The Selfless Act

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “It’s good to know Scott’s home from the hospital now and is doing quite well,” Elsie said, deciding they needed a change of subject.

  Aunt Verna cupped one hand around her ear. “Did you say something about Scott and a bell?”

  Elsie cleared her throat as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “No, I said, ‘It’s good to know Scott’s home from the hospital now and is doing quite well.’”

  “Jah. That boy gave us all quite a scare.”

  Uncle Lester entered the living room empty-handed. “Where’s the coffee you went after?” John asked.

  “I sat at the kitchen table and drank it,” he replied. “Wanted to read The Budget and see if any of the scribes from our home area had written anything interesting.”

  John quirked an eyebrow. “Did they?”

  “Nope. At least nothin’ I thought was interesting.” Uncle Lester took a seat on the couch beside John. “It was mostly about the weather and who the visiting ministers were at their last church service.”

  The topic of church made Elsie realize that, as long as they lived in Dad’s house, they’d go to every-other-week services in his district, rather than their own, since it was much closer. Once the weather improved, they would visit their own church district whenever possible.

  “What did you say, Lester?” Aunt Verna called from across the room.

  He flapped his hand. “Nothing, Verna. It’s not worth mentioning.”

  “You must have thought whatever you said was worth mentioning, or you wouldn’t have said it. I wish you’d speak a little louder and slower when you talk. Sometimes I can’t keep up, because you talk too fast.”

  Uncle Lester glanced at Elsie and lifted his shoulders in a brief shrug. Then, speaking slow and loud, he repeated what he’d first said.

  The knitting needles Aunt Verna held clicked noisily. “I always find it interesting to read about what other people are doing. Every little detail is fascinating to me.”

  “You would say that. Maybe you ought to see about becoming one of the scribes. Then you could write whatever you want.”

  Aunt Verna looked at Lester and wrinkled her nose. “I’m not a writer; I’m a reader.”

  Just then, Mary burst into the room. “Hope tripped and fell over something. Now she has a bloody nose.”

  Elsie groaned.

  “It’s okay. Stay where you are.” John rose to his feet. “I’ll take care of it.”

  Elsie leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She hoped things would go better in the coming year.

  Akron, Ohio

  “Happy New Year! It’s so nice you could join us for dinner today,” Kristi’s mother said when their new youth pastor, Darin Underwood, entered the house.

  He smiled and handed her a bottle of sparkling cider. “After last night’s New Year’s Eve party with the teens at church, it’s nice to be someplace where it’s a little quieter.”

  Mom motioned toward Kristi. “You remember my daughter, don’t you?”

  Darin nodded before stuffing his gray gloves into his coat pockets. “It’s nice to see you again, Kristi.”

  “It’s good to see you, too.” Kristi blinked a few times and smiled. “Can I take your jacket?”

  “Sure. Just give me a sec.” He removed his jacket and gave it to Kristi.

  After hanging it in the hall closet, she led the way to the living room, where Dad sat reading the newspaper.

  “Glad you could make it.” Dad rose from his seat and shook Darin’s hand. “JoAnn and Kristi made pork and sauerkraut for dinner. Sure hope you like it.”

  “It’s a recipe I got from an Amish cookbook I bought before Christmas,” Kristi said.

  Darin sniffed the air. “So that must be what I smell. It’s hard to hide the tangy odor of sauerkraut.”

  “I hope you’re not opposed to eating it.” Dad gestured to the kitchen. “My wife should have asked ahead of time if your taste buds lean toward sauerkraut.”

  “I’m fine with it. Whenever I get a hot dog and sauerkraut’s available, I always put some on.” He wiggled his brows. “Think I could eat a good hot dog every day.”

  Kristi cringed. She preferred having variety in her diet. The idea of eating the same meal every day made her nauseous. If their new youth leader wasn’t joking about being able to eat a hot dog every day, then his eating habits apparently didn’t lean toward the healthy side of things. After Dad told Darin to take a seat, she excused herself to help Mom.

  “Come here, Kristi,” Mom whispered when she entered the kitchen. “Darin’s cute, isn’t he? Did you see how his blue eyes lit up when he first came in and saw you?”

  Kristi lifted her chin toward the ceiling, gazing at a small strand of cobweb hanging over them that Mom must have missed the last time she cleaned. “He’s probably glad to have been invited for a free meal. A healthier one than he normally eats, I might add.” She lowered her voice. “I have a feeling Darin lives on junk food.”

  “What are you basing that on?”

  “He told Dad he likes hot dogs and could eat one every day.”

  “I’m sure he was only kidding.” Mom tapped Kristi’s shoulder. “You really should get to know the man before you judge his eating habits.”

  Wanting to change the topic, Kristi gestured to the stove. “Should I start dishing things up so we can eat?”

  “That would be good. While you’re doing that, I’ll light the candles on the dining-room table.” She smiled at Kristi. “Candlelight adds a little romance to any meal.”

  After her mother left the room, Kristi released a sigh. She hoped Mom hadn’t set this dinner up in an effort to play matchmaker. From the few times Kristi had spoken with Darin, he seemed nice enough. But she wasn’t sure about beginning a new relationship with any man. Besides, she didn’t know if Darin was even interested in her.

  As they sat around the table a short time later, eating pork roast, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, green beans, and fruit salad, Kristi found herself comparing Darin to Joel. It wasn’t a fair thing to do, since her relationship with Joel was over, but she couldn’t seem to help it. Darin’s hair was blond, and his eyes were deep blue. Joel’s brown eyes matched his dark wavy hair. But it wasn’t their appearances she reflected on. It was the difference in their personalities. Darin was a jokester and had already told more corny jokes since they’d sat down to eat than Kristi had heard in the last year from other sources. While being “Mr. Funnyman” may go over well with the youth at their church, Kristi found it a bit annoying. Joel had a sense of humor, too, but he’d never spouted off one joke after another and then laughed at his own wisecracks the way Darin had been doing today. Mom certainly thought he was funny. She’d chuckled after and even during every one of his jokes. Was she only being polite, or did she really think he was that funny?

  Kristi glanced over at Dad. He seemed engrossed in eating and had left most of the chatting up to Mom and Darin during the meal. Kristi, too, had been rather quiet; but then, it was hard to get in a word with Darin monopolizing much of the conversation.

  When they finished eating, Kristi excused herself to clear the table. Mom joined her in the kitchen a few minutes later. “Darin is sure humorous, isn’t he?” Mom snickered. “The joke he told about the farmer who lost his chicken was so funny. I’m glad we invited him today. We all needed a good laugh.”

  Kristi silently opened the dishwasher and put the glasses inside.

  Mom began rinsing the plates before handing them to Kristi. “I think Darin likes you, dear. Didn’t you see the way he kept smiling in your direction?”

  She shrugged.

  “How do you feel about him?” Mom passed Kristi the bowl she’d rinsed.

  “I don’t know Darin well enough yet to say for sure, but so far I’m not feeling any chemistry between us.”

  “Give it some time. Once you get to know each other better, your feelings could change.” Mom bumped Kristi’s arm. “I wasn’t immediately attracted to your father, either, but
after we dated awhile, he sort of grew on me.”

  Kristi tapped her foot impatiently. “Darin and I are not dating, Mom.”

  “But you could be. Would you go out with him if he asked?”

  “I don’t know—maybe.”

  Mom’s lips lifted at the corners as she rinsed some of the silverware. “I bet he will ask you soon.”

  “We’ll see.” Kristi continued loading the dishwasher. If Darin told more jokes while they ate dessert, she might look for an excuse to go home early.

  Joel stared out the living-room window at the snow still on the ground. Even though most of the roads had been cleared, he’d only been driving his work truck to get around. As much as he wanted to take the Corvette out for a spin, he wouldn’t chance crashing it during the snowy season. Besides, if he took the car out on the roads, it would probably be filthy by the time he came home. Slush and mud seemed to be everywhere now that some of the snow had melted.

  He looked up at the gray sky and wondered when the next snowstorm would arrive. From what he’d heard on a recent weather forecast, the next few days would be rain and clouds, but another snowstorm might follow.

  Bored, Joel flopped onto the couch and turned on the TV. One of the channels was airing a show based on a romance novel. The male and female leads sat on a couch, kissing. The young woman had auburn hair, which reminded him of Kristi.

  I wonder what she did to ring in the New Year. Has she found someone new and started dating again? He thought about last year and how much fun he’d had with Kristi as they celebrated the New Year. They’d talked about their hopes and dreams for the future and discussed wedding plans, even though they hadn’t set a date.

  Joel picked up his cell phone and scrolled down to her number, fighting the urge to call. If I did, she’d probably ignore it, and I’d end up talking to her voice mail, like all the other times I’ve called since she broke up with me. It didn’t take a genius to know Kristi had made a clean break. However, a place in Joel’s heart hoped she would change her mind and give him another chance. Once I’ve done a selfless act that’s acceptable to my sisters and Aunt Verna, maybe Kristi will see me in a different light.

  He closed his eyes, picturing her pretty face. If I could only see her again, even from a distance, it might give me a ray of hope.

  Forcing his contemplations to go in a different direction, Joel thought about the Christmas presents he’d bought for his sisters and their families. He had left them with Aunt Verna before he and Elsie had gone to the hospital to see about Scott but never heard a word about whether anyone liked what he’d gotten them. So much for my sisters and aunt seeing the gifts as a selfless act. I’m gonna have to come up with something better than that. My bank account’s shrinking, and I need money soon.

  CHAPTER 3

  Charm

  The house seems quiet, doesn’t it?” John asked as he and Elsie sat on the living-room sofa, eating popcorn and drinking hot cider Monday evening. The fire popped and danced behind the grate, giving off warm, welcoming heat and cozy light.

  “Jah. During the holidays there’s so much preparation and getting together with family and friends. Now we get to settle back and reflect on the moments, since most everything has calmed down.” She took a sip from her mug. The cider was nice and tangy. For the first time since their house had caught fire, she felt herself relax a bit. It was good to sit with her husband and visit. The children were upstairs in bed—even Blaine and Glen, who both had to get up early for work tomorrow morning. Aunt Verna and Uncle Lester returned to their own home early this afternoon, so Elsie had moved her and John’s things to the downstairs master bedroom. Their sons said earlier it would be nice they didn’t have to share a room anymore. It wasn’t that the young men didn’t get along; they both needed their own space.

  Elsie remembered when she and Arlene once shared a bedroom in this house. It had been all right when they were young girls, but after they’d become teenagers, a few conflicts arose, despite their closeness. When John built the house he and Elsie lived in after they were married, he’d made sure there were plenty of bedrooms. It had been nice for each of their children to have their own room. Here, with only three bedrooms upstairs, Hope and Mary had to share a room. So far they didn’t seem to mind, but if they lived here much longer, the girls might start fussing with each other, the way Elsie and Arlene used to do.

  “You’re awfully quiet.” John touched Elsie’s arm. “Are you feeling mied tonight, or is something wrong?”

  “I’m reflecting on the past, and wondering how long our girls will get along if they have to keep sharing a bedroom.”

  “We’ll rebuild as soon as we can.” He refilled his bowl with more popcorn from the larger bowl on the coffee table. “If we had your inheritance, we could begin as soon as the weather improves.”

  Elsie looked down at her hands. “There’s nothing I can do about it, John.”

  “Maybe your aunt would concede and let you open your envelopes now. We could all use the money—even Joel.”

  Blinking rapidly, she turned to face him. “Do you think Dad would have put such a perplexing provision in his will if he didn’t have a good reason for it?”

  “I…I don’t know, Elsie. Your daed wasn’t like most people I know. He had some unusual habits and saw and did things a bit differently than most. I doubt he thought of the impact it will have on you, Arlene, and Doris if Joel doesn’t come through.”

  “You’re right, but Dad cared about his family and wanted the best for each of us. He must have believed Joel would eventually meet the requirements set forth in the will.”

  “I’m not sure he ever will.” John laced his fingers together. “If your daed wanted the best for his daughters, then he would have allowed you to open your envelopes and acquire whatever he had in mind for you. By making you wait till Joel does an act of kindness…”

  “A heartfelt, selfless act,” she corrected.

  “Jah, okay. Anyway, by making you wait till then, it’s as though you, Arlene, and Doris are being punished for your bruder’s selfishness.” He crossed his arms. “If you want my opinion, only Joel should have to wait to open his envelope until he does the proper deed.”

  Elsie didn’t admit it to John, but she’d thought the same thing numerous times since they’d discovered Dad’s will in his freezer. Even so, it wouldn’t be right to go against the stipulation he’d set forth so she could have her share of whatever Dad had left for her. She leaned her head on her husband’s shoulder and closed her eyes. “It’ll work out in God’s time. We just need to be patient.”

  Farmerstown

  Arlene pulled the pins from her bun and began brushing her long, silky hair. She glanced at the mirror hanging on the bedroom wall and noticed the dark circles under her eyes. After all the lost sleep she’d had during Scott’s ordeal, she still didn’t feel caught up on her rest, so she’d decided to go to bed earlier than usual tonight. An inspirational novel lay on her nightstand that she’d started to read but put on hold. It would be nice to do some leisure reading before drifting off to sleep this evening.

  The children were already in bed, and Larry had gone out to the barn a short time ago to check on one of their cats that had been in a fight the other day and ended up with an abscess on its head. Her husband had always given their animals good care. Not like the person Arlene had read about in the paper the other day, who’d lost two of his horses because he’d neglected them.

  Such a shame, she thought, remembering how well her dad had taken care of the horses he’d raised. Dad may have been a bit eccentric, but he never neglected his animals or children.

  She moved over to stand by the window. It was a clear, starry night, with no snow in sight. Arlene sighed, twisting her fingers around the ends of her hair. The old year had ended on a frightening note, but a new year was beginning, and she hoped things would improve.

  Thankfully, Scott was feeling better; although he wouldn’t be allowed to return to school for at le
ast another week. Arlene wasn’t taking any chances with her son’s life. Too many germs could be passed around at school, and Scott’s immune system wasn’t as strong as it should be yet.

  In addition to her concern for his health, Arlene worried about the hospital bills that would soon be coming in. With only Larry working to provide for their needs, she won dered if she ought to seek employment. Maybe I could get a job waitressing at one of the restaurants in Charm, she thought. I probably wouldn’t make a lot, but at least it would be something to help out.

  “Didn’t you say you were going to bed?” Larry asked, entering the room.

  She turned from the window to face him. “I am.”

  “Then how come you’re standing in front of the fenschder?”

  “I was thinking.”

  He smiled, moving to stand beside her. “I hope they were good thoughts.”

  “Some were. Some not so good.”

  “Is it something we should talk about?”

  Arlene nodded and lowered herself to the end of the bed. When Larry joined her there, she instinctively clasped his hand. “I’m grateful Scott’s okay, but I’m worried about our finances.”

  “We’ve had money issues before and come through it.” He pointed to the Bible lying on the table next to his side of the bed. “God has always provided for us.”

  “Jah, but maybe He expects us to do something, too.”

  “Like what?”

  She released his hand, rocking back and forth with her arms folded. “What would you think of me getting a job? Maybe I could work at one of the nearby restaurants.”