A Place at Our Table

by Amy Clipston

  “Ya, I’m sure. I can take care of his ankle just fine. We’ve had quite a few sprained ankles on our farm. But thank you for the offer.” Mamm smiled, but Kayla could almost feel her mother’s stress. Surely this ordeal brought back the horrible memories of Simeon’s death for her as well.

  Kristi climbed into the back of the ambulance and touched Nathan’s shoulder. “How are you doing?”

  “Okay. I can breathe fine.” Nathan shifted on the gurney. “My legs and ankle are sore, but I think I can get up now.”

  “Let me check your lungs first.” Kristi pulled out her stethoscope and placed it on Nathan’s chest and then his back as she listened. “You sound great. I can let you go now.” She glanced over at Mamm. “I have some paperwork for you to sign.”

  “Oh, of course,” Mamm said. Kristi grabbed a clipboard stuffed with paperwork and jumped down from the ambulance.

  “I’ll help Nathan to the haus,” Kayla offered. She held out her arm. “Let me help you down from there.”

  “I’m not a boppli,” Nathan snapped with a glare.

  Kayla swallowed a frustrated sigh. “I know that, but you said your ankle and legs hurt. Stop being so proud and let me help you.”

  Nathan’s expression softened, and he reached for her arm. Once he was down, Kayla thanked Kristi and she and Nathan started toward the back porch.

  The steady mist had dissipated, and the sky was clear and full of twinkling stars—which seemed an ironic contrast to the barn now reduced to a smoky pile of ashes. The smell of burning wood filled the air and squeezed at Kayla’s lungs.

  When they reached the back porch, Nathan winced as he held on to the banister and pulled himself up each of the six steps. A few lanterns lined the edge of the porch, illuminating the back of the house.

  “I don’t know how you’re going to get up to your bedroom,” Kayla said. “You might have to sleep on the sofa downstairs.”

  Nathan stopped dead in his tracks, his body rigid. “I’m not ready to go inside. I’d rather sit out here.”

  Kayla rubbed the bridge of her nose. Not this again. “You need to rest and elevate your foot.”

  “I can elevate it on this glider. I’m not going inside.”

  She blew out a frustrated sigh. “Fine.” She pointed to the glider. “Sit.”

  His glare was back in full force. “I’m not a dog, Kay.” He gingerly sank into one corner of the glider and stretched out his right leg.

  Regret soaked through Kayla as she watched her brother rub his swollen ankle.

  “I’m sorry.” She sat down on the rocker beside him. “I didn’t mean to be so hard on you. I was just really worried earlier.” She took a deep breath as tears stung her eyes. “You scared me. I thought we were going to lose you.”

  Kayla turned to look at Nathan, and his expression was clouded. “I know. I’m sorry.”

  Kayla sniffed and swiped her cheeks with both hands. “When you ran into that barn, I was afraid it was the last time I was ever going to see you.” She swallowed against a threatening lump in her throat. “All I could think about was Simeon and how much it would hurt to lose you too.”

  “Hey.” Nathan reached over and touched her arm. “I’m okay, thanks to James.”

  “I know.” Kayla cleared her throat as she looked toward the Station 5 fire engine, lit by the headlights of other vehicles. James still stood with Brody and the other firefighters, and as if he sensed her gaze, he turned toward the porch and lifted his hand. She returned the gesture with a half-hearted wave.

  “Why are you so against the idea of me becoming a firefighter?”

  Kayla angled her body toward him. “I can’t believe you’re even asking me that.”

  “I’ll be careful.” He held out his hands as if to keep her calm. “I’ll take the training seriously—really seriously. I’ll listen to my chief and only do what he says.” He pointed toward the fire engine where James stood. “James seems like a great guy. I’ll see if he’ll be my mentor and take me under his wing. I could learn a lot from him.”

  She shook her head. If only life were as predictable as Nathan believed. “It’s not that simple. Things happen. Accidents happen when we least expect them.”

  He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I’m not going to die like Simeon did.”

  “How could you know that?” Her voice wobbled. “Do you think Eva expected to be raising Junior alone?”

  “Eva isn’t raising him alone. She has us.”

  “Ya, she does, but she doesn’t have a husband, and Junior doesn’t have a daed. In fact, Junior will never know his daed. He’ll never know firsthand what he looks like or hear his voice. Simeon will be someone he knows only through stories. He won’t be a real person to Junior.”

  Nathan looked out toward the smoky ruin that was once their barn, and Kayla could sense his whirling thoughts.

  After several moments, Nathan turned toward her, his lips pressed into a hard line. “Just because Simeon died in an accident doesn’t mean I will.” He nodded again toward the fire engine. “Look at James. He said he’s been a firefighter since he was sixteen. Why don’t we ask him if he’s ever been in danger?”

  “He’s in danger every time he runs into a burning building. He was in danger earlier when he saved you and then went back in for the horses.”

  Nathan rolled his eyes. “That’s not what I meant.”

  “I know what you meant, but you’re not listening to what I’m saying. Mamm and Dat don’t need to lose another sohn.” She pointed to her chest. “I don’t need to lose my only remaining bruder.”

  “Dat will understand when I talk to him,” he grumbled under his breath. “He’ll let me train.”

  I hope not. Kayla settled back in the rocker and took in the scene in front of her. Dat stood with Brody and some of the other firefighters, gesturing toward the rubble. Mamm had moved from the ambulance to stand beside Dat. Four fire hoses were still spraying the pile of burned timbers. It was as if she were dreaming. It somehow didn’t seem real that her father’s barn, built long before she was born, had been reduced to nothing but kindling in less than an hour.

  Kayla’s eyes lingered on James as he leaned back against the fire engine and crossed his arms over his chest. Her mind swirled with questions about him. Where did he live? Had Simeon known him?

  Several minutes passed as she and Nathan sat in silence. Then Mamm and Dat crossed the driveway hand in hand and walked up the steps. Mamm held a handful of documents Kayla assumed were from the paramedic.

  Dat sat down on the bench beside Nathan’s glider. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine.” Nathan winced as he lifted his leg and set it on the floor of the porch. “I want to talk to you about something.”

  Mamm sat down on the glider beside Nathan and rubbed his arm.

  “What is it?” Dat asked.

  “Did you meet James, the firefighter who saved me?” Nathan asked. Dat nodded. “He said he started volunteering when he was sixteen. He said I could become a volunteer, too, because they allow people to start training at fourteen. How old was Simeon when he started volunteering?”

  Kayla braced herself, silently praying that Dat would tell Nathan to stop entertaining the idea of following in their older brother’s footsteps.

  Dat rubbed his beard, a sign that he was debating his response. “I think he was about sixteen.”

  Nathan’s eyes lit up. “I didn’t realize he was that young.”

  “Nathan,” Mamm began slowly, “I don’t think this is the time to discuss this.”

  Kayla blew out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

  Nathan’s shoulders wilted. “But I thought it was the best time to talk about it since Brody is here. You have to give him permission before I can even sign up for training.”

  Dat shook his head and frowned. “Your mamm is right. There’s too much going on right now. We’ve lost everything in the barn, and I’m not in the right frame of mind to consider this.
Let’s talk about it some other time.”

  Kayla’s lips formed a frown. Dat didn’t say yes, but he also didn’t say no. Perhaps sometime after the issues with the barn were settled she could get him alone and convince him not to allow Nathan to train.

  Dat’s frown deepened. “I thanked James for getting you out of there so quickly. I never thought you’d try to save the horses.”

  Nathan shrugged. “I figured that’s what Simeon would’ve done.”

  “But Simeon wouldn’t have run in without turnout gear,” Kayla chimed in.

  “Kayla,” Nathan snapped. “I got your point the first ten times you said that. You can drop it now.”

  “Please.” Mamm’s voice was weary. “Stop bickering. All that matters now is that Nathan is okay.”

  “You’re right, Mamm.” Kayla looked down at her lap. “I’m sorry.”

  Dat stared toward the smoke still rising. “I’m grateful James and the other firefighters were able to save the horses, but I have to make a list of everything else we’ve lost. And I’ll have to see how soon we can get people to come for a barn raising.”

  “It will be okay, Willie,” Mamm said softly, her voice shaking. “We’ll get through this. We have each other.”

  “Ya, ya, you’re right.” But Dat didn’t sound convinced.

  “The Lord will provide for us,” Mamm insisted, her voice still a bit thin and wobbly. “He always has. You know that.”

  Dat nodded before resting his elbow on his thigh and setting his chin on his palm. A wave of sadness washed over Kayla as she took in the grief in her father’s eyes. She gripped the arms of her rocking chair and bit her lower lip. She hadn’t seen her father look this distraught since Simeon’s death and the days following his funeral.

  The screen door opened and Eva appeared wearing a green dress and black apron. Her hair was covered with a prayer kapp. She stepped onto the porch and sat down on a rocking chair beside Kayla.

  “How is Junior?” Mamm asked.

  “I finally got him back to sleep.” Eva cupped her hand to her mouth to stifle a yawn. “I was beginning to think he would never go down, but I just kept rocking him and singing until he finally gave up.” She looked out toward the remains of the barn.

  “I didn’t realize he’d woken up,” Kayla said.

  “Ya, I went to check on him earlier, and he was crying. I guess all the sirens woke him.” Eva turned toward Nathan. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine.” Nathan shrugged. “My ankle and legs are sore, but I’ll be okay.”

  “I’m froh to hear it. You gave us a scare.”

  Simeon had confided to Kayla that he’d fallen head over heels in love with this beauty with light-brown hair and warm hazel eyes the moment he met her at a youth gathering. They were both nineteen and inseparable from that day on. Now she was twenty-five and a widow.

  Kayla often wondered if she’d ever find the kind of love her brother and Eva had shared. She thought she found true love in Abram Blank, but less than two months after Simeon died Abram broke up with her. His rejection made a deep cut in her soul, and she wasn’t sure if she’d ever be ready to trust another man with her heart.

  Eva rocked back in her chair. Her eyes focused intensely on the firefighters standing by their trucks. She seemed to be contemplating something.

  Kayla touched her arm, and Eva jumped with a start. “You should go to bed. Junior will have you up early tomorrow morning. I mean, later this morning.”

  Eva shook her head, her eyes still trained on the firefighters. “I was thinking about giving the firefighters a snack. They’ve been working so hard for nearly an hour.”

  “I’ll do it.” Kayla stood, relieved to have something to focus on other than her brother’s obsession with joining the volunteer fire department. “I have some fresh lemonade, and we have those cookies from the restaurant. You and Mamm can go to bed and get some sleep. We still have to open the restaurant on time for the breakfast rush.”

  “Don’t be gegisch. We’ll help you.” Mamm stood and touched Kayla’s back. “We should thank the firefighters for keeping our family safe. Not only did they save Nathan and our horses, but they kept the fire contained to the barn. We could have lost our home.”

  “All right,” Kayla said, giving in. “Why don’t we just invite the firefighters and EMTs to come up here for kichlin and lemonade? We can bring everything outside and put it on the porch tables.”

  “That’s a gut idea,” Eva said.

  “I’ll invite them. You two get everything ready.” Mamm started down the porch steps toward the fire engines and Dat followed her.

  Inside Kayla ran up to her room and quickly dressed in a rose-colored dress with a black apron before covering her hair with a matching scarf. Then she rushed back to the kitchen and found the pitcher of lemonade and some plastic cups.

  Eva held up a tray filled with large chocolate chip, macadamia nut, and peanut butter cookies. “What do you think? They’re our best sellers at the restaurant, so I’m glad your mamm baked extra for us.”

  “Perfect.” Kayla nodded toward the mudroom. “Let’s take this all outside and then you can go to bed.”

  Back on the porch, her gaze landed on James as her parents talked to him and some of the firefighters and EMTs. Frustration sizzled anew in her veins. He wasn’t the influence Nathan needed right now, and she hoped this would be the last time she’d ever see James Riehl.

  THREE

  “We really appreciate all you’ve done for our family today,” Marilyn said to Jamie, Leon, and Noah. “May we offer you a little snack before you head back to the fire station?” She pointed to the back porch. “My daughter and daughter-in-law have cookies and lemonade for you.”

  “That’s really kind of you,” Leon said, hedging. He looked between Jamie and Noah.

  “We’d love to.” Jamie waved a hand to include them all, sure Brody would approve. “Danki.”

  “Great.” Marilyn clapped her hands together as if their acceptance meant the world to her. “Willie and I will ask the other fire companies to join us as well.”

  The three firefighters started walking across the rock driveway toward the house. Jamie decided he’d ask Leon how he and Brody knew this family later.

  “I’m so tired I can hardly move.” Leon pushed his hand through his hair. “We still need to load up the truck. It’s around three thirty now, isn’t it?”

  “Let’s just have a quick snack and then head back.” Jamie’s boots clomped up the wooden steps to the long porch that spanned the back of the large, white, two-level farmhouse. He noticed a one-level addition jutting out from the right side. He’d been too high on adrenaline to notice when they arrived.

  That must be where either the parents or the son and daughter-in-law lived. But where is the older son?

  When he reached the top of the steps, Jamie leaned back against the porch railing and folded his arms over his chest. He swiped the back of his hand across his forehead and blew out a deep sigh. He was still hot and sweaty from the combination of the fire and the humid June night. He longed to get back to the fire station to enjoy a cool shower, followed by some sleep.

  “Would you like some kichlin?”

  The question yanked Jamie from his thoughts. He glanced down at the brunette who’d just come from inside. He’d briefly talked to her on the porch when they first arrived at the scene. This must be the daughter-in-law.

  “Ya. Danki.” He reached for a cookie and hesitated.

  She balanced the tray on one hand and pointed to each selection. “We have chocolate chip, macadamia nut, and peanut butter.”

  “Peanut butter is a favorite.” He lifted one of the large cookies and nodded. “Danki.”

  “Gern gschehne.” She held out her hand, and he shook it. “I’m Eva.”

  “It’s nice to meet you. I’m James.”

  “Danki for all you did tonight for my brother-in-law.” Her smile faded, and her lower lip trembled almost imperceptibly. “W
e were really scared when we realized he’d run into the barn.”

  “I’m just glad we were here in time to help him.” Jamie bit into the cookie and savored the sweet taste.

  “How are you doing, Eva?” Leon asked as she stepped over toward him.

  Jamie’s eyebrows lifted. Renewed curiosity filled him as he again wondered how Leon knew the Dienner family.

  “I’m okay. I have gut days and bad days.” Eva nodded toward the tray. “Would you like some kichlin?”

  “Are you kidding? The Dienner women make the best kichlin. Of course I want some.” Leon took one of each variety. “Danki.”

  Jamie studied Leon. Brody seemed to know the family too. How did they know them so well?

  Noah introduced himself to Eva and took two cookies before he leaned back against the railing, next to Jamie.

  “How is Elsie doing?” Jamie asked before taking another bite.

  “She’s gut.” Noah grinned. “Christian is keeping her hopping. He’s walking all over the place. She turned her back for a second yesterday and realized he was gone. She found him in the linen closet, yanking out all the bath towels. Last week he pulled out all the pots and pans from the bottom of the cabinet and started drumming on them.”

  Jamie and Leon laughed.

  “How old is he now?” Leon asked.

  “Eighteen months.” Noah shook his head as his smile deepened. “I can’t believe how big he’s grown.”

  “Would you like lemonade?”

  Jamie turned to see Kayla standing in front of him as she held up a tray with a pitcher and plastic cups. He studied her sky-blue eyes, trying to determine what the intensity there meant. Was she still upset with him or just upset about the fire? He recalled finding the same fierceness in her expression earlier when he suggested firefighter training for Nathan. She seemed as if she wanted to say something, but she was hesitating.

  The tray teetered, and he reached for the pitcher. “Let me help you with that.”

  She quickly pulled it away. “Danki, but I’ve got it.” She raised her eyebrows. “It’s fresh. I made it earlier today.”