“I wish they’d hurry up and get here,” she mumbled from her rocking chair.
Willis gave a bemused smile. “Now don’t start getting brutzich again. They’ll get here in due time.”
“I’m not fretful. Just wondering, is all.”
He snickered and put his chair in the reclining position. “Think I’ll take a little leie. Wake me when they get here.” He leaned his head back and closed his eyes.
Mary Ruth wrinkled her nose and got the rocking chair moving. A nap was the last thing on her mind right now.
Her thoughts took her back over the year. She couldn’t believe how much had changed. It was sad to think their daughter had died over a year ago. Although the pain had lessened, it still brought an ache to her heart thinking about all the years they were apart. But now so much happiness had entered their lives. They’d gained a granddaughter, a grandson, and also Michelle. Mary Ruth’s life felt full, despite the longing she would always have for the daughter who left too soon. And because of the note Rhoda left in her Bible for Sara, three special people had come into Mary Ruth and Willis’s lives.
Mary Ruth clasped her hands. No matter how we end up finding it, God always has a plan for us.
She was about to go out on the porch and wait for Sara and Kenny’s arrival, when the grandfather clock struck two, and she heard a vehicle pull into the yard. Mary Ruth rose from her chair and went quickly to the window. “They’re here, Willis,” she announced when Sara and Kenny got out of the SUV.
Willis snorted, then put his chair up straight, instantly awake. “Okeydoke. Let’s go outside and greet them.”
Mary Ruth didn’t waste any time getting out the door. Willis was right behind her. By the time they reached the vehicle, Kenny and Sara were out and getting their luggage from the back.
“It’s so good to see you, Grandma.” Sara engulfed Mary Ruth in a hug, while Kenny hugged Willis. Then they traded. After all the hugging was done, Willis helped bring in the suitcases. Once inside, Mary Ruth suggested they all sit outside on the back porch, since the house was a bit stuffy and a cool breeze had finally come up. “I’ll bring out some lemonade and homemade cookies I recently made.”
“In a few hours Michelle will be home too,” Willis added. “She’s anxious to see you.”
“We surprised Michelle a little bit ago.” Kenny said. Then he explained how he and Sara had gone to eat lunch at the restaurant where Michelle worked.
“Well, that was nice.” Mary Ruth smiled. “Now how about we do some of that porch-sitting? We have a lot of catching up to do.”
“If you don’t mind, before I sit and visit, I’d like to take a walk out to the barn and say hello to the horses. It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Bashful and Peanuts.” Sara looked at Mary Ruth and then Willis. “If it’s okay, that is. It’ll give you both a chance a visit with Kenny alone for a few minutes.”
Mary Ruth blinked rapidly as she pushed her glasses back in place. Willis looked at her and shrugged his shoulders. Our granddaughter just got here and now she wants to run off to the barn? She never took an interest in the horses before. I wonder what that’s all about.
Chapter 42
It wasn’t polite to head for the barn and leave her grandparents and Kenny sitting on the porch, but Sara felt compelled to go. She still had the slip of paper she’d found in her purse while in the hospital chapel and wanted to put it back in the prayer jar, where it belonged. She didn’t know who had written the notes in either of the jars she and Michelle had found, but the person responsible must have had a reason, not only for the things they wrote, but for putting them inside the old jars.
Walking down the path to the barn, Sara was on the verge of skipping. Familiar sounds reached her ears as she swung her arms loosely at her sides. The burdens she’d shouldered when she was last here were long gone. The birds sang from the trees above, as if announcing her arrival. Cute little piglets that must have been born when she was away squealed in the paddock around their mother. Inhaling the scent of country air made Sara’s heart swell. It was so good to be back with her grandparents again. This morning she’d left her childhood house, but here truly felt like she was home.
As the whiff of sweet-smelling hay and animals reached her nostrils, Sara entered the barn and found Sadie and Val curled up, sleeping close to each other. “Well, you little stinkers,” she whispered. “No wonder you didn’t come out to the yard to greet us when we arrived.” Sara figured the dogs must be exceptionally tired not to have heard their vehicle when it entered the yard. Either that or they’d been out in the back pasture somewhere, chasing each other or some poor critter. Sara had seen Sadie go after squirrels in the past, but the dog had never attacked the animals. She supposed Sadie liked the sport of chasing.
Sara was tempted to wake the dogs and give them an official greeting, but that could wait. Right now, she had a mission to accomplish.
She pulled a ladder under the shelf where the old canning jars sat, then climbed up and took down the prayer jar, hidden behind the others. Holding it carefully, she seated herself on a wooden stool. Before putting in the piece of paper she’d brought with her, Sara read a few of the other notes inside the jar.
The first one said: “We should always make allowance for other people’s faults.”
Sara reflected on that a few moments. Did the person who wrote this feel that someone had not made allowance for their faults?
The next note Sara read included a thought, as well as a prayer: “The reason we exist is to be in fellowship with God. Thank You, Lord, for being there when I need You.”
Sara put the notes back in the jar and added the one she’d found in her purse. Then, bowing her head, she said a short prayer of her own. Lord, I have so much to thank You for—loving grandparents, a talented brother, my uncle, aunt, and cousins—and my special friend, Michelle. Please bless and protect each of them.
When Brad pulled into the Lapps’ yard, he noticed a beige SUV parked near the house. He figured Willis and Mary Ruth had company. Either that or the rig belonged to one of their drivers. Maybe they won’t need me anymore, he thought. Could be in my absence they’ve found someone else to work here on the farm. Even if that is the case, I’m sure there are plenty of Amish farms in the area who will need some extra help or a driver this summer.
Since Brad would be staying with his friend Ned again, he wouldn’t have to worry about a place to live while he was in Lancaster County. And with summer being a heavy tourist season, he felt sure he could secure a job, even if it wasn’t driving or farming. He’d never had problems finding work before and assumed this summer would be no different.
Brad parked his van next to the other vehicle. He sat awhile, enjoying the pleasure of being back in Lancaster County. The last time he’d been here was during spring break in March when the weather was mild. Now the sultry air was heavily scented with the sweet smell of honeysuckle growing on fencerows along the road. During the trip down from Clarks Summit, Brad had noticed that the first cutting of hay had been completed.
He got out of the car and stretched his legs. Seeing no one in the yard, he stepped onto the front porch and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, Mary Ruth answered.
Her whole face seemed to light up when she looked up at Brad and joined him on the porch. “Well hello, stranger. It’s been a while since we’ve seen you.”
Brad nodded. “The last time we spoke was at the funeral of Sara’s dad, but unfortunately we didn’t get much time to talk.”
“That’s right,” she agreed. “It was a busy day, and since you left before we did, neither Willis nor I had a chance to say more than few words to you.”
“Who you talkin’ to, Mary Ruth?”
She turned when Willis stepped up beside her. “Look … It’s Brad.”
Willis grinned and shook Brad’s hand. “Sure is nice to see you again. Didn’t know you were back in the area. Figured you were still at the university.”
Brad shook his hea
d. “I’m out for the summer and will be spending the next three months here in Lancaster County. I came to your place first, but I’ve only been here a few minutes.”
“Ah, I see. Well, I was out on the back porch and didn’t hear your vehicle pull in. When I stepped into the kitchen to get some more lemonade I heard my wife talkin’ to someone.” Willis gestured to Mary Ruth and looked back at Brad. “Will you be free to do some work for me while you’re in the area?”
“Sure, and if you need a driver anytime, I’ll be available for that too.” Brad rubbed the back of his warm neck. “Well, I don’t want to interrupt since it looks like someone is here right now.” He pointed to the SUV in the driveway. “I can come back another day to talk about what you might want to have done.”
“You’re not interrupting,” Mary Ruth spoke up. “Sara and her brother just arrived. I’m sure our granddaughter would like to see you, and it would be nice for Kenny to get to know you better too. You barely got to meet him at the funeral.”
“You’re right. So … uh … how long are they here for?” Brad’s voice sounded strained, even to his own ears. It wasn’t normal for him to feel so jittery either. He glanced at the SUV again and squinted. How dumb of me not to notice the New Jersey plates on that rig.
“Kenny will be with us through August,” Willis said. “Then he’ll be heading to Philadelphia to a music college.”
“But Sara is back here for good,” Mary Ruth interjected. “Her stepfather’s estate has been settled, and the house was sold, so she came back to Strasburg to live with us again.”
“Guess that makes sense.” Brad shuffled his feet. A part of him wanted to see Sara right now and ask how she was doing. Another part said he should get in his van and make a hasty exit. But before he could make a sensible decision, Mary Ruth spoke again.
“The owners of the flower shop where Sara used to work are retiring, so she purchased their business.” Mary Ruth’s smile was so wide, it was almost contagious.
“That’s great. I hope it works out well for her.” Brad started to turn away. “I should really go and let you visit with your grandchildren. Give me a call if you need a ride somewhere.”
Willis laid a hand on Brad’s shoulder. “Wait a minute, Son. Don’t you want to say hello to Sara before you go?”
Brad felt like a bug stuck to a strip of flypaper. He didn’t want to appear rude, but seeing Sara again would only dredge up the feelings he’d managed to push aside with determination these last few months.
“Oh yes, you must say hello to Sara. She’s out in the barn.” Mary Ruth pointed in that direction.
Brad didn’t feel as if he had much choice. “Okay, I’ll go out there for a few minutes, but then I’ll be on my way. Gotta head to my friend’s place in Lancaster and get settled in.”
“No need to rush off,” Willis said. “You oughta get Sara and join us on the back porch for some cookies and lemonade.”
“Maybe … We’ll see.” Brad stepped off the porch and headed for the barn.
As he approached the building, a cat ran past, chasing a fat little mouse. Brad shook his head. I wonder which one of those critters will win out.
Brad opened the barn door, but when he stepped inside, he heard Sara talking to someone. Was there another person in the barn—maybe Michelle?
Sadie and Val walked up to greet him. They weren’t barking, but both dogs wagged their tails. He closed the barn door and stood off to one side. Instinctively, he put his finger to his lips. Somehow the dogs must have understood, for they remained silent.
Brad was never one to eavesdrop, but he didn’t want to interrupt what he was hearing. Something compelled him to remain silent and listen as he hid in the shadows.
Sara set the antique jar on the floor and bowed her head. Speaking out loud, she offered another prayer. “Dear Lord, thank You for being so patient with me all these years. I am so happy and blessed to have given my heart to You. Thank You for showing me that I need to not only ask forgiveness for my own wrongdoings, but I’ve also forgiven others who have hurt me in the past. I pray that if I am given an opportunity to talk to Brad again, he will forgive me for deceiving him about being a Christian.”
Sara heard what sounded like the scuffling of feet, and she opened her eyes. Seeing Brad standing a few feet away, with both dogs vying for his attention, she gasped. “Oh, you startled me! How long have you been there?”
“Just a few minutes.”
“Were you listening to my prayer?” Sara’s arms curled around her middle.
“Yes, I did hear you, but I wasn’t eavesdropping, and I didn’t know at first that you were praying.” Brad moved closer. “I came in here to say hello, but I never expected to hear you saying a prayer. You told me before that you were a Christian. But later, I learned from Michelle that you weren’t a believer. Then just now, you were telling God you were happy you had given your heart to Him.” He crossed his arms. “So which is it, Sara? Are you a Christian or not?”
“I am now, but I wasn’t back then.” Sara explained how she had given her heart to the Lord when she visited the hospital chapel after Dean’s accident. She lowered her gaze. “I’m sorry for lying to you, Brad. I didn’t want you to think—”
Brad didn’t let her finish. “I’ll admit, our relationship was one I’d lost hope of ever continuing.”
“I thought that too.” Sara had to tell Brad now how she really felt about him, before she lost her nerve. “About our relationship—” He stepped in front of her and put one finger against her lips. “You know what I think, Sara Murray?”
Tears sprang to her eyes, and she almost choked on the words. “Th–that I’m not to be trusted?”
“No, I don’t think that anymore. What I do think though is that I’d like us to start over.” He took her hand, holding it gently. “Would you be willing to do that, Sara?”
She gave a nod. “Yes. Yes, I would.”
As Sadie and Val started barking and running around the couple’s feet, the horses must have sensed their excitement and nickered in response. Sara glanced toward Peanuts and Bashful, both looking over their stall doors, nodding and shaking their heads. When she glanced back down at both dogs, they had settled and sat patiently at their feet. Sara giggled when Sadie whined and Val tilted her head—the whole time with their tails wagging in unison. When she looked back into Brad’s eyes, her breath caught in her throat. At that moment, Sara could have melted in his arms, as he looked adoringly at her.
Brad leaned down and gave Sara’s right cheek a gentle, feathery kiss. Then he kissed the other cheek, and moved to her lips.
Sara put her arms around Brad’s neck, melting into his embrace. Both horses whinnied, and the dogs started barking again. Sara had no idea what the future held for them, but this time she would try not to do anything that could mess up their relationship.
As the sun began to make its descent in the west, Michelle and Sara sat on the swing, swaying slowly back and forth. Michelle had celebrated her twenty-fifth birthday a few days ago, but when Mary Ruth asked what she wanted for her birthday supper, Michelle suggested they wait until Sara and Kenny arrived, so they could be with them.
Michelle didn’t want a big celebration; a cookout was fine with her. Willis had grilled some sausages and burgers that went well with the cucumber mixture and macaroni salad Mary Ruth had made. She’d also baked a three-layer lemon cake, iced with a white fluffy frosting. And the orange sherbet Willis bought at the store was a tasty frozen dessert.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get you anything for your birthday.” Sara’s forehead wrinkled. “But I just found out about it after Brad left. When Grandma was upstairs helping me unpack, she let me know tonight we’d be celebrating your birthday.”
Michelle brushed aside her words. “You being here is gift enough. I told Mary Ruth I didn’t want to celebrate until you and Kenny came home.”
“Well, even if it was a few days ago, I’m glad Kenny and I could be here to help celebrate you
r birthday this evening.” Sara smiled. “He was so excited to come here. Probably as much as I was.”
“I can hear him in there laughing.” Michelle tilted her head toward the door.
“It’s good he has this chance to get to know his grandparents. That’s why I thought I’d sit out here with you for a while and give him some time alone with them.”
Michelle looked at Sara closely. She sensed something different about her. She had noticed it earlier at the restaurant, and also during supper this evening. A sense of peace seemed to settle over Sara. She acted more carefree and talked a lot more instead of being within herself. “It’s too bad Brad couldn’t have stayed for the cookout.”
“I’m sure he would have liked to, but he wanted to get to Ned’s and get settled in. He had a mind-boggling week with finals and the drive down from Clarks Summit.” Sara’s smile grew wider. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot more of him this summer.”
Michelle was happy for Sara when she explained how she’d admitted to Brad that she had deceived him about being a Christian but wanted him to know that she had since come to know the Lord.
“I know you offered to help me, Michelle, and I appreciate that,” Sara said. “But when I felt God’s presence in the hospital chapel, something very special came over me.”
Michelle put her arm around Sara. “I’m so glad.”
“It seems we both learned some valuable lessons this past year.”
“We sure have. Now do you mind if I ask a question?”
“Go right ahead.”
“Do you think yours and Brad’s relationship will get serious?”
“I can’t say for certain, but we both care about each other. I guess my only fear is if we were to get married someday, I might have to move away from the Lancaster area.” Sara sighed. “I’m not sure how I would feel living far away from my grandparents if Brad decided to take a church somewhere else. I made a vow to myself some time ago that I’d never stray far from them. Then there’s the flower shop. I could not believe it when the opportunity came up for me to purchase the business. It just sort of fell into my lap, and I grabbed the chance while I could.”
The Forgiving Jar Page 29