The Stubborn Father (11 page)

Eustace leaned forward, holding onto the porch post, and stuck out his hand. For now, only a slight mist fell. He hoped any heavier precipitation would hold off until he got his outside chores done. He also wanted to put finishing touches on his tree house.

Eustace made his way out to the barn to let the horses out to the pasture. As soon as he did, they took off running, kicking, and bucking to the far end of the field. Instead of stopping to graze, they seemed to be a little fidgety as they pranced along the fence row.
Maybe they’re feeling their oats, needing to stretch their legs.

After he made sure the horses’ water trough was full, Eustace returned to the barn to clean the stalls. With so much of his time spent building the tree house, he’d neglected some other things.

As Eustace began to muck out the first stall, his thoughts went to Joel. While cleaning had never been Joel’s favorite thing to do, he’d always enjoyed spending time with the horses. When Joel turned sixteen, Eustace had given him his first buggy horse. For a year or so afterward, all Joel talked about was Speedy, and how fast he could run. He’d also bragged on his horse, saying the gelding looked finer than any of his friend’s buggy horses. Effie used to warn Joel about boasting, and Eustace had as well. But the older their son got, the more he bragged about things. When Joel turned eighteen, he’d bought a car, and everything began to change. He rarely took the horse and buggy out after that, and Speedy didn’t seem so special anymore. Joel’s convertible became his passion. At first, Eustace figured it was a passing fancy, and when Joel was ready to settle down and join the church, he’d sell the car and that would be the end of it. And it was for a while—until Joel broke poor Anna’s heart and took off to seek his fortune in the English world. What a heartbreak it had been for all the family.

By the time Eustace finished cleaning all the stalls, he was sick of reminiscing and more than ready for something to eat. Back in the house, he fixed himself another cup of coffee and set out the cinnamon rolls Doris had brought by last evening on her way home from work. The mere sight and smell of those sweet rolls made his mouth water. He couldn’t wait to take his first bite and sip the fresh, hot coffee.

Walnut Creek

As Doris approached the table she would be waiting on, she noticed two little blond-haired girls sitting in high chairs—one on each side of their mother. Dressed alike, and with the same facial features, they were obviously identical twins. The girls looked to be one or two years old, but Doris couldn’t be sure. She’d never been good at guessing children’s ages.

She was about to ask the young woman if she was ready to order, when one of the little girls started to howl and kick her feet. Patting the child’s back, the mother whispered soothing words, but to no avail. The blond-haired cutie continued to cry. Soon, her twin sister followed suit. The poor woman looked fit to be tied. “I’m so sorry,” she apologized, looking up at Doris, then quickly glancing around the restaurant. “They’re both hungry. We’ve been out shopping and waited too long to eat.”

“Is it all right if I bring them some crackers?” Doris asked. She had done the same thing with fussy children before, and it helped tide them over until their meal was brought out.

The mother smiled. “Oh, would you? If we can get them to stop crying, I can finally order something to eat.”

Doris hurried off and returned with several crackers, which she handed to the children’s mother. As soon as the girls were each given one, they stopped fussing and seemed content.

The mother offered Doris a grateful smile. “Thank you. I didn’t want them bothering the other patrons.”

“You’re welcome.” As Doris watched the little girls eat, she struggled with feelings of envy.
Why did God bless this woman with two babies when I have none?
She wished she could trade places with the twins’ mother
. I need to stop feeling sorry for myself and learn to count my blessings,
she reminded herself
. I have a wonderful husband, five nephews, four nieces, two sisters who are also my best friends, and a father who loves me. There are many people who have no families at all. So with God’s help, I will try to remember this and be grateful.

Smiling, Doris gestured toward the woman’s menu. “Are you ready to order now?”

Akron

Kristi scurried about the kitchen, setting the table and stopping to check the crockpot to see if the roast, potatoes, and carrots were done. The aroma coming from the beef caused her stomach to growl. She’d invited Joel to her place for supper this evening and wanted everything to be ready when he got there. She was eager to talk with him about the seminar she’d attended Saturday night.

When Kristi saw Joel on Sunday and gave him a copy of the seminar handouts, along with her notes, he’d promised to look them over once he was settled in for the evening. She was eager to find out what he thought.

Originally, Kristi planned to have Joel over for supper on Monday. But one of the other nurses at the nursing home called in sick, so Kristi worked in her place that evening. It wasn’t fun to work two shifts, but others had done it for her when she’d gotten sick, so she felt the least she could do was return the favor. Kristi remembered her grandmother saying that when a person does you a favor, you should pass it on to someone else who has a need.

As she stood there looking at the table, Kristi heard thunder in the distance. “I hope we don’t lose electricity.” At least the meal she had prepared was already good and hot, so even if the power went out, they’d still be able to eat. “Maybe I better get a few candles out, too. A candlelight dinner might be a nice touch.”

Kristi had begun filling the water glasses when the doorbell rang.
Good. Joel’s here.
She lit the candles, and after blowing out the match, quickly checked her appearance in the hall mirror and opened the door.

Charm

Eustace had planned to go up in the tree house earlier, but there had been too many interruptions. First, the mail came, followed by paying several bills. Then his friend Henry dropped by and invited him to have lunch at Carpenter’s Café, which was upstairs in Keim Lumber. Eustace always enjoyed eating there, so he couldn’t say no. Since Henry had driven his tractor over and didn’t have Peaches with him, they’d taken Eustace’s horse and buggy into town. After their meal, they had stopped by the Shoe and Boot in Charm so Eustace could look for some boots. The ones he’d taped together weren’t holding up well, so he figured it was time to get a new pair. By the time they’d come back, Eustace was tired, so as soon as Henry left, he’d laid down on the couch and taken a nap. When he awoke a few minutes ago, he looked out the window, saw the darkening sky, and realized it had started to rain.

He yawned, stretching his arms overhead. “I’m not about to let a little rain keep me from putting a couple of Effie’s birdhouses on the railing of my tree house.”

Eustace put on his new boots, grabbed his dilapidated straw hat, and headed outside. It was as good a time as any to break in the boots, which right now felt a little stiff. Hopefully, he’d get used to them soon.

The rain came down a bit harder, and clouds blocked out the sun. In the distance he saw a bright flash of lightning and heard the booming clap of thunder, but it was too far away to worry about.

Determined to complete his task, Eustace carried the first birdhouse up the permanently-fixed ladder to the tree house. After nailing it in position on the railing, he stopped and looked toward the west where the storm was slowly approaching. Being up this high, Eustace had a panoramic view, and what he saw made him a little nervous. He noticed a wall of rain like a huge white veil set against the blackened sky, but to him it still looked miles away. Hastily, he went down and got another birdhouse, then came back up. As he anchored the second one in place, the sky opened up in a torrential rain. The wind came in strong and blew Eustace’s hat right off his head. Thunder boomed, while a bolt of lightning flashed across the sky.

When Eustace’s hair stood straight up, he grabbed his tools.
I’d better get back in the house before lightning comes any closer.
Eustace had heard and read about how when lightning produced electrical charges in the atmosphere before a strike, it could lift a person’s hair into the air, providing nature’s last warning of a bolt coming out of the blue.

Quickly, he started for the ladder, but not soon enough. Another jolt of lightning came, this one hitting the tree and engulfing it in the brightest light Eustace had ever seen. Suddenly, it seemed as if everything had slowed down. Then came a sensation of weightlessness, followed by a deafening explosion. His hearing went silent, and as all grew quiet, the last thing Eustace saw was a vision of dear Effie’s face.

Wanda E. Brunstetter

New York Times
bestselling author, Wanda E. Brunstetter is one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. Wanda’s ancestors were part of the Anabaptist faith, and her novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Her books are well-read and trusted by many Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs. When Wanda visits her Amish friends, she finds herself drawn to their peaceful lifestyle, sincerity, and close family ties. Wanda enjoys photography, ventriloquism, gardening, bird-watching, beachcombing, and spending time with her family. She and her husband, Richard, have been blessed with two grown children, six grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

To learn more about Wanda, visit her website at
www.wandabrunstetter.com
.