Naomi’s Christmas (6 page)

Naomi waited another moment, perfectly still even though he knew her muscles must
be straining. Then she nodded, and they crossed the few feet to the wagon and transferred
the hive.

Nathan held his breath as he slid it into place. Then he climbed back down, careful
not to jostle the wagon with his movement.

“That was…” His words died out as he realized what it was that had caused Naomi to
stumble. Sam Esch stood not ten feet away, staring at them.

“So.” Sam’s tone was a harsh contrast to Naomi’s soft, comforting voice. “You are
really going through with this foolishness.”

The comment was clearly directed at Naomi, but Nathan found himself stiffening anyway.

“Nathan has kindly offered to have the hives on his farm.” No trace of annoyance showed
in Naomi’s manner. “We will move them today, so that Betty need not worry any longer
about being stung.”

“That is not the point, as you well know.” Sam’s face reddened. “The plans I made
were for the best. I never thought to say this about you, Naomi, but you are being
disrespectful and disobedient. Scripture directs children to obey their parents.”

“Naomi is not a child any longer.” Nathan spoke before thinking and immediately regretted
it. He could only make things worse, not better.

But the look of gratitude that Naomi sent his way almost made it worthwhile. Almost.
He had no wish to be at odds with Sam Esch. Sam was well-known for hanging on to a
grudge, despite the church’s teaching on forgiveness.

Sure enough, Sam’s face turned an alarming shade of purple. “Naomi is my child. She
will do as I say.” He turned the force of his personality on her. “Since you have
the hives loaded, you can take them right to Dick Holder’s farm and accept payment.
Then you will move to your brother’s without any more foolishness.”

Nathan expected Naomi to wilt under the force of Sam’s wrath. Surprisingly, her expression
didn’t change, whatever turmoil she was feeling inside.

“I am sorry to inconvenience you, Daadi. But I have made my own arrangements. You
do not need to worry about me any longer. I wish you and Betty every happiness in
your new lives.”

Sam’s hands clenched into fists at this calm, open defiance. “No daughter of mine—”

“Sam?” A voice caroled through the frosty air. “Sam, please komm. I must speak with
you.” Betty stood at the edge of the yard, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders.

Sam’s angry glare seemed to wilt. He turned toward the yard. “In a moment, Betty.
I just—”

“But I need you now, Sam. Komm.” She shivered elaborately. “Don’t make me stand here
in the cold. And you know I dare not be any closer to the beehives.”

Sam glanced back at his daughter. Nathan could almost see the angry words trembling
on his lips. Then, as if compelled by a force stronger than anger, he turned and walked
toward Betty. She took his arm firmly in hers. Talking, smiling at him, she led him
toward the house.

All the breath seemed to go out of Naomi. She sagged, and Nathan reached out quickly
to steady her.

“It’s all right now,” he said. “Betty will keep him busy, and we can load the last
few hives and be out of here quick as can be.”

Naomi swallowed so hard he could see the muscles work in her throat. “I am sorry.
I did not want to expose you to Daad’s anger.”

He wasn’t sure how to respond. She was making too much of it, it seemed to him. But
it was clearly important to her.

“I have seen and heard far worse than Sam,” he said finally, keeping his tone light.
“He will get over this, you’ll see.”

“I hope so.” Her expression was so troubled that his heart hurt for her.

“I know so.” He smiled, inviting her to see the light side. “Anyway, if she has half
a chance, Betty will keep him occupied, ja?”

She was silent for so long that he thought he’d failed to lift her spirits. Then,
finally, she smiled. “Love makes people do funny things, I guess.”

Feeling ridiculously pleased at having made her smile, he nodded.

Naomi felt she couldn’t draw an easy breath until the bees were safely settled in
their new home. That confrontation with Daad had been more upsetting than she’d wanted
Nathan to see. After all, Daad wasn’t his problem, and she didn’t want him to face
any repercussions in the community for helping her.

But Nathan seemed to take everything in stride. When they’d arrived at his farm, Isaiah
and Nathan’s father had hurried to help, and they’d had the bees settled quickly and
without incident. The men had gone off to the barn, talking of this and that, with
no mention made of Daad’s scene.

Relieved, tired, and a bit apprehensive all at the same time, Naomi headed for the
house, prepared for the next challenge…convincing Nathan’s children that she was an
adequate substitute for their grandmother for the next few weeks.

She went into the kitchen, only realizing how chilled she’d been when she felt its
warmth, quickly followed by the equally warm hug from her young sister-in-law Libby.

“You feel half-frozen,” Libby chided. “You must warm up. I made hot chocolate for
the kinder. You’d like some, ja?”

“That sounds wonderful gut.” Naomi slipped her heavy jacket off, smiling at Libby’s
cheerful greeting. Libby and Isaiah had been married just a year, and Libby still
seemed much more like a teenager than a married woman, with her rosy cheeks, sparkling
dark eyes, and the enthusiastic way she had of greeting every new challenge. And it
was certain-sure that the upheaval in her husband’s family presented a challenge.

Libby put a steaming mug on the table, so Naomi sat down. She smiled at Joshua and
Sadie, who had identical cocoa mustaches on their upper lips.

“Hot chocolate is sure a treat on a cold day, ain’t so?”

Joshua nodded, but Sadie pouted. “It doesn’t taste like Grossmammi’s,” she said.

Naomi caught the flicker of hurt in Libby’s face. Libby was still young enough to
be bothered by such a comment.

“Of course not,” Naomi said. “Hot chocolate is supposed to taste different, according
to the person who made it.” She took a sip of Libby’s cocoa. “Hmm, I think Libby’s
tastes like pretty smiles. What does your grossmammi’s taste like?”

Sadie’s mood changed, quick as the flicker of a firefly. “Hugs,” she said promptly.
“Grossmammi’s tastes like hugs.”

“Gut answer, Sadie,” she said, exchanging glances with Libby. “If Grossmammi was here
right now, I’ll bet she’d give you a big hug.”

“If you make it, what does yours taste like?” Joshua asked, his little face serious.

“Ach, you’ll have to taste it and tell me. The person who makes it can never say.”

He nodded, as if satisfied with her answer, but didn’t say anything else, lifting
his mug to his lips instead.

Naomi watched him, wishing she knew what went on in Joshua’s thoughts. Sadie’s emotions
seemed all on the surface for anyone to read, but Joshua, like his father, didn’t
give himself away so easily.

“Ach, I must get home to fix Isaiah’s lunch.” Libby reached for her jacket, her eyes
lighting up at the thought of her husband. “There’s beef stew simmering on the stove,
and I brought two loaves of bread when I came this morning.” She nodded toward the
bread board on the counter.

“Denke, Libby. That is ser kind of you.” Libby’s efforts had saved her the trouble
of rushing to get lunch fixed. Her arrangement with Nathan was that she would fix
lunch and supper, but she’d have to leave quickly after that to get back to Paula’s
before it was too dark.

“No problem at all.” Libby gave her another quick hug and whirled toward the door.
“I’m ser glad you’re here, Naomi. And you know you’re wilkom to move in with us anytime.
We wish you would.”

“Ach, wouldn’t that be a fine thing, to move in on a pair of newlyweds,” Naomi said,
smiling. “Get on with you, before Isaiah comes home and finds the kitchen cold.”

Dimpling, Libby waved to the children and hurried out, the door closing on the wave
of chilled air.

Still smiling, Naomi turned back to the children, to find them surveying her solemnly.
A wave of uneasiness swept through her. Ada’s children had suffered an enormous loss
when their mother died. Now their grandmother, the person they relied on most, was
gone. A few weeks no doubt felt like an eternity at their age. How could she possibly
meet their needs?

Nonsense. She gave herself a mental shake. They were just
children. They needed to feel as if they belonged, to feel useful, to feel loved.
She could meet those needs, surely.

A half hour later, Naomi wasn’t so convinced. Joshua and Sadie resisted every effort
to get close to them, Sadie with her constantly reiterated refrain that Grossmammi
didn’t do it that way while Joshua, outwardly obedient, kept his every thought and
feeling locked up inside.

Time, she reminded herself. It takes time.

Meanwhile, Nathan and his father would be coming in soon for lunch.

She checked on the beef stew, stirring to be sure it wasn’t sticking, and then found
a knife to cut the bread.

She glanced at Sadie, who stood behind her, holding a rag doll by one foot. “Sadie,
will you set the table for middaagesse, please?”

Sadie responded with a pout. “Let Joshua do it.”

Naomi gave her the look she always used on her younger siblings when sassiness occurred.
“I’m sure Joshua has his own chores to do.”

“No, he doesn’t,” Sadie said.

Naomi ignored the comment. “I’ll get the plates down from the cabinet and you put
them around.”

For a moment the issue hung in the balance. Then Joshua spoke.

“I’ll help you, Sadie. We’ll do it together, ja?”

“That is ser kind of you, Joshua.” Naomi set the plates on the table, then turned
back to the stove, showing her assumption that they’d do as they should.

For a moment there was silence behind her. Then she heard the plunk of plates being
placed around the table.

Allowing herself a slight smile, she took a handful of flatware from the drawer. “Can
you figure out what each person needs to eat with?”

“For sure,” Sadie said, her moodiness dispelled. “I know.”

Naomi warmed some applesauce, adding a sprinkle of cinnamon. Sadie’s comment teased
at the back of her mind. How could Joshua not have chores? He was six, an age at which
every Amish child accepted responsibility as a matter of course. Even a three-year-old
could toddle around the table, putting spoons in place. Perhaps Sadie had just been
exaggerating, as Ada used to when she wanted to make Naomi laugh.

Nathan and his father came in a few minutes later, causing her to shrug off her perplexed
thoughts.

“I set the table, Daadi,” Sadie announced.

“Gut, gut,” Nathan said, hanging up his coat.

“I helped, too,” Joshua said.

Naomi set the tureen of beef stew on the table. “I thought perhaps he had his own
outside chores to do, but he wanted to help his sister.”

“That was kind,” Nathan’s father said, ruffling Joshua’s hair. “Everyone helps, and
then no one has to do too much.”

For some reason Naomi didn’t understand, that comment seemed to annoy Nathan, to judge
by the look he cast his father.

“There will be plenty of time for outside chores when the boy is older,” he said,
his tone gruff. “Let us sit down, before Naomi’s fine meal is cold.”

“It’s mostly Libby’s fine meal,” Naomi said. “She had everything cooked before we
returned.”

Did Nathan see the disappointment on Joshua’s face at his
comment about waiting until he was older? Why wouldn’t he be training Joshua in work
around the farm, something that surely was natural? Her brothers had been helping
Daad at his age, just as her sisters had been helping her. That was how kinder learned.

She slipped into a seat at the side of the table and found that Ezra King, Nathan’s
father, was surveying her with something like approval. Perplexed, she bowed her head
for the silent prayer before the meal. Usually at this point she mentally recited
the Lord’s Prayer. Today she found other words filling her mind.

Guide me to understand this family and their needs, Father. Lead me to put aside my
own selfish concerns and see how to help them.

She finished just as Nathan raised his head, the silent prayer ended.

Over the meal the conversation was mostly about the beehives. Mainly it was Ezra who
seemed interested, plying her with questions, which she willingly answered. It was
nice to find someone who wanted to know about bee-keeping. Her own family, other than
Isaiah, usually thought of it as Naomi’s rather odd hobby, even though they cheerfully
ate the honey.

By the time Nathan and Ezra went back out to work, Joshua and Sadie had picked up
on their grossdaadi’s interest.

“We want to see the beehives, Naomi.” Sadie carried her plate to the sink without
being asked. “Please can we see them?”

“Ja, please,” Joshua added. “We never saw a beehive up close before.”

Much as she welcomed their interest, Naomi hesitated. “Suppose we wait until tomorrow
to visit the bees,” she said.

Sadie’s face puckered, and she looked ready to make a fuss.

“You see, moving is very hard on bees,” Naomi added quickly. “They like to have their
hives in the same place, year after year after year. Imagine how hard it would be
for them to wake up and find they’re in a different place.” She could see Sadie’s
quick imagination working on that image. “If we wait until tomorrow to visit them,”
she continued, “they’ll have a chance to get settled down. Then they won’t be bothered
by our visit. All right?”

They nodded.

“But what will we do this afternoon?” Sadie added. “I want to do something.”

“We’ll make a letter to send to your grossmammi,” she said, remembering the promise
she’d made before she’d realized that she’d be taking care of them. “Joshua can print
the words, and Sadie, you can make a picture.”

Sadie’s pout wasn’t quite gone. “I don’t know what to make a picture of.”