wife had the lights and decorations up the minute Thanksgiving was over, but it’s watching your Amish students put on their plays and sing their songs so wonderfully that brings the true meaning of Christmas to my heart.”
“I’m glad, for that is the purpose of our program.”
“Remind your students to come to the Christmas parade. We want the kids to enjoy it, too.”
“I will.”
“Why, I remember the Christmas little Anna Imhoff stood so straight and tall and recited her poem with such a big grin on her face at your school. That was the year they found John Doe beaten half to death on the Imhoff farm. Course, he was really Jonathan Dresher, but he didn’t know his own name for weeks. Ain’t it strange the ways the Lord finds to test us?” He stopped with her last item in his hand and stared into space.
“It is, indeed.” She really needed to be going. She had a long walk home before dark.
“Anna sure took a shine to Jonathan. Happy thing, him marrying her sister, Karen. Yup, that was a mighty special Christmas.”
“Ja, it was.” Joann winked at Leah. Mr. McGregor loved to recount his stories regardless of the number of times his customers had heard them.
The outside door opened, and Leah saw an Englisch fellow come in. There was something vaguely familiar about him. He glanced her way.
Her breath caught in her throat. It couldn’t be Caleb Mast, could it?
He turned down the collar of his coat and headed to the back of the store without any hint that he recognized her.
“Leah, is something wrong?” Joann gave her a funny look.
“Did you see the man who just walked in?”
“Nee.” Joann looked toward the back of the store.
“I think it was Caleb Mast.” Leah was almost sure of it.
“Really? I wonder what he’s doing in Hope Springs after all this time. How long has it been?”
Leah knew exactly how long he had been gone. Nine years ago this month she was to have married his brother, Wayne. Then Caleb ruined everything.
Mr. McGregor rang up the rest of Leah’s order. “How did that poem go again? ‘On a night so bitter and dark, in a land far, far away, a tiny child was born and laid in a manger of hay.’ Is that how it went?”
Her gaze followed Caleb. He was searching for something in the cookie aisle. Why was he back? Had he come to regret his break with his family and his faith?
He glanced her way. She realized she was staring and quickly looked down. What would she do if he spoke to her?
Nothing. Ignore him. There wasn’t anything to say. The past couldn’t be changed. Maybe he hadn’t recognized her.
“How did it go again?” Mr. McGregor asked.
She forced her attention back to the grocer. “What?”
“The Christmas poem Anna recited. How did it go?”
“I’m afraid I don’t remember offhand. I have a copy at school. I’ll send it to you.” She handed over her money, suddenly eager to leave the store. She grabbed her bag of groceries and rushed out the door.
Joann followed her. “Are you all right?”
In the cold air outside, Leah paused to draw a deep breath and recover from her shock. Seeing Caleb made her realize she’d been lying to herself for years.
She hadn’t forgiven him. It was against everything her faith stood for.
When her racing heart slowed, she adjusted her dark bonnet over her ears. “I’m fine. Are you coming to help us bake cookies next Wednesday? Sarah and Rebecca have already said they’ll be there.”
“Of course. What could be more fun than a baking frolic with my friends?”
“Eating our fill, then taking the rest to the cookie exchange on Friday afternoon and getting wonderful new varieties to try in return.”
Joann grinned. “My mouth is watering just thinking about it. I’ll see you then.” She waved as she crossed the street. The printing office was only a few blocks away.
Leah pulled on her mittens. She had a long walk ahead of her. God had allowed winter to take hold of the land. He’d sent a dusting of snow that morning, the first of the season.
She glanced at the grocery store door. Did Caleb’s family know he was coming? No one had mentioned it to her. She shivered in the cold.
She shouldn’t be standing around thinking about Caleb and the harm he’d caused. She had better things to do. There was a Christmas pageant to finish planning and papers to grade, as well as chores to be done. Whatever had brought Caleb to Hope Springs, it had nothing to do with her.
At least his return would give his mother comfort. Maggie Mast would know her son was alive and well. The only contact Caleb had maintained with his family was an annual Christmas card with a brief note. A card mailed without a return address, although for the past few years the postmark had come from Houston, Texas. Leah knew Maggie cherished every one and kept them in a shoe box beside her bed.
“Mama! Daddy!” The shrill cries of a child startled Leah.
A girl in a pink sweater and stocking feet ran past along the sidewalk. She paused for a moment, turned in frantic circles, crying and calling, and then started running again. At first glance, Leah thought she might have Down syndrome. Clearly, she was distraught.
Looking around, Leah realized there was no one else about. The child paused at the corner, then ran out of sight up the block. Had she found who she was looking for? A second later, Leah heard her calling again. Apparently not.
She couldn’t leave a child alone and in distress. She put her bag of groceries on a nearby bench and went after the frightened girl. She caught up with her and took hold of her arm. “There, there, little one, what’s the matter?”
“Mama’s gone, and Nana’s gone, and Daddy is gone, too.”
Leah knelt and used her gloves to wipe the tears from her face. She did have Down syndrome. Leah was familiar with such special children. In her years as a teacher, she’d dealt with two kinder with the same syndrome. She knew the first thing she needed was to get the child calm enough to answer a few questions. “I’ll help you find them. There’s no need to cry.”
The child threw her arms around Leah’s neck and hung on for dear life. Leah rose with the girl in her arms. She looked up and down the street. Where were the parents? She rocked the child gently from side to side to soothe her. “Calm down, sweetheart. It will be okay. We’ll find your folks in a minute. My name is Leah Belier. What’s your name?”
“Joy Lynn Perry.” A muffled sniff followed the tiny voice.
“I’m very pleased to meet you, Joy Perry. Do you live around here?” Leah started walking in the direction the child had been running.
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