He must have caught sight of her, for his face turned crimson. “Lydia, wh–what are you doing out here in the cold?” he asked as she approached.
“I found a basket of food on our porch and followed two sets of small footprints that led me here.”
Peter and Andy turned around. “It was us who left the basket,” Andy admitted. “We were hopin’ no one would see us do it.”
“Well, you did a good job of keeping it a secret,” Lydia said. “I had no idea who left the basket until I followed your footprints.”
Levi told his brothers to get in the buggy; then he handed the reins to Peter and said, “Hold the horse steady, because I need to speak to Lydia a minute.” He stepped down from the buggy and moved closer to her.
“Have your brothers left things on our porch before?” she asked.
“They did deliver a few of the things,” he said with a nod.
“What about the money we found in our mailbox? Did they put that there, too?”
“No, I’m the one who did that,” he admitted.
“How come?”
The color in Levi’s cheeks darkened. “For one thing, I did it because there was a need, and also because…” He paused, and Lydia could see his breath in the cold morning air. “Never mind,” he mumbled.
“What were you going to say?”
Levi tipped his head and looked at her in such a way that her heart nearly melted. “I did it because I care for you, Lydia, and even though I know there’s no chance of us ever courting because you’re going to marry Menno, I wanted to help you and your mamm.”
Shocked by his declaration, Lydia stood staring at him, unable to find her voice.
Levi moved toward the buggy, but she called out to him before he got in. “I’m not going to marry Menno.”
He whirled around. “You–you’re not?”
“Huh-uh. Menno’s planning to move with his boys back to Pennsylvania to be closer to his family.”
Levi’s eyes widened. “What’s he going to do about his business?”
“He plans to sell it.”
Levi shuffled his feet a few times, kicking up some of the powdery snow. “I was wondering, if you’re not going to marry Menno, then would it be okay if I courted you?”
She smiled and nodded. “That’d be just fine with me.”
He took a step closer to her, and she wondered if he might be about to kiss her. She quickly dismissed that idea when she noticed Andy and Peter peeking at them through the side opening of the buggy.
Levi’s cheeks reddened further as he kicked at the powdery snow with the toe of his boot. “Say, I was wondering if you and your mamm might like to come over to our house for Christmas dinner this afternoon.”
“That’d be real nice. Would you like to go inside with me and extend the invitation to Mom yourself?” Lydia asked.
“No need for that,” he said with a shake of his head. “She and Mom are friends now, so unless you have other plans, I’m sure she’d be willing to come.”
“We have no plans. What time should we come over?”
“Mom will serve dinner around one, but you can come over anytime before that.”
“That sounds good. We’ll probably see you around noon.”
Smiling to herself and feeling as if she were walking on air instead of slippery snow, Lydia made her way back to the house. She could hardly believe that Levi had invited her and Mom to join his family for Christmas dinner. Even more amazing was that he’d asked if he could court her. Lydia felt like pinching herself; it all seemed too good to be true.
When she stepped into the kitchen a few minutes later, Rueben was sitting at the table, holding Mom’s hand. His face flamed, and he quickly let go when he saw Lydia.
Mom, who didn’t appear to be embarrassed at all, looked at Lydia and smiled. “Rueben and I have worked things out. We’re planning to be married in the spring.”
“I’m so happy for you.” Lydia leaned over and gave Mom a hug, then took a seat at the table. “Levi’s the one responsible for the gifts and money that have been secretly left for us,” she said. “His little brothers made most of the deliveries for him.”
Mom blinked her eyes rapidly. “I had no idea.”
Lydia glanced at the clock. “He invited us to join him and his family for Christmas dinner. We’re supposed to be there before one, and I said we’d probably come around noon.”
“That’s fine with me.” Mom glanced over at Rueben, and then back at Lydia. “Do you suppose they’d mind if I brought a guest?”
“I’m sure that won’t be a problem,” Rueben said. “And the reason I know that is because Nona already invited me.”
Lydia couldn’t believe how well things had worked out. Despite her missing Josh, this would be a Christmas she’d always remember.
CHAPTER 51
Over the next few weeks, several changes occurred: Lydia had begun working at the general store a few hours each day, which helped out with their finances; Lydia and Levi started courting; Menno and his boys moved back to Pennsylvania; and Levi, who’d saved up enough money for a good down payment, bought Menno’s woodshop, as well as his house.
At first, Levi balanced his time between working a few hours at his folks’ store and a few hours in the woodshop each day, but he quickly realized that if he was going to make a go of the woodshop, he’d have to work there full-time.
Since Menno’s house needed a lot of repairs, Levi spent some of his time working on it, as well. He wanted it to be in good shape if Lydia would be willing to marry him.
As Levi sat at the desk in his woodshop, he tried to concentrate on the stack of invoices lying before him. It was hard to think about business when his mind was consumed with Lydia. He still hadn’t worked up the nerve to ask how she would feel about the possibility of having a child with dwarfism. He hoped that, after they’d courted awhile and she’d spent more time with his family, she’d be receptive to the idea and would say yes when he asked her to marry him. In the meantime, he planned to save up all the money he could and spend whatever free time he had with Lydia.
On Saturday, both the store and the woodshop would close at four o’clock, so Levi had invited Lydia to go sledding with him and his three youngest siblings. Lydia had eagerly accepted. Mom had suggested that after they were done sledding, Levi should bring Lydia to their house for supper.
Levi smiled as he stared out the window at the blanket of white covering the ground. He could hardly wait for his workday to be over so he could be with Lydia. She was all he’d ever wanted in a woman—kind, even-tempered, hardworking, gentle, and loving—not to mention that she had a most pleasing face. When she smiled, his heart sang with joy. When she frowned, he wanted to kiss the wrinkles from her forehead and make her worries melt away.
“What’s that big grin all about?”
Levi jumped at the sound of John’s voice. “Ach, don’t sneak up on me like that.”
“Wasn’t sneakin’. I’ve been standing here for several seconds, hoping to catch your attention.” John’s blue eyes twinkled as he grinned at Levi. “The way you were smiling as you stared out the window made me think your mind must not be on work today.”
Levi’s face heated. He wasn’t about to admit to his employee that he’d been thinking of Lydia. “Guess I did let my mind wander a bit,” he said with a chuckle. “Was there something you wanted?”
John stroked his full red beard as he nodded. “Mark and I were wondering if you’re happy with our work.”
Levi’s eyebrows squeezed together. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well, because you’re our new boss and might have a different way of doing things than Menno.”
“You two are both good craftsmen, and I’m more than pleased with your work,” Levi said. “You and Mark have been working with wood a lot longer than I have, so I’m hoping to learn a few things from you.” He tapped the stack of invoices on his desk. “I may do things a bit differently than Menno in my bus
iness practices, but I want to continue making good quality furniture here in the shop. I’m sure I can count on you and Mark to do as good a job for me as you did for Menno.”
John sighed with relief. “That’s good to know. Sure glad we got that cleared up.”
Levi smiled. “Me, too. Now, is there anything else on your mind?”
“Nope. Guess I’d better get myself back to work on that dresser I was sanding.” John whistled as he walked away.
Levi was more certain than ever that he’d made the right decision when he’d bought Menno’s shop.
“I’m so glad you’re working with us now,” Nona said when Lydia joined her at the front counter.
Lydia smiled. “I appreciate your hiring me.”
Nona patted Lydia’s arm, like she would have one of her own girls. “You’re doing us a favor by working here. With Levi running his own business, our three youngest in school, and Betty working part-time at the bed-and-breakfast, it would have been a bit of a challenge for Harold and me to run the store by ourselves. Of course, we’d never admit that to Levi. We had a hard enough time convincing him that we could manage without his help so he could run the woodshop. When you agreed to work here, he was greatly relieved.”
“I can tell that Levi cares a lot about his family,” Lydia said. “That’s one of the things I admire the most about him.”
“Sometimes he tends to care a little too much, but he’s getting better about letting us do more for ourselves. I think after his bout with tonsillitis, he finally came to realize that we aren’t completely helpless.” Nona chuckled. “Even when Levi was a boy, he tried to do things for us. Once, when he was five years old, I caught him standing on the kitchen counter, trying to get something down from the cupboard because he thought I wouldn’t be able to get it. It nearly scared the life out of me seeing him up there like that.” She slowly shook her head. “That boy took more chances trying to do things he thought we couldn’t. I’m sure that’s why I’ve got so many gray hairs.”
Lydia smiled. “It’s not easy being a parent, is it?”
“No, it’s certainly not. But I wouldn’t trade parenthood for anything in the world.”
“I enjoyed being a parent, too.” Lydia’s shoulders sagged as she dropped her gaze to the counter. “I still miss Josh so much and had even considered marrying Menno so I could be a mother to his boys.”
“But you didn’t love Menno, right?”
“No, and he didn’t love me, either, so it was best that we didn’t get married.”
Nona watched the tiny dust particles float through the air from the sunny window as she contemplated whether she should say something that had been on her mind. After a few moments of reflection, she turned to Lydia and said, “I know I’m being bold by asking this question, but if Levi asked you to marry him, what would you say?”
“I…I’d probably say yes, but he hasn’t asked.”
Nona was on the verge of saying more when the bell jingled and Mae walked in.
“It’s good to see you,” Nona said. “Did you come to shop or to visit with me and Lydia?”
“I came to bring these.” Mae held a pair of woolen mittens out to Lydia. “You left in such a hurry this morning that you forgot them. I figured since you planned to go sledding this afternoon, you’d probably want them.”
“I appreciate that.” Lydia glanced at the clock on the far wall. “The day’s sure gone by fast. It won’t be long before Levi will be here to take me sledding.”
“Say, I have an idea,” Nona said, smiling at Mae. “We’ll be closing the store soon. Harold’s in the back room right now, getting out some cleaning supplies. While he’s busy cleaning here, I’ll be heading up to the house to do a few chores before starting supper. Why don’t you go up to the house with me, and we can visit while I work? Then you can stay and eat with us when the group gets back from sledding.”
Mae’s face brightened. “That sounds real nice, and I’d be more than happy to help with any of the chores you need to have done.”
“That’d be much appreciated.”
“What did you plan for supper?” Mae asked with a curious expression.
Nona chuckled. “Not to worry. I won’t be fixing Frogmore Stew. I was planning to make a pot of chili and some toasted cheese sandwiches.”
Mae smiled. “That sounds good to me.”
Nona stepped down from the stool where she’d been sitting and moved around the counter to stand by Mae. “Since you’re here, there’s something I’ve been meaning to discuss with you.”
“What’s that?”
“I was wondering if you’d like to bring some of your quilts in here to sell. We could put them on one of the shelves in our housewares aisle, or Levi could make some quilt racks—then we could display your quilts in a separate area of the store where they’re sure to get noticed.”
“I appreciate the offer, but since only one of the quilts I have at Miller’s Dry Goods Store has sold, I’m not sure any would sell here,” Mae said.
“You never know,” Lydia put in. “Some people who might not go into the dry goods store could see your quilts while they’re shopping here.”
“That’s true,” Nona agreed. “Maybe you can make some potholders, table runners, dish towels, dishcloths, and pillowcases. People are always in need of those.”
Mae clasped Nona’s arm. “I appreciate the chance to do this. You’re really a good friend.”
Just then, the front door swung open, and Rueben entered the store. “Sure glad to see you’re still open,” he said, smiling at Nona. “I need a few things and was afraid you might be closed already.”
“We’re not closed yet.” Nona motioned to the shelves behind him. “So feel free to look for whatever you need.”
Rueben looked over at Mae and smiled. “I didn’t expect to see you here today. Figured with this cold weather, you’d be sitting at home in front of the fireplace, working on a quilt.”
“I came over to bring Lydia her mittens,” Mae explained. “She and Levi are taking his brothers and sister sledding soon.”
“That sounds like fun.” Rueben jiggled his eyebrows and winked at Mae. “Should we join ’em?”
She shook her head. “I’m getting too old to be doing something like that.”
“We are never too old to have fun,” he said.
“That may be so, but I’d rather be inside where it’s warm than outside in the cold, snowy weather.”
“Say, I’ve got an idea,” Nona said to Rueben. “Mae and Lydia will be joining us for supper this evening. Why don’t you come over, too?”
Rueben didn’t have to be asked twice. “Are we havin’ Frogmore Stew?”
Nona chuckled. “Not tonight. We’ll plan that for some other time.”
A heavy blanket of snow covered the hill behind the Stutzmans’ house, and as Lydia, Levi, and his three youngest siblings trudged up the hill, pulling their sleds, Lydia found herself panting for breath. She wasn’t used to this kind of exercise—especially not in the cold.
Andy and Peter bounded through the powdery snow with ease, but Selma, like Lydia, also seemed to be out of breath.
“Take your time. There’s no hurry getting to the top of the hill,” Levi said, slowing his steps. He gave Lydia a crooked grin, and she could tell he was in good spirits.
“How did things go at your new shop today?” she asked. “Are you enjoying the work as much as you thought you would?”
“Even more,” he said. “I’ve enjoyed fooling around with wood ever since I was a boy. Always dreamed of owning my own woodshop someday but never thought it would happen.”
“Our lives are full of unexpected changes,” Lydia said as Selma hurried ahead to catch up to her brothers. “I never thought I’d be working at your folks’ store or that I’d be doing things like this with you.”
“You mean sledding or tromping through snow so deep it seeps into the top of your boots?”
She snickered. “Both.”
&nb
sp; Levi’s face sobered. “I really do appreciate you working at the store. I never really enjoyed working there that much and only did it because I thought my help was needed. I’ve come to realize that my folks are pretty capable, and I figure when they need my help, they’ll ask for it.”
“I’m sure you’re right.”
“The weather’s been nice today,” Levi said. “Even though it’s cold, seeing the sun for most of the day has made me feel like spring’s not too far off.”
“It’s hard to believe that my mamm will be getting married in March. She sure is excited about becoming Rueben’s wife.”
“Will your mamm move to Rueben’s house after they’re married, or does Rueben plan to move to her place?”
“Since his house is a lot smaller than Mom’s, they’ve decided it would be best if he moves in with us.” Lydia stopped and brushed at a clump of snow clinging to her boot. “I feel funny about living there when Rueben moves in, but they’ve both insisted they want me to stay.”
When Levi said nothing, Lydia started walking again. They walked in silence the rest of the way.
They’d just crested the hill when Andy came to a stop.
“What are you stopping for?” Levi asked. “I nearly ran into the back of your sled.”
Andy’s eyes were huge as he turned to face Levi. “That big kid who sat on my chest is here.”
“Where?”
“Over there.” Andy pointed to four boys several yards away, who were chasing each other through the snow as they pitched snowballs left and right.
“Just ignore him. Maybe he won’t bother you none,” Peter said.
“Which one is he?” Levi asked, leaning closer to Andy.
“He’s the chubby one with dark curly hair.” Andy took a step back. “Sure hope he don’t see me.”
“It doesn’t matter whether he sees you or not, because I’m going to have a talk with him.” Levi dropped the rope to his sled. “I’ll be right back.”
As Levi trudged quickly through the snow, Lydia’s gaze went to the group of rowdy children and she gulped. She hoped Levi wouldn’t make things worse for Andy by giving the bully a lecture. If the boy ever got Andy alone, he might do something even worse to him than he had before.
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