“Well, haven’t you been the busy bee? You know, there’s a lot more to prepare for a big wedding than choosing a dress.” Annette picked up her napkin and dabbed her lips daintily. “We need to make out a guest list, choose a caterer for the reception, and—”
Len held up his hand. “Whoa, Mom, you’re getting carried away. Charlene and I will discuss all those things, and if we need your help, we’ll ask.”
Once again, Charlene felt pleased by her fiancé’s response. Len stood his ground, not letting his mother take over the wedding. Besides, Charlene’s parents needed to be included in their plans.
“We can talk about this later.” Annette gestured to the platter of chicken. “We need to eat before our food gets cold.”
After everyone finished their meal, Charlene got up to clear the table. On her way to the kitchen the silverware slipped off one of the plates she held and bounced on the floor. Wincing, she bent down, picked them up, and made a hasty exit, but not before overhearing Len’s mother say, “Your girlfriend is not only a bad cook, but she’s clumsy.”
Hearing Annette’s cutting remark, Charlene struggled with the desire to flee. Wish I hadn’t come here tonight. Seems I can’t say or do anything right. Curious to know if anything more would be said, she paused at the kitchen door and listened.
“Mother, that’s enough. Charlene is my fiancée and your future daughter-in-law. Things are awkward enough and will only get worse if you can’t find a way to get along with her.”
Charlene felt a little better hearing Len speak on her behalf. But it did nothing to alleviate her concerns. What would her relationship with Annette be like once she and Len were married? Would he always take her side, or could there be times when Len stuck up for his mother?
Walnut Creek
“Mind if I ask you a question?” Heidi moved closer to her aunt on the couch and clasped her hand. They’d been visiting since Aunt Emma and Lamar finished supper. The men were in the barn, feeding the horses, so it was nice to have some time alone with her aunt.
“Of course, dear. I’d be happy to answer any question. What would you like to know?”
“Do all the people who come to your house to learn how to quilt have some sort of problem they share with you?”
“Jah, quite often many of them do. Some have come with more serious issues, but many were minor.” Aunt Emma held her hands together, as though praying. “With some people, I offered advice and often shared scripture, while others I simply prayed for.”
“This is my first group of students, and I’ve already discovered most of them are facing some sort of problem.” Heidi’s lips parted slightly. “Some, like the young unwed woman who’s expecting a baby, have sought my advice, while others, like Ron, only shared a bit with me and the class.”
“Who is Ron?” Aunt Emma asked.
Heidi pointed to the living-room window. “He lives in the motor home parked in our yard.”
“Oh, so he’s the man we met when our driver dropped us off.” Aunt Emma’s forehead wrinkles deepened. “I asked if he was a friend of yours, and he said you’d allowed him to park his vehicle here. Is that true?”
“Yes. Until a little over a month ago, we’d never met Ron. He showed up one day, saying his motor home wasn’t running right and asking if he could stay here a few days until he got it fixed. Then he ended up taking my cooking classes, so we agreed he could stay until the final class, near the end of June.”
“It’s kind of you to allow him to stay so long. Is he a pleasant person to be around?” Aunt Emma fluffed the throw pillow on the couch and positioned it behind her head.
“Truth is, Ron’s hard to figure out. Sometimes he seems nice and polite. Other times, he says rude things and acts kind of jittery, especially around the others during our class.” Heidi reached for her cup of tea and took a sip. “He hasn’t told us much about his past, but I believe he’s dealing with some serious issues.”
“He needs prayer, then, and perhaps in time you’ll have a chance to tell him about God’s love.”
“I hope so. Even more so, I hope he is willing to listen.”
“A deer in the road—look out!” Sweat poured down Ron’s face as he slammed on the brakes. He’d passed the place now, but in his side mirror, he could see the deer lying motionless by the side of the road. It was getting dark. Nobody cared about a deer. Ron drove onward. Maybe it wasn’t a deer. It could have been a Vietnamese soldier.
Moaning, he rolled to the other side of his bunk as the scene changed in his head.
Machine-gun fire—grenades going off all around him. The swamp made sucking sounds as he lifted one boot, and then the other. The humidity was hard to bear. His clothes stuck to his skin. Off the bank, he saw an enemy soldier coming toward him with a bayonet. Ron hoisted his gun, as he’d been trained to do, and fired. The soldier collapsed in a heap, sinking slowly below the bog’s surface. Ron cupped his mouth with his hand. He’s dead. I’m a murderer. The poor fellow never stood a chance.
An owl hooted, and Ron’s eyes snapped open. Drenched in sweat, he rose from his bed, relieved to see familiar surroundings. It had only been a dream—a reoccurring nightmare.
Shuffling to the kitchen area, Ron grabbed a glass to fill with water. In need of fresh air, he opened the side door and stepped out, taking a seat on the entrance step. Although well after midnight, the bright moon illuminated the Troyers’ yard. Looking at their house, he saw that all was dark.
Ron shivered, running his hands over his arms as he sucked in a gulp of air, hoping to calm himself. Why can’t I get the war out of my head? Will the terrible nightmares ever cease?
Ron’s thoughts turned to his only brother. Oh, Mike, I miss you so much. If not for the war, you’d still be alive, and I never would have enlisted.
Ron’s chin quivered as he held his churning stomach. It should have been me who died, not you.
Chapter 27
Sugarcreek
The next Wednesday, Charlene met her friend Kathy for dinner at a restaurant in Sugarcreek. A few minutes after the hostess seated them, a waitress came to take their orders. Kathy ordered fried chicken and mashed potatoes, with a side order of corn. Charlene asked for spaghetti and meatballs, accompanied by a small dinner salad.
“How’d your school week go?” Kathy leaned her elbows on the table.
Charlene shrugged. “Okay, but I dread Friday, since it’s the last day of school until fall.”
“Aren’t you glad to have the summer off? I certainly am.”
“The first few weeks are nice, but I soon become bored. Besides, I always miss my students.”
“Guess you would.” Kathy drank some water. “Try teaching fifth graders, and then see how grateful you are to have the summer off. As much as I enjoy teaching, the kids in my class can sure try my patience sometimes.”
“Have you considered teaching a lower grade?”
“Yeah, but with the younger ones comes another set of problems. I’ll probably stick with the grade I teach. That way, I’ll always have something to complain about.” Kathy snickered, tucking her shoulder-length blond hair behind her ears. “So how’d your dinner at Len’s parents’ go on Saturday?”
Moaning, Charlene slumped in her chair. “What a fiasco it turned out to be.”
“Oh no. What happened?” Kathy leaned forward, as though straining to hear above the voices around them.
“For one thing, I made a complete fool of myself.”
“How so?”
Charlene explained how she had turned the mashed potatoes into soup. “Oh, and according to Len’s mother, I didn’t cut the vegetables for the salad small enough, either. I also dropped some silverware while clearing dishes from the table.” Charlene poked her tongue lightly into the side of her cheek, inhaling a long breath. “Then, while heading to the kitchen, I overheard Annette say to Len and his dad that I’m clumsy.”
“Oh boy. Unless you’re able to gain his mother’s favor, you may be faced with trouble
once you and Len are married.”
“I know, but the way things are going, I doubt I’ll ever find favor with her.” Charlene’s neck muscles tightened as she shook her head. “Annette goes out of her way to be rude. I’m afraid she’ll eventually turn Len against me.”
“Perhaps you should reconsider marrying him. Now’s the time to bail, not after the wedding.”
“I’m not bailing, Kathy. I love Len. If I could talk him into moving away from his parents it might help the situation. At least then, we wouldn’t have to see them so often.”
Kathy raised her eyebrows. “Good luck with that. Len’s job is here, and so are his folks. I’d be willing to bet money he won’t leave.”
“Well, I won’t know till I ask.”
“And if he says no?”
Charlene bit the inside of her cheek. “I’m not sure. Guess I’d better wait and see what Len’s response is before I make any decision that could affect my future with him.”
Walnut Creek
Eli grinned as he stepped out of the phone shack. After checking messages, he’d called Loretta to confirm their plans for Saturday. When class was over, they’d meet at Loretta’s house, and Eli would take her and the children to get acquainted with his folks. He looked forward to spending time with Loretta, Abby, and Conner and was eager to find out how things were going with Donnelly. A warm sensation spread throughout Eli’s body. I’m glad I gave them the dog. He visualized the look of joy on Abby’s and Conner’s faces. Those kids were so cute and smart. Once again, Eli wished he’d had the good fortune to become a parent. But it must not have been meant to be, or Mavis would have lived and been able to bear children.
Eli’s mood shifted, his peppy step gone as he shuffled up the driveway. I shouldn’t let negative thoughts take over like this. Nothin’ good comes of it.
As Eli approached the house, his nose twitched. A foul odor told him something was burning. Remembering the eggs he’d put on the stove to boil, he jerked the door open and rushed inside. Luckily, the kettle hadn’t caught on fire, but all the water had boiled out, and the pan was completely dry. Worse yet, all the eggs exploded, and now the mess was stuck to his ceiling. The horrible stench of burnt eggs made his stomach roil. In addition to cleaning up the mess, the whole house needed a good airing.
Eli sputtered and coughed as he made his way through the house, opening windows and doors for ventilation. “Sure hope this putrid odor doesn’t linger or seep into the furniture.”
He got out the step stool and scraped off the eggs on the ceiling above the stove. Next, Eli filled the sink with soapy water and cleaned the whole area. Following that, he placed an open box of baking soda on the kitchen counter, hoping to absorb some of the remaining unpleasant aroma. If I wanted to give the folks in my cooking class a good laugh, all I’d have to do is tell ’em about this. He smacked the palm of his hand against his forehead and groaned. What a horrible way to end the day. Guess now I’d better hitch my horse to the buggy and go out to eat supper.
It had been a busy day for Heidi, with baking, cleaning house, paying bills, and making sure everything was lined up for her class on Saturday. Now for a much-needed break.
Settling into the rocker on the front porch, she closed her eyes, listening to the melodic tinkle of wind chimes. Lyle found the chimes at an auction last week and hung them on the porch eaves close to the kitchen window so Heidi could hear the music when she stood at the sink. As the breeze lessened, the tinkling sound diminished, but a dove’s soft cooing took its place.
Smiling, Heidi opened her eyes. Even during tense moments, the sound of a dove’s gentle coo offered solace. At a time such as this, when Heidi felt content, her relaxation went deeper. She couldn’t sit out here much longer, though. Lyle would be home soon, and she’d have to start supper. They’d invited Ron to join them for burgers cooked on the grill. Since it turned out to be such a nice day, they planned to eat outside.
She glanced at Ron’s motor home, wondering why he’d kept to himself today. By now he’d usually be out walking around the property or in the barn doing chores for Lyle.
I may have missed him, she thought. I wasn’t watching out the window all day. I hope Ron will be on time for our six o’clock supper.
Ron leaned forward, rubbing his forehead. He’d sat in his RV most of the day, brooding. Today would have been his brother’s sixty-ninth birthday. Ever since Ron was a boy, he’d looked up to Mike. He’d hung on his every word. With only two years between them, they’d always been close and understood one another.
When Mike joined the marines, Ron felt such pride in his brother. He’d worried, though, when Mike was sent to Vietnam.
Ron sucked in a deep breath, remembering the peaceful and quiet afternoon when Ron and his parents had relaxed in the living room after their usual big Sunday meal. Ron heard the crunch of tires as a car pulled in and would never forget what happened when his father opened the door.
Standing somber at the entrance was a casualty notification officer and a chaplain. Ron covered his ears, but not even that could drown out his mother’s screams. Dad tried to console her, while struggling not to break down himself.
Nothing was ever the same. It was difficult, but Ron and his parents moved forward, taking one day at a time. Ron felt like a robot, though. Several months later, the sadness in Mom’s and Dad’s eyes remained. Why wouldn’t it? No parents expected to outlive their children.
Ron was lost without his brother and angry at God for allowing it to happen. Even though his parents begged him not to, six months after Mike’s funeral, Ron enlisted in the marines. Not long after, he, too, ended up in the ravages of the Vietnam War. It was exactly where he needed to be. Ron wanted—no, needed—to seek revenge for his brother’s death.
Bringing his thoughts back to the present, Ron looked out the RV window and muttered, “Life stinks, but it keeps going on.” Reaching for his wallet, he pulled out a folded piece of worn-looking paper. His vision blurred as he stared at Mike’s named etched in pencil. Years after finishing his tour of duty, Ron took his parents to Washington, DC, to visit the Wall at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. While there, he had the chance to etch his brother’s name. It was mind boggling to see all those other names and realize, like Ron and his parents, thousands of families mourned the loss of their loved one, while trying to get some semblance of normalcy back into their lives.
But in the years after Mike’s death and Ron’s time in the marines, as hard as he tried to get back to living a normal life, the nightmares still came. Even getting married and having children didn’t make them go away. Ron came to the conclusion this was how it was going to be. His life would never be the same.
Rubbing his finger over his brother’s name, Ron whispered, “Happy birthday, Mike. I love you, brother.”
Ron’s thoughts halted when a knock sounded on his side door. “Just a minute,” he called, folding the paper and returning it to his wallet. He went to the sink and splashed cold water on his face then opened the door.
“Supper’s ready,” Lyle announced. “Heidi made plenty, so I hope you’re hungry.”
Ron managed a fake smile and nodded. Truthfully, he felt like he couldn’t eat a thing. He’d only had one cup of coffee all day, which likely caused some of the jitteriness he felt at the moment. Thinking about Mike had diminished his appetite.
“You okay?” Lyle asked. “I have a hunch you’re not feeling so well.”
Ron crossed his arms as he gave a slow nod. “Been thinkin’ about my older brother, who died in the Vietnam War. Today would have been his birthday.” Ron blinked fast. Saying the words out loud made it all too real.
“Loss is hard.” Lyle gave Ron’s arm a squeeze. “I understand if you’d rather not join us, but maybe a juicy burger and some friendly conversation will offer some cheer.”
“Yeah, okay.” Ron stepped out of the RV and shut the door. At moments like this, when Lyle was so nice, Ron felt guilty for taking advantage of them. If Lyle and
Heidi knew I’d stolen things from them, they’d probably throw me off their land. And most likely would call the sheriff. Then I’d be sitting in some jail cell, instead of here, where I have it so good. If I still had the stuff I took from their house and barn, I’d put it back. But those items I pawned, and the money I stole from the blue vase is gone.
Another thought popped into Ron’s head. Maybe I ought to leave now, before I’m tempted to steal anything more.
Chapter 28
Heidi glanced at the kitchen clock. In thirty minutes class would begin, but everything hadn’t been set out. The morning started out a bit hectic. She’d slept longer than planned, and it put her behind.
“I suppose it won’t matter if we begin a few minutes late,” Heidi murmured, taking a sack of flour from the cupboard and placing it on the table.
“Were you talking to me?” Lyle wrapped his arms around Heidi’s waist and nuzzled the back of her neck with his nose.
She snickered. “Talking to myself, silly, and you shouldn’t sneak up on me like that. I should have remembered to set the alarm last night so I’d have plenty of time to get ready for my class this morning.”
He turned Heidi to face him, rubbing both her arms. “You’ll do fine. Some of your students will probably show up late, like they did the last time. So don’t fret about starting right on the button.”
She smiled and gave his cheek a gentle pinch. “You’re right, as usual.”
Lyle gave a quick shake of his head. “I don’t claim to know everything. Just don’t want you to stress out. Remember, these classes are supposed to be fun.”
“Oh, they are—at least for me. So far my students seem to have enjoyed themselves.” Heidi placed a bowl of red-skinned apples on the table. “Although Ron sometimes acts a bit standoffish. It’s hard to read him most of the time.”
Lyle’s face sobered. “Speaking of Ron, did he say anything to you about leaving?”
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