Janet didn’t understand. Time off wouldn’t make the holidays brighter. Six years ago Sarah and Jonas learned he had cancer only a week before Christmas. He battled the disease for months longer than the doctors thought he could. He died on Christmas Eve the following year. A month later, her sister ran away, leaving Sarah, her parents and her brother to grieve and worry. Their father died of pneumonia the following Thanksgiving. Her mother passed away barely a year later. Vernon said they died of a broken heart after Bethany left.
Bethany had been the light of the family. Her daring sense of humor and love of life were too big for Hope Springs and the simple life of the Amish. It had been two years ago at Christmas when Jonathan Dresher came to tell Sarah that Bethany was dead, too. Since that day, Sarah faced the Christmas season with intense dread, waiting and wondering what the next blow would be.
She sat up straight. She wasn’t going to spend this winter cooped up in the house, staring at the walls and dreading Christmas. She had to find something to keep the bleak depression at bay. To her list, she quickly added Find Another Job! She circled it a half dozen times.
The sound of her front door opening made her look up. Like most Amish people, she never locked her doors. Knocking was an English habit the Amish ignored for they knew they were always welcome in another Amish home. A brief gust of winter wind came in with her visitor. Sarah’s mood rose when she recognized her friend and neighbor, Grace Ann Beachy.
“Gut-n-owed,” Sarah called out a cheerfully good evening in Pennsylvania Deitsch, sometimes called Pennsylvania Dutch, the German dialect spoken by the Amish.
“Sarah, I must speak to you.”
Sarah was stunned to see tears in Grace’s eyes. Fearing something serious had happened, Sarah shot to her feet. “Are you okay?”
“Nee, I’m not. I love him so much.” Grace promptly buried her face in her hands and began sobbing.
Sarah gathered the weeping girl in her arms. Matters of the heart were often painful, but never more so than when it was first love.
“There, there, child. It will be all right.” Sarah led Grace to the living room and sat beside her on the sofa. The two women had been friends for years. They were as close as sisters.
Between sobs, Grace managed to recount her evening with Henry Zook from the time they left the singing party. The whole thing boiled down to the fact that Henry had grown tired of waiting for Grace to accept his offer of marriage. The conversation soon turned to a quarrel. Henry, in a fit of anger, said Esta Barkman had been making eyes at him all evening. Maybe she was ready to settle down and marry.
Sarah lifted her young neighbor’s face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “If you love him, why don’t you accept him? Is there someone else?”
Grace rolled her eyes and threw up her hands. “There’s Levi and the twins and the business. How can I leave my brothers? Levi can’t manage the business alone. He can barely speak to people he knows. He’s terrible at taking care of new customers. They’ll go elsewhere with their business and where will that leave him? You depend on the income from the shop, too.”
“Your brother could hire someone to replace you. I know Mary Shetler would welcome the chance to have a job in an Amish business.”
“I’m not sure she would want to work with the twins, knowing what they did.”
Grace was probably right about that. Mary Shetler had left the Amish and wound up living with an English fellow who turned out to be a scoundrel. Just fifteen and pregnant at the time, Mary had been terrified to learn her boyfriend planned to sell her baby. She had the child alone one night while he was gone. Planning to leave her boyfriend for good as soon as she was able, she hid her infant daughter in an Amish buggy along with a note promising that she would return for her.
The buggy belonged to Levi Beachy. The twins had taken it without permission and sneaked out to see a movie in another town. It wasn’t until they were on their way home that they discovered the baby. Afraid their midnight romp would get them in trouble if they brought the infant home, they stopped at the nearest farmhouse and left the child on the doorstep in the middle of the night.
Fortunately, the home belonged to Ada Kauffman. Her daughter Miriam was a nurse. She and Sheriff Nick Bradley finally reunited mother and child but not before Mary suffered dreadfully believing her daughter Hannah was lost to her.
“All right, Mary was not a good suggestion, but I’m sure there are other young women who could work with Levi.”
“Maybe, but what about the twins? They could burn the town down or who knows what if someone doesn’t keep an eye on them. I know I haven’t done a great job, but I’m better than Levi. When he’s working, he could be standing in five feet of snow and not notice. I can’t leave knowing no one will look after them.”
“I’m sorry you feel trapped by your family, Grace. You know I would help if I could.”
Grace grabbed her arm. “You can.”
“How?”
“Help me find a wife for Levi.”
Chapter Two
Sarah stared at Grace in stunned disbelief. “You must be joking. How could I find a wife for your brother? I’m no matchmaker.”
“But you are,” Grace insisted. “Didn’t you convince your cousin Adrian Lapp to court Faith Martin?”
“Convince him? Nee, I did not. If I remember right, I cautioned Faith against losing her heart to Adrian because he was still grieving for his first wife.” Sarah knew how it felt to mourn for a spouse.
“And that was exactly the push Faith needed to see beyond his gruff behavior. They married, and they are very happy together. Besides, you’re the one who convinced me to give Henry a chance.”
“I don’t remember saying anything to you about going out with Henry.”
“If you hadn’t told me how your Jonas settled down from his wild ways after you were married, I never would have given Henry the time of day. But I did, and now I’m in love with him. I want to marry him. You have to help me. I will just die if he marries someone else.”
Sarah leveled a stern look at her young neighbor. “That’s a bit dramatic, Grace.”
Drawing a deep breath, Grace nodded. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do. I can’t leave Levi and the boys, but I can’t expect Henry to wait forever, either. I’m caught between a rock and a hard place with no way out.”
“I hardly think finding a wife for your brother is the answer.”
“It’s the only one I can come up with. I’m afraid if I ask Henry to wait much longer he’ll find someone else.”
Sarah took pity on her young friend and tried to reassure her. “Henry Zook will not marry anyone else. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”
“I believe he loves me. He says he does, but he wants an answer.”
“Henry is used to getting his own way. His mother has done her best to spoil him. He will be a good man, but right now he has the impatience of youth. What you and Henry need is a cooling-off time.”
“What do you mean by that?”
The last thing Sarah wanted was to see her friend pushed into something she might regret. “You two have been seeing each other almost daily. I think both of you could use some time apart. Rushing into marriage can cause a lifetime of misery.”
Grace shook her head. “Oh, Sarah. I don’t know. What would Henry think?”
Sarah could see that Grace’s dilemma was taking its toll on her friend. There were shadows beneath her eyes that didn’t belong on a girl who was barely twenty. Her cheeks were pale and thinner, as if she’d lost weight. There had to be some way to help her. Suddenly, an idea occurred to Sarah.
“He can’t object if you tell him you’re going to visit your grandmother in Pennsylvania. I know you’ve wanted to see her for ages. It will give Henry a chance to miss you while you’re gone, and it will give you a ch
ance to relax and think about what you want to do without worrying about Henry or about your brothers.”
“But what if Henry doesn’t miss me?”
“Wouldn’t you rather know that before you are wed?” Sarah asked gently.
“Grossmammi has asked me to come for a visit many times. She’s getting on in years. I would like to spend some time with her, but that means I would miss the quilting bee for Ina Stultz and the hoedown that’s coming up.”
“I’ll take your place at Ina’s quilting bee, and there will be other hoedowns. Of course, once you marry, that kind of fun is over.” To marry, an Amish couple had to be baptized into the faith, which meant their running-around time was ended. Barn parties and such gatherings would give way to family visits and community events that bound together all members of their Amish faith.
“What about the business?” Grace asked.
“Levi will understand that you need some time to make up your mind about marrying. Besides, he’s a grown man. He can manage without you for a few weeks. I can help if worse comes to worst. I used to work there every day.”
“Oh, it’ll come to worse very quickly. I don’t doubt you could do all that I do, but what about your job?”
“The fabric shop is closing for a few months, so I have some extra time on my hands.” A lot of extra time, but was working beside Levi the way she wanted to spend it?
Grace’s face lit up. She grabbed Sarah’s hand. “You are so clever. You can work with Levi and find out what kind of wife would suit him all at the same time. I won’t feel a bit bad about leaving him, knowing you’re there.”
Sarah held back a smile. If this is what it took to get Grace to leave town for a few weeks, Sarah would agree. “I hadn’t thought of it that way, but you may be right. In spite of the fact that Levi was Jonas’s friend and has been my neighbor for years, I don’t really know him well.”
Grace sat back with a satisfied smile. “I can tell you anything you want to know about him. Go ahead, ask me something.”
“All right, what does Levi like to do for fun?”
A furrow appeared between Grace’s eyebrows. “He doesn’t really do anything for fun. He doesn’t have a sense of humor, that’s for sure. He works in the shop all day and sometimes late into the night.”
“I know he is hard-working, but does he like to hunt or play checkers or other board games?”
“I don’t think so. I mean, I’ve known him to go hunting in the fall when we need meat, but I don’t think he enjoys it. The boys and I like board games, but Levi doesn’t play with us.”
What kind of wife would want a husband who didn’t interact with his own family? Sarah said, “He used to go fishing with my husband. Does he still do that with his friends?”
“He goes fishing by himself sometimes. Levi doesn’t really have friends. Everyone says he makes right fine buggies, though.”
Sarah knew that for a fact. She drove one he and Jonas had built together. It was solid and still rode well after eight years. However, Levi had to have other traits that would make him attractive to a potential wife. “What does your brother like to read?”
“He reads the Bible every night, and he reads The Budget.”
The Budget was a weekly newspaper put out by the Amish for the Amish. Everyone read it. It was good to know he read the Bible. A devout man usually made an excellent husband. “Does he read other kinds of books?”
“Books? No, I don’t think so.” Grace shook her head.
Sarah never suspected Levi was such a dull fellow. What had her outgoing husband seen in him?
“You’ve been a big help, Grace. I’ll look over my list of single friends and think on who might find him appealing.” Right off hand, she couldn’t think of anyone.
“Do you really believe I should leave town?”
“I do. It will do you, your grandmother and Henry a world of good. Trust me on this.”
Grace nodded bravely. “I do trust you, Sarah. I’ll do it.”
Sarah grinned. “That’s the spirit.”
Grace jumped to her feet. “I must ask the Wilsons down the block if I can use their phone. I need to find out when the bus leaves and call my grandmother’s English neighbors so they can tell her I’m coming.”
“But it’s getting late, child. You should go home and talk this over with your family.”
“Nee. If I’m to do this it must be now.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss on Sarah’s cheek. “You’re the best friend ever, Sarah Wyse.”
Without a backward glance, she rushed out as quickly as she had rushed in, slamming the door behind her.
“I’m not sure your brothers are going to feel the same,” Sarah said to the empty room.
* * *
Levi tugged his suspenders up over his shoulders as he walked down the stairs from his bedroom on the second floor of the house. When he reached the kitchen, he paused. Instead of the usual aromas of toast, bacon and scrambled eggs, the forlorn faces of his twin brothers sitting at a bare table greeted him.
A suitcase sat beside the front door. His sister, Grace, entered the room, tying her best bonnet beneath her chin. “I left sliced ham in the refrigerator for sandwiches. You boys can heat some up in a skillet for breakfast if you’d like or make oatmeal. After today, you’re on your own as far as getting something to eat. There is plenty of canned fruit and vegetables in the cellar along with canned meats. If you don’t want to cook, the Shoofly Pie Café serves good food, and it’s reasonable.”
She picked up her suitcase and gave her younger brothers each a stern look. “I expect the house to still be standing when I return.”
Levi found his tongue. “Grace, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to visit Grossmammi for a few weeks.” She had a smile on her face, but it was forced.
He scowled at her. Grace was impulsive, but this was odd even for her. She hadn’t said a word about visiting their relative. “Is Grandmother ill? Is that why you’re going?”
“Nee, she’s fine as far as I know.”
“You can’t take off at the drop of a hat like this.”
Atlee spoke up, “That’s what we told her.”
“But she told us she was going and that’s that,” Moses added.
Grace’s smile faded. “Please, Levi. Don’t forbid me to go. I need you to understand that I have to get away for a while.”
How could he understand when she hadn’t told him anything? He opened his mouth but nothing came out. She took it as his consent and her smile returned. He never could deny her what she wanted. She and the twins had lost so much already.
She rushed to his side and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Levi. Sarah said you would understand. I’ve got to run or I’ll miss my bus. This was a wonderful idea. I’m so glad she suggested it. I can’t wait to see Grossmammi again.”
Sarah suggested it? He should have known. “Grace, who will take care of our customers?” he asked as panic began to set in. He couldn’t deal with people. Words froze in his mouth and he looked foolish.
“Sarah will help you. Be kind to her.” Grace gave him a bright smile as she opened the door. A flurry of cold air swept in as she went out.
When Levi blinked he was still standing in his kitchen not really sure what had just happened. He looked at his brothers. They both shrugged.
Atlee said, “I’d like dippy eggs with my ham.”
“I want mine scrambled.” Moses folded his hands and waited.
Levi stared at the black stove with a sinking feeling in his gut. How on earth would they manage without Grace?
An hour later, Levi left the house and headed for his retreat, his workshop, where nothing smelled like burnt ham or charred eggs and he couldn’t hear his brothers’ complaints. He’d left after telling them to do the
dishes.
A body would have thought I told them to take the moon down and polish it the way they gaped at me.
When he left, they were arguing over who should wash and who should dry. He didn’t have time to referee because he was late, and he was never late opening his business.
He still didn’t know why Grace had to leave town so suddenly. He hoped she hadn’t gotten herself in trouble. That wasn’t the kind of thing a man wanted to ask his sister. All Atlee and Moses knew was that after an argument with her boyfriend, Grace had decided to visit their grandmother for a few weeks. How many was a few? Three? Four? She didn’t intend to stay away for a month, did she?
One thing Grace said stuck in Levi’s mind. She’d said Sarah had suggested it. He suspected that Sarah Wyse was a whole lot better informed about his sister’s abrupt departure than he was.
Two men in Amish clothing were standing in front of his store when he approached.
“Did you decide to sleep in today, Levi?” one man joked.
Levi tried to think of a snappy comeback, but nothing occurred to him. He kept his eyes down and wrestled with the key that refused to unlock the door.
“Reckon he wants to start keeping banker’s hours,” the second man said with a deep chuckle.
Levi hated it when people made fun of him. He searched his heart for forgiveness and offered it up to God, but he still felt small. He always felt small.
When the stubborn lock finally clicked open, he rushed inside. He hadn’t had a chance to get the stove going and the building was ice-cold. The two men waited by the counter while he stoked the fire. When he had a flame going, they both stepped up to warm their hands.
Levi cleared his throat and asked, “How can I help you?”
The outside door opened, but Levi couldn’t see who had come in. The men blocked his line of sight. He hoped it was the twins because he didn’t like dealing with customers. Not that the twins would do better. They were likely to pull some prank and then disappear, leaving him to deal with the fallout.
Patricia Davids Christmas Brides of Amish Country: An Amish ChristmasThe Christmas QuiltA Hope Springs Christmas Page 39