The Forgiving Jar

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  She snickered. “Yes, of course, and I’m not surprised you would want more than one apple dumpling.”

  When the cider was warm enough, Sara poured the golden liquid into their mugs. “Here you go, Brad.” She placed his on the table in front of him, picked up Brad’s bowl, and dished up another apple dumpling.

  “Aren’t you gonna have seconds?” He looked at her expectantly.

  “One’s plenty for me.” Holding her cider, Sara took the seat across from him and took a cautious sip. “When do you think you might come down this way again?”

  “Maybe some weekend, if the weather cooperates.” He blew on his cider and took a drink. “Wow, this is as good as the dumplings. Is it homemade?”

  “Yes. My grandpa has an old-fashioned cider press. I wasn’t here to watch him make this batch of apple cider, but he told me about it.”

  “Maybe next year you’ll get in on it.”

  “I hope so. Even if I have my own place by then, it’ll be somewhere in the area.” Sara drank more of the cider. “After all the years I went without knowing I had maternal grandparents, I am determined to stay close to them so we can spend as much time together as possible.”

  Brad nodded slowly. “That’s understandable.”

  “What about you? Where do you see yourself living once you finish your ministerial training?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “That all depends on where the Lord sends me.”

  “What do you mean?” She set her mug down.

  “I will put my name in with the denomination I belong to. When a position opens, and I’m called for an interview, I’ll do a lot of praying, because when I take a church, I may need to relocate to a different state.”

  Sara leaned her elbows on the table. “How would your family feel about that?”

  “Mom and Dad probably wouldn’t like it, especially since I am their only child. But they understand my need to answer God’s call, so no doubt they’d give me their blessing.”

  She looked down at her empty bowl. “It must be nice to have parents who are so accepting.”

  “Yeah, it’s great. Mom and Dad have a strong faith in God, which makes it easier for them to agree with my decision to become a minister.” Brad’s forehead wrinkled a bit. “Dad wasn’t on board with it at first though. He’s a chiropractor and wanted me to follow in his footsteps.”

  “I guess that’s not uncommon. My stepfather has already made it clear that he wants my brother, Kenny, to learn the plumbing trade when he graduates from high school this coming spring.”

  “Is your brother all right with that?” Brad asked, taking a spoonful of dumpling.

  “I guess so. I haven’t heard anything to the contrary.”

  “Well, some kids do end up taking after their dads, but I’m not one of them.” Brad gestured with his hand, and pointed above. “Gotta do what the Lord tells me to do and go wherever He leads.”

  Sara heard the whinny of a horse outside. She jumped up from the table. “I bet that’s Ezekiel bringing Michelle home.”

  “Are you sure you still want to come in for a while?” Michelle turned on the buggy seat to face Ezekiel, even though it was dark and she couldn’t fully see his face. “The snow’s coming down harder, and it could get worse before you leave for home.”

  “I’m not worried. Big Red does fine in the snow. He could probably take me there even if I wasn’t guiding him with the reins.” Ezekiel spoke with an air of confidence. “He’s even gotten used to all the places I’ve taken him to deliver honey to my regular customers.”

  “Okay then, I’ll fix us something to eat and drink. I see smoke coming out of the chimney, so how ’bout we sit by the fire to ring in the New Year?”

  “Sounds pretty cozy.”

  Michelle opened the door on her side of the buggy. “I’ll secure your horse to the hitching rail.” Before Ezekiel could comment, she hopped down. Of course, her feet sank into the snow, sending a chill all the way up her legs. “Brr … it’s so cold.” She hurried to get Big Red tied to the rail, then made her way to the house.

  Ezekiel stepped onto the porch behind her. “You didn’t have to take care of my gaul. I would have done it, Michelle.”

  “No problem. I wanted to help.” She gestured to the van parked near the house. “That must be Brad’s, but it looks like he left his lights on. They’re barely glowing. I wonder what time the concert got out, and how long he’s been here.”

  “I better go turn them off, or he’ll end up with a dead battery.” Ezekiel pulled his jacket collar tighter around his neck.

  “Okay, I’ll wait for you here on the porch.” Michelle blew out a breath and watched the cold vapor vanish into the blustery air. Jumping up and down didn’t help. Her toes were beyond warming.

  When he returned, Ezekiel stamped his feet on the mat by the door. “I couldn’t turn off the lights. The van door is locked.”

  “Let’s go inside and let Brad know. Maybe he can still start it up.”

  “Yeah, let’s hope.” Ezekiel gave his belly a thump. “If there’s anything good to eat, I hope Brad and Sara left some for us.”

  Michelle bumped his arm with her elbow. “You would think something like that.” She opened the door, and they both stepped into the house. “There’s a light coming from the kitchen, so they must be in there.”

  Ezekiel pushed open the door, and Michelle stepped in first. Sure enough, Sara and Brad sat at the table. “Whatcha up to?” she asked.

  Sara looked over her shoulder. “We’re enjoying some of my grandma’s yummy apple dumplings. Why don’t you grab bowls and join us?”

  “There’s cider in the refrigerator that you can warm on the stove too,” Brad interjected. “And boy, is it ever good.”

  “Before I delve into those dumplings, I wanted you to know that your van lights are on, Brad.” Ezekiel pointed toward the kitchen window. “They look pretty dim. I was gonna turn ’em off, but the doors are locked.”

  “Oh, great.” Brad thumped his head. “Thought I’d shut those off. The last thing I need is a dead battery.” He leaped out of his chair and, without bothering to put on his jacket, raced out the back door.

  While Michelle dished up dumplings for her and Ezekiel, he heated the cider and poured some into mugs. Then they both sat at the table.

  “How was your evening?”

  “How was the concert?”

  Michelle giggled when she and Sara spoke at the same time. “Our evening was good.” Michelle looked over at Ezekiel. “I learned how to play a new card game I’d never heard of before.”

  “Glad to hear it. The concert was nice too.” Sara glanced at the door, as though watching for Brad.

  “I noticed smoke coming from the chimney when Ezekiel and I rode in. Maybe once Brad comes inside, we can go to the living room and sit by the fire.”

  “Sounds like a good idea. Brad will need to warm up, since he left his coat hanging on the chair.” Sara pointed, then she looked back at Michelle. “It was snowing pretty hard when we got here. How are things now?”

  “Still snowing and blowing. Looks like it’s turning into a blizzard,” Ezekiel responded.

  A few minutes later Brad returned, hair covered in snow and wearing a disgruntled expression. “My car won’t start. Think the battery must’ve been weak, ’cause it’s definitely dead.” He went over to the sink and brushed the snow off his head. “On top of that, the snow’s coming down so hard there’s hardly any visibility. Since there’s probably no place to get a new battery at this hour, guess I’ll have to call a tow truck to come get the van. After it’s towed, I’ll give my friend Ned a call and see if he can give me a ride back to his apartment.”

  “I have a better idea,” Michelle spoke up. “Why don’t you and Ezekiel spend the night here? That way Sara and I won’t have to worry about either of you.”

  Ezekiel shook his head. “I’m sure I can make it home fine with my horse and buggy.”

  “It might be a good idea if you did st
ay the night.” Sara touched Brad’s arm. “Since it’s New Year’s Eve and snowing like crazy, it might even be hard to get a tow truck to come out here.” She gestured toward the living room. “One of you can sleep on the couch, and the other can take the downstairs guest room. I’m sure if Grandma and Grandpa were awake, they’d say the same thing.”

  Michelle bobbed her head. “Sara’s right. By morning, the weather will hopefully have improved and at least the main roads been cleared. Then Ezekiel can go home, and Brad, you can call a tow truck, or maybe your friend could bring you a new battery.”

  Ezekiel rubbed his chin. “I don’t know. I’d have to call my folks and leave a message so when they check their answering machine in the morning they’d know where I was and wouldn’t worry. Oh, and I’d also need to put Big Red in the barn. Sure can’t leave him hitched to the rail all night with the snow comin’ down so hard, not to mention no food or water for the poor animal.”

  “You can borrow my cell phone to make the call. Then I’ll help you take care of your horse.” Brad reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out his phone. He looked over at Sara and smiled. “Guess we’ll take you up on the offer to spend the night. If I can’t get a new battery right away or the roads present a problem, I may have to rethink how I’ll get back to school tomorrow. Hopefully, everything will look better in the morning.”

  Chapter 25

  Mary Ruth yawned as she padded down the hall toward the kitchen to get some coffee going and start breakfast. A few minutes ago, when she looked out their bedroom window, she noticed several inches of snow now blanketed the ground.

  Approaching the living-room archway, Mary Ruth stopped short when she heard a sound she’d come to know well over the years. Someone was snoring, and it wasn’t Willis. She’d seen her husband go into the bathroom a few seconds ago, so the heavy breathing, coupled with snoring, couldn’t be coming from him. Perhaps because of the snow, Michelle had brought Sadie inside, instead of leaving her in the barn where she usually stayed.

  Mary Ruth pursed her lips. Could the dog be making all those familiar sounds? Sadie had been known to snore as loud as any human being. Many afternoons when relaxing on the porch, Willis and Sadie would both end up napping. At times, Mary Ruth couldn’t distinguish her husband’s snoring from the dog’s.

  Poking her head into the room, she was surprised to see it wasn’t Sadie cutting z’s at all. Ezekiel King, fully clothed except for his shoes, was spread out on the couch with a blanket draped over him. He’d obviously spent the night.

  But why? Mary Ruth tapped a fist against her lips. When Ezekiel brought Michelle back from the gathering at Raymond’s last night, had he been too tired to go home? Or had the roads gotten so bad from the snow that he decided to stay here instead?

  Knowing she would find out soon enough, Mary Ruth tiptoed out of the room and went straight to the kitchen. After lighting a gas lamp and lifting the window shade, she watched as a current of wind blew swirls of snow through the yard, swishing up and momentarily blinding the wintery scene. Her eyebrows lifted. I wonder if this weather is the reason Ezekiel spent the night. Looking farther out on the yard, she saw Ezekiel’s carriage covered with snow. Not far from it, Brad’s van was parked, also blanketed in snow. Did he spend the night here too? If so, where is he now?

  Mary Ruth didn’t have to wait long for an answer, for a few minutes later, Sara entered the kitchen. “I’m glad you’re up. We had some overnight guests you weren’t expecting,” she announced.

  Mary Ruth bobbed her head up and down. “I saw Ezekiel sleeping on the couch, and since Brad’s van is parked outside, I assumed he must be here too.”

  Nodding, Sara pushed a lock of hair away from her face. “When he brought me home last night, I invited him in for a snack.”

  “I see.” Mary Ruth leaned against the counter, waiting for Sara to continue.

  “Then when Ezekiel and Michelle showed up, Ezekiel informed Brad that his van lights were still on but quite dim. So Brad rushed outside and discovered his battery was dead.” Sara paused and cleared her throat. “Since it was late and snow had started coming down hard, we invited the guys to spend the night. Ezekiel took the living-room couch, and Brad is in the downstairs guest room. I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Course not.” Mary Ruth shook her head. “Staying the night was the sensible thing to do.”

  Sara’s lips parted in a slow smile. No doubt she felt relief.

  Mary Ruth filled the coffeepot with water. “Let’s get some breakfast going. I imagine most anytime now, everyone will file into the kitchen, eager to eat.”

  Sara was about to go knock on the guest room door, when Brad stepped into the kitchen. Everyone else waited at the table. “Sorry for holding up breakfast.” He reached up, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I was on the phone with my buddy Ned. He’s going to pick up a battery for my van at the Walmart in Lancaster and bring it out to me. Then, once I get my rig running, we’ll go to his place so I can pack up my things before heading back to the university.”

  “Are you sure the roads are clear enough to drive on this morning?” Sara’s grandpa asked. “Looks like we had a pretty good snowfall last night. You might hit ice or snow all the way up to Clarks Summit.”

  “I agree.” Sara’s chin jutted out. “It could be dangerous. Maybe you should stay another day.”

  Brad peered out the kitchen window. “My tires are good. I should be fine.” He scrubbed a hand over his face as he looked over at Sara. “If I didn’t have to go back to class tomorrow, I’d stay longer, but I can’t afford to get behind in my studies.”

  She slowly nodded. “You will call and let us know when you get there, I hope.”

  “Of course. I’d planned to do that anyway.”

  She smiled and gestured to the empty chair next to Ezekiel. “My grandma outdid herself fixing breakfast this morning. Please, join us.”

  “Now, Sara,” Grandma said, “I can’t take all the credit for this meal. You and Michelle made part of it.” She pointed to the platter of ham and eggs.

  “Everything looks delicious, so thank you ladies, one and all.” Brad gave a thumbs-up and took a seat.

  When Grandpa lowered his head for prayer, everyone else did the same. Sara wondered what her grandparents would think if they knew she only sat with her eyes closed out of respect, but never offered a single word in prayer. What was the point? If God was real, He wouldn’t care about anything she had to say.

  Soon after Brad left, Michelle stood on the porch, watching Ezekiel hitch his horse to the buggy. She hoped he wouldn’t be in trouble with his parents for staying out all night. Had they received his message? Would they blame her for him not coming home last night?

  It wasn’t my fault, she reminded herself. It was the blizzardlike conditions that made Ezekiel decide to stay overnight.

  Michelle waved as Ezekiel got into his buggy and headed out of the yard. With head held high, Big Red snorted and plodded through the snow as though it was nothing. Truth be told, Ezekiel probably could have made it home last night. But Michelle was glad he’d stayed. In addition to spending a few more hours with Ezekiel, she didn’t have to worry about him being out on the road in bad conditions—not to mention dealing with any drivers who might have had too much alcohol to drink as they celebrated the New Year.

  A chill ran through her body as she reflected on one particular New Year’s Eve, when she was ten years old. Her parents had gone out for the evening, leaving her alone to care for her brothers. Michelle hadn’t minded so much, since it allowed her and the boys a few hours of peace, without the threat that one of their parents might blow up at them. What she didn’t like, and still remembered, was when Mom and Dad arrived home. He was in a drunken stupor, and she wasn’t much better. They were both out of sorts, shouting all kinds of obscenities at each other, and ready to take their anger out on Michelle. Fortunately, Ernie and Jack were in bed, or they might have suffered the physical abuse Michelle had gotten later th
at night.

  Her hand went instinctively to the middle of her back, where many welts had remained for several days after Dad used a thick, heavy strap on her. As far as Michelle could tell, she had done nothing to deserve such severe punishment. Her only crime was when she’d suggested Dad and Mom go to bed.

  “Don’t be tellin’ me what to do, sister. You ain’t the boss around here,” he’d hollered with slurred words. While Dad went to get the oversized strip of leather, Mom shuffled off to bed. It was obvious she couldn’t have cared less about her children’s welfare.

  The back door opened, causing Michelle to jump. She turned and saw Mary Ruth looking at her.

  “What’s wrong?” the woman asked, gently touching Michelle’s arm. “Have you been crying?”

  Michelle sniffed and swiped at the tears she hadn’t realized were on her cheeks until now. “It–it’s nothing,” she murmured, rubbing her arms. “I’m just cold, is all.”

  “You should have put on more than a sweater to come out here.” As usual, Mary Ruth’s voice was soothing.

  Silently, Michelle followed Mary Ruth inside. She wished she could shut the door on her memories as easily as she closed the door on the winter’s cold. Would things from her past always be there to haunt her? If Michelle could erase all the painful recollections, she surely would. Truth was, maybe she still hadn’t forgiven her folks.

  Ezekiel looked at the snowy scene around him, as Big Red trotted down the newly plowed road. It was New Year’s Day, and traffic was low, but it was hard to enjoy the quiet beauty with the thoughts of what might be awaiting him once he got home.

  He hadn’t expected anyone to answer when he called his parents last night, but no doubt by now, they would have gone to the phone shed and listened to his message. Would they understand his reason for staying at the Lapps’? Ezekiel figured they wouldn’t be satisfied until they heard the whole story, especially Mom. Instead of rehearsing what he would tell his folks, Ezekiel leaned back, letting his horse continue to lead.