His Promise

by Shelley Shepard Gray

  An hour later, sitting in the passenger seat of the captain’s red department-issued SUV, John Michael eyed Dorma Schultz’s house with a deep feeling of sadness.

  “Her name is Dorma Schultz,” Captain Butler said, reading the note in his hand. “Do you know her?”

  “I do. My parents bought a part of our farm from her. Her family has been around here for quite some time.”

  “What did you know of her?”

  John Michael shrugged. “She’s a widow. She used to go out in the community a lot. Not so much anymore.” Though it made him uncomfortable, he forced himself to continue. “I happened to see her at Bill’s Diner a couple of days ago. She looked far different. Kind of bedraggled. Nothing like her old self. I’m ashamed to say that, though I haven’t seen her in some time, it didn’t occur to me to wonder why. I wish I would have thought to stop by. I meant to do that.”

  Still looking at the paper in his hand, the captain said, “We got a call to do a check on her. Some of her neighbors have been complaining about the state of her yard and home. I think she’s been showing some signs of absentmindedness, too.”

  “I understand.”

  “Grab a pack of batteries and a smoke detector. We’ll go inside to check that, make sure it’s in good shape. Then we’ll go from there.”

  “Sounds good.” After getting the two items, he walked to the captain’s side and knocked on the door.

  When they didn’t hear any response, he knocked again. “Miss Schultz?” he called out. “Miss Schultz, it’s John Michael Miller,” he said in Pennsylvania Dutch.

  Then they heard some footsteps and saw the fluttering of the lace curtain to the side of the door. John smiled, hoping he looked at least a little familiar to her.

  At last the door opened.

  “Yes?” Miss Schultz was dressed in a faded gray dress that had obviously once been made to fit a larger frame. The straight pins that held its front together, where there was quite a bit of extra material, were crooked. The gray hair under her kapp looked thin and tangled. He wondered when she’d last bathed and changed clothes.

  “Miss Schultz, do you remember me?” he asked slowly. “I’m John Michael. You used to bring me candy when you came over to visit.”

  She peered at him closer. “Nee.”

  He tried again. “My parents bought some of your land for our farm. We used to bring you corn every year. One time I stayed to husk it with you.”

  “You lost a zaah,” she murmured when her eyes cleared.

  Remembering the day she was speaking of, he nodded. “Jah, that is right. I lost a tooth, one of my front ones.” Smiling softly, he added, “You promised me that it would grow back one day.”

  She smiled suddenly, looking like the woman she’d once been. “And so it did.”

  Feeling like they’d at last established a connection, he gestured to Captain Butler. “This is Zack. He’s my boss. We came to check to make sure you have a smoke detector that works.”

  Captain Butler held up the brand-new smoke detector in his hand. “Do you have one of these, Miss Schultz?”

  She stared at him, appearing very flustered. “I don’t know.”

  “How about I look around and you have a cup of tea with John Michael, here, while I install this?” Captain Butler asked.

  John was taken aback. “Sir, I can do that.”

  “No, what you are doing is more important.” He made a motion with his hand. “Go on, now.”

  John Michael gestured toward the kitchen. “Would you like some tea, Dorma?”

  She nodded and led the way.

  To his surprise, the room was far cleaner than either the living room or the entryway. The sink only had two glasses in it, the counters were shiny, and the floor was swept. After he found the mugs and located the kettle, which also looked freshly scrubbed, he smiled at her. “Have you been busy cleaning or did someone come in to help?”

  “Grace came.”

  “Oh? Is that right?” he asked as he located the tea bags. “God’s grace is gut, for sure.”

  “Nee. Grace came. She helped me.” Pointing to a box filled with scones and waxed paper, she added, “She brought me cinnamon cookies.”

  He recognized those scones. John felt his throat tighten as he realized that Grace had come over on her own and had taken the initiative to help in Miss Schultz’s kitchen. She really was a woman to be proud of.

  “Grace is a nice lady,” he said as he sat down beside her. “I bet her cookies are gut. Who else has come to see you lately?”

  And just like that, her expression became blank again. “I don’t know,” she blurted, looking worried. “I don’t know.”

  “That’s all right, then,” he murmured. “You don’t have to know. But I am going to make sure that I come over again soon.”

  Captain Butler joined them in the kitchen. “I found an old one in the bedroom.” Looking a little pained, he added, “I switched it out and tested it, but we should probably remind her about what it does.”

  “Jah. Of course.” Taking her hand, he walked Dorma to her bedroom. It was a mess of discarded clothes, trash, discarded books, and mail. Off to the side was an uncomfortable-looking twin-sized bed. The sheets were rumpled. Making a mental note to speak to his mother so she could come over and help Dorma with her clothes, he pointed to the ceiling. “This is your new smoke detector.” He was tall enough to press a button so that he could sound the test.

  It let out a piercing beep.

  Dorma put her hands over her ears. “Halt!”

  “That noise is going to go off if you have a fire,” Captain Butler said clearly and distinctly. “If you hear that, you need to leave your house right away. Do you understand?”

  John Michael repeated the words in Pennsylvania Dutch, ending with “This is important. You must try to remember.”

  She nodded. “I will remember.”

  “I’ll be back soon,” John Michael said as they walked back into her living room.

  Dorma stopped and stared at him intently. “You really will?”

  He nodded. “I really will. I promise.”

  She didn’t walk them out. Instead, she sat on a rocking chair and stared at the ceiling.

  “That woman can’t live by herself any longer,” the captain said. “Do you have any contacts in your community so we can find out where her next of kin is? Or someone who could help?”

  “I’ll do that. A friend of mine stopped by, but you’re right. She needs more help than an occasional visitor. It isn’t enough.”

  “She shouldn’t be using her stove or oven. It’s not safe.”

  “I agree.” He promised himself that he would make things right as soon as he could.

  He hoped he would be able to make good on that vow.

  Chapter 17

  After taking Snooze out for a short walk, Grace turned on the Lees’ Christmas tree lights. It was a ten-foot-tall blue spruce and decorated with at least a thousand white lights. Mrs. Lee had festooned it with all sorts of ornaments. Some were handmade, others looked like they were made of crystal and had the dates carefully engraved on the center of each. Grace thought they were very beautiful. However, what had caught her eye from the first were the gaily decorated animals. There were all sorts of animals: white cows with wreaths around their necks, camels holding jeweled boxes, elephants adorned with satin ribbons.

  There were also dozens and dozens of jeweled dog bones.

  Grace had laughed when she’d realized what the glittering ornaments actually were. Milk-Bone dog biscuits had been carefully covered in shiny paint and painstakingly decorated with beads, rhinestones, and sequins. Right away, she’d fallen in love with the sight.

  She felt a little guilty about it, too, because those decorated bones were just the type of thing her sometimes-stern father would say was wrong with the Englishers’ Christmas traditions. Daed liked to believe that the Englishers placed too much emphasis on the shiny and loud and not enough on what really mattered, whic
h was the miracle of Jesus’s birth.

  As for herself, Grace wasn’t sure if the Lees were ignoring the real reason for the season or simply were whimsical by nature. She supposed it didn’t matter to her. They had been nice when they’d hired her to watch Snooze. And Snooze, for all of his own silly character traits, seemed like he was happy with his situation.

  It wasn’t for her to judge if they were celebrating Christmas the “right” way or not.

  A momentary pang of loneliness crept through her. She wondered what her family was doing, then realized she knew exactly what her mother and sisters would be up to so close to Christmas. Beth, Leona, and Sylvia would be shopping and baking and planning and visiting with extended relatives. Her brothers Johnny and Dan would probably be sleeping as much as possible, enjoying a short break from the farm.

  No doubt they were all also staying up late and sharing the same stories they always did. Maybe eating pumpkin pie at midnight. And helping to take care of her grandparents, of course.

  Grace needed to remember that. There was a reason they had left, and it was because they were needed. Someone else’s needs were far greater than her own. She really should be less selfish.

  She’d just pulled out a sheet of paper, planning to write them a quick note, when the phone rang. It was only the second or third time hearing it ring since she’d been there.

  “Hello?” she asked tentatively, thinking it must be Mr. or Mrs. Lee.

  “Grace?”

  “Mamm?” She sat down on the big easy chair next to the tree. “I was just thinking about you. How are you? How are Mommi and Dawdi?”

  “They are finally doing better, praise Got.”

  “I am glad.” Her bottom lip quivered. Ironically, now her ache for them grew stronger. “Please tell them I hope they’ll continue to feel better soon.”

  “I will do that. But Grace, I called because all of us have been worried about you. How are you? What have you been doing?”

  “Me? Oh, I am fine. Don’t worry about me none.”

  “That’s no answer. Tell me what you’ve been doing. Is that hund behaving himself?”

  She smiled. Her mother always sounded as if every dog was actually a wild animal. “Snooze is fine. Though at first, he gave me quite a scare. He chased a squirrel into the woods next to the Lees’ haus. I was so afraid I had lost him or he was stuck in the snow.”

  “Did you find him all right? Were you warm enough?”

  Even from so far away, her mother was trying to mother her! “I was all right.” Then she realized where this conversational tangent had brought her—right to John Michael Miller’s side. Did she dare bring up his name?

  But how could she not when he had done so much for her?

  “Mamm, actually Snooze introduced me to an old friend.”

  “Oh? Who was that?”

  “Actually, it was John Michael.”

  Her voice hardened. “John Michael Miller?”

  “Jah.” Uh-oh. Bringing up his name was obviously a bad idea. “It turns out that his farm lies right next to the Lees’ house. He helped me look through the snow for Snooze.” And he’d given her the very coat off his back so she wouldn’t get chilled. And walked her back so that she would get home safely.

  She forced a laugh, even though she feared it sounded beyond fake and brittle. “Talk about a small world.”

  “I hope you reminded him that he broke your sister’s heart.”

  “We talked about Beth. He knows he hurt her.”

  “Well, I hope you won’t have to see him again. Then we won’t ever have to tell your sister that you talked to him.”

  Even though it probably wasn’t the right time, Grace knew she couldn’t do that. “He explained his side of the story, Mamm. Now isn’t the right time to discuss it all, but I don’t believe he knowingly meant to do her harm.”

  “It doesn’t matter if he meant to do harm or not, child. He did.”

  She closed her eyes, then moved forward. “Mamm, I’ve seen him quite a few times since.”

  “You have done what?”

  Grace winced. “He’s come by to check on me and Snooze. He even helped me when a pan on the stove caught fire. He’s a firefighter now, you see.”

  “It isn’t like you to be so careless. Or so thoughtless of your sister’s feelings.”

  “I had an accident. Everyone has them,” she said, echoing his earlier words. “And I haven’t been insensitive. I’m trying to tell you that I don’t think that he’s as unkind as we had originally thought.”

  She heard her mother sigh on the phone. “I think I know what is really at the root of all of this.”

  “And what is that?”

  “You have always coveted him. Even when Beth was in love, you had a crush on John Michael Miller.”

  That stung. Both because her mother was refusing to listen to her but also because it was true. Her cheeks heated with shame. “Mother, I haven’t talked to you in days. Must we discuss this now?”

  “If you’re avoiding talking about him, I think we know why.”

  Grace stood up and began to pace. “If I am wanting to avoid talking about John Michael, it is because you aren’t wanting to listen to anything I have to say. He has been a good friend to me. Now, may we please talk about something else?”

  “Such as what? How your sister is going to be heartbroken when she finds out what you’ve been doing?”

  “Why is it always about Beth and her broken heart?” Before she could stop herself, she blurted, “You know what? I was really afraid the other day. I found footprints near the house and I had feared someone had broken in. I was so afraid, I picked up Snooze and ran all the way to the Millers’ haus. John Michael stopped everything when he saw me and called the sheriff. He even came over and stayed with me while the sheriff was here.”

  “What? Were you harmed? And the sheriff? Oh, Grace. This job of yours . . .”

  And there it came again. The slight criticism. And maybe it was justified, but it made her feel even more frustrated. “All I’m trying to tell you is that things here have not been easy and I’ve missed you all. I didn’t want to be away from you. I’m only trying to do the right thing. I had promised the Lees that I’d stay with Snooze months ago. I couldn’t go back on that.”

  After a pause, her mother sighed. “You are right. Are . . . are you all right now?”

  “Jah. I think so.”

  “Gut. You know . . . oh! Hold on.” Grace could hear her say something to someone standing nearby. “I’m sorry but one of your grandparents’ neighbors wants to use the phone so I’m going to go. Daed or I will call again soon. Bye now.”

  “Bye, Mamm. Ich leevi dich.”

  “I love you too, Grace. Good day.”

  When the phone clicked and the room went silent, Grace sat back down and tried to wrap her head around the fact that no matter what she told John Michael, it seemed as if her heart had already made up its mind. The feelings she’d had for him all those years ago were back, and alive and well.

  And now her whole family was going to know it, too.

  Chapter 18

  Grace was still reeling from the phone call with her mother when John Michael knocked on the door two hours later.

  “Hiya,” he said, looking awkward. “How are you feeling today?”

  There was surely no way she was going to tell him about her recent phone call. “All right.” Attempting to smile, she said, “I haven’t had another kitchen accident, so that’s something to celebrate.”

  “Indeed.” He smiled, but the humor didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  And just like that, some of the hurt feelings she’d been holding tight fell away. “John Michael, you don’t look too good. Is something wrong?”

  “Nee. Well, maybe.” He shrugged. “To be honest, I’m not exactly sure.”

  “It sounds like you need to talk about it.” Glad to focus on his problems instead of her own, she said, “Take off your coat and come sit down.”

>   After shrugging off his coat and hanging it on the knob, he faced her. “I paid a visit to Dorma Schultz yesterday. She told me that you had called on her, too.” Looking almost tentative, he said, “Could I speak to you about her? I’m worried.”

  “I’ve been worried about Dorma, too. Would you like some cookies or something?”

  His expression warmed. “Did you bake again?”

  “I canna help it, I guess. Would you like one? They’re eggnog cookies.”

  He wrinkled his nose. “Danke, but not right now. I just really needed to talk to you.”

  “Let’s go sit by the Christmas tree.”

  As John Michael followed her toward the living room, he looked around the space like he had before. Then, when they got to the room, he paused in front of the Christmas tree. It was ablaze with beautiful white lights. And because the day had been overcast, it seemed even brighter than usual.

  He gazed at it in obvious appreciation. “This is a beautiful sight, isn’t it?”

  She nodded. “Don’t tell anyone, but I sometimes wish that we could have a Christmas tree in our home.” Fingering one of the silly bejeweled dog bones, she smiled. “Without the bones, though.”

  He chuckled and pointed to one of the animal ornaments. It was a prancing fox, complete with a top hat and purple coat. “Or the dressed-up creatures.”

  She sat down. “Why were you over at Dorma’s house?”

  “My captain asked if I would go over there with him since she’s Amish. From time to time we do care visits like that. Checking on residents someone has reported a concern about.”

  “I have no doubt that someone has called about her. She was pretty confused when I saw her.”

  “I found the same thing to be true. The captain installed a new smoke alarm in her bedroom. We explained to her that if it sounded, she needed to get out right away.” He paused. “To be honest, I’m not sure if I stopped by there today she would remember me.”

  “I’m really worried about her. What do you think we should do?”

  His expression warmed again, making her feel like he was proud of her, but for what, she couldn’t imagine. “She might not remember me, but I think you made an impression on her. She brought up your name.” As if he was thinking of a private joke, he said, “When she first mentioned ‘Grace,’ I thought she was speaking of God’s grace. It was only after she revealed that you’d brought her cinnamon cookies and I noticed that they were these scones that I put two and two together.”