Benjamin was tiring of defending himself, even though there was some truth to their accusations. He was attracted to Vivian, there was no denying that, but he’d kept his manners in check—and not just because Molly had been with him. He’d been a widower for five years, and he was waiting for the one God had for him. He knew he would not get involved with anyone unless it was God’s will. He’d been praying for a wife, and for a mother for Molly. There was a reason God put her in his path; he believed everything happened for a reason, but he would wait on God’s prompt if there was to be one. If Vivian was meant to be a part of their lives, it would all fall into place, regardless of his sister’s protests.
Vivian was making her way down the stairs to ask for an extra quilt when she heard their strange conversation. She stopped where she couldn’t be seen, feeling too awkward to interrupt, and too intrigued to go back upstairs.
“I agree, she’s very pretty,” Benjamin said. “But her looks have nothing to do with my helping her.”
“I think it had everything to do with it!” Katie accused.
Benjamin couldn’t stand when Katie got after him like this. Ever since their parents passed, she had taken it upon herself to act as the mother, even though she was the youngest of the three. And now Simon was siding with her.
“Katie, I think you should just get back to your chores.” Benjamin demanded.
“I’m only telling you what Mamm would say, and you know it.” She said, as she walked away and up the stairs to lay out the clean linens.
Benjamin knew she had a point, but he hadn’t acted improperly. “I know I wasn’t setting the best example, and I wish I could assure you it won’t happen again. Truth is, I’m really drawn to her, and I haven’t felt this much alive since before Lucy passed away.”
“You just met her!” Simon said.
“I know,” Benjamin answered. “But there’s something about her that makes me feel like home. And Molly seems to love her! Molly hasn’t taken to any of the women that come around here bringing me pies, and trying to gain my affection or Molly’s. Vivian managed to do both without even trying.”
Simon patted his older brother on the back. “I know you have a big responsibility to us now that mamm and daed are gone, but you deserve to have a life too. Since you can’t marry a girl in the community, why not an Englisher?”
“I didn’t say anything about marriage! Besides, I’m not certain an Englisher would have me either!” Benjamin scoffed. “We’re shunned from the community, yet we don’t exactly fit in with the English world either.”
“If she’s the one God has for you,” Simon said. “She’ll be a perfect fit.”
Benjamin smiled nervously. “She fits so perfectly, it scares me and makes me smile all at the same time!”
Vivian stood atop the landing on the stairs, trying not to listen what was being said about her, but just couldn’t help herself. Her friends would be proud that she’d turned into such a snoop, but she felt a bit ashamed. Just enough so as to keep her distance, but not so much that she didn’t hear some of what was said. When she heard footfalls on the lower landing, she scurried up the stairs a little further, hoping not to get caught.
As Katie walked upstairs, she ran into Vivian, who’d been trying to eavesdrop, but hadn’t been able to hear enough to put any of it together. It had sounded to her like Benjamin had said he liked her, but that was impossible. They’d just met! She found him incredibly handsome, but they could only be friends at best. They were from two different cultures, and they didn’t even live near enough each other to take it any further. Still, she was drawn to him, and she found his daughter to be adorable.
“Hello Miss, you must be Vivian. I’m Katie, Benjamin’s sister. I do the cooking and the laundry. Can I get you anything?”
“Oh yes, I was just going to see about getting an extra quilt for my room. I don’t sleep well if I’m cold, and I wouldn’t want to disturb anyone late in the night.” She replied shyly. She was sure Katie knew she had been eavesdropping and felt a little awkward about it. She hadn’t set out to listen to their argument, but when she’d heard her own name mentioned, she couldn’t help but continue to listen.
Katie set her basket down in the hall and went to a large closet to pull out an extra quilt.
Vivian thanked her and immediately turned back to her room.
“Oh, Miss, I’ll have supper ready in about thirty minutes if you’re hungry.” Katie called after her.
Hunger pangs assaulted Vivian at the thought of having a home-cooked meal. She hadn’t eaten since breakfast and the stress of the flat tire just made her hunger worse. She nodded awkwardly and walked back into her room.
Exactly thirty minutes later Vivian made her way downstairs to the dining room; she liked to be on time for everything. She walked through the double doors leading to the dining room and was hit with wonderful aromas of all her favorite foods. The table was set with a large ham garnished with pineapple and cloves, German potato salad, green bean casserole, what looked to be the softest rolls on earth, and two different kinds of pies. She figured Katie must be used to cooking for more than one guest this time of year, but the blizzard warning they were under must have kept them away.
Molly stood, and slipped a hand in Vivian’s, urging her to sit next to her. Katie nodded approval for Vivian to take the seat next to the child, then set a filled water-glass in front of her. Benjamin slipped into the room, causing Vivian’s heart to flutter. He sat down at the head of the table, next to Molly, and patted her hand. Then, he looked up at Vivian, noting his daughter’s other hand that still clutched hers, and gently nodded as if to let her know he approved of the seating arrangement. When they were all seated, Benjamin, being the eldest, led everyone in prayer. This made Vivian feel little a bit awkward. Not because she didn’t have faith, but her family never prayed at the dinner table. Not even when her parents were still together when she was just a girl.
Ignoring her apprehension, she bowed her head and concentrated on Benjamin’s words anyway.
When the prayer ended, Vivian waited to be served, feeling unsure of how she was supposed to act. As the food plates were passed around the table, she couldn’t wait for everyone else to begin eating; she just had to take a little nibble. She hadn’t had a proper holiday meal for over a decade. Her parents always had holidays catered, and while that food was good, this meal was similar to the traditional home-cooked meals her mother cooked when she was young.
Katie looked up at Benjamin, and noticed he was not eating, and his gaze was fixed on Vivian. She was appalled at the attention he was giving the woman after she’d warned him so heavily on not getting involved with a guest. She would talk to him again, but not until after the meal. There was no need to have a family squabble in front of Vivian, who was a paying guest, even though she seemed to be enjoying the attention she was getting from Benjamin. Katie would make it a point to speak to Vivian about it as well, but she would start with her brother, and hold him accountable for keeping things proper between the two of them.
When everyone was finished with their supper, Vivian thanked Katie for the wonderful meal and excused herself to turn in for the night. She’d already had a long day, and truth be told, she was missing her parents more than she cared to admit.
“But you haven’t had your dessert yet!” Molly said, innocently vying for more time with Vivian.
Vivian patted her stomach. “I think I’ve had enough for now, but I might get hungry again later.”
“I’ll save you a slice of pie,” Molly said with a shy smile. “If you’ll read me The night before Christmas.”
She looked to Benjamin for approval, and he nodded and smiled at her. She smiled back nervously, suppressing the urge to linger over his smile.
“It’s a deal,” Vivian said to Molly. “That used to be my favorite when I was younger.”
Katie flashed her a look, but Vivian shrugged it off. She’d heard her reprimanding her older brother, but Vivian would no
t accept reprimand from the girl when she was a guest, not one of her siblings that she could boss around. Where she came from, if you were a guest, you could get away with just about anything, and Vivian planned on taking advantage just this once—for Molly’s sake.
As soon as Katie was sure Vivian had made it upstairs, she marched right over to Benjamin to reprimand him for paying too much attention to their guest throughout supper. And once again, he sent his daughter away from the potential conversation she was not old enough to be a part of.
“I warned you earlier you were acting improperly with that woman, and yet that’s all you did the entire meal. You never listen to me!”
“And I told you to let me handle my own business,” Benjamin scolded her.
“This business belongs to all of us,” Katie reminded him. “We all work hard to keep it going. Because of the weather, she may be our only guest for Christmas. If she is, we might not be able to keep the place running the rest of the year.”
“If not for her car breaking down, we might not even have her as a guest,” Benjamin informed his sister. “I saw the look on her face when she found out the B&B she’d made reservations for was run by Amish. We have to make her feel as welcome as possible, and that’s all I’m trying to do.”
“Your attention is going to run her off, and then we won’t be able to set aside any money for the winter.”
“We’ll be fine,” he said. “I’m not doing anything that will make her leave. If she leaves, it will be because she misses her own family. But I’m going to do everything I can to make her feel welcome, and if that means showing her a little extra attention to keep her from getting homesick, then that is what I’m going to do, and I’ll appreciate it if you’ll keep your nose out of my business.”
“When it concerns our business with the B&B, and the innocence of my niece, it concerns me too,” she went on. “I don’t need to remind you that Vivian is an Englisher, and the two of you come from completely different cultures, so you need to get any ideas of courting her out of your head.”
“Katie, it wasn’t what it looked like. I have no intention of courting Vivian,” he said, even though the thought had crossed his mind once or twice. “You don’t need to worry. I won’t do anything that would hurt my daughter or put our business or this family in jeopardy. I wasn’t staring at her. I must have just zoned out; I’m tired from doing all my chores in this blizzard today, that’s all.”
He was trying to reassure her, even though he couldn’t even convince himself of any of it at the moment. He knew his sister was right, but he couldn’t help but keep his gaze upon Vivian. Her copper hair shined like a new penny, and her porcelain skin looked softer than a baby’s; her emerald green eyes were as bright as a summer day. He knew the odds of courting Vivian were minimal at best. Katie was right about that, but he couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have the kind of love he’d had with Lucy in the short time they’d had together. He missed having a wife, and he longed for a mother for Molly to complete his family.
That wasn’t too impossible to hope for with Vivian, was it?
Chapter 4.
Morning sounds reached Vivian’s ears sooner than she wanted them to, and she wondered if the Amish proprietors had even slept. In the middle of reading to Molly the night before, the child had fallen asleep. With the story time over so soon, Vivian had overheard Katie reprimanding her brother again about the attention he was paying her. She hadn’t meant to overhear their conversation, but their voices carried along the halls of the older home. If not for the answers he’d given, she might not have been so bothered by them, and she probably wouldn’t have tossed about so much when she’d turned in for the night. Benjamin’s denial of his feelings toward her had bothered her more than she thought they would, and she’d spent the better portion of the night wondering if he’d only given those answers to pacify his nosey sister. He certainly acted as if he was interested in her, but wondering about it had kept her awake.
By the time she’d fallen asleep, she’d been so exhausted, she’d slept more sound than she had in a long time. Wonderful aromas taunted her grumbling belly, forcing her from the warmth of the quilts. A few embers still glowed in the fireplace, and she thought about Benjamin’s offer to stir them up and rekindle the fire for her. She shook away the thoughts that only made her blush, but couldn’t help thinking what it would be like to be married to such a man. He was strong and giving, not like any of the boys-who-called-themselves-men that she’d dated over the years. Most of them had no idea of the meaning of responsibility, but here was Benjamin, caring for his daughter on his own and his younger siblings as well. On top of that, he was running a successful business. He was not only kind and mature, but he was somehow more handsome than any man she’d met. Perhaps it was his kindness that made him more attractive to her, she wasn’t sure, but there was something to be said for inner beauty, and Benjamin had both.
She shivered as she looked out at the thick snow that was still falling in fat clumps. It had formed a ridge nearly two inches on the window sill, curving up at the corner where the wind had drifted it upward. The large tree outside her window boasted a white shadow along its branches, making her feel a little snowed-in. Normally weather like this would make her sad that she was somehow stuck somewhere with nothing to do, but her inner spirit felt calm and content, and not at all eager to go anywhere. She was only anxious for one thing, and that was to spend more time with Benjamin and Molly.
Stretching her feet toward the chilly, wooden floor of the bedroom, Vivian hopped back onto the braided rug beneath the bed and pushed her feet into her slippers. Then she crossed to the hearth and placed a log onto the hot coals and stirred the way she’d seen Benjamin do it. She would have much rather had him help her with this, but she wasn’t dressed, and the sun was barely rising. Besides, after the way she’d overheard Katie reprimanding her brother for acting improperly toward her, Vivian wondered if she would be expected to steer clear of him. She prayed not because she wanted to know more about him.
Looking out at the snow, she could see the large pond was frozen over, and hoped to do a little ice skating later. She was more than eager to finally explore outdoors around the B&B, and anxious to see what sort of activities they really offered. Vivian was ready to do whatever it took to distract her from thinking about her parents and their selfish Christmas plans. Still, she missed them, and couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like if they could all spend Christmas here together, and bring back all the good they once had as a family.
As her eyes fixed on the barn, she spotted Benjamin with a bundle of firewood in his arms. Her heart caught just a bit at the sight of him. Was she falling for him? Up until just now, she’d convinced herself she was merely attracted to him, but seeing him working so hard filled her with more than admiration; it filled her heart with something more—something that felt a little bit like love.
Forcing herself from the window, Vivian quickly showered and dressed. She was ready to eat, and hoped some of the food she smelled would be ready for her as a guest. Entering the dining room cautiously, she swore she detected a little disapproval from Katie. Vivian didn’t want to come between Katie and Benjamin; but she liked him, and hoped Katie would give her a chance.
“I’ll bring the food right out, Miss Vivian,” Katie said politely. “Take a seat, and make yourself at home.”
Vivian thought she’d like to call this place home more than anything. But that would mean one of two things; she’d either have to become a permanent guest, or she’d have to marry Benjamin. She smiled, thinking what a wonderful husband he would likely make.
Katie walked in just then and caught her daydreaming, the smile still plastered across her face. “You seem to be in good spirits this morning, Miss Vivian,” she remarked.
Vivian looked up, blushing from the intimate thoughts rolling around in her mind. “I’m actually feeling a little homesick,” she admitted.
Katie’s heart thum
ped behind her ribcage as she remembered the warning from her brother the night before about not giving the young woman cause to leave before her reservation expired. She was, after all, their only reservation for the Christmas holiday. “What can I do to make your stay a nicer one?” she asked.
“I love this place already so much,” Vivian said. “But the only thing that would make this a perfect stay for me is if you could pull off a miracle, and somehow convince my parents to join me here for Christmas. That, to me, would be the best Christmas gift I could ever wish for.”
Katie smiled. “Tis the season for miracles!” she said as she set down the large tray of food. She emptied the contents of the tray onto the table and started to leave the room quietly.
“Is all this for me?” she asked, catching Katie before she entered the kitchen.
She smiled and nodded, then disappeared behind the swinging door.
Vivian’s stomach growled as she looked at the large bowl of scrambled eggs, the platter piled high with bacon and sausage, the basket of buttermilk biscuits and various flavored muffins, and the large pitcher of orange juice. She wasn’t used to having such a large breakfast, but she could certainly get used to it.
Molly skipped into the room and slid into the seat next to her. “Gudemariye,” she said, and then winked. “That means good morning!”
Vivian leaned in toward her and smiled. “I think I might have been able to figure that one out, but it might have taken me a while, so I’m glad you told me.”
“I know a few more, but I can’t remember them all since Daed doesn’t speak it so much anymore. He says the Englishers—like you—would rather hear us talk like them.”
“I have to say I disagree with your dad,” Vivian said. “I think that speaking a different language around us adds to the charm of this place.”
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.
“I mean that it makes it seem more interesting and kind of magical.”
Amish Christmas Gift Page 3