The Hope Chest

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “I’ve got the horse and buggy hitched. You about ready to head out to your brother’s place?” Daniel asked, stepping into the room.

  Tears gathered in Rebekah’s eyes as she lifted the letter she’d been reading. “I heard from Anna again yesterday. She wants to come home for Rachel’s birthday.”

  The corners of Daniel’s mouth drew down, and he leaned against the counter with his arms folded. “I don’t think so.”

  “Why not?”

  “She’s under the ban.”

  Rebekah released a frustrated sigh. “It’s not as if we can’t speak to her, for goodness’ sake. I think it would be good for her to be here to help celebrate her sister’s birthday. I think—”

  “No. Absolutely not!” Daniel’s lips were set in a thin line, and his eyebrows furrowed, nearly meeting each other at the top of his nose.

  “Won’t you at least consider this?”

  He shook his head.

  Rebekah nearly choked on a sob. “She’s our daughter, Daniel. Can’t you find it in your heart to forgive her for leaving us?”

  No comment.

  “She’s married now, whether we like it or not, and her responsibility is to her husband.”

  “She can stay with her husband, then. We don’t need her around here filling our other kinner’s heads with fancy ideas about her new way of life.”

  “I’m sure she wouldn’t do that.”

  “We were both sure she was being courted by Silas.” Daniel grunted. “Yet she lied so we wouldn’t know what she was up to with Reuben. Does that sound like someone we can trust?”

  Rebekah opened her mouth to respond, but Daniel turned on his heels and headed for the back door. “The kinner are waiting in the buggy, so whenever you’re ready to go, we can be on our way.” He stepped onto the porch and closed the door.

  Rebekah released a shuddering sob. How could she write Anna back and tell her she couldn’t come to Rachel’s party? What would it take to get through to her stubborn husband?

  CHAPTER 16

  After their enjoyable day at the lake, Rachel had expected Silas to be friendlier the following week. He wasn’t. In fact, she saw very little of him, and when he did come to the house for meals, he seemed aloof and kind of cranky whenever someone spoke to him. Something wasn’t right. She felt it in every fiber of her being. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, but there never seemed to be a good time, what with his family always around.

  By Saturday, Rachel was fit to be tied. She had been forced to stay home from the Swartleys’ again because Mom and Dad went to town for more supplies. That meant she was needed at the greenhouse, and even worse, it appeared as though her family had forgotten about her birthday. Not one person had said, “Happy birthday” during breakfast, and there was no sign of any gifts. It was such a disappointment not to be remembered on her special day.

  Elizabeth and Perry had been left home this time, and they were still up at the house when Rachel walked out to the greenhouse. She put the Open sign in the window, lit all the gas lamps, and made a small fire in the wood-burning stove to take the autumn chill out of the room.

  Rachel studied her surroundings, letting her gaze travel from the plants hanging by the rafters on long chains to the small wooden pots and lawn figurines sitting on shelves. Dad had made most of those things, and his expertise with wood was quite evident. Rachel knew her folks loved this greenhouse, and she was also aware that it had been one of the things that had brought them together. Even so, she had no desire to spend so much time helping out here. Today, of all days, she would rather be outside in the fresh air.

  “It’s my birthday. I should at least be allowed the pleasure of taking a walk to the creek.” She plunked down on the stool, placed her elbows on the counter, and rested her chin in the palms of her hands.

  Pauline showed up a few minutes later, and Joseph was with her.

  “I thought you were out in the barn,” Rachel said, nodding at her brother.

  He shrugged, and his face turned a deep shade of red. “I was until I saw Pauline’s buggy come down the lane.”

  “Are you planning to help out here today?” Rachel asked, a sense of hope welling in her chest. “If so, maybe I won’t be needed.”

  “I wish I could, but Perry and I have got to get back out to the fields soon.” Joseph cast a quick glance in Pauline’s direction, then looked back at Rachel with a silly grin on his face.

  “What are you doing here then, if it’s not to work?”

  “Came to see Pauline. That is, if you have no objections.”

  Pauline chuckled and elbowed Joseph in the ribs. He laughed and jabbed her right back.

  At least somebody’s happy today, Rachel thought ruefully. “I think I’ll go in the back room and see if any of the plants need watering.”

  “Okay, sure,” Joseph said, never taking his eyes off Pauline.

  “Sickening. Downright sickening,” Rachel muttered under her breath, as she headed for the middle section of the greenhouse. This day couldn’t be over soon enough to suit her.

  ***

  As Anna put the last of the clean dishes away in the cupboard, she glanced at the calendar on the kitchen wall. A pang of regret shot through her, and she groaned. Today was Rachel’s nineteenth birthday, and Anna wouldn’t be there to help her sister celebrate. She had received a letter from Mom the other day, saying that it wasn’t a good idea for her to come visit just yet. While Mom hadn’t actually said it was because of Dad’s refusal to forgive her, Anna knew the truth. Dad didn’t want her there for Rachel’s birthday. Truth be told, he was probably afraid she might influence the younger children to do as she’d done and leave the Amish faith when they were old enough to make that decision.

  At least Anna had mailed Rachel a card, and she hoped her sister had gotten it by now. Even so, a card and note weren’t the same as being there and sharing the joy of the day with someone she loved.

  She knew from Rachel’s last letter that she’d been helping out the Swartleys, and she’d even asked Reuben if he’d be willing to drive her over to see Rachel at their place. But no, he’d told her this morning during breakfast that he would be working overtime again tonight and probably wouldn’t be home until well after dark. Truth was, Anna didn’t think Reuben had any desire to go home for a visit at all.

  “Maybe it’s for the best that I don’t go home so soon, either,” she muttered as she closed the cupboard door. After the way her father had acted the morning she’d left home, she wondered if she would ever be welcomed there again. Maybe someday she could talk Reuben into paying a visit to his folks, and then, if she could find Rachel or Mom alone at the greenhouse, she might be able to drop by and say hello. But how would she know if they were alone or if Dad was helping there, too?

  Anna released a weary sigh, grabbed her lunch box, and turned toward the door. It was time to catch the bus for work, and she didn’t want to be late.

  ***

  Silas paced back and forth in front of his open courting buggy. Should he or shouldn’t he make this trip? Would his intentions be misrepresented? What exactly were his intentions, anyway? He’d spent the last week trying to sort out his feelings for Rachel, yet he felt more confused now than ever.

  Guess what I should have been doing was praying about all this, not trying to think it through by myself. Silas knew he’d been negligent in reading the Bible lately, and his only prayers had been the silent ones said before each meal.

  I won’t allow myself to move away from You, Lord. He thought about Reuben and Anna and wondered if they went to church anywhere or if they had fallen away from God when they’d left home. He was reminded that up until six months ago, he and Reuben had been friends. He knew from what Reuben’s folks had told him that it had been a real disappointment when they’d discovered that Reuben had gone “fancy.”

  Then there was Anna. Beautiful, spirited, stubborn Anna. Silas had been in love with her since the first grade, when they’d started attending s
chool at the one-room schoolhouse down the road. In his mind’s eye, he could still see the back of her cute little head. He’d sat at the desk behind her for all of the eight years they’d gone to school. Anna, with her dazzling green eyes and hair the color of ripe peaches. She’d stolen his heart when he was six years old, and she’d broken it in two soon after he’d turned twenty-three. Would he ever be free of the pain? Would the image of her lovely face be forever etched in his mind? Could he learn to trust another woman?

  “It does no good to pine for what you can’t have,” a voice in his head seemed to say. “Get on with your life and follow Me.”

  Silas moved to the front of the buggy, where his faithful horse patiently waited. He leaned against the gelding’s side and stroked his silky ears. “What do you say, old boy? Do we take a little ride, or do we stay home?”

  The horse whinnied loudly, and Silas smiled. “All right then. Let’s be on our way.”

  ***

  Rachel had just put the CLOSED sign in the window and was about to turn down the lights, when she heard a horse and buggy pull up in front of the greenhouse. Pauline had gone home fifteen minutes ago, and Rachel was anxious to head home herself. She released a sigh. “Guess I can handle one more customer yet.”

  She opened the front door, and her mouth dropped open when she saw Silas standing on the porch, holding a paper bag in one hand and a bouquet of orange and yellow chrysanthemums in the other.

  “Well, well,” she said with a giggle. “It isn’t every day that someone shows up at the greenhouse carrying a bunch of flowers.”

  Silas chuckled. “Guess that’s true enough. Most folks leave here with flowers, but it isn’t likely they’d be bringing ’em in.”

  Rachel stepped aside to allow Silas entrance. “So what brings you here at closing time?”

  He cleared his throat loudly, then handed her the flowers and paper sack. “Just wanted to give you these. Happy birthday, Rachel.”

  Rachel felt as though all the breath had been squeezed clean out of her lungs. This was such a surprise. Never in a million years had she expected a gift from Silas, especially since he’d been so distant all week. “Danki,” she murmured. “How did you know that today was my birthday?”

  “You said something about it when we went fishing last Sunday.”

  Rachel placed the flowers on the counter and opened the paper sack. When she looked inside, she let out a little squeal. “Binoculars and a bird-watching book! Oh, Silas, this is my best birthday present!” The truth was, it was her only present, but she wasn’t about to tell him that. It was bad enough that her whole family had forgotten her special day; she sure didn’t want to talk about it.

  “I was hoping you might like it.” Silas took a few steps closer to Rachel. “Now, whenever you see some unusual bird, you can look it up in the book and find out all about its habits and whatnot.”

  Rachel withdrew the binoculars. “These will sure come in handy.”

  Silas nodded. “I often put my binoculars to good use.”

  Rachel swallowed hard. Why was Silas looking at her so funny? Did that gentle expression in his dark eyes and the agreeable smile on his clean-shaven face mean anything more than just friendship? She couldn’t come right out and ask, but she needed to know if she dared to hope.

  As if he sensed her dilemma, Silas reached out and took Rachel’s hand. “I enjoyed our time of fishing and looking at birds the other day. If the weather holds out, maybe we can find the time to do it again.”

  Rachel flicked her tongue back and forth across her lower lip. The sensation of Silas’s touch did funny things to her insides. “I–I’d like that. I had a good time last week, too.”

  Silas let go of her hand, then turned and moved back across the room. “Guess I should be getting on home. Mom’s probably got supper ready.”

  Rachel followed him to the door. “I need to go up to the house and see about fixing our supper, as well. My folks went to town this morning, and they still aren’t back yet, so I’d better be sure there’s something ready to eat when they do get home.”

  When Silas got to the door, he turned and said, “I hear tell there’s gonna be a young people’s get-together over at Harold Landis’s place two weeks from tomorrow. Do you think you might go?”

  “Maybe.” Rachel shrugged. “If I can get Joseph to take me.”

  He grinned. “From what I hear, your big brother’s got a pretty good reason to bring his courting buggy these days. My guess is he’ll be there early.”

  Rachel nodded. “You’re probably right.”

  Silas opened the door. “Well, see you at preaching tomorrow.” He bounded off the porch and climbed into his buggy before Rachel could say anything more.

  She smiled to herself. “Guess this wasn’t such a bad birthday after all.”

  A short time later as Rachel stepped out the greenhouse door, holding the bouquet of flowers and paper sack with the birthday presents from Silas, she decided to walk up the driveway and check the mailbox before she headed to the house to start supper. Since the folks had left early this morning and obviously weren’t back yet, she figured any mail they may have gotten would still be in the box.

  Maybe I’ll get a card or two. It would be nice to know that someone else had remembered today’s my birthday.

  When Rachel reached into the mailbox a few minutes later, she was pleased to discover a card from Anna, along with a note. She placed the flowers on top of the mailbox and set the sack on the ground as she hurriedly read the note, anxious for any word from her sister.

  Dear Rachel,

  I hope this card reaches you in time for your birthday, and I hope your day is a special one. Reuben and I are doing fine, and we both keep busy with our jobs. Last week Reuben bought a CD player, and we have a TV now, too. I’ve spent most of the money I’d saved while working at the greenhouse on new clothes, as I needed something other than my plain dresses to wear now that I’m not Amish anymore.

  It still feels strange not to wear my head covering, but I do wear my hair pinned up at the back of my head when I’m waiting on tables at the restaurant where I work. Reuben wants me to get my hair cut short, but I’m not sure I’m ready for that. Guess that’s kind of silly, seeing as to how I used to say I’d like to have short hair.

  I had wanted to be there for your birthday, but Mom’s last letter said it would be best if I didn’t come for a visit just yet. Besides, Reuben’s been working lots of overtime lately, and even some Saturdays, so we probably couldn’t have made it there on time anyhow.

  I’ve started attending church with my friend Kathryn from work, but some Sundays, Reuben’s so tired all he does is sleep, so he hasn’t gone to church with me yet.

  Write back when you can, and give my love to all the family.

  As always,

  Anna

  Tears flooded Rachel’s eyes, obscuring her vision. She missed Anna so much that it hurt. If only she hadn’t fallen in love with Reuben and run off and gotten married. But then, if Anna hadn’t fallen for Reuben, she might have ended up marrying Silas, and Rachel would have never had a chance with him.

  Rachel cringed as she realized how selfish she was being. Wouldn’t it be better to have her sister still living at home and being courted by Silas, than to have her living in the English world and being shunned by her family and friends? If Rachel could bring Anna home and make everything right again at home, she surely would—even if it meant giving up whatever was happening between her and Silas.

  Rachel thought about Anna’s comment concerning Reuben working long hours and not going to church. She hoped that didn’t mean he’d fallen away from God. At least Anna was attending church. She would have to remember to pray for Anna, Reuben, and their marriage.

  Rachel bent down and picked up the paper sack, then grabbed hold of the flowers. It was time to head up to the house and get busy with supper. It was time to set her pain of losing Anna aside and get on with life.

  She stepped into t
he darkened kitchen several minutes later and had barely closed the door, when a gas lamp ignited, and a chorus of voices yelled, “Happy birthday, Rachel!”

  “What in all the world?” Rachel’s mouth fell open as she studied her surroundings. Mom, Dad, Joseph, Perry, and Elizabeth sat at the table, which was fully set for supper. On one end of the cupboard was a chocolate cake, and beside it sat several wrapped gifts. “Elizabeth, did you do all this?”

  Elizabeth smiled. “I helped, but Mom did most of the work.”

  Rachel’s eyebrows drew together. “How could that be? Mom and Dad have been gone all day.”

  Mom grinned like a cat that had chased down a fat little field mouse. “Came back early so we could surprise you.”

  “But I never heard your buggy come down the lane. I don’t see how—”

  Dad chuckled. “We used the old road coming into the back of our property.”

  Tears stung the backs of Rachel’s eyes, and she blinked to keep them from spilling over. Her folks really did care. They hadn’t forgotten it was her birthday after all.

  “What’s that you’ve got in your hands?” The question came from Perry.

  “Oh, just the mail.” She placed the envelopes on the counter—everything except for Anna’s card, which she had stuck under the band of the backside of her apron, not wanting the folks to see it. Dad might be upset by what Anna had said about buying a TV and Reuben not going to church. Besides, since the card was Rachel’s, she saw no need to share it with anyone.

  “I’m not talkin’ about the mail.” Perry pointed to the flowers and then to the sack she held.

  Rachel’s face heated with embarrassment. “It’s ... uh ... a birthday present.”

  “Who’s it from?” Joseph questioned.

  “Silas Swartley,” she said, trying to keep her voice from quivering.

  “Rachel’s got a boyfriend! Rachel’s got a boyfriend!” Elizabeth taunted.