reading

ISBN 978-1-62416-711-9

eBook Editions:
Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-63409-740-6
Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-63409-741-3

All scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to actual people, organizations, and/or events is purely coincidental. No medical advice mentioned in the story is to be taken as fact. Always consult with a medical professional before trying a home remedy.

Cover design: Faceout Studio, www.faceoutstudio.com

Published by Barbour Books, an imprint of Barbour Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, Ohio 44683, www.barbourbooks.com

Our mission is to publish and distribute inspirational products offering exceptional value and biblical encouragement to the masses.

Printed in the United States of America.

[Jesus said,] “For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.”
MATTHEW 6:14

CHAPTER 1

Priscilla Herschberger shivered as she hurried across the yard, anxious to get out of the cold. It was only the first week of December, but with fresh-fallen snow and blustery winds, it felt like the middle of winter. Despite her chattering teeth and tingling hands and feet, this weather stirred Priscilla’s feelings like it had when she was a child, filling her with hope that they might have snow for Christmas.

Entering the small store where she and her mother sold jams, jellies, and several other types of home-canned goods, she quickly shut the door. Business was slow this time of year, so they opened the store only a few days a week. Priscilla had come to get several jars of strawberry jam to serve at a dinner for tourists hosted by her friend Elaine Schrock. Elaine’s helper, Karen Yoder, couldn’t be there this evening, so Priscilla had volunteered to take her place. She looked forward to going—not only to help but also to spend time with Elaine.

“Sure hope everything goes okay,” Priscilla murmured. She’d never helped with one of Elaine’s dinners before, but she had plenty of experience in the kitchen, helping her mother. It should be fun, she told herself, placing the jars inside a cardboard box. From what Elaine had told Priscilla, these dinners often provided unexpected chuckles. Once when Elaine’s grandmother was alive, her parakeet, Millie, had gotten out of its cage and created quite a stir among their dinner guests. Another time, a man had made everyone laugh by his constant burping. He’d later explained that, in his country, burping was a custom that showed appreciation for a good meal.

Priscilla always enjoyed listening to Elaine’s stories, but she hoped nothing she said or did tonight would cause anyone to laugh.

Leaving the store, she put the box in her buggy and headed back to the house to tell her mother good-bye. She found Mom in the sewing room, cutting a pattern for a new dress. “I got the jam, and I’m leaving for Elaine’s now.”

Priscilla shrugged. “I’m not sure how long the dinner will last. It starts at six o’clock, so it may be over by eight or so. Of course, I’ll stay awhile after that to help Elaine clean up and do the dishes.”

“Please be careful. The roads could be icy tonight.” Mom’s depth of concern was revealed in her ebony-colored eyes.

“I’ll take it easy. Tinker is a good horse. I’ve never had a problem with her in the snow.”

“There’s always a first time.” Mom’s face tightened. “Just because a gaul is easygoing, doesn’t mean it won’t spook. Remember to keep a tight rein. Some people don’t take the road conditions seriously enough.”

“Try not to worry, Mom. I’ll be okay.” Priscilla knew her mother was concerned, but sometimes she tended to be overprotective. Maybe it was because Priscilla was the youngest of five children and the only girl. Once I’m married and living in a place of my own, Mom won’t worry about me so much. Of course, that won’t happen if Elam never asks me to marry him.

“Danki for coming to help on such short notice,” Elaine said when Priscilla entered her house that evening and set the cardboard box on the table.

Priscilla hugged her friend. “It’s not a problem. I’m glad you asked.” Before Elaine hired Karen, Priscilla and their friend Leah had offered to help Elaine many times, but Elaine had always said she could manage by herself.

“Not too bad. Right now they’re just wet, but they could get worse when the temperature drops.” Priscilla motioned to the jars of jam. “Where would you like me to put these?”

“You can put them in glass bowls and place two on each of the tables I’ve set up in the other room.” Elaine smiled. “I appreciate all this jam and will gladly pay for it.”

“You won’t let me pay you for helping tonight, so I insist on paying for the jam.”

Priscilla knew she wouldn’t get anywhere arguing with her friend, so she nodded and took the jam and dishes into the generously sized room next to the kitchen. Elaine’s grandfather had added it on to the house when his wife started serving dinners for tourists many years ago. It could accommodate as many as one hundred people and had been used to hold church services when needed, in addition to groups of people who came for the meals. Elaine had continued offering the dinners after her grandparents died. It gave her something meaningful to do and had become a favorite event for tourists, as well as some of the locals.

Priscilla looked around as she set the bowls of jam on the three tables. Elaine had covered each table with a bright red cloth and draped white lace over the top. Beside each plate was a green cloth napkin, and chubby red pillar candles with a bit of greenery at the base served as centerpieces. Between the tantalizing aromas coming from the kitchen, the scent of pine from the greenery, and the overall festive appearance, the room was ready to welcome their guests. Just being in it made Priscilla look forward to Christmas.

She wondered if the holiday would be special for her and Elam. Last year she’d hoped for that, too. Unfortunately, nothing had changed—they were still courting, but Elam had not proposed. It did no good to analyze his reasons, so she reminded herself to focus on other things.

Priscilla returned to the kitchen, where Elaine was slicing freshly baked bread. “That room sure looks festive,” Priscilla commented. “I had to look closely at the candles before I realized they were battery operated.”

Elaine filled a basket with bread and began slicing another loaf. “Besides being safer, battery-powered candles last for hours, with no dripping wax to worry about.”

“The salads are made and the chicken’s in the oven. Why don’t we have a cup of tea and visit until it’s time to start the potatoes?”

Elaine chuckled. “Don’t worry, you’ll have plenty to do as soon as our fifty guests arrive.”

Priscilla’s mouth opened wide. “Fifty? I didn’t realize there would be so many people to serve.”

“Guess I forgot to mention it, but don’t worry, we’ll manage okay.” Elaine poured tea, and they took seats at the table. “The people coming here tonight are family members who wanted to do something different to celebrate Christmas.”

“This is only the first week of December. Why would they celebrate Christmas so early?” Priscilla scooted her chair closer to the table.

“Some people who’ll be coming live in the area, but others are from out of town. They’re having a get-together now because it’s the only time they could all manage to gather.” Elaine pushed a strand of shiny blond hair back under her white head covering.

Priscilla took a sip of the warm tea, enjoying the familiar pumpkin-spice flavor. “Speaking of Christmas, if you haven’t made plans, I’d like you to come over to our place that day.”

“I appreciate the invitation,” Elaine replied, “I’ll be joining Ben’s family for Christmas Eve dinner, but I have no plans for Chrismtas Day.”

“You two have been seeing each other awhile now. Has there been any talk of marriage?”

“Since I haven’t given him an answer yet, I figured there was no point mentioning it.” Elaine blew on her tea. “Ben’s a wonderful man, and I care for him, but I’m not sure what I feel is deep enough for a marriage commitment.”

“That makes sense.” Priscilla knew Elaine had once been in love with Jonah Miller, but in all the time Ben had been courting her, Priscilla had never seen Elaine look at him the way she used to look at Jonah. It was unfortunate that Jonah’s wife, Sara, had died. Recently, Priscilla had wondered if Jonah and Elaine might get together again someday. Of course, she’d never voice her thoughts to Elaine. It hadn’t even been a month since Sara fell from a ladder in their barn. It was too soon for Jonah to take another wife, although he might eventually feel the need for someone other than his folks to help care for his baby girl and stepson.

Elaine bumped Priscilla’s arm. “You’re awfully quiet all of a sudden. What are you thinking about?”

Priscilla sighed, looking down at the table. “No, and maybe he never will. I’d probably be smart to break things off with him.”

“As I recall, you were thinking about breaking up once before.” Elaine placed her hand on Priscilla’s arm, giving it a motherly pat. “You love him very much, don’t you?”

“Jah.” Priscilla lifted her head. “But if he doesn’t want to marry me, I may as well accept it and move on with my life.”

“I’m sure Elam loves you, Priscilla. You just need to be patient. He’s probably waiting for the right time to propose.”

“Maybe so.” After a brief pause, she said, “I haven’t talked to Leah for a while. Do you know how things are going with her and Adam?”

“I dropped by their place yesterday, to give the girls some cookies. Leah said things are going well. Unfortunately, though, Adam still hasn’t resolved things with his mother.”

“It’s a sad situation any way you look at it. I was glad when Leah finally explained how Adam’s mother had abandoned him and his sister when they were children. It’s ironic that Cora used to practice reflexology.” Priscilla directed her gaze across the room to look at the clock. “Guess it was the reason Adam was so set against Leah working on people’s feet. Most likely, it reminded him of his mother.”

“That’s understandable, at least from a child’s point of view. But as an adult, Adam should have been able to see past all that and realize Leah is nothing like his mother.” Elaine paused to drink some tea. “It seems a shame that Adam’s mother is now living here in Arthur, and yet Adam won’t have anything to do with her.”

“I hope everything works out for them. Life’s too short to hold grudges that can separate people from their families.” Elaine pushed away from the table. “Guess I’ll get the potatoes out now and start peeling.”

When the lively group of people arrived, most dressed in fancy Christmas attire, Priscilla scurried about, making sure everyone found a seat. Some brought gifts for family members, which they placed on a smaller table, to be opened after the meal.

Priscilla noticed Evie, a boisterous woman with dyed blond hair. Her bright red dress had slits in the sides of the skirt, and the bodice was low cut. When Evie laughed, her whole body shook, making the shiny gold bells in her hair clink together and jingle.

Pricilla had begun to pour water for everyone, when Evie flipped her head around and bumped Priscilla’s arm. Water splashed out, some landing in the woman’s lap.

Blotting her skirt, Evie chuckled. “Don’t worry, dear. It’s only water. It won’t leave a stain.”

Relieved, Priscilla hoped the rest of the evening would go by without any other mishaps.

During the meal, everyone visited, and several people told jokes or humorous stories. After Elaine brought out three kinds of pie, they all settled down, and for a while everything got quiet.

“This apple pie is delicious, darlin’,” a dark-haired man wearing a battery-operated lighted Christmas tie spoke up. “Would ya mind sharin’ the recipe with my wife?”

Elaine’s cheeks flushed. “I’m glad you like it. The pie has no refined sugar in it, so it can be enjoyed by those whose diets are restricted. I’ll be happy to give you a copy of the recipe before you go home.”

“That’d be wonderful.” The bells in Evie’s hair tinkled as she bobbed her head. “You should put together a cookbook and sell it to those who come here for your delicious dinners. I know I would enjoy having a few of your recipes.”

Elaine’s eyes sparkled. “I’ve thought of doing that but haven’t taken the time.”

“If you decide to do a cookbook, I’d be happy to help you with it,” Priscilla volunteered.

“It’s nice of you to offer. I may just take you up on that, because it’ll be a lot of work to do on my own.”

Elaine and Priscilla headed back to the kitchen to get more coffee for the guests.

“They’re in the Christmas spirit, and it gets me excited, too.” Elaine gave Priscilla’s shoulder a tender squeeze. “I appreciate you helping me tonight.”

“I’m glad I could do it. It’s been fun, even if I did spill water in Evie’s lap.”

Elaine snickered. “She took it quite well.” She moved toward the stove but paused before picking up the coffeepot. “Umm… I have a favor to ask, Priscilla.”

“She and her family are moving to Indiana next week. Since I have two more dinners scheduled between now and Christmas, I’m kind of in a bind. Would you be able to help until I find someone to take Karen’s place? I’ll pay you what I paid her, of course.”

Priscilla smiled. “I’d be happy to help, and you don’t have to worry about finding anyone else. Mom and I won’t have much to do in the store until spring, when we’ll make more jams and jellies to sell. I just have one question. Are all your dinners like this one?”

Elaine shook her head. “Every group of people is different, but they’re all quite entertaining.”

After the people went home, Priscilla cleared the dishes and began washing them. Elaine came in and said, “As the last guests were leaving, I noticed it was snowing pretty hard. I think you ought to spend the night. If the weather improves, you can go home in the morning.”

Priscilla shook her head. “I should be fine if I leave as soon as we finish washing the dishes. If I don’t show up, my folks will worry. Even if I call and leave a message, they probably won’t check their voice mail till tomorrow morning.”

“I suppose you’re right. You’d better go now then, before the snow gets any worse.”

“I don’t mind.” Elaine gave Priscilla a hug. “You go on now and be safe.”

“Okay, if you insist.” Priscilla put on her outer garments and headed for the door. “I’ll call you tomorrow morning,” she called over her shoulder.

A short time later, Priscilla headed down the road with her horse and buggy. She’d only gone a short ways when she caught sight of a motorcycle going in the opposite direction. Wondering why anyone would be riding a cycle on a night like this, Priscilla gripped her horse’s reins a little tighter. Suddenly, a flash of brown ran in front of the motorcycle. When the driver swerved to avoid hitting it, he slid off the road and slammed into a stop sign. The bike flipped over, sending the driver into the snowy ditch.

“Whoa, Tinker! Whoa!” Priscilla directed her horse to the side of the road. She had to see if the rider was hurt.

CHAPTER 2

Priscilla’s hands shook as she guided her horse and buggy to the side of the road. She hopped out and tied Tinker to a nearby tree. She grabbed a flashlight and rushed over to the victim. Shining the light on his face, she gasped. It was David Morgan, a young English man she’d known since they were teenagers. David lived in Chicago and had been coming to Arthur off and on over the years to visit his grandparents. Even though Priscilla hadn’t seen him for some time, she recognized his sandy blond hair and vivid blue eyes.

“David, are you hurt?” Panting, she dropped to her knees in the snow beside him, relieved to see he was conscious.

“Yes, it’s me.” Priscilla nodded. “Are you hurt?” she repeated, lowering the flashlight and placing her hand gently on his arm.

“My leg… I think it might be broken. My head and ribs hurt, too. It–it’s hard to breathe.”

Priscilla’s fingers trembled as she reached into David’s pocket and retrieved his phone. She hoped help would come soon, because it wasn’t good for him to lie out here in the cold. She wasn’t strong enough to move him, which might do more harm than good anyway.

After she made the call, Priscilla took a blanket from her buggy to cover David, who was shivering badly. She thought about placing something under his head, but worried he might have a neck injury, so decided against it. Using a clean towel she kept in a plastic bag under her buggy seat, she wiped the snow off his face.

“I’ll stay right here beside you till help comes,” Priscilla knew she needed to keep him talking so he would remain awake. If David had a concussion, he shouldn’t fall asleep.

“I didn’t know you were in the area,” she said as the falling snowflakes melted on his face.

“You’d better lie still,” she cautioned, placing her hand on his shoulder. “Your injuries could be serious.”

“Don’t fall asleep. Talk to me, David. Tell me why you’ve come back to Arthur after being gone two years.” Gently, Priscilla continued drying the melted snow from his face with the towel.

“Came back to see if…” His voice trailed off as he sucked in a shallow breath. “It hurts, Priscilla. It hurts to breathe.”

“I know it’s hard, but try to relax and keep talking to me. Help will be here soon.”

Priscilla didn’t know how many minutes had passed, but it seemed like forever before the EMTs arrived. “What hospital will you take him to?” she asked one of the paramedics.

“We’ll go to Sarah Bush in Matton. Depending on how severe his injuries are, he may be transferred to either Carle in Urbana or DMH in Decatur.”

Priscilla moved close to the stretcher where David lay. “I’ll let your grandparents know what happened. I’m sure they’ll go to the hospital right away.”

“W–will you come, too, Priscilla? I’d f–feel better if you were there.”

She nodded and squeezed his hand. “I’ll be with them, David; you can count on it.”

When Priscilla pulled her horse and buggy into the yard of David’s grandparents, she was relieved to see lights in the window. Thank goodness someone was still up.

Although she didn’t know Walt and Letty Morgan well, she had met them several times when their grandson visited, and she and Elam had gone there to see him. David spent most of the time, though, at either Priscilla’s or Elam’s. Priscilla had never understood why David enjoyed hanging out with her and Elam, but he’d always seemed to enjoy their time together and had even teased about becoming Amish someday. Of course, Priscilla knew he was only kidding. After all, why would David, who’d grown up with modern things, want to give up his dream of becoming a veterinarian? He’d attended college for the last two-and-a-half years and had only been back to Arthur once since then. Priscilla and Elam first met David when some of the young people in their area got together to play volleyball. Priscilla had always gotten along well with David, and if he were Amish, she may have been interested in him as more than a friend. Of course, she’d never told anyone. It was silly, Priscilla knew, but when things weren’t going well between her and Elam, the notion of being with David sometimes popped into her head.

Shaking her thoughts aside, Priscilla secured Tinker to a fence post and hurried to the house. As she reached out to knock on the door, it opened, and Letty greeted her. “Well, for goodness’ sake, I thought I heard a horse and buggy pull in. Walt said I was hearing things, but my hearing’s just fine. I know the sound of a horse’s whinny.” Letty peered at Priscilla over the top of her plastic-framed glasses. “You’re Davey’s friend Priscilla, aren’t you?”

“Davey’s on his way here right now. He called yesterday and said he should arrive sometime this evening.” Letty’s brows furrowed. “Walt and I expected him hours ago.”

Rubbing her arms briskly beneath her woolen shawl, Priscilla said, “I’m sorry to tell you this, but David’s been in an accident.”

“What I believe was a deer ran in front of his motorcycle. David lost control and slid off the road. He complained of his head and ribs hurting and said he thought his leg was broken,” Priscilla explained. “I called 911, and he’s been taken to Sarah Bush Hospital.”

“Oh my!” Letty motioned for Priscilla to step inside. “Walt, our Davey’s been in an accident!” she called. “We need to go to the hospital right away!”

A few seconds later, Letty’s husband appeared, wearing a pair of gray sweatpants and a matching T-shirt. “I’ll change my clothes and get the car out of the garage.”

“Would it be all right if I go with you?” Priscilla questioned. “David asked if I’d come, and I’d like to know how he’s doing.”

Letty gave Priscilla’s arm a gentle pat. “Of course you can come. Walt can put your horse in our barn.”

“Thank you.” Priscilla hesitated. “May I use your phone? I’ll need to leave my folks a message so they know where I am and don’t worry.”

“Not a problem.” Letty pointed to the kitchen. “The phone’s in there.”

“I wonder why Priscilla isn’t home yet.” Iva glanced at the grandfather clock her husband had given her as a wedding present thirty-four years ago. “It’s ten thirty. I would think she would have been here by now.”

Daniel set his book aside and clasped Iva’s hand. “Try not to worry. With the way the weather is tonight, Priscilla may have decided to spend the night at Elaine’s.”

“That makes sense. I’d better go out to the phone shack and see if she left us a message. If she decided to stay over, I’m sure she would have called.”

Daniel stood. “I’ll do it. There’s no need for you to go out in the cold.”

“Danki, Daniel.” Iva smiled as he put on his jacket and went out the door. Her husband had always been considerate of her needs, and she appreciated his thoughtfulness. She hoped Priscilla would find a man like her father. Elam Gingerich seemed nice enough, but Iva wasn’t sure how committed he was to her daughter. He’d hung out with Priscilla since they were teenagers and had been courting her for well over a year with no mention of marriage.

Iva thought about her married sons, Alan, Edward, James, and Thomas, with just two years between them. They’d all fallen in love with lovely young women and proposed marriage after the first year of courting. Guess I shouldn’t worry about Priscilla and Elam’s relationship, Iva told herself. Priscilla hasn’t said much about it to me, so perhaps she’s content with the way things are right now. One of these days Elam might surprise us all and pop the question.

Iva clasped her hands behind her neck and rubbed the knotted muscles. Her neck had been hurting most of the day. If it didn’t let up soon, she would make an appointment with Priscilla’s friend, Leah, for a reflexology treatment. The last time Iva’s back acted up, Leah had been able to relieve the pain. Hopefully, she’d be able to work out the kinks in Iva’s neck as well. With Christmas a few weeks away and so much baking and cleaning to do yet, Iva would be in better shape if she were free of pain.

“What’s wrong?” Iva asked, seeing the look of distress on her husband’s bearded face. “You look umgerennt.”

“I’m not upset as much as concerned.” He removed his jacket and took a seat in the recliner across from Iva. “Our daughter left a message, but it wasn’t about spending the night with Elaine.”

“Priscilla is at the hospital with David Morgan’s grandparents. Apparently he was injured when he fell off his motorcycle. Priscilla witnessed the accident on her way home from Elaine’s.”

“Priscilla didn’t say. Just said she was heading to the hospital with Walt and Letty and would fill us in on the details when she gets home.”

At the hospital, Priscilla paced nervously as she waited for a report on David’s condition.

His parents will probably come as soon as they hear the news. Priscilla thought about David’s father, a veterinarian. He and his wife lived in Chicago. From what David had said, his dad expected him to follow in his footsteps. It was the reason David had gone to college and would eventually attend a veterinary school.

I’ll bet his grandparents have missed him, Priscilla thought, glancing at Walt and Letty sitting across from her with anxious expressions. Walt had called David’s folks to notify them of the accident and then returned to the waiting room to sit beside his wife.

“Had to leave them a message,” Walt grumbled. “As usual, our son, Robert, didn’t answer his phone.”

Priscilla figured David might be on Christmas break and had come to Arthur to spend the holiday with his grandparents. Perhaps his parents would be joining them. Since David was an only child, surely they wouldn’t spend the holiday alone.

The ride to the hospital had been slow. With the icy roads, Priscilla was thankful David’s grandfather had driven cautiously. His grandparents were probably more concerned for David’s welfare than even she was. Broken bones could heal. What worried Priscilla the most was his head injury. If he’d been wearing a helmet, he would have been better protected. She hoped none of his injuries were serious.

“Sure wish we’d hear something.” Letty fidgeted in her chair. “I can’t stand sitting here doing nothing, not knowing how Davey is doing.”

“I don’t like waiting, either.” Walt patted her hand. “There’s not much we can do except try to be patient and pray for David.”

Letty offered her a weak smile. “It was nice of you to come along, and we appreciate the added prayers.”

A nurse entered the waiting room and walked over to Letty and Walt. “The doctor’s with your grandson now. He’s been asking for you.”

David’s grandparents rose from their chairs. “One of us will come back and tell you how David is doing as soon as we’ve talked to the doctor,” Letty said to Priscilla.

She nodded slowly and closed her eyes in prayer as Letty and Walt left the room.

CHAPTER 3

Gram… Gramps… I’m sure glad you’re here.” David was relieved to see his grandparents beside his bed. “Where’s Priscilla? Didn’t she come with you?”

“She’s in the waiting room,” Gram said. “The doctor explained what your injuries are, and we wanted to see you first, before Priscilla comes in.”

“Of course you are.” Gramps moved closer to David’s bed. “Your left leg is broken, along with a couple of ribs.”

“You also have a mild concussion.” Gram took David’s hand. “We’re thankful you weren’t hurt any worse. When you called to let us know you were coming, we thought you’d be driving your car. Riding a motorcycle in this kind of weather is dangerous, Davey.”

“Yeah, I know. It’s a good thing Priscilla came along when she did.” David glanced toward the door. “Will you ask her to come in?”

“In a minute.” Gramps’s forehead creased as he took a seat in the chair beside David’s bed. “I need to talk to you about something.”

Here it comes. I bet they’ve already called my folks and told ’em I’ve been in an accident.

Gramps leaned closer to David. “I called your dad to let him and your mom know you’d been injured, but got no answer so I had to leave a message.” He glanced at Gram, seated on the other side of David’s bed. “I’m sure as soon as your folks get the message they’ll come.”

David grimaced. “Can we talk about this later? I’m tired, and I’d like to talk to Priscilla before I conk out.”

“Certainly. I’ll go get her.” Gram rose from her chair. “Are you coming, Walt?” She leaned over and kissed David’s forehead before heading for the door.

“Yeah, sure. We’ll talk to you later, David.” Gramps got up and followed her out of the room.

Struggling to keep his eyes open, David kept his focus on the door, waiting for Priscilla to show up. She was the one person who would understand his reason for leaving Chicago. She’d always been supportive of his decisions. He remembered how after he’d decided to go to college, Priscilla had encouraged him, saying she thought he was smart and would do well academically. If she’d approved of him going, surely she would support his decision to drop out. Or will she think I’m a failure?

Yawning, David glanced around the room in an effort to stay awake. How far down the hall am I? he wondered. The room was spotless and actually smelled clean. Looking through the slats of the open window blinds, he saw in the glow of lights that it was still snowing. Hopefully, by the time his grandparents and Priscilla left, the weather would improve.

Reliving the accident and how fast it had happened, David was glad it hadn’t been any worse. Although he wished it hadn’t happened at all.

While he waited for Priscilla, David picked up the TV remote and surfed through the channels. He stopped when he caught the tail end of a local news channel, reporting on his motorcycle accident.

When the door opened and Priscilla stepped in, David smiled, despite the throbbing in his head, ribs, and leg. Dark hair, ebony eyes, and a slightly turned-up nose—she was as beautiful as he remembered. Quickly, he turned off the TV.

Priscilla’s cheeks flushed, making her dimples more pronounced. “I’ve been worried about you. Your grandmother explained the extent of your injuries. While I’m sure you’re in pain, I’m just glad they aren’t worse.”

“Same here. What about my cycle? Did it get banged up pretty bad?” He made no mention of the news report he’d seen briefly.

She shrugged. “I don’t know, David. When the sheriff showed up at the scene of the accident, he said he would make sure your bike was picked up.”

“Guess I’ll ask Gramps to check on things for me in the morning, ’cause it doesn’t look like I’ll be getting out of the hospital till the doctor gives the okay.” David gestured to the chair on the right side of his bed. “Why don’t you take a seat?”

“You know, David, you’ve been through a lot tonight, and I’m sure you’re tired, so I’d better not stay too long.”

“They gave me something for the pain, and I can’t promise I won’t fall asleep, but you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.”

Priscilla pulled the chair closer to his bed and sat down. “Before the EMTs showed up, you were about to tell me what brought you back to Arthur. Is it to spend Christmas with your grandparents?”

“Fit in… Amish way of…” David’s tongue felt thick, as his eyelids grew heavy. The last thing he remembered before succumbing to sleep was the curious expression on Priscilla’s face.

Elam Gingerich stepped onto the Hershbergers’ porch and knocked on the door. He was anxious to invite Priscilla out to supper.

“Normally she would, but she was at the hospital last night and didn’t get home till the wee hours.”

“David was in an accident. Priscilla witnessed it when a deer darted in front of David’s motorcycle.”

“His injuries are not life threatening, but he did break his leg and a couple of ribs. He also has a mild concussion.” Iva frowned, rubbing her forehead. “I broke my wrist when I was a girl, and it was quite painful. I can’t imagine how much pain David must be in.”

“From what Priscilla said, David was on the way to his grandparents’ when the accident occurred.”

Iva opened the door wider. “You’re welcome to come in if you like. I’m sure Priscilla will be up soon. Maybe you’d like to have a cup of coffee while you’re waiting for her.”

He shook his head. “I’d better not. My daed’s store opens in an hour, and he expects me to work there today. Would ya tell Priscilla I dropped by? Oh, and unless I hear differently, I’ll come by around six to take her out to supper this evening.”

“I’ll give her the message.” Iva smiled. “It was nice seeing you, Elam. Tell your mamm I said hello.”

“I will.” Elam stepped down off the porch and sprinted to his buggy, leaving more boot prints in the freshly fallen snow. It had been two years since he’d last seen David. I wonder why he waited so long to pay his grandparents a visit.

“Guder mariye,” Mom said when Priscilla entered the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.

“Good morning.” Priscilla glanced at the clock on the wall and grimaced when she saw it was almost ten o’clock. “I didn’t realize it was so late. Why didn’t you wake me, Mom?”

“I figured after being out so late last night you’d be exhausted and need to catch up on your sleep.” Mom handed Priscilla a cup of coffee and motioned to the table. “Have a seat; I’ll fix you some scrambled eggs.”

Priscilla moved to the window, squinting as the sun glared off the new snow. “It’s so bright out there. Looks as if we got a couple more inches overnight.”

“The snow is sure pretty.” Mom turned on the gas burner to heat up the frying pan. “I must say, though, I was relieved when you finally got home last night.”

“David’s grandpa is a good driver and took his time on the road. I was careful with my horse and buggy when I brought it home, too.” Priscilla took a seat at the table. “Don’t trouble yourself, Mom. I’m not really hungerich this morning.”

“You may not be hungry, but you need to eat.” Mom went to the refrigerator and took out a carton of eggs. “I’ve never understood why you and your daed think you can start your day with only a cup of kaffi.”

Priscilla smiled. She did take after Dad in some ways. But Mom was right; she would have more energy if she ate a good breakfast.

“Elam was here awhile ago,” Mom said, cracking two eggs at the same time into a bowl.

“He came by to see you. Wanted to know if you’d be free to go out to supper with him this evening.”

Mom nodded as she added a little milk to the bowl of eggs then mixed them with a wire whisk. “He seemed surprised to hear David was back in Arthur.”

Priscilla blew on her coffee and took a sip. “I’ll give Elam a call and let him know I can’t go to supper this evening.”

“I need to check on David. I’m pretty sure Letty and Walt will be bringing him home sometime today.”

“Can’t you and Elam stop by there before or after you go out this evening?”

“I guess we could. David and Elam are friends, too, so he’s probably anxious to see how David is doing. When I finish eating breakfast, I’ll go out to the phone shack and give Elam a call.”

CHAPTER 4

It’s turned into a beautiful Saturday evening,” Priscilla commented as she and Elam headed down the road in his buggy toward Yoder’s Kitchen.

Elam nodded. “With all the snow we got last night, I wasn’t sure how the roads would be. With the sun’s help and the roads being cleared, they’re pretty much dry now, making travel a lot safer.”

As they pulled into the area where buggies were parked, Priscilla noticed the sun was getting ready to set. She wished they could stay outside and watch the show of colors, but Elam had said awhile ago that he was anxious to eat, so they headed inside as soon as he secured his horse.

“Have you heard how David’s doing?” Elam asked after he and Priscilla were seated inside the restaurant.

“I talked to his grandma this morning, and she said they’d be bringing him home today.”

“He must be doing pretty well if they’re letting him go home so soon.” Elam’s forehead wrinkled. “Guess he’s not really going home, though, since he lives in Chicago.”

Priscilla’s attention turned toward the window, taking in the beautiful sunset. The mix of reds, golds, and pinks was breathtaking.

Priscilla’s face heated. “Sorry. I was watching the sunset. What did you say?”

“His grandparents’ place is home for David right now.” Priscilla studied the menu. She didn’t know why, though. Whenever she ate supper at Yoder’s she usually ended up having the dinner buffet, where she enjoyed moist and tasty roasted chicken and plenty of delicious homemade noodles. To accompany her meal, Priscilla ordered a glass of iced tea, while Elam asked their waitress for chocolate milk.

“I know David’s been away at college, but you’d think he would have visited his grandparents in all that time.” Elam’s brows furrowed. “Not very considerate, if you ask me.”

“I’m sure Letty and Walt have gone to Chicago to see David and his parents.”

They bowed for silent prayer. When they were done, Priscilla and Elam joined several others in line for the buffet. “I see Elaine and Ben ahead of us.” Priscilla gestured in their direction. “Would you mind if I asked them to join us at our table?”

“Okay. Ben and I will join you after we get our food and have told our waitress where we’re going.”

“Did Priscilla tell you she helped Elaine with her dinner last night?” Ben asked, taking a seat across from Elam.

“Nope.” Elam looked over at Priscilla. “How come you never mentioned it?”

“I haven’t had a chance.” Priscilla cut the meat off her drumstick. “Besides, we’ve been talking about other things so far tonight.”

“True—like David’s accident.” Elam waited for Priscilla’s response but then realized she must not have heard him. Her peculiar expression was hard to read, but ever since they’d arrived at Yoder’s, Priscilla’s attention seemed to be somewhere else. Like now, as she stared out the window again. What’s she thinking about?

Elam glanced out the window, to be sure he wasn’t missing something. The sun’s already set, so it couldn’t be the sky.

“David Morgan. He’s English and used to visit here a lot when we were teenagers,” Priscilla explained. “Until last night when I witnessed David’s motorcycle accident, neither Elam nor I had seen David for two years.”

“I remember David.” Elaine massaged her forehead. “Was he injured in the accident?”

Priscilla explained what had happened. Since Elam had already heard the story and didn’t want his food to get cold, he started eating. When Priscilla finished telling about the accident, Elam jumped into the conversation. “Maybe we oughta stop by the Morgans’ place when we’re done eating and see how David’s doing.”

As their meal progressed, Elam became irritated. So far, Priscilla had spent more time talking to Elaine than him. He’d hoped to have Priscilla all to himself tonight and had been trying to get in a word with her, but to no avail. Even though he liked the food here, Elam wished they’d gone someplace else to eat supper.

Maybe I shouldn’t have suggested we stop and see David on the way home, either. Elam crumpled his napkin. It’ll be one more opportunity for her to visit with someone other than me. Guess it’s too late to worry about that now. Said I’d go, so I’ll have to follow through. And it will be kind of nice to see David again.

Elam turned to look at Priscilla. “Huh? I’m sorry. Were you talking to me?”

“I have a koppweh.” Elaine rubbed her forehead again. “I’ve had it most of the day, but it’s suddenly gotten worse.”

“I apologize. I don’t want to ruin anyone’s evening, but that might be a good idea.”

“I have a better idea,” Priscilla interjected. “Why don’t you go over to Leah’s and see if she can give you a foot treatment? Reflexology has always helped whenever I have a headache.”

Elaine’s forehead wrinkled. “I hate to bother her at this time of night. She’s probably fixing supper for her family.”

“Maybe they’re done eating by now,” Ben put in. “We ought to drop by and see if she’s free to give you a treatment.”

“It’s worth a try.” Elaine pushed her chair aside and stood. “Danki for inviting us to join you.” She offered Priscilla a weak smile. “Sorry I wasn’t better company.”

Priscilla reached out and clasped her friend’s hand. “It’s okay. I hope you feel better soon.”

While Elam wasn’t glad Elaine had a headache, he was pleased he would finally have Priscilla to himself—at least until they got to the Morgans’ house.

Gram squinted at David over the top of her glasses. “If a grandma can’t fuss over her grandson, then she ought to quit being a grandma.”

Gramps chuckled as he seated himself in the recliner across from where David lay on the couch. “You may as well give in, Davey, and just let your grandma fuss to her heart’s content.”

Gram placed the second pillow at the end of the couch. “All right, but it’s here in case you change your mind.” She took a seat in her rocking chair across from him. “By the way, as soon as we knew you were being released from the hospital, we called your folks again, to let them know we’d be bringing you here. Said not to worry, that we’ll take good care of you.”

David grimaced as he tried to find a comfortable position for his sore ribs. “I hope you told ’em I’m gonna be okay and there’s no need for them to come here.”

“Actually, we haven’t heard anything from them yet.” Gramps frowned. “When I called, I got your dad’s voice mail, but he never returned my call.”

A knock sounded on the door, and Gramps went to answer it. When he returned, Priscilla and Elam were with him. David’s mood brightened.

“I’ve been better, but I could be worse.” David managed a smile. “It’s good seeing you, Elam. Did Priscilla tell you about my accident?”

Elam nodded and moved to stand beside Priscilla. “Priscilla and I went to Yoder’s Kitchen for supper this evening, and we decided to come by here to see how you were doing.”

“Let me take your coats. And please, have a seat.” Gram gestured to the love seat near the couch.

After Elam and Priscilla were settled, Grandma went to the kitchen to get everyone something to drink. When she returned with coffee and doughnuts, David sat up so he could eat and drink without spilling.

“I’ll admit it hurts, but the doctor gave me something to help with the discomfort.” David blew on his coffee before taking a sip. “Truthfully, though, I’d rather deal with the pain instead of taking medicine. It makes me too drowsy.”

“She’s right. A person’s body heals better during sleep,” Elam added. “If it were me, I’d be takin’ the pain pills.”

“I guess so, but I don’t like the idea of sleeping all the time; especially since I just got here.” David ran his fingers through his thick hair. “While I’m staying here, I’d like to help Gramps with chores especially if something needs to be fixed.”

“I appreciate it, Davey, but there’s no need to worry about those issues right now.”

“Your healing is what’s important.” Gram looked tenderly at David. Her smile intensified, causing the laugh lines around her eyes to deepen.

“Your grandmother’s right. You were fortunate your stay in the hospital was only overnight. You’ll be up and around before you know it.” Priscilla’s reassuring words gave David comfort. Deep down, he was glad to be here, surrounded by all this love and attention. He felt fortunate, but at the same time, he was more than ready to change the subject.

“Enough about me,” he said. “What’s been going on around the area since I’ve been away?”

While Elam and Priscilla filled him in, another knock on the door sent Gramps to see who it was.

Elam grabbed a doughnut and dunked it in his cup of coffee. “What brings you back to Arthur, David? Was it just to visit your grandparents?”

“I wasn’t happy with the way things were going for me in Chicago,” David answered honestly. “I left a week before Christmas break and decided to come live with Gram and Gramps for a while—till I figure out exactly what it is I want to do.”

David blinked when his folks stepped into the room. “Mom! Dad! What are you doing here?”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4