Painted Vessels

by Gina Renee Freitag

  “So, how’s that working out for you, Edgar?” John asked, nodding toward the young man as he left the building.

  “Well, he’s slower now, but he is family,” Edgar said. “He makes a good effort, considering his peg-leg. He seems to be exhausted all the time! That baby takes more work than most. He and Laura are getting a lot of help, though. Even your buddy Eli and his wife go over there a lot.”

  John snorted at the remark. “Yeah, he’s my ‘buddy’ all right,” he said with a sneer. As the men laughed, the door opened and a bell rang, announcing another customer.

  “You know, neither of the Gardners have been in here for months,” Edgar remarked.

  “Why not, can’t afford to? I’ve given up trying to figure out how that boy justifies not working. I doubt he’s at Ray’s more than a couple times a week. So, if he’s not coming in here to buy anything, how’s he keeping his poor wife fed? It’s a good thing those gypsies don’t have any kids; I suppose God knew what He was doing there!”

  At that moment, Mrs. Taylor came up behind John. “I’ll tell you how,” she said with an irritated scowl. “They go to my Laura’s house twice a week. They say they’re helping with that baby, but more often than not, they stay past supper and eat half her food! I told Laura she can manage on her own, but she won’t listen. They have her convinced she needs their help. I’ve tried talking to Pastor Duncan, but he won’t listen either! Those Gardners have him just as deceived as my daughter. When they aren’t eating up all her food, they’re eating at the Duncans or the Webers!”

  “Wait a minute,” John said, stunned by the woman’s claims. “Is that true?” Mrs. Taylor nodded with raised eyebrows. He shook his head. “You know, Isaac Weber has always had a soft spot for anyone he thinks is a charity case. If he wants to give the Gardners a handout now and then, well, that’s his business. But you’re telling me Eli is scrounging meals not only off of the pastor but also the cripple with the disfigured baby?” A shocked gasp escaped Edith as she brought her hand to her forehead and fluttered her eyes. “No offense, Mrs. Taylor,” he added quickly.

  She dismissed him with a wave. “Oh, my poor little girl! Why is this happening to me?” She grabbed onto the store owner’s hand. “Thank you for letting Jacob work here. I don’t know how they could manage without you.”

  Edgar smiled smugly at his nephew’s mother-in-law, but John frowned, still stewing over what he had learned about Eli. He slammed his fist on the counter, startling the other two.

  “I didn’t think it was possible to dislike him even more,” John said under his breath. Why didn’t more people see it? How could they let themselves be fooled by that gypsy boy? “You need to put your foot down, Mrs. Taylor. I wouldn’t let Eli around that baby if I were you. I know he has a violent streak in him. I’ve seen it in his eyes. When we were working on the Webers’ house, I barely had to say a word to him. His rage was bubbling just under the surface.”

  “Oh, dear!” she said. John didn’t care if he had frightened the woman. The spell that boy had on this town needed to be broken! Mrs. Taylor let out a worried groan. Abandoning her errand, she said her goodbyes and ran out of the store, no doubt rushing to her daughter’s house to warn the girl about what she had just learned.

  John purchased the harvesting tools. When Jacob returned and told him the milk was unloaded, he left for White Falls. He continued to brood over Eli as he guided his wagon down the road. Ever since finishing the Webers’ house, John had been able to avoid him. As long as no more homes burned down, he only had to see Eli on Sundays. Even then, he was usually able to dodge talking to him, which was aided by the fact that John slipped into church late and rushed out as soon as the service was over.

  Having a dairy farm made it difficult to get to church on time. If God wanted man to rest on the seventh day, He should have told the cows to rest also. Every Sunday morning, after the cows were milked, John quickly changed into church clothes and headed to town. His wife and children had already left in their smaller carriage. They always saved him a seat in the second row, and he would stride in to join them right after the singing had ended. That suited him just fine; he didn’t like to sing all those songs anyway. And when he came in late, he didn’t have to talk to anyone until after the service, especially not Eli.

  Once the congregation was excused, John only had time to talk to a few people before heading back to the farm. That made it easier to escape interacting with Eli. However, he wasn’t able to escape noticing how many people sought out the gypsy boy. Pastor Duncan always spoke a few words to Eli immediately after the service, usually followed by a robust laugh. Jacob Martin, Isaac Weber, and Ray Larson were all chummy with him as well. Even David Holden seemed to like the guy. John didn’t understand it; these were smart men with good work ethics. What did they find so interesting about that lazy idler?

  Well, it didn’t matter! One of these days, Eli was going to let his guard down, and then those men would finally realize they had all been played the fool. Even if John were too busy with his corn harvest to see it all go down, he would hear about it. He imagined that glorious day as he drove his horses down the road. A grin crept onto his face and he began to chuckle.

  ADA

  As Eli visited with everyone around the fire, Ada helped Hattie wash the morning dishes. Spending time with the caravan was peaceful. She missed them terribly and loved how natural it was to pick up her life with them whenever they visited. It felt as if they had never left. When she and Eli arrived two evenings ago, there was a sadness mixed with the joy of coming home. Mae was not there to greet them, and Tony was quieter than usual. At the end of the day, however, being together had lifted his spirits, and the men agreed to rise early the next morning to go fishing before breakfast. By the next afternoon, Tony was joining in on the bantering Eli often provoked.

  “Oh, Hattie,” Ada said with a sigh. “I’m so glad to be here! I’ve made some close friends in the last three years, but you are all so dear to me! I wish both the caravan and the town could be with me every day.”

  Hattie laughed and put an arm around her. “This group certainly isn’t the same without the two of you,” she agreed. “We wish we could see you more often as well.”

  “The kids are growing up fast!” Ada observed. “Sammy is almost as old as I was when we first joined the caravan.”

  “You best not call him Sammy,” Hattie warned. “It’s Sam now. Ever since he moved into Tony’s vardo, he has become quite the young man, you know.” Hattie’s voice grew more serious. “I think it’s been good for both of them, though. When Mae died, Tony was lost for a while. We weren’t sure if he was going to stick around. Then Ira suggested Sam move in with him since their family’s vardo was starting to feel a bit crowded. I think it gave Tony a new purpose to look after the boy and mentor him.” As Ada watched the children, Hattie returned to her jovial self. “Well, those three kids are something else, that’s for sure. The little man, the princess, and the spit-fire—that sums them up! And what about you, Ada? I expected you to roll in here with a bundle of your own.” Hattie nudged Ada with her elbow and said in a softer voice, “I know losing Ruth Ann was hard on you, but I hope it hasn’t scared you away from motherhood altogether.”

  Ada looked down at the tub of dishes in front of her. “No, I do want children. But that’s up to God, not me.”

  “Now don’t you give up, honey,” Hattie said. “Hoping and even praying that God will give you a child someday doesn’t mean you haven’t accepted what His plan might be. There’s room in every heart for hope and acceptance. They don’t cancel each other out.”

  “Thank you, Hattie,” she said, smiling. “I needed to hear that.” Ada watched Eli as Lily sat on his knee. They were playing a fast-paced hand clapping game. The little six-year old, who was obviously winning, was doing so despite giggling at his blundered attempts to follow her clapping patterns. He noticed Ada watching him and winked at her right before messing up again. Eli rolled his eyes and made a
silly face at Lily as they broke into laughter and began another round of their game.

  ELI

  Eli sat on the edge of Badger Creek, watching the water flow downstream. There was something calming about moving water. Earlier that morning, he and Ada were sharing memories in their vardo as they packed for their return trip. After a pleasant weeklong visit, Eli’s goal was to be home by Saturday evening. It took two days to travel from the West Woods to East Haven, and if they left by ten o’clock, they could easily make it by then.

  However, just as they finished packing, he decided to walk to the creek one last time and spend a few minutes by himself. He kissed Ada, promising to be back in thirty minutes. Those few minutes turned into several hours, and now the sun was low in the sky. It was late afternoon, too late to leave, but he couldn’t pull himself away from the creek. The bushes rustled behind him, and he knew who would step out from the trees.

  “So, you decided not to leave,” Jed observed.

  “I didn’t really want to travel on Sunday, but I guess I messed that up,” Eli replied as he continued to watch the water. “Is Ada worried?”

  “No, not too much. I think she’s just surprised by the change of plans. You can always leave on Monday, you know.”

  “No, I want to be home before then. If we leave early tomorrow, we should be able to make it to Clearwater before it gets too late. We can stay there for the night and go to church in the morning before heading out again.”

  “Suit yourself,” Jed said as he sat down next to Eli, “but you seem reluctant to leave. I think you’re trying to avoid something. People don’t usually disappear for six hours unless they have something heavy weighing on their mind.”

  “Six hours?” Eli glanced at Jed. He didn’t realize how long he had been gone. He shook his head and threw a rock into the water, watching the ripples spread. “After our talk last year, I really tried to listen to God more closely—you know, about the money. I found a few people who were in need, and I was able to help. It made a big difference for them, but it barely made a dent in my account. I know the money was meant to help them; it felt right to give it—just like my investments.” He chuckled. “Mr. Ross never understood how I could make decisions about money based on feelings rather than figures, but it works for me. I can’t ignore those feelings.”

  Eli appreciated how patiently Jed listened as he stumbled through his thoughts. “Staying here for one more day feels important, so I’m going to follow my gut on this decision as well.” He was silent for a moment before continuing with a heavy sigh. “I don’t know, maybe I am just trying to avoid a problem. I discovered something about a person in town. I’m going to have to deal with it, but I don’t know how to do that yet.”

  “What did you find out?” Jed asked. “Maybe there’s an easier solution than you think.” Eli told him about giving money to Jacob. He told him about the frustration he felt when Edgar took credit for it and allowed Jacob to pay him back. “Hmm… that’s a tough one,” Jed agreed. “But I think you know what you need to do; you just don’t want to do it.”

  “Well, yeah. Jacob needs to know what his uncle is doing. But if I tell him, I’m going to be the cause of a broken relationship—possibly even two. If I tell him about Edgar, he’ll know I gave him the money. Sure, he’s going to be angry with his uncle, but he’s also going to be unhappy with me. He’s stubborn and prideful; he won’t like hearing it was from me.”

  “Pride is difficult to get over,” Jed said with a sigh. “We all struggle with it. But pride doesn’t always look like we think it should. It’s easy for someone to get caught up in it without realizing they are.” He peered at Eli for a moment before continuing. “I don’t think you should tell your friend yet; you should talk to his uncle first. Go to Edgar privately and tell him what you know. Give him a chance to make it right. God gives us second chances all the time. We need to follow His example and do the same for others.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Eli said quietly. “It’s still going to be hard, though.”

  “Well, you need to pray about it. Ask God to show you the right time and way to approach him.” Jed slapped Eli on the back. “Now, if you’re going to stay one more night, you may as well spend the time with us instead of this creek. We aren’t going to see you for another year.”

  Eli laughed as they stood up. Talking with Jed always gave him perspective. As they walked back to camp, he looked forward to another evening with good company.

  ADA

  The church in Clearwater had a warm wood décor throughout the sanctuary. Ada sat in the last pew next to Eli. They had slipped into the back row just as the first hymn had ended. Now they listened to the pastor as he promised a short sermon followed by a guest speaker. Ada scanned the congregation, wondering who would be speaking. She suspected the man sitting in the front. A subtle difference in his style gave her the impression that he came from a big city, but she had never been to one, so she couldn’t be sure. The biggest town Ada had ever experienced was Orston, one of the towns in the caravan’s summer circuit, and even Orston was small compared to the cities by the water.

  The pastor finished his sermon with a prayer and introduced the guest speaker. “We have the privilege of hearing from a gifted surgeon from Lambury. Doctor Nathan Keeler has an amazing ministry that he would like to share with us this morning, so let’s welcome him warmly.” As the congregation clapped, the pastor gestured toward the man in the front pew and stepped aside. Dr. Keeler came forward to address the church.

  The doctor spoke in a clear, crisp voice, he had obviously presented to the public before. He told the church about his work with children who were in desperate need of surgeries that would improve their lives. He explained how he traveled to the hometowns of these children and appealed to the members of their churches in an effort to help raise money for the much-needed procedures. But even with fundraising, there was often a need beyond what the town could raise; that was where the church at Clearwater could help. As he continued his speech, Dr. Keeler leaned large pictures along the back wall of the pulpit.

  Ada could feel Eli sit up taller as his interest piqued. The pictures were drawings of children before and after surgery. They looked like Angel Martin! These children suffered the same affliction that Angel had. Some were similar in age, while others were a few years older—but all of them had an after picture.

  As Dr. Keeler continued to speak, Eli tapped his leg rapidly and leaned forward. Ada reached for his hand to steady his restlessness, and when she touched him, he glanced at her and their eyes locked. She knew what he was thinking: they would not be leaving the building without talking to this man first.

  At the conclusion of his presentation, the doctor announced that he had some professional card portraits to share with the congregation depicting children before and after their procedures. He explained two ways to donate to his ministry. A collection would be taken after the service, and he would be handing out information on where a contribution could be wired. He would also answer any questions they had.

  After a well-worded prayer from the doctor, a small group of people crowded around him. Men with baskets walked around the sanctuary as others dropped coins into them. Ada watched Eli empty his pockets into a basket while keeping his eyes locked on Dr. Keeler. They stood a pace or two away from the mingling group and waited for the crowd to thin. Soon there were only a few persistent enthusiasts, and the pastor began to usher the doctor toward the door. Eli grabbed Ada’s arm and stepped toward the men.

  “Excuse me, Dr. Keeler,” he called out. The doctor stopped and turned. Eli held out his hand. “My name is Eli Gardner,” he said as the doctor clasped it and nodded. “My wife Ada and I are traveling home today. We had planned to leave earlier but were delayed. Had we left on time, we would have missed hearing your presentation. Do you have any time to spare? I need to know more about what you do.”

  “I believe I have some time right now. We were just heading to the rectory for a quic
k meal.” Dr. Keeler turned to the pastor. “Would your wife mind if we were a bit late?”

  “Oh, she’ll mind if we’re late, but I know she won’t mind extra guests,” he said as he glanced at them with a kind smile. “Why don’t you and your wife join us, Mr. Gardner?” he suggested.

  Eli nodded. “Thank you.”

  “No, thank you for speaking up,” Dr. Keeler countered. “If such an accidental circumstance caused our paths to cross, I believe it was more likely orchestrated. There must be a reason God allowed us to meet.”

  DR. KEELER

  Dr. Nathan Keeler sat at Pastor Greene’s table, ready to answer questions from the energetic young man who sat across from him. This was a familiar scene to the doctor. He was usually offered lodging in the home of the local preacher whenever he visited a town, and more often than not, Sunday’s meal included an unexpected guest following his presentation.

  There were two reasons why Nathan presented his ministry. The first and most frequent was to raise funds for a specific child whose family belonged to the church where he was speaking. If there was no child in need associated with the church, the other reason was to raise general awareness of—and possible funding for—the many surgeries he provided. He was visiting Clearwater with the latter purpose in mind.

  Regardless of whether a specific child was being represented or not, many of his presentations resulted in the acquaintance of someone who knew of a child like the ones in his pictures. These meetings accounted for nearly one-third of the children with whom he worked. He could almost predict where today’s conversation was headed. This young man was probably related in some way to a child who needed the surgery. He had the same look in his eyes that Nathan had seen in others.