Naomi’s Christmas (13 page)

“Ja? That’s sooner than she thought to return. Trouble with the other grandmother?”
Like most of the valley, Isaiah was well-informed on what everyone did, and he’d know
that Elizabeth and John lived on his parents’ farm out in Ohio.

“No, nothing of the kind.” Nathan’s frown deepened. “She is worried about Jessie,
she says.” He looked up at Isaiah. “You will not repeat that to anyone, ain’t so?”

“For sure I won’t.” Isaiah’s fresh, boyish face creased with concern. “Jessie can
be a handful, I guess.”

“Ja.” He hoped that was all it was. He should have been keeping better track of the
girl, he supposed, but he was stuck here on the farm, and there were plenty of folks
in town who’d gladly look in on her.

Tuesday. He put the letter on the table. That meant Monday would be Naomi’s last day
here.

All he could think was that the time had gone by too fast. Like Joshua, he was torn.
Naomi would move on. That was her wish, after all, and he’d be selfish to want anything
else. Still, he had to admit he was going to miss her, maybe too much.

Scraps of fabric, paste, paper, and scissors covered the kitchen table the next afternoon
as Naomi worked with the children on the Christmas gifts they were making. After hearing
from Nathan this morning how soon Emma was returning, she’d thought they’d better
move a bit faster on their projects.

Joshua and Sadie didn’t know. Nathan had said he thought it best to wait and tell
them Monday afternoon, trying not to make something big out of the news. Naturally
she’d respect his wishes.

Unfortunately, it was already something big for her. She looked at Joshua, his face
intent as he bent over the pincushion he was making for his grossmammi. He was so
like Nathan that her heart twisted a little.

And Sadie. Naomi had to smile. Sadie was making a calendar for her daadi, with a different
picture for each month. Right now a triangle of red paper stuck to her cheek, and
her tongue peeked slightly between her lips as she concentrated.

Even as Naomi watched, Sadie put her crayon down fretfully. “My bird doesn’t look
right, Naomi.” There was a faint edge of a whine in the words, which suggested Sadie
was getting tired.

“Why don’t you take a break for some milk and cookies? Let the bird rest for a bit,
too.”

Sadie’s normal sunny expression returned. She patted the drawing. “You rest, little
bird,” she crooned, and headed for the cookie jar, which Naomi had refilled with snickerdoodles
that morning.

Naomi rose to get the milk. “Joshua, do you want to stop for a snack?”

“Denke, Naomi. I want to finish this first,” he said. She could have predicted that
response. Joshua was persistent, again like his daadi.

She got the milk bottle from the refrigerator and poured a glass, listening to Sadie’s
chatter with half her attention. Nathan hadn’t said anything about why Emma was returning
so
soon. The memory of Jessie’s words at the quilt store slithered back into her thoughts.
Was it possible that Emma was coming back because she was worried about the kinder?

Nonsense, Naomi assured herself. It was far more likely that Emma was worried about
Jessie. She knew the children were well cared for, didn’t she?

One thing about that nasty tongue of Jessie’s—the things she said couldn’t be entirely
dismissed. Or at least, not by her. Maybe other people just shrugged them off and
quickly forgot.

The sound of hooves in the lane brought her back from a futile line of thought. She
leaned over the counter to peer out the window.

“Your daadi and grossdaadi are back from the farrier’s,” she said. “Better hurry and
hide any presents that are for them, ja?”

Her cookies and milk forgotten, Sadie squealed and began pushing the calendar pieces
together, jumbling them. Naomi helped her while Joshua worked steadily on. Unlike
Sadie, who’d pulled out everything she was making, Joshua had only brought the pincushion
from its hiding place.

“Hurry, Naomi, hurry.” Sadie jammed the pieces into the shoe box Naomi had given her
for storing the project.

“There, that’s it.” Naomi clapped the lid on the box and shoved it into Sadie’s arms.
“Run and hide it.”

Sadie spun and rushed out, and Naomi heard her footsteps thundering on the stairs
just as the back door opened and Nathan came through into the kitchen. Her smile faded
when she saw his expression. Why was he looking so solemn?

Avoiding her gaze, Nathan glanced at his son. “Go upstairs with Sadie for a few minutes,
Joshua. I will call you when to come back down.” As if realizing that would sound
like punishment
to the child, he tempered the words with a smile. “I just have to talk to Naomi in
private for a bit.”

Joshua nodded, and it was impossible to tell whether he accepted his father’s reasoning
or not. He slid from his chair and left the room.

Naomi’s thoughts spun as crazily as a snowflake caught in the wind. What was wrong?
Why did Nathan look so serious, as if he had caught her in wrongdoing?

When Joshua’s steps receded up the steps, Nathan turned to her. Naomi’s heart faltered
at his expression. “Was ist letz, Nathan? What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong is that everyone at the farrier’s was talking about you and Jessie quarreling
at the quilt shop yesterday.” He took a step toward her. “What’s wrong is that I didn’t
hear it from you.”

N
athan
could read the shock in Naomi’s face at his words. Maybe he shouldn’t have spoken
so harshly, but the idea that everyone in Pleasant Valley was talking about his family
just couldn’t be borne.

Naomi put one hand on the back of a chair, seeming to gather control for a moment.
“That is not what happened, Nathan.”

He took an impulsive step closer. “That is what everyone at the farrier’s was saying.”

Her lips pressed together, as if she were censoring what she wanted to say. “I don’t
suppose the folks at the farrier’s were in Katie’s shop yesterday afternoon.”

He dismissed that response with a gesture. “Maybe not, but they heard it from folks
who were there. Half the township is talking about my family.”

“I am sorry that you were embarrassed.” Naomi’s calm seemed imperturbable.

While he might value that quality under normal circumstances, right now it just served
to irritate him further. “It is not a question of embarrassment.” He knew that was
false the moment he said it, but he wouldn’t go back. “I should have heard it from
you, not from someone else. You know that is true, Naomi.”

Those words seemed to finally disturb her calm. “Ja, maybe I should have spoken,”
she admitted. “But the last time I brought up something about Jessie, you didn’t want
to hear it.”

Why did women always remind you of the thing you least wanted to think of whenever
you argued with one of them?

“Maybe so, but this is different.” He took a breath, trying to reclaim the balance
he’d lost when he’d walked into the barn at the farrier’s and heard several brothers
talking about Jessie and Naomi. He put his hands on the back of a chair, mimicking
Naomi’s posture across the table. “Let’s start over again. What happened with you
and Jessie yesterday at the quilt shop?”

Naomi nodded, as if approving his effort to calm down and discuss the incident. “I
had gone in to get some fabric for a doll I am making.” She hesitated. “It’s for Sadie.
For Christmas. That’s what Jessie objected to.”

Knowing Jessie, he found it hard to predict what might upset her, but this seemed
innocent enough. “She was in the shop as well, then.”

“She came in while Katie was putting my fabric in a bag. Katie didn’t realize, of
course. She mentioned that I was making a doll for Sadie.” She stopped, as if that
was all that needed to be said.

Nathan blew out a breath, praying for patience. “Why
would Jessie care? Was she also making a doll?” That might explain it, if Jessie imagined
some competition for Sadie’s affection.

Naomi looked startled. “No. I don’t think so, anyway. She said that I didn’t need
to make a gift, because I wouldn’t be here at Christmas. And that her mother was coming
back early because she is worried about my caring for the children.”

“There was more than that said, I think. Unless someone was making up the story completely.”
He kept his voice quiet, not wanting Naomi to feel she couldn’t be open with him.
He’d made that mistake already.

She shook her head, a slight frown furrowing her forehead. “It was nonsense,” she
said. “I’m sure even Jessie doesn’t believe it. She was just wanting to hurt me…”
She let that trail off, clearly not wanting to say more, maybe regretting she’d said
as much as she had.

But he had an obligation to Ada’s family to deal with this situation, no matter how
much he’d rather run the other way. “What did she say?”

Naomi seemed to focus her gaze on the scraps of fabric on the table. “She said that
I wanted to take Ada’s place with you and the kinder.”

“Nonsense.” He said the word sharply. “As you said, that was just nonsense. Jessie
is like a child, blurting out things she doesn’t mean. She is probably sorry and embarrassed
by this time.”

Naomi looked as if she didn’t quite accept that last part, but she nodded. “There
were a couple of other women in the shop, and I’m afraid they overheard. But Katie
distracted Jessie very quickly, and it was all over in a moment.”

He smiled a bit wryly. “Even a moment was enough to get the gossips going. It will
be wonderful gut when Emma gets back to look after her.”

“Ja.” Naomi’s gaze clouded. “Jessie said something to Katie about liking her independence.
That worried me a little. Jessie is…well, impetuous.”

Impetuous
was one word for it, he supposed. Naomi was being cautious in what she said, not
wanting to upset him, most likely. “Emma is the only one who can handle her sometimes.”

Naomi lifted her gaze then, meeting his eyes. “I am sorry, Nathan. I would have avoided
Jessie if I could have. I’m sure she’ll forget all about me as soon as her mamm comes
back.”

“Ja, I think you’re right. When you leave next week—”

“Next week?” Sadie was suddenly there, rushing across the kitchen to throw her arms
around her. “No, you are not going already. I don’t want you to go, Naomi. How will
I finish Daadi’s present without you?”

Joshua followed his sister into the kitchen, looking at Nathan apprehensively. “I’m
sorry, Daadi. I couldn’t get her to wait.”

“It’s all right, son.” Sooner or later he’d have to tell them Naomi would be leaving.
He’d just have preferred later. “Sadie, stop the fussing. Your grossmammi is coming
back on Tuesday. You’ll be glad to see her, ain’t so?”

“I want Naomi.” His daughter shot him a mutinous look. “I don’t want her to go away.”

“Ach, I’m not going away, silly girl,” Naomi said gently, smoothing Sadie’s hair back
with her palm. “I will be working
at the bakery, but I will still come out to watch over the bees, ja?”

“You said you’d teach us more about the bees,” Joshua said. “You won’t forget, will
you?”

“I would never forget something so important,” Naomi said, her hand on Joshua’s shoulder.
“I am looking forward to showing you all about the bees. Now, I think we should make
something special to welcome your grossmammi back. What should it be?”

Her tears forgotten, Sadie began talking eagerly, and Joshua joined in, both of them
focused on Naomi as she smiled at them.

Nathan’s heart seemed to cramp. He’d gotten used to having Naomi here so quickly.
He wasn’t sure he’d get used to her absence anywhere near as fast.

It wasn’t until Saturday that Naomi found the time for her promised visit to Betty,
her new stepmother. Sunny, her carriage horse, whickered when Naomi turned into the
familiar lane, her ears pricking forward. The mare, at least, seemed to be anticipating
this visit.

She probably should have come sooner, Naomi knew. She walked toward the back porch,
pulling her jacket more tightly against the chill wind that was blowing. She wouldn’t
want Betty to think she didn’t appreciate her efforts to make peace.

But to tell the truth, Naomi’s nerves were stretched taut. Despite Daad’s assertion
that he’d just wanted her to get acquainted with Betty, she couldn’t help expecting
him to take
the opportunity to try again to sway her to his plans for her future.

The back door opened, and Betty stood there, smiling in welcome. “Naomi, komm. You
must be cold.”

Naomi stepped inside, the warmth enveloping her, and surrendered her jacket to Betty.
She tried to keep a smile on her face as Betty hung it from one of the hooks in the
back hall as if Naomi were a guest. Which maybe she was, and she ought to accept that
fact.

“There is coffee and pumpkin bread,” Betty said, leading the way into the kitchen.
“Would you like it now to warm up, or after we have finished our sorting?”

“That’s wonderful kind of you, Betty. Let’s work first, ja?” She suspected it would
be easier to find something to say to Betty if they were both busy.

“That’s fine,” Betty said. “I have some linens laid out on the bed that I thought
you could help me decide what to do with. It’s not easy to combine two households.
We have too much of one thing and not enough of another, it seems.” She chuckled,
as if she’d made a joke.

Naomi smiled dutifully as she followed Betty up the flight of stairs. Maybe this adjustment
would be easier if Daadi had married someone the family already knew well. Betty had
come from a church district that was a county away, and the family had met her only
once in a while at a wedding or a funeral.

Or maybe it would have worked out all the same in any event.

“Komm, sit.” Betty patted a space on the bed next to a stack of sheets and coverlets.
“We can be comfortable while we
sort.” She paused for a moment. “Your daad has gone to the mill to see about some
feed, so I doubt he’ll be back much before supper.”