Lydia's Charm

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Selma drew closer to Lydia. “You think Levi will get through to that mean kid?”

  “I don’t know, but let’s hope so.”

  “Should we go ahead and sled, or wait until Levi gets back?” Peter asked Lydia.

  “It’s up to you. If you want to sled, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

  “Good. Let’s go sledding then.” Peter flopped onto his sled and sailed down the hill, followed by Selma, and then Andy, all whooping and hollering as they went.

  Lydia waited with her and Levi’s sleds, hoping that whatever Levi said to the English boy would put an end to him picking on Andy.

  A few minutes later, Levi returned, his forehead creased with obvious concern.

  “What’s wrong? You look upset,” she said.

  “The kid’s daed is out of a job, and the day he pushed Andy to the ground he was trying to get Andy to give him some money so he could buy a toy.”

  “Did Andy mention that to you before?”

  “Huh-uh. Just said the kid called him names, pushed him down, and sat on his chest.”

  “It’s too bad his daed’s out of a job, but that didn’t give the boy an excuse to try and get money from Andy.”

  “You’re right, but at least I know he wasn’t just picking on him because he’s small.”

  “So what did you say to the boy?” she asked.

  “At first I gave him a lecture and said he’d better never pick on my brother again. Then, after he started bawlin’ and explained why he did it, I talked to him some more.” Levi blew out his breath with a visible puff of air. “Then I said I was sorry about his daed losing his job and that trying to force Andy to give him money was wrong.”

  “What was his response to that?”

  “He said he was sorry and that he wouldn’t do it again.”

  “Do you think he meant it?”

  Levi shrugged. “I believe so, but I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

  Lydia slowly shook her head. “There are so many hurting people in this world. Don’t you wish we could help them all?”

  “Jah, and I got the boy’s address, so I thought I might help out with some food.”

  Lydia smiled. What a kindhearted man Levi was. No wonder she’d fallen in love with him.

  Levi motioned to his brothers and sister, trudging red-faced back up the hill. “They make it look like so much fun, so guess I’ll give it a try. Are you coming?”

  “In a minute.”

  Lying facedown on his sled, Levi pushed off and went zooming down the hill with the speed of a racing horse.

  Deciding that it was time to prove her bravery, Lydia took a seat on her sled, put her feet on the steering handles, and grasped the rope with her hands. Her mittened fingers felt frozen as she clung to the rope and skidded down the hill at lightning speed. As she neared the bottom, she noticed that Levi’s sled was right in her path. She pulled on the rope and pushed the handle with her left foot, hoping to steer the sled to the right, but the handle seemed to be stuck.

  “Look out, Levi, I’m right behind you!” she screamed.

  He quickly veered his sled to the left, and to her relief, she whizzed on by. Lydia’s sled kept going for several more feet, finally coming to a halt when it plowed into a mound of snow. The impact knocked her off, and she gasped as cold wet snow shot up her nose.

  Levi was quickly at her side. “Lydia, are you all right?”

  “I think so. Just got some snow up my nose, and I’m feeling kind of shaky. Didn’t expect my sled to go so fast, or that the handle would stick when I tried to turn it.”

  Levi pulled his glove off and reached out to swipe the snow off Lydia’s face. Her chest fluttered from the sensation of his gentle touch, and she held her breath, wondering if he might finally kiss her.

  As a few crystalline snowflakes fell from the trees above, Levi slowly lowered his head. His lips were almost touching hers when Selma dashed up to them and dropped down beside Lydia. “Are you okay? I was really scared when I saw you fall.”

  “I’m fine. Just a little shook up is all.” Lydia looked over at Levi and smiled. He smiled in response and gave her a quick wink. If he ever did ask her to marry him, her answer would be yes. But would he ever ask?

  CHAPTER 52

  On the first day of March, Levi woke up with a sore throat. “I hope it’s not tonsillitis again,” he groaned. Things were just beginning to go well for him at his shop, and even though he was sure John and Mark could handle things on their own, he didn’t need to miss any days of work. Besides, Rueben and Mae’s wedding was just a few days away, and he didn’t want to miss that.

  Levi pulled himself out of bed and ambled over to his closet. He felt hot, even though his room was cold. I’ll be okay, he told himself. Just need to take an aspirin and suck on a throat disk, and I’ll be fine.

  When Levi entered the kitchen a few minutes later, he found Mom standing on her wooden stool in front of the stove. “I’m making oatmeal this morning,” she said over her shoulder. “It should warm our insides even if it’s cold outside.”

  “I’m not really hungry. Think I’ll just have some juice.” Levi shuffled over to the refrigerator and took out a pitcher of apple juice; then he found some aspirin in the cupboard near the sink and swallowed a couple of them down.

  “What’s wrong, Levi?” Mom asked, tipping her head. “Do you have a koppweh?”

  “No headache, but my throat hurts a little.”

  She turned down the stove, stepped off her stool, and hurried over to him. “Take a seat at the table and let me have a look.”

  “There’s no need for that. I’ll be fine, Mom.”

  She snapped her fingers and pointed to the chair at the head of the table. Like an obedient little boy, Levi took a seat. He knew from experience that once Mom made up her mind there was no changing it, and she was obviously determined to take a look at his throat.

  Mom opened one of the cupboard doors and took out a flashlight. “Now tip your head back, open your mouth, and stick out your tongue,” she instructed.

  Levi did as asked and was rewarded with a frown. “It’s your tonsils again. They look red and swollen.”

  Levi groaned. “I don’t have time for this right now.”

  “Maybe not, but you’d better see the doctor right away so you can get going on an antibiotic. Hopefully, you’ll be feeling better in a few days.”

  “I’ll phone the doctor when I get to work this morning. Maybe they can get me in this afternoon after the shop closes for the day.”

  Mom placed her hand on Levi’s forehead. “You’re running a fever, and you can’t go to work when you’re sick.”

  He grimaced. “All right then, I’ll just go into the shop and lay things out for John and Mark. Then after I call the doctor’s office, I’ll come home and go to bed. Will that make you happy?”

  She gave his arm a gentle swat. “I’m not happy that you have tonsillitis again, but if you get in to see the doctor and come home to rest like you should, then you’ll get better soon and that will make me happy.”

  Resigned to the fact that he might miss Rueben and Mae’s wedding, Levi rose from his seat, grabbed his jacket, and headed out the door.

  “With your mamm’s wedding just a few days away, I didn’t think you’d be in town today,” Nona said when Lydia entered the store.

  “Several of Mom’s friends have been coming to help, so I decided to slip away and run some errands.” Lydia smiled. “It’s been good for me to keep busy so I don’t have much time to think about being my mamm’s witness and how nervous I’m going to feel.”

  Nona smiled. “I’m sure you’ll do just fine.” Her forehead wrinkled as her smile faded. “It doesn’t look like Levi will be at the wedding, though.”

  “How come?”

  “He woke up this morning with a sore throat, and I’m pretty sure his tonsils are acting up again. Hopefully, he’ll get in to see the doctor this afternoon, so we should know something by the end of the day.�
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  “I’m sorry to hear about his throat,” Lydia said. “If he misses the wedding, that’s one thing, but I doubt he’ll be too happy if he has to miss much work.”

  “You’re absolutely right about that.” Nona pursed her lips as she slowly shook her head. “That boy of mine has always worked too hard.”

  “I guess it’s better to work too hard than not hard enough.”

  “Jah.” Nona motioned to the back room. “Harold’s getting some boxes unloaded, but it’s taking him longer that it should. So if you don’t mind waiting on any customers who might come in, I think I’ll go check on him.”

  “No problem,” Lydia said. “I’ll do whatever you need me to do.”

  As Nona headed for the back room, Lydia took a seat on the stool behind the counter. A few minutes later, Sarah Yoder entered the store.

  “Wie geht’s?” she asked, smiling at Lydia.

  “I’m doing fine. How are you?”

  “Other than a bit of arthritis in my knees, I’m getting along real well.” Sarah leaned on the counter. “I’ll be heading over to help your mamm soon, and I’m guessing she must be getting pretty excited since her wedding’s coming up on Thursday.”

  “You’re right about that. And we’ve all been cleaning the house from top to bottom so that everything looks nice when Rueben moves in after the wedding.”

  “Guess that makes sense.” Sarah rapped the edge of the counter with her knuckles. “I’m surprised to see you working here today. Figured you’d be at home helping with the cleaning and such.”

  “I was earlier, but I came to town to run some errands and decided to stop in here and see how things are going. Nona’s gone to the back room for a minute, so I’m just filling in until she gets back.” Lydia smiled. “Nona insisted that I take the rest of this week off to help Mom get ready for the wedding. She even said I should take next week off, thinking I’ll need to rest up after the wedding.”

  “That was nice of her.” Sarah leaned closer to Lydia. “I was really surprised when I heard Rueben planned to sell his house, but then with your mamm’s house being bigger I guess it made sense that he’d want to move in there.”

  Lydia nodded. “They’ll be leaving for a week-long trip to Florida a few days after the wedding, so they’re looking forward to that.”

  “I can imagine. There’s nothing quite like the warm sunny weather of Florida this time of the year. Makes me wish my husband and I could go with them.” Sarah reached into her purse and removed a small notebook. “Well, I’ve got quite a list here, so guess I’d better get busy and start shopping.” She chuckled. “Can’t buy too much, though, I have some things I want to take to the Care and Share after I leave your mamm’s place, so the back of my buggy’s pretty full with boxes.”

  The mention of the Care and Share made Lydia think about the box of Josh’s clothes still sitting on the floor in her closet. She’d hung on to them long enough. It was time to let someone else get some use out of the clothes. “Since you’ll be stopping by to help Mom, I was wondering if you could do me a favor,” she said to Sarah.

  “Sure, what do you need?”

  “I have a box of Josh’s clothes that I’d like to donate to the Care and Share. Mom knows where they are, so if you don’t mind, could you take them to the store for me?”

  “I’d be happy to.” Sarah smiled. “You and your mamm have been through a lot this past year. I’m pleased that she’s found happiness with Rueben, and I hope you’ll find the same kind of happiness with a man you love someday.”

  “I hope so, too.” Lydia blinked against the tears that had suddenly filled her eyes. She’d already found the man she loved and was sure she wouldn’t be happy with anyone but him.

  CHAPTER 53

  As Lydia sat beside Mom, listening as Bishop Yoder preached the main sermon during the wedding service, she couldn’t help but notice how Mom kept lifting her hanky and dabbing at her eyes. Lydia looked over at Rueben, who sat directly across from them. He, too, had tears in his eyes. This was a solemn, yet joyful occasion. Lydia hoped Mom and Rueben would have many happy years together.

  Lydia glanced at the men sitting on the bench behind Rueben, and her gaze came to rest on Levi, who sat beside his brother Peter. She was glad Levi felt well enough to attend the wedding service but hoped he hadn’t gotten out of bed too soon.

  Lydia focused her thoughts on Mom and Rueben again. Beginning tonight, Rueben would be living in the home that Lydia had shared with Mom since she’d moved to Charm nearly a year ago.

  Lydia still had some misgivings about staying there, but every time she brought it up, Mom and Rueben kept insisting that she was welcome to stay with them for as long as she wanted. Mom had even said that she was sure it was just a matter of time until Levi proposed, and then Lydia would have the chance to make a home of her own.

  Lydia had her doubts about that. She was beginning to wonder if Levi would ever ask her to marry him. Maybe he just enjoyed spending time with her but had no plans for marriage. After all, he hadn’t even kissed her yet.

  When the bishop asked Mom and Rueben to stand before him to say their vows Lydia brought her thoughts to a halt.

  Mom, wearing a navy blue dress with a white cape and apron, and Rueben, dressed in a black suit with a matching vest, took their places facing the bishop.

  Mae couldn’t believe how deliriously happy she was. She felt the same excitement standing beside Rueben as she had the first time she’d gotten married. Although in a different way, she loved him as much as she’d loved her first husband.

  She stole a glance at Rueben, and despite the seriousness of the occasion, he gave her a quick smile. What a blessing Rueben had been to her this past year. He was helpful, kind, and full of patience. Every day, Mae thanked God for bringing such a wonderful man into her life. She appreciated the fact that Rueben loved her, even during the time when she was struggling and didn’t think she deserved his love.

  “ ‘Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.’ ” Bishop Yoder quoted from Ephesians 5:25. He looked at Rueben with a steady gaze. “Can you confess, brother, that you accept this, our sister, as your wife, and that you will not leave her until death separates you?”

  With no hesitation, Rueben answered affirmatively.

  “ ‘Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord,’ ” This quotation from the bishop came from Ephesians 5:22. Following that, he looked at Mae with the same serious expression and asked if she would accept Rueben as her husband and stay with him until death. She, too, answered affirmatively.

  Everyone stood while the bishop prayed out loud. Then he clasped Mae and Rueben’s hands together in his, and said a few more words as they officially became husband and wife.

  As Mae and Rueben returned to their seats, Mae knew with a certainty that she would be happy being married to Rueben for the rest of her life.

  Levi tried to keep his focus on the ministers, as they took turns saying a few words about marriage, but he couldn’t keep his thoughts, or his eyes, off Lydia. Wearing a blue dress that brought out the color in her eyes, she looked pretty sitting beside her mother with such a sweet expression. He wanted so badly to ask Lydia to marry him, but when he did, he must bring up the possibility that they could have children with dwarfism. What if she said no to his proposal? What if she felt that the responsibility of raising children who were different was too much for her?

  Levi knew he should trust God with this matter, but he kept going back and forth—one minute ready to propose, the next minute afraid to ask. Then there was the problem with the house he’d bought from Menno. It needed a lot of repairs, and until he had those done, he couldn’t even think of asking his wife to move there. At the rate he was going, Lydia would find someone else before he felt ready to ask.

  I’ll talk to her about it soon, he told himself. Maybe while Rueben and Mae are in Florida.

  Beads of sweat broke out on Levi’
s face, and he fanned himself with his hand. He felt hot, like he was running a fever, and his throat felt scratchy and swollen. Maybe he’d gotten out of bed too soon. Maybe he shouldn’t have come to the wedding.

  Levi was relieved when a final prayer was said and the closing hymn was sung. He needed some fresh air. He needed to go home and lie down.

  CHAPTER 54

  Mae and Rueben left Friday on the bus for Florida. Lydia felt lonely and bored at home by herself, so on Saturday, she went to town to run a few errands.

  “I’m surprised to see you here,” Nona said, when Lydia entered the store that afternoon. “I figured you’d be home resting and would enjoy having the house to yourself.”

  Lydia smiled. “I tried sleeping in this morning but woke up as soon as the sun shone through my bedroom window. Guess it’s just not in me to sit around and rest all the time. Are you sure there isn’t something I can do to help out here?”

  “You drive yourself too hard, just like Levi.” Nona slowly shook her head. “When he came home from the wedding the other day he was running a fever and his throat was sore, yet he went to work on Friday and again today.”

  “That’s too bad. Is that why none of you came to the meal after the wedding?”

  Nona nodded. “Selma complained that her back hurt from sitting so long during the wedding service, and then when Levi admitted that he didn’t feel well, we decided that we should all go home.”

  “How’s Levi feeling today?”

  Nona shrugged. “He said better, but he didn’t eat much breakfast, so I suspect his throat still hurts. Sure wish he’d listen to reason and let the doctor take those tonsils out. I know he’d be miserable at first, but once he healed up, I’m sure he’d feel a lot better.”