The Missing Will

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Glen shook his head. “No way! That crazy gaul is too spirited for me.”

  “He will only get worse if he isn’t taken out sometimes.” Joel slid his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a piece of gum. A memory from the past popped into his head. Dad used to carry gum in his pockets. Whenever Joel went out to the barn to help clean or take care of the horses, he was usually rewarded with a stick of gum. Of course, he was just a boy then, and any little treat from Dad was appreciated.

  Glen broke into Joel’s musings. “You’re most likely right about Grandpa’s horse, but my daed said he’d take care of doing that.”

  “Bet I could make the horse do what I wanted.” With legs spread wide, Joel thrust out his chest. “I grew up with Dad’s horses. I could always make them do what I wanted.”

  Glen tipped his head slightly but made no comment.

  “Has anyone in the family talked about selling Dad’s horses? It makes no sense to keep them, now that Dad is gone.” Joel pulled his fingers through the sides of his hair. “Besides, the money could be split among me and my sisters.”

  “That’s something you’d have to discuss with them.” Glen led his horse to the front of the buggy shafts.

  “Yeah, I’ll do that.” Joel caught sight of Glen’s straw hat lying on the floor of his open buggy. He wouldn’t be wearing it today, however. For church, all Amish men wore their black dress hats. He reached in and picked up the hat. Holding it brought back memories from when he was Amish. It was strange how moments like this made him feel a sense of nostalgia and actually helped him relax. Other times, certain thoughts from his past put him on edge or seemed like nothing more than a distant dream.

  Farmerstown

  “Say, Mom, can me and Scott go over to Grandpa’s after church today so we can jump on the trampoline?” Arlene’s son Doug asked as they finished eating breakfast.

  Arlene pursed her lips. “I don’t think so, Son. It’s not a good idea for you boys to be hanging around over there alone.”

  “I wanna go, too,” Lillian spoke up.

  Her sister, Martha, bobbed her head in agreement. “If we all go, then none of us will be alone.”

  “Our daughter has a point,” Arlene’s husband interjected. “Besides, now that Glen is staying at your daed’s house, they’ll have adult supervision.”

  Arlene frowned. “Glen is not a self-sufficient adult yet. He’s twenty years old, and until he moved into Dad’s place, which is only temporary, he lived at home.”

  “He’s old enough to stay by himself. And he has a full-time job, so I think he’s capable of supervising our kinner today, don’t you?”

  Arlene sighed. “I suppose you’re right.” She looked at Doug. “Just make sure you and your siblings are achtsam today. No craziness on the trampoline, okay?”

  “We’ll be careful,” the boy promised.

  “Are you going to ride your bikes, or would you like me to take you there with my horse and buggy?” Larry questioned.

  “We’ll ride our bikes.” Doug looked at his siblings. “Is that okay with you?”

  Scott, Lillian, and Martha nodded.

  Smiling at Arlene, Larry reached over and patted her arm. “While the kinner are at your daed’s place, you should take a nap. You’ve been working too hard lately, trying to keep up with all your chores here, plus helping your sisters sort through your daed’s things. If you’re not careful, you’re gonna wear yourself down and may even get grank.”

  “I won’t get sick from doing a little work, so please don’t worry.” She rose from her seat and scooped her dishes into the sink. “Hurry now, everyone. We don’t want to be late for church.”

  Charm

  After searching for the will for two hours, Joel decided he needed some fresh air. Think I’ll take Dad’s closed-in buggy and hitch up his spirited horse. I’ll bet he’s not nearly as hard to handle as Glen thinks.

  Thirty minutes later, Joel plunked Glen’s straw hat on his head, climbed into the buggy in an easygoing manner, and took up the reins. It felt strange to be sitting on the right-hand side of the buggy, in readiness to take the horse out on the road. Joel had become used to driving his cars and truck, where he felt more in control. He’d never admit it to his nephew, but Joel felt a bit vulnerable right now.

  Don’t be such a coward, he chided himself. If you learn how to ride a bike, you never forget what to do. Same goes for driving a horse and buggy.

  With a renewed sense of confidence, Joel directed the horse up the driveway and onto the road. So far, the animal was behaving, and he began to relax. The sound of the horse’s hooves hitting the pavement caused Joel’s breaths to slow down. He pictured himself when he was younger, riding in the buggy with his family on their way to church every other Sunday. He would watch his father intently as he guided the horse down the road. There was something about controlling a thousand-pound steed that Joel had found intriguing, and he’d wanted nothing more than to try it himself. He had been given a pony when he was a boy, but training the small animal to pull the pony-cart had been too easy.

  Joel reflected on the first time Dad had let him drive the horse and buggy. He’d been eleven years old and had begged to try it. His lips curved into a smile. Dad thought I was too young, but I proved him wrong when he finally handed me the reins.

  A mile or so up the road, something spooked the horse, which caused Joel’s thoughts to scatter. The spirited gelding began to act up, flipping his head from side to side, while balking at Joel’s every request. Then, as if he’d been stung by a bee, the critter took off like a flash. “Whoa, boy!” he hollered, pulling back on the reins. “There’s no need to rush.”

  Joel heaved a sigh of relief when he finally got the animal under control and going at a slower, even pace. “What’s wrong with you?” He spoke to the horse with assurance. “Are you trying to make me look bad?”

  Joel was surprised when the gelding responded with a whinny. Maybe he was purposely testing me, and now he knows who’s boss.

  Rounding the next bend, he spotted an open buggy heading in the opposite direction. He recognized the driver immediately—Anna Detweiler. She didn’t wave while passing, so Joel figured Anna hadn’t recognized him. Of course, being in the closed buggy, he wouldn’t have been as easy to recognize as if he’d been driving an open rig.

  Joel’s thoughts took him back to the months he’d courted Anna and all the fun things they’d done together. He remembered how they used to play volleyball with some of their friends in the evenings during the summer. The soles of Joel’s feet would tickle as he maneuvered on the grass, trying to win a point for his team. Joel wasn’t as good at the game as Anna; she was a natural. She’d tried to show him the correct way to serve the ball, by tossing it in the air, striking it with a hand or lower part of her arm. But Joel continued to mess up when it was his turn to serve.

  He couldn’t help but smile when he thought about her. In addition to being pretty, and a good volleyball player, Anna was easygoing, smart, and had a special connection with children, which was what probably made her want to be a teacher. Joel, on the other hand, had never been patient with children. They usually got on his nerves. Of course, if they were his own kids, he might feel differently.

  His brows pulled in as he pinched the bridge of his nose. What would my life be like now if I’d stayed Amish? He clutched the reins tighter as he weighed the issue. Did I make a mistake breaking up with Anna to go English? If we’d gotten married, could I have learned to be content living the Plain life?

  CHAPTER 7

  Joel guided the horse and buggy into his dad’s yard and was surprised to see five children playing near the house. As he drew closer, he realized four of them were Arlene’s—Doug, Scott, Martha, and Lillian. Joel didn’t recognize the other boy. He figured it was one of their friends from school or church district.

  He climbed down from the buggy and secured the horse. Holding Glen’s straw hat in his hand, Joel stood a few minutes, watching the c
hildren play. Fortunately, they were preoccupied and hadn’t seen him yet. “Great! The last thing I need is five rambunctious kids hanging around, asking a bunch of questions and distracting me from looking for Dad’s will,” Joel mumbled under his breath. I’ll have to make sure they stay outside or convince them to go home.

  Joel had begun unhitching the horse when Scott ran up to him. “Hey, Uncle Joel! I didn’t know you were gonna be here today.” His face glowed pink—most likely from playing.

  “I didn’t expect you, either.” He squinted at the boy. “What are doing here, anyway?”

  Scott grinned up at him. “Me, my brother and sisters, and my friend Alvin came to jump on the trampoline Grandpa bought a few years ago.”

  “Do your folks know you’re here?”

  “Jah. My daed and mamm said it was fine ’cause our cousin Glen’s stayin’ here at the house.” Scott tipped his head back and stared up at Joel with a curious expression. “Why did you come, and why were you drivin’ Grandpa’s horse and buggy?”

  Already with the questions. “I came to look through some of my daed’s things, and I needed some fresh air, so I took the gaul and buggy out for a ride.” Joel’s jaw tightened. He’d spoken some Pennsylvania-Dutch again.

  Scott’s eyes blinked rapidly. “Did ya have trouble with the gaul? Grandpa used to say his gaul could be a feisty one.”

  “At first he tried to act up, but I got him under control.” Joel led the horse to the barn and grimaced when he noticed Scott trailing behind him. He wished the kid would go back and play.

  Scott followed Joel into the horse’s stall. “Did ya bring your harmonica with ya today?”

  “No.”

  The boy’s shoulders drooped. “Sure wish ya had.”

  “I don’t take my harmonica everywhere I go.”

  “I was hopin’ you could teach me how to play it. If ya had the mouth harp with ya right now, then—”

  “Maybe some other time.” Joel focused his gaze on the horse’s mane and began brushing it. He was about to suggest that Scott go back to jumping on the trampoline, when Doug darted into the barn. Joel’s neck stiffened as he lowered his arm. Terrific! Now I have two of them to deal with.

  “Sure am surprised to see you here.” Doug crossed his arms and stared up at Joel. “Did my folks know you were comin’?”

  Joel’s knuckles whitened as he continued to brush the horse. “No, and I didn’t see a need to tell them.” He managed to keep his composure, but his patience was wearing thin.

  Doug looked at Scott and his eyebrows lifted slightly, but neither of them commented.

  When Joel finished with the horse, he hurried from the barn. The boys were right on his heels.

  Joel stopped when he got to the house, then turned to face them. “If you kids and your friend want to jump on the trampoline, that’s fine with me, but I’ve got things I need to do in the house. So unless you have to use the bathroom or get a drink, would you please stay outside? I don’t want to be disturbed.”

  They nodded soberly.

  “By the way, where’s Glen? I didn’t see his horse in the barn.”

  “Guess he ain’t home from church yet,” Doug answered. “He has farther to go than we do. Besides, he may have gone to his folks’ house after church. Or maybe he went to visit his aldi.”

  “Didn’t know he had a girlfriend.”

  “A lot of stuff goes on here that you don’t know.” Doug’s tone was so matter of fact, it took Joel by surprise.

  He frowned. “I’m sure there is.”

  Scott tapped Joel’s arm. “Ya know, Uncle Joel, if ya smiled once in a while, people might like you better.”

  Taken aback, Joel forced a hard smile. “Maybe you’re right, but I don’t have much to smile about these days.”

  “There’s always something to smile about. Our daed says laughter’s good medicine.” Doug rocked back slightly on his heels as he looked up at Joel. “In case ya didn’t know, that’s right outa the Bible.”

  Joel rolled his eyes as he bit the inside of his cheek. If he hung around here much longer, one or both of the boys would probably follow him inside and start preaching or quoting more scriptures at him. He glanced at his truck, still parked by the barn. Since Glen hadn’t returned from church yet, Joel thought he should probably stick around. Arlene had allowed her children to come here because she assumed Elsie’s oldest son would be available if there was a problem.

  Joel mulled things over a few minutes, until his heart hardened. This isn’t my problem. Arlene should have made sure Glen was here before she allowed her kids to play on the trampoline. He looked at his truck again. Think I’d better head for home. Truth was, he needed some time to unwind and didn’t want to babysit a bunch of kids. Maybe I’ll go for a run or head over to one of the fitness centers that are open on Sundays.

  “Come back soon,” Scott called as Joel climbed into his truck. “And don’t forget to bring your harmonica next time.”

  Joel gave a brief wave, turned the truck around, and headed up the driveway. If he didn’t hear something about Dad’s will from one of his sisters soon, he’d come back and try searching for it again.

  Berlin

  “It was nice having you and Brian join us for church today,” Elsie said as she and Doris sat at the kitchen table, drinking hot apple cider. The men were visiting in the living room, and the girls had gone upstairs to play in Hope’s room. Glen and Blaine had gone to see their girlfriends a short time ago.

  Doris smiled. “We always enjoy visiting other districts on our off Sundays.”

  “How are you feeling today? Any nausea?” Elsie swirled the steaming cider in her mug.

  “Just a bit, when I first woke up. Drinking ginger tea seems to help a lot.”

  “I’m glad.” Elsie raised the mug to her lips and sipped her cider, inhaling the spicy aroma. “Oh, I forgot to mention—I called Joel last night and invited him and Kristi to have supper with us one night this week.”

  “What’d he say?” Doris gave her a curious look.

  “I got his voice mail, so I left a message. I hope they can come. It will be nice to get to know Kristi better.”

  Doris shook her head slowly. “That’s probably not going to happen.”

  “How come?”

  “I waited on Kristi and her mother at the restaurant the other day. She informed me that she and Joel broke up.”

  Feeling a bit dazed by this news, Elsie placed her mug on the table. “How come?”

  “Since we were in a public place, and I was working, it didn’t seem appropriate to ask for details,” Doris replied. “Kristi did say I could call and she would fill me in.”

  “Have you done that yet?”

  “No, but I plan to sometime this week.”

  Elsie tapped her fingers, pondering the situation. “I wouldn’t be at all surprised if the breakup was Joel’s fault. He can be so insensitive sometimes.”

  Doris’s mouth twisted grimly. “I know. Just ask Anna how badly he hurt her.”

  Elsie stared at the table. “I hate to say this, but both Kristi and Anna are better off without him. Unless Joel gets his life straightened around, he will probably never have a happy, meaningful relationship with a woman.”

  Akron

  Kristi breathed deeply as she jogged down the trail. She felt exhilarated whenever she ran, and today was no exception. Time and keeping busy seemed to help get her through the breakup with Joel. She hadn’t forgotten about him, of course—that would take a while. But her emotions were more stable, and she didn’t think about him all the time, the way she had at first. I did the right thing, she reminded herself once more. Joel isn’t the right man for me.

  Up ahead, Kristi spotted one of her friends from church. “Hey, Sandy,” she called. “Wait for me!”

  Sandy slowed to a walk until Kristi caught up; then they ran side-by-side. “Looks like I wasn’t the only one needing some fresh air and exercise today.” She pulled on her hairband and tightened h
er ponytail.

  “Jogging won’t be nearly as much fun once the colder winter months set in.” Kristi shivered, thinking about it. “I’ll probably get most of my exercise at the fitness center.”

  “Not to change the subject or anything,” Sandy said, “but I haven’t seen Joel in church with you the last few weeks. Has he been sick?”

  Kristi cringed. “Guess you haven’t heard…” She drew in a sharp breath before continuing to speak. “Joel and I aren’t seeing each other anymore.”

  “Sorry to hear that.” Sandy kept her eyes on the trail in front of her. “Any chance you might get back together?”

  “No, our relationship is over.” Kristi was glad her friend didn’t pursue the topic. Talking about Joel made her feel worse.

  Slowing her pace, Sandy glanced at her watch. “Well, it’s almost four o’clock. Guess I’d better head home before Ed comes looking for me. He was watching a game on TV when I left, but he’s probably getting hungry by now.”

  “Okay. I’ll see you at church next week, if not before.”

  Sandy turned and headed in the direction of the parking lot, while Kristi continued down the trail. It would be getting dark soon, and she’d have to head back to her car. But for now, it felt good to run.

  She’d only gone a short ways, when she came face-to-face with Joel, who’d been running in the opposite direction. “Wh–what are you doing here?” she stammered, trying to push her way past him.

  Joel grasped Kristi’s arm, halting her footsteps. “Please don’t go. We need to talk.”

  As he stood beside her, she saw the longing in his eyes. That might have worked at one time, but not anymore. Kristi wasn’t sure if her body felt hot from running or because of unexpectedly seeing Joel. Probably both. Shaking her arm free, she looked up at him through squinted eyes. “Did you follow me here?” Her tone was sharp, and she stepped away from him.

  He shook his head vigorously. “Course not. I came here for some exercise and to wind down. How was I to know you’d be here?”