Snowfall (13 page)

“What about Ruth? Did she have chicken pox?”

“Yes, she did.”

“That's
gut
. Now she won't get sick.”

“That is
gut.
” Looking down at his sweet little girl, he asked, “Brigit, are you worried about getting sick?”

“Kind of.”

“Are you worried about being sick at Christmas?”

“Kind of. But if Gregory is gonna be all right, I guess I'll be all right, too.”

Martin chuckled. “That's the way to think, dear. It's always best to try to be positive.” Of course, as soon as he said those words he was wishing that he'd been a bit more positive lately.

“Daed, I'm glad Ruth is taking care of us. She's real nice.”

“
Jah
, she is.” Actually, he thought she was pretty special.

“Do you think she likes us?”

“I hope so. That is, I hope we don't drive her too crazy,” he teased. “There are a lot of us, you know.”

Brigit nodded, then blurted, “She told me something today.”

She looked so solemn and earnest, he leaned in closer to her and Frank. “What was that?”

“She said that she didn't grow up in just one house. That she had to live in a whole lot of houses because her parents died.”

“I knew she had a difficult time of it, but that is mighty sad.”

She leaned into his side and sighed. “I think so, too.”

Martin wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We can't do anything about her past, but we can all do something about the present, don'tcha think? We'll have to make this a happy Christmas for Ruth.”

Brigit's smile was radiant as she scrambled to her feet. “I'm gonna go tell that to Karin.”

“I think that's a fine idea, dear. But wait until the morning when she's awake. If you let Karin know, she'll make sure everyone does what they are supposed to do.”

After she scampered up the stairs, Martin stretched out on the floor next to their puppy. When Frank cuddled closer, Martin closed his eyes and let himself relax.

And then remembered to give thanks for his blessings, those great and small.

Katrina really doesn't like to be teased about getting red spots on her face.

Karin, Age 5

Most of Ruth's earliest childhood memories existed in her head as a hazy blur, interrupted only by stark moments of happiness or extreme sadness.

She didn't need a counselor to help her understand why she'd blocked most memories out. That had been her way to cope with all the confusion she'd felt as a little girl. It had been difficult to understand why she'd never been especially wanted by her relatives. She hadn't understood why God had decided that He'd needed her parents at such a young age. And especially when they'd had a little girl to take care of.

She'd also learned that understanding why anything happened didn't necessarily make things easier. Sometimes all that was necessary was making do.

And so that was what she'd learned to do. She'd learned to live in the moment. She'd learned not to think about her future, and she'd learned not to dwell on the past. Instead, she'd focused on the present.

But that morning, she'd woken up with a memory so stark and vivid she would have sworn that it had happened just hours ago, not six years.

It had been when she'd been fourteen, gangly, and awkward. Shy and secretly angry, she'd been spending a year living with her mother's youngest sister, Rachel, and Josiah, her husband of two years. Rachel had been pregnant and had been expecting their baby right around Christmas. She'd fairly glowed with happiness, and her husband had been particularly doting and kind.

Every morning Josiah would make them breakfast and fuss over Rachel like she was the first woman in Charm to be pregnant.

Ruth had understood why Josiah had loved her so much. Rachel was one of the nicest people Ruth had ever known. From the moment Ruth had moved in, Rachel had gone out of her way to make her feel welcome. In return, some of Ruth's anger had melted away and she'd begun doing everything she could to make a good impression. She'd cooked supper, done laundry, gathered eggs, shoveled snow. Anything she could do to make Rachel's life easier. For them to want to keep her longer.

Over and over both Josiah and Rachel told her that she was a blessing to them. That they didn't know what they would have done without her. Never having received such praise, Ruth had practically eaten it up.

Then, three days before Christmas, Rachel had her baby girl. They'd named her Hope, and Hope was lovely and perfect. Ruth was looking forward to helping out, to holding baby Hope whenever Rachel needed her rest, to helping make that Christmas especially
wunderbaar
.

But on the morning of Christmas Eve, another relative stopped by. Evan and his wife, Francis, who were Josiah's aunt and uncle. They both were thin and wiry, stern looking and strict. Ruth had stayed out of their way, keeping to her room and working on the blanket she was crocheting for Hope.

And that was why she'd been so shocked when Josiah had entered her room and told her to get her things together.

“But why?” she'd asked. “What did I do wrong?”

“Not a thing. But we only agreed to keep you until the baby came.” Looking slightly guilty, he simply stated, “And the baby came.”

“Where am I going to stay now?”

“With my aunt and uncle.” A shadow entered his eyes before he visibly brushed it to one side. “They agreed to take you in for six months.”

“I have to go with Evan and Francis?”

“
Jah
.”

“But—”

He lowered his voice. “They're kind of strict, but they should treat you okay. And there's nothing I can do. I mean, I did what I promised, right?”

Feeling desolate, she nodded. She didn't want to upset Josiah further. He'd been so good to her. Until now. “I'll be ready in a few minutes.”

Looking a bit guilty, he pressed his hand on her shoulder. “Ruth?”

“Yes?” She looked into his eyes, waiting for something. A promise. Anything.

He gestured to the blanket. “Rachel said you could take your project with you.”

“Oh. All right.” They hadn't wanted her gift to them. They hadn't wanted anything.

Knowing that the blanket would always serve as a reminder of yet another unsuccessful attempt to belong, she left it behind. And when she rode in the buggy beside Evan and Francis, watching the one place she'd felt comfortable drift away, she knew that there wouldn't be any Christmas gifts waiting for her at their house.

She hadn't been wrong.

Now, in the morning light of her small one-room apartment, with its pink walls and pretty quilt, Ruth made a decision. She was going to pull out her tote bag, pack her things, and prepare to spend the next two or three weeks taking care of the Rhodes
kinner
.

No matter what, she didn't want any of them to ever imagine that they were unwanted. Or a burden. Especially not if she could help it. Especially not on Christmas.

With that in mind, Ruth gathered more things than she thought she would need, carefully carried them all downstairs, and accepted her landlady's neighbor's offer of help.

She was going to the Rhodeses' house for as long as they needed her. Because even if it was hectic and tiring and full of sick, crying kids and too many cases of chicken pox, it was sure to be a far sight better than the Christmas of her fourteenth year.

The year she'd realized that nothing was ever going to change. And that it was completely possible for things to get even worse than she'd imagined.

When Larry, the neighbor, pulled up in front of the Rhodeses' house, Ruth thought it had never looked so quiet. Here it was, already eight in the morning and no lights were shining, shades were pulled down, and the barn looked quiet, too.

“You sure someone's here, Ruth?” Larry asked. “It looks pretty quiet.”

“Six children under ten live here, along with one fluffy dog with an enormous tail,” she said dryly. “I don't think Martin takes any of them anywhere if he can help it.”

Larry chuckled. “I think you might have a point.” After unbuckling his seat belt, he turned to her. “Just the same, I'm going to help you get your things inside and make sure this is where you want to be. No way am I going to leave here without your being settled.”

His words were so sweet—so opposite the way so many of her relatives had treated her—tears pricked her eyes. But because, of course, he wouldn't understand her sudden burst of emotion, she simply nodded and scrambled out her side of the car.

Then she met him at the hatchback and grabbed one of her three bags. Larry took the other two and followed her to the front door, where she set down her bag and knocked.

And then knocked again.

Larry looked through the window, leaned back, and shrugged. “I don't know, Ruth. It doesn't seem as if anyone—”

Just then, the door burst opened and Thomas poked his head out. “Ruth! You came!” he chirped. “Boy, am I happy to see ya!”

There it went again! Her eyes pricked with unshed tears. “Thomas, I am happy to see you, too. Where is everyone?”

“Sick.”

“Sick? Oh, my.” Ruth looked at her driver. “I think I better go in and start taking care of things right now.”

Larry grabbed the handles of her bags. “Let me help you get these inside. Young man, hold open the door.”

Thomas complied, his gaze focused on Ruth's suitcases. “You moving in, Ruth?”

Larry looked at her curiously.

“
Jah
. Your father asked me to stay here and look after you since Gregory is sick.”

“But he didn't think you were gonna say yes.”

“I guess he'll be surprised, then.” Aware that Larry was standing stock-still in the middle of the entryway, obviously in no hurry to drop her things and run, Ruth attempted to smile. “Thank you again, Larry.” Remembering that the Rhodes were New Order and had a phone in their kitchen, she added, “I'll call you in a day or so and let you know when I am returning.”

“I'm not as worried about your coming back as I am about your staying here with a houseful of sick kids.”

“I'll be okay.”

“Are you sure? It don't feel right, leaving you like this. I feel like I'm leaving you to the wolves.”

Where had a man like him been when she was younger? “I appreciate your concern. More than you know. But I think I better see where everyone else is.”

Larry nodded. “All right then.” Reaching out, he clasped her hand and squeezed gently, his wrinkled hand with the paper-soft skin over a map of veins, bringing more comfort than he would ever realize. “Call us tonight, though. Okay? Otherwise the Mrs. and I are gonna worry.”

“I'll call.” She kept her smile on her face until he turned, left the house, and disappeared from view.

Actually, the smile wasn't hard to keep in place because Thomas had edged closer and slid his hand into hers. That little gesture made her feel even more wanted and squeezed her heart just a little bit more.

After closing the door, she knelt down in front of him so they were eye level. “Thomas, you are in pajamas.”

“I know.”

“Where's your father?”

“Holding Meg.” He tucked in his bottom lip and chewed on it. “She's sick now, too. And so is Karin.”

“Oh, boy. I think I better go see how I can help, hmm?”

“Yeah.” He grabbed her hand again and pulled her forward. Only to stop on the second step. Then he looked up at her, his expression fierce and earnest. “You promise you're going to stay, Ruth?”

“I promise. I promise I will stay as long as you want me.”

He still looked doubtful. “You
promise
you promise?”

She took care to keep her own expression just as earnest. “
Jah
, Thomas. I promise to keep my promise.”

Then, to her surprise, he smiled, too. A big smile. The kind of smile most people smiled on their birthdays. Or on Christmas. Or when they got a new puppy. “
Gut
,” he muttered as he let go of her hand and raced upstairs.

Ruth followed far more slowly, but realized that for once, she'd just made a promise that she had every intention of keeping.

Because at the moment it felt like the best promise she'd ever made.

Kittens make everything better.

Meg, Age 4

Life with Annie was proving to be one of the most gratifying experiences of Lovina's life. She was learning new things, too!

And at her age! And after raising six children and watching many of her grandchildren grow up and get married.

It just went to show you that the Lord was full of surprises. Always.

She was thinking about such things as she was making a pot of chili. She'd needed something to do when Annie had opted to join Elsie, Roman, and their spouses on their trip into town for some last-minute Christmas shopping, then for lunch at the Farmstead.

Funny how one very quiet girl could make such a difference in her life. Now when she was gone, Lovina felt a little bit of a loss about what to do with herself.

Two raps on the door interrupted her thoughts. “Come in, Viola,” she called out, thinking that she was glad Viola had something of a signature knock.

And sure enough, in came pretty Viola, who happened to be practically glowing in good health. “Look at you,” Lovina teased. “You are all smiles today. Is it because you girls have got everything in hand for our Christmas dinner?”

“We don't quite have everything in hand, but we're almost there.”

“That's
gut
. Because, you know, tomorrow is Christmas Eve.”

“We'll do it. I promise.”

“I know you will, dear,” Lovina said. “I'm proud of you. Proud of both of my dear twin granddaughters.”