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His earnest effort to make her feel better about herself touched Phoebe deeply. This boy had such a big heart, such a genuine empathy for others. Before she could stop herself she reached out and gave him a hug. “Danke,” she said softly. Then she released him and went back to her cooking.

And as she stirred the pot she realized that somehow the news he’d brought her had made her feel better about herself.



Chapter 31

Saturday was a very busy day. While the Beilers made sure the yard was tidy and the barn was swept clean, that fresh straw was added where appropriate and the hay bales were neatly stacked, Phoebe and Edna worked on giving the basement one last cleaning.

Yesterday Seth had sat down with her and quizzed her on what all remained to be done to get ready for Sunday. Then he’d written it down and organized it in what he felt was the best approach. Afterward he’d handed it off to Edna, saying it was a checklist to help them stay on track. Phoebe had borne it all with what she considered admirable patience.

This morning, after the Beilers had headed outside, Edna had placed her hand on the list and looked at Phoebe. “We can do what needs to be done without worrying about this list, ain’t so?”

Phoebe smiled. At least Edna continued to treat her as a fully functioning adult. “Agreed. Working from a list would just slow us down.”

Later, while she and Edna worked in the kitchen getting the food ready for Sunday’s lunch, the Beiler brieder unloaded the church wagon and carried the benches and songbooks to the basement.

As the final touch to getting the room tidied up, she and Edna had come up with a way to curtain off the area where the washer was located. Now Phoebe could picture Seth and his brieder setting rows of benches facing each other along the length of the spotless room. The hymnals would be placed on the benches, ready for the people who would file into the room and take their seats.

Later, when all the work had finally been completed, everyone trooped in and took their seats for supper.

As Kish served himself some of the cheesy chicken and dumplings with bacon that Phoebe had prepared, he inhaled deeply. “This smells wunderbaar.” Then he glanced at Phoebe. “What are you planning to cook for Christmas dinner—a ham or a goose?”

Before Phoebe could answer Seth spoke up. “We’ll be having Christmas lunch with Aenti Hilda’s familye this year.”

Mark looked up at that. “I thought we’d have Christmas lunch here since we have Phoebe and Aenti Edna with us.”

This time Phoebe spoke up. “But I won’t be here for Christmas. I’m returning to Bergamot on Tuesday to spend Christmas with my familye and won’t be back until Friday morning.”

“But that means you’ll miss the Christmas program.” Jesse seemed both disappointed and accusatory.

“I’m for sure and for certain sorry that I’ll miss the program but I promised my eldre I’d spend Christmas at home with them.” She looked toward Kish. “I’m sure your aenti will have a very fine dinner for you and I’ll be happy to bake a cake or a couple of pies for you to bring.”

Kish didn’t seem appeased by that. “But I—”

Seth cut off whatever protest his bruder was about to make. “Enough, Kish. Phoebe gave her word to her eldre that she would be home for Christmas and it’s not proper to ask her to break her promise.”

Phoebe tried again to appease them. “You’ll have Edna here and you’ll have lots of familye to visit, so you won’t be lacking for either food or company.”

No one at the table seemed happy with that answer, including Phoebe, but she’d given her word and she wouldn’t go back on it.

No matter how much she might want to.

Phoebe barely slept Saturday night. Though she knew the house was ready for the service tomorrow she wasn’t sure that she was ready.

During one of her middle-of-the-night bouts of staring up at her darkened ceiling, Phoebe had decided that it actually made sense for Edna to stand in as hostess rather than her. After all, Edna was actually part of the familye and she wasn’t. And if she hadn’t hurt her hand, Edna would be in charge and Phoebe wouldn’t even be here. So first thing when she got up she would let Edna know.

When she woke up for the third time and saw it was just under an hour before the time she normally rose, she decided to get up. But before she even sat up she paused to offer up a prayer of thanks and petition.

Gotte, Who is the creator of all things, Whose power is immense but Who concerns Himself with the smallest details of our lives, I am truly grateful to have been able to prepare to receive the gmay into this home.

Please, if it be Your will, help me to get through this day in such a manner that it will not embarrass the Beiler familye and that the gmay can focus their thoughts on worship of You rather than any mistakes I may make.

When she finally got out of bed she dressed quietly and quickly, her mind already swirling with thoughts of what needed to be done before people started arriving for the service.

She stepped into the kitchen to find she wasn’t the only one up extra early. Seth stood by the counter, kettle in hand, making a pot of coffee.

He looked up when she stepped in the room. “Gut matin.

Gut matin.” She plucked the apron from its hook on the wall and tied the strings behind her back. “I thought for once that I’d be the first one up this morning.”

Seth grinned. “You’ll have to try harder.”

Phoebe went straight to the stove and turned the oven on. She planned to make a breakfast casserole with potatoes, eggs, cheese, peppers and sausage. Something that she could cook now and keep warm until the familye was ready to eat.

As she cracked the eggs into a bowl, she kept having to fish out pieces of eggshell. If her nerves didn’t settle down soon she’d for sure and for certain make a mess of things. And to make matters worse Seth was still in the kitchen. Hopefully he hadn’t noticed her clumsy handling of the eggs.

She heard him place his cup in the sink and cross the kitchen, headed for the mudroom. To her surprise he paused by her side.

She looked up to meet his gaze and his expression was warm and supportive.

He touched her arm briefly. “Don’t worry yourself, all will be well.”

And then he was gone.

She stood there a few moments, just staring at his back until he’d stepped outside. That had been so unexpected, so kind.

She went back to work and there were no further problems with pieces of shell in the bowl or other signs of nervous clumsiness.

Are sens

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