The Storekeeper's Daughter

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  She smoothed her navy blue dress as though there might be wrinkles. “Aren’t we a bit old to be courtin’?”

  He laughed. “Ask your cousin Edna what she thinks about gettin’ old.”

  Fannie waved her hand. “I’m not askin’ Edna anything, ’cause I already know how she stands on the subject of middle age.”

  “She’s got a good attitude about things. Always positive and cracking jokes.”

  “That’s true. It wonders me that she’s never remarried.”

  “How about you, Fannie? How come you’ve not married again?”

  She shrugged. “I could ask you the same question, Abraham Fisher.”

  He chuckled. “You got me there.”

  She touched her fingertips to the sides of her hips. Hips that were a little wide, but he didn’t mind one bit. “Are you gonna say why or let me guess?”

  He gave his beard a few pulls, the way he always did when he was thinking. “The truth is, I never found anyone I thought I could love as much as my Sarah.”

  She nodded. “Same with me and Ezra.”

  He took a deep breath and decided to throw caution aside. “Here of late, I’ve been feelin’ differently, though.”

  Her dark eyebrows raised a notch. “Oh? How so?”

  “You’re bound and determined to make me say it, aren’t you, Fannie Miller?”

  “Say what?” she asked in a teasing tone.

  He reached for her hand and was glad when she didn’t pull it away. “I’ve come to care for you, Fannie. You’ve brought joy into my life and helped me learn to deal with the pain of losin’ two of my dear kinner.”

  Fannie glanced at the floor, but then she lifted her gaze to rest on him. “I feel the same way, Abraham. I enjoy your company a lot.”

  “You think it might be possible you’d consider stayin’ on here permanently so’s we could do some courtin’?”

  She held up two fingers. “I’ve already been here two months longer than I’d planned to be. I can’t expect Abby to keep runnin’ the quilt shop by herself.”

  “Why not? She’s done well in your absence, ain’t it so?”

  Fannie nodded. “Jah, but she’s had to rely on my daughter-in-law, Lena, when things have gotten real busy.”

  “Would Lena be willing to keep helping Abby—if you stayed here in Lancaster County, that is?”

  “She might. I really couldn’t say without speakin’ to her first.”

  “Will you do that, Fannie? I surely want you to stay on.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I think my kinner are rather fond of you, too, and they’d probably turn cartwheels if I was to tell ’em you were gonna stay and maybe become their new mamm.”

  Fannie’s mouth fell open, and she stood there gaping at him. “Are you sayin’ what I think you’re sayin’?”

  A trickle of sweat rolled down Abraham’s forehead and onto his cheek. Was he ready to answer that question? Should he have said anything about her becoming a mother to his children? “I—that is—if we were to court for a while, I think maybe we’d soon know if we’re ready to make that kind of commitment to one another.”

  “I agree. We mustn’t rush into anything.”

  “Right.” He leaned forward, and with no thought for what he was doing, Abraham grabbed Fannie in a hug and kissed her right on the mouth.

  She responded favorably, but when they pulled away, he noticed her face was as red as a ripe tomato.

  “Sorry for takin’ liberties that weren’t mine,” he mumbled.

  She slapped his arm lightly. “No apology needed. I rather liked it.”

  Relief flooded his soul. Maybe there was hope for the two of them to start courting. Might could be Fannie Miller would one day soon become Mrs. Abraham Fisher.

  CHAPTER 26

  Abraham took a seat in the rocking chair near the woodstove. It was quiet here in the living room, and he hoped to spend a few minutes alone in prayer. Fannie had offered to cook their Christmas dinner, and she’d arrived early this morning. Ever since then, she and the girls had been in the kitchen.

  He breathed in the aroma drifting through the house. A nice fat turkey as well as a shank of ham roasted in the oven. There would also be mashed potatoes, stuffing, creamed corn, pickled beets, chow-chow, and whatever else Fannie decided to place on the table. He had an inkling she’d brought a couple of apple-crumb pies, which he’d told her were his favorite. Yesterday, Nancy had made two pumpkin pies and one cherry cream, but unless her baking skills had improved here of late, he knew the crusts would either be burned or too tough.

  Abraham patted his stomach, anticipating the meal that would be served in another hour or so. He’d been pleased when Fannie told him her daughter wouldn’t be spending the holiday alone. Fannie had talked about returning to Ohio for Christmas, but Abby wrote and told her it would be fine if her mother wanted to be with Abraham and his family. Abby said she’d be having Christmas dinner with her brother and his wife, and she’d also mentioned she was being courted by a young man named Lester Mast, who Abraham figured might have more to do with her being okay with things as they were.

  “Seeing as how Fannie’s daughter is so happy and Fannie’s here with me and the family, it’s gonna be a much better Christmas than I’d thought it would be,” he murmured. “Only thing that could make this day better would be if Zach and Naomi were home.”

  He leaned his head back, closed his eyes, and let memories of days gone by wash over him. Two years ago, his Christmas had been the best one ever. Sarah was pregnant with Zach and excited about the prospect of being a mother to the little one who’d be born in the spring. In Abraham’s mind, he could see Sarah’s sweet face as she sat in the same chair he now occupied....

  ***

  “You want another boy to help out on the farm, or would you be just as happy with a girl this time?” she’d asked when Abraham stepped into the room.

  “I’ll be content with whatever the good Lord gives us,” he replied, bending over and kissing Sarah on the cheek.

  She patted her bulging stomach. “Sure does kick a lot, this little one. Could be a feisty child, you suppose?”

  He chuckled and took a seat on the couch across from her. “If he is, we’ll have to give him twice as many chores so he doesn’t have time on his hands to think up too many troublesome things to do.”

  “You said he.” Sarah smiled. “I suspect that you’re hopin’ for another boy.”

  He shook his head. “It really don’t matter. Just want the boppli to be healthy, that’s all.”

  “Jah, me, too.”

  ***

  “Papa, you sleepin’?”

  Abraham’s reflections came to a halt as he opened his eyes. Samuel stood facing the woodstove, his hands held out so he could warm them.

  “I—uh—was restin’ my eyes.” Abraham wasn’t about to share his deepest thoughts with young Samuel.

  “Well, I didn’t hear no snorin’, so I guess that means you weren’t really asleep,” the boy said with a snicker.

  Samuel’s my youngest boy livin’ here now, Abraham mused. His temperament isn’t nearly as easygoin’ as Zach’s, but I sure do love him.

  “How old are ya now, boy?” he asked.

  Samuel brought himself up to his full height. “Will turn nine soon, after Naomi’s birthday next month.”

  A lump lodged in Abraham’s throat. Naomi had been their New Year’s baby, born one hour after the New Year. She’d be turning twenty-one in a week, but sorry to say, she wouldn’t be celebrating the special day with her family.

  Oh, Naomi, if only I could see you again and tell you the things on my heart. I’ve sought God’s forgiveness for my mixed-up thinkin’, but I need your forgiveness, too.

  Thanks to Jacob Weaver’s godly counsel, as well as Fannie’s sweet spirit and love, Abraham had come to realize he could no longer hold Naomi responsible for Zach’s disappearance. He’d forgiven the man who took Zach, too, and that hadn’t been easy. The hardest person to forgive had been hi
mself. He’d made so many mistakes since Sarah’s death, but if God could pardon his sins, then Abraham knew he needed to forgive himself.

  Matthew 7:1 said, “Judge not, that ye be not judged.” Abraham had judged his daughter when he told God he thought Naomi might have left Zach outside with a stranger on purpose. That was wrong, and he was glad he’d finally seen the light. Only trouble was, Naomi didn’t know he’d forgiven her. In Matthew 18:21, he was reminded of the way Peter had asked Jesus how many times he should forgive someone who had sinned against him. Jesus’ reply in verse 22 was “seventy times seven.” That was a lot of forgiving, and before Naomi left home, Abraham had refused to forgive her even once.

  “Something sure smells good comin’ from in there, ain’t it so?” Samuel said with a nod in the direction of the kitchen.

  Abraham pulled his thoughts away from the past. There was no point going over things that couldn’t be changed. He had a sense of peace now, and if God allowed him to share the things on his heart with Naomi someday, he would be grateful. If not, then he prayed God would give Naomi the same feeling of peace and the knowledge she was both loved and forgiven.

  “The smells are wunderbaar schee,” he said, smiling at his freckle-faced son.

  Samuel grinned. “Jah, wonderful nice. I’m gonna eat two helpings of everything today. Fannie says I’m a growin’ boy, and she’s a mighty good cook, don’t ya think, Papa?”

  “Jah, ever so gut.”

  Samuel turned around so his back was facing the stove. “Sure is gettin’ cold outside. Me and Jake were out in the barn playing with the kittens awhile ago, and we nearly froze to death.”

  “Guess we could have ourselves a white Christmas,” Abraham said.

  “Sure hope so. I’m more’n ready to build a big snowman. Maybe a snow fort, too, so’s I can hide behind it when Jake and Norman decide it’s time for a snowball fight.”

  Abraham chuckled. Samuel could hold his own against his older brothers. He was a determined one; that was for sure.

  Samuel moved over to the living room window. “Thought I heard a car door slam. Did ya hear it, Papa?”

  “Nope, can’t say I did. ’Course the wood from the stove is poppin’ pretty good, so that might be what you heard.”

  Samuel wiped the moisture off the window and peered out. “It’s a car all right. Looks like Mavis Peterson’s station wagon. Wonder why she’d be comin’ over here on Christmas Day.”

  Abraham shrugged. “Don’t rightly know. Maybe she has somethin’ she wants to give you younger ones.”

  “You think so?” Samuel raced to open the front door before Abraham could respond. A few seconds later, the boy turned around, and his eyes were huge as pancakes. “You’ll never guess who got out of Mavis’s car.”

  Abraham craned his neck to see, but the view out the front door was out of his sight.

  “It’s Naomi, Papa! Naomi’s come home for Christmas!”

  ***

  Naomi trembled as she stepped out of Mavis’s station wagon. What if her family wasn’t happy to see her? How would she respond if Papa was still angry and blamed her for Zach’s kidnapping? That was an issue she’d been dealing with for the last few weeks—ever since a customer left her a biblical tract along with his tip. The first verse of scripture that caught her attention was from Psalm 51:3: “For I acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me.” On the back of the tract was a verse from that same chapter of Psalms, verse 10: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” That little piece of paper had been enough to make Naomi realize she needed to seek God’s forgiveness and ask for a renewed heart. Returning home to ask Papa’s forgiveness seemed like the next step to take. Besides, she was tired of the modern world and missed her family and friends here in Lancaster County.

  “It’s good to have you home,” Mavis said, breaking into Naomi’s thoughts. “Tell your family I said hello.”

  Naomi said she would and thanked Mavis for the ride from the bus station. She’d been grateful their English neighbor had agreed to come, this being Christmas and all.

  Oh, Lord, Naomi prayed silently as she made her way to the house, please give me the right words to say when I see the family ... especially Papa.

  She’d only made it to the front porch when Samuel stuck his head out the door. She thought he’d seen her and might even come out, but instead, he ducked back inside.

  Maybe I made a mistake coming home. Should I have bothered to save up my money for the long bus ride from Oregon to Pennsylvania?

  Naomi had no more time to ponder the question. A chorus of voices was hollering for her to come inside out of the cold.

  Matthew grabbed her suitcase, while Mary Ann squeezed her around the waist, and Nancy and Samuel clung to her hands. Norman and Jake stood off to one side, smiling like they were ever so glad she’d come home. She couldn’t tell what Papa was thinking, as he just stood there with his mouth hanging slightly open.

  Naomi took a tentative step in her father’s direction. “Papa, I’m sorry about everything. I don’t want to be English anymore, and I came here to beg you to let me come home.” Her vision clouded with unshed tears. “Can you ever forgive my trespasses?”

  He rushed forward, embracing Naomi and wetting the top of her head with his tears. “Oh, Naomi, my beautiful daughter, you’re more than welcome here. As far as forgiving you ... I’ve already done that, and now I’m the one who needs your forgiveness. That day in the barn, when you heard me talkin’ to God, I was just spouting off. I spoke out of pain and frustration and wasn’t thinkin’ clear. I know you’d never leave Zach alone on purpose, and I’m sorry for what I said. Will you forgive me, Naomi?”

  Overcome with emotion, Naomi could only nod. Tears coursed down her cheeks and ran onto her jacket, but she didn’t care. Papa was glad to see her. That’s all that mattered.

  Papa held Naomi at arm’s length. “Let me look at you. Oh, you’ve grown so thin.”

  She opened her mouth to reply, but everyone started talking at the same time.

  “Where have ya been?”

  “Why didn’t you write?”

  “How come you’re dressed thataway?”

  Naomi looked down at her blue jeans and heavy jean jacket. She’d wanted to wear her own clothes when she arrived home, but she no longer had any of her Plain dresses. When Naomi was at work one day, Ginny gave them to some charity organization. “If you’re going to be English, you should set aside all your Amish ways. That means getting rid of those drab dresses and ridiculous white caps you were forced to wear back in Pennsylvania,” Ginny asserted.

  “Why don’t you all come into the kitchen? Dinner’s ready, and you can visit with your sister while we eat.”

  It wasn’t until then that Naomi realized there was someone else in the room besides her and the family. A middle-aged, slightly plump Amish woman with dark brown hair and hazel-colored eyes stood off to one side. Had Papa finally hired a maad?

  Papa withdrew a hanky from his pants pocket, blew his nose, and announced, “Naomi, this is Fannie Miller.”

  Fannie stepped forward and held out her hand. “I’ve heard so much about you, Naomi. I can see how happy your family is that you came home for Christmas.”

  “Fannie is Papa’s girlfriend. We’re all hopin’ she’s gonna be our new mamm,” Mary Ann blurted out.

  Papa’s girlfriend? New mamm? So the woman wasn’t a maid at all. But where had she come from, and why hadn’t Naomi ever seen her before?

  “I met Fannie at her quilt shop in Berlin, Ohio,” Papa said. “Remember, I told you about her when I got back after goin’ to see if I could find Zach.”

  Naomi did remember. It was their first ray of hope concerning her little brother, but nothing had come of it. Fannie had told Papa she didn’t know the English couple with the little boy. Did her being here have anything to do with that? Could it be Fannie now remembered something and had come to Pennsylvania to tell Papa about it?

/>   “Fannie’s been helping at the store for the last couple months,” Papa said before Naomi could voice any questions. “She came here in early September to attend her cousin’s birthday party, and when she saw I needed help at the store, she stayed on.” He smiled at Fannie and reached for her hand. “I—uh—well—since that time, we’ve come to care deeply for each other.”

  Fearful she might topple over, Naomi grabbed the arm of the nearest chair. How could so much have happened since she left home? Papa in love? How was this possible when he’d loved Mama so dearly?

  “I’m afraid we’re bombarding her with too much too soon,” Fannie said softly. “Come, let’s go into the kitchen and eat ourselves full.”

  For the next hour, the Fishers and Fannie sat around the huge wooden table in the kitchen, eating a wonderful array of foods and visiting. For now, Naomi decided to set her feelings regarding Fannie aside and enjoy the time spent with her family. She was glad she hadn’t been baptized and joined the church yet, for if she had they would have surely shunned her.

  “Tell us where you’ve been these nearly four months,” Matthew said as he reached for another piece of apple-crumb pie.

  “Out west—in Portland, Oregon.”

  “How’d ya get clean out there?” Jake asked.

  “In Ginny Meyers’s car. She has a friend who lives in Portland, so we were able to stay with her.”

  Papa leaned forward with his elbows on the table. “Where’s Virginia now? Did she come back to Pennsylvania, too?”

  Naomi shook her head. “Afraid not. Ginny’s got a job workin’ at a fitness center in Portland, and she seems to like it there.”

  “What about her folks? They’re worried about her, ya know,” Nancy put in.

  “Ginny said she had contacted them, saying she’d decided to stay in Oregon for good.”

  Papa shook his head. “That’s not what Bob Meyers told me. He said they’d not heard a single word from Virginia since she left a note saying she was going. They didn’t even know you’d gone with her until I told ’em.”