help rebuild your woodworking business.”
Roman took the check, and as he studied it, an awkward silence filled the space between them. Finally, he spoke. “I can’t take this.”
“Why not?”
“It’s for five thousand dollars. That’s way too much.”
“No, it’s not. I love you and your family, Roman. I want to help out.” Rosemary touched his arm. “Christmas is just a few weeks away, you know.”
“So?”
“I’m sure you can use some money to buy your family a few presents, not to mention all the supplies you’ll need to purchase to replace what was lost when your shop was destroyed.”
A muscle on the side of his face quivered. “I’m touched by your generosity, sister,” he said in a near whisper. “Especially after the way I acted when you first came back home.”
She smiled as tears clouded her vision. “That’s in the past. It’s over and forgiven. It’s the now that counts.”
“Your sister’s right,” Cleon said. “It does no good to dwell on the past.”
Roman nodded as he offered Rosemary a smile. “Danki, sister.” He held up the check. “Danki for this and for moving back to Holmes County.”
A s Grace entered the schoolhouse, where Anna and the other schoolchildren would be putting on their Christmas program, weariness settled over her like a heavy fog. The past few weeks had been stressful for everyone. Not only had Dad’s shop been blown up and his cows killed, but also two days ago, Dad and Mom had come down with a bad case of stomach flu, which meant they wouldn’t be able to attend Anna’s program tonight. Grace hoped no one else in the family came down with the flu.
At least there have been no attacks in the last two weeks, she thought as she took a seat behind Anna’s desk. Anna had scurried behind the curtain at the front of the room, and Cleon stood near the back, holding Daniel.
She glanced around the room and spotted Abe standing at the back near Cleon. Cleon’s brother Ivan was there, too, along with his girlfriend, Amanda. Grace figured it was just a matter of time before Ivan and Amanda became engaged. Soon Cleon’s folks would only have Carolyn living at home.
Children grow up too quickly, she thought as she spotted Abe’s daughter Esta slip behind the curtain, along with her brothers Josh, who’d recently turned eleven, and Gideon, the oldest. Ruth sat at a desk with Abe’s youngest boy, five-year-old Owen, beside her, while she held little Molly in her lap.
Grace smiled when Ruth nuzzled the top of Molly’s blond head. My sister will make a good mudder to Abe’s kinner. I’m glad she’s found love again.
“How are your folks feeling?” Aunt Rosemary asked as she took a seat across the aisle from Grace. “I hear they’ve both got the flu.”
Grace nodded. “They’re still pretty sick. Martha stayed home to see to their needs so Ruth could be here to watch the program.”
Aunt Rosemary’s eyebrows puckered. “Does that mean they’re going to miss Christmas?”
“It looks that way. You’re still invited to our house on Christmas Eve, and we’re planning to come to your place on Christmas Day. If no one else gets sick, that is,” Grace quickly added.
“We’ll have to pray they don’t.”
“Jah.”
Grace turned toward the front of the room as the children’s teacher stepped in front of the curtain. “Welcome to our Christmas program,” she said. “We’ll begin with some recitations and poems by our first and second graders.”
The first graders gave their recitations first, and then it was Anna’s turn. She glanced at Grace and smiled. “A long time ago, a sweet baby was born. God’s Son, Jesus, came to earth that special morn.”
Grace smiled and gave Anna a nod to let her know she’d done a good job reciting the poem.
As the program continued, Grace thought about what Christmas meant to her. It was a joyful, peaceful time of the year, when family and friends gathered to celebrate the birth of Jesus and
Roman took the check, and as he studied it, an awkward silence filled the space between them. Finally, he spoke. “I can’t take this.”
“Why not?”
“It’s for five thousand dollars. That’s way too much.”
“No, it’s not. I love you and your family, Roman. I want to help out.” Rosemary touched his arm. “Christmas is just a few weeks away, you know.”
“So?”
“I’m sure you can use some money to buy your family a few presents, not to mention all the supplies you’ll need to purchase to replace what was lost when your shop was destroyed.”
A muscle on the side of his face quivered. “I’m touched by your generosity, sister,” he said in a near whisper. “Especially after the way I acted when you first came back home.”
She smiled as tears clouded her vision. “That’s in the past. It’s over and forgiven. It’s the now that counts.”
“Your sister’s right,” Cleon said. “It does no good to dwell on the past.”
Roman nodded as he offered Rosemary a smile. “Danki, sister.” He held up the check. “Danki for this and for moving back to Holmes County.”
A s Grace entered the schoolhouse, where Anna and the other schoolchildren would be putting on their Christmas program, weariness settled over her like a heavy fog. The past few weeks had been stressful for everyone. Not only had Dad’s shop been blown up and his cows killed, but also two days ago, Dad and Mom had come down with a bad case of stomach flu, which meant they wouldn’t be able to attend Anna’s program tonight. Grace hoped no one else in the family came down with the flu.
At least there have been no attacks in the last two weeks, she thought as she took a seat behind Anna’s desk. Anna had scurried behind the curtain at the front of the room, and Cleon stood near the back, holding Daniel.
She glanced around the room and spotted Abe standing at the back near Cleon. Cleon’s brother Ivan was there, too, along with his girlfriend, Amanda. Grace figured it was just a matter of time before Ivan and Amanda became engaged. Soon Cleon’s folks would only have Carolyn living at home.
Children grow up too quickly, she thought as she spotted Abe’s daughter Esta slip behind the curtain, along with her brothers Josh, who’d recently turned eleven, and Gideon, the oldest. Ruth sat at a desk with Abe’s youngest boy, five-year-old Owen, beside her, while she held little Molly in her lap.
Grace smiled when Ruth nuzzled the top of Molly’s blond head. My sister will make a good mudder to Abe’s kinner. I’m glad she’s found love again.
“How are your folks feeling?” Aunt Rosemary asked as she took a seat across the aisle from Grace. “I hear they’ve both got the flu.”
Grace nodded. “They’re still pretty sick. Martha stayed home to see to their needs so Ruth could be here to watch the program.”
Aunt Rosemary’s eyebrows puckered. “Does that mean they’re going to miss Christmas?”
“It looks that way. You’re still invited to our house on Christmas Eve, and we’re planning to come to your place on Christmas Day. If no one else gets sick, that is,” Grace quickly added.
“We’ll have to pray they don’t.”
“Jah.”
Grace turned toward the front of the room as the children’s teacher stepped in front of the curtain. “Welcome to our Christmas program,” she said. “We’ll begin with some recitations and poems by our first and second graders.”
The first graders gave their recitations first, and then it was Anna’s turn. She glanced at Grace and smiled. “A long time ago, a sweet baby was born. God’s Son, Jesus, came to earth that special morn.”
Grace smiled and gave Anna a nod to let her know she’d done a good job reciting the poem.
As the program continued, Grace thought about what Christmas meant to her. It was a joyful, peaceful time of the year, when family and friends gathered to celebrate the birth of Jesus and