by Amy Lillard
“Emily’s here! Emily’s here!”
She smiled and swung down from the buggy as Johanna did a little dance on the front porch.
“Dat, Dat! Emily’s here.”
But it wasn’t James’s smiling face that came to the door, but Elam’s.
“Merry Christmas,” she called.
“Merry Christmas.” She loved when he smiled. It was as if the simple gesture turned his face back ten years. Suddenly he looked young and carefree. What she wouldn’t give to see that look on his face for always.
“I’ll get the horse.” Becky pushed past them and hustled over to Emily’s rig, then she turned back toward them with a stern frown. “But no opening presents until I get back, jah?”
Emily laughed. “I promise.”
Elam let her in the house and once again Emily marveled at how different it was now compared to the first time she had come to visit.
Pine boughs decorated the mantel over the fireplace where a fire cheerfully crackled and burned. Cream-colored streamers of ribbons and purple snowflakes hung from the ceiling on strings. A wooden nativity scene sat on the table, little bits of hay scattered around it. But it wasn’t only the decorations that brought in the differences, the entire atmosphere of the house was more cheerful . . . hopeful. Jah, that was the word. The Riehls had hope now and she was pleased that she had played even a tiny part in the transformation.
Joy stood at the kitchen door, wiping her hands on a dish towel. Johanna had gone back to putting a puzzle together with Norma while James sat at the table.
“Emily. I was hoping you would come by today. It’s Christmas, you know.” James stood from cutting snowflakes from the construction paper she’d brought him. Little pieces of purple paper littered the wooden floor like forgotten confetti.
“I do know. Merry Christmas,” she said. Elam was behind her. Steady and true. He didn’t have to touch her for her to know he was there. His presence was comforting and joyful, and she was so glad to have it.
“Merry Christmas.” James grinned. “Guck. None of them are the same.” He unfolded the paper to reveal the cuts he’d made.
“That’s beautiful, James.” She blinked back sudden tears. What was wrong with her? But she knew. She was overcome with happiness and indecision. Anyone else would feel the same if they stood in her shoes.
“Miriam and Ruthie showed me how to cut them.”
The twins flashed her grins of their own.
“And you taught us,” Ruthie said as Miriam nodded.
She had made a difference. The thought was humbling.
“You’ll stay for nachtess?”
“Jah,” Emily replied. “Mary said she might stop by later. She was going over to see Aaron when I left.”
“That would be gut,” Becky said as she came back into the house. “Your horse is all taken care of. Did I miss anything?”
Emily laughed. “Not a thing. But . . .” She held up the basket of treats and presents she still carried. “I have a few things for you.”
“For me?” James and Johanna said at the same time.
She couldn’t stop her smile at their eager expressions. “For all of you.”
Elam had wanted to sit beside Emily as they exchanged gifts, but James had quickly claimed one spot and Johanna the other. Elam was forced to take up a place across from her. It wasn’t his first choice, but the view was right nice.
“Me first, me first.” Johanna bounced on her toes as she chanted the words. Elam was about to counsel her in the virtue of patience and waiting her turn when he realized that she didn’t want to open her present first, but wanted to give Emily the present from her before anyone else gave her theirs.
He nodded his consent. She went to the table where the presents were laid out and brought her gift back to Emily.
“Danki.” Emily took the sack from his youngest sibling. He loved the look on her face as she peeked inside. “Oh, my,” she said, pulling out a pair of purple mittens. “Did you make these yourself?”
Johanna smiled. “Nay, but I picked them out in town.”
“I love them,” Emily said, giving Jo a quick hug.
And so started the exchange of all things purple.
New purple markers, more purple paper, lavender soap, lavender seeds, purple ribbon, even purple glitter and glue.
Somehow during all the excitement, Johanna had abandoned her place and Elam had quickly claimed it as his own.
“Now this is for everyone.” Emily popped open a tub of folded-up cookies. He had seen them once before at the Chinese restaurant in town, but these were purple, of course.
He leaned in close to her. “Does the bishop know that you are passing out fortunes?”
She had the good graces to blush. “I’ll have you know that I made these myself, and they are not fortunes.”
“Oh, jah?” He snagged one of the cookies from the tub and broke it in two before pulling out the tiny strip of paper inside.
Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved. Psalms 55:22
He stared at the paper as everyone grabbed a purple fortune cookie and read what Emily had tucked inside. All encouraging Bible verses. It was as if she had known all along what he needed to hear. What they all needed to hear.
Quite simply, she was amazing.
He had tried to be patient about his proposal, hoping that giving her time would allow her to make the best choice: the choice to marry him. But his impatience was starting to get the better of him. He wanted to do anything and everything he could think of to get her to say yes.
But for now he would bide his time and pray.
Dat rose to his feet and gathered the last gift bag from the present stash and handed it to Emily. “These are for you,” he said, grinning at her with such pride, Elam figured he’d have to pray about it later.
Emily took the bag, a bit of surprise in her eyes. “For me?”
His vatter nodded. “Jah, from all of us.”
“That’s right,” Norma chimed in as the others nodded.
Emily smiled and pulled out the first wad of tissue paper. She reached into the bag again and retrieved a clothespin . . . a purple one.
Elam chuckled.
“Read it,” Dat said.
Emily turned it over until she found the words. “‘A purple a day keeps the doctor away.’”
Everyone laughed as she dropped that pin back into the sack and pulled out another one. “‘All’s fair in love and purple.’”
More laughter. She grabbed another one. “‘Purple is as purple does.’”
“They’re all Englisch sayings,” Becky explained.
“But we added the purple part.” James nodded.
“And painted them,” Johanna added.
Emily looked up from the sack, her gaze flitting to each one of them in turn. “I love them. Danki.”
“You’re welcome,” Mamm said. “Anyone hungerich?”
“Come, come.” Miriam and Ruthie clapped their hands together. “It’s time to eat, jah?”
Everyone stood to gather around the table when a knock sounded on the door. Norma went to open it, and Mary stepped into the house.
“Merry Christmas, Mary Ebersol,” the Riehls called to her.
Norma barely gave her time to unbutton her coat and take off her bonnet before grabbing her by the hand and dragging her toward the kitchen table. “It’s time to eat.”
This time Elam purposefully sat across from Emily. He wanted to be able to see her face as they ate. It was sappy, he knew, but that was how he felt all the same.
They sat down, bowed their heads, and prayed over their food. Elam also prayed for a bit more patience where Emily and his marriage proposal were concerned and that God would guide her heart in the right direction. Couldn’t she see how much she had come to mean to him? To his family?
Dat lifted his head to signify the end of the prayer and everyone followed suit.
Becky lifted he
r brows in Mamm’s direction. Mamm nodded in response, and Becky rose from the table. What were they planning?
A few seconds later, Becky returned to the table carrying a covered dish. “Ahem.” She cleared her throat, gaining everyone’s attention. “In light of this being such a special day, Mamm and I came up with a special dish.”
A series of yums went up around the table.
Becky paused, allowing the drama to build. “Mashed potatoes,” she announced.
Norma and Johanna’s mouths fell to frowns, while the twins tried to put on uninterested faces.
Becky pulled the lid from the pot to reveal mounds of violet. “Purple mashed potatoes.”
Elam couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped him.
“Did you do that with food coloring?” Emily asked.
“Nay.” Becky smiled and handed the pot to Mary. “I found purple potatoes in the market. Awesome, jah?”
A chorus of jahs went up all around the table as everyone took their turn trying the purple treat.
He looked around at his family, so different today than it had been a couple of months ago, and all thanks to one person. He caught Emily’s gaze in his own. She smiled in that sweet way she had, and he was overcome with his love for her. She was so beautiful inside and out, so caring and lovely. He wanted nothing more than to marry her and make all of her days as happy as she made him and his family.
“What?” she asked, dropping her gaze to her plate then raising it back to his.
“Nix,” he replied. But it was more than nothing. So much more.
After supper, Emily and Mary helped the girls clean the kitchen while Joy and James went to the living room to play with the new presents. Emily couldn’t have been happier with the joy she had seen on James’s face at the purple gifts that had been exchanged. But there was one more gift still left to give. Her heart pounded in her chest at the mere thought of handing Elam the present she had brought for him. What if he hated it?
She dried her hands on the dish towel as the rest of the girls finished putting the dishes away.
Only one way to know how he would feel about it and that was to give it to him.
Mary caught her eye with a knowing smile.
“I need to, uh, find Elam.”
The girls all turned to her, all except Johanna who seemed oblivious to the relationship between Emily and her big brother. They smiled and nodded, their eyes twinkling with more than Christmas cheer.
“I think he’s in the barn,” Becky helpfully supplied.
And that was exactly where Emily found him. He had his back to her, as he tended one of the mules. He was bent low over the task, the beast’s right front hoof braced on Elam’s thigh as he worked.
“Hi,” she said, cautiously approaching.
Elam released the mule and turned to face her. “Hi.” He adjusted his hat where he had tipped it back to better see as he worked. Emily hated the gesture because she couldn’t see his eyes as well shaded by the brim as they were then.
She pulled the gift bag from behind her back and held it out to him. “I have something for you.”
He looked at it, then at her as if unable to say anything at the sight of the gift. Then he took the rag that had been tucked into the waistband of his pants and wiped the dirt from his fingers. “For me?”
Emily smiled at his childlike expression. “Jah. It’s not much, but . . .” She shrugged.
“I’m sure it is perfect.”
She hated the way her hand trembled as she held the sack toward him.
He tucked the rag away. His expression turned solemn—or was it thoughtful?—as he pulled the tissue-paper-wrapped present out.
“It’s the song,” she said while he studied the framed picture she had given him. “The one you sang to me after the school Christmas program.” The librarian had helped her type all the words to “Love Is Patient and Kind” into the computer, then Emily printed it on some pretty paper and framed it in a hand-painted frame. It had taken a lot of time, effort, and patience and now she wanted to jerk it away from him before he started laughing at her for being so silly. Her heart couldn’t take that.
“It’s wunderbaar,” he said, his voice thickened with something she couldn’t name. Was he happy? Laughing? Trying not to choke at her childishness?
If they had been eighteen and just starting to court, it might not have seemed so silly. But they weren’t eighteen. They were well past that.
“I—” she started, not really sure how she was going to complete the sentence. Thankfully she didn’t have to as Elam pulled her close and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.
“It’s beautiful,” he said as he released her from his embrace. “So thoughtful.”
She flushed with pride and maybe a little bit of something else. Love perhaps? But she pushed the thought away. Loving Elam made things even more muddled than they already were, and she had enough confusion on her plate to last all the way through to next year.
“Come on back to the haus. I may have something for you.” He looped his arm through hers and steered her back toward the porch.
“You might?” She smiled up at him, loving the warmth of him beside her. Again she nudged the thought aside. Way too confusing, way too much to sort through on the Lord’s birthday.
“Jah. I might.”
He smiled all the way to the house. Emily knew this because she kept casting glances his way. He looked younger when he smiled, more than just happy. He looked content, as if God had somehow set his feet on a well-lit path.
He opened the door, and she stepped inside. Strangely enough, no one was in the living room when they came in. Emily was certain she had seen the shades on the front windows stir as they had walked up the porch steps, but there was not a soul around. Must have been a trick of her eyes.
She took off her coat and hung it by the door while Elam did the same.
“Wait right here,” he said, then he took the steps two at a time.
Suddenly uncomfortable, Emily smoothed her hands down the front of her dress. Where was her sister?
The only sounds that could be heard were the tick of the clock over the mantel and the fire still burning in the grate.
That in itself was strange. There were eight people in the house not counting her and Elam, and no one was making a noise?
Once again his footsteps echoed on the stairs.
“It’s not a lot,” he started.
Emily loved the flush of red that had crept into his cheeks. She was certain he would blame it on the cold, but she had a feeling it had more to do with the large box he held in his hands.
“Elam, I—”
“Just open it,” he said.
Emily took the package from him and perched on the edge of the sofa. There was no wrapping paper, but someone had placed a large purple bow on top. It was a bit lopsided, and Emily was certain James and Johanna were responsible for the decoration.
The box was heavy, and she took her time opening it. Somehow she knew the contents were fragile. But in no time at all she had the present out of the box.
“Oh, Elam.”
She wasn’t sure what to say. Delicate white glass decorated with hand-painted purple violets, it was without a doubt the most beautiful lamp she had ever seen.
“It was my grossmammi’s,” he explained as he turned it over in her hands. “The batteries go in here—”
Emily shook her head. “I can’t accept this.” She started to put it back into the wrapping, back into the box, but Elam laid a hand on hers, stilling her motions.
“She would love knowing you have it.”
“But this is so valuable. It should stay in your family.”
He shrugged and gave her a small smile. “Once you accept my proposal, then it’ll be back in the family.”
Emily swallowed hard. Part of her wanted the beautiful gift. It was lovely, exquisite even. She would place it in her room and every time she saw it, she would think of Elam and James, Joy and the rest of th
e Riehl girls.
But to accept the gift, after he made such a statement . . . she was just so confused.
“Forgive me,” he murmured. “I promised not to put any pressure on you for an answer. Whatever you decide, the lamp is yours. It’s the least we can offer you after everything you have given us.”
“Nay.” She shook her head. “I didn’t give you anything.”
“You gave us hope.” He reached up and brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek. It was a motion she had become familiar with. It was comforting, sweet, and exciting all at the same time.
Then the confusion was back.
“Danki,” she whispered.
“Gern gschehne,” he said in return.
The moment hung between them. For a minute, she thought he might kiss her.
Then Johanna bounded into the room.
“Emily, Emily, Emily! Mamm said we could have another piece of pie. Will you cut it? Please, please, please?”
Elam shot her an apologetic half smile as she allowed herself to be dragged into the kitchen.
Chapter Eighteen
An hour later Elam stood on his front porch and waved as Emily and Mary drove away.
It had been such an enjoyable day. He’d felt . . . blessed as he spent the day with his family and Emily. It made him wonder if today was how the rest of the holiday celebrations would be, once they got married.
He tried to keep his thoughts about Emily’s answer to his proposal on the positive side. He needed to believe that finally, finally she would be his.
The screen door slammed, and he turned to find Becky stepping out onto the porch.
He looked back to the street as Mary and Emily disappeared from view.
“Are you going to stand out here all night?” Becky asked. “Mamm was wondering if you wanted something else to eat.”
He shook his head. He’d eaten more today than he had all week.
He’d be lucky if his pants would fasten shut tomorrow.
Becky crossed her arms, bit her lower lip, and tilted her head to one side as if mulling over something of great importance. Then again, with Becky a body never knew if it was a grave matter or simply which color dress she should wear to the youth meeting.
