The Gift

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Unfortunately, things were quite different these days. Evan wouldn’t lift a finger to help me now, she thought bitterly. All he thinks about is satisfying his own needs and catering to the whims of his pretty new wife.

  “Are you okay?”

  Cora’s thoughts scattered at the sound of Leah’s voice. “Oh, um… Yes, I’m fine. Just thinking about the past—that’s all. Sorry for spacing off like that.”

  “It’s all right. I’ve done the same thing myself.” Leah chuckled. “One little thing can get my mind wandering, and then my thoughts will start drifting.”

  Both of their pizzas came, and although Cora was starving, she waited patiently as Leah bowed her head for silent prayer.

  How long has it been since I uttered a prayer of any kind, much less one of thanksgiving? she asked herself once more. Well, God’s never answered any of my prayers before, so why would He now?

  When Leah opened her eyes, she smiled at Cora and motioned to the personal-sized pizza she had ordered. “Feel free to have some of mine if you like.”

  “It’s nice of you to offer, but I have plenty of my own to eat. In fact, I’ll be taking the leftovers home, so if you want some of mine, please help yourself.”

  “This will probably be enough for me.” Leah picked up a piece of her sausage and black olive pizza. “I ordered a small one because I’m not going directly home from here. As soon as I’m done eating, I’ll be heading to the fabric shop to buy some material for my wedding dress.”

  “Oh, you’re about to get married?”

  Leah nodded. “In a couple months. The second week of November, to be exact. In fact, I’ll be marrying Carrie’s uncle.”

  Cora reached for her glass of iced tea and took a sip. “I’m sure Carrie will be happy about that. From what I witnessed between the two of you at the clinic, she seemed quite dependent on you.”

  “Yes, and since I started watching Carrie and her sisters, I’ve grown attached to them.”

  Cora heaved a sigh. “I wish my son, Jared, and I related to each other better. Seems like he’s always looking for some excuse not to be around me these days. It all started when his father left me for another woman.” Cora didn’t know why she was telling a near stranger all of this, but it felt good to get it off her chest. “I think Jared blames me for the breakup.”

  Leah reached over and touched Cora’s arm. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’ll remember to say a prayer for you.”

  “Thank you.” It was nice to know someone would be praying for her, because she sure wouldn’t be praying for herself.

  As Cora and Leah continued to eat, they talked more about Leah’s reflexology.

  “Would you mind giving me your phone number?” Cora asked. “My feet get sore sometimes from being on them all day. I’d probably benefit from a foot massage.”

  Leah hesitated at first, but then she reached into her purse for paper and pen. “I’ll write my number down for you, but when you call, you’ll have to leave a message, because our telephone is outside in a small wooden building that we call our phone shack.”

  “That’s not a problem. I’ll leave you a message, and you can return my call to let me know when you’d be available for an appointment. I’m so looking forward to having you work on my feet.”

  “Since I watch the girls during the day, I’ve been scheduling people’s foot treatments during the evening hours,” Leah explained.

  “That’s perfect for me since I’m working at the clinic on the weekdays.” Cora didn’t know if it was her imagination or not, but she felt as though she and Leah had made a connection today. Perhaps this young woman would turn out to be the friend she so badly needed. At the very least, Cora had found someone to massage her feet.

  When Leah entered the fabric store a short time later, she spotted Sara Miller looking at some bolts of material. “Wie geht’s?” Leah asked.

  “I’m doing pretty well.” Sara placed one hand against her protruding stomach and smiled. “In a few months the boppli should be here. Jonah and I are both getting anxious.”

  “I can imagine.” Seeing Sara’s excitement over having another baby caused Leah to feel a bit envious. She’d be getting married soon, but to a man who didn’t love her. It wasn’t likely that she’d ever have any children of her own. But at least she’d have Carrie, Linda, and Amy to help raise, and she looked forward to that. “Are you hoping for a bu or a maedel?” Leah asked.

  “It really doesn’t matter to Jonah or me whether we have a boy or a girl,” Sara replied. “As long as the boppli is healthy.”

  Leah nodded. It did her heart good to see the joyful smile on Sara’s face. She’d been through a lot and deserved every bit of happiness she could get.

  “I’ll bet you’re excited,” Sara said. “It won’t be long until you and Adam will be getting married.”

  “That’s why I’m here,” Leah said. “I need to buy some material and get my wedding dress made.”

  “I’m pretty good with a needle and thread, so if you need any help, just let me know,” Sara offered, rubbing her stomach.

  Leah slipped her arm around Sara’s waist. “Danki for the offer. I just might take you up on that if I can’t get it done by myself.”

  Sara gave Leah a hug. “I hope you and Adam will be as happy as Jonah and I are.”

  All Leah could manage was a brief nod. I wonder what Sara and other people in our church district would say if they knew Adam and I aren’t marrying for love.

  As Leah moved on to choose her material, she thought about Cora and how sad she’d looked when she talked about her husband walking out on their marriage. It was distressing to think that anyone could get married and not keep their vows. Even if she and Adam never fell in love, divorce would never be an option for them.

  CHAPTER 29

  Adam rolled out of bed and glanced at the clock on his bedside table. He couldn’t believe it was almost noon. He’d been awakened in the wee hours of the morning when Coal decided to go into barking mode. At one point, he’d been on the verge of getting up to check on things, but the dog had finally settled down. After Adam finally got back to sleep, he slept harder and longer than he normally did. It was one of those deep slumbers that put him in a fog once he finally woke up. Moaning, he stretched his arms above his head, trying to get the kinks out of his back from sleeping so long. “I’ll most likely be paying for this all day,” Adam mumbled, bending down to touch his toes. “Wonder why those girls didn’t wake me up?” This was not the way he’d planned to start his Saturday.

  Hurrying to get dressed, Adam noticed that the house was quiet as he ambled down the hall. Hearing nothing from the girls, he wondered if they, too, had slept in.

  When Adam entered the kitchen, he halted. All three of his nieces sat at the table, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

  “Uncle Adam, you missed breakfast, but you’re just in time for lunch,” Linda announced. She grabbed a napkin and wiped the end of Carrie’s nose, where a blob of grape jelly had stuck.

  Adam glanced at the clock and grunted. “Someone should’ve woken me up.”

  “I was gonna,” Carrie spoke up, “but Amy said no.”

  Adam looked at Amy, but she barely gave him a second glance. She was too busy chewing her sandwich.

  “She said you must be tired,” Linda intervened, “so we just let you sleep.”

  “I would have gotten a good night’s sleep if it hadn’t been for Coal barking in the middle of the night,” Adam explained. “Did any of you hear him carrying on?”

  “I didn’t hear anything. Did either of you?” Linda asked her sisters.

  Carrie shook her head.

  “Me, neither,” Amy said.

  “Guess it could have been something down by the pond that had him alerted.” Adam figured the girls must have really been tired to be able to sleep through all that barking. He grabbed his straw hat and plunked it on his head. “I’d better get outside and tend to the animals. They probably t
hink I’m not coming to the barn at all.”

  “Want me to help?” Linda asked. “I’m almost done with my lunch.”

  “That’s okay. I can manage.” Adam figured he could get the chores done quicker if he didn’t have her trudging after him, asking a bunch of silly questions or stopping to play with the dog or one of the barn cats.

  He watched as Amy took a napkin and wiped Carrie’s hands and jelly-stained mouth. Then she cleared off the table and put water in the sink to do the dishes. Adam couldn’t help thinking that someday the girl would be a good mother.

  When Adam stepped out the door he nearly tripped over Coal, who lay stretched out on the porch. “Thanks for keepin’ me awake last night,” he mumbled, nudging the dog with the toe of his boot.

  Coal lifted his head lazily and grunted. Then he stood, shook himself, and ambled into the yard with Adam.

  Adam snickered when the dog yawned in a whinnylike manner. “Serves you right. Now you know how I feel when I’m tired and have to get up.”

  As Adam walked across the lawn, he noticed several bruised and battered apples. They were too far from the apple tree that was on the other side of the yard, so he figured the girls must have found the apples lying on the ground and tossed them onto the lawn. As soon as he finished his chores he’d go back inside and tell the girls that they needed to clean up the mess.

  Nearing the barn, Adam halted, causing Coal to plow right into his leg. Adam couldn’t believe it. The window closest to the door was shattered, with a good-sized hole in it.

  “That’s just great!” Adam jerked the barn door open and stepped inside. Going over to the broken window, he spotted a mangled looking apple on the floor. It didn’t take a genius to realize what had happened. “Those girls are really in trouble now,” Adam grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. He stood, moving his head in a slow circular motion, which relieved some of his tension. “The least they could have done was told me what happened. But no, they just sat there at the table, looking wide-eyed and innocent.”

  Adam bent to pick up the apple, placed it on a shelf near the door, and fed the livestock. When that was done, he grabbed the apple and headed back to the house.

  “Carrie! Amy! Linda!” Adam shouted when he entered the kitchen and found it empty. “I need to speak to you right now!”

  A few minutes passed, then Carrie and Linda showed up. “Where’s Amy?” Adam asked, struggling to keep his temper.

  “In the bathroom. Want me to get her?” Linda responded.

  Adam shook his head. “You and Carrie can go to the living room and take a seat. When Amy comes out, the four of us need to have a little talk.”

  The two girls looked at him strangely but did as they were told. Adam followed them into the other room and seated himself in his recliner, while they sat on the sofa.

  “Is something wrong, Uncle Adam?” Linda asked. “You look like you’ve been sucking on sour candy.”

  Adam folded his arms. “We’ll discuss it when Amy joins us.”

  They all sat quietly, until Adam heard the bathroom door open. “Amy, would you please come into the living room?” he hollered. “There’s something we need to talk about.”

  Amy shuffled into the room with a disinterested expression and flopped onto the couch next to Linda.

  “I discovered a broken window in the barn, and this on the floor below it.” Adam held up the apple. “There were also several apples on the lawn.” He leaned slightly forward, squinting his eyes. “What I want to know is, which one of you did it?”

  “Not me,” said Carrie.

  “Me, neither,” Linda added.

  Adam looked at Amy. If the younger girls didn’t do it, then she had to be the guilty one.

  Amy pursed her lips and shook her head determinedly. “I never threw any apples, and since Carrie and Linda said they didn’t do it, you’d better ask someone else.”

  “There’s no one else here to ask, unless you think the dog did it.” Adam gripped the arms of his chair. “And none of you had better leave this room until the guilty party fesses up.”

  Carrie and Linda started to cry. Amy just sat, staring defiantly at Adam. “I’m not gonna say I did something when I didn’t, even if you make me sit here all day. I won’t say I threw those apples just to make you happy. Somebody else must’ve come into the yard and tossed the apples.”

  Adam groaned. He wished Leah were here today watching the girls. She had a better way of dealing with them than he did. Maybe he’d been too harsh accusing his nieces, but if they hadn’t thrown the apples, then who?

  Leah had been looking at bolts of fabric for a while when Priscilla and Elaine showed up. They’d promised to meet her and help choose the fabric for her wedding dress, as well as for the dresses they would wear as her witnesses. If Leah had planned the day better, she would have asked them to meet her at the pizza place for lunch, but that had been a last-minute decision.

  “Have you found anything you like?” Priscilla asked.

  “I’m thinking maybe this.” Leah gestured to a bolt of olive-green material. “Green seems to go well with my hair color.” She pointed to another shade of green. “I thought this might work for your two dresses.”

  “Whatever you think’s best.” Elaine smiled. “After we leave here, I’m going right home to get started on my dress.”

  “Same here,” Priscilla said. “With the wedding less than two months away, there’s no time to waste.”

  “You’re right,” Leah agreed. “Since I’m at Adam’s on weekdays and have foot treatments scheduled on many evenings, I asked Adam if I can move my sewing machine to his house so I can sew during the day.”

  “What’d he say?” Elaine questioned.

  “Said it was fine with him. After all, once we’re married, I’ll be moving all of my things to his place.”

  Priscilla bumped Leah’s arm. “It’s going to seem strange having one of us married and the other two still hoping.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s just a matter of time before you and Elaine will have your wedding dates published during one of our church services.”

  Priscilla shook her head. “That might be true for Elaine, but I’ve about given up on Elam. I may look for someone else—someone who might actually be interested in marriage.”

  “Really?” Leah could hard believe Priscilla was giving up on Elam. “I thought you were going to give him more words of affirmation and see if that made him feel loved.”

  “I did, but it didn’t work,” Priscilla said with a huff. “Now let’s pay for our material and be on our way.”

  Cora’s head jerked when the front door opened. She’d been reclining on the couch since she got back from town and had nodded off while waiting for Jared.

  “Do you know what time it is?” she asked sharply when Jared sauntered into the room, looking disheveled. His wrinkled shirt made her wonder if he’d slept in it last night.

  “Sure, Mom. It’s five o’clock.”

  Cora’s jaw tightened. “What time did I ask you to be here?”

  He shrugged and tossed his backpack on the floor near the door. “I can’t remember.”

  “I said three o’clock.”

  He shrugged again. “So what’s a measly two hours?”

  Cora sat up. “It’s not about the difference in time. It’s about you learning to do as I say.”

  Jared sank into a chair. “Well, I’m home now, so that oughtta make you happy.”

  “It does, but I wish you had listened to what I said and come home on time.” Cora studied her son, noticing that in addition to his shirt being wrinkled, it appeared to have several splotches on it. “What’s that all over your shirt?”

  He looked down and brushed at the smudges. “Nothing much. Scott and I had a fight with some apples. Guess I ended up with most of ’em on my shirt.”

  Cora frowned. “I’m sure Scott’s mother didn’t appreciate that.”

  Jared made no reply.

  “Are you
hungry?” she asked.

  “Maybe a little.”

  “If you’ll change out of those dirty clothes and take a shower, by the time you’re done I’ll have some pizza heated for our supper.”

  “Where’d you get pizza?”

  “I ate lunch at the pizza place in Arthur today. There was a lot left over, so I brought it home.”

  “What kind is it?”

  “Canadian bacon and pineapple.”

  Jared wrinkled his nose. “Not my favorite, but I guess it’ll fill the hole.” Scooping up his backpack, he meandered down the hall.

  Cora sighed and rose from her seat. If that boy moved any slower, he’d stop. She was glad Jared had made a new friend since they’d moved here, but his attitude sure hadn’t improved. Even his posture had an “I don’t care” stance. He still hadn’t gotten his hair cut, and even worse, he now wore it in a ponytail. Think I’ll give Evan a call and see if he’ll have a talk with our son.

  CHAPTER 30

  Thanks for seeing me on such short notice,” Cora said as she settled into the recliner in Leah’s basement.

  “It’s not a problem.” Leah smiled. “You’re the only person I have scheduled for this evening, so it worked out just fine. Often Monday evenings are pretty busy. I guess that’s because things happen over the weekend to cause people pain.”

  Cora nodded. “That’s exactly what happened to me. I was unpacking some boxes from our recent move and ended up straining my back. In hindsight, I think I picked up one too many boxes, and knowing that reflexology can help with something like that, I decided to come see you before I resort to muscle relaxers or pain meds.”

  “Do you ever see a chiropractor?” Leah asked as Cora removed her shoes and socks.

  “I had a good chiropractor when we lived in Chicago, but I haven’t found one here yet.”

  “I can give you the name of the one I go to,” Leah offered. “Before you leave, remind me.”

  “Thanks, I will.”

  Cora reclined her chair, and Leah put some massage lotion on Cora’s right foot and began massaging and probing, searching for sensitive areas. “You said you knew that reflexology can help with some back issues. Does that mean you’ve had foot treatments before?”