Amish White Christmas Pie

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “Could it wait until this evening? Mavis can’t work this afternoon, so I’m going to need your help in the store for the rest of the day.”

  “But Cindy’s working today. Can’t you do without my help for an hour or so this afternoon?”

  “Normally I could, but your daed has an appointment with the chiropractor at three o’clock, and Cindy’s going with him because her neck’s been hurting.”

  Karen shrugged. “I guess if Cindy and Dad need to see the chiropractor this afternoon, then I’ll wait until after supper to see Will. I want to get some things resolved between us before we have a misunderstanding that could ruin our plans to get married.”

  As Will helped Papa Mark herd the cows from the pasture to the milking barn, he continued to fume over seeing Leroy at Das Dutchman with Karen. He’d been so upset when he left the restaurant that he’d forgotten all about getting any baked goods to bring home. He just couldn’t figure out why Leroy hung around Karen so much if he had no interest in her romantically.

  “You seem preoccupied,” Papa Mark said as they approached the milking barn. “Is something bothering you?”

  A dark gray cat darted out of the barn, and another cat followed. The first cat zipped under one of the cows. As Papa Mark bent down to shoo away the cat, the cow let out a raucous moo and kicked out her back leg.

  Papa Mark groaned and dropped to the ground in a heap.

  Will gasped and rushed forward. “Are you okay?”

  Papa Mark lay quiet and unmoving.

  Will’s heart pounded in his chest. He had to get help for Papa Mark!

  CHAPTER 18

  Regina sat in the hospital waiting room feeling done in and discouraged. She stood up and began to pace. I wish Will was here. I feel so alone.

  Will had said he would come as soon as the milking was done, and she knew that job couldn’t wait. But it had been hard to come to the hospital without him and wait by herself while Mark was being examined. When Will had come to the house and told her about the accident, Regina had rushed to the phone shed to call for help.

  She walked to the window and peered out at the night sky. How thankful she felt that her husband was still alive. Many weren’t so fortunate. Just last year, Owen Kauffman, one of the minister’s sons, had been killed when an unruly horse had kicked him in the head. Last fall, Silas Bontrager had broken his neck when he’d fallen from the hayloft in his barn.

  Life was full of uncertainties and tragedies, and Regina had learned a long time ago that the best way to deal with life was to take one day at a time and trust God in all things.

  “I came as soon as I heard the news. How’s Mark doing? Is he going to be okay?” Susanna Chupp asked.

  Regina whirled around. She’d been in such deep thought that she hadn’t heard anyone come into the room. “Mark suffered a concussion, but the doctor thinks he should be okay in a few weeks.” She clasped her friend’s hand. “How’d you know we were here?”

  “Aaron heard the sirens blaring, and when he saw the ambulance go up your driveway, he and Nathan went right over. They got there soon after the ambulance took Mark away, and when Will told them what had happened with the cow, Nathan stayed to help with the milking.” Susanna drew in a quick breath. “Then Aaron came home and called our English neighbors to give me a ride to the hospital. He figured you’d be here alone and might appreciate some company.”

  “Jah, I sure do. Danki for coming, Susanna.”

  “Of course. That’s what friends are for—to support one another during times of need.”

  Tears welled in Regina’s eyes. “Mark was unconscious for several minutes after the cow kicked him, and I was afraid he might not make it.”

  Susanna motioned to the chairs behind them. “Shall we sit awhile?”

  “If Nathan’s helping with the milking, it shouldn’t be long until Will is able to get a ride to the hospital,” Regina said as she took a seat beside her friend.

  “Jah, I’m sure he’ll be here soon.”

  “The doctor said Mark won’t be able to do any of his chores for a few weeks, so it’s going to put a hardship on us for a while.”

  Susanna gave Regina’s arm a gentle squeeze. “Once the word gets out about Mark’s accident, you’ll have plenty of help.”

  “I appreciate your coming over to help me,” Will said as he and Nathan left the milking barn.

  “No problem. Glad I could do it, even though you did most of the work and had to talk me through my part of the procedure.” Nathan motioned to the phone shed in front of the health food store. “You’d better call for a ride and get to the hospital so you can see how your daed’s doing.”

  Will nodded. “I was really scared when that cow knocked him unconscious, but I felt better when the ambulance got here and he started coming around. I don’t know what Mama Regina would do if anything happened to Papa Mark.”

  Nathan clasped Will’s shoulder. “If something happened to your daed, I know you’d miss him, too.”

  Will moved toward the phone shed. “You’re right about that. Papa Mark has been like a real daed to me.”

  “It’s always hard to lose a loved one.” Nathan pointed to the driveway. “Looks like a buggy’s coming in. The word must be out about your daed’s accident already.”

  Will halted and waited to see who it was. When the horse and buggy stopped, Karen stepped down.

  “You must have heard the news,” Will said as he rushed up to her.

  Karen’s eyebrows furrowed. “What news?”

  “Papa Mark was kicked by one of our cows and was taken by ambulance to the hospital in Goshen.”

  Karen gasped. “Ach, that’s baremlich!”

  “It is terrible,” Nathan agreed.

  “How’d it happen?” Karen asked.

  Will grimaced. “One of our barn cats was chasing another cat, and it ran under the cow. Papa Mark bent down to shoo the cat away, and the cow kicked him in the head.”

  “Is he going to be all right?”

  “I hope so. He was unconscious for a spell but came awake before the ambulance took him to the hospital.”

  “Did your mamm go with him?”

  “Jah. I told Mama Regina I would join her there as soon as I got the milking done.” Will motioned to Nathan. “Thanks to my good friend’s help, I was able to get it done quicker than I could have on my own.”

  Nathan smiled. “That’s what friends are for.”

  Will nodded and turned to face Karen. “If you hadn’t heard the news, what prompted you to come over here this evening?”

  “I wanted to talk to you about some things.”

  “What things?”

  Her cheeks colored slightly. “It’s not important. I mean, what I had to say can wait for another time.”

  Will wondered if what Karen wanted to talk about had anything to do with the lunch she’d shared with Leroy today. He hoped she hadn’t changed her mind about marrying him because of something Leroy had said.

  “Will you be heading to the hospital soon?” Karen asked.

  “I was getting ready to call for a ride when you showed up.”

  “I’d like to go along if you don’t mind.”

  “Of course I don’t mind. I’d appreciate the company.”

  “I’d like to go, too,” Nathan put in. “My aunt’s probably there with your mamm by now. She and I can get a ride together when she’s ready to head for home.”

  When Will entered the hospital waiting room with Karen and Nathan, he spotted Mama Regina sitting in a chair by Susanna. Her face looked pale as goat’s milk, and her shoulders trembled.

  “How’s Papa Mark? Is he going to be okay?” Will asked as he dropped into the seat on the other side of her.

  She reached for his hand. “Your daed suffered a severe concussion, but the doctor thinks he’ll be all right. He won’t be able to do any work for a few weeks, however.”

  “That’s okay,” Will said. “Nathan’s agreed to help with the milking until Papa Mark�
�s well enough to resume his duties, and I can help in the store when I’m not busy with other things.”

  Regina patted Will’s arm. “I’ll see if Mary Jane can work fulltime for the next couple of weeks. Even though you and your daed have helped me when things have gotten busy, I think we women can manage just fine on our own.”

  “If you need some help, I’ll see if my folks can spare me for a few days,” Karen said as she and Nathan took seats in the chairs opposite them. “Since there are five of us working in the dry goods store most of the time and we’re not always superbusy, I’m sure they can get along without my help for a few days or even weeks.”

  Mama Regina smiled. “That’s nice of you, Karen. I’ll keep your offer in mind if Mary Jane and I get too busy to handle things on our own.”

  “I wonder if Will and I should postpone our wedding because of this,” Karen said.

  Mama Regina spoke before Will had a chance to respond. “That won’t be necessary. Mark should be fine in a few weeks, and then things will be back to normal.”

  A nurse entered the room and stepped up to Mama Regina. “We’ve finished running the rest of our tests on your husband, so you and your family are welcome to see him now.”

  “Thank you.” Mama Regina rose from her chair, and Will joined her.

  Mama Regina looked over at Susanna. “Don’t feel that you have to sit out here and wait. I appreciate your coming to be with me, but I’m sure you have things to do at home.”

  “I don’t mind staying if you need me,” Susanna replied.

  “I’ll be fine now that Will is here.”

  Susanna glanced at Nathan. “Would you call Bob Simmons for a ride? He brought me to the hospital so I could be with Regina, and I’m sure he’ll come back here to get us.”

  “I’ll do that right now.” Nathan started for the door but turned back around. “I’ll be over at your place by four thirty tomorrow morning, Will.”

  “Danki.” Will turned to Karen and smiled. “Feel free to ride with the Chupps if you need to go home.”

  “I’d rather stay with you.” Karen reached for a magazine. “I’ll be here waiting while you and your mamm go in to see your daed.”

  Will nodded and hurried from the room.

  CHAPTER 19

  Mary Jane’s brother Dan stopped by while I was in the milking barn,” Will said to Mama Regina when he came into the kitchen for breakfast three days later.

  “Was he offering his help?”

  Will shook his head. “I’ve got Nathan’s help, so I’m getting along okay. The reason Dan dropped by was to let us know that Mary Jane came down with the flu last night, so she won’t be able to help at the store today.”

  “I’m sorry to hear Mary Jane’s sick. Home in bed is where she needs to be, though.”

  “But who’s going to mind the store? Since Papa Mark came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon, I figured you’d want to stay close to him all day.”

  Mama Regina pursed her lips. “I guess I could see if Karen’s available. She did say the other day that I should let her know if I needed any help.”

  “That’s a good idea. Do you want me to run over there now and see if she can help out?”

  “Going over to ask is probably a good idea, since we can’t be sure when someone from the Yoder family will check their answering machine. But it might be best if you wait until after breakfast and devotions to go there, don’t you think?”

  Will nodded. “I guess I should give Karen time to eat.”

  “You need to have your breakfast, too.” Mama Regina motioned to the stove. “Speaking of which, the pot of oatmeal I’ve got cooking is almost ready, so if you’d like to wash up, I should have breakfast on by the time you’re done.”

  “What about Papa Mark? Will he be joining us at the table?”

  “He was still sleeping when I left our room, so I think I’ll let him sleep. I can take a tray to him after we’re done.” Mama Regina tapped Will on the shoulder. “Run along now and get washed up.”

  When Karen stepped into the kitchen, she caught a whiff of warm cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven. Her stomach growled in response to the wonderful aroma. “Where’s Mom?” she asked Cindy, who was busy setting the table.

  “She went to the chicken coop to get a few more eggs for breakfast, and Dad’s still in the barn doing his chores.”

  “There’s no need for her to do up any eggs on my account.”

  Karen leaned over the plate of cinnamon rolls and drew in a deep breath. “A few of these delicious rolls will be all I need this morning.”

  Cindy shook her head. “If you’re gonna marry a man whose mother runs a health food store, don’t you think you ought to start eating healthier?”

  Karen smiled. “I’ll start eating healthy after Will and I get married. This morning I’m going to enjoy the delicious cinnamon rolls Mom made, and I’m not even going to worry about whether they’re healthy or not.”

  “Dan Lambright likes cinnamon rolls real well, too.”

  “Mary Jane’s little brother?”

  Cindy wrinkled her nose as she glared at Karen. “Dan is not ‘little.’ He’s seventeen years old, for goodness’ sake.”

  “You don’t have to get so huffy. It was only my way of asking if you were talking about Mary Jane’s younger brother.”

  Cindy’s face softened. “Dan is Mary Jane’s youngest brother, and he’s also very good-looking.”

  “Since when have you taken such an interest in Dan?”

  “Since I went to the last young people’s function and he asked if I’d like a ride home in his buggy.”

  “Hmm…” Karen’s forehead creased in thought. She’d had so many other things on her mind lately that she hadn’t realized her sister had been brought home from the last young people’s gathering by a potential suitor. She smiled. This is a good thing. If Cindy has taken an interest in Dan, it must mean she’s given up on her quest to attract Leroy’s attention.

  Cindy nudged Karen’s arm. “What’s so funny? How come you’re grinning like that?”

  “Oh nothing. I was just thinking, is all.”

  A knock sounded at the back door, and Karen went to answer it. Will stood on the porch.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked. “Your daed’s not worse, I hope.”

  Will shook his head. “Papa Mark’s doing fairly well. He came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.”

  “That’s good to hear.”

  “The reason I came over is because Mary Jane is sick with the flu and Mama Regina was wondering if you could work in the health food store today.”

  “I think so, but I’ll have to check with Mom and Dad just to be sure they don’t need my help in our store here.”

  “And she hasn’t had her breakfast yet,” Cindy called from the kitchen.

  Karen grimaced. “That little sister of mine has a bad habit of listening in on other people’s conversations.”

  Will chuckled. “Guess maybe I was blessed to be an only child.”

  “Would you like to come in and have a cup of coffee and some cinnamon rolls?” Karen asked.

  “Sounds good, but I’d better pass. The milk truck will be at our place within the hour, so I need to get back as soon as possible.”

  “Then let me run out to the chicken coop and see what Mom has to say. If she has no problem with me helping in your mamm’s store today, I’ll ride back to your place with you.” Karen grabbed her shawl from the wall peg. “While I’m out there, why don’t you go in the kitchen where it’s warmer?”

  “Okay.” Will slipped past Karen and headed in that direction.

  A musty smell greeted Karen when she stepped into the chicken coop. She found her mother bent over a fat red hen and was relieved to see that Herman, their mean old rooster, was nowhere in sight.

  “How’s it going in here?” Karen asked. “Did you find enough eggs for breakfast?”

  Mom frowned. “Only four eggs so far. With the weather turning c
older, the chickens aren’t laying as much.”

  “That’s usually how it goes.”

  “Did you need something?” Mom asked.

  “Jah. I came to ask if you would mind if I worked in Regina’s health food store today.”

  “I thought she had Mary Jane Lambright working for her.”