She led her into the front room, where the heater stove made the place cozy for their hour-long lesson. “I thought it might be nice to read aloud together some of the rhyming verses from Ideals Magazine’s Christmas edition,” Lena said, trying not to stare at Rebekah’s forlorn expression. “Would ya like that?”
Nodding, Rebekah reached for her hankie. “Whatever ya think best.”
With Mimi’s permission, Lena had brought out the woman’s cherished magazine and had chosen an easy Christmas poem. “Here’s the first one,” she said, handing it to Rebekah. “Read it to yourself silently, then out loud.”
Rebekah did so, her voice sounding stronger now than when she’d first arrived.
“Okay, now let’s read it together. I’ll match your pace, and then each time we read it, I’ll move up the pace just a bit, all right? Are ya ready?”
Rebekah said she was.
They used this approach on another short poem, but on the third one, there was a catch in Rebekah’s throat, and she put the pretty magazine in her lap. “Ach, not feelin’ so gut today,” she said in a near whisper.
“You rest here,” Lena said, getting up. “I’ll bring ya somethin’ to drink.”
“Nee . . . no need for that.” Rebekah forced a smile. “I’d much rather you just sit here with me.”
Rebekah sighed, then covered her mouth with her hand for a moment.
“Are you all right?” Lena asked gently.
“What with Christmas so near . . .” She paused. “It’s nice to be with Cora Ruth and her family, but I’m missin’ my family back home . . . all the gatherings there.”
“I understand.” Lena nodded. Believe me.
Rebekah turned to look at her. “Oh, just listen to me goin’ on so, and here you are so far removed from those you love.”
Not wanting the focus to shift to herself, Lena shook her head. “I’m sure it must be hard for you, too, Rebekah.”
“Honestly, I’m not sure I did the right thing, leavin’ home when I did.”
Of course, Lena hadn’t the slightest idea why Rebekah had chosen to come to Leacock Township when she did.
“All of us second-guess sometimes,” Lena said softly.
Rebekah paused and touched her Kapp strings. “My older sister Rachel sends letters and cards every week, missin’ me, too.”
Lena was glad Rebekah had such a special bond, but she also understood what it meant to have a dear sister living so far away. “Could Rachel ever come to visit you here?”
“Ach, she’s up in years, so that’s out of the question.” Rebekah shook her head, seemingly resigned.
“Well, maybe you can visit her sometime,” Lena offered, not really knowing what more to say.
Rebekah brightened, and for the rest of their time together, Lena noticed how much happier her student appeared to be.
After Rebekah left, Lena breathed a prayer for the poor woman and went to help Mimi make supper, first offering to go out and bring in more split logs for the cookstove.
“Would ya mind?” Mimi said as she put on her half work apron over her dress and long black apron. “Bundle up.”
“Jah, I don’t want to get a chill before Christmas.” Lena went to the utility room for her outdoor things.
After donning them, Lena was just stepping outdoors when she saw Lydia Smucker coming up the back steps, her neck and part of her face wrapped in a black woolen scarf that matched her mittens. “Kumme in right quick—your cheeks look like ripe cherries,” Lena said.
“Denki!” Lydia said once she was inside and had removed her scarf. Her eyes were tearing up from the cold. “My buggy wheel flew off on my way back from delivering Christmas cookies to my Dawdi Smucker, down the road a piece.”
“Heavens! Are ya all right?”
“I’m fine,” Lydia said, though her teeth chattered. “And the horse wasn’t hurt, either, thank goodness.”
“How far’d ya walk in this cold?”
“About a quarter of a mile, maybe a little more. But even though I put a blanket on the mare, I’m worried ’bout her bein’ out for too long in this weather.” Lydia’s quick concern for others, whether person or animal, made Lena like her all the more.
“Harley and Eli will get the horse soon as they’re home. Should be any time now.”
Lydia thanked her and looked a bit less worried.
“For now, let’s get you warmed up. Just make yourself comfortable in the kitchen while I get more wood for Mimi.” Lena excused herself.
When she returned, Lena quickly placed two more pieces of wood in the bottom of the stove to keep the fire going. “There. Now the room will stay plenty warm.”
Lydia hugged herself. “I’m glad I didn’t have to walk much farther, to tell the truth.”
Mimi agreed and offered Lydia a pretty smile. “I daresay the Lord must’ve put our farm right here for a reason, ain’t?”
“That’s one way to look at it.” Lydia went to stand near the cookstove. “Mamma says the Good Lord knows just what we need . . . and when we need it.”
Mimi nodded in agreement. “You can always count on that.”
Lena invited Lydia to sit with her at the table, insisting she have some hot cocoa with them. “Don’t ya worry none. Cousin Harley will repair your buggy wheel in no time,” she told her.
Mimi stirred the milk and added the delicious homemade cocoa mix, which Mimi said she and Tessa had first concocted one rainy morning years ago. When the milk was hot enough and the cocoa blended in, Mimi poured the steaming drink into three mugs, topping them with whipped cream, and then set them on a round tray to carry to the table. “Here we are,” she said with a smile at Lydia.
Lena glanced out the window and could see that it was snowing much harder. Thankfully, Harley and Eli were making the turn into the driveway just now, and she told Lydia so. “I’ll go out an’ let them know what’s happened, okay?”
She hurried outdoors and waved Eli toward the house before the men
