The day was overcast, cloudy and a bit gloomy, but he was looking forward to the visit all the same. He was only about halfway down the hill when he saw someone in the yard. From this distance, it looked to be Jim, Tillie’s oldest brother. Levi knew that he worked with Abner there in the shop making sheds, playhouses, and the like. Most everyone who had a store in front of their house used a shed made by Abner Gingerich. Levi knew he sold the little buildings to the English as well, and he had heard tell that Abner was contemplating getting into the playset business—wooden jungle gyms and the like.
He caught Jim’s gaze and waved. The man waved back and was soon joined by David, his younger brother, and Abner.
Jim grinned at Levi as he hobbled his horse and walked over to where the men stood. He could feel eyes watching him from the house and figured the ladies were inside checking out the new visitor. He approached the men first.
“We were wondering when you would show up,” David said. He shook Levi’s hand. And once again Levi wondered what had happened between him and his sister. David was a nice enough fellow. Never missed church. And he was handsome enough, Levi supposed. David had clear green eyes and sandy brown hair that always looked as if the sun was touching it. And a smile that seemed genuine enough.
But Levi bit back his questions and shook hands with Jim and Abner as well. “I wanted to give them time to settle in.” It wasn’t entirely a lie, though it wasn’t entirely the truth either.
Abner nodded toward the front door. “Go on in the house. I think she’ll be happy to see you.”
Levi nodded. “I’ll just let you get back to work, then.”
He started toward the house, and the door opened before he even got onto the porch.
“Levi Yoder,” Eunice greeted him. “It’s good to see you out today.”
He nodded. It felt good to be out.
Where did that come from? Wasn’t he the man who wanted to stay in his house until Christmas was over?
Just another miracle that a baby could perform without even lifting a finger.
“How’s Tillie and the baby?”
Eunice smiled. “Come see for yourself,” she said. “She and Libby are in the kitchen making candies. Maybe you can try one and have a cup of coffee.”
Levi nodded and took off his hat. He twirled it in his fingers a moment before placing it on the peg next to the door. Then he took off his coat and followed Eunice into the kitchen.
He wasn’t sure if it was a unique candy-making disaster or if every time Tillie stepped into the kitchen such a mess occurred. He looked at all the items scattered across the table. Powdered sugar, regular sugar, brown sugar, bags of nuts, sticks of butter, mixing bowls, mixing spoons, and various flavorings, including cocoa powder, which the lid was off of. In the midst of it all, Emmy sat in the car seat Leah had brought, content to be close to her mamm in the warm, warm kitchen.
Eunice gave a small cough, and Tillie turned. She had a streak of something brown on her face. He assumed and maybe even hoped that it was chocolate. Her apron was dusted with powdered sugar and looked like it’d been smeared in a few places with greasy fingers. Maybe butter?
But she was the prettiest sight he had ever seen. Her hazel eyes twinkled with something he hoped was joy, and she wiped her hands on her apron as she greeted him. “Hello, Levi.”
“Hello,” he said.
Why did he feel like all eyes were on him? Or maybe it was the two of them. He tore his gaze from hers and looked from Libby to Eunice. They were watching him and Tillie with nearly expectant looks on their faces.
“I brought you some things,” Levi said. Nothing like jumping in feet first.
“Danki,” Tillie replied. “You didn’t have to. You’ve done so much already.”
Eunice nodded. “I don’t know how we’ll ever thank you enough.”
Levi smiled and turned his attention to Tillie’s mother. “Leah already thanked me. But I only did what anyone would do.” And it was the truth. No one would have left Tillie out in the barn to give birth alone. No one would have let her remain alone after she had gone into labor. And no one who had the items on hand would withhold them from a beautiful baby who needed them.
Suddenly he thought of Mary and Joseph in the barn, laying baby Jesus in a manger. He supposed there were some people who perhaps would, but he was not one of those people.
“Even so,” Eunice said. “We are very grateful.”
Levi sat down on the bench side of the kitchen table and looked at the baby amid all the candy mess. “She’s quite something, isn’t she?”
All three ladies nodded. And he could tell immediately that little Emmy already had the Gingeriches wrapped around her little finger.
“Stay for supper,” Eunice said. It wasn’t quite a question.
“I don’t want to be a bother.”
“I don’t believe you would ever be a bother,” Eunice said.
Tillie turned back to the pot she was stirring on the stove and instructed Libby on how to take the temperature of whatever it was they were concocting.
“As soon as these girls finish up what they’re doing, and get the mess cleaned up,” Eunice pointedly said, “then I’m going to start dinner. Everyone’s coming tonight.”
Libby turned and addressed him. “Kind of a welcome home party for the baby. It only seems right that you’re here too.”
Tillie nodded, but didn’t turn away from her pot stirring.
“That’s a lot of mouths to feed,” Levi protested.
“Then what’s one more?” Eunice waved his objection aside.
