Promises of Tomorrow Read online

  Beth offered to help, but there wasn’t much she could do, so she stood off to the side with Marie. There was a lot to see anyway. Some of the men were working on the fire. Others were organizing cans of soda and bottles of water on the countertop. An hour later, they were all lined up, holding paper plates and bowls.

  Beth piled mini pizzas, taco dip, chips, and a handful of celery and carrots onto a plate. “This all looks so good, and I didn’t even know I was hungry,” she said to Tricia, who was in line right behind her.

  Tricia grinned. “I was just thinking the same thing.” After grabbing a paper towel, she added, “Come sit down with Logan and me, Beth. I almost went to Oberlin. You can tell me all about it.”

  She would have thought it would be a little awkward, chatting with an Amish girl about college, but she was learning that with this group, at least, there was no “right” way to be. Everyone had grown and changed and didn’t judge one another. It felt shocking to be so accepted so easily.

  Later, after they’d cleaned up and were all lounging on couches in front of the fire, Beth said, “It’s amazing that I found you all. It’s such a coincidence.”

  Harley sat up. “I don’t know if I’d call it a coincidence as much as God intervening, jah?”

  Harley had a good point. For the last month, Beth had been sabotaging herself, not going to class, getting further behind, getting worse grades. Only when one of her teachers talked to her did Beth realize that it didn’t have to be that way.

  “I guess you’re right,” she said softly. “It seems He decided it was time I get back on the right track.”

  Tricia smiled at her husband, Logan. “That exact thing happened to each of us a time or two. Sometimes good things happen when everything is taken out of our control.”

  Beth liked the sound of that. Just as she was about to ask Tricia what had happened to her, she yawned. Covering her mouth with a hand, she said, “I’m sorry. I guess I’m getting tired.”

  John looked at his watch. “It has gotten late. It’s almost eleven.”

  Kendra got to her feet. “Come on, Beth. I bet you’re exhausted. I’ll help you get settled in our room.”

  Maybe on another day Beth would have tried to argue or say that she would take the couch. But right at that moment, all she wanted to do was collapse. She followed Kendra gratefully.

  Stepping inside their small bedroom, she smiled in surprise. It was unexpectedly charming. A quilt and down comforter covered a queen-size bed, and the room was immaculate, save for the one suitcase next to the door.

  “Thank you so much. I’m really sorry about everything. Not only did I show up uninvited in the middle of your weekend, but I also brought everyone down. All I did was talk about Joel.”

  “You did show up out of the blue, but you couldn’t help that,” Kendra said. “And I don’t think you brought us down at all. I, personally, am kind of glad we had to take a moment to not only talk about Andy but also realize that we’ve come to terms with his death.”

  “I’ll try to get out of here as soon as I can. I promise.”

  “When the weather clears, we’ll help you get back to your cabin safe. Now, please don’t worry anymore. Everything is going to be all right.”

  As soon as Kendra walked out and closed the door behind her, Beth sat down on the side of the bed. Yes, everything was worn, but the sheets and blankets smelled fresh, and there wasn’t a spider in sight.

  After removing her sweater, boots, and socks, she pulled back the covers, lay down on the bed in her T-shirt and jeans, and rested her head on the pillow. Already her eyes were heavy.

  As she drifted off, she wondered when was the last time she’d given credit to God instead of mere luck or coincidence. It had surely been a while. Joel hadn’t been a Christian, and though her family did go to church on Christmas and Easter, they weren’t exactly faithful churchgoers.

  She realized then that she hadn’t ever felt she needed to be. Her life had been easy. She’d grown up surrounded by love, had done well enough in school and with her music to get accepted into the conservatory program, and had always had a few really good close friends.

  And then she’d met Joel, and she’d felt as if a star had been shining on her life. Pulling up the sheets around her shoulders, she smiled. A star, indeed.

  Wouldn’t it be something if she opened up her heart to the Lord right when she was at her lowest point? But maybe that was what God did. He encouraged us to let Jesus in when we were ready to let Him in. She didn’t think it was an accident that so many people either in hospice or in an accident found religion.

  “Is that bad?” she asked the empty room. “Is it bad to finally believe in something greater than myself only when I wasn’t sure if I believed in anything?”

  Instead of the question begging more questions, Beth felt overcome with a sense of peace, and she drifted to sleep comforted by that. That and the knowledge that He was with her now and always had been, even when she’d been sure she was alone. This day’s events had proven that to her.

  * * *

  “What do you think, Kendra?” Will asked as she joined the group again. “Do you think that girl is eventually going to be all right?”

  Kendra thought about it for a few seconds before replying. “I think so. She’s been going through a tough time, but she seems like she’s finally found her bearings. She looked almost relaxed when we were alone in there.”

  “I got the feeling that she’s feeling better too,” Marie said.

  “At least she doesn’t look scared to death of us anymore,” Harley said. “It took a lot of convincing to help her see that we weren’t scary people.”

  “That’s probably a good thing. She needs to be a little afraid of strangers,” Marie said. “To be honest, I was worried about her.” Looking hesitant, she added, “I’m ashamed to admit how much I didn’t want her to join us. That wasn’t very nice of me, especially so close to Christmas too.”

  Thinking of how even the innkeeper in Bethlehem hadn’t had room for Mary and Joseph, Kendra said, “I think you are in good company. It’s human nature to put ourselves first. It’s a dangerous world. We’d be foolish not to feel wary of strangers.”

  E.A. nodded. “Especially strangers who appear out of nowhere on our doorsteps.” She shifted. “You know what? I’m glad Beth arrived. I think I needed to be reminded of my blessings.”

  “I was just thinking that she reminded me of how far we’ve come,” John B. said.

  “What do you mean?” Logan asked.

  “Well, think about how we all felt those first few months after Andy died. I, for one, was lost.”

  “I felt lost too,” Marie murmured. “I quit my job, moved back here, and bought a duplex that my parents weren’t happy about.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t understand why God was leading me on that path; I just knew it was the path I had to go on.” Looking at John, she said, “Now, looking back on that time, I realize that I was being guided by a higher power.”

  Their conversation continued, each of them sharing how they’d overcome their obstacles, often by things they couldn’t control. Kendra was content to listen to everyone, thinking of the many obstacles in her life that she’d had to conquer.

  “Hey, Kendra?” Katie called out.

  “Hmm?”

  Katie shifted so her arms were wrapped around her legs. “Are you sure you and Nate don’t mind sleeping in here tonight? It’s not very comfortable.”

  Leave it to Katie to bring it up! Just to tease her, Kendra said, “Why? Are you offering your bed?”

  “Nee.” She slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, I mean, it’s been so long since I’ve had a full night’s sleep, I’ve been kind of looking forward to it.”

  “I’m teasing. Between your baby and the inn, it’s a wonder you ever sleep at all.”

  As the clock marched toward midnight, Kendra and E.A. pulled out the cookies and brownies they’d made and passed them around. After whispering a little whil
e more, eventually all of them drifted to their rooms, leaving Nate and Kendra alone in front of the big fireplace.

  After reaching in her bag and bringing out the pair of blankets she’d brought “just in case,” Nate spread out on the floor. “Come here, Ken, and talk to me.”

  She moved to his side, stretching her arms as she did so. “I’m so tired, even this floor feels pretty good.”

  Nate smiled. “I was thinking the same thing. I reckon we’re easy to please, hmm?”

  “Maybe.” She smiled back at him.

  “Now, tell me what’s been on your mind.”

  “Hmm?”

  “You’ve been quiet. And though we’ve certainly had a lot going on around here, you seemed more quiet than usual. Are you all right?”

  “I… well, I have been thinking about Beth and her being so lost.”

  “Does her story remind you of when you were in Columbus, living all alone?”

  She knew he was referring to the two years after she’d left home. She’d tried to go to school and pick up a variety of jobs, but her life had been so hard and she’d been so haunted by memories of her abusive childhood that she’d eventually turned to alcohol and drugs to try to ease the pain. “I was actually thinking about my sister Mary. She said she was coming to Christmas, but I’m not sure if she is.”

  “You don’t think she’ll do what she says?”

  “She doesn’t always. I know coming back to Walnut Creek is hard on her.”

  “She seemed okay the last time we saw her, Kendra. I’m sure she’ll be there.”

  “I hope so. I hope she’s been feeling some kind of higher power as well, guiding her to us. I think she needs it, or she won’t be coming here at all.”

  “If the Lord can lead Beth to all of us, I think He can bring Mary back to you. You’ve just got to have faith, Ken.”

  She closed her eyes. “Well, I do have that.”

  “When everyone came over, I had them put their gifts in a large metal bin, then we all went into the kitchen for punch, sandwiches, and cake. My parents decided to give us some privacy, so they went to a neighbor’s house for supper.

  “Everything would’ve been just fine if Andy hadn’t been so smitten with Stephanie. Or if Stephanie hadn’t been on a diet.”

  Cozy in her plaid pajamas, Marie got into bed just past midnight. She was tired but also felt extremely satisfied. The cabin was a wreck, they had an extra guest, and it was snowing and snowing outside. However, against all odds, all ten of them had been able to make it. She’d been hopeful but hadn’t counted on everyone being able to adjust their busy lives.

  Hearing a muted conversation outside her door, she fluffed her pillow while she waited for John to come in. It was quite the adventure, all eleven of them sharing two bathrooms, especially since one was barely bigger than a closet.

  They were all making do, though, and everyone was making quite a game out of it. E.A. had even suggested they draw straws to see who got to shower first. Marie had laughed so hard when Logan told her to stop trying to organize them and go stand in line!

  Somehow, she’d been one of the first to take a turn in the bathroom, which had been nice. The day had been so hectic, she hadn’t even had time to pull out the fresh sheets and towels she’d brought with her. Since John had been near the end of the bathroom line, Marie had gone ahead and changed the sheets and arranged their suitcases into some semblance of order.

  Now, though, she was stretched out on top of all the coverings and thinking about something far different than Beth, the Eight, or how tired she was. She had quite a secret, and it was getting harder and harder to keep from John. But what a Christmas gift it was going to be for him!

  When John walked in ten minutes later, he looked around the room in surprise. “You’ve transformed the room! How did you do that?”

  She laughed. “Remember when you were complaining about me needing so much stuff for two nights away from home? All this bedding was in one of the tote bags.”

  After picking up his pillow that she’d brought from home and taking a whiff of the cool, clean cotton, he grinned. “Remind me to stop complaining about all your stuff.”

  “I’ll happily do that,” she teased. It had been a pretty big adjustment for John to get used to all of her “stuff.” She’d been trying to live more simply, but that was easier said than done.

  After neatly placing his dirty clothes in a duffel bag, he sat on the side of the bed. He leaned close and ran a hand through her hair, pausing to play with the ends that curled. “Marie, it’s been quite the day. Are you all right, sweetheart?”

  Whenever he said things like that, she had to remind herself not to grin like a fool. Her husband wasn’t the most demonstrative of men—and especially not in front of other people. But then, there were times like this when he let his guard down because she needed him to.

  And when he did that? Well, it was truly the sweetest thing.

  “I am. At least, I think I am.” Thinking how cute he looked wearing his green plaid pajama bottoms and gray T-shirt, she smiled up at him. “After reminding myself that everything didn’t have to be perfect, I finally settled in.”

  Something flickered in his hazel eyes, almost as if he had a secret of his own. “Gut. You need to take care of yourself. You’ve been going a bit Christmas crazy, and that’s after you work forty hours a week and plan weekend getaways for ten people.”

  “I’m doing fine. Well, most of the time.”

  “See?”

  “It’s not just me I’m taking care of, you know.”

  His lips curved up. “Is that right? Who else are ya taking care of?”

  “You, of course.”

  He groaned. “Marie, I think you’re talking about something else too… ain’t so?”

  When he got emotional, she sometimes teased that his Amish came out. He would say phrases like “ain’t so” and start speaking in Pennsylvania Dutch. She never minded; he’d already made so many changes for her.

  But right at that moment, she was curious about what he was getting emotional for. “John?”

  His expression warmed. “Are you going to make me tell you our big news?”

  He was teasing her, and it was now obvious what he was referring to. He’d already learned her big secret! But, just to be sure, she hedged. “You know we promised we wouldn’t give any hints about our Christmas presents.”

  “I haven’t forgotten, but there’s some things that shouldn’t be kept from one’s spouse, don’t you think?”

  “Well… I haven’t been keeping this from you to be mean, John. It’s supposed to be a surprise. A Christmas surprise.”

  John shifted to lean against the headboard and then pulled her closer. “Christmas is far away, frau.”

  “Five days.”

  “That’s too long.”

  “Maybe I’ll tell you on Christmas Eve?” She paused, pretending to consider it.

  “Nee. I’ve already been waiting too long for you to tell me.”

  A lump formed in her throat, both from how sweet he was… and from shock. “You’ve known about this for a while?”

  “Well, I think I’ve known.” He groaned. “Marie, please, put me out of my misery. Tell me about this surprise that you’ve been keeping so secret.”

  “I’m pregnant,” she admitted.

  The moment she said the words, he grinned, pulled her close, and kissed her. When he pulled away at last, he was beaming. “I knew it.”

  “I was going to wait until Christmas Day to tell you,” she said weakly. “I have a little baby onesie and everything. It was going to be the perfect gift to give you on Christmas morning.”

  “It’s still gonna be a perfect gift, jah?” he asked as he pulled her into his arms again. “Danke, Marie.”

  “You’re happy?”

  “Oh, jah. I am happy. I’ve been mighty happy since the moment I first suspected.” He pulled back a bit to see her face. “Now, tell me the truth. How are you feeling?”

/>   “Pretty good right now.”

  “Right now? What about other times?”

  “Sometimes parts of me have felt kind of sore, and I’ve been a little nauseous from time to time.”

  He frowned. “I wish I would have known that.”

  “It wasn’t worth mentioning.”

  He rubbed her back. “But still…”

  On another day, at another time, she’d have asked him all about his detective work and she’d tell him about the tests and her plans and how excited she was.

  But now, right at that moment, nothing mattered except their happiness and their future. They were soon going to be their own little family. A perfect family of three.

  “I love you, John Byler.”

  “I know, Marie,” he said just before he kissed her. “I promise, I always know that you love me.”

  “How come?”

  “Because I always love you back. That’s why.”

  “Stephanie hadn’t been impressed with my green cake or sherbet punch, and Andy pulled out some baby carrots and celery sticks for her to eat. I felt bad for her, but what can one do? It had never occurred to me that she would need a special meal.”

  Beth had thought she’d feel awkward when she walked out to greet everyone the next morning, but she hadn’t.

  Kendra had waved her over. “Do you drink coffee?”

  “I do.”

  “Great, come help me work this crazy coffeemaker,” Kendra said as she speared a strip of bacon and placed it neatly on a paper towel.

  Kendra was working at the stove, but it seemed every inch of counter space was filled with plates and food… and a turkey?

  After pushing a couple of buttons on the machine and figuring out the gist of it, Beth carried the carafe to the sink and rinsed it out. “I can’t believe you’re making such a big breakfast,” she said, deciding not to mention the turkey just yet.

  “There are a lot of us, and we all like to eat,” Kendra said. “I hope you’re hungry.”

  “I am, thanks.” Grabbing the bag of ground coffee, she prepared the machine and turned it on. When the telltale smell of fresh coffee hit the air, she felt a deep burst of satisfaction. Was there anything better than that first cup of coffee?