“Everything sure tastes good,” Menno said, smiling at Lydia, and then at Mae. “We appreciate your invitation.”
“We figured it was only right to invite you and the boys since you were so kind to…” Mae’s face reddened as she halted her words. “What I mean is we’re glad you and the boys could share this meal with us.”
Lydia nodded. “There’s way too much food here for just Mom and me to eat.”
“It is a lot of food, but my growing boys are sure putting a dent in it.” Menno squeezed Ike’s shoulder. “Especially this one, who’s going through a growing spurt right now.”
Ike grinned. “Won’t be long and I’ll be as tall as you, Papa.”
“What about me?” Carl asked as he forked a piece of turkey off the platter and plunked it onto his plate. “I’m gettin’ taller, too.”
“You sure are,” Menno said with a nod.
Lydia smiled. “I think all of the boys have grown since I first met them.”
The boys beamed and bobbed their heads. Menno was pleased that they were on their best behavior today.
As the meal progressed, the adults visited, and the boys ate more than their share of food.
Not long after they were done eating, Carl complained of a stomachache, so Menno decided it was time for them to go home. If Carl was coming down with the flu, Menno sure didn’t want the boy getting sick here.
“Danki for everything,” Menno said as he and the boys started out the door.
“Don’t forget this.” Lydia handed Menno a whole pumpkin pie. “Since you’re not staying for dessert you can eat this later.” She patted Carl’s shoulder. “I hope you feel better soon.”
He gave a nod and scooted out the door.
Once Menno had everyone seated in the buggy, he turned to the boys and said, “I’m glad you were all so good today. I wasn’t going to tell you this until Lydia gives me her answer, but I’ve asked her to marry me.”
The boys said nothing; just sat there with their eyes wide and their mouths hanging slightly open. Apparently the news left them speechless.
CHAPTER 49
A few weeks later, Mae decided to go to Miller’s Dry Goods Store to see if more of her quilts had sold. She had been traveling only a short time when she spotted Levi’s youngest brother, Andy, standing in the weeds by the side of the road. A young English boy with curly black hair stood beside Andy, shaking his fists and hollering something Mae couldn’t understand.
She slowed the buggy and was horrified when the chubby-looking English boy knocked Andy to the ground and straddled his chest.
“Whoa!” Mae guided her horse and buggy to the side of the road, climbed down, and secured Buttercup to a nearby tree. Then she dashed across the road. “Let go of that little boy, right now!”
The English boy jumped up and took off down the road.
Mae dropped to her knees beside Andy. “Are you okay?”
“He…he said mean things to me and knocked me down,” Andy said with a sob. “When he sat on my chest, I felt like I couldn’t breathe.”
“It’s okay. He’s gone now.” As Mae helped Andy to his feet, an unpleasant memory came to her. She knew exactly how Andy felt. She’d felt the same when Angela sat on her chest.
“Where were you going, and how come you’re alone?” she asked, gently patting Andy’s back.
“W–went over to my friend Johnny’s after school. Was on my way home, and then that mean kid came along.” He sniffed and swiped the back of his hand across his tearstained face. “He said I was a runt and that me and my family are different and don’t belong in this town.”
Mae’s conscience pricked her, and she grimaced. She’d felt the same way about Angela. It wasn’t right for me to stay angry with Angela all these years—even becoming prejudiced and fearful around little people because of what she did to me. She was just a child, and I need to forgive.
“Let’s go across the road to my buggy,” Mae said, taking Andy’s hand. “I’ll give you a ride home.”
“Okay.”
Mae led Andy across the street and lifted him into her buggy.
When they drove up his folks’ driveway a short time later, Mae halted the horse at the hitching rail. “I’ll go into the house with you and explain to your folks what happened,” she told Andy.
He nodded soberly. “I…I hope Mom and Pop won’t think I started anything with that boy.”
She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. “It’ll be fine. I’ll explain what I saw.”
Mae followed Andy into the house, where they found Nona standing on a wooden stool in front of the kitchen sink, peeling potatoes.
Mae cleared her throat to make her presence known, and Nona jerked her head. “Ach! You frightened me. Didn’t know anyone had come in.”
“I brought Andy home.” Mae could barely get the words out. Being in Nona’s house—a place she’d refused to visit until now—made her feel nervous, like she didn’t belong.
Nona stepped off the stool and hurried over to Andy. “Are you all right? It looks like you’ve been crying.”
“A mean kid was pickin’ on me.” Andy’s chin quivered, and he motioned to Mae. “Then she came along and made him go away.”
“I appreciate you coming to my son’s rescue and bringing him home,” Nona said, smiling at Mae.
Levi stepped into the kitchen just then. “I was in the living room and overhead what you said. Do you know who the boy was who picked on my brother?” he asked Mae.
She shook her head. “I’ve never seen him before.”
Levi looked at Andy. “Do you know the boy?”
Andy’s head moved slowly up and down. “His name’s Ron, and he lives in Millersburg, but he comes to Charm to visit his cousin sometimes. He’s been in our store a time or two, but he’s never done nothin’ mean to me before today.”
“What’s he look like?”
“He’s got curly black hair, squinty blue eyes, and he’s kinda chunky.”
Levi’s eyes narrowed. “Well, the next time he comes into the store, I want you to let me know right away.”
“How come, Levi? What are you gonna do?” Andy asked in a quivering voice.
“I’ll talk to him. Or better yet, if his folks come into the store, I’ll tell them what happened today.”
“I think it would be good if the boy’s parents were told,” Nona said, “but I believe it should be your daed who talks to them, not you, Levi.”
Levi frowned. “I think it’d be better if I did the talking.”
“Why’s that?” Nona asked.
Mae shifted uneasily in the presence of this family disagreement.
“Since I’m bigger, the boy’s parents will be more likely to listen to me. If Pop tries to talk to them, they might try to intimidate him the way their boy did Andy.”
“Puh!” Nona swatted the air as if flicking away a pesky fly. “Your daed’s just as capable of making someone listen to him as you are. And it shouldn’t matter how tall a man is, either.” She sighed. “We’ve been through all this before, Levi. You can’t always be there to help and protect us.”
Levi nodded. “You’re right, but if I see this kid who picked on my brother, and you and Pop aren’t around, I’m definitely going to say something.” He took Andy’s hand. “Let’s go to the bathroom and get you cleaned up.”
After Andy and Levi left the room, Nona smiled at Mae and motioned to the table. “Would you like to sit awhile and have a cup of tea?”
Mae hesitated, but finally took a seat. If she was going to get over her fear of little people, she may as well start now.
While visiting with Nona, Mae told her story about Angela and admitted that from that time on she’d been wary of little people.
Nona sat several seconds without saying a word; then a slow smile spread across her face. “So that’s why you’ve been avoiding us?”
Mae nodded, and her face heated. “When I saw Andy being terrorized by that bully, it made me realize that little p
eople get picked on, too.”
Nona nodded soberly. “Probably more so than others, in fact.”
“I’m sorry for avoiding you,” Mae apologized. “I know it was foolish and childish of me to cling to my fears.”
“I think we all have fears from our childhood to deal with,” Nona said. “I’m glad you felt free to share yours with me today.”
Mae relaxed against the chair as a new realization settled over her. She and Nona might actually become friends. Now she hoped she’d be able to make things right between her and Rueben.
Menno had just stepped into the house, and was about to head for the kitchen, when he heard voices coming from the living room.
“I still can’t believe Papa plans to marry Lydia.” Menno recognized Dennis’s high-pitched voice. “Doesn’t he know we don’t want a new mamm?”
“Know what I wish?” Ike said. “I wish we could move back to Pennsylvania.”
“Me, too,” Carl put in. “I liked it better where Grandpa and Grandma Troyer live.”
“Our aunts, uncles, and cousins are there, too,” Dennis said. “I really miss ’em.”
“Maybe Lydia won’t marry Papa,” Ike said. “She might turn him down, ya know.”
“I like Lydia,” Kevin chimed in. “She cooks better’n Papa does.”
“That ain’t no reason for him to marry her.” Ike’s voice raised a notch. “Grandma cooks good, too, and if we lived near her and Grandpa, I bet she’d cook for us all the time.”
Menno leaned against the wall in the utility room, shocked by what he’d just heard. All this time, he’d thought the boys needed a mother, when what they really wanted was to move back to Pennsylvania and be near his family.
He pulled his fingers through the ends of his beard as he mulled things over. I don’t know what to do. I’ve already asked Lydia to marry me. If she says yes, she’ll be hurt if I say I’ve changed my mind. On the other hand, if I marry her, it could come between me and the boys.
The whinny of a horse drew Menno’s thoughts aside. He peered out the small window in the back door. Lydia’s horse and buggy had just pulled into their yard.
“Oh no,” he moaned. “What if she’s come here to give me her decision?”
For weeks, Lydia had been praying about Menno’s proposal, and she’d finally made up her mind. She still had time before Christmas to give Menno her answer, but why wait?
She glanced at Menno’s shop. It was dark. He’d probably finished working for the day and had gone home. She had just climbed down from her buggy when Menno came out of the house. He hurried toward her, his boots crunching on the firmly packed snow.
“I was hoping you’d be home from work,” Lydia said. “I’ve come to give you my answer to your marriage proposal.” She drew in a quick breath. “My answer is yes.”
Menno’s face turned white as the snow beneath his feet. “You’re willing to marry me?”
She nodded. Why wasn’t he smiling? “Is something wrong? Have you changed your mind about marrying me?”
“Do you love me, Lydia?”
She shook her head slowly and dropped her gaze to the ground. “But I care about you and the boys.”
His fingers cupped her chin, and he raised it so she was forced to look at his face. “I care about you, too, but not in the way I did my wife.”
“In other words, you’re not in love with me?”
“No.”
“So if you don’t love me, and I don’t love you, are you thinking that we shouldn’t get married?”
“That’s exactly what I think. I also think I’ve been unfair making my boys stay here in Charm where they have no family but me.” Menno paused and jammed his hands into his pockets. “Right before you got here, I heard the boys talking about Pennsylvania and how much they missed their grandparents and other relatives. I’ve realized that they—and me, too—would be happier if we moved back to Pennsylvania where we could be close to my family.”
“What about your business here in Charm?”
“Guess I’ll have to look for someone to buy me out. But even if I can’t find a buyer, we’ll leave. I want my boys to be happy and well-adjusted.”
“I can’t blame you for that. I wanted the same for Josh.”
“When I bought the woodshop and moved to Charm, it felt like the right thing. Now that Sadie’s gone, and knowing how much my boys miss their family in Pennsylvania, there’s really no reason for us to stay. I should have realized that before now.” He took a step toward Lydia. “I hope I haven’t hurt you by saying all this. I’m sure when the time’s right, we’ll both find the person we’re supposed to marry.”
Lydia nodded, feeling a strange sense of relief. “I wish the best for you and your boys.” She started to move away but turned back around. “Before I go, I wanted to thank you for all the things you’ve left on our porch.”
Menno’s eyebrows pulled together so they almost met. “What things?”
Lydia told him about everything that had been secretly left on their porch, and how they’d found money in their mailbox on two occasions. “When I noticed the small footprints in the snow on Thanksgiving morning, I was sure you’d had a couple of your boys deliver the box of food.”
“I’m embarrassed to say this, but I’ve never left any food on your porch or put money in your mailbox.” His face reddened. “I knew you were without a job and had bills to pay, but I assumed since you always seemed to have food, that either you or your mamm must have some money put away.”
Lydia shook her head. “We did have some, but with all of Grandpa’s and Josh’s hospital bills, the money we had was spent long ago.”
“I’m real sorry, Lydia. I’ve been selfish and inconsiderate.” Menno touched her arm. “Is that the reason you would have married me…so you’d have a husband to provide for your needs?”
Lydia had to swallow a couple of times before she could answer. “I knew you’d be a good husband and would see that my mamm and I were taken care of, but I also wanted to help care for you and your boys.”
He pulled out his wallet and handed her a hundred-dollar bill. “This probably won’t help much, but I want you to have it.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t. I didn’t tell you all that so you’d feel guilty and help us out.”
“I’m sure you didn’t, but it’s every Christian’s duty to help others in need, and under the circumstances, it’s the least I can do.”
Lydia hated to take the money but knew it would buy her and Mom more groceries or pay a bill. So, she swallowed her pride and said, “Danki for your kindness.” Then she climbed into her buggy and headed down the driveway.
“If Menno isn’t responsible for all the things that have been left on our porch, then who is?” she murmured.
A torrent of mixed emotions flooded Lydia’s soul. While she felt relieved that she wouldn’t be marrying a man she didn’t love, she also felt deeply concerned. Now that neither she nor Mom was getting married, and neither of them was making any money, how were they going to survive? Should they move away from Charm? Would there be something better waiting for them in some other place?
CHAPTER 50
On Christmas morning as Lydia was about to heat some water for tea, she was surprised to hear a loud thunk on the porch. She set the teakettle on the stove and hurried to the back door. When she opened it, she spotted a pile of split wood on the porch. Not far from it sat a large basket filled with food.
Lydia looked out at the snowy yard and noticed a set of footprints, only this time they were big—the size of a man’s feet.
She darted into the house, grabbed her shawl, and raced out the door. Stepping carefully across the frozen snow, she followed the footprints around the side of the house, past the barn, and out to the shed, where the firewood was kept. When she spotted a man with an axe raised over his head, she halted. “Rueben?”
Rueben lowered the axe and whirled around. “Lydia, you about scared me to death. What are you doin’ out here in the col
d?”
“I could ask you the same question.”
He motioned to the stack of wood. “I was about to chop more firewood.”
“I can see that. What I want to know is why.”
“It’s a cold Christmas Day, and I figured you and your mamm could probably use some wood for your fireplace.” His blue eyes twinkled as he grinned at her. “I’ve already put some wood on your back porch, but figured you’d need a lot more. There’s no point in you or Mae havin’ to trudge out here in the snow to get wood.”
Lydia couldn’t believe Rueben’s generosity. Even though he and Mom had broken up, he still cared about her enough to want to help. “I saw the wood and wondered where it had come from,” she said. “It was nice of you to leave the basket of food, too.”
His eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t leave any food. Just the wood.”
“Have you ever left food on our porch?”
He shook his head. “Just some firewood a couple of times.”
She slipped her cold hands into her jacket pockets. “Now that’s sure strange.”
“Guess someone else must’ve left the food.” Rueben set another piece of wood in place on the chopping block. “It’s cold out here. Don’t you think you ought to get back to the house where it’s warm? I’ll have the rest of this wood chopped in no time, and then I’ll leave a good stack of it on your porch.”
Lydia told him thanks and hurried back to the house, anxious to tell Mom what Rueben had done.
As she neared the house, she spotted another set of footprints near the porch. I wonder why I didn’t see those before.
She squinted at the fresh set of footprints in the snow—these were little footprints, like she’d seen once before, and they were leading away from the house toward the driveway.
Lydia shivered. Despite the cold, she was determined to follow the prints and find out who was responsible for the basket on the porch.
As she approached the end of their driveway, she spotted two little boys trudging through the snow toward a horse and buggy parked along the shoulder of the road, partially hidden behind a clump of bushes. When the buggy door opened, she gasped. Levi sat in the driver’s seat!
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