The Beloved Christmas Quilt

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

  “Danki, but I wouldn’t have minded. After all, part of what you’re paying me for is to cook three meals a day for you and Daryl.”

  “I know, but it’s your first day back, and I don’t want you getting overworked. Having the flu is nothing to fool around with.”

  Atlee sounded genuinely concerned, and it touched Luella’s soul. “What would you like me to do today?” she asked.

  “If you only keep Daryl occupied, that’d suit me just fine.” Atlee grabbed his jacket from where it hung on a peg near the door. “You can make something simple like sandwiches for lunch, and for supper, there’s leftover chicken in the refrigerator from the meal Mary Jane fixed for us before she went home last evening.”

  “What about laundry or cleaning the house?”

  “No need to do either of those today. Mary Jane made sure those chores were caught up, too.” Atlee slapped his hat on his head. “I’m heading out to my shop now, so all you need to do is relax and spend time with my boy.” Before Luella could offer a response, he opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind him.

  As nice as it was to be told she didn’t have to do much today, Luella would feel worthless if she did nothing but occupy Daryl all day. No, she would find something constructive to do, even though Atlee had said otherwise. She turned toward the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “Kumme, Daryl. You can help me bake some peanut butter cookies.”

  Grinning, the boy clapped his hands. “Kichlin! Kichlin!”

  Stepping lightly, Luella opened the kitchen door. She knew better than to allow herself such fanciful thoughts, but being here in this house felt like she’d come home.

  Eugene was fit to be tied. He had heard from his mother this morning that Luella would be going back to work for Atlee today. He’d hoped the young woman Atlee hired in Luella’s absence might still be working for him and end up staying on permanently. Then Luella would finally be free to begin courting. It still irked him to think of seeing her with Atlee fooling around in the snow like a couple of kids. At his age Atlee should have known better, and for that matter, so should Luella.

  “I can’t be expected to wait for Luella forever,” he muttered, throwing food into one of the hog troughs. A couple of noisy sows came pushing, grunting, and sticking their snouts into the trough. “You greedy old pigs. I can think of lots better things I’d like to be doin’ today. Sure wish I didn’t have to take care of you swine.”

  “You talkin’ to yourself again, Son?”

  Eugene jerked at the sound of his dad’s voice. “Uh, no. I was talking to the pigs.”

  Dad chuckled and thumped Eugene’s back. “Guess I’d be more worried if they started talkin’ back.”

  Eugene said nothing. To his way of thinking, there was nothing funny about a bunch of hungry, selfish hogs. I wonder what Dad would say if I told him I’d like to quit hog farming. He’d probably be upset.

  Dad bumped Eugene’s arm. “Your mamm wanted me to remind you about your dental appointment this morning.”

  Eugene groaned. Going to the dentist was the last thing he wanted to do, but he’d had a toothache for the last three days, so it was time to get the tooth looked at.

  “Mom doesn’t need to worry. I’ll get there on time.” He reached up and rubbed his jaw. Sure will be glad when the dentist fixes my tooth.

  “Okay, Son. I hope everything goes well in the dentist’s chair.” Dad turned and started to walk away, but Eugene called out to him.

  “Say, Dad, if you have a few minutes, I’d like to say something that’s been on my mind.”

  “Sure, go ahead.” Dad turned to face Eugene.

  Eugene rubbed his hands down the sides of his trousers. This was going to be harder than he thought.

  “Well, speak up, boy. What’d ya want to tell me?”

  “The things is…” Eugene closed his eyes briefly and took a calming breath. “I don’t like hog farming much, and I was wondering if you’d be okay if I tried my hand at something else.”

  Dad tipped his head, looking at Eugene curiously. “What else would you do?”

  Eugene moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue, his courage rising a bit. “I was thinkin’ about becoming a taxidermist.”

  “What?” Dad’s bushy eyebrows rose high on his forehead. “Don’t see how you can make a living doin’ something like that. You’re not thinking straight, Son.”

  “I figured you wouldn’t approve. You’re stuck on the idea of me raising hogs the rest of my life, so I may as well accept it.” Eugene threw the last of the hog slop into the trough and walked off. He felt worthless right now. Like his wants didn’t matter one little bit. “Nothin’ ever goes right for me,” Eugene muttered as he made his way to the house. “I’ll probably never get Luella to let me court her, either.”

  Atlee whistled as he kept busy in his shop. He felt a sense of relief knowing Luella was in the house with Daryl. The boy sure had missed her when she was sick and would no doubt be a lot happier now that she was watching him again. He was pleased with how his son had cooperated with Mary Jane after the little talk they’d had. Daryl might only be four years old, but he was learning how life doesn’t always go as people would like sometimes.

  Atlee grabbed a can of nails from the shelf overhead. My fraa was right in asking Luella to keep working for me after she was gone. For a young woman her age, Luella is more responsible than many women in our community who are much older.

  Atlee’s thoughts came to a halt when his friend Henry Riehl entered the shop.

  “Wie geht’s?” Henry asked, stepping up to Atlee’s workbench.

  “I’m getting by. How are things with you?”

  “Good as rain, which, by the way, I wish we’d get more of instead of snow.” Henry snickered. “I never have liked winter that much. How about you?”

  Atlee shrugged. “It’s okay, but I’m looking forward to spring and warmer days.”

  “Jah, you’re right. Then, all too soon, we’ll be complaining about the heat and humidity of summer.” Henry leaned against the workbench with arms folded. “Ah, besides the weather, there’s something I need to talk to you about.”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “Well,” Henry rubbed his forehead. “It may not be my place to say anything, but I wonder if you realize you’re the topic of some gossip going around.”

  “What do you mean? What kind of gossip?” Atlee eyed his friend with furrowed brows.

  “Well, according to my wife, Fannie, someone told her you were seen with Luella eating supper at the Bird-in-Hand Restaurant a few weeks ago.” Henry leaned forward. “Is it true?”

  Atlee’s jaw clenched, and he set his can of nails down so hard, several popped out. “I don’t know why anyone would gossip about that. It was just a meal, and Daryl was with us.” His pulse quickened. “It’s not like Luella and I are courting, for goodness’ sake.”

  Henry lifted both hands. “Whoa now, Atlee. I wasn’t insinuating anything. Just wanted you to be aware that a few tongues have been wagging.”

  “Well, let ’em wag. There’s nothing going on between me and Luella. I hired her before Dena died, and she’s doing a good job taking care of Daryl, as well as cooking and cleaning for me.” Atlee stared straight at his friend. “That’s all there is to it.”

  Henry nodded. “Okay, but there is one other thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I also heard you were seen frolicking in the snow with Luella a week or so ago.”

  Atlee’s eyes blinked uncontrollably. It was difficult to hold his temper right now. “So what? We were playing with Daryl and tossing snowballs at one another. Is there anything wrong with me and the boy having a little fun—especially after all we’ve been through? Or is that against some law or church rule?”

  Henry reached out and touched Atlee’s shoulder. “You’d better calm down. You’re getting worked up over nothing.”

  “It’s not nothing. If people are saying things about me behind my bac
k—and Luella’s for that matter—they oughta come talk to me face-to-face.” Atlee planted his feet in a wide stance. “Then I could set them straight about their suspicions and how ridiculous they are.”

  Henry turned his hands palms up. “You know how it goes. Most people would rather talk about someone than talk to them, when it comes to something that is really none of their business.”

  “Jah.” Atlee rubbed the back of his neck. The gossiping needed to stop. If he got wind of any more of it, he’d nip it in the bud real fast. He and Luella had done nothing wrong and didn’t deserve to be the discussion of wagging tongues.

  CHAPTER 10

  By the middle of May, Atlee was slowly coming to grips with Dena’s death. He also felt more comfortable around Luella. In fact, he sometimes struggled with guilt because feelings of happiness were slowly coming back to him. It helped to see Daryl reacting positively to Luella. The other day, he’d overheard her putting Daryl down for a nap, and just as the boy was drifting off to sleep, he mumbled, “I love you, Mammi.” It had been difficult to hear, but Atlee understood Daryl’s need for a mother, so he couldn’t fault him for that.

  Shaking his thoughts aside, Atlee stamped the mud off his boots and stepped into the house. “Daryl, are ya ready to go?”

  No response.

  Atlee went to the kitchen, where he found his son sitting at the table staring at his bowl of cereal. “You need to hurry and finish your breakfast so we can go to the bakery and run a few errands.”

  Daryl’s eyes lit up. “Beckerei?”

  “Jah. Thought I’d buy us some kichlin and maybe a shoofly pie.”

  “Luella bakes good pies.”

  “You’re right she does, but this is Saturday, and it’s her day off, so she won’t be baking any pies for us today.”

  Atlee took out a drinking glass, filled it with water, and put the tulips he’d clipped from the flower bed, in it. He then centered the arrangement on the kitchen table and leaned down to inhale the fragrance. The pink, yellow, purple, and red blooms gave the kitchen some much-needed color.

  “Aren’t these flowers pretty?” Atlee looked down at Daryl.

  The boy’s lip protruded. “Wish Luella could stay here all the time. I miss her, and I love her, too.”

  Atlee blinked rapidly, forgetting the flowers. He hadn’t expected such a bold statement from his son and wasn’t sure how to respond. “Um, well, that’s not possible, Daryl. Luella lives with her parents.”

  “But if she was my mamm, she could live here with us.” Daryl’s comment was so innocent. He clearly didn’t understand.

  Atlee thumped the boy’s shoulder. “Enough talk now. Finish your breakfast so we can go.”

  With no argument, Daryl picked up his spoon and started eating.

  Atlee moved over to the stove to pour himself a cup of coffee. If Luella were a few years older, there might be a chance for a future with her, but she’s not much more than a girl. I’m sure she would never consider marrying someone as old as me.

  Luella enjoyed her time off, but on the weekends she missed being with Daryl. He was such a sweet child and had recently begun calling her Mammi. I hope Atlee doesn’t hear his son say that, Luella thought as she hitched Dixie to her carriage. It would probably upset him. She’d promised her mother she would run a few errands for her this morning and would be on her way to town as soon as the horse was ready.

  Luella stood for a moment and looked toward the clear blue sky. Rubbing Dixie’s nose, she spoke out loud. “Oh, what a beautiful morning this is.” The spring warmth filled her soul with energy, and she was actually anxious to do a little shopping.

  Dixie nickered and twitched her ears. Luella ran her fingers through the horse’s long mane. “I’ll bet you are raring to go, too, aren’t ya?” As if she understood, Dixie’s head bobbed up and down, while she snorted.

  As Luella climbed in the buggy, Sara, ran outside, waving her arms. “Wait up, sister! You forgot Mom’s list.”

  Luella opened the carriage door and took the piece of paper from her sister. “Guess I was in such a hurry to get going, I forgot about the list.”

  Sara’s shoulders drooped. “Wish I could go with you today, but Mom wants me to help plant more vegetable seeds in the garden. Don’t see why you always get to have fun and I get stuck here doin’ all the work.”

  Luella shook her head. “You’re exaggerating. I do more than my share of work around here. And don’t forget, when I am not working at home I’m at Atlee’s working for him.”

  “But you get paid for that. Besides, you like goin’ over there so you can pretend you’re Daryl’s mudder and Atlee’s fraa.”

  “I–I am doing no such thing,” Luella stammered. “Where did you ever get such an idea?”

  Sara shrugged. “I hear you talkin’ about them all the time. Atlee said this, and Daryl did that. You talk more about them than you do any of us.”

  Luella bristled. “I do not.”

  “Jah, you do.”

  “Well, if it seems that way, it’s only because I’m there five days a week, from early morning till after supper usually. And for your information, I don’t pretend I’m anyone’s mother or wife.” Luella clutched the reins. “I’m going now. Have a nice day.” She got Dixie moving down the driveway and didn’t bother to look back to see if her sister was watching. The nerve of Sara, talking to me like that!

  As Luella guided her horse and buggy down the road toward town, she passed the Lapps’ place and spotted Eugene out in the field with his brothers, Amos and Dan. Eugene must have seen her, too, for he lifted his straw hat from his head and waved at her with it. Luella waved back and kept on going. If she stopped to say hello, she’d never get those errands for Mom run. Besides, Eugene might pressure her to let him court her, and that was still out of the question. The truth was, Luella might never feel ready to be courted by Eugene, because she only saw him as a friend, not a suitor.

  Is my sister right? Do I have some silly notion about being Daryl’s mother and Atlee’s wife? Luella shook her head. I can’t even allow myself to think such thoughts.

  Concentrating on the road, Luella still admired the rainbow of colors from budding trees, and blooming flowers. The air filled with sweet fragrances caused her to relax. Monday when I go to Atlee’s, I’ll have to clip some posies from one of his flower beds and put them on the kitchen table.

  Luella was just a mile or so from town, when a horn blared from behind. A truck roared past so close that it rocked the buggy. Dixie snorted and reared up.

  “Whoa, girl, settle down.” Luella spoke softly as she tugged on the reins.

  The usually calm horse thrashed her head side to side then took off like a flash. Luella held on tightly and pulled back, but Dixie kept running, zigzagging back and forth from one lane to the other.

  Luella wrapped the reins around her hands a second time, so she would not lose her grip. Fortunately, the road was clear of other vehicles, but Luella knew if she didn’t get the horse under control soon, it could be disastrous.

  “Whoa, Dixie! Whoa!”

  Dixie veered to the right and went into the ditch, taking the buggy right with her. It rocked back and forth then flipped onto its side. Luella screamed. Her consciousness faded.

  “We’ll be at the bakery soon. What kind of kichlin would you like?” Atlee looked over at Daryl and smiled.

  “Peanut butter!”

  Atlee chuckled. “You’re stuck on those cookies, aren’t you?”

  Daryl nodded. “Luella’s makes good kichlin.”

  “I know. You’ve mentioned that a time or two.”

  Atlee clucked to his horse to get him moving faster. Smokey was taking his good ole sweet time today.

  Atlee took a deep breath, inhaling the warmth of the air. No wonder Smokey was poking along. Even with his thoughts drifting to Dena, life was starting to feel right again. His wife loved spring and working in the flower beds. She certainly had a way with those flowers, too. Everything she planted
grew under her tender care, even the wildflowers that came up from where she’d scattered seeds along the fence row. Every year Dena was tickled to no end when she saw how those wildflowers had spread. A few times he’d even caught her talking to the flowers, as if they were a close friend.

  Since April, Dena’s flowers had opened up with beautiful fragrant blooms, and each day a different one appeared. Could it be his wife’s whispers from heaven were even now keeping them alive and healthy? Or was it that Luella cared for them as if they were her own?

  Passing by a few houses, their landscapes bursting with color, Atlee felt a tinge of giddiness. The air was warm and filled with fragrance from all that was in bloom. How could a person not feel heady on a day such as today?

  Smokey whinnied as a field came into view. A few mares were grazing and whinnied in response as the buggy rode by. With head held higher, Smokey pranced with a bit more spirit.

  “You’re feeling it, too, huh, ole boy?” Atlee relaxed and enjoyed the scenery.

  “Look, Daadi.” Daryl pointed in the opposite direction. “There’s a baby deer like the one in the story Luella reads to me.”

  Atlee looked toward where his son was pointing. On the edge of a field, near a grove of trees, stood a doe with a tiny fawn nursing.

  Springtime is so wonderful, Atlee thought. Nature brings new life into this world. A new sensation surrounded him with a feeling of hope.

  “Did you see its tail wagging?” Daryl giggled as they started up a small hill.

  “Jah, I saw it. That little baby sure was hungerich.” Atlee glanced at his son, remembering how it seemed like only yesterday when he was born.

  A little farther, Atlee spotted a buggy tipped on its side in a ditch alongside the road. He glanced quickly around but saw no sign of a horse. He guided Smokey off the road, jumped out, and tied the horse to a fence post. “Stay put, Daryl. I’ll be right back.”

  Atlee approached the buggy. Luella was inside. His heart leaped into his throat. He called out to her, but she gave no response and didn’t appear to be moving. “Oh, no! Dear Lord, please let her be all right.” If Luella died, it would be like losing Dena all over again. Only it’s not Dena, it’s Luella, and I don’t know what I would do without her.