As the remainder of the day wore on, so did the blizzard. Karla’s father had safely returned home by early afternoon, though Antje would likely remain at the Brewster home until tomorrow. The early train had arrived far behind schedule and without any guests for the hotel. For that, Karla was thankful. She wished to give her mother undivided attention. But where was Frank? He’d been gone for hours and hadn’t returned with medicine.
Realization hit her like a gust of cold wind. He must have gone for the doctor. Oh Lord, what have I done?
Despite her trembling hands, Karla carried a bowl of broth and a cup of tea upstairs to her mother and placed them on a small bedside table. “Go and eat, Vater. There is a warm plate on the table in the kitchen. I will sit with Mutter and see if she will take some broth when she wakens.”
Her father pushed up from his chair and stood alongside the bed. “She is still warm, but I’ve been using the cool cloths on her forehead, so I don’t think her fever is as high.” He leaned down and placed a kiss on her mother’s forehead, then walked toward the bedroom door. “Frank is home from the apothecary?”
“Nein. He said he was going to help. I thought he went for medicine, but he hasn’t returned.”
“How long ago was this?”
“Hours.”
“That isn’t like him.”
“I fear he went to Middle for the doctor.”
Her father shook his head. “That would not be a smart thing to do, and Frank is a smart man—and a gut man, too. It is my hope that he decided to spend the night at the apothecary. But just in case he went for the doctor, we should pray for him.”
Snow slashed at Frank’s cheeks and ice crystals crusted around his eyes. How could he have gotten the sled stuck?
He put his shoulder to the sled and called to the team of horses. “Get up!”
They strained forward.
“Whoa!”
He repositioned himself and called to them again. After more tries than he cared to count, the sled finally lunged forward. He didn’t want to risk getting stuck again, so he didn’t halt the team. He struggled through snow up to his knees until he finally managed to jump inside the sled. Thankfully the team of horses had been slowed down by the same deep snow.
Fingers barely working, he untied the reins from the front of the sleigh and gave them a slap. Never had the distance between South and Middle seemed so great. Using one hand, he pressed his scarf against his lips. The bite in the air was freezing cold, making it hard to breathe.
Lights!
The dim glow rose over the hill. The tired horses quickened their pace. Perhaps they, too, knew a warm place waited for them at the end of this journey.
He drove the sled straight to Dr. Morrow’s, forced his weary body from the sled, and vaulted up the front steps.
Pounding on the door, he called for the doctor. After what seemed an eternity, the man appeared at the door. Without a word, he grabbed Frank’s arm and hauled him inside. “Frank Lehner, what are you doing out in a storm like this? You, of all people, should know better.” He pushed him toward the fireplace. “Let me see your hands. You’ve probably got frostbite.”
“No, I’m not the patient. Get your bag. Sister Irma Stuke over in South is terribly ill. She needs you right away.”
Dr. Morrow pressed Frank into a chair and took hold of his wrist. He pulled off one of Frank’s ice-encrusted mittens and dropped it to the floor. The tips of Frank’s fingers glowed white. “You’re not going anywhere until you get warmed up.”
“But—” Frank started to stand.
The doctor laid a hand on his shoulder. “As soon as the storm eases, we’ll go. We can’t be of help if we get stuck out in this storm.”
Karla stiffened at her father’s final remark. Frank might be smart, but if he’d gone for the doctor, he’d placed himself and the doctor at risk. If anything happened, though, she had only one person to blame. Herself. How could she have said those horrible things to him?
“Vater, go rest in one of the guest rooms. I know you’re tired. You can spell me later. Mutter needs for both of us to remain well.”
“You’ll come get me if she worsens?”
She nodded and dipped a cloth in the basin of water and placed the cool, damp rag across her mother’s forehead.
The bedside lamp flickered as Karla pulled the rocking chair close to the bedside. Tears flooded her eyes as worry consumed her. Tears for her Mutter and for Frank as well. At last she sat down, lifted the Bible from the table, and began to pray. She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep before she awakened to the sound of men’s voices and the echo of stomping feet downstairs. She jumped to her feet, the Bible slipping to the floor. The train must have arrived with passengers seeking rooms at the hotel.
Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Karla stopped only long enough to touch her mother’s cheek. Warmer. Much, much warmer. What was she going to do?
Snow! Snow would bring down her mother’s fever. She raced for the stairs and came to a halt at the top of the steps, blinking at the approaching figure.
She squinted, certain she must be wrong. “Dr. Morrow?”
“Ja.” He bobbed his head and lifted his black medical case as if to further affirm his identity. “You have forgotten me?”
Karla shook her head. “Nein, I remember you.” She’d met the doctor from Middle on several occasions when he’d come to the hotel to care for visitors before Dr. Neilson had moved to South. “Did Frank fetch you in the sleigh?”
“Ja.” He raked his fingers through his thick white hair. “He got stuck in the snow on the way. It is a wonder he made it at all. I know he was unhappy with me, but I insisted we wait until the blizzard let up before I would return with him.” He glanced over his shoulder and lowered his voice. “I don’t know who is colder, the horses or Brother Frank. I’m sure he would be thankful for something warm to drink. I’m worried about his frostbite, but I think he will be fine.” His eyes sparkled in the dim light. “Now let me go and check on your Mutter. And tell your Vater to please come upstairs.”
Karla’s father appeared at the bottom of the stairway. “I’m right behind you, Doctor.” His gaze rested on Karla. “Go now and see to Frank. He needs you.” Once the two men had entered the upstairs parlor, Karla hurried downstairs.
One look at Frank standing near the stove warming his hands and guilt assaulted her. Tears ran down her cheeks unchecked. How wrong she had been. He’d risked his own life to show her he could be trusted—that he was a man of his word. What if he had frozen to death out in the blizzard? Her actions could have cost Frank his life.
“Frank, I was wrong. I never should have …”
He closed the distance between them in two long strides and placed his finger against her lips. “It hurt me to think you didn’t trust me. I was angry, but I understood your deep concern for your Mutter. Fear makes us do many foolish things.”
She gently stroked his fingers. “Look what has happened because of my foolishness and anger.” A tear rolled down her cheek.
“There is no need for tears. My hands are fine. I went because it was my deep desire to help you, and I was pleased that you came to me in your time of need.” He grinned down at her. “But I wasn’t so pleased that you didn’t understand when I told you I couldn’t give medicine to your Mutter without a doctor’s order.”
“I’m so sorry.” She lowered her gaze. “I knew what you said was true, but in my desperation I was unwilling to believe you couldn’t help. My anger took hold, and I’m ashamed I acted in such a manner. I hope you will forgive me. I wish there was some way I could show you how grateful I am for what you’ve done.”
He crooked his finger beneath her chin and lifted her face. Smoldering warmth spread through her stomach as he traced his finger across her lips. “There is one thing that you can do, Karla.” His finger continued to glide across her lips. “You can trust me.”
“I do, Frank. With my whole heart.”
Leaning in, he kissed her. At the gentle touch of his lips, her heart pattered an exciting new rhythm. She gazed into his eyes. Never had she felt so cherished. “I do trust you, Frank. Comparing you to Oskar was unfair. You aren’t anything like him.”
“He wasn’t a gut kisser?” He quirked a teasing grin.
“Frank! I’m trying to be serious. You could have died in that blizzard, and it would have been my fault. You know better than to go out in a storm like this, and I’m surprised Brother Roth gave you permission to take a horse and sleigh in such weather.”
Frank hiked a shoulder. “He wasn’t at the barn when I arrived, so I suppose you could say that I took the sleigh without permission.”
“Ach!” She clapped her hand over her lips. “You should not have done such a thing.” She hesitated for only a moment. “But I’m thankful you cared enough to help—and I’m even more thankful that God protected you.”
He nodded his agreement. “Ja! I did a lot of praying on the way to Middle. Without God’s grace and protection, I don’t think I would have made it to Dr. Morrow’s office.”
They jumped apart at the sound of footsteps on the stairway. “Did you get Frank warmed up, Karla?” Her father entered the kitchen.
“What?” Her stomach knotted as she whirled around. Had her father seen them embrace? What would he say to such improper behavior?
Her father picked up a cup and pointed to the coffeepot. “Did you feed him some soup and give him some coffee?” He patted his belly. “Hot food warms the body, don’t you think, Frank?”
Karla stepped between the two men, concern for her mother mounting when Dr. Morrow didn’t follow her father into the kitchen. “What does the doctor say about Mutter?”
“He thinks she may be suffering from an inflammation of the stomach. He believes once the inflammation subsides, her temperature will go down as well.” He handed Frank a piece of paper and grinned. “Once you have warmed yourself, he would like for you to go to the apothecary. I couldn’t remember what the doctor told me, so he wrote it down for you.”
Frank scanned the note and then stepped to the window. Using his shirtsleeve, he wiped a patch of light frost from the window and peered outside. “It looks like it has quit snowing. I think I would rather go now and enjoy my soup and coffee when I return. The sooner Sister Irma has the medicine, the sooner she will be feeling better.”
A lump settled in Karla’s throat. How could she ever have doubted this sweet, kind man who had shown her nothing but friendship and love for all these years? Ever since Oskar had broken their engagement, she had worn invisible blinders, but Frank’s determination had forced her to examine him with clear eyes. She’d let fear and not faith rule her life. She whispered a prayer of thanks as he donned his boots and heavy coat.
She walked to the door with him. “The soup will be waiting for you when you return.”
His eyes sparkled in the kerosene lamplight. “And I hope you will be waiting for me as well.”
Frank strode into the kitchen and rubbed his hands together. Though the doctor’s concern about frostbite had been unfounded, the cold continued to bother his fingers more than usual. Three days had passed since he’d gone to Middle Amana for the doctor, and though the condition of Karla’s mother had improved, she still remained abed. Dr. Morrow had warned that until all signs of the illness passed, he didn’t want her working in the kitchen or near any hotel guests. “Just in case her disease is contagious—you can never be too careful when it comes to illness.”
Frank glanced around the kitchen and spotted Karla stirring a pot on the stove. “What can I do to help you?”
“After the mess you made the other day while helping me, maybe it would be best for you to set the tables in the dining room, and I will take care of the food, ja?”
“So you no longer trust me?” He winked, and when her lips curved in a slow smile, his heart warmed.
“I trust you. It’s those rambunctious hot kettles of food that I don’t trust.” The spunky girl he’d known years ago had finally returned.
She pointed a wooden spoon in his direction. “I think maybe you spilled that pot of potatoes just so you could avoid further kitchen duty.”
He clasped his hand on his chest. “How could you ever think such a thing?” Scanning the kitchen, he pointed to a pan of hot gravy. “Maybe I should pour the gravy into a bowl for you, ja?”
“Nein.” She waved him toward the dining room. “I think it would be safest for both of us if you help in the dining room. Things seem to heat up in the kitchen whenever you’re around.” Her cheeks blossomed pink. “I didn’t mean for that to sound like it did.”
“You’re simply telling the truth.” He kissed her cheek. “Does that mean you don’t want me in the kitchen when you’re baking Christmas cookies this evening?” He tipped her chin and looked into her eyes. “Just remember, I’m willing to taste each batch to make certain they’re gut. I thought you would be happy for such an offer.”
“I think my Vater has already filled the position of cookie taster. He has been doing it for years, and I don’t think he will easily give up the job. And I don’t think I will bake the cookies until tomorrow.”
“Then I will for sure miss out on tasting the cookies.” He waited a moment, hoping she would ask why, and was pleased when she hurried to his side.
“Why? Where will you be?” Her voice trembled, and he quickly reached for her hand.
He shouldn’t have teased her. He’d just won her trust. If he wasn’t careful, he’d destroy the progress he’d worked so hard to foster over these past weeks. “I’m going to go and visit my parents. Brother Hueber agreed that I could be gone from the apothecary.”
Once he explained why he would be gone, Frank expected to see Karla’s fear dissipate, but she withdrew her hand and shot him a look of apprehension.
“Of course you want to spend Christmas with your parents, but I didn’t expect you to leave two days before Christmas. I’m sure I sound like a selfish child, but I had hoped to at least spend Christmas Eve with you. I don’t even have your gift …” She stopped short.
“I’m going to take gifts to my parents tomorrow, and then I will return by nightfall.” He tried to hide his excitement. “I will be here to celebrate Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I will be here to help you put up the Christmas pyramid, and I will be here to see you open my gifts to you.” As some of the sparkle returned to her eyes, Frank relaxed his shoulders.
“Do you think your parents will be unhappy if you aren’t at home with them for Christmas?”
He lifted her hand to his lips. “Trust me. They will be delighted to know I’m spending Christmas with you.”
Favoring him with a smile that affected his heart like fire on ice, she whispered, “I do trust you, Frank.”