know if he had it in him to make small talk with Leah for the rest of the weekend, much less for several additional days. On the other hand, he was concerned about taking care of Rebekah, as well as his brother and sister-in-law, on his own. While he’d managed for a day or two at Christmastime, Gabriel and Esther weren’t nearly as ill then as they appeared to be now, Rebekah wasn’t quite so active, and he’d still had a small reserve of energy left.
“That’s up to you to decide, either way. I—I ought to be able to take care of them.” With Gott’s help.
Leah bit her lip, seemingly as indecisive as Jonathan was. Didn’t she want to hang out with him, either, or was it only that she hoped to get to Florida as soon as possible? “What if you get sick, too?”
Jonathan tugged on his ear; he hadn’t really considered that. “Well, we just asked the Lord to protect us from illness.”
“And I hope that’s His will, but it’s possible it’s not,” Leah replied. She was reflective for a moment before saying definitively, “I don’t need a whole month to loll about in Florida. I can’t leave on Tuesday morning knowing Esther’s not well.”
Leah explained she’d intended to take a bus to Lancaster County, where she’d join her cousin, Betty, and about twenty other people who were headed to Florida in a chartered minibus. Since she’d arranged to call Betty at two o’clock that afternoon anyway, Leah said she’d let her know about the change in plans and she’d reschedule her itinerary with the van driver and bus companies, too.
Once they’d finished their meal, Leah did the dishes while Jonathan took Rebekah into the living room and set her down to play on a quilt on the floor. She wasn’t crawling yet, but she could almost lift herself onto her hands and knees, so it wouldn’t be long before she was mobile. Hopefully by then, I’ll feel more active, too, he thought.
While keeping a watchful eye on her, Jonathan skimmed the Bible for a passage the adults could read aloud together as part of their morning worship. But as it turned out, neither Esther nor Gabriel felt up to reading, nor could they sing. So they sat on the opposite end of the room and listened to Jonathan and Leah. After Jonathan ended their worship time with a prayer, Leah informed her friend she intended to stay a couple more days until they were well.
“But you’ll miss your vacation,” Esther protested. “I can’t let you do that.”
“I’ll only miss a few days, and I’d rather stay here longer, anyway. I’ve hardly had a chance to get to know Rebekah—her onkel keeps monopolizing her!”
“I didn’t mean to—” Jonathan began to say, but Leah shot him a look and shook her head. He realized she was probably just saying that about him because she wanted to convince Esther she had another good reason for extending her time in Fawn Crossing.
“But we didn’t even go to the market yesterday. My cupboards are almost bare. What will you eat? What will you do for schpass?” Esther fretted as Leah took her by the arm to help her back upstairs. Meanwhile, Gabriel wobbled toward the bathroom.
“Don’t be lappich. I don’t want you or Gabriel to think about anything other than getting as much rest as you can. Jonathan, Rebekah and I will manage just fine. We’ll be like three peas in a pod, won’t we, Jonathan?” Leah asked over her shoulder.
“Absolutely,” he agreed, hoping he sounded a lot more confident than he felt.
* * *
While Gabriel was still downstairs, Leah arranged Esther’s pillows and quilt for her.
“I know it’s a sacrifice for you, but it’s a huge relief for me that you’ll be taking care of Rebekah,” Esther admitted. She eased herself into bed. “So I hate to ask this of you...”
“Ask me anything,” Leah said. “I’m here to help.”
“Would you mind if Jonathan joined you for meals? He’s lost a lot of weight since Thanksgiving and he seems so down. Gabriel and I are worried about him.”
I meant I’m here to help you, not your grumpy brother-in-law, Leah thought. But she replied, “Sure. I’ll have him fattened up in no time.” But I can’t make any promises about curing his gloomy disposition.
After Gabriel came in with a hot-water bottle for his wife, Leah went back downstairs and announced she was going to make cheese-and-homemade-bologna sandwiches, a typical Sabbath lunch.
Jonathan thanked her but declined, saying, “You don’t have to cook for me while you’re here.”
“I’m not cooking. I’m making sandwiches,” she pointed out. “Besides, Esther told me you always eat here. You probably don’t even have a box of crackers at your house.”
Jonathan’s ears turned pink. “She’s right, but I can buy some groceries tomorrow, so you won’t have to
think about making meals for me. You’ve already got your hands full taking care of my bruder, sister-in-law and niece. You don’t need to take care of me, too.”
“What kind of groceries will you buy? Supp from a can?” Leah scoffed. No Amish man she’d ever met could make much more than toast, eggs or canned food.
“Neh, I got used to preparing my own meals when I lived among the Englisch.”
“In that case, maybe you should cook for me,” Leah suggested.
“Uh, okay. What would you like to have?”
He is so serious! “I was only kidding.”
“I wasn’t. I’m hallich to help with whatever you need me to do. I can watch Rebekah or go to the market or cook.”
“I appreciate that.” She did, too—her brother wasn’t nearly as helpful as Jonathan was being, at least not with household chores and certainly not with childcare. “If you’d continue to take care of the livestock, that would be wunderbaar.”
Jonathan nodded, saying, “Of course I will. It’s also important to keep the haus warm when Gabriel and Esther are feverish, so I’ll kumme in throughout the night to replenish the wood and keep the fire stoked.”
“Denki for the warning. If you startled me in the middle of the night the way you did this morning, I might come after you with a rolling pin. Then you’d be the one to wind up with an egg on your skull, not me.”
To Leah’s surprise, Jonathan actually smiled. Maybe he can take a joke after all, she thought as she smiled back at him.
* * *
Jonathan didn’t really feel like eating lunch, but since Leah had insisted on making a sandwich for him, he forced himself to finish the whole thing. He figured it was equally futile to refuse when she offered him a piece of the fudge cake Esther’s mother sent, too, so he accepted the generous helping she served him. It was a wise decision; lately, everything had tasted so bland to him, but this dessert was delicious and he polished it off in six or seven bites.
An Amish Winter (Love Inspired) Page 11