Lydia's Charm

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “I hope so, because Josh will be very disappointed if we don’t get to go.”

  Mom headed over to the stove and removed the teakettle. “Would you like a cup of tea while you’re waiting?”

  “No thanks.”

  “I think I’ll have one.” Mom poured hot water into a cup and added a bag of chamomile tea. “I’ve been trying all day to get your grossdaadi to eat something, but he’s refused everything, saying he’s not hungry.”

  “I know how stressed that must make you.”

  “Jah.” With a heavy sigh, Mom dropped into a seat at the table. “To make matters worse, I didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  “Would you rather I not go out to supper? I can send Josh with Menno and the boys and stay home to keep an eye on Grandpa. That way you can go to bed early.”

  Mom shook her head. “I’m sure Menno’s looking forward to your company. He’s bound to be lonely now that his wife is gone.” She took a sip of tea. “Besides, Dad is sleeping right now, so after I fix myself something to eat, I’ll probably stretch out on the sofa and take a nap.”

  “Okay, but I’d really like to stay home and take care of him tomorrow so you can go to church. I know from what some of the others said a few weeks ago that it’s been some time since you were able to attend.”

  “I’ve gone a few times, when one of the other women in our community came to stay with Dad, but he seems to be getting weaker every day, and I don’t want to leave him alone.”

  Lydia glanced out the window and spotted a horse and buggy coming up the driveway. “Looks like Menno’s here,” she said, moving toward the door. “I’d better get Josh so we can go.”

  “Have a nice evening,” Mom said as Lydia slipped out the back door.

  “Sorry for being late,” Menno apologized as he helped Lydia and Josh into his buggy. “I had a little trouble getting the boys ready to go. First Dennis and Carl got trapped in the silo, and then Kevin couldn’t find his jacket.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Silly boy had it on the whole time.”

  Lydia smiled. “That’s okay. I understand.”

  “Sure is a nice evening,” Menno said as they pulled onto the main road.

  “Jah. Summer’s not far away.”

  They engaged in idle chitchat as they traveled the back road to Berlin. While Lydia and Menno visited, Josh chattered away in the back of the buggy with Carl and Kevin. The older boys were quiet, and Lydia wondered if they’d fallen asleep. But when they arrived at the restaurant, she knew they weren’t sleeping because they were the first ones to clamber out of the backseat.

  Soon after they entered Boyd and Wurthmann’s Restaurant, they were shown to a table near the window. As they waited for their waitress to come, Dennis and Ike sat with their heads together, whispering, while Kevin, Carl, and Josh giggled and chattered like a bunch of magpies.

  “Would you like to give Kevin the present we bought him now?” Lydia asked Josh as she removed the gift from the plastic sack she’d brought along.

  Josh nodded and happily handed the gift to Kevin. “Here ya go. Hallich gebottsdaag.”

  “Jah. Happy birthday,” Lydia added.

  Kevin tore the wrapping off the package and pulled out the engine of a toy train. “Danki,” he said with a wide grin.

  “Let me see it!” Dennis reached across Lydia, who sat between him and Josh.

  “Boss uff!” Menno warned, but it was too late. The boy’s hand bumped Lydia’s glass, and it toppled over, spilling water on the skirt of her dress.

  Menno frowned. “Now look what you’ve done! I told you to watch out.”

  “Sorry,” Dennis mumbled. He cast a quick glance in Ike’s direction, then handed Lydia a wad of napkins. “Here ya go.”

  “It’s all right.” Lydia blotted her skirt. “It’s only water, and it’ll soon dry.” She smiled at Menno, hoping to put his mind at ease. “I doused you with water once, so I guess tonight it was my turn to get a little wet.”

  A look of relief crossed Menno’s face, and he grinned. “I’m glad you’re such a good sport about it.”

  Their waitress came then and took their orders. As they waited for their food, Menno kept scolding his boys for whispering and poking each other, while Lydia tried to keep Josh entertained.

  Finally their meal came, and after their silent prayer, all five boys dug into the hamburgers they’d ordered. Lydia and Menno both had pork chops, which included mashed potatoes, cooked carrots, and a garden salad. For dessert, the boys had ice cream, and Menno ate a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie. Lydia passed on dessert, saying she was too full.

  On the way home, Lydia reflected on how the evening had gone. During supper, Menno hadn’t said a whole lot to her. He’d seemed too busy watching out for his boys. He hadn’t told her any amusing stories or humorous jokes and had seemed rather reserved. He was nothing like Levi, who, along with his parents, had told a host of funny stories and jokes during the Frogmore Stew supper.

  Levi’s two young brothers had been better behaved than Menno’s boys, too. While this evening was pleasant enough, last night had really been fun.

  I don’t know why I’m making such comparisons, Lydia told herself as they headed for home. I’m not giving Menno a fair chance. I’m sure he’s a lot more relaxed at home, and his boys probably behave better there, too.

  “We’re here,” Menno announced as he directed his horse and buggy up Grandpa’s driveway.

  As they drew closer to the house Lydia leaned forward in her seat and gasped. An ambulance was parked in the yard, the reflection of its red lights blinking against the side of the house.

  CHAPTER 15

  Lydia leaped from the buggy and dashed into the house. There was no sign of Mom in the kitchen or living room, so Lydia ran down the hall to Grandpa’s room. Grandpa was lying on his bed, with two paramedics bent over him. Mom stood nearby, slowly shaking her head.

  “Wh–what happened?” Lydia asked, touching Mom’s shoulder.

  “They think he’s had another stroke.” Mom’s hand shook as she swiped at the tears running down her cheeks. “This time, I’m afraid he might not make it.”

  “I’m so sorry, Mom.”

  “They’re getting him ready to go to the hospital, and I’ll need to go along.”

  “I’d like to go with you, but I don’t know what to do about Josh.”

  “He can go home with me and the boys,” Menno said, stepping into the room. “He can spend the night with us, and you can pick him up tomorrow. I’m sure Kevin and Carl would enjoy having Josh sleep in their room.”

  “That’s so nice of you,” Mom said before Lydia could respond. “I really would like to have my daughter with me.”

  “But tomorrow’s a church day,” Lydia said to Menno. “Won’t that make things hectic for you with five boys to get ready?”

  He shrugged. “I’ve been gettin’ four boys ready for church and school over the past six months, so I don’t think one boy more will make much difference.”

  Lydia contemplated the offer a few seconds and finally nodded. She just hoped that Josh would be good and wouldn’t give Menno any problems.

  “You boys go on up to the house while I put my horse in the barn,” Menno said when he pulled his horse and buggy into his yard sometime later.

  “Can we have somethin’ to eat?” Dennis asked.

  Menno frowned. “You just finished eating supper not long ago, and now you’re hungry again?”

  Dennis patted his stomach. “I’ve got room for some kichlin and millich.”

  “Me, too,” Carl said.

  The other three boys nodded in agreement and raced into the house.

  “Cookies and milk, huh?” Menno shook his head. “Sure hope they settle down before it’s time for bed,” he mumbled as he trudged through the tall grass toward the house.

  When Menno entered the kitchen, he was nearly run over by Josh and Kevin, who had removed their shoes and were racing across the kitchen floor. “Whoa! Slow down, you
two.”

  “We’re gonna get us some kichlin before my brieder eats ’em all.” Kevin whirled around so fast his elbow connected with Josh’s nose. Blood squirted out, and Josh let out an ear-piercing howl.

  Menno dashed into the kitchen and grabbed a towel. Then he wet it with water and held it against Josh’s nose.

  Josh cried so loud that Menno thought his head would explode. In the meantime, Kevin pulled a chair over to the counter and stuck his hand into the cookie jar.

  “Give me that yo-yo!” Ike hollered from the other room.

  “You said I could play with it!” Dennis shouted.

  “Did not!”

  “Did so.”

  Menno grimaced. Josh’s nose was still bleeding, so he couldn’t leave the boy alone while he dealt with the argument going on in the next room.

  Crash!

  Menno’s head snapped to the right. Kevin now stood in a puddle of milk, with broken glass scattered around his bare feet.

  “Don’t move, Kevin! Stay right where you are so you don’t get cut!” Menno placed Josh’s hands over the towel. “Hold on to this and don’t let go!”

  As Menno bent to pick up the broken glass, he wondered if he’d made a mistake agreeing to keep Josh overnight. Well, he was doing it as a favor to Lydia, so he’d just have to make the best of things and pray for the strength to get through the night.

  Guess I’d better pray for Wilbur Hershberger, too.

  Mae’s stomach clenched as she stared at her father’s pale face. He’d definitely had another stroke, and a few minutes ago, the doctor had told her that Dad probably wouldn’t survive. Mae had asked Lydia to stay in the waiting room so she could be alone with Dad to say good-bye, but she feared she might not get the chance. He could die without ever knowing the way she felt, or without them being able to make peace with each other.

  Tears trickled down her cheeks. She and Dad had never had a good relationship. Ever since she could remember, he’d been harsh and demanding. Never with Mae’s two older brothers, though. Despite Dad’s belittling words and frequent negative comparison of Mae to the mother she’d never met, she had done her best to please him. Nothing ever seemed to be good enough, though. Mae had cooked, cleaned, and helped her brothers with the chores, but Dad never even once said thanks.

  Mae’s mother had died giving birth to her, and she’d often wondered if Dad blamed her for her mother’s death, but she’d always been afraid to ask. When Mae married David and they’d moved to Wisconsin a year after Lydia was born, she’d been relieved that she didn’t have to see Dad too often anymore.

  Then, a year after David’s unexpected death, Dad had suffered his first stroke. So Mae had felt obligated to return to Ohio to take care of him. She’d hoped that her arrival might make Dad love her and appreciate the sacrifice she’d made by taking care of him. But that hadn’t happened. Instead, he’d been indifferent and uncooperative, often refusing to eat or do anything that might help him regain the use of the left side of his body.

  Only Josh had been able to get through to Dad, but Mae had been jealous when she’d seen them laughing together. She’d felt that way many times when she was a girl and Dad had joked around with her brothers. Even so, she still loved him and wanted his approval. She desperately needed it.

  Dad’s eyes fluttered, and he moaned. “Iva?”

  Mae swallowed around the lump in her throat. Iva was her mother’s name. “It’s me, Dad. It’s your daughter, Mae.” She took a seat in the chair beside his bed and reached for his icy-cold hand.

  “Mae,” he murmured in a garbled voice.

  “Jah.”

  “I—I love you, Mae.”

  More tears fell, as she gently squeezed his fingers. “I love you, too, Dad.”

  And then he was gone…slipped away into eternity. Had he made his peace with God? Would Mae see him in heaven someday? She didn’t know. Right now, she wasn’t sure about her own salvation, much less where Dad stood with the Lord.

  One thing she did know was that she needed to get on her knees and thank God for allowing her and Dad to say their good-byes. Despite the sadness over his passing and the way he’d treated her all these years, it uplifted her soul to know that he’d said he loved her.

  CHAPTER 16

  Lydia clung to Josh’s hand as they stood on the uneven ground at the cemetery next to Mom and her two brothers, Abe and Dan. It was hard watching Grandpa’s casket being set into place. It had nearly broken her heart when at the close of the funeral service this morning, Josh had asked, “Why’s Grandpa in that box, Mama? Why won’t he smile when I talk to him?” She’d explained that Grandpa had gone to heaven and someday Josh would get to see him again.

  Being at the cemetery brought back memories of the day Lydia had buried Jeremiah. She’d felt such pain and despair when her husband died but had forced herself to remain strong for Josh’s sake. Now she’d need to be strong for Mom’s sake.

  As the graveside service began, Lydia thought about Grandpa and how she’d never really gotten to know him well. Lydia and her folks had made a few trips to Ohio when she was a girl, but she couldn’t remember Grandpa ever coming to see them at their home in Wisconsin, and he’d never visited her and Jeremiah in Illinois. She’d always figured it was because he didn’t like to travel, but after the last few months of living in his house, and seeing how he often snapped at Mom, Lydia decided that he probably hadn’t visited them because he was upset with Mom for marrying Dad and moving away. While growing up in Wisconsin, Lydia had been close to her father’s parents, but they’d both passed away a few years ago. After Lydia married Jeremiah and they’d moved from Wisconsin to Illinois, she hadn’t come back to Ohio to visit. No wonder she’d never felt close to Grandpa.

  Maybe I should have made an effort to get to know him better during the time I’ve been here, Lydia thought with regret. She glanced at her uncles, Abe and Dan, and realized that she didn’t know either of them very well, either. She’d only seen them a couple of times during her childhood. She supposed that was because they both lived in Missouri and didn’t travel much because of their business, making and repairing buggies. Both brothers had blue eyes like Mom, but their hair was brown instead of blond. As Lydia recalled, Grandpa’s hair had been brown when he was younger, too.

  We should not take our families for granted, Lydia thought. We should spend more time together and get to know them well.

  She looked over at Mom. Her face was pale, and her eyes glistened with tears. Ever since Grandpa had died, Mom had been weepy, yet she seemed unwilling to talk about her feelings.

  In spite of the tension between her and Mom, they had to work things out, because Mom was going to need her in the days ahead.

  “I think we should speak with Lydia and her mamm and offer our condolences,” Levi’s mother said when they’d finished eating the meal that had been served at Wilbur’s home, following his graveside service.

  “I think you’re right,” Pop said. “But then we need to go home, because my arm’s starting to throb, and I forgot to bring my pain medicine along.”

  “That’s my fault,” Mom said. “I should have thought to put the bottle in my purse.” She looked over at Levi. “Are you coming with us to talk to Lydia and her mamm?”

  “Sure.” Levi knew he needed to offer his condolences, but after the cool reception he’d gotten from Mae the evening he’d eaten supper at her house, he felt uneasy about how she might respond to Mom and Pop. Well, it was too late to worry about that. Mom and Pop were already moving across the yard in the direction of the house. Mae stood on the porch beside Lydia, talking to some others who’d come back to the house after the graveside service.

  When Mom and Pop stepped onto the porch, Mom touched Mae’s arm and said, “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  Mae shrank back, as though repulsed by Mom’s touch.

  Levi grimaced. He remembered the few times that Mae had come into their store and how she’d avoided talking to Mom, hurrying out the d
oor as soon as she’d paid for her purchases. He had wondered if Mae was prejudiced against people who were different than her. It wasn’t the Christian way, and here, among those who were supposed to be Christians, Levi had hoped his family would find love and acceptance by everyone.

  Mom didn’t seem to be put off by Mae’s coolness, for she just smiled and said, “If there’s anything we can do for you, please let us know.”

  Mae only nodded, but Lydia smiled and clasped Mom’s hand. “We appreciate that very much.”

  “I can’t do a whole lot for you right now,” Pop said, lifting his arm, “but as soon as my cast comes off, and I’m able to use my arm again…”

  “Don’t trouble yourself. I’m sure we’ll be fine,” Mae said, cutting him off.

  A blotch of red erupted on Lydia’s cheeks. “We’ll let you know if we need anything, Harold.”

  Josh tugged on Levi’s hand. “Where’s Andy?”

  “He’s at the store today, helping my sisters.”

  “Can I come see the gees again?” Josh asked with an eager expression.

  “Of course you can,” Mom said. “Maybe we can have your mamm and you over for supper again.” She smiled at Mae. “You’re invited, too, of course.”

  “We’ll have to see how it goes.” Mae glanced across the yard. “Oh, there’s Menno Troyer and his boys.” She nudged Lydia’s arm. “Don’t you think we should thank him for keeping Josh the other night?”

  “I did thank him when I picked Josh up.”

  “Well, I want him to meet my brothers, and it looks like he’s getting ready to leave. So if we’re going to catch him it had better be now.” Mae hurried away, apparently oblivious to what Lydia had just said.

  The color in Lydia’s cheeks deepened. She was obviously embarrassed by her mother’s rudeness. “I appreciate your coming today,” she said to Mom.

  Mom patted Lydia’s arm. “Don’t forget now. Let us know if you need anything.”