A Plain and Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston

them. “Daed, would you like to join—?”
    “David, help me get my horse hitched up,” Henry said, pushing past him into the barn.
    David glanced at Kellan, who shrugged.
    “Daed?” David followed him into the barn. “You’re leaving?”
    “Ya, I am.” Henry led his horse from the stall. “I’d appreciate your help getting the horse readied.”
    David placed his hand on his arm to stop him. “Why are you going?”
    Henry narrowed his eyes. “I think you know why.” He pushed past David with the horse in tow.
    David followed him out of the barn toward the buggy. “Why can’t you stay and visit?”
    Henry glanced at Kellan on his way to the buggy. “You know why.” He hitched the horse to the buggy.
    David glanced at Kellan and found him scowling.
    “It’s all right,” David said. “I’ll talk to him.”
    “There’s no need to talk to me,” Henry said. “I’ve already told your mamm to come out here so we can go home.”
    “You can’t do that to Mamm,” David said. “Didn’t you see Mamm’s face when she saw Anna Mae was here? This means so much to her. Taking her away from Anna Mae is wrong.”
    Henry faced him, shaking a finger in his face. “It’s not your place to tell me what’s right and what’s wrong.”
    David threw his hands up in frustration. “Anna Mae made her decision to leave and was shunned. But you and I both know that shunning tradition dictates that we can’t eat at the same table as she does and we can’t conduct business with her. It says nothing about visiting with her, which is what we were doing in the house.” He gestured toward the house. “Leaving isn’t necessary, and it’s not right to do that to Mamm or Anna Mae.”
    “You have no right to judge me, son.” Henry finished hitching the horse and glanced toward the house. “It’s written: ‘for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.’”
    David narrowed his eyes, challenging him. “What about that verse in Colossians: ‘Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.’”
    “Where’s your mamm?” Henry asked, keeping his eyes averted from David’s stare.
    “You should go without her,” David said, resentment bubbling up inside him. “I’ll bring her home or she can stay here tonight.”
    “You stay out of this.” Henry started toward the house. “I’ll go find her.”
    David turned and found Kellan standing alone, his face rigid.
    “I’m so sorry,” David apologized. “I don’t understand why he’s making more of this than it is.” David leaned againstthe barn door and watched the snowflakes land on the fence posts. “Anna Mae made her choice and he’s not going to change that. It’s obvious that you and Anna Mae are happy.”
    Kellan spoke slowly. “I know it was risky to come here, but Anna Mae really wanted to see her family again. I just hope this doesn’t break her heart.” He gave a slight nod toward the porch where Mary Rose and Henry were descending the steps. “I’ll stay here until they’ve left,” he said. “I don’t want to cause any more trouble.”
    David stepped over toward his parents, and the hurt and sadness in his mother’s eyes nearly broke his heart.
    Before speaking in Dietsch, David took a deep breath, hoping to calm his frayed nerves. “You don’t have to leave, Daed. No one will think less of you as a bishop if you visit with Anna Mae.”
    Mary Rose gave Henry a hopeful look, while Henry kept his eyes trained on the horse.
    “I cannot stay here,” Henry declared before climbing into the buggy.
    David frowned, but he knew from his father’s tone of voice that arguing would do no good. Bending down, he hugged Mary Rose. “I’m sorry the evening had to end this way,” he whispered to her. “Kathryn had hoped that Daed would see the visit as an opportunity to mend the