A Hope Springs Christmas. Patricia Davids

Levi had to have other traits that would make him attractive to a potential wife. “What does your brother like to read?”

      “He reads the Bible every night, and he reads The Budget.”

      The Budget was a weekly newspaper put out by the Amish for the Amish. Everyone read it. It was good to know he read the Bible. A devout man usually made an excellent husband. “Does he read other kinds of books?”

      “Books? No, I don’t think so.” Grace shook her head.

      Sarah never suspected Levi was such a dull fellow. What had her outgoing husband seen in him?

      “You’ve been a big help, Grace. I’ll look over my list of single friends and think on who might find him appealing.” Right off hand, she couldn’t think of anyone.

      “Do you really believe I should leave town?”

      “I do. It will do you, your grandmother and Henry a world of good. Trust me on this.”

      Grace nodded bravely. “I do trust you, Sarah. I’ll do it.”

      Sarah grinned. “That’s the spirit.”

      Grace jumped to her feet. “I must ask the Wilsons down the block if I can use their phone. I need to find out when the bus leaves and call my grandmother’s English neighbors so they can tell her I’m coming.”

      “But it’s getting late, child. You should go home and talk this over with your family.”

      “Nee. If I’m to do this it must be now.” She leaned down and pressed a kiss on Sarah’s cheek. “You’re the best friend ever, Sarah Wyse.”

      Without a backward glance, she rushed out as quickly as she had rushed in, slamming the door behind her.

      “I’m not sure your brothers are going to feel the same,” Sarah said to the empty room.

      * * *

      Levi tugged his suspenders up over his shoulders as he walked down the stairs from his bedroom on the second floor of the house. When he reached the kitchen, he paused. Instead of the usual aromas of toast, bacon and scrambled eggs, the forlorn faces of his twin brothers sitting at a bare table greeted him.

      A suitcase sat beside the front door. His sister, Grace, entered the room, tying her best bonnet beneath her chin. “I left sliced ham in the refrigerator for sandwiches. You boys can heat some up in a skillet for breakfast if you’d like or make oatmeal. After today, you’re on your own as far as getting something to eat. There is plenty of canned fruit and vegetables in the cellar along with canned meats. If you don’t want to cook, the Shoofly Pie Café serves good food, and it’s reasonable.”

      She picked up her suitcase and gave her younger brothers each a stern look. “I expect the house to still be standing when I return.”

      Levi found his tongue. “Grace, what are you doing?”

      “I’m going to visit Grossmammi for a few weeks.” She had a smile on her face, but it was forced.

      He scowled at her. Grace was impulsive, but this was odd even for her. She hadn’t said a word about visiting their relative. “Is Grandmother ill? Is that why you’re going?”

      “Nee, she’s fine as far as I know.”

      “You can’t take off at the drop of a hat like this.”

      Atlee spoke up, “That’s what we told her.”

      “But she told us she was going and that’s that,” Moses added.

      Grace’s smile faded. “Please, Levi. Don’t forbid me to go. I need you to understand that I have to get away for a while.”

      How could he understand when she hadn’t told him anything? He opened his mouth but nothing came out. She took it as his consent and her smile returned. He never could deny her what she wanted. She and the twins had lost so much already.

      She rushed to his side and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you, Levi. Sarah said you would understand. I’ve got to run or I’ll miss my bus. This was a wonderful idea. I’m so glad she suggested it. I can’t wait to see Grossmammi again.”

      Sarah suggested it? He should have known. “Grace, who will take care of our customers?” he asked as panic began to set in. He couldn’t deal with people. Words froze in his mouth and he looked foolish.

      “Sarah will help you. Be kind to her.” Grace gave him a bright smile as she opened the door. A flurry of cold air swept in as she went out.

      When Levi blinked he was still standing in his kitchen not really sure what had just happened. He looked at his brothers. They both shrugged.

      Atlee said, “I’d like dippy eggs with my ham.”

      “I want mine scrambled.” Moses folded his hands and waited.

      Levi stared at the black stove with a sinking feeling in his gut. How on earth would they manage without Grace?

      An hour later, Levi left the house and headed for his retreat, his workshop, where nothing smelled like burnt ham or charred eggs and he couldn’t hear his brothers’ complaints. He’d left after telling them to do the dishes.

      A body would have thought I told them to take the moon down and polish it the way they gaped at me.

      When he left, they were arguing over who should wash and who should dry. He didn’t have time to referee because he was late, and he was never late opening his business.

      He still didn’t know why Grace had to leave town so suddenly. He hoped she hadn’t gotten herself in trouble. That wasn’t the kind of thing a man wanted to ask his sister. All Atlee and Moses knew was that after an argument with her boyfriend, Grace had decided to visit their grandmother for a few weeks. How many was a few? Three? Four? She didn’t intend to stay away for a month, did she?

      One thing Grace said stuck in Levi’s mind. She’d said Sarah had suggested it. He suspected that Sarah Wyse was a whole lot better informed about his sister’s abrupt departure than he was.

      Two men in Amish clothing were standing in front of his store when he approached.

      “Did you decide to sleep in today, Levi?” one man joked.

      Levi tried to think of a snappy comeback, but nothing occurred to him. He kept his eyes down and wrestled with the key that refused to unlock the door.

      “Reckon he wants to start keeping banker’s hours,” the second man said with a deep chuckle.

      Levi hated it when people made fun of him. He searched his heart for forgiveness and offered it up to God, but he still felt small. He always felt small.

      When the stubborn lock finally clicked open, he rushed inside. He hadn’t had a chance to get the stove going and the building was ice-cold. The two men waited by the counter while he stoked the fire. When he had a flame going, they both stepped up to warm their hands.

      Levi cleared his throat and asked, “How can I help you?”

      The outside door opened, but Levi couldn’t see who had come in. The men blocked his line of sight. He hoped it was the twins because he didn’t like dealing with customers. Not that the twins would do better. They were likely to pull some prank and then disappear, leaving him to deal with the fallout.

      The taller of the two men said, “We’re wanting to order a pair of courting buggies for our oldest boys. They’re good sons and they are willing to help pay some of the cost. Before we place any orders, what kind of deal can you give us for ordering two buggies together?”

      Levi scowled. “A buggy costs what a buggy costs.”

      “That’s not what Abe Yoder over in Sugarcreek told us. He’s willing to take ten percent off for a double order.”

      Levi struggled to find the right thing to say. Grace always knew just what to say. Why did she have to take off and leave