The Forgiving Jar

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “Okay. Try to be home in time for supper,” she called in response.

  “Sure thing.”

  Sara smiled when she heard the door click shut. Kenny’s graduation had taken place last week, and even though he still missed his dad, he’d been in an upbeat mood. Sara knew it was because, thanks to the inheritance he’d received, Kenny would be attending the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. While the school offered free tuition, other expenses added up to thousands of dollars. But even more than being grateful he was able to afford such a great school, Kenny said he was glad he’d received his father’s blessing to pursue his dream in music.

  This was going to be a special summer for both Sara and her brother. Kenny looked forward to going with her to spend three months at their grandparents’ place. It would give him a chance to really get to know them, plus he’d have the opportunity to work for Grandpa and earn some money as well.

  Things were changing in Sara’s life too. When she’d called Andy and Karen to inform them of her father’s death, Sara had explained that she might not return to Pennsylvania for several months. She’d been about to suggest they find someone to replace her, when Andy said if they did hire another person, it would only be temporary, because he and his wife had decided to sell the floral shop sometime in June. At their age, the workload was getting to be too much, and it was time for them to retire. After Sara found out the reasonable price they wanted for the shop, she offered to buy the business. If not for the generous inheritance she’d received, it would not have been possible for Sara to even consider such a venture. This opportunity was a dream come true and most certainly an answer to prayer.

  Sara missed being in Strasburg, but at the same time she felt thankful she could be in Newark to help finalize everything. Kenny admitted he could not have done all the work on his own and wouldn’t have known where to begin when it came to going through all the household items.

  Sitting back in her chair, Sara glanced out the open window, enjoying the warm breeze wafting in. The sounds of the birds singing made her yearn to be home. Home to her meant Strasburg, and it felt good knowing she’d soon be putting down roots in Lancaster County, where she would always be close to her grandparents.

  I guess by now Grandma and Michelle have the garden all planted. Sara sighed. I miss being there to assist.

  At least she and Kenny would be back on the farm to help with weeding and picking when the vegetables were ready. Grandma loved to can, and there’d be plenty of picking and processing to do for that.

  Sara could almost picture Kenny helping Grandpa with the hogs and doing other chores around the farm. My brother will get a real taste of country living with his grandparents. She stretched her arms up and over her head, anxious to be surrounded by the sounds that could only be heard in the country. If I was there now, I’d probably be strolling barefoot around in Grandma and Grandpa’s yard.

  Sara wiggled her toes in the carpet, eager to feel the lush green grass under her feet. She was excited to get back home and help Michelle with her wedding plans too.

  The curtains floated out and back again. The fresh air sure smelled good. A dog barked in the distance, and Sara’s thoughts continued to focus on Michelle. Her puppy, Val, must have grown since I left. Sara remembered watching an old movie when she was growing up about Irish setters. They are such beautiful dogs.

  She recalled how Dean and Mama had taken her and Kenny to the drive-in theater when they were young to see their favorite movies. Sara closed her eyes, remembering those days, as more memories came to mind. On Labor Day weekend, the local drive-in had all-night theater, starting from dusk and ending at dawn. Sara had forgotten what fun she had during those times watching picture shows on the enormous screen from the comfort of their car. Each parking space had a small speaker, and Dean would attach it to their open car window. For the dusk-to-dawn movies, Kenny and Sara would go wearing their pajamas, and they’d take their sleeping bags along. At the time, they had a station wagon, and Mama and Dean would put the back seat down so they had a roomy area to crawl inside their sleeping bags in case they couldn’t stay awake. Usually when the last movie was showing, she and her brother would fall asleep.

  I’d forgotten what fun that was. Sara had recalled lots of good memories lately. For some reason, she had suppressed many of those. For too many years, she’d dwelled on negative things, which had done her no good at all.

  Sara sat up straight when her phone buzzed. She had muted it before going to bed last night and forgotten to turn the volume on this morning, so until now, she didn’t realize she had any messages.

  The message was from Grandma, asking what day Sara and Kenny would arrive and wondering what they might like for supper that evening.

  Sara smiled. It’s just like Grandma to be worried about what to feed us. She’s always thinking of others.

  Sara listened to several older messages on her phone too. Some were from the Realtor about things pertaining to the sale of the house. Another was from Andy Roberts, and also an older message from Brad. She’d listened to it before but hadn’t taken the time to respond since she had been so busy. Besides, Brad’s message—telling her that he would soon be in the middle of finals but was still praying for her—was a statement, not a question he expected her to answer.

  Sara still hadn’t told him she’d become a Christian, but didn’t see any point in telling him now. Brad’s phone calls had gotten farther apart, and Sara figured he’d moved on with his life—a life that didn’t include her. It was probably better that way—for both of them—since he would be going into the ministry after graduation. And soon, she would have a new business to run. Brad needed someone like Terri Conners, who’d been preparing for a certain phase of ministry. Sara hoped in time, with the busyness of her job, her memory of Brad would fade.

  Clarks Summit

  “Hey, Brad, wait up!”

  Brad had started down the hall toward his next class when he heard a familiar voice. He turned and saw Terri coming toward him with a wide smile on her face.

  “Hi, Terri. How’s it going?” He hadn’t talked to her in several days. “Are you feeling as edgy as everyone else due to finals this week?”

  “No, not really. I’ll just be glad to get them done so I can enjoy my summer.” She smiled up at him.

  “Will you be doing anything exciting during summer break or taking it easy till fall?”

  “There won’t be anything easy about what I’m going to do, but it should be fun and rewarding.”

  Brad tipped his head. “Oh? What might that be?”

  “I’ve been asked to fill in for the youth pastor at a community church outside of Pittsburgh. He will be taking a three-month sabbatical, and since my uncle John knows someone on the church board, he put in a good word for me.” Terri’s eyes sparkled with exuberance. “Even though it won’t be a permanent position, it’ll be a great learning experience for me.”

  Brad placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a tap. “Good for you, Terri. I bet your summer will be full of blessings.”

  “Thanks.” She moved closer to Brad. “What are your summer plans?”

  He turned his hands palms up. “Nothing nearly as exciting as yours. I’ll go home first to see my folks in Harrisburg, and then I may head down to Lancaster County again and hopefully do some driving for the Amish, along with any work they might need to have done. The money I make will go toward next year’s tuition of course.”

  “Makes sense to me.” Terri gave Brad’s arm a squeeze. “Guess we’d better head for our next class. If I don’t see you before we leave, we’ll connect again in the fall. God’s blessings to you, Brad.”

  He gave a nod. “Same to you, Terri.”

  As Brad moved down the hall, his thoughts went to Sara. He hadn’t heard from her for quite a while, and figured she had continued to move forward with her life. But it was probably better that way. She was clearly not the girl for him.

  Strasburg

&nbs
p; Mary Ruth squinted at the words she’d written on her notepad. They looked a little blurry. “Think maybe it’s past time for me to get an eye exam.” As a young woman, Mary Ruth had enjoyed perfect vision. But as the years went by, she eventually needed glasses. At first it was for reading only, but then the doctor suggested she wear them all the time. Mary Ruth saw glasses as a nuisance—something she could easily misplace or lose altogether. Besides, her glasses would often slip off the bridge of her nose or the earpiece would dig into the back of her head behind one or both ears. So more often than not, she only wore her glasses for reading or close-up work.

  “Whatcha doin’?” Michelle asked, stepping behind Mary Ruth.

  “I’m making out a grocery list for when Sara and Kenny come, which will be soon.” Smiling, she turned to look at Michelle. “Words can’t express how excited I am about seeing them again. I’m especially looking forward to spending the whole summer with Kenny and getting to know him better.”

  Michelle took a seat next to Mary Ruth. “The last time I spoke to Sara on the phone she said Kenny would be going to college in the fall. Since it’s in Philadelphia, I guess he’ll only be able to stay here till then.”

  Mary Ruth nodded. “But Philadelphia isn’t that far away, so Willis and I are hoping Kenny can come visit on some weekends and for extended holidays.” Mary Ruth set her pen and paper aside. “And of course, we hope Sara will continue to live with us while she runs her new business.”

  “Everything’s working out well for all of us.” Michelle spoke in a bubbly tone. “I still can’t believe I’m Amish now, or that I’ll be getting married in five months.”

  “And that’s another list we need to make.” Mary Ruth pulled off the top paper she’d been writing on and handed the rest of the notepad to Michelle. “You’ve already started sewing your wedding dress, and we’ve begun making plans for the food we want to serve your guests. Now you just need to make a list of everyone you want to invite to the wedding.”

  Michelle tapped the pen against the table as she tilted her head from side to side. “That’s a good question. All of Ezekiel’s family will be included, as well as the friends we’ve made here.” She looked at Mary Ruth with an endearing smile. “That includes you, Willis, and Sara.” Michelle’s smile faded. “But of course, none of my family will be there. They don’t even know where I am.”

  Mary Ruth reached over to gently pat Michelle’s arm. “I know it hurts, but remember—we are your family now, and so are Ezekiel’s parents and siblings.”

  “Danki.” Michelle’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m thankful for all of you.”

  When Michelle left the table to get a glass of water, Mary Ruth said a quick prayer. Heavenly Father, on Michelle and Ezekiel’s wedding day, when she and her groom stand before our bishop, please give her a sense of peace and comfort as only You can. And be with our granddaughters, Sara and Lenore, for You know who just the right men will be for them. Amen.

  Chapter 41

  Newark

  Sara’s vision blurred as she closed the door of the home where she’d spent most of her childhood. The new owners would be moving in tomorrow, and it was time for her and Kenny to go forward with their lives. After today, this place would be filled with other people’s possessions.

  “There’s one thing that will not disappear,” Sara whispered as her hand moved to her chest. “That’s the memories I’m keeping right here, close to me. I’m going to make sure I hold on to the good ones and, with God’s help, try to forget those that once burdened me.”

  She glanced at Dean’s SUV, which Kenny had inherited. It would be good transportation for him, going back and forth to Philadelphia. Sara had sold her old car, which wasn’t reliable anymore. She would buy a newer one after they got to Lancaster County.

  “Hey, sis, are you comin’?” Kenny opened the window on the passenger’s side and motioned to her. “We’re burnin’ daylight.”

  She nodded, looked one last time at the house, then climbed into the driver’s seat. “Are you sure you don’t want to drive, Kenny? After all, this is your vehicle.”

  “Maybe when we get closer, but for now I wanna enjoy the scenery.” He clicked his seatbelt in place, and Sara did the same.

  “Well okay then. Here we go.” Despite the sorrow Sara felt over closing this chapter of her life, her brother’s enthusiasm was contagious. A new door was about to open, and she couldn’t wait to see what was on the other side.

  Strasburg

  Sara’s first stop when they arrived in Strasburg was the flower shop. She’d made an appointment to meet Andy and Karen Roberts in order to pick up the keys and go over a few important things. As eager as she was to see her grandparents, it was necessary to make sure she had everything she needed in conjunction with her new business. The biggest hurdle would be finding someone to make up the bouquets and floral arrangements. But Andy had assured Sara the woman they’d hired to fill in for her while she was in Newark would be willing to keep working. The young man who made their deliveries had also agreed to stay on. If the business did well, Sara planned to hire one other employee to help at the store so she would be able to take some time off when needed.

  After Sara parked the SUV, she looked over at Kenny and smiled. “Well, we made it.” She looked at her watch. “It’s almost lunch time.”

  “Yeah, my stomach has been tellin’ me that for the last hour.” He grinned. “I’m surprised you didn’t hear it grumbling.”

  “Can you hold out awhile longer?” she asked. “After I’m finished talking to my former boss and his wife, I thought we could go to the restaurant in Ronks where my friend, Michelle, works. You met her at Dad’s funeral.”

  “Oh yeah. Sure, I can wait a little longer.” Kenny snickered when his stomach growled again. “Try telling that to my belly though.”

  “I shouldn’t be too long. While I’m taking care of business, you can either check out some of the stores here in town or come inside with me.”

  “Think I’ll walk around till you’re done with business. This town looks pretty interesting, with all its old buildings.”

  “It is a fascinating place to visit,” Sara agreed. “And with quite a history.”

  “How so?”

  “For one thing, in the late sixteen hundreds, this area was visited by French fur traders. Then later it was settled by Swiss Mennonites and Huguenots from the Alsace region of France,” Sara explained. “Some of the original log homes from the eighteenth century still remain.”

  Kenny whistled. “That’s amazing.”

  “Of course, there’s a lot more to tell about historic Strasburg, but I need to get into the flower shop now, so I’ll have to share more of the town’s history with you some other time.” Sara was aware that her brother liked history and had done well in his high school history classes, so she was confident he wouldn’t be bored walking around town.

  “Okay, Sis. I’ll meet you back here in an hour or so.” Kenny opened the door, stepped out of the vehicle, then turned to face her. “One more thing … When we head for Grandma and Grandpa’s place, would it be okay if I drive?”

  Sara nodded. “See you soon.”

  Ronks

  Michelle was glad she’d been given the breakfast and lunch shifts today. With any luck, she’d be done working and back at the Lapps’ before Sara and her brother arrived this afternoon. Although she was happy Sara could spend the summer with Kenny, a twinge of envy took over every time she thought about her own brothers and how she yearned to be with them.

  As Michelle headed to the dining room to wait on her tables, the words of Philippians 4:11 popped into her head: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”

  Annoyed with herself, Michelle’s gaze flicked upward. When am I going to quit fretting about this and learn to be content? Lately with wedding plans being made, she had plenty of positives to think about. And as Mary Ruth had pointed out the other day,
Michelle had a new family now, whom she loved and respected.

  When she entered the dining room, Michelle was surprised to see Sara and Kenny sitting at one of the tables.

  “Surprise!” Sara offered Michelle a sincere-looking smile. “We just left the flower shop in Strasburg and thought we’d stop here for lunch before heading to Grandma and Grandpa’s. I was hoping you’d be working today.”

  “I asked if I could work the breakfast and lunch shifts today so I could be at Willis and Mary Ruth’s place when you arrived. Your grandparents are eager to see you both. In fact, it’s all Mary Ruth has been talking about for weeks.” Michelle handed Sara and Kenny a menu.

  “We’re excited too. Aren’t we, Kenny?” Sara bumped his arm lightly.

  His head moved up and down. “I’ll admit, I’m a little nervous though. I’ve never stayed in an Amish home before or lived on a farm. I’m not sure how I’ll handle no TV or internet either.”

  Michelle chuckled. “You’ll get used to it. And you never know. You might even enjoy the peace and quiet. I sure do.”

  “Same here.” Sara looked at her brother. “As far as the internet goes, you can always come by the flower shop and log in on your laptop there.”

  His eyes brightened. “Seriously?”

  “That’s right. The shop has electricity and internet access.” Sara bumped his arm again. “Can you imagine that?”

  He snickered. “Okay. I’m no dummy. I figured it did.”

  The bantering going on between Sara and her brother caused Michelle to feel a pang of jealousy again. Now stop it, she berated herself. Sara and Kenny deserve to be happy and enjoy their time together.

  Strasburg

  Mary Ruth had a difficult time concentrating on the crossword puzzle she’d begun working on. The guest rooms were ready, the house had been cleaned from top to bottom, and supper was planned. All that remained was to wait for the arrival of her grandchildren.