A REVELATION in AUTUMN

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  At first, when the balloon ventured higher and higher, Eddie had shouted and waved to those on the ground. Now, though, he felt humbled and could hardly talk. He didn’t want this moment to end. It was as if he was somehow fulfilling a dream.

  CHAPTER 6

  Darby

  As Eddie walked through the Baileys’ living room on a Monday morning in early October, he spotted an old shutter that had been refinished and painted with an unusual design. He reached out his hand and rubbed the glossy finish, amazed at how smooth it felt.

  “Ah, I see you’re admiring my piece of art,” Henry said, strolling into the room, wearing a straw hat with a wide brim.

  Eddie nodded. “Did you make it?”

  Henry shook his head. “Not hardly. Susan and Anne bought it for me at a farmers’ market some time ago.”

  “This is the first time I’ve seen it here,” Eddie said. “Think I would have noticed something this nice before.”

  Henry chuckled. “It was in our bedroom, but Norma said it was too nice to keep where only we could enjoy it, so this morning I brought it out here.”

  “It’s sure smooth.” Eddie pursed his lips. “Whoever made it did a fine job of sanding, that’s for sure.”

  Henry’s bushy eyebrows lifted high. “You sound like you know a little something about that. Do you think you might have done some type of carpentry work before your accident?”

  Eddie shrugged. “I don’t know. Wish I did, but try as I might, I still can’t remember anything about my life before I woke up in the hospital.” He dropped his gaze to the floor. “I’m beginning to think I’ll never get my memory back.”

  Henry clasped Eddie’s shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Just give it some time, son, and try to relax. My guess is if you try to force yourself to remember, that may do more harm than good. Why, I’ll bet when you aren’t even thinking about it, one day”—he snapped his fingers—“memories from your past will just pop into your head.”

  Eddie wished Henry was right, but did he dare hope for such a miracle?

  “Just remember,” Henry added, looking Eddie straight in the eyes, “Norma, the girls, and I are praying for you.”

  “I appreciate that.” Eddie had gone to church with the Baileys every Sunday since he’d moved into their home, and he’d heard the pastor talk about prayer. He didn’t remember ever going to church before moving here, but for some reason, a few of the scriptures the pastor had read seemed familiar to him. However, the worship service wasn’t familiar at all. In fact, the first Sunday Eddie had gone to the Baileys’ church, he’d felt kind of odd—like he didn’t belong inside such a fancy building. Was it because he’d been a bum living on the streets before he’d been brought to the hospital all those months ago?

  Henry gave Eddie’s back a light thump. “So what do you say? Should we head out back and rake up those leaves? After that wind last night, most of them are off the trees. The day looks like it’s gonna be a beaut.”

  “Sure, no problem.” Eddie followed Henry out the door. Once outside, he grabbed a rake and started to tackle the leaves. Inhaling a deep breath, he noticed the scent of decaying leaves as he raked them into piles. A slight breeze still blew but nothing like the howling wind they’d had overnight. The grass was green yet, like it had been over summer, but with the recent frost they’d had, it was no longer growing so fast. Soon, the days of mowing would come to an end, and not long after, as Henry had mentioned the other day, it’d be time to get the snow shovels out.

  Henry was right about this day being beautiful, Eddie thought as he paused to lean on the rake handle. Looking up into the crystal sky, the color was so blue it almost hurt his eyes. This was a far cry from the last couple of mornings, when the fog had been heavy and the grass wet with dew.

  “I always hate to see autumn come to an end,” Henry said, raking his own pile of leaves. “It comes and goes too quickly for me.” He looked over at Eddie and smiled. “What’s your favorite season?”

  Eddie shrugged. “I don’t really know.” He looked up at the sky once more as a helicopter flew overhead and listened as the whirl of the propeller grew fainter. He thought then about the hot air balloon ride he’d taken just a month ago. It had sure been fun to be up there so high, looking down on the people below. I wonder if I’ll ever have the chance to ride in another balloon again. Or better yet, maybe an airplane.

  As Eddie raked the piles of leaves into one big mound, he stopped to look at it and thought how inviting it looked. I wonder what Henry would think if I took a flying leap right into the middle of those leaves.

  Dismissing that thought as being too childish, Eddie reflected on how much fun he and Susan had had that day at the balloon festival. He enjoyed being with Susan so much and wished he felt free to begin a relationship with her. If he could just get his memory back, maybe he and Susan could start dating. Until then, however, he couldn’t let her know how he felt, not to mention the voice inside that nagged at him relentlessly. As much as Eddie tried to ignore it, the voice kept warning: Hold off; just wait. Don’t make any hasty decisions.

  Ronks, Pennsylvania

  Breakfast was over, and everyone in the King household was going about their normal routine. Nina, Stanley, Arlene, and Katie had left over an hour ago for school. Kendra was downstairs, helping Mom sort the laundry, and Laurie could hear her three-year-old brother, Owen, who was also in the basement, laughing out loud. No doubt he was amusing himself with the empty boxes stacked in the corner. Owen loved crawling inside them. Sometimes he would put several of the boxes together, like he was playing house. Once he’d even fallen asleep inside one.

  Laurie’s dad had left at sunup to pick up his friend Richard Zook for a ride over to Gordonville, where they’d be looking at some Rhode Island Reds to buy. Laurie had already cleaned up the kitchen and had just stepped into the living room to join Grandma Smucker, who sat in the rocking chair, crocheting a bed covering for her great-grandson, Levi.

  “How’s that blanket coming along?” Laurie asked, picking up a pencil and tablet and taking a seat on the sofa across from Grandma.

  Grandma smiled. “Pretty well. It should be done by the time the temperatures dip.” She held up the covering for Laurie to see. “It’ll be an extra coverlet for Meredith to put over little Levi when winter’s upon us.”

  “I’m sure it’ll be nice and warm for him,” Laurie commented, focusing on the list she’d started.

  “Looks like a nice day out there,” Grandma said, glancing toward the window. “Fall is surely upon us. Did you ever see so many leaves in the yard?”

  “Hmm…” Laurie chewed on the end of her pencil, trying to think of what all she wanted to add to her list. She and Kevin were planning to be married the first week of December, and a lot remained to get done in the coming weeks. It wasn’t just the wedding either. A month after that, Laurie would be accompanying Kevin on a work-and-witness trip to Mississippi, where they’d be working in a Native American community. Her future husband had been on several missionary trips before. He’d even gone out of the country a few times. But since this would be Laurie’s introduction to missionary work, Kevin had signed them up for work in the United States.

  Little by little, Kevin had been orienting Laurie on what they’d be doing once they got to Mississippi. Things like taking the children to local events at a nearby church, preparing food, and helping to celebrate the children’s birthdays, which were a festive occasion among the Native Americans. At times the mission also provided transportation for the elderly to doctor and dental appointments, as well as trips to town for other things.

  Laurie’s life was about to change, but she was excited about it. She’d be working side by side with the man she loved. She only wished everyone in her family was as exuberant as she was.

  “Ah-hem.”

  “Sorry, Grandma. Did you say something?” Laurie’s face heated as she looked up from the tablet.

  “I asked how your list was coming along.
”

  “Oh, I don’t know. There’s so much to do yet before the wedding, not to mention the work-and-witness trip Kevin and I will be taking.”

  “Maybe you should think more about this decision you’ve made,” Grandma said. “It might not hurt to give yourself a little more time to make sure you’re doing the right thing and choosing the right direction for your future.”

  “There’s nothing for me to think about, Grandma. I love Kevin. He’s a kind, caring person, and the things I’ve learned from him about missionary work make me love him even more. I think everyone in our family just needs to give him a chance.” Laurie sighed. “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t feel it was right. I know Kevin will be good to me, and I’ll be good to him, too.”

  “But it seems like this is all happening rather quickly,” Grandma rationalized, placing her crocheting in her lap. “Your parents had hopes of you remaining in the Amish faith.”

  “I know that, but—”

  “Please, hear me out.” Grandma’s glasses had fallen to the middle of her nose, and she paused to push them back in place. “I wanted to add that the important thing is that Amish and Mennonite Christian beliefs are very much the same except for some differences in how we view the outside world. Only you can decide if becoming a missionary is the path you wish to take.”

  “Oh, it is, Grandma,” Laurie was quick to say. “I want to spend the rest of my life with Kevin, helping others who are less fortunate and teaching them about Jesus. I know in my heart that this is the right thing for me, because I have a personal relationship with Jesus, and I feel called to work alongside Kevin in sharing the Gospel.”

  Grandma smiled. “I understand. Just give us all some time to adjust to this new change. It’s not easy to let go—especially knowing at times you’ll be far from home.”

  “But I’ll never forget you,” Laurie said with a shake of her head. “I’ll never forget any of my family.”

  Bird-in-Hand

  Holding Levi firmly in her arms, Meredith shuffled through the fallen leaves in her backyard, enjoying the crackling sound beneath her feet. It was a lovely fall day, and she took pleasure in being outside. She thought the baby must like it, too, for he seemed so alert, making gurgling noises and turning his little head in the direction of the birds chirping and soaring overhead.

  Meredith hugged her son even closer. This little guy had brought so much joy to her, as well as to the rest of her family. The other day, when Mom had come by with Owen and Katie, Meredith had laughed when Owen crawled inside an empty cardboard box in her utility room. In another few months, Levi would probably be crawling, and he might be looking for boxes to play in, too.

  Meredith smiled. She couldn’t imagine life now, without her precious son.

  As a bird swooped down to get a drink from the birdbath, Meredith thought about the hot air balloons she and Dorine had seen in Paoli last month. Oh, how Luke would have enjoyed taking a ride in one of those, she thought.

  Meredith could still remember the group of people she’d seen in the tethered balloon. One of them—the nurse’s friend, wearing a red ball cap and sunglasses—had seemed the most excited of all, waving and shouting to the people below. It sure looked like he was having the time of his life. As the balloon rose as far as it could go, the people in the basket had looked so small she couldn’t make out any of their faces. She figured from their perspective the people on the ground probably looked even smaller.

  Meredith wished now that she’d taken a ride in the balloon, just to see what it was like way up there. She’d never been an adventurous person, but maybe it was time to step out of her comfort zone and start taking some chances. What those chances would be, she didn’t know yet, but she’d be ready when the opportunities arose. Being afraid all the time and cautious of everything was no fun at all.

  Her thoughts shifted again, thinking about Laurie and the new adventure she and Kevin would take on once they were married. Mom and Dad weren’t happy about Laurie not joining the Amish faith, but they were trying to be understanding. Sometimes when grown children made a decision to do something their parents didn’t agree with, they just had to let go and accept things as they were.

  When Jonah pulled his horse and buggy into Meredith’s yard, he spotted her walking through a pile of leaves, holding the baby in her arms. Just the sight of her caused his heart to pound. Oh, how he longed to make her his wife.

  He pulled Socks up to the hitching rail, and as soon as he had him secured, he sprinted across the yard toward Meredith. “Wie geht’s?” he called as she waved and headed toward the house.

  “I’m doing okay,” she said when he joined her on the porch. “How are you?”

  I’m fine now that I’m here with you. “Doin’ good,” he replied, keeping his thoughts to himself. “Just came by to check on you and extend an invitation.”

  “Oh?” She tipped her head and looked up at him with questioning eyes.

  “My folks and I are planning a little barbecue on Saturday night, and I was wondering if you and Levi would like to come.” Jonah reached out and stroked the baby’s head.

  “Sure, that sounds real nice.” Meredith smiled. “Can I bring anything?”

  Jonah shook his head. “Just a hearty appetite, ’cause between my barbecued burgers and all the food Mom will fix, there’ll be more than enough to eat.” He shuffled his feet a few times, feeling like a bashful schoolboy. “Would it be okay if I came by and picked you up around four o’clock?”

  “Oh, you don’t have to do that. Your folks’ place isn’t too far from here, and I can ride over with my own horse and buggy.”

  “I’m sure you can, but I thought it’d be easier for you and the baby if I gave you a ride.”

  Meredith didn’t say anything for several seconds, but then she slowly nodded. “All right then, Levi and I will be ready for you to pick us up by four o’clock.”

  Jonah grinned. If everything went well on Saturday evening and his nerves didn’t take over, he planned to ask Meredith if he could court her.

  CHAPTER 7

  Bird-in-Hand

  Jonah whistled as he flipped hamburgers on the grill. It was great having Meredith and little Levi with them tonight. He glanced up at the porch where Meredith sat on the glider, holding the baby in her arms. Mom was seated nearby in a wicker chair, with Herbie lying on the porch next to her feet. It looked as if the women were deep in conversation, and he was curious to know what they were talking about.

  Maybe Mom’s putting in a good word for me, Jonah thought. He’d confided in her the other day that he planned to ask Meredith if he could start courting her. Mom had smiled and said she hoped it worked out.

  Tonight’s the night, Jonah thought. I just can’t wait any longer.

  “Ya better watch it, Son, or you’ll burn those burgers,” Dad said, stepping up to Jonah and pointing at the grill. “They look pretty done to me.”

  “Oh, right.” Jonah quickly pulled his thoughts aside and scooped the burgers onto the serving tray Mom had provided. The last thing he wanted to do was serve scorched burgers to Meredith. Tonight he wanted everything to be perfect. “Guess I had my mind on something else.”

  “And it doesn’t take a genius to know who.” Dad chuckled, nodding toward the house.

  Jonah’s face heated. Although he hadn’t told him of his intentions tonight, he had a feeling Dad already knew. With him going over to Meredith’s place so often these days, it was fairly obvious.

  Dad thumped Jonah’s shoulder. “Well, let’s get the ladies and tell ’em it’s time to eat. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I’m hungerich.”

  Jonah smiled. Smelling the meat as it cooked had made him hungry, too.

  Soon they were all seated around the picnic table. Mom and Dad sat on one side and Meredith and Jonah on the other. Levi, sound asleep in his little carrier, was close to his mother. Taking a quick look around, Jonah almost felt as if Meredith and the baby were part of his family.

&nb
sp; After their silent prayer, Mom passed around the coleslaw and potato salad she’d made earlier, and Jonah put a burger and bun on everyone’s plate. There were also potato chips, some of Mom’s homemade dill pickles, and Jonah’s favorite—pickled eggs and red beets. It was a little chilly, but the grown-ups wore jackets, and baby Levi was bundled in a cozy-looking blanket Meredith said her grandma had made.

  “Sure is a pleasant evening for a barbecue,” Mom said after she’d poured everyone a cup of warm apple cider. “Right now it’s pleasant because there’s hardly any bugs this time of year, but it won’t be long before the days will be too cold for eating outside.”

  “That’s okay.” Jonah grinned. “I can still barbecue, and we’ll eat inside.”

  “You won’t barbecue when there’s snow on the ground, I hope,” Meredith said, wrinkling her nose.

  He shrugged his shoulders. “Probably not; although I could put the grill on the porch.”

  Dad shook his head. “What would be the point in you standin’ outside in the cold when your mamm can cook supper in her kitchen where it’s warm and toasty? You can save the barbecuing for the months with nicer weather and leave the wintertime cooking to her.”

  Mom looked over at Meredith with furrowed brows. “You don’t have much on your plate. Don’t you care for either of the salads I made?”

  “Oh, it’s not that. I’m just not very hungry tonight,” Meredith replied.

  “Jonah will probably eat your share then,” Dad said, reaching for some ketchup to put on his bun. “He always eats at least two burgers.”

  Meredith smiled, but her face looked a bit strained. Jonah wondered if she wished she hadn’t come. “Is everything all right?” he asked with concern. Jonah wasn’t so sure he’d be able to eat two burgers like he usually did. All of a sudden, he wasn’t real hungry either.

  “I haven’t been sleeping well the last few nights, and I think it’s affected my appetite,” Meredith explained.