On the first Tuesday of the new year, Lena heard loud knocking at the front door. She hurried through the house to see who was there and found Alan Reese, their mailman, standing on the porch with a box. “Hullo,” she greeted him as she opened the door.
“I’ve got a parcel for a Miss Lena Rose Schwartz,” the stout man said with a smile.
“That’s me.”
“Just sign on the dotted line, please.” He held out a clipboard with a piece of paper on it, a pen attached.
Lena quickly signed, and the postman handed her the box. “It’s not heavy, just a bit awkward.”
“Denki.” Closing the door behind her, she carried the box into the kitchen and peered at the return address. “From Uncle Noah?” Since she and Hans had missed spending Christmas together, she had actually wondered if it might be from him. Could it be from her brothers and sisters instead?
Mimi came over just then, having been in the nearby pantry, and watched Lena cut the packing tape to open the top. “Has Christmas caught up with ya, just maybe?”
Lena stared into the box. “Oh, Mimi . . . look at all the wrapped presents!” Tears sprang to Lena’s eyes. “Ach, now I wish I’d sent something special to each of my siblings, not just some money in their cards,” she told Mimi. “Well, except for Chris’s little puzzle.”
“Oh now.” Mimi shook her head. “I’m sure your siblings understand. After all, a good portion of your earnings goes their way every month.”
Even so, Lena wished she had done more as she lifted out the small gifts one by one and placed them on the counter, lining them up according to the gift giver’s age—Emma all the way down to little Chris.
Mimi gave her a quick hug. “Take heart and remember that surely next Christmas you’ll be in Centreville to celebrate with all of them.” She paused. “And with your beau, too.”
Lena thanked her for understanding.
“I daresay the days between now and then will go by quickly, busy as you are,” Mimi said as she touched one of the pretty bows. “Ach, you’re only here as long as the Lord has planned. Ain’t that right?”
Lena nodded, but she hoped and prayed that God in heaven knew that sooner was better than later, at least for her. Surely the Lord heard all the earnest prayers she was sending heavenward each day!
Lena saved the gifts to open privately in her room that evening, where she could take her time and enjoy all the handmade items—potholders for her hope chest from Liz and Verena, a crocheted doily from Emma, and several whittled animals from the boys. Chris, however, had drawn a self-portrait, and Tubby Tabby was in the picture, too, right in his arms!
Looking at her wall calendar, Lena sighed as she realized that, come Sunday, Verena would be a teenager! She would likely celebrate with Liz and Emma over one of Emma’s delectable birthday cakes, and surely they would get together with the rest of their siblings. Lena hoped her homemade card would arrive in time. Oh, to be a bird and wing my way home!
A day later, Lena received a long, newsy letter from Emma thanking her for the belated Christmas card and the dollar bills tucked inside. I’ll save the money for a rainy day like Mamma taught us, or maybe buy a new book.
Standing there near the mailbox, Lena continued to read, unable to pull herself away from the letter even though she shivered in the cold.
There was no mention of Hans, but Emma had plenty to write about concerning the awful blizzard. The roads were closed for nearly a week. It’s a good thing you weren’t already on your way, or your bus would have had to turn around and head back to Lancaster County, Emma had written, going on to describe how they’d remained inside for days because of the subzero temperatures and fierce wind. And the snow—it seemed like it would never quit! Thankfully, we kept warm by the wood stove and took turns reading out loud to each other. And when we tired of that, we played checkers. I daresay it’ll be a good month before any of us wants to see that game again!
Lena shook her head at the thought of such a serious storm, one worse than any blizzard she’d experienced. Tucking the letter away to finish reading in the warm kitchen, she made her way up the driveway and into the house, wishing Hans had written to share what he and his family had done during the Great Blizzard. What’s taking so long?
Pulling out a chair at the table, Lena began reading again and learned of a youth gathering Emma was looking forward to toward the end of January—a dessert social at the home of Emma’s new beau’s parents. I’ve just started seeing someone special, Lena. Someone you know, of course—Ammon Bontrager, Hans’s younger brother. Now, isn’t that something? I meant to tell you about him at Christmas, but this letter will have to do.
Lena continued reading, soaking up the updates on all of the children. Then Emma confessed how hard she found it to walk past their old house, which had been purchased by a young Amish couple with a number of children. I just don’t have it in me to go up and knock at the door to meet them. Everything that’s happened to our family is still like a very bad dream.
Lena swallowed hard. Emma was right: Losing Dat and Mamma was never going to be something any of them would just get over. Yet with God’s help, somehow they would eventually move past the deepest, most searing sorrow. Lena knew this in her head, but her heart was with Emma’s.
Later, when Lena returned to her sewing, she felt compelled to share parts of the letter with Mimi, remarking that she was
