The Crossroad (16 page)

He heard laughter and muffled talking, and because the receptionist was nowhere in sight, he wandered down the hallway toward the sounds.

Philip spotted Adele first. The dear lady was seated in a chaise longue, an afghan thrown over her legs. A harpist—a young girl not much more than twelve or so—had just begun “O Holy Night.” Standing in the back of the sunny room, Philip folded his arms, listening in rapt attention to the angelic rendition, already glad he’d made the decision to come for the holiday.

When the carol was finished, he applauded with the rest of the patients, and, quite unexpectedly, Adele turned and glanced back at him, almost as if she’d sensed that he was there.

Quickly, he made his way to her. “Merry Christmas, Adele.” He stooped down to greet her.

Her smile warmed his heart. “Oh, it’s so good to see you again, Philip.”

“You’re looking well,” he replied, accepting a chair from one of the nurses with a nod and a thank-you.

“I’m getting better, and the doctors are amazed.” She folded her hands on her lap, grinning up at him.

He was about to make a comment, but a young boy was standing before them, ready to recite a poem. Philip felt as if he were playing hooky from his upcoming assignments, scheduled conference calls, and the like, but sitting here next to his surrogate relative, he felt rejuvenated by the message of the young man’s poem and the musical performances that followed.

“What a lovely program,” Adele said when it was over.

He agreed. “And to think you have something just as wonderful to look forward to tomorrow evening.”

Her eyes brightened. “All I need is right here,” she said, reaching for his hand and squeezing it.

Nodding, he continued to sit with her, welcoming her company. For two hours they engaged in animated conversation, talking about whatever Adele wanted to discuss, until supper was brought to her on a tray and he said his good-byes.

“I’ll come again tomorrow,” he told her, promising to bring “a surprise from the Big Apple.”

“Well, what could
that
be?”

“That’s
my
line,” he said, describing the shenanigans he always pulled for his niece’s sake.

“Then you must’ve celebrated Christmas already with your family.”

He admitted that he had. “But the most special part of my Christmas this year is being here with you.” Indeed, he’d wondered if this might not be the woman’s last celebration of Christ’s birth on earth, but as he gazed on her dear face, noting her bright eyes and rosy cheeks, he had a feeling that Adele might fool everyone and live a while longer. And he was elated at the prospect.

Susanna and Benjamin greeted their relatives as they made their way up the snow-swept walk. “
En frehlicher Grischtdaag!
—a merry Christmas!”

“
S’naemlich zu dich!
—The same to you!” Amos and Leah called out in unison, meeting them with warm hugs and smiles at the kitchen door.

Amos took their wraps and disappeared into the front room with an armload of coats and scarves.

Leah leaned on Susanna’s arm, chattering a mile a minute. “Come, have some sand tarts, sugar cookies … whatever you like.”

Susanna made herself right at home, taste-testing her sister’s cherry pudding first thing after they said their hellos all ’round, ’specially greeting Esther and Levi and their youngsters.

Leah and her daughter-in-law, Lyddie Stoltzfus, along with an elderly aunt—Auntie Ann—on Leah’s husband’s side, had put a nice spread on the kitchen table, even used all the table leaves to extend it gut and long. ’Course, they wouldn’t be sittin’ down, but still there was plenty of room for an array of pastries, cookies, and cups of hot cocoa with marshmallows peeking over the tops.

Leah and Amos’s married sons and their wives and children had come, and, of course, Sadie Mae and Molly were on hand, whispering and grinning from ear to ear, along with ninety-year-old Auntie Ann. In the middle of the kitchen stood Esther, Levi, and their brood, like they were on display after bein’ gone all this time. Esther was just a-huggin’ and a-kissin’ Rachel and Annie, babbling to beat the band, standing right under a string stretched clear across the width of the kitchen. Little red and green paper bells hung from the string, and Susanna s’posed that Leah’s grandchildren had made the decoration or brought it home from school. One or the other.

She decided it best to let them talk as much as they wanted. Get it out of their systems. ’Course, then again, she must be very wise and not let on that she’d listened to one of Esther’s tapes late last night. Wouldn’t let on one bit. Far as she was concerned, that business ’bout family patterns and sins of ancestors and whatnot was downright ridiculous—for the birds, really. Esther and Levi had gone and gotten themselves caught up in some mighty strange teachings. And she’d already planned to put her foot down if there was the least little bit of talk ’bout Esther and Levi cartin’ Rachel and Annie off to Ohio!

Still, while making over her sister’s wonderful-gut recipe, she couldn’t help but overhear a little of what Esther and Rachel were sayin’ to each other. Made her think back to that tape, and a little shiver came over her, recalling some of the Scripture verses. They were passages she’d honestly never heard of ever in her whole life. ’Course, if they were really and truly recorded in God’s Word, well, then, she s’posed she oughta be lookin’ them up and findin’ out for herself. And once Christmas dinner was behind her tomorrow, that’s just what she intended to do.

When all was said and done, it was the applesauce nut cookies that won her vote, if there was to be one. And she told Leah so. “I daresay you’ve outdone yourself, Sister.”

Leah grinned, showing her gums, and reached out and hugged Susanna. “Well, if you must say so, then I’ll hafta be sayin’ denki for it.”

The People weren’t big on giving compliments, usually didn’t do it at all. Truth be told, Susanna felt mighty odd with all the attention being showered on Esther and Levi. My goodness, they were standin’ there in the middle of everything awful long, though Leah and Amos didn’t seem to mind a’tall. Prob’ly assumed the evening’s visit was for this very purpose, to get reacquainted with their Ohio relatives.

At long last Susanna made a point of catchin’ Molly’s eye, and going across the kitchen, she stood with the seventeen-year-old girl, Leah’s youngest, not too far from where Esther and Rachel were still gabbing up a storm. She whispered that she appreciated the “help” Molly and a certain boy cousin had given while over in Paradise Township not so many days ago. “It was right kind of you.”

“Oh, it was nothin’ really,” Molly said, smiling. “I just hope everything works out tomorrow … for Rachel, ya know.”

Well, Susanna hoped it more than anyone, but she couldn’t be sure how her daughter would take to the outspoken smithy Lapp. ’Least not the way she seemed to be comin’ into her own more and more these days. Susanna truly hoped she hadn’t stuck her neck out too far, invitin’ a near-total stranger for Christmas dinner.

Fifteen

Lavina really wanted to take the copies of Gabe’s artwork to Adele for a Christmas surprise. She’d even asked Rachel if she wanted to go up to Reading, but Rachel hadn’t seemed much interested. ’Least she hadn’t responded the way Lavina thought she might, seein’ as how she was sure the young woman was sweet on one Philip Bradley. ’Course, it was best to let things happen as they might, in God’s way and His time, too … if’n the friendship was meant to be at all. Besides, who was to say that Philip would come all the way down from New York City, anyways.

“Mam says we’re havin’ company from Paradise,” Rachel told her, looking worried. “You don’t s’pose it’s—” She stopped right then, her face drooping.

Lavina gasped upon hearing it. “Don’t think it could be the smithy Lapp, do ya? Not unless …”

“What?”

“Whoever’d do such a thing? Not your mamma!”

Rachel shook her head in dismay. “You must not know my mother very well, if you’re askin’ that. She’s a conniver, she is. And I surely ain’t the first person to tell ya so!”

Lavina thought on that and had to agree that Rachel was right ’bout at least one thing. Jah, Susanna was a schemer, all right. As for invitin’ a stranger into the Zook house to share Christmas dinner, well, Lavina didn’t have an opinion on that, really. Lots of Amish families had outside guests comin’ in on Christmas Day, ’specially. Guess Rachel would just hafta wait and see what happened.

Rachel was awful glad to have Esther and her family over for the noon meal, along with all the other relatives. Levi and the children played checkers on the floor in the commons area with Annie—where B&B guests usually spent their time. Not
this
Christmas. It was the first year since they’d had overnight boarders that not a single lodger would be sharing the day or the feast.

Rachel wasn’t as happy ’bout
that
as she was to have more time with Esther.

The older women, all six of them, helped Mam put the finishing touches on the roasted turkey, stuffed with corn bread, and laid it out in the dining room on the longest platter Mam owned with all the trimmings: mashed potatoes and gravy, buttered homemade noodles, cut sweet corn, lima beans, cabbage slaw, sweet and sour pickles, two kinds of olives, and plenty of celery and carrot sticks. To top off the meal, there’d be enough pumpkin pie for seconds, ice cream, and a variety of cookies. Not to mention the many small dishes of candy and nuts scattered here and there.

Mam had made certain that the younger children—ten of them, including Annie and Joshua, Lizzy’s little one—had places in the kitchen. “That way we won’t worry who spills what,” she’d said as Rachel and Esther worked to set the tables in both the kitchen and the dining room. There would be an overflow area, where folding tables would be used, but every detail of the dinner had been carefully planned, as Mam was known to do.

Only one aspect of the meal was left to be discovered, and Rachel encountered that rather abruptly when the doorbell rang. Just as they were preparing to sit down, she heard Dat’s voice as he answered the door, welcoming someone inside.

“It’s John Lapp … the blacksmith widower,” someone whispered, though Rachel couldn’t tell who, not for sure.

All she knew was that her stomach was churning and her face felt warm. What had Mam gone and done now?

She made herself scarce, hiding out in the kitchen as Dat went ’round introducing the smithy from Paradise like he was the most important guest under their roof, now that he was here, anyways. She didn’t quite know how to act, seein’ as how this man had been invited for
her
sake—unbeknownst to her and without her consent.

Was Mam so eager to have her courtin’ again that she’d do such a thing? Why, it was beyond her how Mam could’ve gone and spoiled Christmas dinner for her like this. Now that she thought of it, she almost wished she’d agreed to go to Reading and visit Adele Herr with Lavina, after all. Maybe it wasn’t too late for an afternoon visit… .

Philip arrived at the nursing home, bearing gifts. “It’s looking like Christmas around here,” he said, placing two colorful packages on the dresser near the foot of the hospital bed.

“Oh, Philip, what have you done?” Adele was sitting in a chair across from the bed, gazing at the gifts. “Those aren’t for me, are they?”

“You and only you.” He pulled up a chair and sat facing her, amused at her childlike comment.

“What a blessing you are to me.”

He thanked her, once again, for the spiritual encouragement she had offered during their months of correspondence. “I’ve learned so much from you, Adele, and in such a short time.” He reached for his New Testament, pulling it out of his sports coat pocket. “I have a Scripture to share with you before you open your gifts.”

Adele’s eyes closed briefly; then opening them, she dabbed at her face with a tissue, apologizing. “Oh, look at me go on this way. For goodness’ sake, it’s Christmas morning, and my favorite person is sitting right here.”

He reached for her hand. “It’s all right, Adele.”

She sighed heavily. “My eyes should be void of tears after all these years.”

He shook his head, wishing to cheer her. “But they’re joyful tears.”

“Yes, I believe they are.” She was smiling now, motioning for him to read from his Testament. “Don’t mind me. I want to hear the verses you’ve chosen for Jesus’ birthday celebration.”

Locating the very passage his father had read two nights before, Philip shared the story of the first Christmas from Luke’s gospel with the woman who had adopted him as her own, at least in her heart.

After they prayed together, he showed her the book he’d found in the small New York bookstore. “It has an unusual title and topic, don’t you agree?”

“Yes … yes it does,” she said, turning to the back of the book. When she’d finished scanning the copy, she looked up. “
Very
interesting.”

“If you’d like to read it, you may. I’d like to have your opinion, as well.”

“Oh, I’ll read it, all right, but this looks like a book that should be circulated among Plain folk.”

He didn’t know if she was thinking of any particular community, but one thing led to another, and soon they began to talk about Philip’s investigation into conversion disorder.

It was Adele who first brought up the topic. “I’ve been thinking a lot about your hysteria research … with Rachel Yoder in mind.”

“There’s certainly a lot of information on the subject, and I’ve brought it with me. I just don’t know exactly how to go about getting it to her.”

“Keep in mind, Lavina Troyer’s a good friend of Rachel,” Adele remarked. “She might be able to help.”

“I’d thought of Lavina,” Philip admitted. “But I don’t know her, only know
of
her.”

“Well, seems to me Lavina’s a person who can be trusted. And I should know, because I lived in her house a good many years ago.”

“True, Lavina might be the best choice. I’d wondered about mailing a packet of information to her, and would even be willing to write a brief letter to explain what I hoped she could do … for Rachel’s sake.”

“So you would ask her to read the contents to Rachel—is that what you’re thinking?”

“Would Rachel think it presumptuous of me, sending it through Lavina?”

Adele glanced at the ceiling, then shook her head slowly. “I just don’t know how Lavina would manage all those technical terms. But it
would
be a shame if all your work came to naught.”

Philip wouldn’t come right out and say he’d much prefer to deliver the data in person and discuss some of the ideas with Rachel directly. But how that might come about, he didn’t know.

When Adele’s turkey dinner arrived on a tray, Philip excused himself to go eat at the inn’s dining room, where he was staying. “I’ll return in time for the Christmas program this evening,” he promised.

“Good idea, Philip, especially since the nurses will insist I have a nap after this sizable meal.” She glanced at the generous portion before her and shrugged. “Have you ever seen so much food?”

He didn’t have to think too hard to recall the six-course candlelight suppers he’d experienced at the Orchard Guest House B&B last fall. “Eat what you can, but don’t overdo it,” he suggested. She extended her arms, and he was glad to go to her for a hug. “Will you be all right until I return?”

“Never better. Now, you go enjoy yourself … wherever you’re bound.”

The glint in her eye made him wonder. Did she suspect that he might be headed to Bird-in-Hand for a short visit with Rachel? Did Adele know him
that
well?

They were sitting around the fire, tellin’ one story after another—the children in the sunroom ’round the corner, playing games and sneakin’ cookies—when Benjamin came up with a humdinger of a tale. ’Course, Susanna knew it was every bit true, but it was just so surprisin’ to her that her husband would wanna reveal something so personal.

“Back in the days when corn huskin’ bees were still goin’ on ’round these parts, Susie and I showed up at one of them work frolics—not together, really. We was just gettin’ acquainted at the time.”

Susanna could feel the heat risin’ in her face, and she wondered if it was such a gut idea for Benjamin to be tellin’ this one in front of John Lapp, who most definitely had his eye on their Rachel. Why, from the time the womenfolk finished cleaning up the kitchen and joined the menfolk, who’d come into the front room to relax a bit, the smithy Lapp sat across from her daughter, just a-starin’. Truth was, his big brown eyes hardly strayed once since they all finished eatin’ and come in here. John was older than Rachel by three or four years, no doubt. He was clearly attracted to her daughter, and Susanna was ever so relieved ’bout that. Appeared as if her plotting might just pay off.

She watched the smithy, careful not to be caught staring. He was a tall, solid man. His dark hair was thinning just a bit on top, but his beard was thick and full, which implied that he’d been married and lost his spouse to death. ’Course, if folks hadn’t known of his widower status, they’d be thinkin’ he was married, due to the untrimmed beard and, of course, no mustache. The beard was their way of lettin’ folks know who was hitched up and who wasn’t.

She was gawkin’ now, noticing his long fingers and callused hands. John Lapp was a hardworkin’ blacksmith and the father of children—how many she didn’t rightly know. ’Least if Rachel paired up with him and they eventually wed, little Annie would have herself some stepbrothers and sisters, and prob’ly more, too, before long, knowin’ how Rachel loved children. Sad thing, though, she’d be losin’ her girl to another township if that happened. It was the one thorn in her flesh as she thought ’bout all this.