The Beloved Christmas Quilt

by Brunstetter, Wanda E. ; Brunstetter, Jean; Brunstetter, Richelle

  Since Eugene had never been married, he wasn’t sure what to say. “Sorry for your loss,” he mumbled.

  “Danki.” Atlee took off his hat, shook the snow off it, then stepped into his buggy. “See you around, Eugene.”

  Eugene lifted his hand in a wave then reached into his buggy and retrieved Luella’s gift. He glanced back, watching Atlee guide his horse toward the road and disappear into the veil of snow. Sprinting through the powdery build-up, Eugene felt giddy in the pit of his stomach. Was it the snow giving him so much delight, or the fact he’d be seeing Luella as he knocked on the Ebersols’ back door? A few seconds later, the door opened. Luella stood in front of him. His mouth became dry, and his cold hands felt clammy.

  “Oh, Eugene, it’s you. I thought maybe Atlee had forgotten something.”

  “Nope, it’s me all right. Came by to give you this.” He handed Luella the gift. “Merry Christmas.”

  “Ach, I didn’t expect you to give me a present.” Luella’s face turned a light shade of pink as she took the package. “Sorry, but I don’t have anything for you.”

  “Aw, that’s okay.” Eugene brushed some snow off his sleeve. “Your friendship is gift enough for me.”

  The color in her cheeks deepened. “I…I appreciate your friendship, too.”

  Eugene cleared his throat while shuffling his feet. “Enough to let me court you?” There, it was out, and he’d said it without any of Luella’s family hearing. Of course, he had to stand out here in the cold in order to do it. He was sure if she’d invited him inside there would have been someone within earshot.

  But then, why hasn’t Luella asked me to come in? he wondered. A good friend wouldn’t let someone remain in the cold.

  As if she could tell what he was thinking, Luella opened the door wider. “Why don’t you come inside out of the cold? Maybe you’d like to join us for some dessert.”

  “Okay, I will, but you haven’t answered my question. Are you willing to let me court you, Luella?”

  “Well, I—uh…” The flush on Luella’s cheeks had crept down to her neck. “I’m flattered that you’d want to court me, Eugene, but the truth is, I don’t have time for courting right now.”

  “You mean because of your job working for Atlee?”

  “Jah. I go there five days a week to watch Daryl and help out around the house. On Saturdays, when I’m here at home, I keep busy helping my mamm.”

  “I understand that, but what about on Sunndaag? Couldn’t we go for a buggy ride after church, or maybe I could come by here some evenings so we could spend time together?”

  Luella blinked rapidly, as she leaned against the door casing. “I’d rather not make any kind of commitment right now, Eugene. I hope you understand.”

  No, I don’t. I don’t understand at all. If you care about me, then you oughta want us to begin courting. Eugene reached out and placed his hand on her arm. “Would you at least give it more thought? Maybe sometime next year Atlee will decide to court another woman, and then you won’t have so many responsibilities to worry about.”

  She nodded. “All right, Eugene. We can talk about this some other time.” Luella stepped aside. “Now, please come in and have a piece of pumpkin or apple pie.”

  “Okay.” He stomped the snow off his boots and stepped inside. Well, at least Luella hadn’t completely shut the door on him or the idea of them courting. As soon as Eugene heard anything about Atlee courting another woman, he would approach Luella again.

  After Atlee read Daryl a bedtime story from the new book Luella had given him for Christmas, he tucked the boy in and gave him a hug. “Sleep well, Son. I’ll see you in the morning.” Atlee had to smile when he noticed the pair of gloves she’d also given Daryl lying right next to his pillow. Luella was a thoughtful young woman.

  “Wait, Daadi.” Daryl pulled his hands out from under the covers. “When will Mammi come home?”

  Atlee crossed his arms, holding them tightly to his shoulders so they wouldn’t shake. Even though he’d explained the day of Dena’s death that she’d gone to heaven, he’d been afraid his son might ask him this question. He swallowed hard and took a seat in the chair beside Daryl’s bed. “Your mamm is in heaven with Jesus.”

  “But she’s coming back, right, Daadi?”

  Atlee shook his head. “She won’t be coming back, Son. We won’t see your mamm again till it’s our turn to go to heaven.”

  The boy’s blue eyes filled with tears. “Then I wanna go to heaven now.”

  Atlee was at a loss for words. Truth was, he wished he could be with Dena in heaven, too. But it wasn’t his or Daryl’s time yet. And until God called him to his heavenly home, Atlee would do the best he could to make it through and be a good dad to his son. That’s what Dena would have wanted.

  CHAPTER 5

  Luella smiled. Since she’d first come to the kitchen to prepare lunch, Daryl had been sitting on the braided throw rug near the warmth of the woodstove, looking at the pictures inside her old storybook about the dog and twin fawns. It had been two weeks since Luella gave Daryl a book about a family of horses for Christmas, but he still preferred the book from her childhood. The boy liked the story so much, Luella had decided to keep it at Atlee’s house so she could read it to Daryl as often as he requested. When he grew older and lost interest in the book, she would return it to her cedar chest to read to her own children someday.

  “If I ever get married,” Luella whispered, as she stood in front of Atlee’s woodstove, stirring a pot of chicken noodle soup. She thought about Eugene’s desire to court her. If I were free to let him court me, would our relationship eventually lead to marriage? Her forehead wrinkled. Eugene will probably find someone else before I’m free for courting.

  “Ha! Ha! Ha!”

  Luella’s thoughts were pushed aside when Daryl started laughing. She figured he must be looking at the picture of the dog holding his paw on top of the one fawn’s head. That part always made him giggle, and her, too, recalling what it was like when she was a little girl. It was good to see the child’s happiness. He’d been so sad since his mother passed away.

  “My mamm’s in himmel.”

  Turning from the stove, Luella knelt on the rug beside him. “Yes, Daryl, your mother’s in heaven.”

  “I’m goin’ there, too.” He lifted his chin. “I’m gonna tell Mammi she needs to come home. I want her to read me this book, too.”

  Luella rubbed the little boy’s back. It wasn’t her place to tell Daryl his mother wouldn’t be coming home, so she quickly changed the subject. “How would you like to help me build a snowman after lunch?”

  Eyes shining, he bobbed his head. “Can we put a gehlrieb in his naas?”

  Luella bit back a chuckle. “Yes, we’ll give him a nose made out of a carrot.” She stood and went back to the stove to check on the soup. The chicken and vegetables seemed tender, so she pushed the kettle to the back of the stove to keep it warm. “I’m going out to your daed’s shop to call him for lunch. Can you sit there and read your book while I’m gone?”

  Daryl’s head moved up and down.

  “Okay then, I’ll be right back.” Luella took her woolen shawl down from the wall peg and wrapped it around her shoulders. Then she slipped on a pair of boots and scooted out the back door.

  When Luella entered Atlee’s shop, a blast of warm air greeted her. The small woodstove in one corner of the room kept the building well heated. “I came out to tell you that lunch is ready,” she hollered against the steady Bang! Bang! of Atlee’s hammer.

  He stopped working and turned to look at her. “I’m not really hungerich.”

  “Oh, but it’s important for you to eat. I made a pot of soup, and it’ll warm your insides.”

  Atlee said nothing; just looked down at his boots.

  “You know, Daryl probably won’t eat, either, if you’re not there to share the meal.”

  After a yielding sigh, he nodded. “You’re right, and I don’t want to disappoint my boy.” Atlee set
the hammer down, grabbed his jacket, and followed Luella out the door.

  When Atlee entered the kitchen, he was greeted by a tantalizing aroma. He hung up his jacket and sniffed the air. “Chicken noodle soup—jah?”

  Luella nodded. “And I made a loaf of wheat bread to go with it.”

  Grinning up at his father, Daryl held up Luella’s storybook. “Sehne die buch?”

  “Jah, Son, I see the book.” Atlee leaned over and ruffled the boy’s thick auburn hair. “Are ya ready to sit at the table and eat lunch now?”

  Daryl clambered to his feet, but before he reached the table, Luella pointed to the sink. “You and your daed should wash your hands first.”

  Atlee stiffened. Who did Luella think she was, telling him what to do? The only person he’d ever allowed to boss him around was Dena; but that was because he knew she loved him, and he did what she asked because he loved her. However, Atlee couldn’t deny that his hands were dirty and Daryl’s probably were, too. So without a word of protest, he pulled out a chair and set it in front of the sink. Then he picked up his son and stood him on the chair. Standing beside Daryl, Atlee turned on the water, grabbed a bar of soap, and proceeded to wash his hands as well as the boy’s. By the time their hands were dry and the chair was in its proper place, Luella had set the soup and bread on the table.

  They all took seats and bowed heads for silent prayer. When they finished praying, Luella handed Atlee the bread basket and a jar of apple butter. He stared at the jar several seconds, blinking rapidly. “Dena and I made this apple butter before you came to work for us. It was a fun time, and we enjoyed being in the kitchen together.”

  “It’s good, too.” Luella spread some on a piece of bread and gave it to Daryl. “I tasted a spoonful when I first opened the jar.”

  Atlee sat, staring at his bowl of soup, as memories washed over him like waves lapping against the shore. Oh, my precious Dena, how I wish you were sitting here at the table with us. He blinked again, hoping he wouldn’t give in to the tears threatening to spill over. He needed to be strong for Daryl’s sake.

  “I hope you like the soup,” Luella said. “It’s the same recipe my mamm uses—plenty of chicken pieces cooked in the broth, along with diced carrots, onion, celery, noodles, and just the right amount of spices.” She snickered. “My daed always says my mamm’s chicken noodle soup tastes like heaven.”

  Daryl tipped his head in Luella’s direction. “My mamm’s eatin’ soup in himmel?”

  “It’s hard to say, but maybe so, Son.” Smiling ever so slightly, Atlee looked at Luella and winked. It was the first time since Dena’s death that he’d felt even a tinge of humor. What would I do without my boy? Atlee wondered. He’s the one bright spot in my life right now.

  After lunch, Luella left the dishes on the table and read the fawn story to Daryl again. By the time she’d finished, he was fast asleep on the living-room sofa.

  Luella slipped back into the kitchen and attacked the dirty dishes. As her hands soaked in the sudsy water, she thought about Atlee. He was still somewhat subdued, and Luella could always tell he was thinking about Dena. But there were also times she’d witnessed in the last two weeks when he’d been trying to work his way out of depression.

  Her mind drifted back to Christmas and the gift Eugene had given her. It had been difficult to thank him for the rabbit fur she’d discovered inside the package, when she wasn’t even sure what to do with it. Luella had to admit it was soft when she rubbed her cheek against it. Until she found a better place for the hide, she’d placed it on top of her cedar chest. She was thankful, at least, that Eugene hadn’t killed the rabbit. He said he’d found it dead in the woods behind their place, and rather than tossing it away, he’d skinned and preserved it, the way he’d learned from a book on taxidermy he’d gotten from the library. It certainly wasn’t the kind of gift Luella had expected, but it was the thought that counted.

  “Sure wish I didn’t have to clean this barn all the time,” Eugene mumbled, following his father past a stack of straw.

  “What was that?”

  “Nothing, Dad.”

  “You weren’t complaining, I hope.” Dad stopped walking and turned to face Eugene. “The barn needs to be cleaned, and it won’t get that way by itself.”

  “Jah, I know.” Eugene paused at the door of his horse’s stall, leaning on the gate. “It’s just that sometimes I wish I could do something else besides farming in the warmer months and spending the winter helping out in here.”

  “The barn is not the only place that needs work in the winter.” Dad nudged Eugene’s arm with his elbow. “Besides, what other work would you want to do? I thought you enjoyed farming with me.”

  Eugene shrugged. “It’s okay, I guess, but sometimes I think about how nice it would be to learn some other kind of work.”

  “Like what?”

  “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe horseshoeing, harness repair, or even taxidermy.”

  “Those are all good professions, but so is raising hogs and farming.”

  “I suppose.” Eugene’s gaze dropped to the floor.

  “Is there something else bothering you, Son?”

  “Jah.”

  “Want to talk about it?”

  “Sure, if you don’t mind taking the time to listen.”

  “I always have time to listen to one of my kinner.” Dad gestured to a nearby bale of straw. “Let’s take a seat, and we can talk about whatever’s bothering you.”

  Eugene drew in a breath and released it slowly. “Well, as you know, I’ve been friends with Luella Ebersol ever since we were kinner.”

  Dad nodded.

  “I’ve developed feelings for her, and when I stopped by her folks’ place on Christmas Day, I asked Luella if I could court her.”

  “What’d she say?”

  “Said she didn’t have time for courting. She’s too busy helping out at Atlee Zook’s place.” Eugene groaned. “If she’s too busy to let me court her, then I don’t see how things can ever work out for us.”

  Dad quirked an eyebrow. “You thinkin’ of asking Luella to marry you?”

  “I want to, but not till we’ve courted awhile. I’m frustrated and just not sure what I should do.”

  “My advice is to be patient and wait awhile before you approach her again. For now, just be a friend to Luella.”

  “I’ve been her friend since we were children, and where has it gotten me? I have to wonder if she’ll ever see me as anything more than a friend. I even gave her a soft rabbit skin for Christmas, but she didn’t seem to like it that much.” Eugene lifted his hat and pushed a lock of hair back under. “You don’t suppose she’ll end up marrying Atlee Zook, do you?”

  Dad raised his eyebrows. “Now where’d ya get such a silly notion? Why, Atlee’s sixteen years older than Luella—almost old enough to be her daed.”

  Eugene nodded. He hadn’t even thought about that. “You have a point. Guess maybe I’m worried for nothing.”

  “There are a few widowed ladies in our church district, plus a couple of single women in their early thirties. Bet it won’t be long till Atlee asks one of them to be his fraa.”

  Eugene plucked out a piece of straw from the bale they sat on and stuck it between his teeth. “But what if Atlee never remarries and expects Luella to work for him till Daryl’s in school and old enough to do things on his own?”

  Dad shook his head. “I’ve never known anyone who could worry so much about nothing.” He stood and handed Eugene a pitchfork. “Now let’s get back to work. When we’re done here, we still have some hogs to feed.”

  Eugene opened the bale of straw and began spreading it inside his horse’s stall. Think I’ll drop by Luella’s house some evening next week—just to see how she’s doing. If I stay in touch with her, she’s less likely to forget about me. And who knows—maybe she’ll get tired of working for Atlee and feel ready to become a wife.

  CHAPTER 6

  By the middle of February, Luella had developed an eve
n stronger bond with Daryl. She didn’t mind getting up early each day to head over to their place and loved spending time with the boy, while caring for his needs. It made her long to get married and have a child of her own.

  As she took a shoofly pie out of the oven, her thoughts went to Eugene. He’d dropped by her parents’ house to visit with her a few times in January and again last night. Although he hadn’t mentioned courting, she could see the look of longing on his face. While Luella cared for Eugene, she didn’t think it was love she felt for him. Now that she thought about it, Eugene seemed more like a brother than a potential husband.

  But would it be so bad to be married to someone you only liked and not loved? She’d heard that when Great-Grandma Ebersol married Grandpa, they’d barely known each other, since the marriage had been arranged by their fathers. Love came later, as time went on and their relationship developed into a devoted bond. Perhaps that would be the case if Luella married Eugene, even though they already knew each other quite well.

  I’d feel more love for Atlee if I married him than I would Eugene. Luella slapped her forehead. Now where did that thought come from? Feeling her cheeks grow warm, she fanned her face. In addition to their age difference, Atlee had shown no signs of caring for Luella in any way other than as his employee. And truthfully, she didn’t expect him to.

  Maybe my feelings for Atlee are admiration and not love, Luella told herself. He’s a kind, gentle man—so patient with his son. Atlee is also hardworking, strong, and mature. Not like Eugene, who sometimes acts like a teenager instead of a twenty-four-year-old man. Besides, Atlee’s still grieving for Dena, and I’m certain he would never be interested in anyone as young as me. He probably sees me as a girl, not a woman. I’m just a person he hired to cook, clean, and take care of his son.