The Healing

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Samuel’s defenses rose once again. “I’ll find something to do; you’ll see.”

  “Since Zach’s friend Allen is a general contractor, I’ll bet he can find you some painting jobs,” Dad said.

  “Puh!” Mama Fannie dismissed the idea. “Who’s going to want their house painted in the dead of winter?”

  “Some folks want the inside of their houses painted,” Samuel said. “Besides, we won’t have many expenses because we’ll be staying with Titus—at least until my house here sells and I can find a place there to buy or rent.”

  “At the very least, I’m sure you can find some odd jobs to do. You’ve always been pretty handy with things.” Dad thumped Samuel’s back.

  A horn honked outside, and Samuel jumped up and rushed to the window. “Our driver’s here. Get your coats on kids, and then say good-bye to your grossdaadi and grossmudder so we can head out.”

  Marla started to cry again, and so did the others, including Mama Fannie, whose sobs were the loudest of all.

  Unable to deal with any of it, Samuel grabbed his jacket from the back of the chair and hurried out the door. He figured Dad would get Mama Fannie and the kids under control, and then they could get on the road. For many reasons, he was unyielding in his decision to move to Kentucky. The most crucial, though, was for his children. He was sure he could be a better father to them there—where he wouldn’t be thinking of Elsie all the time.

  He paused a moment to look out across the land—a land he and Elsie had lovingly tended together. Like the hawk perched high on a branch overlooking the field, Samuel felt very much alone.

  Pembroke, Kentucky

  “Look at that.” Esther pointed out the kitchen window. “Isn’t that a sight to behold?”

  “What is it?” Mom asked, while sponging off the table.

  “Five does are in the yard, and they’re playing in the snow like a bunch of frisky puppies.”

  Mom dropped the sponge and stepped up to the window beside Esther. “Ach! They’re so cute!”

  Esther smiled as she watched the deer kicking up their feet, looking like young fillies that had just found their legs.

  “If you’re done washing the dishes now, would you mind going to the store for me?” Mom asked. “I’ve made a list, and I need several things.”

  “Which store?” Esther asked. “The one we used to own or one of the stores in Hopkinsville?”

  “Oh no, I don’t expect you to hire a driver and go clear into town. The things I need can be bought at our old store.”

  “Okay.” Esther turned away from the window, reluctant to leave behind the peaceful feeling she felt whenever she watched nature’s antics. Those moments were cherished, and time seemed to stand still when she gazed out at the beautiful scenery surrounding them. She never forgot how truly blessed she was to have entertainment like that right outside their door. If only the distraction could delay her trip to the family business she’d grown to love. Truth was, she dreaded the thought of stepping into their old store and seeing someone else running it almost as much as she dreaded Mom and Dad leaving for Pennsylvania tomorrow morning. But now that the store was under new ownership, there was no reason for them to stay, because Dan’s condition was worsening, and he needed them more than ever.

  “Here’s my list.” Mom handed a piece of paper to Esther. “Take your time getting there. With all the snow on the ground, the roads might be slippery, so you’ll need to be careful.”

  “I will.” Esther slipped into her woolen jacket, put her black outer bonnet on her head, and went out the door. She figured Mom would probably worry about her even more after they moved and she was living on her own here at the house. But she’d be fine; she’d show herself, as well as them, how well she could manage on her own.

  Esther stepped onto the porch and paused to watch the deer that had now moved out into the pasture. Grazing on what corn they could find after the harvest, they looked in her direction, watchful, yet undisturbed, as she made her way to the barn to harness her horse, Ginger.

  When Esther pulled her horse and buggy up to the store’s hitching rail sometime later, more than a few negative thoughts raced through her head. What if the new owners weren’t as friendly to the people in their community as Mom and Dad had been? What if they decided to raise their prices and people couldn’t afford to shop there anymore? What if they didn’t keep the store adequately stocked, the way Mom and Dad had always done?

  Shaking her disturbing thoughts aside, Esther entered the store, but when she saw Aaron and Nettie Martin behind the front counter, while their two oldest daughters, Roseanna and Lucinda, kept busy stocking shelves, she almost felt sick. It didn’t seem right that someone else was running the store where she and her folks had worked so many years. It didn’t seem right that one of her brothers was having severe health problems either.

  Esther gave herself a mental pep talk. Her folks’ help was needed—not only at Dan’s place, but also at his two stands, where he sold soft pretzels, popcorn, and homemade candy. And for Esther … Well, she’d been working at the store most of her young adult life, so maybe it was time for a change. Now if she could only find a job that paid well and was something she truly enjoyed.

  Esther had just gone down the aisle were the vitamins were kept when she noticed Titus Fisher come into the store.

  “I figured you’d be hard at work in the woodshop by now,” she said as he approached her.

  “I’m heading in that direction but wanted to come by here first and pick up a few things. My brother Samuel and his kinner are moving here and should arrive within the next day or so. Of course, that all depends on how well the weather cooperates,” he added. “If they have to deal with lots of icy roads, it could slow them down—especially the trailer that’s hauling Samuel’s horse, not to mention the truck with the buggy and other things in it,” he added.

  “When I last spoke with Suzanne, she said Samuel might be moving here, but I didn’t think he’d be coming so soon,” Esther said. “Why doesn’t he wait until spring when the weather is better?”

  “I think he’s anxious to leave Pennsylvania and the painful memories of losing his wife.”

  “I guess that’s understandable, but what will he do for a job?”

  “Samuel’s a good painter, and he also has some carpentry skills, so until he can find some paint jobs, he may be helping Nelson, me, and Suzanne in the woodshop. As soon as we have enough work for another person, that is.”

  “I see. Where will he and his kinner stay?” she asked.

  “With me for now … until Samuel’s able to either buy or build a place of his own. He’s put his home in Pennsylvania up for sale, but until it sells he won’t be able to afford to buy another place here.”

  “It’s a good thing you have that nice double-wide manufactured home now, because there certainly wouldn’t have been room for all of them in the dingy old trailer you used to rent from Allen.”

  “That’s for sure. That place was so small there was barely room for me, let alone a family of five.” Titus smiled. “Hopefully by the time Suzanne and I are married, Samuel will have his own place, but if he doesn’t, then I guess we’ll just have to make do.”

  Esther didn’t say anything, but she wondered how everything would work out. Having Samuel and his kids living there could affect Titus and Suzanne’s relationship—especially if Samuel’s family wasn’t able to move out before Titus and Suzanne got married.

  Guess it’s not my concern, Esther told herself as she looked over Mom’s list and continued the shopping. I’d better just concentrate on my own problems right now.

  CHAPTER 4

  Portland, Oregon

  Bonnie Taylor sat at her kitchen table, staring at the telephone. She’d just had a call from a lawyer in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, letting her know that her grandmother had died and left everything to her—including the old house that had been sitting empty since Grandma had gone to a nursing home several months ago.

&nb
sp; Neither Bonnie nor her widowed father had gone to Kentucky to see Grandma after she’d gone to the nursing home. Bonnie’s excuse was that she’d been working long hours for an advertising agency in Portland and couldn’t get away. Dad had no excuse at all, other than the grudge he’d held against his folks ever since Bonnie could remember, which was why the few trips they’d made as a family to Kentucky while Mom was still alive had been brief. Bonnie was sure Dad had only agreed to go to make Mom happy, because she’d often said it was important for Bonnie, their only child, to get to know her grandparents on her father’s side. Bonnie had never understood what the problem between Dad and his folks was about. She’d broached the subject with him once and had been told that it was none of her business and not to bring it up again.

  Tears welled in Bonnie’s eyes. At Mom’s insistence, and despite Dad’s disapproval, Bonnie had spent a week with Grandpa and Grandma almost every summer until Mom had died of a brain tumor shortly after Bonnie turned thirteen. Grandma and Grandpa had always been kind, and she’d enjoyed being with them. They’d taken her to church, where she’d learned about God, but she’d never mentioned it to Dad because after Mom died he’d become bitter and wouldn’t let Bonnie visit his parents anymore. When Grandma sent Bonnie a Bible for her birthday that year, Dad threw it out and shouted some things Bonnie didn’t care to repeat. Life had been terrible for Bonnie after that, and then two years before she’d graduated from high school, she’d made the biggest mistake of her life. But that was in the past, and she wouldn’t allow herself to think about it right now.

  Once Bonnie got her diploma and realized that she needed a fresh start, she’d taken some classes at the community college in Portland. When she landed the job at the advertising agency where she presently worked, she’d moved out on her own. Soon after that, she’d begun attending a church near her apartment, but she’d never taken an active part in any of the activities the church offered for people her age. Instead of socializing, she’d immersed herself in her job. It was better that way, she’d decided.

  Bonnie’s mind snapped back to the issue at hand. Grandma was dead, and she really needed to go to Kentucky—not only to attend Grandma’s funeral, but also to sort through her things and decide what to do with them. Then there was the house; it would need to be sold.

  Bonnie had some vacation time coming, so she’d use that to go to Kentucky for Grandma’s funeral and then get the house put on the market. Hopefully, Dad would set whatever problems he’d had with his parents aside and go with her.

  Paradise, Pennsylvania

  Fannie entered the store her husband had given to his daughter Naomi and her husband, Caleb, several years ago.

  “It’s good to see you,” Naomi said. “You must need something badly to have braved the cold weather and icy roads today.”

  “The roads weren’t so bad, and I do need a few things,” Fannie said. “However, the main reason I came by was to see if you’ve heard anything from Samuel.”

  Naomi shook her head. “Have you, Mama Fannie?”

  “No, and I’m getting worried. It’s been two whole days since they left, and I would think they’d have gotten there by now.”

  “If the roads between here and Kentucky are icy, then they’ve probably gone slow.” Naomi smiled, although her ebony-colored eyes showed a bit of concern. “I’m sure we’ll hear something soon.”

  “I hope so.” Fannie leaned on the counter. “How are things with you and your family? Is everyone doing okay?”

  “With the exception of Caleb, everyone’s fine,” Naomi said.

  “What’s wrong with him?”

  “He has a really bad cold, and last night when he coughed and bent over at the same time, his back spasmed.” Naomi winced, as though she could almost feel her husband’s pain. “He’s hurting real bad so he stayed home to rest today.”

  “Has he been to see the chiropractor?”

  “No. Said he figured it would get better on its own in a few days.”

  Fannie grunted. “Men. They can be so schtarrkeppich sometimes.”

  “That’s for sure, and my husband is probably the most stubborn man of all.”

  The door jingled, and Timothy’s wife, Hannah, entered the store with her pretty little blond-haired daughter, Mindy, who was two. Since Hannah’s hair was brown, and so was Timothy’s, Mindy took after Hannah’s mother, whose nearly gray hair had originally been blond.

  “Wie geht’s?” Fannie asked.

  “We’re fine,” Hannah replied. “How are you doing?”

  “I’d be better if I’d hear something from Samuel.”

  Hannah rolled her eyes. “I still can’t believe he moved to Kentucky. First Titus, and now Samuel. I sure hope Timothy doesn’t get any ideas about moving there.”

  “That would be baremlich,” Fannie said. “I don’t think I could stand losing three of my boys and their families to Kentucky.”

  “I think you’re worried for nothing,” Naomi put in. “I’m sure Timothy has no plans to move.”

  Hannah wrinkled her nose. “He’d better not because I like it here in Pennsylvania, and I’d never agree to move to Kentucky.”

  Fannie was certainly relieved to hear that. “Think I’ll say hello to Abby while I’m here,” she said, moving toward the back of the store where the quilt shop was located. “Is she working today?”

  “Jah,” Naomi said. “She came in early this morning.”

  Fannie said good-bye to Hannah and hurried into the adjoining room, anxious to visit a few minutes with her daughter.

  Pembroke, Kentucky

  “According to the directions your brother sent us, we must be close to his place now,” Samuel’s driver, Stan Haman, said as he turned his van onto Pembroke Road.

  “It’s right here.” Samuel motioned to his right where he saw a mailbox with Titus’s name and address on it. “We finally made it,” he said, turning in his seat to look at the kids.

  The children stared wide eyed out the window.

  When they pulled into the driveway covered with several inches of snow, a double-wide manufactured home came into view.

  Stan had no sooner stopped the van, when Titus came out of the house, waving and smiling from ear to ear.

  Samuel hopped out of the van and met Titus in the yard. After the long drive from Pennsylvania, it felt good to stretch his legs.

  “It’s great seeing you.” Titus gave Samuel a hug. “Did you have a good trip?”

  “It was slow because of the snow, and the kinner were fussy,” Samuel said, “but we made it safely at least.”

  Titus opened the back door of the van, and the children scrambled out, squealing and running around in the snow. Their black Lab, Lucky, followed, barking and bounding at their heels.

  “Guess I’d better get my horse, Socks, out of the trailer,” Samuel said, shaking out more kinks in his legs as he walked to the back of the van where the trailer was hitched. “Do you have an empty stall for him in your barn?”

  Titus nodded. “There’s plenty of room, and I’m sure my horse, Lightning, will be glad for the company.”

  Sometime later, when everything had been unloaded and Samuel’s driver had gone, Titus escorted everyone into the house and showed them around.

  “I only have three bedrooms here,” he said, “so the boys will have to share a room with you, and the girls can have the third bedroom.”

  “Guess that’s how it’ll have to be then,” Samuel said as they walked down the narrow hall and looked into each room. He hoped it wouldn’t be long before he could get a place of their own, but by living here, they’d not only have a roof over their heads, but he’d have Titus’s help with the kids—at least in the evenings when Titus wasn’t working. The question was who would watch them during the day once Samuel found a job?

  Guess there’s a lot of things I didn’t think about before I decided to move, he thought as he watched the children play with two cats they’d discovered in the barn and brought into the house.
Sure hope I didn’t make a mistake by coming here. Maybe I should have prayed about the move. But then, God doesn’t seem to be listening to me lately, so what would have been the use?

  Samuel knew he shouldn’t let his thoughts go in that direction. They were here now, and as time went on, hopefully things would start falling into place. He’d just need to give it some time.

  CHAPTER 5

  Have you called Mom and Dad yet?” Titus asked Samuel as they sat at the table, drinking coffee while the kids took the cats back to the barn.

  “I suppose I should do that now. If I don’t call them soon, Mama Fannie will probably leave a string of messages on your voice mail.”

  “She already has.” Titus smiled. “You know how Mom tends to worry. Nearly hounded me to death when I first moved to Kentucky.”

  Samuel grunted as he forced himself to stand. He was bone-tired despite the fact that he hadn’t done much all day other than to haul their things into the house and put his horse in the barn. He hadn’t brought any of his household items or furniture along because he knew he wouldn’t have a place to put them right now. Besides, when he’d put his house up for sale, he’d advertised it as fully furnished. He didn’t want any of the furniture he and Elsie had chosen when they’d first gotten married. It would just be one more reminder that she was gone. So all he’d brought to Kentucky were his and the kids’ clothes, some of his tools, his horse and buggy, a box of toys for the kids, their troublesome dog, and a few personal things that had belonged to Elsie. He’d asked his sister Mary Ann to put Elsie’s things in a box because he hadn’t had the strength or the courage to sort through them. He knew he’d have to do it at some point, but not yet. Right now, he wasn’t even able to look at Elsie’s things.

  “You okay?” Titus asked, bringing Samuel’s thoughts to a halt.

  “Jah, sure. Why do you ask?”

  “You said you were going out to the phone shanty to call Mom and Dad, but you’ve been standing there several minutes now, staring at the door.”