O Holy Night

by Amy Clipston

  * * *

  “How could you do this to me?” Elaine said through gritted teeth, infuriated as tears streamed down her cheeks. “You have no right to show up here and disrupt my life.” She sniffed and brushed away the tears.

  “Who is he?”

  “Cal King.” She looked out toward the road as the buggy’s taillights disappeared into the dark. “He’s mei freind. In fact, he’s my best freind here in Bird-in-Hand.”

  He hesitated and then said, “And do you care for him as more than a freind?”

  The truth hit her like a punch to the stomach. “Ya, I do. I care for him very much, and I think you just ruined any chance I had with him.”

  She stood straighter as her anger spilled over. “Call your driver and ask him to pick you up now. Then go home. You’re not welcome here. In fact, you’re not welcome in my life.”

  She turned toward the road again, feeling more helpless than ever. She had to find a way to get Cal back before it was too late.

  * * *

  Cal climbed Andrew’s porch steps and knocked on the door. Disappointment, heartache, and regret all stirred in his chest as his mind kept replaying that scene—Lewis standing on Elaine’s porch.

  He’d come to see her, just like he told her he would. And Elaine had obviously let him back into her life.

  Cal needed someone to talk to. And his first thought was to go see Andrew. He’d been through a lot with Darlene before they’d worked everything out.

  The back door opened, and Andrew’s mother smiled.

  “Hi, Calvin.” She pushed the door open. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine, Jean. Is Andrew available to talk for a few minutes?”

  “Of course. Come on in.” Jean led him into the kitchen. “Would you like some kaffi?”

  “That would be nice. Danki.” He sat down at the table and tried to stop his leg from bouncing up and down.

  Jean poured coffee in a mug for him and then called upstairs. “Andrew. You have company in the kitchen!” Then she poured coffee into another mug. “He’ll be down in a moment. I’ll just set this here for him. There’s cream and sugar already on the table if you want them.” Then she set the mug down before disappearing into the hallway.

  Andrew came down the stairs and gave Cal a surprised look—the second he’d received tonight. “Hi. What’s going on?”

  “It’s Elaine.”

  “What happened?” Andrew sat down across from him and grabbed the handle of his mug.

  “I had it all planned out. I went to her haus to ask her dat’s permission to date her.” He pointed to the wooden tabletop for emphasis. “Then I was going to invite her to go for a buggy ride and ask her to be my girlfriend. But when I arrived . . . You’ll never guess who was there.”

  “Who?” Andrew gave him a palm up.

  “Her ex-boyfriend from New Wilmington.” Without telling Andrew exactly what Lewis had done to Elaine, he shared how he’d hurt her, then recently written her, wanting her back. “But Elaine told me she wanted to avoid all contact with him. She misled me, Andrew. Do you think she was trying to play both sides? Keep her options open?”

  Cal rested his head in his hands as a dull pain began to throb behind his eyes. “I’m so humiliated. I’m such a bad judge of character. I really thought she cared about me.”

  “I don’t know, Cal. ‘Playing both sides’ doesn’t sound like Elaine.”

  “I thought God had led me to her, but I think I’ve completely misunderstood.”

  “You might be wrong.”

  Cal dropped his hands from his face and narrowed his eyes. “How can I be wrong?”

  “I don’t know.” Andrew shook his head. “I just have a feeling Elaine might have a gut explanation. Maybe you shouldn’t give up so easily.”

  “She said she’d explain, but I can’t do this anymore.” He slumped back in the chair. “She’s rejected me too many times.”

  “Just wait. Maybe things aren’t as they seem.”

  “No. I’ve tried too hard, and all she’s done is hurt me.” Calvin sipped his coffee and wondered how he’d put his shattered heart back together.

  Chapter Nine

  Elaine rushed into Bird-in-Hand Dry Goods Monday morning, hoping Darlene would be there.

  “Hi, Elaine.” Darlene waved at her from the counter. “Wie geht’s?”

  “Are you busy? I need your help. I’ve had a misunderstanding with Cal, and he’s upset with me.”

  Darlene nodded slowly. “No one’s here but me. What happened?”

  Elaine took a deep breath and started from the beginning, explaining everything about Lewis, Rhoda, and her friends in New Wilmington, then about how Lewis had written her letters before leaving her a voice mail message, threatening to come to Bird-in-Hand if she didn’t call or write him.

  “I told Cal weeks ago about what Lewis and Rhoda did to me, and I also told him I never wanted to see Lewis again.” She took another deep breath. “Then Lewis showed up Friday night.”

  “No!” Darlene gasped.

  “Mei mamm insisted we invite him to stay for supper before sending him on his way. Then Cal showed up, and Lewis followed me out to the porch and introduced himself. Before I could explain, Cal took off. I’ve called his farm a few times and left him messages asking him to call me, but he hasn’t.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I want to tell him what happened. I need him to know I don’t care about Lewis.”

  Darlene smiled. “You care about Cal.”

  “Ya, I do.” Elaine wiped at her eyes. “I’ve cared for him for a while, but I was afraid to trust a man after what Lewis did to me. But Cal has been so patient, never giving up on me. Now, though, I think he has—for good.”

  Darlene touched her hand. “He’s cared for you for a long time.”

  “He has?”

  Darlene gave her a knowing smile. “Remember that day you came into my store and he was here? The day you two collided?”

  “Ya.” Elaine sniffed.

  “He’d just told me he liked you not long before, and he asked my advice about how to get to know you better since you seemed so reluctant.”

  Elaine stilled. “That’s why you two were sharing looks as if you had a secret.”

  “Ya, our secret was that he liked you. He’s been interested in you ever since you came to your first church service in our district. You avoided him, even turned him down over and over. He’s been trying to figure out how to prove to you that he really cares.”

  “Ach. I’ve made so many mistakes, and I’ve hurt him.” She wiped away her tears, but more sprinkled down her cheeks.

  Darlene rubbed Elaine’s arm. “We can fix this.”

  “How?” Elaine heard the desperation in her voice.

  “We’re having a supper Thursday night at Sharon’s haus. Why don’t you come tell him how you feel? Explain everything, just like you explained it to me. I’m sure he’s hurt, but I know he’ll understand and forgive you.”

  Elaine prayed as she made her way home. Please, God. Help me find the right words to tell Cal how I feel about him. I know he’s hurt, but please help him forgive me.

  * * *

  Thursday night, Cal stepped into Sharon’s kitchen and froze when he spotted Elaine standing by the oven, talking to Alice as she pulled out a baking dish.

  His stomach soured despite the warm and delicious aroma of cookies, and he turned and strode back outside. Then he jogged toward his buggy, a frown twisted on his face.

  “Cal!” Andrew called after him, chasing him the length of the backyard. “Wait!”

  Ignoring him, Cal opened his buggy door.

  Andrew caught up with him, panting. “Hey, you need to give Elaine a chance to explain. You have it all wrong about her and Lewis.”

  “That’s doubtful.”

  “Cal, please. Hear her out, and then make your decision.”

  Cal suddenly felt as if God were holding him in place, telling him not to leave. “I’ll give her two minutes.”

&
nbsp; “Danki for stopping him, Andrew. Two minutes should be plenty of time for what I need to tell him.”

  Cal looked past Andrew and found Elaine staring at him. She pulled the coat around her shoulders tighter and gave him a tentative smile.

  Andrew patted his shoulder. “Just be patient. You’ll be glad you were.” He nodded at Elaine and headed back to the house.

  “Cal, I want to explain what happened last week. It wasn’t at all as it seemed.”

  “I’m listening.” He leaned against his buggy.

  Elaine took a deep breath. “Remember how I told you Lewis had threatened to come if I didn’t call or write him?”

  He nodded.

  “That’s why he was there. He just showed up unannounced. I was stunned. While I was telling him I had nothing to say to him, mei mamm came out on the porch and invited him to stay for supper.” She took a step toward him, her voice trembling. “I didn’t want him there. It was awkward, and I was furious with him. I was planning to tell him to leave right after supper, and then you came.”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t want to hurt you, but that’s exactly what happened. And I’m so sorry.”

  “And after I left?” He asked the question, but he dreaded the answer.

  “I told Lewis he had no right to be at mei haus, disrupting my life and ruining my relationship with you. I made him call his driver and go home.”

  Relief flooded him. “So you really don’t care for him anymore?”

  “Cal, I meant it when I told you he didn’t have a second chance with me.” Her dark eyes misted over. “One thing I learned by seeing him, though, is that I’m completely over him. I don’t feel anything for him, but I do feel something for you. You’re my best freind here. You’ve become special to me. You’ve never given up on me, no matter how many times I turned you away. You’ve been the most loyal and patient freind I’ve ever had.”

  Calvin swallowed. “I don’t want to be your freind.”

  Her eyes rounded as she stared at him. “You don’t?”

  “I want to be more than a freind. I always have. I want to be your boyfriend.”

  The panic on her face transformed into a beautiful smile. “I would like that very much.”

  His heart took on wings at her words. “I came to your haus Friday night to ask your father’s permission to date you. If he said yes, then I was going to ask you to go for a ride so we could talk about dating.”

  “Would you consider asking mei dat now?”

  He nodded as he moved closer to her. “Ya, I would.” He touched her arm. “I care deeply for you, Elaine.”

  Then he leaned down and brushed his lips over her cheek. The contact spread warmth throughout his chest.

  Elaine looked up at him. “Why don’t we go help set up inside? We can talk more later, maybe over some Christmas cookies.” She smiled.

  “I’d like that. I heard we’re going to sing carols tonight, and I’m always up for that.” He threaded his fingers with hers, and they strode toward the house as contentment filled his heart.

  * * *

  “Why don’t we sing another carol?” Elaine asked as she sat surrounded by her friends in her family room on Christmas Eve. Poinsettias and greenery decorated the shelves as the delicious aromas of hot cocoa and sugar cookies filled the small house. Mamm had made sure everything was perfect before her parents stepped out to visit with her uncle Mel’s family.

  Cal brushed his shoulder against hers as he sat beside her on the sofa. “Elaine, you should pick one this time.”

  “Ya, I think it’s your turn,” Darlene said as she sat on the floor next to Andrew.

  “How about ‘O Holy Night’?” She looked at Cal. “It’s our favorite, right?” Yes, I remembered.

  He smiled.

  “Perfect,” Sharon said. “You start.”

  Elaine found it in her hymnal and began to sing. “O holy night! The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope—the weary soul rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn . . .”

  Everyone joined in. “Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born . . .”

  Elaine lost herself in the words as joy rolled over her, anticipating her favorite line in the carol—Truly He taught us to love one another. With God’s help, Cal had given her another chance, and she’d never been so happy.

  She turned toward Cal and smiled as his deep, rich voice sounded beside her. How she loved her new home, her new friends, and her wonderful new boyfriend! And how grateful she was for God’s love and peace.

  Mamm had been right—moving to Bird-in-Hand had been the new start she needed and a blessing from God.

  “Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,” Elaine sang, beginning the second verse, “with glowing hearts by his cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, here come the wise men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger, in all our trials born to be our friend . . .”

  When they finished singing, Elaine stood. “Why don’t I get more hot chocolate and Christmas kichlin for us?”

  “I’ll come with you. Just let me get something from my coat.” In a few moments, Cal had followed into the kitchen, and then he touched her arm. “I have something for you.”

  “I have something for you too.” Elaine hurried down the hallway to her room, then returned with a large, wrapped package. She handed it to Cal. “Frehlicher Grischtdaag!”

  “Merry Christmas to you too.” He held out a wrapped box.

  “Danki.” She opened it and found a framed heart with a Scripture verse etched in italics. She read it aloud, “‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.’” Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him. “It’s gorgeous. I love it.”

  “I’m so glad. I wrote something extra on the back of the frame. Turn it over.”

  When she did, she found the words Truly He taught us to love one another inscribed.

  “Cal, how did you know that’s my favorite line in ‘O Holy Night’?”

  “It is? I didn’t know. I just thought after everything you went through in New Wilmington . . . well, they seemed like just the words you needed to hear this first Christmas in Bird-in-Hand.”

  “I love it.”

  He opened his gift and smiled as he ran his hand over the blue-and-gray Lone Star quilt. He was the perfect recipient.

  “This is so schee, Elaine—especially because I know you made it.”

  “I hope it keeps you warm this winter.” She took his hand. “This is my best Christmas ever. Bird-in-Hand has been such a blessing to my family and me. I’m so grateful for my new freinden—and especially for you. Danki again for never giving up on me. No matter how I pushed you away, you were determined to show me that I could trust you. I thank God daily that he brought us together.”

  “I do too.” He set the quilt on the counter, then took both her hands in his and drew her to him. “I’m so grateful God sent your family here for a new beginning.”

  She looked up at him, and the intensity in his eyes sent a shiver dancing up her spine.

  He leaned down, and she closed her eyes as his lips brushed hers.

  Then he cupped his hand to her cheek. “Ich liebe dich, Elaine. I love you just like the Scripture verse I gave you said. And just like God’s Son taught us.”

  “I love you too.” She glanced up through the kitchen window and smiled. “Look.”

  Stars shined brightly in the clear night sky, just as she envisioned they’d shined on a holy night so long ago.

  Discussion Questions

  Elaine is afraid to trust the young people she meets when she first moves to Bird-in-Hand. She thinks anyone she makes friends with could betray her like her friends in New Wilmington did. Do you think her fear is valid?

  Cal is determined to prove to E
laine that he can be trusted as a true friend. Do you think she deserves his loyalty despite the numerous times she rejects him?

  Elaine’s mother believes their move to Bird-in-Hand is an answer to her prayer for a new start for Elaine. Do you think her point of view is correct? Why or why not?

  Which character can you identify with the most? Which character seemed to carry the most emotional stake in the story? Elaine, Cal, or someone else?

  Toward the end of the story, Elaine realizes she can trust Cal and cares for him. What do you think happened throughout the story to make her change her mind?

  What role did singings play in the relationships throughout the story?

  Acknowledgments

  As always, I’m grateful for my loving family, including my mother, Lola Goebelbecker; my husband, Joe; and my sons, Zac and Matt.

  Special thanks to my mother who graciously proofread the draft and corrected my hilarious typos.

  I’m also grateful for my special Amish friend who patiently answers my endless stream of questions. You’re a blessing in my life.

  Thank you to my wonderful church family at Morning Star Lutheran in Matthews, North Carolina, for your encouragement, prayers, love, and friendship. You all mean so much to my family and me.

  Thank you to Zac Weikal and the fabulous members of my Bakery Bunch! I’m so grateful for your friendship and your excitement about my books. You all are awesome!

  To my agent, Natasha Kern—I can’t thank you enough for your guidance, advice, and friendship. You are a tremendous blessing in my life.

  Thank you to my amazing editor, Jocelyn Bailey, for your friendship and guidance. I’m grateful to each and every person at HarperCollins Christian Publishing who helped make this book a reality.

  I’m grateful to editor Jean Bloom, who helped me polish and refine the story. Jean, you are a master at connecting the dots and filling in the gaps. I’m so happy we can continue to work together!

  Thank you most of all to God—for giving me the inspiration and the words to glorify you. I’m grateful and humbled you’ve chosen this path for me.