The Healing Jar

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “I am sure his parents will hire someone to work in the greenhouse after you’re gone. And don’t worry, Michelle—you’ll make new friends, just like you did when you moved here.” Mary Ruth hoped her words were encouraging. Truth was, though, she had no idea what it was like to move to a strange place where she didn’t know anyone. She and Willis had grown up in Lancaster County, and during the course of their marriage they had never moved away. They’d always had the support of their family and friends.

  She placed her hands on Michelle’s trembling shoulders. “Remember to pray often and study God’s Word. If you keep your focus on Him, He will lead, guide, and direct you all the days of your life.”

  Michelle nodded slowly. “I know, and I am ever so thankful that I’m not moving there by myself. I’ll have my husband’s love and support, and I want to be supportive of Ezekiel too.” She wiped her nose on the tissue Mary Ruth placed in her hand. “And can I just say one more thing?”

  “Of course.”

  “I feel certain I’m supposed to go to New York with my husband, even though it’s hard for me to leave the only place I have ever felt at home and loved.” Michelle placed one hand over her heart. “No matter where I go, or whatever I do, I will always remember the example you have shown me of what a loving, Christian wife should be. Danki, Mary Ruth, for all you have done for me.”

  “It has been my pleasure.” Mary Ruth looked deeply into Michelle’s eyes. “Remember, dear one … I shall be praying for you, and whenever you feel lonely or just need to talk, please give me a call.”

  “Danki, I will. Brad and Sara said they’d be praying for us too.” Michelle dried her damp eyes and managed to smile. “Want to hear something funny?”

  “Of course.”

  “When we were beginning to pack, my crazy hund started jumping into boxes and nosing around in our suitcases. Val likes it here, but I think she’s afraid she might be left behind.”

  Mary Ruth chuckled. “Dogs have a sixth sense about things. Val will be good company for you after the move. It’ll be an adjustment for her, same as you, but I bet in no time she’ll get used to her new surroundings.”

  “You may be right. She’ll probably adjust faster than I do, but it’s not like I’ve never moved before. Only this time I won’t be moving by myself.” Michelle dropped her gaze to the floor. “I’m glad those days are behind me now.”

  Chapter 23

  Sweat beaded on Jesse’s forehead as he paced the floor with Cindy. She was cutting a tooth, and he’d been up half the night trying to calm her. The poor little thing was in obvious pain and running a slight fever. Unfortunately, nothing Jesse did seemed to ease her distress.

  He glanced at the battery-operated clock on the living-room wall. It was almost two in the morning. If Esther were here holding our baby, I bet she’d know what to do. She was so good with her nieces and nephews and young siblings.

  Jesse took a seat in the rocking chair and began patting Cindy’s back as he got the chair moving. It did nothing to quiet her down. His daughter’s sobs tore at his heart. There must be something more I can do for her.

  He meandered over to the bookcase, patting Cindy’s back as he went. He’d purchased a book on child care a few months ago and wondered if it might say anything about teething.

  When Jesse spotted the book, he placed Cindy in the playpen and took it off the shelf. She hollered even more, of course, and Jesse felt like screaming himself as he flopped onto the couch.

  Looking through the index, he found what he was looking for and turned to the section that listed the symptoms and remedies for teething.

  “The signs of teething are swollen, tender gums,” Jesse read out loud. “The baby may be fussy or cry, have a slightly raised temperature, drool a lot, and chew on whatever he or she can find to put in the mouth.” Most of the symptoms fit Cindy, so Jesse felt confident his daughter was in fact teething. According to the book, babies began teething sometime between four and seven months, but some started even later.

  Now to locate a solution to the problem. Jesse’s fingers slid down the page until he came to the part about how to soothe a teething baby. The book’s author suggested putting something cold in the baby’s mouth, like a chilled pacifier, the end of a clean wet washcloth, or a refrigerated toy or teething ring. Another suggestion was for the baby’s caregiver to dip his or her finger in cool water and gently rub the baby’s gums. Jesse opted for that idea, but before he tried it, he put Cindy’s pacifier in the refrigerator to chill. Then he brought a glass of cold water to the living room.

  After Jesse returned to the rocker with Cindy and got the chair moving again, he dipped two fingers in the water and rubbed his daughter’s gums. It seemed to help some, and as Jesse continued to rock and rub, he thought about Lenore. It would be a week tomorrow since he’d enjoyed the bonfire at Mary Ruth’s place, and he’d only spoken to Lenore a few times since then. One evening when he’d gone to pick up Cindy, Lenore wasn’t there. Mary Ruth explained that her granddaughter had been invited to join her parents for supper at their house that night and probably wouldn’t be home until close to bedtime. Jesse had been disappointed, because he enjoyed visiting with Lenore and hearing about some of the things that went on at the schoolhouse. But he realized she had a life of her own and had every right to spend time with her family.

  Thinking about Lenore’s parents caused Jesse to recall a recent phone conversation he’d had with his mother. Mom had pressured him to return to Kentucky so she could help out with Cindy, but he held firm. He had too many memories of Esther in Kentucky, and Jesse wasn’t ready to face them. Besides, he liked his new job and didn’t want to take Cindy away from the familiarity of being with Mary Ruth and Lenore, whom she’d become attached to. Jesse was convinced he’d made the right decision by moving here, and he wasn’t going back to Kentucky no matter what.

  After several more minutes of rocking Cindy and rubbing her gums, she quit crying and dozed off. Eager to get some much-needed sleep of his own, Jesse put Cindy in her crib and collapsed on his bed. Before long, it would be time to get up and start another workday, but even a few hours of sleep would help.

  Jesse closed his eyes, lifted a silent prayer, and fell asleep.

  Lenore was getting ready to leave for school the next morning when Jesse showed up with Cindy. The dark circles beneath his eyes, in addition to his pinched, tension-filled expression, indicated that he hadn’t slept well the night before.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked, holding the door open for him. “You look mied.”

  “You’re right, I am tired. Ich bin mied wie en hund.”

  She bit back a chuckle. “Why are you tired as a dog?”

  Jesse stepped inside, and as he stood in the hallway with Cindy clinging to his neck, he explained what had happened the night before. “It was after two before either of us got to sleep,” he added with a groan. “I had no idea so many challenges came with being a parent. I’m sure glad I located a book on child care I’d bought previously. It taught me pretty much everything I needed to know about teething.”

  Lenore felt pity for Jesse. He was clearly exhausted from last evening’s ordeal. “I’m sorry you had a rough night.”

  “Hopefully it won’t happen again, because next time Cindy cuts a tooth, I’ll know exactly what to do. ’Course, that’s not saying I’ll handle things well if she gets the flu or a bad cold.”

  “Ah, there’s my precious little girl.” Lenore’s grandmother’s arms opened wide when she joined them in the hallway.

  Jesse handed Cindy to her. “My daughter’s having a hard time cutting her first tooth, so I hope she won’t be too fussy for you today.”

  “I’m sure she’ll be fine. I raised two kinner who were both fussy when they were cutting their teeth, but we got through it.” Grandma gestured to Lenore. “You were only four months old when you cut your first tooth. The one thing your mamm did that seemed to help the most was soaking a clean washcloth in chamomile te
a, which she then put in the refrigerator to chill. The fabric massaged the ridges of your gums while the cold numbed the pain, and the herbal tea helped to calm you.”

  Lenore smiled. “My mom’s a schmaert woman, jah?”

  “Yes, she is very smart.” Grandma’s eyes glistened with tears as a slight smile lifted her thin lips. “Your grandpa always teased and said she had to be smart because she chose to marry our son even after she found out his daed raised hogs.”

  Lenore and Jesse laughed. Grandpa was always full of wisecracks that made people smile. She missed him so much, and of course, Grandma did too. Probably more than Lenore could comprehend, since she had never lost the love of her life.

  “I’d better get going.” Jesse placed Cindy’s diaper bag on the floor by the coat-tree. “Oh, and I wanted to remind you that I have a dental appointment after work, so I’ll be a little late picking Cindy up.”

  “Not a problem,” Grandma said. “In fact, if you like, you can leave Cindy here overnight. That way, if she gets fussy again tonight, you can get some good sleep.”

  Jesse drew in a breath, then closed his eyes briefly while exhaling. “Danki, I would appreciate that very much.” He stepped forward and gave his daughter a kiss on the cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow evening, my sweet girl. Be good for Mary Ruth and Lenore.”

  Lenore said goodbye to Grandma and followed Jesse out the door. “I hope you have a good day at work and that everything goes well at your dental appointment.”

  He smiled. “I hope your day at school goes well too.”

  Clymer, New York

  Michelle stood in front of the kitchen window, washing dishes and looking out at the fertile land surrounding their new home. With farmland being cheaper here than in Lancaster County, it was easy to understand why several Amish families from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Ohio had chosen to pack up and move to New York State. Fortunately, Michelle and Ezekiel had joined a more progressive district than some in the area. While the home they were buying was an older two-story, four-bedroom house that needed a fresh coat of paint and a few updates, it was comfortable and provided them with all that they needed and had been accustomed to while living in Strasburg, including indoor plumbing. Michelle couldn’t imagine doing without indoor plumbing and phone shacks, or driving buggies with no front windshield, like the brown-topped-buggy Amish she’d heard about who originally came from New Wilmington, Pennsylvania. It was hard enough to adjust to living where she had no friends or family, without trying to deal with hardships she’d never experienced before.

  Pulling her fingers slowly through the lukewarm dishwater, Michelle thought about the phone call she’d received yesterday from her brother Ernie. He let her know that he and Jack might drive up to New York to see her before winter set in. Since both of her brothers lived in Ohio, it would be a bit of a drive, but a lot cheaper than flying. She looked forward to seeing them and finding out what was new in their lives. In the meantime, Michelle needed to concentrate on unpacking all their things and getting the house organized. Opening most of the boxes filled with household items had been left up to her, since Ezekiel had been keeping plenty busy learning all he could about running his new business.

  Needing a familiar voice to talk to, Michelle had called Mary Ruth yesterday, hoping she might catch her in or near the phone shack, but all she’d been able to do was leave a message. Michelle felt certain that if she had been able to speak to Mary Ruth, she would have received some words of encouragement to help lift her depression.

  Michelle finished washing the dishes and decided to let them air dry instead of drying each dish with a towel. She had better things to do, and the first item was to get some laundry done and hung on the line to dry. Later, she planned to take Val for a walk. Since the area was new to the dog and Michelle didn’t want the Irish setter to run off, so far she’d kept her secured with a long leash or inside the barn. Of course, the dog managed to sneak in the house now and then too. Eventually, once Val became acclimated to her new surroundings, she’d be given the freedom to roam around their yard and all the acreage that came with it.

  Michelle dried her hands and slipped into a lightweight jacket, then stepped out the back door. Drawing in a breath of fresh air, she tipped her head and listened. Other than Val’s whine as she pulled on her tether, the only sound Michelle heard was the chirping of birds. “It’s so peaceful here,” she murmured. “Almost too quiet to suit me, though.”

  The dog’s ears perked up, and she let out a couple of loud barks.

  Michelle laughed. “Okay, okay, I can take a hint. You want some attention, don’t ya, girl?”

  The Irish setter wagged her tail, and Michelle bent down to pet Val’s silky auburn head. “Let’s go for a walk now. I can start the laundry when we get back.”

  Chapter 24

  Strasburg

  By the fourth week of November, the weather had turned frigid, and on Thanksgiving morning, Lenore woke up to the sight of snow falling from the sky. She stood at her bedroom window and watched as everything in the yard was quickly covered in white. Over in the next field, the neighbor’s two horses romped around in the chilly weather. The animals followed each other like children in an energy-driven jog, and then one horse would stop while the other started kicking like it was thrilled with the new-fallen snow.

  What a lovely sight, she mused. I just hope for the sake of our company that the roads don’t get bad. Others in the area would no doubt be traveling for the holiday, and Lenore prayed for their safety as well.

  Pulling her gaze away from the window, she hurried to get dressed so she could help Grandma with breakfast and the preparations for their big Thanksgiving meal. Jesse and Cindy would be joining them, along with Lenore’s parents and her brother Peter. Ben had been invited to join his girlfriend’s parents, so his chair at the table would be empty. Sara and Brad were spending Thanksgiving with Brad’s folks in Harrisburg. They planned to return on Saturday, as Brad needed to be back in Lancaster to preach on Sunday.

  Grandpa’s seat will be empty too. Lenore choked up. Last Thanksgiving had been such a fun time with all the family together. Even when the turkey ended up on the floor, Grandma had kept a positive attitude, and everyone had enjoyed a good laugh. But today would probably be quiet and uneventful.

  Lenore plodded in her slippers over to the closet and picked out a frock. It was one of her work dresses she didn’t mind getting dirty. She changed from her nightclothes to the dress and slipped on her comfy shoes.

  Going to her dresser, she grabbed her brush and ran it through her long brown hair. “Ouch!” Lenore frowned as the brush pulled at a tangle. While she patiently worked her hair free, Lenore remembered that the dress she’d put on was the same one she’d worn last Thanksgiving while helping Grandma get things ready for their meal. I remember Grandpa commenting on how much he liked this rose-pink color on me. Lenore smiled. She couldn’t help thinking how strange it was that the memory had simply popped into her head. Such a small thing, but a lovely reminiscence.

  Lenore pinned up her hair and put her head covering in place. No matter how hard we all try to enjoy the day, it won’t be the same without Grandpa sitting at the head of the table.

  Clymer

  “Just think, this is our first Thanksgiving in our new home.” Ezekiel slipped his arms around Michelle and gave her a kiss. “Aren’t you excited?”

  She nodded. Truth was, she’d be more enthused if they were going to Strasburg to celebrate the holiday. They’d only been here two months, but to Michelle, it felt like an eternity. She missed Sara, Lenore, Ezekiel’s family, and most of all, Mary Ruth. If just one of them could have come up to New York to celebrate Thanksgiving, it would have made her happy. Instead, she and Ezekiel were all alone with a fifteen-pound turkey in the oven. Michelle didn’t know what her husband was thinking when he’d come home with such a big bird.

  “I know it’s a lot of meat,” Ezekiel had said, “but we’ll have plenty of leftovers for turkey s
andwiches, soups, and casseroles.”

  Michelle didn’t care about leftover turkey. She would have rather gone out for dinner than cook a big meal for just the two of them.

  I’m an ungrateful wife, she scolded herself. I should be more appreciative of Ezekiel and try to make this a special day for him. I wish I was more like Lenore, who has always seemed so peaceful, loving, and full of joy to me. I bet if she were here now, she’d say I have a lot to be thankful for, and of course she’d be right. Michelle placed her hands against her warm cheeks. I need to quit feeling sorry for myself.

  “The turkey will be done soon, so I suppose I should set out the dishes and silverware before I cook the potatoes and heat up the green beans.” She gestured to the kitchen table. “Since it’s just the two of us, we may as well eat in here.”

  Ezekiel shook his head. “This is a special occasion. Don’t you think it would be nicer if we ate in the dining room?”

  Michelle shrugged. “If that’s what you would prefer.”

  A knock sounded on the front door, and Ezekiel cocked his head. “Now, I wonder who that could be. Why don’t you answer it while I start peeling the potatoes?”

  Michelle touched his forehead. “Are you grank? Since when would you rather peel potatoes than answer the door?”

  “No, I’m not sick—only trying to be helpful.” He stroked the side of her cheek and gave her a quick kiss.

  “Okay, whatever. It’s probably our English neighbor to the north of us. She’s always asking to borrow something.” Michelle left the room and made her way to the front door, in no hurry to get there. When she opened it and saw who stood on the front porch, her mouth opened wide and she let out a squeal. “Ernie! Jack! I had no idea you two were coming here today.” Michelle barely took notice of the young woman standing between her brothers until Jack gave her a hug and said, “Michelle, this is my fiancée, Gina.”