A Plain and Simple Christmas (2 page)

W
alking up her long driveway, Kathryn Beiler smiled as her middle daughters prattled on about their day at school.

“Naomi told Millie that Danny likes her, but really Danny likes Rebecca,” Lizzie said.

“But I heard that Rebecca likes Johnny, and so I—” Ruthie chimed in.

“Will you two take a breath?” Amanda snapped. “You’ve been yakking ever since you got home. I’m getting a headache.” At the age of fourteen, she was Kathryn’s oldest child and had already graduated from eighth grade. She now helped out at the bakery with Kathryn.

“Girls,” Kathryn said, trying to suppress a laugh. “There’s no need for bickering.”

Kathryn’s two boys, David Jr. and Manny, pushed each other and she gave them a stern warning look before glancing at the stack of envelopes in Amanda’s hands. “Did you grab the mail from the box?”

“Ya, Mamm.”
Amanda gave her the stack. “I think it’s mostly bills, but I saw a letter mixed in with them. Looks like it’s from Baltimore. Who do we know in Baltimore?”

“Baltimore?” Kathryn wracked her brain. “I’m not certain.” Examining the letters, she gasped when she read the return address—
McDonough.

“What is it,
Mamm?”
Amanda asked, craning her neck to read the envelope.

“Just an old friend.” Kathryn shoved the envelopes into the pocket of her apron as she stepped into the foyer. She nodded toward the kitchen. “Boys, please set the table. Girls, you can start on supper. The stew is prepared in the refrigerator. Your
dat
will be home shortly.”

While the children tended to supper, Kathryn slipped into the family room, dropping her bag and the stack of letters onto the sofa. She sank into her husband’s favorite chair and opened the envelope from Baltimore. Tears filled her eyes as she read the beautiful script written by her youngest sister-in-law.

Dear Kathryn,

I’m sure you’re wondering why you’re receiving this letter since you only expect a Christmas card from me. However, this year I’m hoping you’ll receive more than a card.

I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately. Actually, I’ve been thinking of you, my brother, my parents, and the rest of our family. I feel as if I have a hole in my heart since I no longer have everyone in my life. While I know it was my decision to leave the community, it wasn’t my decision to be cut off from my family.

Although I’m no longer Amish, Kellan and I are living a Christian life together. However, I would like to
come back to visit and be a part of the family. Kellan’s only family is his sister who lives in California, and we haven’t seen her since our wedding three years ago. Without an extended family, the holidays are too quiet in our little house. I miss the chaos of our Beiler gatherings. Also, Kellan and I have exciting news to share: we’re expecting our first child in January, and we want our baby to know my family.

I know it’s a lot to ask, but would you please help me find a way to see the family this Christmas? Kellan and I would love to travel to Lancaster County and share the Christmas meal with you, David, and the rest of the Beiler family. You were the only one who understood why I left, so I know you could convince the rest of the family that I want to be a part of Christmas this year.

Please consider my idea and write me back. Even if you don’t think it’s a possibility for us to visit, would you please let me know how everyone is? How are my parents doing? Does my father ever speak of me?

I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Blessings to you and your family, Anna Mae

Kathryn read the letter three times with tears trickling down her cheeks. Memories swirled through her mind. Anna Mae was going to be a mother! What a blessing. Oh, how she missed her sister-in-law!

“Aenti
Anna Mae,” a voice said.

Kathryn’s eyes cut to the doorway where Amanda stood, her arms folded across her thin frame and her blue eyes confident. “That letter is from
Aenti
Anna Mae,” Amanda said.

Kathryn nodded.
“Ya.”

Amanda lowered herself into the chair across from her. “What does it say?”

Kathryn paused, considering if she should share the letter or not. She knew the contents might upset David, since he’d felt caught between his father and Anna Mae when she’d decided to leave. However, Amanda was old enough to understand the situation, giving Kathryn no reason to distrust her.

“If I tell you,” Kathryn began, “you must promise to keep this to yourself, Amanda. Your
dat
may not be happy when he finds out.”

“So you’re going to keep it from him?” Her brow furrowed with disapproval. “Is that the right thing to do?”

Kathryn smiled, both proud of her daughter’s honesty and embarrassed by her own perceived dishonesty. “You’re right. It’s not right for me to keep this from your
dat,
but I need to figure out the best time to tell him. It’s up to me to decide when to tell him, not you. Understand?”

“Ya.”
Her daughter shrugged. “I don’t understand why it should matter, but I promise not to share it with anyone.”

“Anna Mae and her husband want to visit for Christmas.”

Amanda grinned. “That’s
wunderbaar!
We haven’t seen
Aenti
Anna Mae for three years. Manny was just a baby when she left.”

“Shhh,” Kathryn hissed. “You can’t say it too loud. If Lizzie or Ruthie overhear, you know what will happen.”

Amanda rolled her eyes. “The whole district will know by tomorrow morning.”

Kathryn clicked her tongue. “Now, now, you were just like them when you were around eleven.”

“I doubt that,” Amanda muttered. Her expression brightened. “Back to the letter. What exactly did she say?”

“She asked if I would help her plan a visit for Christmas. She and her husband are expecting a baby in January and they want the family to know their baby. It sounds like a
wunderbaar
idea, but your
Grossdaddi
Beiler won’t be as open to it as we are.”

“Because
Aenti
Anna Mae was shunned for leaving and marrying an Englisher.”

“That’s exactly right.” Kathryn folded the letter and slipped it into the envelope.

Amanda shook her head, and the ties on her prayer
kapp
fluttered around her neck. “It’s sad. She should be allowed to come for Christmas.”

“She can visit, but your
grossdaddi
won’t be as welcoming as the rest of us. It will be uncomfortable at best.”

The back door opened and banged shut, followed by a chorus of children’s voices yelling,
“Dat!”

Kathryn dropped the letter into the pocket of her apron and gave Amanda a hard look. “Remember, this is our secret,
ya?”

Winking, Amanda stood. “What letter? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Kathryn shook her head and swallowed a chuckle. She hoped the ease of her daughter’s fib wasn’t a glimpse into the future of her approaching
rumspringe.
She followed Amanda into the kitchen, where David stood surrounded by his children, smiling and nodding while they shared the details of their day.

He turned his gaze to Kathryn and his smile deepened,
causing her heart to warm. His smile still thrilled her, even after fifteen years of marriage.

She smiled in return and rested her hands on her apron, silently debating her choice to conceal the letter.

The children continued chatting, and David nodded while moving past them to the doorway.
“Wie geht’s?”
he whispered, before brushing his lips across hers.

“Gut,”
she said. “How are you?”

“Tired.” He removed his hat and hung it on a peg on the wall. He brushed back his sandy blond hair, which was matted from the hat.

Kathryn crossed the kitchen and checked the stew on the stove. “It looks like supper is ready. Everyone go wash up.”

The children filed out of the kitchen, chattering away in Pennsylvania
Dietsch
as Kathryn stirred the stew, savoring the aroma.

“How was your day?” she asked.

“Gut.
The store was busy, which always makes my father happy. People always need farming supplies, no matter the time of year or the weather.” He leaned over the pot. “Stew?”

“Ya.”
She continued to stir it. “Your favorite.”

“Danki.”
He inhaled a deep breath. “Smells
appeditlich.
How was your day?”

“Gut,”
she said. “The English customers love to come into the bakery this time of year and get desserts for their Christmas parties. We were busy all day long.”

David snatched a spoon from the counter and sampled the stew. “Like I said,
appeditlich.
You make the best stew in Lancaster County.”

She smiled. “You tend to exaggerate.”

“No, I don’t.” He dropped the spoon into the sink and then moved behind her.

Hands encircled her waist, and she yelped. Looking up behind her, she found David leaning down. His lips brushed her neck, and she giggled while shivers danced up her spine.

“What has gotten into you, David Beiler?” she asked, placing her hands on his.

He turned her toward him and pulled her into a warm hug. “Isn’t a man allowed to miss his
fraa?”
He leaned down to kiss her again, and then stopped when gagging noises erupted across the room.

Kathryn glanced over to her older son, David Jr., holding his neck while feigning to choke. His siblings surrounded him, and giggles erupted among the group of five children.

“I guess we’ll have to continue this later,” Kathryn whispered to David with a grin.

“Ya,
I suppose so.” David stepped over to the sink and washed his hands, while Kathryn and the children brought the food to the table.

Kathryn sat at the table surrounded by her children and across from her husband. When they all bowed their heads in silent prayer, she thanked God for the bountiful blessings in her life, including her family.

Then she sent up a special prayer, asking God to lead her toward a solution to making Anna Mae and her husband welcome for Christmas.

The following morning, Kathryn stood in the doorway separating the kitchen from the front of the bakery and observed
her mother straightening the counter, placing sample containers in a row, and humming her favorite hymn.

She glanced behind her at her sister Beth Anne and daughter Amanda chatting while icing a chocolate cake.

Spotting no customers in the bakery, Kathryn sidled up to her mother. “Can I help you?” she asked.

“No,
danki,
I think that about covers it.” Elizabeth stood up straight. “I believe the cakes and cookies are well stocked. It may be just as busy today as it was yesterday.”

“Ya.
I was telling David just last night how busy we’ve been.” Kathryn placed her hand on her apron.

Elizabeth’s eyes filled with concern. “What’s on your mind, Kathryn? You look like the weight of the world is sitting on your shoulders.”

Kathryn pulled the letter from her pocket. “I received this yesterday.”

Elizabeth took the letter and read it. “Anna Mae is pregnant. What a blessing! And she wants to come and visit.” She smiled. “What did David say about it?”

“I didn’t tell him.” Kathryn busied herself by straightening a row of individually wrapped cookies to avoid her
mamm’s
stunned stare.

“Why not?” Elizabeth chuckled. “You’re never one to keep silent about things. What’s stopping you this time?”

Sighing, Kathryn looked up. “I know he’ll think it’s a bad idea to invite Anna Mae. He’ll say her visit will open family wounds that he wants kept closed. You know how his
dat
gets about this subject.”

Amanda appeared in the doorway. “But it’s
Grischtdaag! Aenti
Anna Mae is our family, and the holidays are about
family. Jesus tells us to love one another and forgive each other.
Grossdaddi
needs to remember that.”

“He knows that, Amanda,” Kathryn said. “You know as well as I do that he preaches about love and forgiveness, but he’s in a complicated position because he’s the bishop.”

“But it’s
Grischtdaag, Mamm,”
Amanda repeated with more emphasis on the word. “Can’t our family put the shunning behind us for that?” Amanda’s face transformed to her best “puppy dog face,” as her father called it. “Please,
Mamm.
Please.”

Grimacing, Kathryn glanced at her mother, who cupped her hand to her mouth and chuckled.

Kathryn turned back to her daughter. “Fine. You win. I’ll talk to your
dat,
but I can’t make any promises about what will happen.”

Amanda squealed and threw her arms around Kathryn’s neck, jerking her into a hug.

“You’re the master of manipulation, Amanda Joy,” Kathryn said, hugging her daughter close. “I feel sorry for the boys in our community when you start courting.”

Amanda giggled and then danced back into the kitchen.

Kathryn shook her head. “She’s a handful.”

“Ya,”
Elizabeth said, looping an arm around Kathryn’s shoulder. “She reminds me of you at that age. You knew how to get just what you wanted too.” Her expression became serious. “You’re doing the right thing by discussing it with David. Tell him how you feel and how much more complete
Grischtdaag
will be with his youngest
schweschder
back with the family.”

“I just hope he’ll listen,” Kathryn whispered.

“He loves you.” Elizabeth patted her back. “He’ll listen.”

That evening Kathryn ran a brush through her waist-length golden hair while watching David lounge on the bed reading his Bible.

“I can feel your stare,” he said without looking up. “What’s on your mind, Katie?”

She cleared her throat and set the brush on the dresser her father had made as a wedding gift for her and David years ago. “I wanted to share something with you.”