The SILENCE of WINTER

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “He sustained multiple injuries to his arms, ribs, legs, neck, and especially his head. Whoever beat him must have been on a real rampage, because he was a mess.” Susan added that she’d read on the man’s chart that he’d had a beard, but it had been shaved off in the ER in order to stitch up a nasty cut on his chin. “And of course his head had been shaved and bandaged, as well,” she said. “I wonder what he could have done to make someone mad enough to beat him up like that.”

  “Did he say anything to you?” Anne asked.

  “No, he was unconscious, and once I had him settled into bed and had assisted the doctor with his examination, the night nurse came in and took over, since my shift had ended. Hopefully I’ll find out more tomorrow.” Susan sighed. “I said a little prayer for the young man, because he certainly looked like he could use one.”

  CHAPTER 4

  Bird-in-Hand

  For the last half hour, Meredith had been lying on the sofa, with Fritz on the floor beside her, sleeping soundly. The poor dog had played himself out, and now he was even snoring.

  Meredith snickered. Watching Fritz’s upper lip vibrate each time he took a breath was hilarious. The poor pup probably wouldn’t be too happy if he knew she was laughing at him.

  Truthfully, Meredith was tired from all the trips she’d made out to the phone shack to check for messages from Luke, so she decided if she could sleep for a little while and then go back out again, there would finally be the long-awaited message from him.

  She was almost asleep when a sudden knock on the front door, followed by Fritz’s loud barking, brought her to her feet.

  Now who would be out on a night like this, with the snow coming down as hard as it is? Meredith wondered. And who would be knocking on my door so late in the evening?

  When Meredith went to the door, Fritz was right there with her, still barking frantically. She opened it slowly. Sheriff Tyler stood on the porch.

  “How are you doing, Fritz?” the sheriff asked, looking down at the dog. But his greeting lacked the upbeat tone it usually had whenever he was in the area and had dropped by to see Luke.

  “Hush, Fritz; it’s okay,” Meredith said, clutching Fritz’s collar. Seeing the sheriff’s grim expression, her heartbeat quickened. Something must be horribly wrong. Her first thought, as she invited the sheriff in out of the cold, was of her parents. Could something have happened to them? Oh, dear Lord, please don’t let it be so.

  When Sheriff Tyler motioned for Meredith to sit down, her ears began to ring. Whatever he’d come to say, it wasn’t good news. Continuing to hang on to Fritz’s collar, she took a seat in the rocker, while the sheriff seated himself on the sofa across from her. Fritz had stopped barking once he’d seen that it was the sheriff, but the hair on his back stood straight up as he sat by Meredith’s feet, as though waiting. Even he must have sensed that something horrible had occurred.

  “What is it, Sheriff Tyler?” Meredith asked, her palms growing sweaty. “Has something happened to someone in my family?”

  He gave a slow nod. “I’m afraid so, Meredith. It’s Luke.”

  Meredith sat several seconds, staring at the crackling logs in the fireplace. Slowly, what the sheriff had said registered. “Luke left yesterday afternoon on a bus trip to South Bend, Indiana,” she said. “His uncle is going to teach him how to engrave headstones.”

  “Yes, I know. Someone in your community mentioned it when I saw them earlier today.” A pained expression crossed the sheriff’s face as he explained to Meredith that the bus Luke had been riding on had gotten hit by a tanker full of gas just past the Indiana border. “There’s no easy way for me to say this,” he said in a sympathetic tone, “but all the bodies were completely burned in the explosion. And since Luke’s name was on the passenger list, they knew he was one of those on the bus.”

  Meredith’s body went numb. How could Luke be dead? It wasn’t possible. There had to be some mistake. Luke had only left yesterday afternoon, and he was supposed to arrive in Indiana this evening. She just needed to wait for his call.

  “I know this must come as a shock to you,” Sheriff Tyler said, leaning forward. “And I’m very sorry for your loss.”

  Is this what it’s like when a soldier’s wife is notified that her husband’s been killed in combat? Everything is normal one minute, and then, all of a sudden, it’s not. Meredith’s thoughts were so scattered she could barely make sense of them. “No, it’s not true,” she whispered, letting go of Fritz’s collar and slowly shaking her head. “Luke can’t be dead. He’ll be calling soon, saying he’s made it safely to Indiana.”

  The sheriff left his seat and knelt on the floor in front of Meredith. “You’re in shock, Meredith, and I think you need to be with your family right now. Why don’t you gather up a few things, and I’ll drive you over to your folks’ place to spend the night? Then I’ll need to see Luke’s parents and, regrettably, give them the sad news.”

  Meredith looked down at Fritz; the dog’s head rested in her lap as though he somehow knew she needed his comfort. Tears welled in her eyes as the truth began to fully register. A sudden wave of nausea hit, and Meredith’s hands went instinctively to her stomach. “Oh, Luke, I should have begged you not to go,” she sobbed, bending forward so that her forehead rested on top of Fritz’s head. “How can I go on living without you?”

  “I can’t believe how much colder it’s gotten,” Luann King said to her husband, Philip, as they headed toward home with Philip’s horse, Dewy, pulling their buggy. She drew her heavy shawl tightly around her neck, but the bitter winter wind seeping into the enclosure of the buggy was hard to ignore. They’d gone to pay a call on Alma Beechy, a seventy-year-old widow in their church district, and had stayed a bit longer than planned so that Philip could do a few chores for Alma.

  Alma and her husband, Abe, had never had any children, and three years ago he’d developed a rare form of cancer, which took his life very quickly. As was common in most Amish communities, people began looking out for Alma. To some, she’d become like a grandmother. She loved babysitting whenever a family had a need, and a couple of times she’d even house-sat for some people’s pets. Alma was a sweet, generous person, and when she had a need, someone was always there to help out. She was an excellent cook, so to show her gratitude, she would usually treat them to a delicious meal.

  “You’re right about the weather,” Philip said after a brief pause. “The snow’s coming down much harder now, too. Guess we should have left Alma’s place a little sooner than we did, but I really wanted to do a few extra chores for her—especially after eating that great-tasting supper she cooked for us.”

  Luann smiled and patted her husband’s stomach. “Jah. Pot roast and cooked vegetables were sure good on a cold night like this. It was nice to visit with Alma, too, but I am a bit concerned about how things are going at home.”

  “What do you mean?” Philip asked.

  “I just hope Laurie and Kendra have everything under control and have managed to get the younger ones put to bed,” Luann said. “I’m sure they didn’t expect us to be gone this long.”

  “Those girls of ours are pretty capable. I’ll bet you anything that they’re gettin’ along just fine. And I’m sure, if need be, your mamm will step in.”

  Luann’s mother, Doris Smucker, had been living with them since Luann’s father died of a heart attack two years ago, and she’d been a big help with the children. Even so, Luann had never expected her mother to do too much.

  “You’re probably right, but …”

  Philip bumped Luann’s arm gently with his elbow. “Sometimes I think my fraa worries too much about our kinner.“

  “I know I shouldn’t worry about the children, but it’s hard not to when you’re a mudder,” Luann said.

  “Guess I’d better get the horse moving faster then, so we can get home quickly and you can check on things.”

  She shook her head vigorously. “With the way the roads look tonight, I’d rather not hurry, thank
you very much.” Luanne didn’t normally fret when they rode in their buggy, but seeing the roads get worse by the minute had given her cause to worry.

  Philip chuckled and nudged her again. “I was only kidding with you. Dewy’s getting quite a workout as the snow gets deeper, and he’s pretty lathered up already, so I really shouldn’t push him any harder. He seems to be okay going at this easy pace, though.”

  Dew Drop, which was their horse’s real name, had been with them for seven years. He had a beautiful coat of mahogany brown and a white patch on his forehead in the shape of a dewdrop. When they’d purchased the horse from an English family who was moving out of state, one of their younger daughters, Nina, who’d been six years old at the time, had seemed quite interested as her father explained why the previous owners had given the gelding that name. Then in an excited tone, Nina had smiled up at him and said, “I think we oughta nickname our new gaul Dewy.” The name had stuck. Dewy was a well-behaved animal and had never taken off, running out of control, like some horses did. It was as if he was born to pull a buggy, and the things that would often spook other horses didn’t seem to bother him at all. It was comforting to have such an easygoing animal pulling their buggy, even if the roads were horrible.

  They rode in silence for a while; then after a car went whizzing past, much too fast on the snowy road, Luann turned to Philip and said, “We’re so close to Meredith’s house. Would you mind stopping by there before we go home? I’d like to see how she’s been doing now that Luke is gone and find out if she needs anything. Oh, and with any luck, after our visit, maybe the snow will have let up, and getting us the rest of the way home will be easier on Dewy,” she quickly added.

  Philip grunted. “I hope you’re not going to try to convince our daughter to come home with us to spend the night.”

  “No, no. I respect her decision to stay alone while Luke is gone. I’d just feel better if we stopped by to see how she’s doing. Is that okay with you?”

  He gave a slow nod. “Sure. I guess we ought to do that.”

  Luann smiled. Though her husband would never admit it, he was probably a bit worried about their eldest daughter, too, and wouldn’t want to pass up an opportunity to visit with her. Meredith was the first of their children to leave home and get married. It had been a difficult adjustment for Luann at first, although she’d come to accept it and was glad her daughter had married such a fine man. From the beginning of Luke and Meredith’s courtship, he had fit right in with her family, and since their marriage, everyone had gotten to know and like him even more.

  Philip was a good husband, too, and Luann had never regretted marrying him, although her mother had expressed some doubts about their relationship in the beginning because Philip was ten years older than Luann. That had all changed, however, when Luann’s mother saw how much he cared for her. Luann had to admit Philip could be a bit stubborn and opinionated at times, but he was a hard worker, devoted to his family. The children looked up to their father, too, and usually went to him first whenever they had a problem. Even Luann’s mother often sought Philip’s opinion on things.

  Luann just wished he didn’t have to work so hard to provide for their large family. In addition to the stand he ran at the Bird-in-Hand Farmers’ Market, he’d recently taken on stands at two other farmers’ markets in the area in order to help with their expenses. That took up a lot of his time, so he wasn’t home nearly as much as he had been before, and she and the children missed him. Feeling herself begin to relax, Luann sat quietly, watching the snow come down.

  A short time later, Philip guided their horse and buggy up Luke and Meredith’s driveway. When the house came into view, Luann spotted the sheriff’s car parked out front.

  “I wonder why Sheriff Tyler is here,” Philip commented before Luann could voice the question.

  “Oh, I hope nothing’s wrong with Meredith.” Luann clutched the folds in her dress, trying to remain patient until Philip pulled up to the hitching rail.

  “Don’t worry, Luann,” Philip said calmly. “I’m sure the sheriff is just checking on our daughter, since he probably heard that Luke left for Indiana yesterday. News travels fast, and our sheriff, he’s a good one—always checkin’ on folks or just stopping by to say hello.”

  “I pray you’re right.” Luann looked toward the house as apprehension filled her senses. She had a sinking feeling that Sheriff Tyler might be there for more than just a social call.

  CHAPTER 5

  Meredith’s heart felt like it had been torn asunder. She still couldn’t believe Luke was dead, but Sheriff Tyler wouldn’t have told her all of that if it wasn’t true. She sniffed deeply and dried her eyes on the tissue the sheriff had just handed her, feeling dazed.

  Meredith shuddered as she tried to imagine how Luke must have felt during his last moments on earth. Had he been frightened? Had he thought of her?

  She swallowed against the bile rising in her throat. To be burned to death in an explosion must have been horrifying. Had Luke suffered much, or had he and the others on the bus died quickly? It was unimaginable to think that Luke had been taken from her, and in such a terrible, tragic way.

  “Would you like a glass of water or something else to drink?” Sheriff Tyler asked, touching Meredith’s shoulder and looking at her with concerned eyes.

  “No, thanks. My throat feels so swollen, I—I don’t think I could drink anything right now.” And with the waves of nausea beating against Meredith’s stomach, she was sure she couldn’t keep anything down. Her whole body trembled, and her mind swirled with a multitude of disjointed thoughts.

  “Meredith, I think we should go to your folks’ house now.”

  Meredith remained glued to her seat as she looked past the sheriff to the corner of the room. There sat the bookcase Luke had surprised her with this past Christmas. He’d used his woodworking skills and made the beautiful oak bookcase with eight changeable shelves. Luke had mentioned to Meredith that he thought by the time they got old they’d have all the shelves full of books. Little did Meredith realize then that it would be the last Christmas she and Luke would spend together.

  Her gaze went to the other side of the room, where the quilt rack Luke had given her as a wedding present sat. She’d been overwhelmed with the craftsmanship and love her husband had put into each piece of his work. It had brought tears to her eyes when he’d said that nothing was too good for his bride.

  Meredith clutched the arms of the rocking chair so tightly that her fingers turned numb. There weren’t many places she could look in this house and not be reminded of Luke. She’d anticipated that when he learned of her pregnancy, he would start making baby furniture right away. But that wouldn’t happen now. Their firstborn would not be sleeping in a crib or rocked in a cradle that had been made by the hands of his or her daddy. Their child would never know the joy of being held in Daddy’s arms, and Luke would not have the privilege of rocking his son or daughter to sleep each night.

  Just then, Fritz let out a loud bark and raced into the kitchen, bringing Meredith’s thoughts to a halt. A few minutes later, Mom and Dad entered the room. They’d obviously let themselves in through the back door.

  “Meredith, are you all right?” Mom asked, moving quickly to stand beside the rocking chair.

  “Your mamm was concerned when we saw the sheriff’s car outside,” Dad said, joining Mom by Meredith’s side. “Was is letz do?” he asked.

  What is wrong here? Meredith thought, unable to speak because of the lump in her throat. Everything’s wrong! How do I break the news to them when I can’t comprehend it myself?

  “Meredith, was is letz do?” Dad asked again, tipping his head.

  “It … it’s Luke. He … he’s dead.” She choked on a sob then let go of the arms of the chair and clasped both hands tightly against her stomach.

  Sheriff Tyler gave a slow nod and added, “I’m real sorry, Mr. and Mrs. King, but it’s true.”

  “Wh—what happened?” Dad asked as Meredith rose f
rom her seat and sought comfort in her mother’s outstretched arms.

  Sheriff Tyler gently repeated everything he’d told Meredith about the bus accident and ended by saying that he needed to see Luke’s parents to tell them the sad news.

  Meredith looked back at the sheriff. “No, please. I want to tell them,” she said, swallowing hard as she leaned heavily against Mom for support. Her legs felt like two sticks of rubber, and her head began to pound, while the nausea increased.

  “Well, you can’t go alone; we’ll go with you,” Dad said, quickly embracing both Meredith and her mother.

  Mom nodded tearfully and patted Meredith’s back. “Elam and Sadie will need our support, just as you will, Daughter.”

  “That’s fine,” the sheriff agreed. “If you’d like to go there in your horse and buggy, I’ll follow in my car.”

  “I appreciate that, but it might take us awhile,” Dad said. “We shouldn’t try to go very fast in this snow.”

  “That’s okay. I don’t mind going slow on a wintry night such as this,” the sheriff said. “I’d just feel better following your rig and knowing you got there safely.”

  Fritz whined, drawing Meredith’s attention to the fact that he was sitting by the front door, as though anxious to go out. “What about the pup?” she asked, still feeling as if she were in a fog.

  “I’ll put him in the dog run. Come on, boy.” Dad opened the door, and when he stepped onto the porch, Fritz ran out behind him, bounding into the snow-covered yard.

  Meredith continued to stand there, unable to think of what to do next. She felt like she was in the middle of a dream—a nightmare, really—and couldn’t wake up. If only this were just a dream and she could wake from it and find everything as it had been before Luke left for Indiana. As she looked at her mother, Meredith could see the anguish hidden behind her pale blue eyes. This was not going to be easy on any of them.