Amish White Christmas Pie (20 page)

When Will entered the hospital waiting room with Karen and Nathan, he spotted Mama Regina sitting in a chair by Susanna. Her face looked pale as goat’s milk, and her shoulders trembled.

“How’s Papa Mark? Is he going to be okay?” Will asked as he dropped into the seat on the other side of her.

She reached for his hand. “Your daed suffered a severe concussion, but the doctor thinks he’ll be all right. He won’t be able to do any work for a few weeks, however.”

“That’s okay,” Will said. “Nathan’s agreed to help with the milking until Papa Mark’s well enough to resume his duties, and I can help in the store when I’m not busy with other things.”

Regina patted Will’s arm. “I’ll see if Mary Jane can work fulltime for the next couple of weeks. Even though you and your daed have helped me when things have gotten busy, I think we women can manage just fine on our own.”

“If you need some help, I’ll see if my folks can spare me for a few days,” Karen said as she and Nathan took seats in the chairs opposite them. “Since there are five of us working in the dry goods store most of the time and we’re not always superbusy, I’m sure they can get along without my help for a few days or even weeks.”

Mama Regina smiled. “That’s nice of you, Karen. I’ll keep your offer in mind if Mary Jane and I get too busy to handle things on our own.”

“I wonder if Will and I should postpone our wedding because of this,” Karen said.

Mama Regina spoke before Will had a chance to respond. “That won’t be necessary. Mark should be fine in a few weeks, and then things will be back to normal.”

A nurse entered the room and stepped up to Mama Regina. “We’ve finished running the rest of our tests on your husband, so you and your family are welcome to see him now.”

“Thank you.” Mama Regina rose from her chair, and Will joined her.

Mama Regina looked over at Susanna. “Don’t feel that you have to sit out here and wait. I appreciate your coming to be with me, but I’m sure you have things to do at home.”

“I don’t mind staying if you need me,” Susanna replied.

“I’ll be fine now that Will is here.”

Susanna glanced at Nathan. “Would you call Bob Simmons for a ride? He brought me to the hospital so I could be with Regina, and I’m sure he’ll come back here to get us.”

“I’ll do that right now.” Nathan started for the door but turned back around. “I’ll be over at your place by four thirty tomorrow morning, Will.”

“Danki.” Will turned to Karen and smiled. “Feel free to ride with the Chupps if you need to go home.”

“I’d rather stay with you.” Karen reached for a magazine. “I’ll be here waiting while you and your mamm go in to see your daed.”

Will nodded and hurried from the room.

M
ary Jane’s brother Dan stopped by while I was in the milking barn,” Will said to Mama Regina when he came into the kitchen for breakfast three days later.

“Was he offering his help?”

Will shook his head. “I’ve got Nathan’s help, so I’m getting along okay. The reason Dan dropped by was to let us know that Mary Jane came down with the flu last night, so she won’t be able to help at the store today.”

“I’m sorry to hear Mary Jane’s sick. Home in bed is where she needs to be, though.”

“But who’s going to mind the store? Since Papa Mark came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon, I figured you’d want to stay close to him all day.”

Mama Regina pursed her lips. “I guess I could see if Karen’s available. She did say the other day that I should let her know if I needed any help.”

“That’s a good idea. Do you want me to run over there now and see if she can help out?”

“Going over to ask is probably a good idea, since we can’t be sure when someone from the Yoder family will check their answering machine. But it might be best if you wait until after breakfast and devotions to go there, don’t you think?”

Will nodded. “I guess I should give Karen time to eat.”

“You need to have your breakfast, too.” Mama Regina motioned to the stove. “Speaking of which, the pot of oatmeal I’ve got cooking is almost ready, so if you’d like to wash up, I should have breakfast on by the time you’re done.”

“What about Papa Mark? Will he be joining us at the table?”

“He was still sleeping when I left our room, so I think I’ll let him sleep. I can take a tray to him after we’re done.” Mama Regina tapped Will on the shoulder. “Run along now and get washed up.”

When Karen stepped into the kitchen, she caught a whiff of warm cinnamon rolls, fresh from the oven. Her stomach growled in response to the wonderful aroma. “Where’s Mom?” she asked Cindy, who was busy setting the table.

“She went to the chicken coop to get a few more eggs for breakfast, and Dad’s still in the barn doing his chores.”

“There’s no need for her to do up any eggs on my account.”

Karen leaned over the plate of cinnamon rolls and drew in a deep breath. “A few of these delicious rolls will be all I need this morning.”

Cindy shook her head. “If you’re gonna marry a man whose mother runs a health food store, don’t you think you ought to start eating healthier?”

Karen smiled. “I’ll start eating healthy after Will and I get married. This morning I’m going to enjoy the delicious cinnamon rolls Mom made, and I’m not even going to worry about whether they’re healthy or not.”

“Dan Lambright likes cinnamon rolls real well, too.”

“Mary Jane’s little brother?”

Cindy wrinkled her nose as she glared at Karen. “Dan is not ‘little.’ He’s seventeen years old, for goodness’ sake.”

“You don’t have to get so huffy. It was only my way of asking if you were talking about Mary Jane’s younger brother.”

Cindy’s face softened. “Dan is Mary Jane’s youngest brother, and he’s also very good-looking.”

“Since when have you taken such an interest in Dan?”

“Since I went to the last young people’s function and he asked if I’d like a ride home in his buggy.”

“Hmm…” Karen’s forehead creased in thought. She’d had so many other things on her mind lately that she hadn’t realized her sister had been brought home from the last young people’s gathering by a potential suitor. She smiled.
This is a good thing. If Cindy has taken an interest in Dan, it must mean she’s given up on her quest to attract Leroy’s attention
.

Cindy nudged Karen’s arm. “What’s so funny? How come you’re grinning like that?”

“Oh nothing. I was just thinking, is all.”

A knock sounded at the back door, and Karen went to answer it. Will stood on the porch.

“Is everything okay?” she asked. “Your daed’s not worse, I hope.”

Will shook his head. “Papa Mark’s doing fairly well. He came home from the hospital yesterday afternoon.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“The reason I came over is because Mary Jane is sick with the flu and Mama Regina was wondering if you could work in the health food store today.”

“I think so, but I’ll have to check with Mom and Dad just to be sure they don’t need my help in our store here.”

“And she hasn’t had her breakfast yet,” Cindy called from the kitchen.

Karen grimaced. “That little sister of mine has a bad habit of listening in on other people’s conversations.”

Will chuckled. “Guess maybe I was blessed to be an only child.”

“Would you like to come in and have a cup of coffee and some cinnamon rolls?” Karen asked.

“Sounds good, but I’d better pass. The milk truck will be at our place within the hour, so I need to get back as soon as possible.”

“Then let me run out to the chicken coop and see what Mom has to say. If she has no problem with me helping in your mamm’s store today, I’ll ride back to your place with you.” Karen grabbed her shawl from the wall peg. “While I’m out there, why don’t you go in the kitchen where it’s warmer?”

“Okay.” Will slipped past Karen and headed in that direction.

A musty smell greeted Karen when she stepped into the chicken coop. She found her mother bent over a fat red hen and was relieved to see that Herman, their mean old rooster, was nowhere in sight.

“How’s it going in here?” Karen asked. “Did you find enough eggs for breakfast?”

Mom frowned. “Only four eggs so far. With the weather turning colder, the chickens aren’t laying as much.”

“That’s usually how it goes.”

“Did you need something?” Mom asked.

“Jah. I came to ask if you would mind if I worked in Regina’s health food store today.”

“I thought she had Mary Jane Lambright working for her.”

“She does, but Will just dropped by and said that Mary Jane has the flu.” Karen glanced at the door. “He’s waiting in the house for my answer, so if it’s okay with you, I’ll ride over to his place with him.”

Mom nodded. “It sounds like you’re needed at the health food store more than you are here. I’m sure we can manage without you today.”

“If Mary Jane doesn’t get over the flu right away, I might be needed more than just today.”

“Let’s take one day at a time.”

“Okay.” Karen hugged her mother and hurried back to the house. When she stepped into the kitchen, she found Will sitting at the table across from Cindy, eating a cinnamon roll.

“I thought you didn’t want any cinnamon rolls,” she teased.

Will grinned up at her. “They smelled so good I changed my mind.”

She snickered. “They have that effect on me, too.”

“So what did your mamm say?”

“She can get by without my help today.” Karen moved over to the counter where the cinnamon rolls sat. “I’ll grab a few of these, and we can be on our way.”

“Great. Maybe during our lunch break today we can sneak into the shed and take a look at Sandy’s pups.”

She smiled. “I’d like that, Will.”