The Gift

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Adam flinched. They obviously didn’t think of him as their friend, but then did he really want them to? He was their guardian—a father figure of sorts—so it probably wouldn’t be good if they saw him as a friend. The only time any of the girls had shown him affection was after the hummingbird banding, when Linda rushed up to give him a hug. That simple act had kept him whistling all afternoon. He wasn’t quite sure how to respond to Amy’s statement just now but was glad the girls hadn’t gotten upset at the mention of their other school. He was also pleased that his nieces liked Leah.

  Even so, they had to go to school, and he wanted them to enjoy it. Leah had said she would take Linda and Amy to school today, which meant Adam could leave for the store on time. He was having second thoughts about that now, knowing that if he took them it would give him a chance to speak with their teacher, Barbara Yoder. But maybe that wasn’t necessary, since he had introduced the girls to her at church a few weeks ago.

  Adam moved over to the refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs. Maybe I shouldn’t expect Leah to take Linda and Amy to school. I’m their uncle, and it’s really my job, after all.

  Adam didn’t know why he was going back and forth like this, but as he cracked open several eggs into a bowl, he made his decision. It would be him taking the girls to school this morning, not Leah.

  “I hope I’m not late,” Leah said breathlessly when she entered Adam’s house. “For some reason, Sugar didn’t want to do anything but plod along on the trip over here this morning.”

  Adam glanced at the clock on the kitchen wall. “You’re not late, but I do need to head out pretty soon. I’ll be taking Amy and Linda to school on my way to work.”

  Leah smiled at the girls, who sat beside each other at the table. “I’ll come pick you up after school, so you won’t have to walk.” Truthfully, Leah felt that Linda and Amy were both too young to walk home alone. She felt protective of them—almost as if they were her own daughters.

  “That’s nice of you,” Adam spoke up. “Maybe after the girls make some friends who walk this way, you won’t have to pick them up anymore.”

  She smiled. “I don’t mind, really, but if the time comes that they want to walk home, I’ll be fine with that, too.”

  Linda’s chin trembled as she looked up at Leah. “I don’t wanna go to school; I’d rather stay here with you.”

  Amy nodded in agreement. “It’s not fair that Carrie gets to be with you all day. Me and Linda are gonna miss out on all the fun.”

  “You’ll have fun at school,” Adam interjected.

  Linda shook her head vigorously. “Uh-uh, we’ll have to work.”

  “It won’t all be work,” Leah corrected. “Barbara Yoder is a wonderful teacher. You’ll get to play games and have fun during recess, and learning about new things can be fun, too.”

  “Leah is right,” Adam agreed. “And I’m sure you’ll make some new friends quickly. I can almost guarantee that you will like your teacher, too.” Picking up his lunch pail and Thermos, he added, “Now get the lunches I fixed for you, and let’s be on our way.”

  Linda jumped up from the table and gave Leah a hug. Amy did the same. Leah felt sorry for the girls, and she would miss them. She was glad she would have Carrie to watch during the day and looked forward to when Linda and Amy came home after school.

  “Remember now,” she told the girls, “I’ll be there to pick you up when school lets out this afternoon, and then you can tell me all about your first day.”

  That seemed to satisfy the girls, and with a wave, they followed their uncle out the door. Holding Carrie’s hand, Leah stood watching as Adam helped the children into the buggy and backed his horse away from the hitching rack. At that moment, she knew exactly how her mother must have felt when she’d sent Leah and her brother, Nathan, off at the beginning of each new school year.

  “Well, little one,” she said, smiling at Carrie, “it’s just you and me now. Should we find something fun to do?”

  Carrie’s eyes shone as she nodded. “Let’s look for Chippy!”

  It had been awhile since they’d seen the chipmunk, but maybe it was because all their attention had been on the hummingbird feeder. Once the hummingbirds had found the feeder, poor Chippy had soon been forgotten.

  Leah patted the child’s head then glanced at the kitchen sink, full of dirty dishes. Apparently Adam hadn’t had time to do them before she’d arrived. “Maybe after a while we can go outside. Right now, though, you can color a picture while I wash and dry the dishes.”

  Cora looked around the small house she had rented just a mile outside of Arthur. Since it was fully furnished, she’d only brought the basic things they would need, plus their clothes and personal items. Once the house in Chicago sold, she would see about purchasing a home here, and then all of their furniture could be moved.

  “I’ll be heading to the clinic soon,” Cora told Jared, taking a seat across from him at the breakfast table. She didn’t realize that moving could be so tiresome, but then when she and Evan had moved into their house they’d hired movers, so everything had been done for them.

  Pushing a piece of hair behind her ears, Cora closed her eyes for a minute. She was exhausted, not just from the move but from worrying about Jared.

  “You’re starting work already?” Jared asked.

  She opened her eyes and nodded, noticing how much her son had changed since the divorce. His droopy jeans somehow stayed up without a belt. He wore them for days on end, until Cora insisted that he wear something else so she could launder his clothes. Then there was his hair. Jared was lucky to have a thick head of jet-black hair like his father’s. When his hair was cut and styled, he was a handsome young man. But now he didn’t seem to care how it looked, and it had become a shaggy mess. Jared’s eyes were a vivid deep blue, like Cora’s. These days though, Cora hardly recognized her son. Hopefully, once he got used to his new surroundings and made a few friends, that would change and he’d pay attention to his appearance.

  “What am I supposed to do all day?” Jared mumbled around his piece of toast.

  “For one thing, you can get your things unpacked.” Cora reached for her cup of coffee and took a drink. “Since you’ll be starting school next week, now’s a good chance to get your room organized.”

  Jared wrinkled his nose, as though some putrid odor had made its way into the kitchen. “We’ve only been here a couple days, and I hate it already, Mom.”

  “A few days isn’t long enough to judge whether you like it or not. I’m sure that once you start school, you’ll make some friends and things will seem better.”

  “I ain’t interested in making any friends—not in this backwater town where there’s nothing to do.”

  “The correct word is isn’t, and I’m quite sure there are fun things in the area for a boy your age to do. I saw a pizza place when we drove into town the other day, and your school will no doubt have activities after classes and in the evenings. Oh, and I saw a barber shop, too.” She tapped his shoulder. “Hint, hint.”

  Jared grunted. “Whatever they have in this dinky town, I’m sure it’s boring.”

  The clip-clop of horse’s hooves could be heard on the road out front, and Jared glanced out the window. “Oh, I know, Mom. Maybe I could befriend some Amish kid, and we could ride around in a horse-drawn buggy. Now that would be a lot of fun, wouldn’t it?”

  Cora’s jaw clenched. “You’re being sarcastic.”

  “You never told me we’d be moving to Amish country,” he said, ignoring her comment.

  Living among the Amish wasn’t what Cora had planned, either, but the pace would be much slower than it was back home, and she figured there’d be less chance of Jared getting into trouble out here in the country. And though they didn’t know anyone here yet, Cora thought it wouldn’t take long for both her and Jared to make new friends.

  Leah hummed as she clipped one of Amy’s dresses to the clothesline. Today had turned out to be quite nice—a good time to be o
utside in the fresh air. As part of her duties at Adam’s house, she’d agreed to do the laundry for the girls. When she’d asked if he wanted her to wash his clothes, too, Adam’s face had colored. “Don’t worry about that,” he’d said. “I’ve been washing my clothes for a good many years. Of course, if you’d like to wash the sheets and towels, I’d be okay with that.”

  Leah smiled, thinking how easily Adam blushed. Just the slightest word or look from her, and his face, and sometimes ears, would turn crimson. She wondered if he reacted like that to things other people said. But then, she was one to talk about blushing. Her face heated quite often these days, especially when she was around Adam.

  Hearing Carrie calling for Chippy, Leah turned her head. She figured he was probably hiding under the woodpile or had left the yard and found a new home someplace else.

  Woof! Woof! Leah smiled, seeing Coal run out to join Carrie on the lawn. But the child didn’t seem interested in playing with the dog right now. She gave Coal a pat on the head then continued to call for Chippy, while poking around in the pile of wood.

  Turning back to her job at hand, Leah concentrated on getting the rest of the clothes hung on the line. She was getting ready to clip the last towel in place when Coal started barking frantically. A few seconds later, Leah heard a blood-curdling scream.

  Whirling around, she saw Carrie running across the lawn, waving her arms while she hollered, “Ieme! Ieme! They stung me bad!”

  Instinctively, Leah dropped the towel and raced toward Carrie, knowing that if a person was allergic, even one bee sting could have serious consequences.

  CHAPTER 23

  As Cora headed for work that morning, she realized the drive would take longer than she’d anticipated. In addition to other cars on the road, there were several horses and buggies. She would have to pass them at the first opportunity, or she’d be late for work. Cora had never understood why anyone would be content with such a slow mode of transportation.

  Well, it doesn’t concern me, and I can’t think about that, she told herself. I just need to make sure I’m not late for work.

  Moving her minivan toward the center lane and seeing that it was clear, Cora pulled out and passed two Amish buggies. Pulling back into the right lane, she sped up a little and was relieved when the clinic came into view. She’d actually made it with a few moments to spare.

  Turning into the parking lot, she couldn’t help but compare the small size of the building to the enormous hospital she’d left behind in Chicago. Of course, she rationalized, this is a clinic, not a hospital. It was adequate for this rural area and serviced the needs of the people who required medical assistance but weren’t in need of a hospital.

  Continuing to observe the building, while applying some lip balm, Cora had a feeling she’d made the right decision. Something about this small clinic appealed to her simple side.

  Outside the clinic stood a few mature trees, and a rustic-looking picnic table had been placed under one of them. It would be a peaceful place to eat lunch every day—at least before the weather turned cold. Brightly colored mums in various shades were beginning to bloom among the shrubbery near the building, and two planters were positioned on either side of the entrance door. The building seemed unusually quiet, with no hustle and bustle of nurses, doctors, and visitors coming and going. If it weren’t for the four cars in the parking lot, Cora would have thought the place was closed.

  Pulling down the visor for one last look in the mirror, she tucked her short brunette hair behind her ears. Oh my, look at those eyes. I hope no one thinks I’ve been crying. Cora’s eyes were a bit bloodshot from not getting enough rest, so she quickly applied some drops from the bottle she kept in her purse. Stepping out of the car and taking a deep breath, Cora headed toward the doors that would open to a new beginning for her.

  Once inside, Cora introduced herself to the office manager and was taken to the back of the clinic, where she met two doctors, as well as another nurse. Everyone seemed friendly and said they looked forward to working with her. Dr. Franklin, the older of the two doctors said that if she had questions or needed anything, to let him know. Already she felt at ease with everyone’s relaxed attitude. It was a far cry from the constant buzz of activity Cora had become used to at the hospital in Chicago.

  A short time later, a young Amish woman with a small child entered the clinic. Cora knew her day was about to begin.

  Leah was relieved when she and Carrie were taken to an examining room right away. Even though Carrie hadn’t exhibited any life-threatening symptoms from her bee stings, her little arms and legs were covered with raised welts, which she said itched and burned something awful. She’d also received a few stings on her neck and face.

  “My name is Cora.” The middle-aged nurse with short brown hair who had brought them into the room looked at Leah and said, “Do you know what kind of bees stung your daughter?”

  Leah decided now wasn’t the time to explain she wasn’t Carrie’s mother. All that mattered was getting Carrie the treatment she needed.

  “They were yellow jackets,” Leah replied. “Apparently they had built a nest under a woodpile, and when Carrie was poking around in there, she must have disturbed them.”

  “Has she been short of breath or had trouble swallowing?” Nurse Cora questioned as she took Carrie’s vitals.

  Leah shook her head. “Just itching and burning where she was stung. I gave her half a dose of an antihistamine while we were waiting for our driver to pick us up. I also applied ice packs that I’d wrapped in a towel to help with the swelling. If she’d had any trouble breathing or swallowing, I would have called 911 instead of bringing her here in a neighbor’s car.”

  “Bringing her by car was better than horse and buggy,” the nurse said before asking Carrie to open her mouth. “I don’t see any sign of stings in there, so that’s a good thing. Even a single sting in the mouth or throat could cause swelling and obstruction of the airway.” She patted Carrie’s shoulder. “Children are at increased risk for these types of breathing problems from a sting.”

  Leah nodded. “Yes, I know. That’s why I brought her here to be checked out.”

  Leah was impressed at how well the nurse handled Carrie. The child seemed to relax because of the nurse’s calming manner. Leah couldn’t help but notice that Nurse Cora’s complexion was flawless. But behind those blue eyes was a sadness similar to the sorrow Leah had seen in Amy all these weeks. I wonder what might be going on in this woman’s life.

  The doctor came in then, so the nurse stepped aside as he began to examine Carrie. When he told Leah that Carrie wasn’t in serious danger, she felt relieved. But she was worried about what Adam would say when he came home from work and saw Carrie’s arms and legs. She hoped he wouldn’t think she’d been neglectful in watching the child.

  Leah glanced at the clock on the far wall. Her other concern was that she might be late picking Amy and Linda up from school.

  As Adam worked at the back of his store, putting new inventory on the shelves, he thought about Leah and how the girls had reacted to her this morning. They were clearly becoming attached to her, and he couldn’t blame them. With no mother to nurture them and with him making a weak attempt at filling their father’s role, the children were starved for attention and in need of a parent’s guidance and love.

  Taking the girls to school this morning had been difficult. Riding in silence, he hadn’t been able to find the right words to ease their apprehension about going to a new school. Bravely, though, they had walked beside him while he took them inside to meet the teacher. Linda had even reached up to take his hand. At that moment, he’d felt more like a father than the uncle he truly was. Being a father figure was harder than Adam had ever imagined. He never quite knew if he was saying or doing the right things. If Mary could see how things are going with me and the girls, would she regret having asked me to take care of them?

  Adam pushed a box of hammers closer to the shelf where he was working. I wonder w
hat Leah would say if I asked her to marry me. It would be a marriage of convenience of course, because I’m sure she doesn’t love me. Weighing the idea further, he pursed his lips. Would she think I’ve lost my mind if I brought up the subject? It would be in the girls’ best interest if they had a substitute mother. Having Leah there full-time to cook, clean, do laundry, and take care of the girls would take a lot of pressure off me.

  As Adam continued to stock the shelves, he let the idea of marriage roll around in his head. He’d been opposed to finding a wife all these years because of his mother’s abandonment, but Leah seemed grounded in her faith. He was fairly certain that if she had any plans of leaving their Amish community, she would have done so by now.

  Maybe I should talk to someone about this—see if they think Leah might be willing to marry me. But who? Adam’s mind raced, searching for answers. He could speak to Ben about this, since they’d gotten to know each other fairly well, but then Ben wasn’t that well acquainted with Leah. I might talk to Ben about my mother, though. It would feel good to share the feelings I’ve kept bottled up all these years with someone I can trust.

  Finished with his task, Adam rose to his feet and took the empty boxes to the storage room. When he stepped out again, he nearly bumped into Elaine Schrock, one of Leah’s closest friends. If he could talk to anyone about Leah, it would be Elaine.

  “I’m glad you’re here, Elaine,” Adam said. “If you have a few minutes, could I talk to you?”

  She smiled up at him. “Sure, Adam. I came in to get some birdseed, but I’m not in a hurry.”

  Adam gestured to his office. “Could we talk in there? I don’t want anyone to hear our conversation.”

  “I guess that would be okay.” Elaine glanced around before taking a few hesitant steps in that direction.

  Adam entered his office and motioned for her to take a seat at his desk.