The Divided Family

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Joel repeated his question.

  “Jah. Glen brought me over tonight. He’s in the kitchen, eating a snack.”

  “Speaking of the will, where is it?” Joel asked.

  “Right here.” John held up a large manila envelope and stood. “Your sisters asked if I would read it.” He motioned to the couch. “So you can take my seat there, if you like.”

  “Oh, okay.” Joel took a seat beside Elsie and put both hands on his knees to keep his feet from tapping the floor. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so anxious.

  “Would anyone like a cup of coffee before we get started?” Elsie asked. “I made a fresh pot a while ago.”

  “No, I’m good. Let’s get it on with it, shall we?” Joel’s neck and shoulders tensed as he leaned slightly forward.

  John opened the envelope and pulled out four smaller envelopes, along with a folded document. He placed the envelopes on the coffee table, unfolded the will, and began. “I, Eustace J. Byler, being of legal age and sound mind, do declare that this is my last will and testament. I hereby revoke, annul, and cancel all wills and codicils previously made by me, either jointly or separately. This last will expresses my wishes without undue influence or duress.”

  John paused and cleared his throat. Continuing to read the will, he stated the names of each of Eustace’s children and their dates of birth. “I also appoint my sister, Verna Weaver, as the person responsible to ensure that this will is followed. Should she precede me in death, I appoint my son-in-law, John Troyer.

  “The envelopes provided with this will for my children stipulate what each of them will receive. However, they are not to be opened until such time as my son, Joel Byler, performs a heartfelt, selfless act. The selfless act must be voted upon by all three sisters, with the final decision being made by Verna as to whether the stipulation has been met.”

  Heart thumping so hard he felt it might explode in his chest, Joel leaped to his feet. “That’s not fair! How come Dad picked on me?” His hand shook as he pointed at all three of his sisters. “Why didn’t Dad ask each of you to do something selfless? How come I have to jump through hoops in order to get my inheritance?”

  “It’s not only you, Joel,” Elsie spoke up. “We all have to wait to open our envelopes until you’ve done a selfless act that’s agreed upon by each of us.”

  Joel didn’t understand how his oldest sister could sit there with such a calm look on her face. “What about you, Doris? How do you feel about this?”

  “It doesn’t matter how I feel. We have to abide by Dad’s wishes,” she responded.

  Arlene nodded. “He must have had a reason for the four envelopes with our names on them, as well as the request he made of you.”

  Anger bubbled within Joel as he folded his arms and glared at the piece of paper in John’s hands. Then he looked at Aunt Verna. She’d started rocking her chair really fast. “Did you know about this beforehand? Did Dad tell you what he was going to do?”

  She looked at him strangely, while tipping her head. “Do about what?”

  Joel clapped his hands together so hard, Aunt Verna nearly jumped out of her chair. “Didn’t you hear a word John read?”

  “Of course I did. He spoke plenty loud enough for me to hear.” She left her seat and walked up to Joel. “My bruder wanted you, his only son, to do something meaningful for someone other than yourself.”

  Joel looked down at the envelopes lying on the coffee table. He was tempted to grab his and open it right now.

  Aunt Verna touched Joel’s arm. “Before your daed died, he and I talked quite a bit about you.”

  “Is that so? I’m sure whatever he had to say was negative.”

  Tears welled in her eyes. “Your selfish actions hurt him, Joel. I’m sure many of the things you’ve said and done have hurt your sisters, too.”

  Joel didn’t bother to look at Doris, Elsie, or Arlene. He already knew what they thought of him.

  “You need to give this some serious thought,” Aunt Verna continued. “If you don’t do as your daed said, then none of you will get your inheritance.”

  “Oh, really? Who’s gonna get it then? You? Old Henry?” Joel’s voice rose even louder. “Or maybe all Dad’s money will go to those horses no one wants to sell.” Joel stomped across the room, grabbed his jacket, and stormed out the door. If Dad thought he was going to make me knuckle under and do whatever he said in order to get my share of his money, he was sorely mistaken. I’m gonna get what’s coming to me, but it won’t be the way he planned.

  CHAPTER 7

  Thursday morning of the following week, Doris sat at her kitchen table with Brian, drinking coffee while they waited for Arlene to arrive. Elsie had gone to Dad’s house again, but this time she and Aunt Verna would be going through more magazines, catalogs, and newspapers in case they held money. Once they were done for the day, Elsie planned to do some Christmas shopping at a few stores in Charm and would take Aunt Verna along.

  Doris added some cream and sugar to her coffee, swirling it together with her spoon, then leaned back in her chair. “Arlene said she’d be bringing some of her homemade cinnamon rolls with extra cream cheese frosting.”

  “That would be nice.” Brian smacked his lips before sipping some coffee.

  She stared out the window at the birdhouse that was once in her dad’s tree house. The last few months had been depressing. It was hard losing Dad, and now trying to get through the loss of her baby.

  I don’t feel like celebrating Christmas this year, much less buying any presents, Doris thought. Brian and I were so happy about my pregnancy. I wish we could skip Christmas and start the new year. She swallowed some coffee and winced when it burned her throat.

  “Are you all right, Doris?” Brian touched her arm. “Does your leg hurt this morning?”

  “It’s not my leg. It’s my throat. I added a little cream to my coffee, thinking it would cool off a bit, but the coffee was still quite hot when I swallowed it.”

  “Would you like a glass of cold water?” He started to rise from his chair.

  “No, I’m okay.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. “I don’t want you to be late for work, so if you’d like to go now, I’ll be fine until Arlene gets here.”

  He shook his head. “It’s not that late. I can wait awhile longer.”

  Sighing, Doris drummed her fingers on the table. She wished she could clean her own house, or even go back to work so she could help with the hospital bills that would need to be paid. She had so much time to sit and think. Feeling melancholy wasn’t making things better for them.

  “Is something bothering you?”

  “Jah. I’ve been thinking more about the stipulations of Dad’s will. We have my hospital bill to pay, so we could sure use some extra money.”

  “True.”

  “It’s not likely any of us will get our inheritance. What are the chances of Joel completing a selfless act?” Her forehead tightened as she frowned. “I can’t imagine what our daed was thinking when he put that clause in his will.”

  Brian clasped Doris’s hand. “I don’t know, either, but I do know if we put our trust in the Lord, He will provide for our needs.”

  Akron

  Joel pounded his truck’s steering wheel in frustration. He’d taken time off from his job to contact a lawyer about Dad’s will, only to learn that his chances of contesting it were slim to none. Since the document had been notarized, with two witnesses present, it would be next to impossible to prove his father was incompetent when he’d made out the will. As far as the stipulation went, the lawyer said Joel’s dad had been within his legal rights to disperse his assets as he saw fit. “Besides,” he’d added before Joel left his office, “the Amish are inclined to do things a bit differently than we would.”

  “Yeah, well my dad liked to do everything different,” Joel muttered as he sat in the parking lot of the lawyer’s office, staring out the window while mulling things over. Just what kind of a good deed am I suppose
d to do? I can’t imagine what so-called selfless act would meet with my sisters’ and Aunt Verna’s approval. What in the world was Dad thinking? Did he do this on purpose to get even with me for leaving the Amish faith? Or was it because he didn’t like me coming to him a few times and asking to borrow money?

  Joel sagged in his seat, rocking back and forth. If I didn’t need money so bad, I’d walk away from this and let my sisters have everything. He frowned as the truth of the situation fully set in. If he walked away and refused to comply with his father’s wishes, then Elsie, Arlene, and Doris wouldn’t get their share of the inheritance, either. It was a catch-22. He needed to talk to someone about this—someone who could help him sort things out and come up with a deed his sisters and Aunt Verna would agree was a selfless act. If he could do that, they would all get their money, and everyone would be happy.

  Joel reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He’d try calling Tom first; maybe he’d have some good advice. If not, then he might try Kristi.

  Charm

  “You seem quiet today,” Aunt Verna commented as she and Elsie sat at the Chalet in the Valley restaurant, having lunch. “Are you umgerennt about your daed’s will?”

  “I’ll admit I’m upset. It’s an impossible situation.”

  “In Luke 18:27, Jesus said, ‘The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.’” Aunt Verna placed her hand on Elsie’s arm and gave it a few gentle pats. “You must have the faith to believe your bruder can change and become the man your daed wanted him to be.”

  Elsie sighed, toying with the napkin in front of her. “We all want Joel to change, but unless he gets right with God, he will never set his selfish desires aside and learn to truly care about others.” She picked up her cup of tea and took a drink. “My other concern is that one of my sisters, or even me, will become so desperate for money we’ll accept whatever deed Joel may decide to do as good enough, just so we can get our share of the inheritance.”

  “That will not happen because I will have the final word as to whether he has actually done a heartfelt, selfless act. Now let’s commit this situation to God and enjoy the rest of our lunch.” Aunt Verna smiled. “This meal is on me.”

  Elsie knew better than to argue. Her aunt was strong-willed, just like Dad. When she made up her mind on something, it was best to let it stand. She only hoped Joel would come to his senses and do a good deed they could all agree upon.

  Akron

  Kristi sat beside Audrey’s bed, silently praying while she held the elderly woman’s hand. Audrey was going downhill so fast and was often unresponsive. It broke Kristi’s heart when she thought how sad it was that no one other than herself and the other staff members visited Audrey.

  Last week, knowing how much her patient loved flowers, Kristi had bought a Christmas cactus in full bloom and placed it on the table beside Audrey’s bed. “Thank you,” Audrey had whispered tearfully. “You’re an angel, Miss Kristi.”

  Kristi would make sure to water the cactus as needed and hoped it would continue to bloom all the way past Christmas.

  Audrey’s eyes opened, and she offered Kristi a weak smile. “Oh, it’s you—my angel of mercy. How long have you been sitting here?”

  Kristi glanced at her watch. “Fifteen minutes or so. I haven’t said anything because I didn’t want to wake you.”

  Audrey lifted a shaky hand, letting it fall close to the edge of her bed. “You spend too much time with me. Don’t you have other patients to tend to?”

  “Yes, I do, and they are all taken care of.” Kristi took Audrey’s hand, holding it gently. “You slept most of the morning, and I’ve been worried about you.”

  “I’ll be going home soon, and then you won’t have to worry anymore,” Audrey murmured. “I will be safe in the arms of my Lord.”

  In an attempt to hold back tears, Kristi pointed to the cactus. “It’s doing well. I think it likes it here in your room.”

  Audrey gave a feeble nod. “I believe there will be lots of flowers in heaven.”

  Kristi swallowed hard, barely able to speak around the lump in her throat. “According to what I read in the Bible, there will be lots of beautiful things in heaven for us to enjoy.”

  “Yes.” Audrey’s eyelids closed, and Kristi could tell from her steady breathing that she had fallen asleep.

  Slipping quietly from the room, she started down the hall. When she entered the break room a few minutes later, her cell phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out to see who was calling. It was Joel, so she let it go to voice mail, as she had done since their breakup.

  “How’s Audrey?” Dorine asked, joining Kristi for their afternoon break.

  “Not well. She’s failing fast, but she did wake up and talk to me for a few minutes.”

  Dorine fixed herself a cup of coffee. “Audrey’s your favorite patient here, isn’t she?”

  “It’s not that she’s my favorite, exactly, but she definitely needs me the most, and not just in a physical sense.”

  “I understand what you’re saying. The poor woman has no family to sit beside her bed and offer comfort. You’ve done that for her, Kristi. And the cactus you bought is proof of how much you care.”

  “Audrey’s a special lady, and she’s ministered to me along the way, too.” Kristi took an orange from the fruit bowl on the table and sat down. Before peeling it, she glanced at her cell phone and decided to listen to the message Joel had obviously left.

  “Hey, Kristi, this is Joel. I hope you’re doing well.” There was a short pause. “I’m faced with an unusual situation right now and could really use some advice.” Another pause—this one followed by a groan. “The thing is, my dad’s will was finally located—in his freezer of all places. But I don’t know how much my share of the inheritance is because Dad wrote a ridiculous stipulation. He expects me to do some kind of a good deed—he called it a selfless act. And until I do it and it’s accepted by my sisters, as well as my aunt, neither me nor my siblings can open the envelopes he left us, which will let us know how much we are entitled to. So what I need to know is what kind of good deed would be considered a selfless act. Since you’ve done many good deeds working as a nurse, I figured you’d be the one to ask. When you get this message, I’d appreciate it if you’d give me a call.”

  Kristi sat, staring at her phone, trying to process all Joel had said. Could it be true, or was it just another attempt to get her to call so he could try to convince her to take him back?

  If it is true, she thought, Joel’s father made a wise decision, for Joel surely needs to think of someone other than himself for a change. But if he does a good deed only to get the money he wants so badly, then nothing will have been gained.

  Kristi hoped for Joel’s sake, as well as for his family, that he would come to realize the importance of putting other people’s needs ahead of his own. But in order to do a true selfless act, he would need to first get right with God.

  CHAPTER 8

  Farmerstown, Ohio

  Joel had spent the last few days wracking his brain, trying to come up with something he could do to earn the right to open the envelope Dad left for him. This morning he’d come up with a plan, and as soon as he finished working for the day, he headed to the schoolhouse where Anna taught. Hopefully the scholars would be gone by the time he arrived. If things were as they had been when he was in school, the teacher would still be there.

  When Joel pulled his truck into the schoolyard, he saw a few children milling about. It was a good indication that they’d been dismissed for the day. He popped a breath mint in his mouth and got out of the truck. As he walked toward the door, his nephew Scott stepped out, carrying a lunch box in one hand while adjusting his straw hat with the other.

  “Hey, Uncle Joel! What are you doin’ here?” Eyes wide, the boy looked up at Joel and grinned.

  Joel raked his fingers through the back of his hair. “I … umm … came by to talk to your teacher.”

  Scott tipped his
head, looking quizzically at Joel.

  “It’s just a little grown-up talk.” No way was Joel about to explain the reason for his visit with Anna.

  “Are ya comin’ to the school Christmas program tomorrow evening? Me, my brother, and my sisters all have parts.” The boy moved his head slowly up and down. “We’ve been practicin’ for the last couple of weeks.”

  “I bet you have.” Joel remembered how excited he used to get when he was a boy and the class would prepare for the program their parents and other family members would be invited to attend. He’d always tried to do his best so he wouldn’t embarrass his folks.

  Joel flinched when he thought about Christmas, only a few days away. He’d been invited to spend Christmas Eve with his buddy, Tom, but Christmas Day he would be by himself. He’d thought maybe one of his sisters would invite him to spend the holiday at her house, but after the scene he’d created when Dad’s will was read, he wasn’t surprised no one had asked. I wonder what Kristi will be doing this year. I sure miss spending time with her. It seems odd not to have bought her a gift. Joel was giving in to self-pity, but he couldn’t seem to help himself. He felt like a ship without an anchor these days.

  “So are ya comin’ to the Christmas program?” Scott tugged on Joel’s jacket.

  “Maybe. If I get off work in time to drive down here.”

  “Sure hope you can make it.” The boy continued to look at Joel. “Guess I’d better head out. Doug, Martha, and Lillian went home already. I stayed after to practice my part a bit longer.”

  Joel gave Scott’s shoulder a squeeze. “I’ll try to be there to see you perform.”

  “Okay! See you soon, Uncle Joel.”

  Joel watched his nephew head out on his bike, then turned and went into the schoolhouse. He found Anna at the front of the room, sitting behind her desk and going over paperwork. When Joel cleared his throat, she jumped.

  “I—I’m surprised to see you, Joel. If you stopped by to see one of your nieces or nephews, they’ve already left.” Anna’s cheeks were bright pink, and her blue eyes as vivid as ever.