Elaine rushed into Bird-in-Hand Dry Goods Monday morning, hoping Darlene would be there.
“Hi, Elaine.” Darlene waved at her from the counter. “Wie geht’s?”
“Are you busy? I need your help. I’ve had a misunderstanding with Cal, and he’s upset with me.”
Darlene nodded slowly. “No one’s here but me. What happened?”
Elaine took a deep breath and started from the beginning, explaining everything about Lewis, Rhoda, and her friends in New Wilmington, then about how Lewis had written her letters before leaving her a voice mail message, threatening to come to Bird-in-Hand if she didn’t call or write him.
“I told Cal weeks ago about what Lewis and Rhoda did to me, and I also told him I never wanted to see Lewis again.” She took another deep breath. “Then Lewis showed up Friday night.”
“No!” Darlene gasped.
“Mei mamm insisted we invite him to stay for supper before sending him on his way. Then Cal showed up, and Lewis followed me out to the porch and introduced himself. Before I could explain, Cal took off. I’ve called his farm a few times and left him messages asking him to call me, but he hasn’t.” Her eyes filled with tears. “I want to tell him what happened. I need him to know I don’t care about Lewis.”
Darlene smiled. “You care about Cal.”
“Ya, I do.” Elaine wiped at her eyes. “I’ve cared for him for a while, but I was afraid to trust a man after what Lewis did to me. But Cal has been so patient, never giving up on me. Now, though, I think he has—for good.”
Darlene touched her hand. “He’s cared for you for a long time.”
“He has?”
Darlene gave her a knowing smile. “Remember that day you came into my store and he was here? The day you two collided?”
“Ya.” Elaine sniffed.
“He’d just told me he liked you not long before, and he asked my advice about how to get to know you better since you seemed so reluctant.”
Elaine stilled. “That’s why you two were sharing looks as if you had a secret.”
“Ya, our secret was that he liked you. He’s been interested in you ever since you came to your first church service in our district. You avoided him, even turned him down over and over. He’s been trying to figure out how to prove to you that he really cares.”
“Ach. I’ve made so many mistakes, and I’ve hurt him.” She wiped away her tears, but more sprinkled down her cheeks.
Darlene rubbed Elaine’s arm. “We can fix this.”
“How?” Elaine heard the desperation in her voice.
“We’re having a supper Thursday night at Sharon’s haus. Why don’t you come tell him how you feel? Explain everything, just like you explained it to me. I’m sure he’s hurt, but I know he’ll understand and forgive you.”
Elaine prayed as she made her way home. Please, God. Help me find the right words to tell Cal how I feel about him. I know he’s hurt, but please help him forgive me.
* * *
Thursday night, Cal stepped into Sharon’s kitchen and froze when he spotted Elaine standing by the oven, talking to Alice as she pulled out a baking dish.
His stomach soured despite the warm and delicious aroma of cookies, and he turned and strode back outside. Then he jogged toward his buggy, a frown twisted on his face.
“Cal!” Andrew called after him, chasing him the length of the backyard. “Wait!”
Ignoring him, Cal opened his buggy door.
Andrew caught up with him, panting. “Hey, you need to give Elaine a chance to explain. You have it all wrong about her and Lewis.”
“That’s doubtful.”
“Cal, please. Hear her out, and then make your decision.”
Cal suddenly felt as if God were holding him in place, telling him not to leave. “I’ll give her two minutes.”
“Danki for stopping him, Andrew. Two minutes should be plenty of time for what I need to tell him.”
Cal looked past Andrew and found Elaine staring at him. She pulled the coat around her shoulders tighter and gave him a tentative smile.
Andrew patted his shoulder. “Just be patient. You’ll be glad you were.” He nodded at Elaine and headed back to the house.
“Cal, I want to explain what happened last week. It wasn’t at all as it seemed.”
“I’m listening.” He leaned against his buggy.
Elaine took a deep breath. “Remember how I told you Lewis had threatened to come if I didn’t call or write him?”
He nodded.
“That’s why he was there. He just showed up unannounced. I was stunned. While I was telling him I had nothing to say to him, mei mamm came out on the porch and invited him to stay for supper.” She took a step toward him, her voice trembling. “I didn’t want him there. It was awkward, and I was furious with him. I was planning to tell him to leave right after supper, and then you came.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t want to hurt you, but that’s exactly what happened. And I’m so sorry.”
“And after I left?” He asked the question, but he dreaded the answer.
“I told Lewis he had no right to be at mei haus, disrupting my life and ruining my relationship with you. I made him call his driver and go home.”
Relief flooded him. “So you really don’t care for him anymore?”
“Cal, I meant it when I told you he didn’t have a second chance with me.” Her dark eyes misted over. “One thing I learned by seeing him, though, is that I’m completely over him. I don’t feel anything for him, but I do feel something for you. You’re my best freind here. You’ve become special to me. You’ve never given up on me, no matter how many times I turned you away. You’ve been the most loyal and patient freind I’ve ever had.”
Calvin swallowed. “I don’t want to be your freind.”
Her eyes rounded as she stared at him. “You don’t?”
“I want to be more than a freind. I always have. I want to be your boyfriend.”
The panic on her face transformed into a beautiful smile. “I would like that very much.”
His heart took on wings at her words. “I came to your haus Friday night to ask your father’s permission to date you. If he said yes, then I was going to ask you to go for a ride so we could talk about dating.”
“Would you consider asking mei dat now?”
He nodded as he moved closer to her. “Ya, I would.” He touched her arm. “I care deeply for you, Elaine.”
Then he leaned down and brushed his lips over her cheek. The contact spread warmth throughout his chest.
Elaine looked up at him. “Why don’t we go help set up inside? We can talk more later, maybe over some Christmas cookies.” She smiled.
“I’d like that. I heard we’re going to sing carols tonight, and I’m always up for that.” He threaded his fingers with hers, and they strode toward the house as contentment filled his heart.
* * *
“Why don’t we sing another carol?” Elaine asked as she sat surrounded by her friends in her family room on Christmas Eve. Poinsettias and greenery decorated the shelves as the delicious aromas of hot cocoa and sugar cookies filled the small house. Mamm had made sure everything was perfect before her parents stepped out to visit with her uncle Mel’s family.
Cal brushed his shoulder against hers as he sat beside her on the sofa. “Elaine, you should pick one this time.”
“Ya, I think it’s your turn,” Darlene said as she sat on the floor next to Andrew.
“How about ‘O Holy Night’?” She looked at Cal. “It’s our favorite, right?” Yes, I remembered.
He smiled.
“Perfect,” Sharon said. “You start.”
Elaine found it in her hymnal and began to sing. “O holy night! The stars are brightly shining. It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth. Long lay the world in sin and error pining, till he appeared and the soul felt its worth. A thrill of hope—the weary soul rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn . . .”
Everyone joined in. “Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices! O night divine, O night when Christ was born . . .”
Elaine lost herself in the words as joy rolled over her, anticipating her favorite line in the carol—Truly He taught us to love one another. With God’s help, Cal had given her another chance, and she’d never been so happy.
She turned toward Cal and smiled as his deep, rich voice sounded beside her. How she loved her new home, her new friends, and her wonderful new boyfriend! And how grateful she was for God’s love and peace.
Mamm had been right—moving to Bird-in-Hand had been the new start she needed and a blessing from God.
“Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,” Elaine sang, beginning the second verse, “with glowing hearts by his cradle we stand. So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming, here come the wise men from Orient land. The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger, in all our trials born to be our friend . . .”
When they finished singing, Elaine stood. “Why don’t I get more hot chocolate and Christmas kichlin for us?”
“I’ll come with you. Just let me get something from my coat.” In a few moments, Cal had followed into the kitchen, and then he touched her arm. “I have something for you.”
“I have something for you too.” Elaine hurried down the hallway to her room, then returned with a large, wrapped package. She handed it to Cal. “Frehlicher Grischtdaag!”
“Merry Christmas to you too.” He held out a wrapped box.
“Danki.” She opened it and found a framed heart with a Scripture verse etched in italics. She read it aloud, “‘Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.’” Her eyes filled with tears as she looked up at him. “It’s gorgeous. I love it.”
“I’m so glad. I wrote something extra on the back of the frame. Turn it over.”
When she did, she found the words Truly He taught us to love one another inscribed.
“Cal, how did you know that’s my favorite line in ‘O Holy Night’?”
“It is? I didn’t know. I just thought after everything you went through in New Wilmington . . . well, they seemed like just the words you needed to hear this first Christmas in Bird-in-Hand.”
“I love it.”
He opened his gift and smiled as he ran his hand over the blue-and-gray Lone Star quilt. He was the perfect recipient.
“This is so schee, Elaine—especially because I know you made it.”
“I hope it keeps you warm this winter.” She took his hand. “This is my best Christmas ever. Bird-in-Hand has been such a blessing to my family and me. I’m so grateful for my new freinden—and especially for you. Danki again for never giving up on me. No matter how I pushed you away, you were determined to show me that I could trust you. I thank God daily that he brought us together.”
“I do too.” He set the quilt on the counter, then took both her hands in his and drew her to him. “I’m so grateful God sent your family here for a new beginning.”
She looked up at him, and the intensity in his eyes sent a shiver dancing up her spine.
He leaned down, and she closed her eyes as his lips brushed hers.
Then he cupped his hand to her cheek. “Ich liebe dich, Elaine. I love you just like the Scripture verse I gave you said. And just like God’s Son taught us.”
“I love you too.” She glanced up through the kitchen window and smiled. “Look.”
Stars shined brightly in the clear night sky, just as she envisioned they’d shined on a holy night so long ago.