Lydia's Charm

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “Now look what you’ve done!” Mae’s hand shook as she set his glass upright.

  Josh grabbed the other cookie, hopped off the chair, and raced out of the room.

  “Come back here!” Mae ran down the hall after him, but Josh was too fast for her. He slipped into Dad’s room and quickly shut the door.

  Mae gritted her teeth. That boy deserves a good spanking.

  She jerked open the door, and when she stepped into the room, she barely noticed the smile on Dad’s face as he nibbled on the cookie Josh had given him. It angered her that Josh would disobey like he did.

  “You come with me right now!” Despite Dad’s protests, Mae grabbed Josh by his arm, pulled him out of the room, and led him back to the kitchen. Then she took a seat in a chair, put Josh over her knee, and was about to give his rear end a slap, when the back door opened and Lydia stepped in.

  When Lydia realized that Mom about to spank Josh, she was stunned. “What’s going on here?”

  Mom’s face was a mask of anger as she set Josh on the floor. “Your son has caused so much trouble today!”

  “What’s he done?”

  “He’s been noisy when I’ve asked him to be quiet; he’s interrupted me several times when I’ve been busy; he spilled milk on the table and floor; and then he ran into my daed’s room with a cookie.”

  Lydia could see how frustrated Mom was, but her heart went out to Josh, whose chin trembled as tears dripped onto his flushed cheeks. She pulled him into her arms and gave him a hug. “Why don’t you go outside and see if you can find the kittens? I need to talk to Grandma right now.”

  Josh nodded as he sniffed and swiped at his tears.

  Lydia gave his shoulders a gentle squeeze. “I’ll come out to see the kittens when I’m done talking to Grandma.”

  “Okay.” Josh shuffled across the room and went out the back door.

  Lydia turned to Mom and frowned. “Josh is only four years old. He doesn’t understand why he needs to be quiet all the time or can’t make any mistakes. I’d like for him to get to know you better, but if you keep getting upset about everything he does, or spank him for something as simple as taking Grandpa a cookie, he’ll be afraid to come near you.” She held her shaking hands firmly at her sides. “Maybe it would be best if I find somewhere else for Josh and me to live.”

  “How are you going to do that? You just started working, so there’s no way you can afford to pay rent on a house right now.” Tears pooled in Mom’s eyes and dribbled onto her cheeks. “I—I want you to stay here with me. I’m going through a lot taking care of my daed, and I need your support.” She sniffed several times. “I’m sure Josh doesn’t misbehave on purpose, and I’ll try to be more patient with him.”

  Lydia stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Mom. “We’ve both been through a lot in the last several years, and we really do need each other.” She gently patted Mom’s back. “I’ll have a talk with Josh and see if I can make him understand how important it is to be quiet in the house when Grandpa’s resting and remind him that he needs to listen and do what you say.”

  CHAPTER 6

  Friday morning had dawned warm and clear, and the grassy area where Levi sat with his youngest brother at the pond near their home felt cool and inviting.

  Zeep! Zeep! A bird called to its mate from a nearby tree. It was the perfect day for fishing, and even though Levi hadn’t wanted to leave the store, he was glad he was here.

  He thought about how Pop had strained his back last night while carrying a box full of used books Mom had decided to donate to the Care and Share secondhand store near Berlin. The poor man would probably be hobbling around for days before Mom convinced him to see the chiropractor.

  Because Pop had injured his back, he wouldn’t be working in the store today, which meant Mom would only have Peter, Selma, and Betty’s help. Levi had tried to convince Mom that he should forget about fishing and work in the store, but she’d insisted on him going and reminded him that he’d promised to take Andy.

  “Right,” Levi mumbled under his breath. “Mom’s the one who told Andy I’d take him fishing, not me.”

  Andy, who sat several feet away with his fishing line cast into the water, looked over at Levi with raised eyebrows. “Were ya talkin’ to me?”

  Levi shook his head and swatted at a pesky fly that kept buzzing him.

  “Who were ya talkin’ to then?”

  “No one.”

  “Had to be talkin’ to someone or ya wouldn’t have said anything.”

  “I was talking to myself, so don’t worry about it.” Levi cast his fishing line into the water and leaned back on his elbows. Guess I may as well enjoy this sunny day and quit worrying about how things are going at the store, he decided. When I get back this afternoon, if Mom says things were real busy this morning, I’ll give her a break and insist that she go home and rest.

  Levi and Andy had only been fishing an hour or so when Andy’s friend Raymond showed up. “When I stopped by the general store, your mamm said I’d find ya over here,” he said, flopping onto the grass beside Andy. “Can ya come over to my place and see my new haase?”

  Andy dropped his fishing pole and thumped Levi’s arm. “Can I go see Raymond’s haase?”

  Levi frowned. “You made such a big deal about wanting to fish, and now you want to take off and see a rabbit?”

  Andy shrugged. “I did wanna fish, but I haven’t caught a thing all mornin’. Think I’d rather go over to Raymond’s instead.”

  “If that’s what you want to do, it’s fine with me,” Levi said. “I’ll either go back to the store or hang around here awhile longer. I’ll come by Raymond’s place in a few hours to pick you up. How’s that sound?”

  Andy grinned. “Sounds good to me.” He grabbed his fishing pole and handed it to Levi. “You can fish with both poles if you want.”

  Levi chuckled and placed Andy’s pole on the ground. “Think I’d better concentrate on just one pole for now.” He squeezed Andy’s shoulder. “Now go on with Raymond and have fun. I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  The boys scampered off, and Levi continued to fish. As the warm sun beat down on his head, he decided it felt kind of good to take part of the day off. It felt so good he propped his fishing pole against a rock, leaned back in the grass, and closed his eyes.

  Lydia looked down at Josh as he trudged through the tall grass beside her, wearing a contented smile. She was glad she didn’t have to work today and had decided to take Josh to a nearby pond for a picnic lunch. They needed some time alone together, and Mom needed a few hours without having to deal with Josh.

  Right after breakfast, Lydia and Mom had painted the kitchen. Then, when Josh became restless and noisy, Lydia came up with the idea of taking him to the pond. After seeing how close Mom had come to spanking Josh yesterday, Lydia didn’t want to risk upsetting Mom again. Even though Mom had apologized to Josh for losing her temper, he’d been wary of her ever since. The tension Lydia felt between her and Mom was a little better since they’d had their talk yesterday, but Lydia still found herself wishing she hadn’t felt forced to move here.

  Yet it was too late for regrets. She was here, had a new job, and would make the best of her situation. Hopefully, things would go better between her and Mom, as well as Mom and Josh, and then she wouldn’t feel the need to find a place of her own.

  The sun disappeared between the cottony blanket of clouds, and Lydia feared it might rain. But then as quickly as the sun vanished, it reappeared.

  Josh tipped his head back and squinted his eyes. “I like it when God turns on His light.”

  Lydia smiled. What a way with words her little boy had. He was just like his father in that respect. Jeremiah had often said things to Lydia that took her by surprise.

  “I’m hungerich,” Josh said, tugging on her hand.

  “We’ll eat as soon as we get to the pond.”

  Josh looked up at her and grinned, and Lydia’s heart almost melted. Josh was so exuber
ant and loved being outdoors. He liked to eat, too—another trait of his father’s. She remembered how, whenever she’d made cookies, Jeremiah had always managed to snitch a handful or two. Then a short time later, he’d be back in the kitchen, asking for more.

  When the pond came into view a few minutes later, Josh took off on a run.

  Dropping her picnic basket to the ground, Lydia ran after him. “Absatz—stop! Don’t go near the water!”

  She’d no sooner said the words, when—Splash!—Josh stepped off the bank and fell into the pond.

  CHAPTER 7

  Levi’s eyes snapped open. He’d heard a splash, and then someone had screamed. When he looked to the left he was surprised to see Josh, the young boy he’d met the other day, thrashing about in the water. Josh’s mother shrieked as she raced toward the pond. Levi had to do something quick or the boy might drown.

  He jerked off his boots and leaped into the pond. With a few quick strokes, he reached out to Josh, grabbed his suspenders, and lifted him from the water. When he stepped onto shore a few minutes later, he was relieved to see that the child was breathing and hadn’t taken in too much water. Except for being thoroughly drenched, Josh appeared to be unharmed.

  Lydia dropped to her knees beside Josh and pulled him into her arms. “Thank the Lord you’re all right,” she said breathlessly as she stroked his damp head with her shaky hand.

  Levi motioned to the lightweight blanket that had fallen from Lydia’s picnic basket when she’d dropped it. “I think you’d better wrap him up in that so he doesn’t get chilled.”

  “Of course.” Lydia scooped up the blanket and bundled it around Josh’s trembling body. “I’m not a strong swimmer. If I’d jumped into the water and tried to save my boy, we might have both drowned, but if you hadn’t jumped in when you did, I certainly would have.” Tears welled in her eyes as she looked at Levi. “How can I ever thank you for saving my son’s life?”

  “No thanks needed.”

  Josh’s teeth chattered as he pointed to the picnic basket. “I’m hungerich.”

  Lydia smiled, despite the anxiety still rippling through her body. Apparently the dip in the pond hadn’t frightened Josh nearly as much as it had her. “We’d better go home and get you out of those wet clothes. We can eat lunch when we get there.”

  Josh leaned close to Lydia’s ear and whispered, “Kummt er aa?”

  “What’d he say?” Levi asked.

  “He wondered if you will come, too.” Lydia quickly added, “If you have no other plans, we’d like you to join us for lunch. It’ll be my way of saying thank you for rescuing Josh.”

  Levi pulled out his pocket watch and realized that he’d been sleeping awhile. It was almost time to get Andy. “I appreciate the offer,” he said, “but I have to pick up my little brother soon, and I’ll need to help in my folks’ store this afternoon.”

  “How about supper? Could you join us for that?” Lydia asked.

  Josh nodded enthusiastically. “Kumme. Mattsait.”

  Levi rubbed his chin a few times as he smiled at Josh and said, “I’d be happy to come to your place for supper this evening.”

  “Where’s Levi?” Nona asked when Andy entered the store that afternoon.

  “Went home to change ’cause his clothes were wet.”

  “How’d he end up with wet clothes?”

  “Said he jumped into the pond to save some bu who was gonna drown.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Concern welled in Nona’s soul. “Who was it? Is the boy all right?”

  “Levi didn’t say who it was, but I guess he’s okay.” Andy shrugged. “Think Levi would’ve said so if he wasn’t.”

  Nona’s forehead wrinkled. “Weren’t you there? Didn’t you see it happen?”

  “Huh-uh. Raymond came by the pond and invited me over to his place to see his haase. Levi said I could go, and that he’d pick me up when he was done fishin’, but when he got there, his clothes were all wet.” Andy shuffled over to the candy counter and stood on his tiptoes, peering into the glass. “Can I have some licorice, Mama? I’m hungerich.”

  “Didn’t you have lunch?”

  Andy shook his head. “Levi didn’t bring nothin’ for us to eat while we was at the pond, and I got busy playin’ with Raymond’s haase and never thought about bein’ hungerich until now.”

  “The rest of the family has already eaten, but you can find some apples and cheese in our cooler. I’d rather you eat those than candy.” Nona motioned to the other end of the store. “You can sit in the back room and eat your snack, or take it outside if you like.”

  “Okay.” Andy whistled as he scampered away.

  “Can I take a break from doing this?” Selma asked when Nona walked past the shelf she’d been stocking with scrapbooking supplies. “My back hurts from standin’ so long.”

  Nona rolled her eyes. “You’re only twelve… Too young to be having back problems like your daed.”

  Selma squinted her gray-blue eyes as she reached around and rubbed a spot on her lower back. “I may be too young, but my back still hurts.”

  Nona realized from her daughter’s serious expression that she wasn’t faking a sore back. “All right then, you can sit on the stool behind the counter and wait on customers. I’ll take over for you here.”

  “Danki, Mom.”

  “If your back still hurts by Monday, I’ll see about getting you in to see our chiropractor.”

  “Okay.” Moving slowly, as she continued to rub her back, Selma made her way to the front of the store.

  Nona began stocking the shelves and was nearly finished when Levi showed up.

  “Did Andy tell you what happened at the pond?” he asked.

  She nodded. “Only he didn’t say who the boy was who fell in the water, and he didn’t know if the boy was okay or not.”

  “The boy’s name is Josh King. Remember, when he and his mamm came into the store the other day and I told you about them moving here from Illinois?”

  “I remember. Is Josh okay?”

  “He’s fine. I got out him out before he’d taken in too much water.” Levi smiled. “His mamm was very appreciative of me saving her son’s life. Fact is, she invited me to eat supper at their house this evening.”

  “Is that so?”

  Levi gave a quick nod. “I said no at first, but the boy seemed sad, so I changed my mind.”

  “I’m glad you did. You hang around with your family way too much, when you ought to be out having fun.”

  Levi’s eyebrows drew together so they almost met at the bridge of his nose. “What’s wrong with a fellow hanging around his family?”

  “Nothing, but in my opinion, a twenty-eight-year-old man should be married and raising a family of his own by now.”

  Levi opened his mouth as if to reply, but she cut him off. “And don’t give me that old story about you having to be here to see to our needs. Your daed and I are perfectly capable of taking care of things at home, as well as raising our kinner. Even if you weren’t working at the store, we’d make out here, too.” Nona plunked down on the stool she’d used when she’d been stocking the lower shelves. “Now tell me about Josh’s mother.”

  Levi turned his hands palm up. “What’s to tell?”

  “Do you think she’s pretty?”

  Levi’s face flamed, and he quickly averted her gaze. “I…uh…really hadn’t noticed.”

  “Then how come you look so flustered right now?”

  He shuffled his feet a few times, the way he used to do when he was a boy and had been caught telling a fib. “I’m not flustered. Just don’t like being quizzed is all.”

  Nona snickered. “Whatever you say.”

  Levi lifted his gaze and narrowed his eyes. “I hope you’re not getting any ideas about me and Josh’s mother, because I barely know her and…”

  “I know. I know. You’re not interested in getting married.”

  “That’s right.” Levi turned and calle
d over his shoulder, “I’ll be outside cleaning the front porch. Thanks to me, there are muddy footprints all over it now.”

  Nona smiled. The eager look she’d seen on Levi’s face when he’d told her that he’d been invited to supper gave her some hope that despite what he’d said, he might be interested in Josh’s mother. For the last few years, Nona had been praying that her oldest son would find a good woman and settle down to marriage. A few of the young women in the area had their eye on Levi, including their bishop’s daughter Mary Rose. But so far, Levi hadn’t shown an interest in anyone. Did Nona dare hope that Lydia might be the woman who would finally capture her son’s heart?

  CHAPTER 8

  As Lydia scurried around the kitchen, preparing for their guest, her stomach did a little flip-flop. She hoped she hadn’t been too bold inviting Levi to come here for supper, but she’d wanted to do something to say thank you to Levi for saving Josh’s life. Besides, Josh was so excited about Levi coming that he was sitting on the porch waiting for him to arrive.

  “I wish you would have checked with me first before you decided to invite someone here for supper,” Mom said, opening the oven door and lifting the lid on the roasting pan. “It’s just a good thing I had this ham in the refrigerator.”

  “Sorry, but I didn’t think you’d mind.” Why was it that every time Lydia did something, Mom seemed to scold her for it? She treated her like a child instead of a twenty-six-year-old woman.

  Mom shut the oven door and turned to face Lydia. “It’s too late to worry about it now, but the next time you want to invite a guest over, I’d appreciate it if you asked me first.”

  “I doubt that I’ll be inviting a guest over anytime soon, since I don’t know many people in the area yet. But if and when I do want to invite someone, I’ll make sure that I check with you first.” Lydia hated it when Mom made her feel guilty. She’d done that so many times in the past. If Lydia had a place of her own, inviting guests over wouldn’t even be an issue. Of course, if she and Josh lived alone, she wouldn’t have invited Levi, a man she barely knew, into their home unless she’d invited someone else to join them, as well.