The Bridge of Peace

by Cindy Woodsmall

  Someone clomped up the wooden steps. The door opened, and cold air swooshed inside as Grey entered.

  “You’re here in time.”

  “That I am.” Without looking at her, he moved to the potbelly stove.

  He hadn’t been to this building since the day Elsie died, and seeing the stress etched across his face, Lena regretted asking this favor. Grey wasn’t the same man who’d come to her school nearly eleven weeks ago. His voice was so deep and heavy with grief that it didn’t even sound like his anymore. The circles under his eyes and the way he carried himself all spoke of a heartache she couldn’t begin to understand.

  Loneliness for a future mate swept over her like a nor’easter, but she couldn’t imagine what it did to a man who’d lost his mate so very early in life.

  He held his hands over the stove. “I put the donkey out back with the other animals.” He looked around the place. “Where are all the desks?”

  “We lugged them to the lean-to.”

  Her brothers and Daed had helped her move the desks into the lean-to and cover them with a tarp before they set up church benches and tables. She and her Daed had created the props—a mock stable complete with wooden stalls, a fence, and a cattle gate. The live animals waited outside, tethered to the nearby fence.

  “This looks really … different.” He took off his hat. “You’ve gone to a lot of trouble just for a play.”

  “It’s not just a play. It’s a reminder of the birth of Christ and all that we hold dear.” Lena went to a box of goods sitting on a serving table. “So”—she got out a coffee cup and spoon and moved back to the wood stove—“will Ivan come tonight with his Grossmammi and Daadi?”

  “Ya. I’m not staying.”

  Disappointment stung, but she tried to hide it. Lifting the percolator from the wood stove, she asked, “Coffee?”

  “Ya.”

  She filled the cup and passed it to him before returning to the box. As she pulled out items and began to set the table, Grey put his mug on a bench and peeled out of his coat. “What can I help you do?”

  His offer caught her off guard.

  “The children will start arriving soon to get into their costumes.” She passed him a box filled with goodies. “I’d like to have snacks set out for their parents to munch on.”

  He began unloading the items while she set various empty containers on the table. Without another word Grey opened a bag of chips and one of pretzels.

  She tossed him a can of peanuts. “These too, please.”

  He opened them and dumped some in a couple of containers.

  She set a cake box in front of him. “Would you get the cake out and put it down there?” She pointed to the far end of the table.

  He looked at the box and pushed it her way. “You open it. I’ll put it wherever you want it.”

  “You too?” She huffed at him and opened the box.

  “I apologize, Lennie. I accused you unjustly.”

  She slid the cake his direction. “Just put it down there. There’s a candle inside the box. Stick it in the top of the cake, will you?”

  Keeping watch out of the corner of her eye, Lena took a few steps farther away from him. She’d intended to give the cake to Jonathan, and she hoped she didn’t regret changing her mind.

  As he tried to wedge the candle in place, the top of the cake popped open, and confetti sprang at him. But brightly colored paper wasn’t all that landed on him. Icing did too, and she bit her bottom lip to keep from laughing.

  He stared at her, frosting spattered across his shirt. The shock on his face struck her as hilarious, and she had to cover her mouth with both hands in order to stifle her laughter.

  Watching her reaction, he chuckled. “What’d you do that for? If I don’t eat cake, what makes you think I want to wear it?”

  She moved in closer and swiped her finger through a dollop of frosting on his shirt before placing it in her mouth. “Who doesn’t like cake?” As she feigned innocence, she was poking a little fun at her sister-in-law. The woman never remembered that Grey didn’t like cake. Never.

  “Lennie. I … I’m tellin’.”

  “You do that, Grey.” She passed him several napkins. “And we’ll see who’s sorry then.”

  “Send me out in this cold weather to do you a favor, splatter my shirt with frosting, and then threaten me?”

  “What are friends for?”

  “Clearly they’re to make you laugh. How much time did it take you to build that?”

  Her Daed walked inside and glanced at Grey. “Man, Grey, I thought you didn’t like cake. How’d you end up with it all over you?”

  “Tricked by your daughter.”

  Israel looked at her.

  Pretending complete innocence, Lena shrugged. “I have no idea what he’s talking about, Daed.”

  Her Daed poured himself a cup of coffee. “She has no idea what you’re talking about, Grey.”

  “And you believe her?”

  “Of course I believe her. If she chooses not to cook, I have to.”

  Lena choked back laughter, liking the little bit of joy she saw in Grey’s eyes. “So who are you going to tell now?”

  “You win.”

  “Wow, you give up easily. I think I like that.” Lena took a clean shirt from the huge stack of things she’d brought for tonight. She held it out to him.

  He just stood there, looking leery of taking it.

  “It’ll fit.”

  “The school’s oldest students are eighth-grade boys, so just why do you have an extra shirt with you that will fit me?”

  “Because you and Jonathan are very close to the same size, and you happen to be wearing his cake.”

  A hint of his lopsided smile worked its way into his eyes, and his countenance seemed less heavy.

  “Ah.” He motioned at the split-rail fence, manger, and hay. “What is all that?”

  “The temperature dropped, so the live crèche is taking place inside.”

  “All those animals are coming in?”

  “Sure, why not?”

  Grey looked to Lennie’s father.

  Her Daed shrugged. “You ever tried to change her mind about something?”

  Grey shook his head. “Not and been successful. I’ll just slip into a clean shirt and take a seat. This I gotta see.”

  Carrying a shoofly pie, Deborah stepped into Lena’s packed classroom. Gas pole lamps were lit and placed in various areas of the room. She shivered, almost aching with cold after her long carriage ride from Hope Crossing. Ada, Cara, and Lori were already here, having arrived in Dry Lake a couple of hours ago via a warm car.

  Jonathan had needed to come by carriage so he could return a rented horse to its owner in Dry Lake. Since Deborah’s pie hadn’t finished baking in time for her to come by car, she rode for an hour in Jonathan’s carriage, enduring freezing temperatures. It hadn’t snowed in a week, but a foot of the white stuff covered the grounds.

  Lena stood at the far end of the room, helping her scholars get into their costumes and practice their lines. She didn’t look a bit frazzled as dozens of children asked their teacher questions all at the same time. Actually … she appeared to be having a great time.

  Jonathan’s hand gently directed Deborah to step forward to allow the people behind them to get inside also.

  Grey’s parents spoke as they walked in with Ivan. The little boy quietly weaved around people, heading for the bench where his Daed sat. She’d seen Grey last week during the between Sunday when she came to Dry Lake to visit. Seeing Grey was like looking at a used, half-torn dessert box. You could tell he’d once held something good. Tonight he didn’t seem as empty or as battered as he talked with people near him, but he kept glancing at the commotion around Lena.

  “Little Debbie.” Jonathan bent down, drawing closer to her ear as he spoke softly. “Are we waiting by this door for a reason?” His warm breath smelled of peppermint, and when she looked at him to see if he was harassing her or being sincere, she saw s
omeone she didn’t recognize. He removed his hat. “What?” His voice held a bit of confusion, but his hazel eyes reflected comfortableness with her.

  Her heart turned a flip as the enormity of their friendship seemed to change shape.

  “I … I need to set this pie on the table.” While thoughts moved through her like loops of warm molasses, she worked her way through the crowd.

  For months Jonathan had helped her at Ada’s House, receiving small wages compared to the value of his skill and work hours. He’d been diligent and so much fun as they had built a business Deborah was proud of.

  He still worked for his Daed, dividing his time between Dry Lake and Hope Crossing. But he’d also begun expanding the blacksmith business to the Amish in Hope Crossing and further east of them—all areas that were nearly impossible for his Daed to get to in a day of travel from Dry Lake. Since all his blacksmith equipment was in his work wagon, and he traveled to people’s farms to shoe their horses, he spent the night at Ada’s when he worked close by. But the last few months were not her only memories of his being generous with his time. Over the years he’d always offered help whenever she needed it, just as he had for Lena.

  Jonathan came up beside her. “You feeling okay? Did you get too cold on the ride here?”

  Making space for another dessert on the serving table, she didn’t look up at him. Until this moment she’d thought no more of her relationship with him than of the ones she had with Lena, Cara, and Ada. He’d become as close to her as anyone ever had … except Mahlon.

  He cupped his hand under her elbow. “Deborah?”

  Mahlon’s closeness had been a lie. All those years he’d only pretended. Thinking about that confused her more. Who was Jonathan—a good friend or a man who’d stepped up out of loyalty and duty in order to fill the gaping hole Mahlon had left?

  She gazed into his eyes, suddenly desperate to understand the relationship between them. “What are we doing, Jon?”

  His hazel eyes reminded her of Mahlon, and she could hear what he would’ve said—We’re attending a Christmas play. Now let’s find a seat. And like the fool she’d been, she’d let him avoid her questions and hide his true self behind her love.

  A hint of uncertainty flitted through Jonathan’s eyes before a smile crossed his lips. “I’m being a friend and hoping maybe one day you’ll want more.”

  His words startled her, sending concern and shock through her. As a friend, Jonathan was safe. Dependable. And loads of fun. The truth stared at her, and why she hadn’t seen it before, she didn’t know. Whether as a friend, beau, or husband, he had plenty to offer any woman. Even in her self-absorbed ways, his qualities had been too obvious for her to be completely blind to them. But she realized a horrible thing about herself: outside the realm of friendship, she had nothing but confusion and distrust. Suspicion seeped from the wound Mahlon had left inside her. But how could she distrust Jonathan?

  She pulled off her gloves. “Why?”

  He blinked, glancing to the table for a moment as if bewildered by her question. “Why?”

  The reason for her question seemed very clear to her. What motivated him to want more? Did he feel compelled to stay by her side out of a misplaced sense of honor? He might not even realize what drew him to offer such a thing to her.

  Lena spoke loudly. “Please take your seats. If you haven’t already enjoyed some refreshments, you can do so after our play. If you have enjoyed refreshments, you may do so again … after our play.”

  He fidgeted with his hat. “Let’s talk about this when the play is over.”

  Neither of them could do anything else right now but plan to talk later. She spotted Ada sitting in the row in front of Grey. Cara and Ephraim were on one side of her, and a couple of empty seats on the other side were saved for Deborah and Jonathan. She and Jonathan walked toward them.

  She moved onto the bench next to Ada. From Ephraim’s lap, Lori waved at her. She couldn’t help but find the image totally endearing.

  When the play began, she casually turned and studied Jonathan, who remained focused on Lena and the makeshift stage. When did Jonathan begin hoping their friendship would become more? Is that what he really wanted? If so, how did she feel about him? She loved being his friend.

  “You’re staring,” Jonathan whispered without taking his eyes off the front of the room.

  Voices from the children in the play grew louder, and laughter rose and fell like wind on a blustery day, but she couldn’t focus as her heart ran wild with fear. No matter who he was, she’d lose. As a friend, he’d find a girl one day and leave her. Just the thought made her miss him. Did he truly care? After her ordeal with Mahlon, she knew she didn’t possess any way of discerning what disloyalties and lies existed in a man’s heart.

  Jonathan turned to her, his patience clearly evident. “I don’t think we should try to figure out where we are or where we’re going. It’s too soon, and we don’t need answers to our questions tonight. Or next month. Enjoy the play.”

  Boisterous laughter erupted, and they immediately shifted their focus. She didn’t know what they’d missed, but mixed in with everyone else’s chortles, she could hear Grey’s. Dozens of children in costumes, sheep, and Lena’s dog all stood inside the now half-fallen fence. She’d missed most of the play while lost in her own thoughts. Lena opened the back door, disappeared for a moment, and returned, pulling the lead to a donkey.

  The room cackled as the wind from outside blew out a couple of the gas pole lamps and hay swirled in every direction. If Lena had brought other animals inside earlier, had the lamps gone out then too? Lena tugged, but the creature stopped in the doorway, only half of him inside the building. She moved behind the donkey and pushed. “Did somebody glue her hoofs?” Her voice radiated loudly from just outside.

  Her dog barked, and the donkey jolted forward. Lena thudded to the floor. Nicky ran to her and licked her face before she jumped up, straightening her apron. Fresh laughter erupted. Lena picked up Marilyn and set her feet on a wooden crate next to the donkey’s head. Lena kept one hand on Marilyn while patting the donkey as the girl recited her lines. When the donkey relieved itself, Marilyn seemed unbothered. “And then the angel said to them …” Marilyn paused. “I smell something.”

  Everyone broke into laughter.

  Marilyn wrinkled her nose and tilted her head one way and then the other, trying to see where that aroma came from.

  “Okay, honey, what did the angel say?”

  Marilyn spoke loudly. “Then the angel …” She paused again. “You sure they had animals inside where Jesus was bornt?”

  “Ya.”

  Marilyn seemed fully aware that she’d taken over the play, but Lena kept trying to refocus her attention. These plays were always endearing, usually even a little funny, but this time people were cackling without restraint.

  The little girl held her nose with her finger and thumb. “Maybe that’s why they prayed so much back then.”

  “I know it’s why I’m praying so much right now,” Lena added. “Can you say the rest of your lines?”

  She nodded. “The angel said to them …” She paused once again. “Teacher Lena, I feel kinda sick.”

  “Me too.” Lena glanced across the room and spotted Marilyn’s parents. “Do you not have farm animals at your place, Joe?”

  The hilarity rippling through the schoolroom warmed Deborah’s heart. Lena had known the community needed this event tonight, even if the weather didn’t allow for it to be held outside. And Grey hadn’t stopped chuckling. As the play continued, so did the laughter. But by the time Lena drew the evening to a close, she had most people teary-eyed with the depth of what God had begun that night thousands of years ago.

  Lena pointed to the back of the room. “We have a lot of refreshments. Please stay for as long as you like and enjoy.”

  Jonathan continued chuckling as he stood. “Lena is as free spirited as she is an out-and-out mess.”

  “The floor is a mess,” Deborah sa
id. “And now I have to stay and help her clean up.”

  “Ya, me too.”

  “I’ll stay and pitch in,” Grey said. “And I’ll see to it Allen stays too.”

  “We’ll be done in time to get some sleep before morning then. Denki.” Deborah glanced around the room, noting all the work that needed to be done. “You sure?”

  “Ya.” Grey adjusted his shirt collar. “Jonathan, fair warning. Don’t accept any cake Lennie tries to give you.”

  Rage burned through Dwayne. How could Lena boldly stand in front of everyone unashamed of the mark God had cursed her with? He’d put a stop to her. In his time. In his own way. He folded his arms, still watching the stupid teacher as she helped the brats out of their costumes.

  In spite of the applause she’d received, she disgusted most of the folks here. He fully believed that, but she didn’t know it—going about her life like people actually cared for her. It sickened him.

  After all his effort, the bull had mauled the wrong woman. It had altered his course, but it hadn’t changed his plan.

  Twenty

  Lena moved closer, reaching for the item in Elsie’s hand, but Elsie faded into a new world, taking Lena with her. Valleys. Oceans. Deserts. They moved from place to place, but no matter where they landed, Lena couldn’t get close enough to take the item Elsie held out to her.

  Lena didn’t know what the package contained, but she knew Grey needed it. Determined to reach it, she fought her way through wind, sand, snow, and rainstorms. Weary of fighting while Elsie faded from one world to the next, Lena screamed at her, “If you want me to have it, then give it to me!”

  Elsie held out the parcel. A round of knocks vibrated the air around her, and Lena found herself somewhere between awake and asleep. The longing inside her matched nothing she’d ever felt before.

  “Lena.” Her Daed tapped on the door.

  She opened her eyes, realizing it’d all been a dream. Early morning sunlight streamed in through her bedroom windows as she tried to let go of all the emotions the dream had pumped into her.

  “Kumm.” She sat upright.