A Simple Prayer

by Amy Clipston

  “This haus was so big that it had ten bedrooms,” Aaron told her.

  All the children gasped this time, and he enjoyed having his nieces’ and nephews’ attention and interest. He shared more interesting details about the house and other construction projects for the remainder of the meal.

  After dessert, Becky and the girls began to clean up and Aaron’s father moved to his mother’s wheelchair.

  “Are you ready to get your bath? I think I heard your evening aide slip in the front door,” Dat said to his mamm.

  “Ya.” Mamm held her hand out to Aaron. “K-kumm b-back.”

  “I will.” Aaron kissed her cheek. “Danki for supper.”

  “Gut nacht,” his father said before shaking his hand. “See you tomorrow.”

  “I’m going out to check on the animals.” Solomon stood. “Manny and Junior, are you coming?”

  “Ya, Dat.” Junior hopped up from his seat. “See you tomorrow, Onkel!” He rushed toward the mudroom and pulled on his coat.

  “Get plenty of rest, Onkel.” Manny stood. “We’re going to work hard tomorrow.”

  “Ya, we are.” Aaron smiled. “I look forward to it.” He smiled at Solomon, but only received a cold stare from him before he followed his sons to the mudroom, closing the door to the mudroom with a loud slam.

  Aaron looked over at Becky and found her still frowning. “Well, danki again for supper. Gut nacht.”

  Becky gave him a curt nod and his nieces said good-bye. He made his way to the mudroom and he pulled on his coat.

  “Mamm, I’ll be right back,” he heard one of his nieces say. “I need to go tell Dat something.”

  Aaron stepped out onto the porch.

  “Onkel Aaron. Wait.” Ruthie Joy rushed after him, a shawl hastily thrown across her shoulders, grasping a dish towel in her hand. “I want to say something, but you can’t tell my parents I’m discussing this with you.” She lowered her voice and motioned for him to move farther away from the house.

  “Ruthie Joy,” Aaron began, “I don’t want to get you in trouble.” Ruthie Joy may be sixteen and out of school, but she still lived under her parents’ roof.

  “No, I have to say this to you. It’s weighing heavily on me. I feel like I need to say something.”

  He nodded. “All right.” He stuck his hands in the pockets of his coat.

  “I saw how mei dat was behaving during supper.” Ruthie Joy took a deep breath. “He’s having a hard time accepting you, and it’s wrong for him to treat you this way. I heard my parents talking about you the other night, and they’re afraid you’re going to leave and hurt Mammi again. They’re still upset that you left the community for so long. But my siblings and I are grateful that you came back.”

  “Danki.” Aaron nodded. “I appreciate that.”

  “Please promise me that you won’t give up on my parents.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “I’m hoping they’ll realize how wrong they are about you. I see how much you enjoy being here, and Mammi is delighted that you’re back. Mei dat is stubborn and set in his ways. Just give my parents time. Don’t let them drive you away.”

  “Your parents have made it clear they don’t want me here,” Aaron said while zipping his coat. “I don’t think they’re going to change their mind. Your dat told me I caused enough heartache when I left and that it would’ve been better if I’d stayed away.”

  Ruthie Joy shook her head. “That’s so wrong. Mammi is thrilled that you’re back. I heard the nurse say you’ve already made a huge impact on her recovery.” She paused and fingered the dish towel in her hands. “You’re part of our family. Promise me you won’t go home to Missouri just yet. We need you here. Mammi and Daadi need you.”

  “I promise I won’t leave. Not yet.” He sighed. Her sweet words touched his heart. “Thank you for talking to me.”

  “Gern gschehne,” she said. “Gut nacht.”

  Ruthie Joy went back inside and Aaron stood on the porch for a few minutes thinking about his promise. When he made his way down the porch steps to his truck, he was shocked to see Solomon walking out of the shadows. Aaron pulled the keys from his pocket as he stood in front of his brother.

  “After seeing the hateful expressions you were sending my way during supper, I have a feeling this isn’t a friendly visit,” Aaron said.

  “I was glad to see your truck still here when I came out of the barn just now. I told the boys to stay out there and finish their chores. I want to talk to you alone.” Solomon crossed his arms over his wide chest.

  “I will allow Manny to help you with the projects you’re doing for Mamm and Dat. I only approve of it because you’re helping our parents.”

  “That’s good to know.” Aaron held up his truck key and hit the Unlock button. “Gut nacht.”

  “Just a minute.” He held up a finger. “I’m not done with what I have to say to you. While I will permit Manny to help you, I will not allow you to get close to my son.”

  Aaron rubbed his chin while holding back the words of frustration running through his mind, giving Solomon time to go on.

  “I don’t need you influencing mei kinner to leave the community and run off to do other things like you did.” His eyes were full of anger, possibly even hatred. “It’s one thing for mei son to help you work on our parents’ haus, but it’s another to have you filling his head with ideas about the outside world.”

  “I’m not a bad influence,” Aaron said, seething, his blood boiling. “I’ve already told Manny I made bad choices, and I’ve warned him not to follow in my footsteps. Why can’t you give me a chance to prove to you that I’ve learned from my mistakes? I want to be a part of this family.”

  “You’re not even close to making up for what you’ve done.” Solomon turned and started for the barn.

  “What about forgiveness?” Aaron called after him. “We’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

  Solomon spun and quickly stepped back to face Aaron. “You have no idea the heartache you caused when you left.” He jammed a finger into Aaron’s chest. “I was the one here picking up the pieces while you were making your money working on Englishers’ homes. You have no right to show up here and act as if nothing happened. I still remember how much it hurt to watch Mamm crumble after you ran away.”

  Then Solomon turned again and stalked toward the barn.

  Aaron stared after him, wondering again how he could show his brother that he wasn’t the same person he had been seventeen years ago.

  Later that evening, Ruthie Joy knocked lightly on her parents’ bedroom door. She took a deep breath and silently asked God to give her the words that would convince her parents to welcome her uncle back into the family.

  “Come in,” her mother called from the other side of the door.

  Ruthie Joy opened the door and found her father propped up in bed. He’d been reading the Bible and her mother had been reading a Christian novel Ruthie had also read.

  Ruthie Joy stood in the doorway and took another deep breath. She’d spent all evening considering how to broach the subject of her uncle since she knew her parents would most likely not want to discuss it with her.

  Her mother stared at her. “Was iss letz, Ruthie Joy?”

  “Dinner was nice this evening, ya?” she asked as she absently fingered her robe.

  “Ya,” her mother said while giving her a confused expression.

  “It was nice that Madeleine and Linda brought the food to share with us,” Ruthie Joy said.

  “Ya, it was,” Mamm said while placing her book on the nightstand next to the bed. “We’re blessed that the community has been reaching out to your grandparents.”

  “And it was nice to have the family together,” Ruthie Joy continued. “Right, Dat? Wasn’t it nice?”

  He grunted and turned his eyes back to his Bible.

  “Daadi and Mammi enjoyed having Onkel Aaron with us,” Ruthie Joy prodded. “Have you noticed how froh they are, Dat?”

  Solomon looked up and
watched her over his half-glasses. “What are you getting at, Ruthie Joy?”

  “When are you going to accept your bruder back into the family?” Her hands shook as she watched her father’s eyes flare with irritation. She knew she was being disrespectful, but she wanted her family to heal. She couldn’t stand the tension when Aaron was around her parents.

  Dat glowered. “You’re out of line, Ruthie Joy. It’s not your place to question your parents. You need to remember that you are the child, not the adult.”

  “Please talk to me about it, Dat. I want to know why you’re so angry.”

  “I have my reasons.” He turned his gaze back to the Bible. “You don’t need to be concerned with adult issues. Your mother and I will handle this. You’re too young to understand.”

  Her mother gave her a warning glance. “You need to get back to bed, Ruthie Joy. We get up early in the morning.”

  “Please don’t dismiss me,” Ruthie Joy said, her voice thick with emotion. “I want to discuss this and work it out for our family’s sake. Jesus told us to love our neighbors. He’s your only bruder, and we need him in our family.”

  Dat slammed his hand on the nightstand and Ruthie Joy jumped. “He’s been gone for seventeen years, and then he just shows up one day. It’s going to take me awhile to forget the pain he caused when he left. You don’t know anything about it.”

  “I’m sure you remember the pain, Dat. But why can’t you forgive him? You know that’s not our way.” Ruthie Joy felt a surge of confidence despite her father’s booming voice and scowl. She took a step toward her parents’ bed. “Dat, please talk to me.”

  “There’s nothing to say.” He sat up straighter in the bed and placed the Bible on the nightstand. “I can’t help how I feel.”

  “Ya, you can.” Ruthie Joy insisted as she moved toward the bed. “You can give your bruder a chance. Katie, Manny, Junior, and I want to get to know him better. Mammi and Daadi are so froh he’s back. How can you not see the positive effect he’s having on the family?”

  “Ruthie Joy,” her mother began, “you need to go to bed. This isn’t something you should be discussing with your dat. This is a subject he and I need to discuss. You’re still a kind. It’s not your place to talk about how we feel about Aaron.”

  Her father removed his reading glasses, and Ruthie Joy felt the sting of frost in his blue eyes. “I don’t want him influencing you or your siblings.”

  Ruthie Joy couldn’t let her parents dismiss her when she knew in her heart that she was right about her uncle. “I don’t see how Onkel Aaron is a negative influence. He left years ago, but he’s froh to be back. He’s said he wants to be here and he wants to be a part of the family.”

  “Ruthie Joy.” Her father glared at her. “I will not discuss this with you any further. It’s time for you to go to bed and leave this alone.”

  Tears trickled down Ruthie’s cheeks. “Dat—”

  “Ruthie Joy,” Mamm chimed in. “You need to stop.”

  “Fine.” Ruthie Joy brushed her hand across her cheeks. “But you both need to think about what I said. You know I’m right. Gut nacht.”

  Ruthie Joy closed the door quietly and walked slowly down the hallway to her room. She snuggled under the quilt on her bed and sniffed. She’d hoped to make her parents realize they were wrong to hold a grudge against her uncle. She wanted her family to heal and come together to support Mammi. She believed her grandmother needed all of them to heal from her horrible stroke.

  As she fell asleep, Ruthie Joy begged God to melt her parents’ hearts.

  ELEVEN

  Linda hummed to herself while moving the vacuum cleaner back and forth in one of the second-floor guest rooms at the bed-and-breakfast. When she thought she saw movement in her peripheral vision, she glanced over her shoulder. Finding Aaron in the doorway, she cupped her hand to her mouth and gasped with a start.

  He flung his head backward and let out a bark of laughter.

  Linda blushed as she clicked off the vacuum cleaner. “You got me again.”

  Aaron rested his back against the door frame while gasping for breath as his laughter subsided. “I am so sorry.” He folded his arm over his middle. “I didn’t know how to get your attention without scaring you, so I was going to wait until you stopped vacuuming. I guess I scared you anyway.”

  “There’s no use in lying, Aaron.” She felt her lips twitch as a smile overtook her face. “You like to scare me.”

  “No, I don’t, but you are awfully cute when you’re startled.” His eyes sparkled with playfulness.

  She was stunned by the compliment and instantly touched her prayer covering to make sure it was straight. He thinks I’m pretty and cute? She could get used to the constant compliments he gave her.

  “I wanted to see how you’re doing,” he said, continuing to smile. “I missed you on Monday. I checked the kitchen, but Trey said you had to run to the store with Amanda early in the morning to pick up a few things you needed for breakfast.”

  “Oh, ya.” Linda leaned on the vacuum cleaner. “Amanda had to go to the store before her first class, and I offered to go with her. How is your week going?”

  “It’s going well. Manny and I finished the back porch for now, so we’ve started on the bathroom. It’s a big project, but we’re having fun. Manny is really getting a kick out of learning how to make home renovations.”

  “That’s wunderbaar!” Linda exclaimed. “I know you’re enjoying every opportunity to become good friends with your nephew.”

  “Ya, I had a nice dinner with the whole family Friday night after I took you home. My nieces and nephews wanted to hear more about my life in Missouri. It’s a shame you couldn’t have stayed to eat with us.”

  “Danki. I couldn’t disappoint mei onkel. He likes things a particular way, and I have to respect that. After all, he did take me in when I lost my parents.”

  Aaron nodded. “I understand. What did you make for him?”

  She smiled while trying to remember Friday night. “I think I made baked chicken and egg noodles.”

  “I bet that was gut.” He stood up straight. “We enjoyed all the food you and Madeleine brought over.”

  “I’m so glad to hear that.” She paused before going on. “Things are definitely coming together for you and your family. I told you they would.”

  His smile faded. “Solomon is still angry with me. He warned me not to get too close to Manny or to be a bad influence over him or the rest of the kinner. I tried to tell him that I’m not going to be a bad influence, and I explained that I’ve told Manny not to make the same bad decisions I did. Solomon wasn’t convinced, and Becky also thinks I’m going to hurt my mamm when I leave. Ruthie Joy told me she heard her parents discussing me and how they think it would’ve been best if I hadn’t come. She asked me not to give up on her parents, and I said I’d try. But I don’t know what to do.”

  “Just keep doing what you’re doing. God will work on them. I promise you.”

  Aaron looked unconvinced.

  “God answers prayers, Aaron. I know he does.”

  “Danki. I know you’re right.” He glanced at his watch. “I better get going.” He lingered for a moment and studied her. “I’d like to see you again.”

  “Oh.” She didn’t know what to say in response. Was he asking her out on a date or was he saying he wanted to talk again? She was confused but also delighted by his interest in her.

  “We’ll have to catch up again soon,” he added.

  “Ya.” She nodded. “Have a gut day.”

  “You too.” Aaron gave her another warm smile and then disappeared down the hallway, leaving Linda to wonder why he’d suggested they catch up. What more was there to know?

  Solomon pushed the shopping cart toward the cashier at the hardware store. He stopped when he spotted a display of shovels on sale. He’d been meaning to replace the old shovels in the barn. They dated back to his childhood, and they were starting to show their age.

  “Solo
mon.”

  He looked up to see Saul Beiler walking over to him. Frustration boiled inside of him as he glared at the man who had contacted Aaron and suggested he come back home. This was the man who had caused the problems with his brother to resurface in his family.

  “Wie geht’s?” Saul asked as he shook Solomon’s hand. “I thought that was you. How are you?”

  “Fine.” Solomon frowned. “How are you and Emma doing?”

  “We’re doing gut.” Saul pointed to Solomon’s full cart. “I see you’ve found some supplies.”

  “Ya, there are some gut sale prices today.” Solomon looked at the shovels. “I’m thinking about getting a couple of these shovels. Mine seem to be falling apart. I can’t complain since mei dat bought most of them years ago, possibly before I was even born.”

  “Ya, ya. I know what you mean. I have some tools my parents may have bought before I was born,” Saul said. “Sometimes they do last a long time.” He paused before going on. “Your bruder is back.”

  Solomon leaned his elbow on the cart. “I heard I have you to thank for his sudden visit.”

  “Ya, that’s true. I tracked him down and called him.” Saul tilted his head with confusion. “You don’t sound froh that he came back.”

  “If I had wanted him back, I would’ve contacted him myself.” He paused, afraid if he wasn’t more careful he’d give away his secret, the truth about the letters. “Of course, how would I know where he was? Frankly, I didn’t care.”

  “I thought I was doing something gut for your family,” Saul said, his explanation changing rapidly. “Maddie told me your mamm was desperate to see him after she had her stroke, so we did some research and found him.”

  “He didn’t need to be found,” Solomon said, his voice laced with anger. “Our family was better off with him in Missouri. He left a long time ago, and he should’ve stayed gone.”

  Saul gaped. “I’m sorry. I guess I should’ve minded my own business. But—”

  “What’s done is done, but now I have to deal with the issues it’s caused. I need to get going. Good-bye.” Solomon fetched two shovels off the display and stalked toward the cashier.