Amish Christmas Gift Read online

  Benjamin snapped the reins gently, signaling the horses to start their journey back to the B&B. As they trotted along, their bells jingled, filling Vivian’s mind with memories of Christmases from her childhood. The snow had calmed a bit, but there was still a steady fall of flurries, and she wondered if the blizzard warning might have been lifted. She blinked away snowflakes, delighting in the magic of the sleigh ride. She hadn’t been out in the snow like this since she was a little girl, and although it was cold and the snow in her eyes was a little frustrating, she couldn’t help but smile at all the memories that flooded her mind. Her thoughts drifted from her car troubles, and the stress of ditching her parents for the holidays, while her hope for a traditional Christmas returned with the sleigh ride that felt more than a little magical. Of course, the handsome driver with his delightful smile seemed to add a little magic of his own, but Vivian forced the thought from her mind, reminding herself to be more respectful.

  As they glided through the deep snow, Vivian was reminded of the last Christmas she’d spent with her family when her parents were still together; when Christmas still felt like Christmas. She remembered her mother teaching her to ice skate on a small pond, and baking Christmas cookies with her. They’d watched all the Christmas specials on TV, and they’d sung along with all the Christmas music on the radio and made popcorn strings for the tree. She could almost taste the turkey her mom made, and she could almost hear her Father’s deep baritone that complimented her mother’s perfect soprano as they sang Christmas carols on into the night.

  Sadness twisted at her heart at all these memories rushing through her mind, but she reminded herself that she was staying at the B&B to make this holiday special for herself again. She was determined to make this the best Christmas she’d had in years.

  Benjamin felt the awkward silence from Vivian, and found himself wishing his daughter would entertain them with her normal, nonstop chatter. But a few glances her way, and he noticed she didn’t seem to be enjoying herself or his company. The sleigh ride had always been the highlight of the season with the Englishers, and he couldn’t imagine being sad in the midst of such a delightful pastime.

  “If I may be so bold,” Benjamin said to her, “You seem a little troubled.”

  Vivian forced a smile. “I was thinking of my childhood Christmases. How special they were, and how much I miss those days.”

  “Have your parents passed on?” he asked.

  Vivian scoffed. “No, but they might as well have. They don’t seem to notice I exist anymore. That’s why I made a reservation at your B&B; so I could have the family Christmas experience that your ad promised—even if it isn’t with my own family.”

  “Molly and I will do our best to make sure your stay at our home is a memorable one,” he said with a smile.

  She couldn’t help but smile back, and wondered why he hadn’t included the girl’s mother in that statement.

  “You’re off to a good start,” she said, finding his charm so irresistible, it made her heart warm.

  “That’s gut to hear,” he said with a smile that almost seemed flirtatious to Vivian.

  When they arrived at the B&B, Benjamin helped Vivian out of the sleigh, and inside with her luggage. His gentle touch at her elbow and on her hand warmed her to the point she almost forgot about the cold wind. Molly tagged along shyly.

  Taking her in through a side door, he showed her to an oversized, leather settee in front of a stone fireplace.

  “Please, have a seat. After I get this fire going again,” He said, walking over to stir up the coals. “I’ll need to go take my horses back to the stable. When I return, I’ll help get you settled. The cordless phone right there near the lamp should have some charge to it.”

  Vivian watched him add a couple of logs to the fire and move them around for a minute until flames licked at them. The logs crackled as Benjamin poked at them, and she couldn’t help but feel drawn to him. His fiery silhouette against the darkened room showed strength and confidence. The sort of confidence that made her feel safe.

  Benjamin caught her staring at him, and it made her cheeks warm. If not for the fact the sun had gone down, and the only light filtering into the room came from the flickering flame of the logs, he’d have surely noticed her pink cheeks. She silently reprimanded herself for thinking the wrong thoughts about the man again, and she shrugged it off as a yearning she didn’t know she had in her—a yearning to have a husband and child of her own.

  When Benjamin excused himself, He beckoned Molly to go with him, but she begged him to stay.

  “I don’t mind if she stays by the fire with me,” Vivian offered.

  Benjamin nodded, and the little girl gladly made herself cozy next to Vivian.

  Upon his exit from the room, Vivian picked up the cordless phone and dialed AAA, delighted to hear they’d managed the directions before she’d lost the signal on her cell phone. They’d even had a driver only minutes away, and her car had been picked up and towed to the garage. Not only would it be ready in the morning, they’d even offered to have a driver drop it off at the B&B, and Vivian felt instant relief about her car.

  When she hung up the phone, Molly stood up and smile at her. “Would you like me to show you around the house?”

  Thinking it odd that she still had not met the lady of the house, Vivian agreed to let the child show her around, figuring they’d most likely run into her sooner or later.

  Relishing the opportunity to explore the B&B, she tried not to overthink the oddity of her tour-guide. She had never been in a place so quiet and quaint, and she was curious about her surroundings. She followed Molly down the entrance hall and to the left, finding herself in a small library with shelves of books covering each wall. Two mismatched, antique chairs sat at either side of another fireplace. As she perused the classic titles, confusion filled her mind. She didn’t think Amish people were allowed to read books other than the Bible. She thought they just went about their chores all day and didn’t have time for much else.

  “All these books used to belong to my Great-Aunt, Rose. She was Mennonite, and she loved to read,” Molly offered. “Do you like to read, Miss Vivian?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  They left the library and went across the hall to a small room full of little trinkets.

  “This is our gift shop,” Molly said before Vivian had a chance to ask.

  A few plush dolls crowded an antique crib, and she picked one up to examine it. She was surprised to see it had no face, and no hair. Just a white plush head under a tiny black bonnet. She could tell they were handmade, and wondered, if perhaps they weren’t finished yet, but they all had price tags hanging from their aprons.

  “I helped my Aunt Katie make the dolls. Katie makes the quilts too, and I help a little with pinning. I need more practice with sewing a straight stitch, but she’s teaching me.”

  She wanted to ask why her mother wasn’t teaching her those things, but she knew it wasn’t any of her business. Finding the doll she was holding to be quite odd, she didn’t understand why a child would even want to play with something so plain. She thought about the dolls she’d collected when she was growing up; all those dolls had beautiful porcelain faces and long hair.

  She dropped the doll back into the pile, and followed Molly to the next room. A large dining room adorned with a large table set for twelve held her attention. Each place setting consisted of a large dinner plate, with a salad plate and pasta bowl resting on top; the pattern elegant, yet simple. A spotless water glass, and a small tumbler, most likely set out for eggnog, were all placed at the exact same position at the top edge of each plate. Matching, real linen napkins, and silverware so polished it sparkled against the light of the chandelier that hung over the center of the table, seemed to make everything look Christmas-like.

  “Aunt Katie taught me how to make the table pretty for the English guests,” she said, beaming proudly.

  Vivian’s eyes widened. “You set this table all by yourself
?”

  She nodded with a smile. “It’s one of my chores, but I don’t think it’s such a chore. It’s fun!”

  Vivian smiled. “It looks like it would be fun to decorate like that all the time.”

  “I can teach you, if you’d like,” the child seemingly begged.

  Vivian chuckled. “Maybe if your mother says it’s okay.”

  “She won’t care,” Molly said happily.

  “Maybe you should ask her, just the same—to be sure.”

  “You can’t,” the child squawked. “She isn’t here.”

  Vivian smiled nervously, wondering if the precarious child was pushing her limits.

  “When she gets back, then.”

  Molly lowered her gaze. “She isn’t coming back,” she said soberly.

  Vivian felt her breath catch in her throat. “I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to…” she stammered, unable to finish her sentence.

  Molly pushed her hand into her apron pocket and pulled out a shiny, heart-shaped rock. “This is my mamm’s heart. She left if for me when I was born. Daed says she smiles down from heaven when she watches me every day.”

  Vivian was speechless. She felt an overwhelming urge to pull the child into her arms and hold her, but she barely knew her, and she didn’t want to frighten her or overstep her bounds. Besides, she seemed perfectly content with her father’s explanation, and the stone heart of remembrance. She had to admit, she was shamelessly relieved to know that since Benjamin was a widower, it made her thoughts of him seem less improper than they had before.

  Molly crossed to the fireplace in the dining room and straightened one of the many candles situated between the greenery, antique Christmas ornaments placed just right to give it a homey feel. Vivian had counted four fireplaces already, and she hadn’t made her way through the rest of the house yet. Beyond the table was a closed door with a sign that read Employees Only, and she assumed it led to the kitchen. She stood at the door for a moment, listening to dishes clang, which satisfied her suspicion.

  “Aunt Katie is in there making the afternoon meal,” Molly informed her. “We should go back. Daed will find us in a few minutes.”

  Seeing her guided tour was over for the time-being, she relented to return to the parlor where Benjamin had left them. He would likely be returning soon from the stables, and would expect them to be there. She followed Molly back through the house from the other direction they’d come, and took a seat on the antique leather settee to wait.

  Within minutes, Benjamin walked in from the cold with a whirl of snowflakes blowing in with him. The rush of cold made Vivian look up. She smiled at Benjamin, and he nodded politely, causing her to see him somehow differently—like a man in need of a woman’s kindness.

  Vivian could see him shivering as he went for her bag, and she felt sorry for him.

  “Why don’t you warm yourself by the fire,” she said, stopping him from grabbing her things. “I can wait a minute. I was just finished with a personal tour of your home with your daughter’s company when you came in. But now that you’re here, I’d be pleased if you’d join us.”

  He hesitated, but Molly nodded vigorously.

  “Really,” Vivian said, motioning for him to sit near the fire with her and Molly. “You were outside an awfully long time. You must be freezing!”

  “I am a little chilly, but it’s all part of my job. My sister and brother also work with me to help keep this place going.”

  He reluctantly sat next to her, but she could see the relief in his face as he held his hands out toward the heat of the flames.

  Benjamin could tell by Vivian’s demeanor that Molly must have shown off her mother’s heart-shaped rock. She enjoyed showing it to almost anyone who would talk to her; from the salesman at the hardware store, to the waitress at the diner downtown, and everyone in-between. She was proud of her trinket, and he was almost relieved Vivian knew he was a widower. At least now, he hoped she would not think poorly of him for being considerably more forward than he would have been, had he still been married.

  “I would think you’d be anxious to get settled.”

  She smiled. “I’m content right where I am.”

  He stole a glance at her, raising an eyebrow at her statement. Not only had she stated she’d like his company, but was now saying she was content to be near him. She was beautiful, there was no denying that, but she was an Englisher, and a guest. His siblings would frown upon him mingling with a guest in such a way.

  Knowing Katie was surely close-by, he suddenly stood up, determined to get Vivian settled into one of the rooms upstairs before he got any silly notions in his head about the two of them. “If you’ll come this way, I’ll get you settled into the warmest room we have.”

  He picked up her suitcase and she followed him up the stairs and down the hall to a cozy little room.

  “I hope it’s to your liking.” Benjamin said in his thick accent.

  “Oh yes, it’s lovely.” Vivian smiled. It wasn’t what she was used to. It was quaintly decorated, and there were no electronics. But it was what she knew she needed. The bed was made up with a beautiful red quilt, and what looked like the warmest and fluffiest blanket at the foot. In the corner by the window, there was a small Christmas tree with a few wooden ornaments dangling from its branches.

  “That’s adorable!” she said, walking toward it. “Did you make those ornaments yourself?”

  “As a matter of fact, Molly and I made them. My siblings and I have always made our own tree ornaments; it’s a tradition our parents started with us when we were old enough to hold a paintbrush. We make one each year, and Molly helped this year.”

  “Do you make them with your guests? I’d be interested in making one.”

  “Jah—yes. Molly and I would be happy to help you with that.”

  Vivian examined the handiwork of each one, admiring them. “I’d like that.”

  “Would you like me to start a fire for you before I go?”

  “Yes, I would appreciate that.” Vivian said, rubbing her arms. “I guess I didn’t realize until just now that I’m still a bit chilly. I was curious how many fireplaces this home has.”

  “There are twelve in the main house, and one in each of the two cottages in the back,” Benjamin said as he arranged a few logs and got a fire going.

  “Twelve fireplaces!” Vivian said. “That sounds like a lot of firewood to chop.”

  “Daed and Uncle Simon chop wood every day!” Molly added as she hopped onto the end of the bed.

  Benjamin flashed her a look, causing her to stand quickly and straighten out the blanket at the foot of the bed.

  “That fire should last you for a few hours.” he said with a tip of his hat. “If you need more, or if it dies down too quickly, feel free to ring for service, and I’ll be happy to add more logs for you.”

  Vivian smiled, admiring Benjamin as he scooped a giggling Molly up into his arms and slipped out the door to let her get settled. She was amazed at how different this place was. It felt so magical. She sat on the bed and gazed out the window at the falling snow. She could already feel the Christmas spirit lightening her mood, and knew that this place—and Benjamin and Molly, was just what she needed this Christmas.

  Chapter 3.

  Benjamin walked down the stairs, only to be greeted by his younger sister, Katie, who seemed to be a bit angry.

  “Molly, go tend to your chores,” he said, as he urged his daughter out of the room before his sister gave him a lecture he was certain would involve their guest, and his attention toward her.

  “Benjamin, you know better than to be alone with a female guest,” she started in on him. “You should have let me show her to her room.”

  “I was just starting a fire for her, Katie, and you couldn’t do that. It’s too cold in here for a guest. Molly was with me the whole time. You know I wouldn’t act inappropriately in front of my daughter.”

  “I should have been in the room with you—not Molly,” his sister added.
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  Benjamin lowered his head; he knew there was truth to what Katie was saying, but she had to know he would never set a bad example for Molly. It was true, their family had already been under enough scrutiny after being excommunicated when their parents had passed away. And when they had to start up their business at the B&B their aunt had left to them, they continued to cater to the English just the way Aunt Rose had when she ran it.

  Katie went back to folding the freshly-washed linens and placed them in a wicker basket. She snapped a linen napkin before folding it, letting Benjamin know she was not happy with him or his actions.

  “You should have asked Katie to show her the room,” Simon chimed in. “She’s been in the house the entire day.”

  “You and Simon have your own chores to tend to, and I was not about to disturb you for a chore I was capable of handling myself.”

  “There was no need to be acting so improperly,” Katie scolded Benjamin. “It’s bad enough the community looks down on us for using electricity in this place, for the sake of the Englishers staying here. They would think their worst of us if you began to take up with one of the English guests!”

  “We’re no longer part of the community, and they have no say as to how we conduct our business, or our personal lives,” Benjamin gently reminded his siblings. “As for me acting improperly with a guest; I’m the eldest, and I’m capable of handling this business the way that’s in the best interest of the guests. I left the door open, and Molly was with me the entire time, so there was nothing improper about the way I handled her check-in, so let the matter go.”

  “I have to agree with Katie,” Simon kept on. “I got a good look at her when you came in here with her, and she’s really pretty. I’d have a tough time keeping to my manners around her. Are you certain your intentions were strictly business?”