Phoebe's Gift

by Jerry S. Eicher

  “Did you really mean what you just said?” Phoebe asked him. “About me? That I am…” She couldn’t say the word.

  “I think you are very beautiful, Phoebe, blushing or not.”

  “Do you think I am wild and wicked?”

  A look of horror crossed his face. “Whatever put such a thought into your head?”

  She bit her lower lip. “That doesn’t matter.”

  He reached over to touch her hand. “You are the loveliest woman I have ever seen. Both inside and outside.”

  “Did you have to say that at a moment like this?” Phoebe wailed. “We have two children coming, and I have to be at my best and strongest instead of a weeping mess.”

  “You are at your best now,” he assured her. “And I spoke only the truth.”

  “Your opinion, yah. But how are we supposed to work together now? I’ll be so embarrassed I can’t even look at you.”

  “Is it really that bad? My opinion of you?”

  “No.”

  “It’s okay,” he comforted her. “We all have thoughts we shouldn’t have, but never again think that you are wicked, Phoebe. You are like your grandma, and she was a woman of the Lord.”

  Tears came, and Phoebe wiped them away.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

  “You’re not the one who disturbed me.” She forced a smile. “Just give me a moment to collect myself.”

  “Okay.”

  “Let’s be adults about this,” she finally said. “I greatly appreciate you, David. The truth is, I found myself looking forward to your arrival this morning. You will be a great help to me, and I will take comfort in your presence on the farm both now and in the future. So that’s that.”

  “That’s that,” he agreed, his gaze fixed on her.

  “What?” she demanded.

  “I still think you’re pretty.”

  “And I like to have you around, so we’re even.”

  A smile spread over his face. “Yah, I suppose we are.”

  “Then let’s forget this happened.”

  “I agree.”

  “There’s the van coming in the driveway,” she said, but he had already heard and turned toward it. She smiled and hurried after him.

  FIFTEEN

  Minutes later, Phoebe paused behind the half-open barn door, hidden by the wooden frame.

  “You should go ahead of me,” she whispered to David. Her courage had flown right up through the roof and vanished into the blue sky.

  “You have it in you,” he said, his voice low. “They need to see you first. You are in charge, you know. This is the Lapp Family Farm.”

  Phoebe pasted on a smile and stepped forward. David was right beside her as they crossed the barnyard together. She had not exaggerated the comfort of his presence. And he thought she was pretty…and a saint like Grandma! But she could not think on that right now or she would pass out.

  The van had parked near the front walk. Phoebe waved, and Mrs. Broman’s face appeared in the passenger’s window. The door swung open, and Mrs. Broman stepped out, smiling and waving back. “Good morning, Phoebe. We thought for a moment you were still all sleeping.”

  “We were just taking a last-minute check of the barn—”

  “Phoebe, dear,” Mrs. Broman interrupted. “I’m teasing. How are you?” She gave Phoebe a hug and a quick peck on the cheek. “Are you okay?”

  “Do I look that scared?” Phoebe managed.

  “No, you look fine.” Mrs. Broman patted Phoebe on the back.

  “She’s okay,” David echoed as he squared his shoulders.

  Mrs. Broman seemed pleased. Thank the Lord Grandma had somehow foreseen this moment and provided her with David, who was the exact person she needed by her side.

  The driver’s side door of the van slammed, and Ethan appeared. “Howdy,” he said. Then he shook their hands.

  “How’s Ruth?” Ethan asked David. “I haven’t seen her in town the last few weeks.”

  “She’s…” David stopped. “Maybe I should leave the explaining to her,” he finished.

  Ethan didn’t give up. “Something serious?”

  Mrs. Broman cleared her throat. “Maybe we should focus on the task at hand, Ethan. We have two young boys to settle into an Amish farm. That’s like settling aliens, I’m thinking.”

  “They’ll take to it like ducks to water,” Ethan assured her.

  His bravado seemed forced, but Phoebe gave him a warm smile. “Thanks for the vote of confidence. That’s kind of you to say.”

  “You are a gentle and decent people,” Ethan told her. “George and Bill will pick that right up.”

  “That’s certainly what they need,” Mrs. Broman agreed. “So shall we begin?”

  Ethan nodded and opened the van door. Two small boys of no more than ten or eleven years of age were seated on the front seat, staring back at them. “George and Bill,” Ethan said, “this is Phoebe and David, your hosts at this lovely Amish farm. You will be spending a wonderful week riding horses and climbing mountains and enjoying yourselves immensely. Tell Phoebe and David hi.”

  Neither of the boys said anything.

  “Come on,” Ethan encouraged them.

  “They’re kind of shy,” Mrs. Broman whispered in Phoebe’s ear. “For good reasons. But you’ll be perfect for them.”

  David nudged Phoebe’s arm, and she forced herself to step forward. “Hi, George and Bill.” Her smile felt crooked and tight on her face, but at least she could smile. Neither boy seemed to mind as they scooted closer to the open van door and peered out. Skeptical looks filled their faces.

  “This is not Mars,” Ethan said with a chuckle.

  “Don’t encourage them,” Mrs. Broman chided.

  “Come, boys.” David stepped forward. “I’ll take you to see the ponies.”

  “Ponies?” they said together. Interest sparked in their eyes.

  “Yep.” David grinned from ear to ear. “Real Assateague ponies from the salt flats of northern Virginia.”

  “Where is that?” George asked.

  “Certainly not in Dungeons and Dragons,” Ethan quipped.

  Mrs. Broman shushed him with a tap on his arm. The two boys hopped down from the van and followed David into the barn.

  “I like him,” Mrs. Broman said. “You two will make a great team.”

  Phoebe nodded but said nothing.

  “Well, shall we be going?” Ethan asked. “I put the suitcases on the front porch, and everyone seems settled in at the moment.”

  Mrs. Broman turned to Phoebe. “You have my cell phone number. And also Ethan’s. Call either of us at the slightest problem, day or night. I’ll be checking in tomorrow for the first time, and we’ll go from there. Do you think you can handle this, dear?”

  “David and I can,” Phoebe replied. Her courage seemed to have returned. “He seems to know exactly what needs doing.”

  “He has a down-to-earth quality,” Ethan agreed. “They’ll listen to him, and everything will be fine.”

  Mrs. Broman seemed to breathe deeper than usual. “And no religious instruction, Phoebe. Remember that part of your training. I don’t want them going back to their parents quoting Bible verses. That will be the end of your little venture right there.”

  “I wouldn’t do that, and neither would David,” Phoebe assured her.

  “Just saying.” Mrs. Broman’s face softened. “I didn’t think you would—”

  “They are decent people,” Ethan interrupted. “But tell me, Phoebe. What’s up with Ruth and her disappearance?”

  Phoebe studied the ground for a moment. “Ruth has ended her rumspringa. The school board offered her the teaching position for this term. Ruth accepted, and she won’t be in town anymore.”

  “That must mean—”

  Mrs. Broman interrupted him this time. “You know what ending rumspringa means. You should have seen this coming, Ethan. If you were thinking that…” She let the sentence hang.

  Ethan’s sm
ile was bright. “Well…so. Shall we get going?”

  “Remember, call if there are problems!” Mrs. Broman repeated the instructions as she hopped in the van. Ethan was inside moments later, and they both waved on the way out of the driveway. The van headed south toward Little Falls, and stillness settled over the farm again.

  Ethan had inquired about Ruth. Was he serious? She had always been the one who had pursued the relationship, from what Phoebe could tell. Surely Ethan wouldn’t interfere with Ruth’s plans. And Ruth knew what the rules were. She had to cut off contact with Ethan—which was the right step. Grandma’s plan had unfolded seamlessly right in front of their eyes…but now this? Surely Ruth would soon find an Amish man from somewhere who could capture her heart. Ruth wasn’t unattractive, and now that she was the community’s schoolteacher, there was no reason…

  Phoebe pinched herself. She was not about to descend to matchmaking. Enough duties stared her in the face already. David was a great help, but she was still in charge of the farm and had to act accordingly. Lunch was a few hours away, but her duties extended well beyond the house. Grandma had seen to that.

  Phoebe turned to walk quickly toward the barn. She never would have dared to undertake this venture on her own. Not in a thousand years. And no one in her family would have dreamed her capable or supplied her with someone to walk with her. Only Grandma had seen the possibility in both David and her. Had Grandma seen more? Had Grandma seen…

  “No! I will not go there,” Phoebe told herself.

  She entered the barn with a firm stride and hurried to the back barn door. She stopped short at the sight in front of her. David had all three ponies around him with their saddles on, and he stroked their necks as he spoke with George and Bill in a soft voice. Bill appeared ready to join David in touching the animals, but George still stood back a few feet. David knew what he was doing, though. She could tell at a glance from the intense looks on the boys’ faces. Maybe she would hang back for a moment and not interfere.

  Then David looked up and called out, “Come, Phoebe. Join us. The boys are just getting up the courage for their first ride.”

  Phoebe took a deep breath and walked toward them. The skeptical looks on the boys’ faces had returned. She should have stayed out of sight.

  “Jump on and show them,” David encouraged her with a smile.

  “How are you two doing?” Phoebe asked George and Bill before she returned David’s smile with a nervous one of her own. “You were doing so great,” she whispered to him. “You shouldn’t have called me.”

  “I’m doing better with you here,” he whispered back. Then he raised his voice. “Watch her, boys, as Phoebe hops on. There’s nothing to it at all.”

  There seemed no option but to follow David’s instructions. Hesitation would only sow doubt in the minds of George and Bill. Phoebe grabbed the saddle horn with one hand and Snow Cloud’s mane with other, swinging herself into the saddle. She settled in with a smile and gripped the reins to steer Snow Cloud a short distance away from the other two ponies.

  “See, there’s nothing to it,” David encouraged the boys. “I’ll hold the reins, and I’ll lead you after Phoebe. We won’t go faster than a walk.”

  Bill was the first one up onto Lady’s back, and David patted the pony’s neck with one hand while he held the reins with the other. “How about you, George? Want to try?”

  “I think I’ll walk him,” George said, reaching for the other pony’s reins.

  David shrugged. “As you wish. I’ll lead Lady.”

  “What’s this pony’s name?” George asked. He held onto the leather reins with both hands.

  “Aladdin,” David told him, “after the tale—”

  “I know,” George interrupted. His eyes were fixed on the white-faced pony.

  “There’s no magic here, though,” David said. “Just the farm and fun and…”

  The look on George’s face said he wasn’t convinced that magic didn’t exist in the horse. Phoebe watched him approach. Despite the troubled times this boy had seen, perhaps there was magic here on the farm…or rather, grace. That was more like it. This was another world for George and Bill. Maybe the peace and quiet could supply them with what they lacked. She couldn’t begin to imagine what their lives were like in the world they came from. Maybe she would find out in the week ahead. Maybe healing could come for these torn children. There was an awful pain in their hearts. She could tell by the look on their faces.

  Phoebe continued to watch as George approached her, leading Aladdin.

  “How’s it going?” she asked him with a warm smile.

  “I’m doing it,” he said.

  Phoebe nudged Snow Cloud’s ribs, and the pony moved slowly forward. She led the way out of the barnyard gate with George on foot behind her and David with Lady’s reins right behind him. They must make a strange sight as they worked their way slowly across the pasture to the far side, but she didn’t care.

  Bill spoke up first. “That was fun. You should try getting on, George,” he encouraged.

  George skeptically eyed his pony.

  “You can pretend you’re Luke Skywalker,” Bill suggested.

  This brought a wry smile to George’s face. “This is a long stretch from a Tauntaun, and there is no snow.”

  “You can pretend,” Bill said. “And a pony is much easier to ride.”

  That seemed to clinch the matter for George, who swung himself up into the saddle in one easy move. David hurried forward to hold the reins, but George waved him away. “This is easier than a Tauntaun. Shall we go for a ride, Bill?”

  “I’m game,” Bill shot back. “But not faster than a walk. At least today. My Tauntaun isn’t completely tamed yet.”

  George chuckled and turned Aladdin toward the barn with Bill on Lady right behind him. David had let go of the reins and stood transfixed as the boys moved away from him. “Should I have let them go?” he asked Phoebe.

  “They’ll be okay,” Phoebe assured him. How did she know that? She wasn’t sure, but this seemed right. And George did keep Aladdin to a steady walk. The ponies would not dash off on their own. They didn’t like anything beyond a slow amble on their own initiative.

  “What’s a Tauntaun?” David asked, his gaze fixed on the departing two.

  Phoebe grinned. “I have no idea, but it seemed to work.”

  “I’m going to ask them what a Tauntaun is,” David declared.

  “I don’t think I would. I have a feeling it’s something everyone out there knows about, and we would appear…”

  “Out of touch,” David finished for her. “Naive and weird.”

  “Something like that.”

  He regarded her for a moment. “But we’re not.”

  “It depends on your perspective, I suppose.”

  “I can live without Tauntauns,” he declared. “Whatever they are. I’ll take this any day.”

  “Yah. I would too.”

  “My guess is Tauntauns aren’t pretty like you are.”

  “David!” she scolded. “No more talking about that subject.”

  He grinned. “I do know what I’m talking about when it comes to you.”

  “I didn’t hear that.” She nudged Snow Cloud. “Are you coming?”

  He laughed and followed her. She kept Snow Cloud to a walk so David could keep up. He appeared handsome striding beside her, but maybe her mind was colored by his charming remarks.

  “This has been a goot start to the day,” he remarked, sober faced now. “You are doing very well.”

  “And so are you.”

  He kept his gaze on the boys in front of them as they approached the barnyard again.

  SIXTEEN

  That evening, with dusk still a few hours away, Phoebe spread the kitchen table with tasty supper dishes. She had worked inside since two o’clock, while David entertained the boys in the barnyard with another long pony ride through the back pasture. They had begun the chores soon after four, and David had taken his time. She h
ad seen the trio lingering whenever they stepped outside the barn, David waving his arms about and engaging the boys in long conversations. David must be giving George and Bill instructions or explaining things. There weren’t that many duties on the small farm, not enough to last the three hours it had taken to complete the tasks. David knew what he was doing. How wise the man was to take the time to include George and David in his activities rather than simply doing the work himself.

  Phoebe smiled as she sampled the pot of potatoes with a small spoon. “Perfect,” she declared.

  What a wunderbah day this had been so far. Things had been almost too easy, but she must not doubt. Grandma’s blessing was on their venture, and she should not be surprised if things worked out so well.

  Phoebe heard footsteps on the back porch. As she laid down the spoon, the mudroom door burst opened without a knock. Excited voices filled the room on the other side of the kitchen wall, David’s deep voice mingling with the two younger ones. Phoebe quickly laid out the last of the supper plates and arranged the silverware before she cracked open the mudroom door to peer out. They were gathered around the washbasin, but none of the three noticed her.

  “Watch me,” David was saying. “It’s as simple as it looks. You run a little water into the sink, and then you wash with soap. Take your time, hit the plunger when you’re done, and wipe your hands over there on the towel.”

  George and Bill laughed together. “Now you’re teasing us,” George said. “We know how to wash our hands in a sink and wipe them on a towel.”

  David kept a straight face. “I’m just going over the main points so you know for sure.”

  “He’s teasing us,” Bill said.

  David ran the water and chuckled. “Yah, I am. But you both have done very well this afternoon with the chores. I’ll have you doing them alone by the week’s end.”

  “I can see where this is headed,” George said. “Free labor.”

  “Slave labor,” Bill added. “What do we get out of this?”