A Kauffman Amish Christmas Collection

by Amy Clipston

  Caleb pinched the bridge of his nose in hopes of stopping the tension headache brewing behind his eyes. “I know you mean well, but you can’t tell me how to run my —”

  “Naomi King wouldn’t be a good match for you.” Sadie talked over him while shaking her head. “She’s a bit too eager for a husband. You know the type — always mingling with the men after service and trying to get them to go for rides with her.”

  “Sadie,” Caleb said, attempting to interrupt her, but she continued her monologue as if she’d never heard him.

  “Naomi ran after Luke Troyer, who married Sarah Rose, Robert’s youngest sister, a couple of months ago,” Sadie frowned. “Then she enticed Timothy Kauffman, but they broke up.” She smiled. “I have just the maedel for you. There haven’t been any rumors about her, and she’s very sweet.”

  “Sadie,” he repeated, standing.

  Her grin widened with excitement. “Her name is Irene, and her daed owns a carriage shop. She’d be a wunderbaar mamm for Susie. You could move back here and go to work for her daed and —”

  “Sadie!” His booming voice caused her to jump. “I’m sorry for startling you, but you’re not listening to me. I’m not looking for a mamm for Susie just yet. Barbara was the love of my life, and I’m not ready to try to replace her.”

  “You won’t ever replace her, Caleb.” Sadie touched his arm. “You’ll find a new liewe, who will help ease the pain and give Susie the guidance that only a mamm can give her. I know it’s hard, but it’s time to move on.”

  What do you know about loss? He swallowed the thought and glanced toward the door. “I think I’m going to go get ready for bed. Will you call me when the girls are ready to be tucked in?” He started for the door.

  “Ya,” Sadie said. “Caleb.”

  He faced her, hoping she wouldn’t lecture him again. “Ya?”

  “Please think about what I said.” She stepped toward the door with a hopeful expression. “You and Susie are more than welcome to stay with us. You can move into the apartment, and Susie would love to go to school with her cousins. She needs her family, Caleb. Barbara was an only child, and her parents are gone. Who do you really have in Ohio?”

  Caleb folded his arms in defiance. “We have family. Barbara had cousins, and our church district is wunderbaar. We’re not alone.”

  “Think about it.” She clasped her hands together. “I want you to meet Irene and consider my offer.”

  He nodded, knowing she wasn’t going to let this issue die until he agreed. “Fine. I’ll consider it.”

  “Gut!” She hugged him. “I’ll call you when it’s time to kiss Susie goodnight.”

  As Caleb descended the stairs, he hoped Sadie wouldn’t spend his entire visit trying to play matchmaker. He wasn’t ready for another relationship, and he believed Susie was receiving all the female guidance she needed. While Sadie had the best intentions, her meddling was misguided. He was a grown man and capable of making the best decisions for his child; Sadie needed to concentrate on her own family.

  Caleb plucked his bag from the family room floor, then stepped through the doorway and into the apartment at the back of the house.

  He moved through the small sitting room to the bedroom. As he placed the bag on the bed, he thought of the young woman at the farmers market. While he didn’t know her name, he’d noticed her beautiful face and captivating brown eyes. She seemed to have made an impression on Susie. He wondered if he would run into her again during his visit.

  Deep in his heart, he hoped he would.

  CHAPTER 3

  Naomi sat with the other young unmarried women while she sang along with the familiar German hymns in the Ausbund. Keeping with tradition, the three-hour service was held in the home of one of the church district families on every other Sunday. With the living room and bedroom moveable walls removed, the downstairs of Eli and Elizabeth Kauffman’s home was spacious. Backless benches were lined up for the district members, and later they would be converted to tables for lunch.

  The congregation was seated by age and gender, and the service area was plain. There was no altar, no cross, no flowers, nor instruments. They sang the hymns slowly, and a male song leader chosen at the beginning of the service would begin the first syllable of each line.

  While the ministers met in another room for thirty minutes to choose who would preach that day, the congregation continued to sing. They returned during the last verse of the second hymn, which was always “Lob Lied,” and when the ministers hung their hats on the pegs on the wall, it symbolized that the service was about to begin.

  The minister began the first sermon, and Naomi clasped her hands. Her eyes scanned the congregation, and she tried to concentrate on the minister’s words. However, her thoughts kept fluttering to the scene at the farmers market yesterday. She could still visualize the little girl’s sweet face when she shared that her mother had died. The fear mixed with relief on the father’s face was still fresh in Naomi’s mind — along with his expressive eyes.

  She was still thinking of him when her stare moved to the married men sitting across the room. She spotted Robert Kauffman, and her gaze stopped when her eyes focused on the man next to him. She blinked, but the figure didn’t transform. The man from the market was sitting next to Robert Kauffman.

  How can this be?

  The man’s eyes met hers, and he looked as surprised as she felt. A smile turned up the corners of his mouth, and Naomi felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment.

  Why was this stranger causing her to blush? She didn’t even know him! She quickly looked away in order to break the trance.

  The first sermon ended, and Naomi knelt in silent prayer along with the rest of the congregation. During her prayers, she pushed thoughts of the stranger from her mind and thanked God for the blessings in her life. She also asked for health and happiness for her family during the upcoming holidays.

  After the prayers, the deacon read from the Scriptures and then the hour-long main sermon began. Naomi tried in vain to keep her eyes off the stranger during the sermon, but her glance kept moving back to him. He occasionally met her gaze with a pleasant smile, and each time, her heart fluttered and cheeks flushed. She stared at her lap and willed herself to concentrate on the sermon, which was always spoken in High German, keeping with Amish tradition.

  She swallowed a sigh of relief when the kneeling prayer was over. The congregation then stood for the benediction, and the closing hymn was sung.

  When the service was over, Naomi moved toward the kitchen with the rest of the women to help serve the noon meal. The men converted the benches into tables and then sat and chatted while awaiting their food. As she headed for the kitchen, Naomi averted her eyes from the group of men talking in the corner since she’d spotted the mysterious widower speaking to Timothy Kauffman.

  “The service was beautiful, ya?” Kathryn Beiler asked Naomi as she moved a tray of pies and cakes over to the counter covered in the desserts.

  “Ya, it was,” Naomi agreed, filling a pitcher of water.

  “Are you ready for Christmas?” Kathryn asked.

  Naomi laughed. “No. I still need some things to finish my gifts. How about you?”

  Kathryn shook her head. “No, I’m not ready either. Perhaps we should go shopping to —”

  “Hi!” A little voice screeched. “Hi!”

  Naomi glanced over just as Susie came trotting toward her with Robert and Sadie Kauffman’s two youngest daughters trailing close behind. “Susie?”

  “I remember you from the farmers market!” The little girl beamed. “So this is your church district?”

  “Ya, it is.” Naomi gestured toward Janie and Linda. “I see you know Janie and Linda Kauffman.”

  Susie took their hands in hers. “They’re my cousins. I just met them for the first time yesterday, and we’re already best friends.”

  Naomi plastered a smile on her lips as she inwardly gasped — Susie and her father were related to the Kauffmans! She
hoped that meeting Susie wouldn’t become awkward. While the Kauffmans had been gracious after her breakups with Luke and Timothy, she still felt uncomfortable. She could only imagine the rumors that were still flying about her and how forward she was with the boys.

  “You know Susie?” Kathryn asked, sidling up to Naomi.

  “We met at the farmers market yesterday,” Naomi said.

  Susie beamed. “She makes schee quilts like my mamm did.”

  “Ya,” Kathryn said, smiling. “She does.” She turned to Naomi. “Susie and her dat are visiting from Ohio for the holidays. Her dat is Sadie’s bruder.”

  “Oh,” Naomi said with a nod while suppressing an inward groan. “That’s so nice.”

  “What’s your name?” Susie asked.

  “I’m Naomi,” she said, shaking the girl’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” Susie said.

  A chorus of voices sounded as a group of women entered the kitchen laughing, including Beth Anne Bontrager, one of Timothy’s sisters, and Miriam Lapp, Timothy’s fiancée.

  Beth Anne’s eyes widened as she approached. “Susie!” She hugged the little girl. “I saw your dat, and I was looking for you. How are you?”

  “Gut.” Susie gave her a shy smile.

  Beth Anne smiled. “You don’t know me, do you?”

  Susie bit her bottom lip and shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t met you yet.”

  “She’s Aenti Beth Anne,” Janie said.

  “I’m your Onkel Robert’s sister,” Beth Anne said. “And this is Miriam. She’s Onkel Timothy’s fiancée.”

  Naomi slowly backed up toward the counter. She wanted to sneak away and hide somewhere far away from this uncomfortable moment. Pushing thoughts of Susie and her father out of her mind, she crossed the kitchen and found her mother. She planned to help serve lunch and forget her idea of getting to know Susie.

  “Caleb!” A voice bellowed. “Caleb Schmucker!”

  Caleb turned just as Timothy Kauffman smacked his back. “Timothy!”

  “How are you?” Timothy gave his hand a stiff shake. “It’s been what — ten years?”

  “It feels that long. I’m gut.” Caleb examined his face and found it clean shaven. “You’re not married yet?”

  Timothy smirked. “I’m working on it.”

  “What are you waiting for?” Caleb asked. “You’re thirty now. We’re getting old.”

  Timothy laughed. “Ya, we are, but I’m getting there. I think next wedding season I’ll be taking my vow with my liewe. How’s Susie? I believe I saw her running off with Robert’s girls.”

  “She is doing well,” Caleb said. He patted Timothy’s shoulder. “It’s so gut to see you. I’ve missed my family here.”

  Timothy shrugged. “So move back. You can build buggies here just like you do in Middlefield.”

  Caleb scanned the room, spotting a host of familiar faces. “It’s tempting.”

  Timothy guided Caleb to a table where they sat with Timothy’s brothers and a few other men Caleb recognized. “I think a new start would be wunderbaar for you and Susie.”

  “How are you, Caleb?” Daniel Kauffman asked, leaning over and shaking Caleb’s hand.

  “It’s so gut to see you,” Eli Kauffman interjected. “I was so sorry to hear about Barbara.”

  “Danki,” Caleb said with a nod.

  “How are things in Ohio?” Eli asked.

  He updated the men on his life, and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the woman from the farmers market. She approached the table with a tray of potato salad, and he tried to make eye contact.

  “Danki, Naomi,” Daniel said as she filled his plate with potato salad.

  Naomi. Her name is Naomi.

  Caleb let the name roll through his mind while he tried to remember what Sadie had told him about her. According to Sadie, the woman was too eager for a husband and she had run after Luke Troyer and Timothy. However, she looked very sweet and humble with her pretty face and deep brown eyes. He couldn’t imagine her running after any man.

  While the conversation at his table continued among the men, Caleb tried again to make eye contact with her. However, she quickly served each of them and then moved on to the adjacent table. He wondered if she’d even seen him. He’d noticed her during the service, and she’d met his gaze. Why was she avoiding it now?

  Naomi headed back to the kitchen, and Caleb felt the unfaltering urge to follow her. He set his fork on the table and stood.

  “Caleb?” Timothy asked, looking confused.

  Caleb nodded toward the kitchen. “I’m going to go check on Susie. I’ll be right back.” He headed toward the kitchen but was waylaid by David Beiler, who stepped in front of him, blocking the doorway.

  “How are you, Caleb?” David shook his hand. “It’s so good to see you.”

  “It’s nice to see you too. I spoke to Kathryn earlier.” Caleb glanced past him, spotting Naomi chatting with an older woman while filling another pan with potato salad.

  “Caleb!” Sadie said, appearing with a tray of rolls. “I’ve been looking for you. I have someone I want you to meet.”

  Caleb glanced back toward the kitchen doorway just as Naomi stepped through it. She met his stare and then quickly turned away. Before he could step toward her, Sadie grabbed his arm and yanked him to the other side of the room, causing him to stumble along behind her.

  “Sadie, I was going to —” he began.

  “Caleb,” she said, bringing him to a jolting stop in front of an attractive young blonde, who smiled. “This is Irene Wagler. Irene’s daed owns Wagler’s Buggies in Intercourse.”

  “Wie geht’s?” Irene held out her hand.

  Caleb gave her hand a quick shake. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  Irene glanced toward the kitchen. “I better get back in and finish serving the drinks.”

  “Don’t be silly,” Sadie said, waving off the comment. “You two get acquainted, and I’ll bring out the drinks.” She winked at Irene, and Caleb wondered if she’d meant to be discreet. However, he was certain his older sister had never been subtle a day in her life.

  “Sadie tells me you’re visiting for the holidays,” Irene said as she leaned against the wall behind her.

  “Ya.” Caleb fingered his beard and glanced across the room where Naomi was scooping potato salad onto a man’s plate.

  “You should come by and see my daed’s shop. It’s very nice.”

  “Maybe I will,” he said.

  Susie raced over, narrowly missing running into a man who was headed in the opposite direction. “Dat! Dat!”

  “Calm down,” he told her, leaning over to take her hand in his. “You almost crashed into that man.”

  “Dat!” Her eyes were wide with excitement. “Aenti Sadie told me that I’m going to a cookie exchange tomorrow! Isn’t that wunderbaar?” She squeezed his hands. “I love it here.”

  He laughed. “That sounds wunderbaar gut. I’m so glad you’re having fun.” He nodded toward Irene. “This is my new friend, Irene. Can you say hello to her?”

  “Hi. I’m Susan Schmucker, but my friends call me Susie.”

  “Hi, Susie. I’m Irene, and I’ll be at the cookie exchange tomorrow too.” Although Irene smiled down at his daughter, Caleb couldn’t help but notice that the smile didn’t reach her eyes.

  “I’m going to go back in the kitchen and help with the dishes,” Susie said. “Bye!”

  Caleb grinned after her. Oh how that little girl warmed his heart.

  “So, tell me about Middlefield,” Irene said.

  He shrugged. “What do you want to know?”

  Irene smiled, and this one was real. “Everything.”

  CHAPTER 4

  How are you really?” Timothy asked. “You said things are gut at work, but how are you really coping?”

  Caleb shivered while sitting on the porch at Eli Kauffman’s house later that evening. Most everyone had left, except for a few families, the bulk of them
related to the Kauffmans. He was disappointed that he hadn’t managed to speak with Naomi before she exited with her family. However, he’d shared a brief gaze with her from across the crowded room. She’d given him a shy smile, and he noticed she had an adorable dimple on her right cheek. He hated how cliché the smile across the crowded room felt, and he hoped he’d meet her personally soon.

  “Caleb?” Timothy asked. “Did you hear me? I asked how you truly are. You can be honest with me.”

  Caleb buried his frigid hands in the pockets of his coat. “I’m living, day to day. Susie keeps me going.”

  Timothy frowned. “How’s Susie coping?”

  Caleb shrugged. “She seems okay to me. She loves school, and her teacher is wunderbaar.” He shook his head. “Sadie told me last night that Susie needs a mamm, but it’s not that simple. I can’t just order one from a catalog.”

  Timothy gave a bark of laughter. “Mail order mamm, eh?”

  “Right.” Caleb chuckled.

  “There’s no one special waiting for you back in Ohio?”

  “No.” Caleb shook his head. “One of Barbara’s cousins tried to set me up with a couple of her friends, but we really didn’t have anything in common. Her cousin finally gave up on me.”

  Timothy turned to him, looking intrigued. “Don’t you want to find a mamm for Susie? I don’t mean to sound like your schweschder, but why would you want to raise Susie all by yourself?”

  “It’s not that I choose to be alone, but it sort of feels like I’m supposed to be alone.” Caleb paused, gathering his thoughts. He’d never opened up about this subject before and it made him uncomfortable. However, he trusted Timothy and he wanted to get the emotions out in the open. “I feel like I don’t deserve to be froh after what happened to Barbara. I feel like it’s my fault.”

  Timothy frowned. “It’s not your fault, Caleb. It was an accident.”

  “I know,” Caleb said with a sigh. “But it’s not fair that I’m still here, and she’s not. I feel like I should be punished or suffer somehow.” He thought about the nights spent alone in bed, thinking of her and all they lost. “I feel like I’m stuck in this lonely cloud sometimes just floating around all by myself.”