Saturday, December 23
I would have preferred to have had more than one hour’s notice that we would be having company tonight,” Susanna’s mother chided as she moved around the kitchen like a nervous hummingbird. “You should have told me that Neil Vance and his family were coming over the minute you found out, Amanda.”
After giving Susanna a look that said she was really, really trying hard to keep her patience, Amanda replied, “I couldn’t very well do that, since we were in town picking up groceries from Horse Cave Salvage. Traci and I still had to come all the way home first.”
“And don’t forget that we told you as soon as we got here,” Traci interjected. “So I don’t think you should be upset with us.”
Mother whirled on her. “Are you correcting me, Traci?”
She immediately shook her head. “Nee.”
Pulling out a box of crackers, Mamm tore open the plastic liner and began arranging them in neat rows on one of her best platters. “I hope not.”
Traci frowned, and when she folded her arms over her chest and looked like she was about to say something more, Susanna shook her head at her. “Hush,” she mouthed.
Pulling out a container of cheese, Mamm glared. “I saw that, Susanna.”
“Mother, why don’t I arrange the cheese on the platter for you? While I’m doing that, Traci can pour some spiced pecans into bowls and Amanda can finish the coffee service.”
“That ain’t enough to serve them.”
When Amanda sighed, which made their mother tense up even further, Susanna realized that they needed some help settling their mother down. “Where is Daed?”
“I sent him outside to sweep the front porch.”
“He’s been out there for quite some time, too. No doubt enjoying the peace and calm.”
“Amanda, what is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing, Mamm. Um, you know what? I think I should go check on Daed. Maybe he needs some help.” Amanda smiled sweetly at Susanna as she made her escape.
“She did that on purpose,” Traci whispered.
Susanna winked at her. Her sister was definitely not wrong. “Mother, you need to calm down. You are making us all nervous wrecks. The house is fine. It’s all sparkling clean, too.”
“But we hardly have any furniture. They’ll think it looks bad.”
“We just moved in,” Susanna soothed. “No one will expect everything to look perfect.”
“Perhaps not. I just don’t know why they are stopping by,” she said as the front door opened and Daed and Amanda came inside.
“Neil said he wanted to see Susanna,” Traci called out from the dining room, where she was staring out the window. “And he said that his parents felt real bad about the fire.”
“There has to be another reason for their visit,” Mamm murmured as she stared out the kitchen window. “Maybe they blame us?”
“For the fire?” Daed scoffed as he came inside. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, he lowered his voice. “Don’t start begging for trouble, Leah. It ain’t helpful.”
For the first time that hour, their mother seemed to relax. “You’re right. I just wish I’d had time to make a cake or something.”
“Next time they visit, you can.”
“They’re here!” Traci said from her spot at the window. “Susanna, you should open the door.”
“Because?”
“Because he is your sweetheart,” she said.
Susanna would have done something really mature and grown-up, like stick her tongue out at her, but her mother’s chuckle was too good to hear.
She was still smiling about that when she opened the door to see Neil, a man who had to be his brother, and his mother. His father wasn’t anywhere in sight. “Wilcom,” she said, feeling a bit ironic. Honestly, she wasn’t sure if his family was welcome or not.
Or, judging by the hesitant expressions on their faces, their guests weren’t even sure that they wanted to be welcomed into their old house.
But Neil, as usual, handled everything in a level-headed way. “Susanna. Good evening. I hope our being here on the spur of the moment didn’t cause you too much trouble.”
“Of course not,” she lied. “Please come in.”
As her family crowded behind her, she introduced everyone. “I’m Susanna, these are my parents, John and Leah, and my two sisters, Amanda and Traci.”
The younger boy held out his hand. “I’m Roy. It’s gut to meet you. This is my mother, Johanna.”
Shaking Roy’s hand, she noticed that he looked much different than Neil. Oh, they had the same coloring, but their whole demeanors were different. Roy seemed to be as open and bright as Neil was closed and quiet.
“Won’t you come in?” her mother said, her voice sounding strained.
“Danke,” Johanna said. “But first, let me explain things a bit more. We wanted to come to let you know that we want to help you, not judge. I think we got off on the wrong foot and I’m embarrassed about that. Though we can’t take back the past, I wish we could take back the way we handled this house’s sale and our move.” Lifting up a colorful gift bag, she said, “It’s a small gesture, but I brought some pumpkin bread.”
“It’s still warm,” Roy said with a grin. “That’s why we were a little late. My mother insisted on making something fresh to bring over.”
“We had to clean like crazy,” Traci said.
Mamm winced. “Traci. Everyone, I’m sorry . . .”
“You know what? How about we all stop apologizing to each other?” Daed interjected smoothly. “I learned years ago that we’re all just people in training, ain’t so? We yearn to do things perfectly, but it’s a hopeless cause.”
Neil smiled at him, warmth lighting his eyes. “I like how you phrased that.”
As her mother led everyone into the family room, an almost collective sigh occurred. Noticing that Neil had moved to her side, Susanna smiled at him. “So far, so good.”
“It sounds like your mother was as naerfich as mine was.”
“It’s been eventful, but I’m glad you are here.”
“Me, too,” he said as they took the last two chairs.
Susanna noticed that her mother and Johanna Vance were already passing out coffee and serving warm pumpkin bread. Since Traci had already been put into service helping, Susanna simply relaxed next to Neil.
“Did you go over the reconstructed bridge?” Amanda asked.
Roy looked at her curiously. “What bridge are you talking about?”
“The one that was broken by the Kaufmanns’ home.”
“Was broken?” Roy asked. He looked at Neil. “I thought Dale was going to ask us to help him fix it this weekend.”
“I thought so, too,” Neil said.
“So he didn’t tell you he fixed it?”
Looking confused, Neil shook his head. “Nee, but maybe he worked on it with his brother or something.”
Amanda leaned back in her chair. “That’s what I told Traci.”
When Mrs. Vance sat down, she looked at them all again. “I need to apologize for my husband’s absence. He was going to be here, coming here was actually his idea. But he, ah, said he had to do something with his brother. He said it couldn’t wait.”
“Of course. It’s a busy time of year,” Daed said. “And I know as well as anyone that horses and livestock don’t care about what time of day it is.”
Neil chuckled. “You are right about that. I’ve spent many a night nursing a horse or cow through a tough spot.”
Now that the talk was in familiar territory, everyone seemed to relax. The Vances ate some pecans and crackers. Traci fetched Roy and Amanda glasses of water. Mamm stopped worrying and became her usual chatty self.
The conversation meandered from one topic to the next. Eventually Roy, Mr. Schwartz, and Traci were talking, while their mothers and Amanda chatted as well.
It was painfully obvious that everyone wanted to give Neil and Susanna a few minutes of privacy.
“I guess we’ve been granted their seal of approval,” Neil said.
Susanna felt her cheeks heat. “Your brother and mother are nice.”
“So, will you come over soon and bake with my mother?”
“We’ve already made plans while you were talking alfalfa with my father. I’m coming over tomorrow.”
“On Christmas Eve.”
“Yes. To help bake cookies . . . and deliver them.”
“We can do that together. If it snows, we’ll take a sleigh. If it’s clear, we’ll simply pull a wagon.”
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Finally, they had plans that had nothing to do with emergencies or trouble! His mother seemed to like her! Things were going to be just fine now.
That made her so happy, she could hardly do anything but smile. Luckily, her lack of conversation didn’t seem to bother Neil any. He seemed content to simply sit with her and smile, too.