The Storekeeper's Daughter

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Naomi felt awful about that bit of news. At least she’d told her daed she was heading out with Ginny. Then she’d mailed him a postcard, but of course, that didn’t make up for not writing again.

  “How come you didn’t send but one postcard?” Norman asked. “Don’t ya know how worried we all were?”

  Her face heated up, and she stared down at the table. “I’m sorry about that, but I convinced myself none of the family would want to hear from me again.”

  “That ain’t true, Naomi,” Samuel spoke up. “We’ve missed ya somethin’ awful.”

  She lifted her head. “I’ve missed you, as well.”

  “Tell us what it’s like out west,” Matthew said. “Is Oregon much different than here?”

  Naomi nodded. “It rains a lot there, and Portland’s awfully crowded. I worked as a waitress in a café near Carla’s apartment, and the traffic on that street was horrible.”

  Fannie pushed her chair away from the table and grabbed several pie plates. “Naomi’s probably tired from her long bus trip, so why don’t we let her rest awhile?”

  Papa stood, too. “Fannie’s right. Naomi, why don’t you go upstairs and take a hot bath, then climb into bed? Tomorrow we can hear more about your adventures in the English world.”

  Naomi could hardly believe this was the same father she’d left a few months ago. He wasn’t harsh or yelling at anyone. He didn’t seem distant or irritable. He had said earlier that he’d forgiven her and asked for forgiveness in return. Something had happened to Papa since she’d been gone, and she had a feeling it had a lot to do with Fannie Miller.

  Naomi picked up her plate and a few others, then hauled them over to the kitchen sink.

  Fannie smiled and shooed her away. “Nancy and Mary Ann can help do the dishes. Why don’t you go upstairs like your daed suggested?”

  “Jah, maybe I will. I am kind of tired.” Naomi started for the door leading to the stairs, but she turned back around. “Has there been any word on Zach?”

  “Nothing a’tall,” Nancy said. “I don’t think he’s ever comin’ home.”

  Papa moved across the room and opened one of the cupboard doors, then reached up and withdrew a newspaper. “That’s not entirely true. We have had some word.”

  Anticipation welled within Naomi’s chest. “What do you mean?”

  “When Fannie came for her cousin’s party, she stopped by the store to give me this.” He walked over to Naomi and handed it to her.

  “ The Budget? Fannie gave you a copy of the newspaper?”

  He nodded. “Read what I’ve highlighted, right here.”

  Naomi studied the part where Papa’s finger lay, the section he’d colored with a yellow highlighter pen. By the time she’d finished reading the notice, her heart was pumping extra hard. “This has to be Zach.” She looked up at her father. “You think it’s him, don’t you, Papa?”

  He nodded. “I do.”

  “Then the man who took him must have placed this notice.” A ray of hope seeped into Naomi’s soul, and she squeezed her eyes shut in prayer. “Let it be Zach, Lord. May this be the tool that leads us to him.”

  “I called The Budget as soon as I saw the ad,” Papa said, “but they had no information to give me.”

  Naomi’s hopes were dashed as quickly as they had soared. She blinked back tears. “All this tells us is that Zach’s with someone, but we don’t know who. Not very good news if you ask me.”

  “But it says Zach is okay and being well cared for,” Papa said in a calm voice. “Somewhere out there among the English your little brother is living, and even though I still miss him terribly, this ad in The Budget is something to hold on to, don’t you think?”

  “I—I guess so.”

  “Even if we never see Zach again, at least we have the assurance he’s not hurt or anything.”

  She nodded.

  “I think this notice is an answer to prayer.” Papa smiled, despite the tears in his eyes. “Our little boy is spending Christmas Day with someone who cared enough to place the ad so we wouldn’t worry. Even though we don’t know where Zach is, I feel peace in my heart about it.” He nodded at Fannie. “I’ve come to believe, thanks to Fannie and Jacob’s good counsel, that God will use this whole thing to bring something good for our family.” He took Naomi’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “He brought you home, and that’s one good thing. If He can give us a Christmas miracle like that, I’m gonna trust Him where Zach’s concerned, too.”

  Naomi marveled at the peace she saw on her father’s face. If he could rely on God like this, maybe she could, as well. He’d brought her home again, and Papa was right, it was like a Christmas miracle.

  She handed the newspaper back to him. “I’ll see you in the morning, for we’ve surely got a lot more catchin’ up to do.”

  CHAPTER 27

  “Naomi! Are you up?” A child’s high-pitched voice, followed by the sound of determined knocking, roused Naomi from her sleep. Groggy and disoriented, she rolled over in bed, noticing a ray of light streaming through a hole in the dark window shade.

  “Naomi?”

  “Jah, I’m awake.” Naomi recognized Nancy’s voice and realized this wasn’t a dream. She was home in her own comfortable bed. A renewed sense of joy flooded her soul as she burrowed deeper into the feather pillow she had missed for too many nights. It was much softer than the flat, lumpy pillow she’d slept on for the last several months. The heavy quilt that covered her was warm and invited Naomi to linger awhile. Even the pungent aroma of kerosene from the lantern she kept near her bed was comforting. How she’d missed this familiar room, their big drafty house, and especially the family whom she had never stopped loving.

  “You comin’ downstairs soon?” Nancy asked. “Or do ya want me to get started on breakfast without you?”

  With great effort, Naomi sat up. She glanced at the clock on her dresser and grimaced. This was her first morning home, and she’d slept later than she had planned. “I’ll be there as soon as I’m dressed,” she called.

  “See you in the kitchen.” Naomi heard her sister’s footsteps pad down the hall, and she smiled. Outside, the old rooster crowed raucously. These sounds were a lot more pleasing than the loud music Carla used to play every morning or the noisy cars that whizzed by in front of their apartment.

  Naomi climbed out of bed and headed for the window. Lifting the shade, she peeked out. The ground below was covered with a blanket of radiant white. If more snow came, there would soon be bonfires, sledding, and sleigh rides. Courting couples in their community would be having all kinds of fun.

  Naomi’s thoughts went immediately to Caleb. Had he found someone to court during her absence? She couldn’t blame him if he had. After all, Naomi had told Caleb on several occasions not to wait for her and to look for someone else. She’d often reminded him that as long as she was responsible for her family, there was no chance for them to court.

  Naomi shook her head . Leaving the way I did probably told Caleb I had no interest in him. Naomi had never allowed herself to give in to the feelings she’d had for Caleb ever since they were kinner. There was no point in leading him on when they had no future together.

  She blinked away sudden tears. Naomi hadn’t written to Caleb even once while she was away, even though she’d been tempted to. “There was a good reason for that,” she mumbled. Besides not wanting to give Caleb hope that she might care for him, Naomi had convinced herself she would never return to Pennsylvania. Until she’d found the tract left by a customer at Jasper’s Café, she had given up hope of ever reconciling with God, herself, and especially Papa.

  Has Caleb thought about me or missed the times he used to come into the store and talk to me when we were alone? She shivered against the cold and hugged herself. Caleb deserves to be happy, so if he did find someone while I was gone, I’ll make an effort to set my feelings for him aside and share in his joy.

  Tap. Tap. There was another knock on the door. “Naomi, are you in there?�
�� This time it was Mary Ann calling to her.

  “I’m about to get dressed. I’ll be down in a few minutes.”

  Naomi knew there was no more time for reflections. Her family was waiting for breakfast, and she needed to hurry and see that it was on the table. “At least some things haven’t changed ’round here,” she said with a shake of her head. “But that’s all right. I’m just mighty glad to be home.”

  ***

  Jim jerked the pillow over his ears in an attempt to drown out the shrill cry of their fussy child vibrating through the intercom. Yesterday, since it was Christmas, they had allowed Jimmy to stay up later than usual, playing with his new toys. Now Jim was paying the price for that decision. Linda’s folks had come for the holidays, and all day, Jimmy had been passed from Grandma to Grandpa and back again. Between them and Linda, the kid was spoiled rotten. He’d received way too many gifts, eaten far too much junk, and had been up running around when he should have been sleeping.

  When Jim heard Linda slip out of bed, he groaned. “What time is it?”

  “Three in the morning,” she whispered. “Jimmy’s crying again.”

  “I’m well aware of that. The kid’s been screaming every hour on the hour since he went to bed at eleven. Probably has a stomachache from all the candy he ate.”

  “Go back to sleep, honey. I’ll tend to him.”

  Jim only grunted in response. If he didn’t have to get up for work in three hours, he might not care about lost sleep or a screaming child in the room down the hall.

  Jim had just dozed off again when he heard a familiar sound.

  “Da-Da-Da.”

  When he rolled over and sat up, Jim could see Linda’s silhouette at the foot of the bed. She had Jimmy in her arms.

  “What’s he doing here?”

  “I couldn’t get him to settle down, so I thought he could sleep with us.”

  “That’s not a good idea, Linda.”

  “Why not?”

  “I’ve got to get a few hours’ sleep before it’s time to get ready for work.”

  “Which is exactly why I brought the baby into our room.” She moved to her side of the bed, placed Jimmy between their two pillows, and crawled in beside him.

  Jim turned on his side toward the wall. If this didn’t work out, he might have to sleep on the couch.

  “Da-Da.”

  “Yeah, right. Go to sleep, Jimmy. Da-Da needs his rest.”

  Jim had no more than closed his eyes when he felt a small foot connect to his ribs. “Ouch!”

  “What’s wrong, honey?”

  “The kid’s kicking me.”

  “Jimmy, no-no,” Linda said sweetly.

  Another jolt with the boy’s toes.

  Jim moaned. “Can’t you move him to the other side of the bed?”

  “He might fall out if he’s not between us. Close your eyes and try to sleep.”

  “Ma-Ma-Ma! Da-Da!” A small, wet hand touched Jim on the back, and he jerked away.

  “Take the boy back to his own room, Linda.”

  “He’s lonesome, Jim. After the excitement of yesterday and being the center of attention, he needs us.”

  “And I need my sleep!”

  “There’s no reason for you to yell. You might wake Mother and Daddy.”

  “If they’re not already awake, it’s a miracle,” he grumbled.

  “You don’t have to be sarcastic.”

  “I’m just stating facts.”

  “Our first Christmas with Jimmy was wonderful, wasn’t it?” she asked, changing the subject.

  “It was great.”

  “Wasn’t it cute when the baby tried to give his bottle to the teddy bear my folks got him?”

  “Yeah, real cute. Jimmy shouldn’t be taking a bottle anymore.”

  “I think he still needs it. It offers him comfort.”

  “Then why isn’t he taking one now?”

  “I tried that, but he wasn’t interested. He’s probably full.”

  “Uh-huh.” Jim’s breathing slowed as the need for sleep overtook him.

  Whap! Jimmy’s clammy little hand slapped the side of Jim’s head.

  He bolted upright. “That’s it. I’m putting the hammer down.”

  “The hammer? Jim, what on earth are you talking about? Are you having a bad dream?”

  “No, it’s more like a nightmare.” Jim jumped out of bed, swooped Jimmy into his arms, and stumbled for the door.

  “Where are you taking my baby, and what’s all this about a hammer?” Linda shouted.

  He halted and turned toward the bed. “My dad used to say he was putting the hammer down whenever he made up his mind to take control of a situation. So I’ve decided it’s time for me to do the same, because this whole thing is totally out of control.”

  “I don’t understand why you’re so upset.” Linda’s voice shook with emotion, but he wasn’t going to give in. Not this time. He’d done it too much in the past, and where had it gotten him? Jim usually took the easy way out, opting not to answer his cell phone when he knew it was Linda calling or sleeping on the couch when she was determined to bring Jimmy to bed with them. He was putting the hammer down once and for all, and it was going to stay down this time!

  ***

  “Naomi, there was really no need for you to come in this mornin’,” Abraham said as she moved around the store, lighting the gas lanterns. “I figured you’d want to stay home and get caught up on your rest.”

  She shook her head. “I want to be here, Papa. I’ve missed helpin’ you, and it’s a lot nicer workin’ at our store than waiting tables at a crowded, noisy restaurant.”

  “I doubt we’ll have many customers today, what with it bein’ the first Monday after Christmas and all.” He nodded toward the closest window. “Besides, it’s snowing like crazy, and folks aren’t likely to brave the storm just to come into our store.”

  She smiled at him. “Then why’d we open at all today?”

  “Out of habit, I guess.” He chuckled, then shrugged. “Never know when someone might have a real need for somethin’.”

  “That’s true. I remember last winter when it got so cold that folks were comin’ in here to buy kerosene for their lanterns, woolen scarves, hats, and gloves. We sold plenty of snow shovels, too.”

  “Good point. Which is exactly why I felt I couldn’t close the store today.”

  “When did you start selling quilts, Papa?” Naomi asked, as she fingered a stack of colorful coverings on the shelf a few feet away.

  “Those are Fannie’s. She made them, and I suggested she try selling ’em here.” Abraham put the OPEN sign in the door window and grabbed the broom. “It wonders me so the way this place can get so dirty. Sure wish folks would learn to wipe their feet before comin’ inside.”

  Naomi left the quilts and came to stand at his side. “Mind if I ask you a personal question?”

  “Ask away.”

  “Just how serious are you and Fannie?”

  He stopped sweeping and turned to face her. “I’m hopin’ to ask her to marry me soon.”

  Naomi’s mouth fell open. “I never thought you’d marry again. You and Mama—well, I know how much you loved her.”

  “I did, and there will always be a spot in my heart for her. You can’t live with someone over twenty years and not keep that love in here.” He placed his hand against his chest.

  “Do you love Fannie more than Mama?”

  Abraham’s throat constricted. The way he felt was hard to describe. He scuffed the toe of his boot against the floor. “What Fannie and I have is special. I won’t deny it. As far as lovin’ her more than your mamm—I don’t think I could ever love anyone more than Sarah.” He shook his head. “Maybe the same, but in a different way. Does that make sense to you?”

  Naomi nodded, and her dark eyes filled with tears. “I—think so, Papa.”

  He set the broom aside and gave her a hug. “It’s so gut to have ya home, Daughter. I surely did miss you.”

  “I
missed you, too.”

  Abraham was going to say more, but the front door opened, and Fannie stepped into the room.

  “Gude mariye,” she said with an easygoing smile. “Sure is nasty out there.” The top of Fannie’s black bonnet was covered with white flakes, and Abraham was sorely tempted to brush them away.

  Instead, he returned her smile and said, “Didn’t expect you’d be in this mornin’, what with the snow and all.”

  She waved a hand. “Wouldn’t let a little bad weather keep me from comin’ to the store when I figured you’d be here all alone.”

  He nodded toward Naomi. “Couldn’t persuade her to stay home and rest up today.”

  Fannie removed her heavy shawl and bonnet and hung them on a wall peg. “Knowing Matthew, he’d probably have been grateful to give you the job of babysitting after school,” she told Naomi.

  Naomi’s forehead wrinkled. “Matthew’s been watchin’ the kinner while I was away?”

  “Only after school and on Saturdays,” Abraham explained. “Nancy does most of the cooking and cleaning these days, but Matthew’s good at keepin’ the peace when the younger ones start scrappin’.”

  Naomi smiled. “Jah, I know how that can go.”

  Fannie cleared her throat. “Abraham, I was wonderin’ if I could talk with you a minute—in private.”

  He glanced over at Naomi. “Would ya mind waitin’ on any customers who might come into the store?”

  “I’d be happy to, Papa.”

  Abraham took hold of Fannie’s arm and led her to the back of the building. They stopped in front of a rack full of seeds and gardening supplies. “What’s up?” he asked.

  She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, kind of nervouslike. “I’ve been thinking that since Naomi is home now, maybe I should head on back to Ohio.”

  He stood there for several seconds, feeling numb and not knowing how to respond. “You want to go?” he finally mumbled.

  She stared at the floor. “I’ve been gone for several months now, leaving Abby on her own at the quilt shop.”