Chapter 25
Sunday morning, as soon as the youngest Beiler stepped into the kitchen Phoebe was ready to help him celebrate. “Happy birthday, Jesse. In honor of your special day I made some cinnamon rolls for everyone.”
Jesse’s eyes lit up. “Danke. They smell wonderful gut.”
That sentiment was echoed by several of the others who’d already made it to the kitchen.
Phoebe smiled as she set the platter in the middle of the table. “If you all help set the table we’ll be able to eat that much sooner.”
The boys took the hint while Phoebe pulled the cheesy hash-brown-and-bacon casserole from the oven.
Within a few minutes everyone was seated at the table with bent heads.
Then, before they served their plates, Seth stood. “A few days ago Phoebe mentioned some traditions she and her familye share when they have a birthday to celebrate. They create homemade cards for the birthday person and as they hand them to him or her they mention something they appreciate about that person. It sounded like a wunderbaar tradition and we thought today would be a gut day to try it out.” He picked up a handmade card that rested by his plate and carried it over to Jesse. “What I admire and appreciate about you, little bruder, is the way you are always willing to jump in to help whenever you see a need, without waiting to be asked.”
Jesse’s eyes widened and his jaw loosened. He used a finger to shove his glasses up higher on his nose and he looked down and focused on the card. “Danke.”
“My turn.” Levi stood and carried his card to Jesse. “And I appreciate the way you can add up the points in a domino play in your head faster than anyone I know,” he said with a cheeky grin.
That earned him a return grin from Jesse.
The rest of the brieder, each in turn, presented Jesse with a card and a word of appreciation.
Then Edna took her turn, stating that she admired Jesse because he was such a gut listener.
Finally it was Phoebe’s turn to rise and hand him a card. “I appreciate lots of things about you, but if I had to pick just one thing, then it would have to be your curiosity. You’re always so eager to learn new things and to look at things from different perspectives. It makes me look at things in new ways too.”
Jesse’s stance had a new air of confidence and now his shoulders drew back just the tiniest bit more. He opened her card and his eyes got even rounder. “Look at this,” he said, holding it up for everyone to see. She’d fashioned the card using an intricate cutout design of a bird on a branch using two colors of paper.
Uncomfortable with the praise, Phoebe returned to her seat and picked up her fork. “I suggest we get to our breakfast,” she said. “I need time to get the kitchen cleaned up and ready for our luncheon guests.” She turned back to Jesse. “We can hang up all of the birthday cards you got after breakfast so they can be on display for your party. But for now we should eat before our breakfast gets cold.”
They all settled in to eat their meal and there was a jovial mood around the table. Jesse received some good-natured ribbing about not getting a big head. And Phoebe was pressed to tell them more about how birthdays were celebrated in her household.
Afterward, while Phoebe cleaned the kitchen and prepared for the upcoming party and meal with all the extra guests, the Beilers were dispatched to take care of the remaining Sunday chores and to set up the basement as a game area for the younger guests. Seth and Daniel brought up an extension for the table as well as a number of extra chairs.
It seemed no time at all before the guests started to arrive.
Edna’s two shveshtra, along with several of their kinner and kins-kinnah, arrived to help Jesse celebrate his special day. Phoebe had added the handmade birthday cards Jesse had received that morning to the banner and it now looked quite festive.
The meal, which included everything Jesse had requested, was well received. And Jesse pronounced the strawberry rhubarb cake that Phoebe had baked to be the best he’d ever had.
Even though it was cold and wet outside, the space they’d prepared in the basement with the cornhole boards, a ping-pong table and horseshoes was more than enough to keep the young people entertained.
The adults stayed upstairs and sipped on hot cups of coffee and tea. The conversation bounced around from topic to topic as normally happens at family gatherings. Phoebe was unfamiliar with most of it but let it all swirl around her, enjoying the insights into both Seth’s and Edna’s lives. Then Hilda said something to Seth that made her sit up straighter.
“My Zilla tells me you’re finally ready to look for a new fraa. I’m glad to hear it.”
It was all Phoebe could do not to turn and stare at Seth.
But Hilda had more to say. “And she tells me she’s bringing someone along when she and her family come to visit for Christmas.” The woman settled more comfortably, a self-satisfied smile on her face. “Who knows, my Zilla may turn out to be as gut a matchmaker as her mamm.”
Edna gave her shveshtah an exasperated look. “As far as I know, the only successful match you’ve ever made was between Zilla and Jude.”
Phoebe missed the next few minutes of conversation as she tried to process the idea of Seth looking for a fraa. It had caught her completely by surprise, but it shouldn’t have. It made sense that a man such as Seth would want a helpmeet by his side. The only surprise was that he hadn’t started looking before now.
He must be serious about moving forward if his cousin was bringing a woman to Sweetbrier Creek to meet him. Was she the only person who hadn’t known? Of course Seth had already demonstrated he wasn’t always gut about giving her a heads-up on things.
What sort of person was this potential match for him? Would she be a woman who’d challenge him or would she be someone who would be more biddable? One thing for certain, she’d be able to read and write, which meant she’d have no trouble with reading Seth’s lists.
Whoever he selected to marry would have a gut mann to spend her life with. And since she would have moved back to Bergamot by the time any of this happened it was really none of her concern other than to wish the couple well.
Then she noticed Levi and Daniel exchanging glances. From their expressions it seemed this was a surprise to them also.
Based on Edna’s demeanor, though, not only had she known about it but she wasn’t happy that Hilda had brought the subject up.
Hilda seemed blind to her shveshtah’s disapproval and continued her chattering on the subject. “If Zilla’s friend doesn’t work out for you, you just let me know and I’ll see if I can find someone for you myself.”
Seth shifted in his seat and Phoebe felt a twinge of sympathy. This couldn’t be a comfortable conversation for him to sit through.
Trying to switch the focus of the conversation away from Seth’s search for a fraa, Phoebe stood. “I think it’s time to see if Jesse and his friends would like to have more cake and hot cocoa. Seth, would you mind helping me?”
Seth popped up at once. “Of course.” And with that he headed to the kitchen, barely waiting for her to precede him.
When they reached the kitchen Seth realized he’d traded one uncomfortable situation for another. Having his aenti discuss his personal matters in the room full of people had been awkward. But being alone with Phoebe after the abrupt announcement of his search for a fraa felt awkward in a completely different way.
He wasn’t sure why—after all he didn’t owe her any kind of explanation. Not only wasn’t she familye, but she was only here temporarily.
But as they worked together to gather up saucers, forks and mugs, the silence drew out between them. He could feel the tension growing, stretching, tightening until he was sure it would snap with a physical recoil.
