The HOPE of SPRING Read online

  © 2013 by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Print ISBN 978-1-62029-144-3

  eBook Editions:

  Adobe Digital Edition (.epub) 978-1-62416-036-3

  Kindle and MobiPocket Edition (.prc) 978-1-62416-035-6

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted for commercial purposes, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without written permission of the publisher.

  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.

  Cover design: Kirk DouPonce, DogEared Design

  Cover photography: Steve Gardner, PixelWorks Studios

  Published by 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.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  About the Author

  Bear ye one another’s burdens,

  and so fulfil the law of Christ.

  GALATIANS 6:2

  CHAPTER 1

  Ronks, Pennsylvania

  There’s no need for you to fuss over me,” Meredith said as her mother tucked a blanket under her chin. “I’m not having any more contractions, and I don’t see why I can’t go home to my own house.”

  Mom patted Meredith’s arm affectionately. “You came close to losing the boppli yesterday, and the doctor said you need to rest for the next several weeks until your pregnancy is no longer at risk. I’m guessing you won’t do that if you go back to your house and start looking around at things you want to do. So, since you need someone to take care of you right now, and you shouldn’t be doing anything strenuous, it’s best if you stay here with us for the time being.”

  Meredith knew Mom was right, but that didn’t make it any easier to deal with. She wanted to carry the baby to full term and have a homebirth in her own home in a natural way, with the midwife present.

  “I’m sorry about not being able to fix supper for you and the family last night,” Meredith apologized. “I was looking forward to cooking you a meal.”

  Mom shook her head. “Don’t worry about that. There’ll be plenty of other times you can make us supper. Right now, you need only be concerned about yourself and the boppli.”

  “I know.” Meredith settled back on the sofa and tried to relax. “Did you get a chance to meet Jonah when you were at the hospital?” she asked.

  “We did, but just for a few minutes, when we first got there. We’re grateful he stopped by your place when he did and got the help you needed so quickly. Jonah seems like a caring young man. I’m sure he’ll fit in well with our community.”

  “He was kind when I worked with him at the restaurant in Pinecraft, as well.”

  Mom’s eyebrows lifted. “Is he the same young man who wrote letters to you for a few years after you returned from Florida?”

  “Jah.” Meredith sighed. “I don’t know what I would have done if he hadn’t stopped by when he did. With the way I was hurting, and then having to trudge through the snow, I might not have made it to the phone shack in time to call for help.”

  Mom clicked her tongue. “Which is exactly why you shouldn’t be alone.”

  Tears seeped out from under Meredith’s lashes and splashed onto her cheeks. “I appreciate you letting me stay here, Mom, but you really don’t need one more person to take care of right now.”

  “It’s not a problem,” Mom said, smiling at Meredith. “Around here everyone has a job to do, and right now, my job is looking after you.”

  “But I have responsibilities at home, and now I have a hospital bill to pay, so I really need to get busy and make some head coverings to sell. Then there’s that spare room next to mine. I want to get it painted and fixed up before the boppli comes.”

  “Since the baby isn’t due until July, there’s plenty of time for that. Your daed can do the painting as soon as he finds the time, and Stanley will take care of your horses, get the mail, and check for phone messages after school every day.” Mom gave Meredith’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Your daed is over at your place right now, checking on things. I believe he was planning to fix the piece of siding that broke off your house.”

  “I should have told Dad to get the sloppy joes, potato salad, and macaroni salad out of my refrigerator and bring everything back here so we could have them for supper. That way, you won’t have to cook anything tonight.”

  “That’s okay. We can get your bruder to go after the food if your daed doesn’t think of it. Now I want you to relax and quit worrying about things.”

  In hindsight, Meredith knew she should have taken better care and not done anything too strenuous yesterday. It had been foolish to carry the ladder from the barn up to the second-floor bedroom. Now her body needed time to rest and heal. She really had no choice but to stay here right now, so she may as well try to relax and enjoy the pampering.

  I’ve lost Luke, Meredith thought as her eyes drifted shut, and I won’t take the chance of losing our baby.

  Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania

  Jonah had just finished working at the buggy shop for the day, so he decided to go over to Meredith’s house. She was supposed to get out of the hospital this afternoon, and he wanted to see how she was doing.

  Jonah borrowed his dad’s horse and buggy, but he couldn’t seem to get the horse, Knickers, to move along very fast. No matter where he went with the horse and buggy, Jonah usually enjoyed taking in the scenery, but not today. He barely noticed the snow in the fields, and the blue jays squawking overhead seemed more of an annoyance to him.

  Finally, he was there, and after securing Knickers to the hitching rail near the barn, he headed for the house. Jonah had just stepped onto the porch, when another horse and buggy pulled into the yard. After the driver got out and secured the horse, Jonah realized it was Meredith’s dad, whom he’d met at the hospital. Jonah waved and waited for Philip to join him on the porch.

  “If you’re lookin’ for Meredith, she’s not here,” Philip said.

  “Is she still in the hospital?” Jonah asked.

  “Nope. She was released this afternoon, and she’ll be staying at our place for a while.”

  Jonah nodded. “Guess that makes sense. It’s probably not a good idea for her to be here alone, trying to do things by herself.”

  “It sure isn’t—especially now that she’s expecting a boppli. Losing Luke has been hard on Meredith. She loved him a lot. But having a baby will help keep his memory alive.” Philip leaned against the porch railing. “It’ll be hard for her to raise the baby alone, so we’re gonna help out as much as we can, despite her objections.”

  “Will Meredith sell her house and move in with you permanently?” Jonah questioned.

  Philip shrugged. “I’m not sure about that. My daughter can be stubborn sometimes, and I know she wants to make it on her own. But there are bills and taxes to pay, and with no money comin’ in, she may be forced to sell.”

  “That’d be a shame,” Jonah said, wishing there was something he could do to help out. “Won’t some folks in this community give Meredith money?”

  “There will probably be a benefit auction to help with her medical expense
s.” Philip glanced toward the barn. “But I’m thinkin’ she ought to sell Luke’s horse, because she doesn’t need him anymore, and I’m sure the gelding would go for a fairly good price.”

  “I’d be interested in buying it,” Jonah said. “The horse I had in Ohio was getting old, so I sold him before I moved here, and now I need a new one.”

  Philip reached under his hat and scratched his head. “That should work out well for Meredith, but I’ll have to discuss it with her first, of course.”

  “Since she’s staying over at your place, why don’t I follow you home? Then I can ask her about buying Luke’s horse.”

  Philip shook his head. “I think it’s better if I talk to her first. Why don’t you drop by our place sometime tomorrow?”

  “All right then, I’ll come over after work tomorrow afternoon,” Jonah agreed, although he was disappointed he wouldn’t be seeing Meredith until then.

  Out back, an energetic German shorthair pointer barked frantically from his kennel. “Guess I’d better get ole Fritzy boy and take him home with me,” Philip said. “Poor mutt probably can’t figure out what’s goin’ on. Luke is gone, and now the dog’s most likely wondering where Meredith is.”

  Jonah extended his hand. “It was nice to see you again, Philip. I’ll take a look at the horse before I go so I’ll have a better idea of how much I should offer for him.”

  Ronks

  Meredith had been resting on the sofa most of the day and was bored. Lying here gave her too much time to think about Luke and how much she missed him. Her mind drifted back to the day they’d said goodbye and the sincere expression she’d seen on his face. If she had known it would be the last time she’d ever see her beloved husband, she would have said so many things.

  Tears welled in Meredith’s eyes and trickled down her cheeks. Oh, Luke, I love you so much. The thought that she would never see his handsome, smiling face again was almost too much to comprehend.

  Forcing herself to think about something else, Meredith began to fret because she couldn’t be at home doing the things she’d planned in preparation for the baby. If only there was something she could do while she rested—anything that would keep her mind off the troubles she faced and help her focus on something else. She’d always been the type to keep her hands busy, and doing nothing was so frustrating.

  “Would you like a cup of tea?” Meredith’s grandmother asked as she entered the living room with a tray in her hands.

  Meredith nodded appreciatively. “That’d be nice.”

  Grandma Smucker set the tray on the coffee table, poured each of them a cup of tea, and took a seat in the rocker across from Meredith. “How are you feeling, dear one?”

  Meredith managed a weak smile. “Better than yesterday. I overdid it, and because of my stupidity, I almost lost the boppli.”

  Grandma slowly shook her head. “Don’t be so hard on yourself, Meredith. We all make mistakes.”

  “I guess I’m full of hochmut, or I would have asked for help painting the baby’s room.”

  “You should never be too proud to ask. That’s what families are for, you know.” Grandma took a sip of tea and winked at Meredith. “You’re a lot like me, though. It was hard to move in with your folks after your grandpa died, and I still feel bad about them having to support me. But I know they’re doing it because they love me, and for that, I’m grateful.” She sighed as she set her cup on the coffee table. “It’s sad to say, but some folks, like Alma Beechy, don’t have any family around to help.”

  “I appreciate my family and friends,” Meredith said, taking a sip of tea and savoring the delicious flavor of ginger, which soothed her upset stomach almost immediately. “My friend Dorine Yoder suggested that I make head coverings to sell. I was planning to start doing that right away, but now I guess it’ll have to wait awhile.”

  “I’ve made a few coverings in my day,” Grandma said, “so I’d be happy to help when you’re feeling up to doing some sewing.”

  “Danki, I would like that.”

  “How are you doing?” Dad asked as he and Mom entered the room.

  “I’m okay. Just tired of lying around doing nothing but worrying about things—including my finances,” she answered honestly.

  “First things, first. I have a surprise for you.” Dad grinned at Meredith and went out to the back porch. When he returned, he had Fritz. The dog spied Meredith and raced over to her, resting his head gently on her lap as though sensing that he needed to take it easy with her. His stub of a tail, however, flopped back and forth on the floor, beating a rhythm of happiness. Meredith laughed at how funny he looked. It felt good to find something to laugh about.

  “Hey, pup,” she said, patting the top of his head. “How are you doin’, boy?”

  Fritz slurped Meredith’s hand in response.

  “I bet you were lonely last night, weren’t you, pup? I’m sorry I had to leave you alone in your kennel all night.” Meredith felt her nerves begin to relax as she continued to pet Fritz, and he alternated between licking and nuzzling her hand.

  “I think I may have an answer that could help you. At least, it will help out with your finances,” Dad said.

  “Oh, what’s that?” Meredith asked as she pampered Fritz with soothing murmurs.

  “I ran into Jonah Miller at your place today, and he’s interested in buying Luke’s gaul.”

  “What was Jonah doing at my house, and why does he need a horse? Doesn’t he have one of his own?” Meredith questioned.

  “He went over there to check on you. And jah, he did have a horse when he was in Ohio, but he sold it before he moved here, so he needs a new one. Said his other horse was gettin’ too old.”

  Mom’s eyebrows pulled tightly together. “I wish we were better off financially so we could buy the horse.”

  “First off, we don’t need another horse, and second, I don’t need the reminder of how bad off we are financially.” Dad rubbed the side of his slightly crooked nose and frowned. “When you say things like that, Luann, it makes me feel like a failure—like I can’t provide well enough for our family.”

  Mom shook her head. “I didn’t mean that at all, Philip. I know how hard you work to keep your stands at three farmers’ markets going, and I hope you’re not thinking of taking on any more.”

  “I had given it some consideration,” he said. “Thought maybe I could get a stand going at the Crossroads Farmers’ Market in Gratz.”

  “But that’s clear up in Dauphin County.” Mom planted both hands on her hips and looked at him with a determined expression. “Besides the expense of hiring a driver to take you there every week, it would mean you’d be gone from home even more than you are already.”

  “I don’t like being away from the family, either,” he said with a slow shake of his head, “but I need to make sure we have enough money coming in to provide for everyone’s needs.”

  Mom clenched her teeth. “I’m sorry I even mentioned our financial situation. Please, Philip, let’s pray about this before you decide to take on another stand.”

  “Yep. I’ll definitely be doin’ that. In the meantime, though,” he said, looking back at Meredith, “what do you think about sellin’ Luke’s gaul?”

  She swallowed hard as tears pricked the backs of her eyes. If she sold Luke’s horse, she’d be letting go of something that had been important to him. But if she kept the gelding, she’d never use him for pulling the buggy because Socks was too spirited for her to handle.

  “It would be hard to let the horse go, knowing how much Luke liked him,” Meredith said. “Can I think about it for a day or two before I give Jonah an answer?”

  Dad nodded. “Sure, take all the time you need. In the meantime, though, I also brought something else back with me.”

  “More surprises, Dad?” Meredith asked.

  “Not exactly. I saw a bag of hamburger rolls on your kitchen table, so I took a peek in the refrigerator and spotted two delicious-looking salads and some ground beef you’d b
rowned for sloppy joes. Figured we may as well eat it here tonight so it won’t go to waste.” Dad grinned and thumped his stomach. “So now it’ll go to my waist instead.”

  “I’m glad you thought to look in the refrigerator. Now Mom won’t have to do much cooking for supper tonight.” Meredith looked at her mother. “The ground beef has sautéed peppers and onions mixed in, and the only thing you’ll have to do is add a little brown sugar, salt, pepper, a bit of mustard, and some mild chili sauce if you have some.”

  “I’ll get that simmering right away,” Mom said. “It’ll be a nice treat having an evening off from cooking a big meal.”

  Meredith wished she could have had her family to her house for supper, but this was the next best thing. At least they could all be together, and she thanked the Lord one more time for her caring family, and most of all, that she hadn’t lost the baby.

  CHAPTER 2

  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

  I sure wish all this snow would go away. I’m more than ready for spring,” Nurse Susan Bailey said to her sister, Anne, as they rode in Anne’s compact car out of the city toward their grandparents’ house in Darby.

  “I wholeheartedly agree,” Anne said, turning her blinker on to move to another lane. “The sooner the weather warms up, the sooner I can start jogging in the park again.”

  Susan smiled. Her thirty-year-old sister had always liked to be outdoors and enjoyed exercising, which was probably why she was so fit and trim. Of course, Susan had never had a problem with her weight either, but she wasn’t into exercise. She figured she got enough of a workout on the job, although so did Anne, since she was a physical therapist. Anne might be extra motivated to stay in tip-top shape, so she’d be able to perform her duties without injuring herself and would be a good role model to her patients, who often needed encouragement.

  Today had been one of those rare occasions when Susan’s and Anne’s work schedules coincided, and they’d been able to ride to and from the hospital together. The drive to work was only about ten minutes, but it was still nice to have someone to chat with along the route.