Amish White Christmas Pie

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “She does, but Will just dropped by and said that Mary Jane has the flu.” Karen glanced at the door. “He’s waiting in the house for my answer, so if it’s okay with you, I’ll ride over to his place with him.”

  Mom nodded. “It sounds like you’re needed at the health food store more than you are here. I’m sure we can manage without you today.”

  “If Mary Jane doesn’t get over the flu right away, I might be needed more than just today.”

  “Let’s take one day at a time.”

  “Okay.” Karen hugged her mother and hurried back to the house. When she stepped into the kitchen, she found Will sitting at the table across from Cindy, eating a cinnamon roll.

  “I thought you didn’t want any cinnamon rolls,” she teased.

  Will grinned up at her. “They smelled so good I changed my mind.”

  She snickered. “They have that effect on me, too.”

  “So what did your mamm say?”

  “She can get by without my help today.” Karen moved over to the counter where the cinnamon rolls sat. “I’ll grab a few of these, and we can be on our way.”

  “Great. Maybe during our lunch break today we can sneak into the shed and take a look at Sandy’s pups.”

  She smiled. “I’d like that, Will.”

  As Will and Karen headed down the road in his buggy, Will glanced over at her and said, “There’s something I need to ask you.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I was at Das Dutchman the other day and saw you and Leroy having lunch together.”

  Karen’s mouth fell open. “You were at Das Dutchman?”

  He nodded.

  “I thought I saw you there. Why didn’t you come over to my table?”

  “Because when I saw you with Leroy, I figured—”

  “I was having lunch with my mamm. She’d gone to the ladies’ room. Leroy had been eating lunch at the counter and stopped by our table.”

  “What did he want?”

  “He wanted to discuss something with me.”

  “Like what?”

  “I really can’t say.”

  “Why not?”

  “Leroy asked me not to.”

  “Oh, so now we’re keeping secrets?” A muscle on the side of Will’s neck quivered.

  “I’m not keeping secrets. I just don’t think it would be right to repeat what Leroy said when he asked me not to.” She wrinkled her nose. “Besides, telling what Leroy said would be like gossiping.”

  “If you’re not willing to tell me, then how do you expect me to believe there’s nothing going on between you and Leroy?”

  “Don’t you trust me, Will?”

  “If you’re not going to be honest, then how can I trust you?”

  “If you have to ask that question, then I guess you can’t.”

  Will’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the reins.

  She reached across the seat and touched his arm. “Please believe me—Leroy’s only a friend. It’s you I love.”

  The muscles in Will’s face relaxed some. “I love you, too.” Maybe he had been wrong for pressing Karen to tell him what Leroy had said. Maybe he needed to be more trusting.

  “There’s something I’d like to say, Will.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I’ve had some concerns about you and Mary Jane.”

  “What kind of concerns?”

  “Well, I noticed you talking with her on the day of the work frolic, and she seemed awfully friendly, so I wondered if maybe the two of you—”

  “Don’t tell me you thought something was going on between me and Mary Jane.”

  She nodded. “Leroy said he saw you and Mary Jane together at the horse auction in Topeka.”

  “That’s right; Mary was there with her daed. When Nathan and I were getting ready to leave the auction barn, we ran into her, so we talked a few minutes. That’s all there was to it.”

  “I know it’s silly of me, but I felt jealous when Leroy said he’d seen you with her, and then when I saw the way she kept smiling at you the other day at the frolic, I started to worry.”

  “Well, you’ve got nothing to worry about. Mary Jane is just a friend who works at the store for my mamm. The reason I was talking to her the day of the work frolic was because I was trying to get her and Leroy together.”

  Karen’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

  “I had hoped if I could get Leroy interested in someone else, he would stay away from you.” Will grunted. “But I didn’t have much luck. Leroy didn’t seem any more interested in Mary Jane than he did in Vonda when we had lunch with you in Shipshewana the other day. Mary Jane didn’t seem interested in Leroy, either.”

  “Maybe that’s because Mary Jane’s interested in you.”

  Will shook his head vigorously. “No, she’s not! If anyone’s interested in anyone, it’s Leroy. He’s interested in you.”

  “He is not!”

  “Jah, well, I don’t like him hanging around you all the time. It’s putting a strain on our relationship.”

  “I wish you’d quit worrying about Leroy. I shouldn’t have to keep telling you that I only think of him as a friend.” Karen placed her hand on Will’s arm. “You know what my mamm thinks?”

  “What’s that?”

  “She thinks the reason things have been strained between you and me lately is because we’re having prewedding jitters.”

  “She could be right. Any idea what we can do about it?”

  “Maybe we need to focus on each other rather than on what’s going on around us. And if it will make you feel any better, I’ll try to discourage Leroy from hanging around me so much.”

  “That would help a lot, and I’ll try not to be so jealous.”

  She smiled. “Okay. I’ll work on that issue, too.”

  CHAPTER 20

  Will was on his way out of the health food store with some empty boxes Mama Regina had asked him to dispose of when Nathan showed up.

  “I didn’t expect to see you here,” Nathan said, stepping into the store. “Figured you’d be out in the barn waiting for me to help with the afternoon milking.”

  “I’ll be heading there soon.” Will’s eyebrows drew together. “If you figured I’d be in the barn, then what are you doing here?”

  Nathan’s face turned red as a radish. “Well, I was…uh…”

  “Were you lookin’ to buy some vitamins for your aunt?” Will asked as he shifted the boxes in his arms.

  “No, I…uh…” Nathan glanced around. “Is Mary Jane working today?”

  Will shook his head. “She’s home sick with the flu.”

  “Really? You didn’t mention that this morning when we were doing the milking.”

  “Didn’t know about it until after we were done. Mary Jane’s brother Dan dropped by and gave me the news.” Will nodded toward the back of the store. “Karen’s taking Mary Jane’s place today, and I’ve helped out this afternoon some, too.”

  “That’s really too bad.”

  “Too bad I’ve been helping out?”

  “No, no. It’s too bad Mary Jane’s got the flu.”

  Will scratched his head. “Why the sudden interest in Mary Jane’s health?”

  The color in Nathan’s face deepened. “Well, uh…”

  Will punched Nathan playfully on the arm. “You’re sure big on the word uh this afternoon. Have you got some kind of interest in Mary Jane that I should know about?”

  “Jah, actually, I do. She’s one of the reasons I’ve decided to stay in Indiana.”

  Will smiled. No wonder Mary Jane showed no interest in Leroy. She was probably as smitten with Nathan as he obviously was with her. He thumped Nathan on the back. “And here I thought you were sticking around because you and I are such good friends.”

  “That’s part of it, too.”

  “Well, if you’re planning to stay on for good, then you’ll need to find a full-time job. Once Papa Mark is able to resume his duties, I won’t need your help with the m
ilking anymore.”

  Nathan nodded. “That’s okay. I just came from an interview at the trailer factory, and I’m supposed to begin working there in two weeks.”

  “That’s great!”

  Karen stepped around the corner. “Oh, it’s you, Nathan. I was in the back room and thought I heard Will talking to someone out here. I was afraid I’d missed a customer.”

  “Nope, it’s just me and my good friend Nathan.”

  Nathan smiled at Karen. “Will said you were filling in for Mary Jane today.”

  Karen nodded. “Thankfully Will’s been able to help me some, and Regina came over to check on things a couple of times, too.” She made an arc with her arm. “Working in the health food store is a lot different from working in my folks’ dry goods store. There’s so much I don’t know about vitamins and such.”

  “I think you’ve caught on pretty well.” Will winked at Karen. “If you were given the chance to work here a few more days, you’d know all you need to know.”

  She shook her head. “I doubt that very much.”

  “Have you had the chance to see Sandy’s hundlin?” Nathan asked.

  “Jah. Will took me out to the shed to see them during our lunch break.” Karen smiled. “They’re sure cute little things. Will shouldn’t have any trouble finding them good homes once they’re old enough to be weaned.”

  “I’m sure he won’t. I may even buy one myself.”

  Will looked at the boxes he held. “If you two want to keep on yakking, that’s up to you, but I’d better get these boxes taken out like Mama Regina asked me to. Then I’ll need to get the cows rounded up so we can begin the afternoon milking.” He glanced at Karen. “Do you think you can manage things on your own here until closing time?”

  She nodded. “Jah, I’ll be fine.”

  “Don’t forget about coming over to the house for supper. After we’ve eaten, I’ll drive you home.”

  “I won’t forget.”

  Will looked over at Nathan. “You’re welcome to eat with us, too.”

  “I appreciate the offer, but Uncle Aaron’s got a bad cold, so after I finish helping you with the milking, I’d better get home and do his evening chores.” Nathan grinned. “Besides, I promised Aunt Susanna I’d eat supper with them tonight. She’s fixing baked pork chops, and that’s one of my favorite meat dishes.”

  Will chuckled. “As I recall, most foods are your favorite.”

  Nathan shook his head. “No way! I’ve never liked spinach, no matter how it’s prepared.”

  “Jah, well, enough of this talk about food.” Will gave Karen a wide smile and moved toward the door. “See you up at the house when I’m done with the milking.”

  “It was nice of you to invite me to stay for supper,” Karen said as she set dishes and silverware on the table in Regina’s kitchen.

  Regina lifted the lid on the pot of simmering stew and smiled. “Since you worked so hard in my store today, the least I can do is feed you supper. Besides, I figured my son might enjoy spending the evening with his future wife.”

  “It’ll be nice for me, as well.”

  Regina moved across the room. “I hope you don’t think I’m overstepping my bounds, but I’ve sensed something’s not quite right in the way Will’s been acting lately. I’m wondering if everything’s as it should be between the two of you.”

  “We have had a few misunderstandings, but I think it’s because we’re both feeling a bit naerfich about our upcoming wedding.”

  Regina nodded. “That does often happen right before a couple gets married, although Mark and I somehow got through that time without any misunderstandings.”

  “Maybe that’s because you’re both so easygoing.”

  “Most of the time, but we do have our moments.”

  “Some of Will’s and my problems stem from jealousy.”

  “Jealousy of what?”

  “Leroy and Mary Jane.”

  Regina’s eyebrows lifted. “I don’t understand.”

  “Will has gotten jealous whenever he’s seen me talking to Leroy, and I’ve felt jealous when I’ve seen him and Mary Jane together.” Karen sighed. “It’s really silly though, because Leroy and I are only friends. I’ve told Will several times that he has nothing to be jealous about.”

  “Nor do you,” Regina said. “Not only is Mary Jane just a friend of Will’s; she’s taken an interest in Nathan.”

  “She has?”

  Regina nodded. “Nathan looks for any excuse to visit the health food store, and it didn’t take me long to figure out that he has a definite interest in Mary Jane.” She chuckled. “Each time Nathan leaves the store, Mary Jane comments on how nice he is or how she thinks he’s the best-looking Amish man she’s ever met. I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if they start courting real soon. You never know—there just might be another wedding on the horizon.”

  Karen smiled. “Will and I had a good talk this morning, and we’ve agreed to try to keep our focus on each other and set our jealous feelings aside.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  Just then Mark stepped into the room. He looked tired, and a deep purple bruise accentuated his slightly swollen forehead.

  “How are you feeling this evening?” Regina asked after he’d taken a seat at the table.

  “I’m feeling hungry.”

  She snickered. “I meant, how’s your head feel?”

  “Oh, that. It feels like a woodpecker thought my head was a tree, but I think I’ll live.” He grinned at Karen. “Danki for helping out in the store so my fraa could be here hovering over me most of the day.”

  “I wasn’t hovering. I was making sure you didn’t do anything you weren’t supposed to do.” Regina opened a cupboard door, took out a small bottle, and handed it to him. “I was also making sure you took some Arnica tablets several times during the day.”

  “What’s Arnica used for?” Karen asked.

  “It’s a homeopathic remedy that’s used for bruising, pain, and the swelling that accompanies many injuries,” Regina explained. “Arnica lotion can also be rubbed directly on the bruise.”

  “I can see there’s much a person needs to know if they’re going to run a health food store,” Karen said. “I always thought it was just about selling vitamins, herbs, and healthy food products.”

  “A lot is involved,” Regina agreed. “My folks owned a health food store when I was a girl, and since I got to work there on the days I wasn’t in school, I learned quite a lot. Then after I graduated eighth grade, I worked in the store full-time and learned even more.”

  “Would you be willing to teach me about running a health food store?” Karen asked.

  “Jah, sure. After you and Will are married, you can work in the store as much as you like. I’d be happy to teach you whatever you need to know.”

  “I’d like that.”

  Mark popped two Arnica tablets into his mouth and glanced at the back door. “I wonder what’s taking Will so long. He and Nathan ought to be done with the milking by now.”

  Regina placed her hand on his shoulder. “Don’t get any ideas about going out to the barn. You’re supposed to stay in the house and rest until the doctor says otherwise.”

  “I know, I know.” Mark touched his forehead and winced. “As long as my head continues to hurt, you don’t have to worry about me going back to work.”

  The back door squeaked open, and Will stepped into the room. “Brr. It’s mighty cold out,” he said, rubbing his arms.

  “Did everything go all right with the milking?” Mark asked.

  “It went fine.”

  “Did you invite Nathan to join us for supper like I asked you to?” Regina questioned.

  “I did, but he said his uncle isn’t feeling well, so he thought he ought to get home and do the evening chores.”

  “What’s wrong with Aaron?” Regina’s eyebrows furrowed. “When Susanna was at the hospital with me, she didn’t say anything about her husband being sick. I hope it’s nothing ser
ious.”

  “He’s only got a cold. Nathan said he woke up with it this morning.”

  “You should have sent Nathan over to the health food store to get some vitamin C and echinacea for his uncle.”

  “Nathan and I were both in the health food store before we did the milking, but I didn’t think of suggesting anything that his uncle might take. If I don’t forget, I’ll mention the vitamin and herbs when Nathan comes tomorrow morning to help with the milking.” Will looked over at Karen and smiled. “Did you manage okay at the store after I left to milk the cows?”