Salome’s face reddened. “Marrying him and going with him when Mamm was so sick would have broken your heart. He left you when you needed him most.” She paused for a moment and then said, “You never say anything critical about anyone, but even you said how hurt you were. He didn’t deserve you, Noelle.”
After reaching for Dat to steady herself, Noelle finally responded, her voice shaky. “We were in a rough patch was all. I shouldn’t have said anything to you, but you shouldn’t have said anything to anyone else, especially not Barbara. And I need to know this: Did a letter from him come for me?”
Salome lifted her hands. “I was only trying to protect you.”
A sob rose from Noelle’s chest and she gasped. “You had no right.”
Salome rubbed her forehead with the tips of her fingers and was silent for a long, long moment. Finally, she said, “All right—you’ve said your piece.” She turned toward Moriah. “You too.” Then back toward Noelle. “I’ll try to do better, for both of you.”
Noelle exhaled. “Denki.” It was probably as close to an apology as she would get from Salome.
Moriah’s heavy eyes met her mother’s. “I’m glad we’ll have Family Christmas this year.”
Salome responded with a quick nod.
After a long pause, Dat said, “We had better go.” He turned toward Salome. “Merry Christmas. We will see you on Wednesday.” He turned to Noelle as she helped him stand. “What time?”
Her voice still shook as she spoke. “Our usual—four o’clock.” That gave everyone time to travel.
Moriah still stood in the doorway to the hallway. She called out to Noelle and then said, “Denki.”
Noelle smiled slightly. “Would you come bake with me on Monday?” Her voice was still unsteady. “I have orders to fill. I’d love to spend more time with you in the kitchen.”
“I’d like that. I’ll see you then.”
Thankfully Salome didn’t ask about the orders. Noelle would tell her later.
Once they were in the phone shed, Dat patted Noelle’s shoulder and sat on the stool inside. “I am sorry about the miscommunication concerning Jesse.” He wouldn’t call it gossip, but it was clear he understood what had happened.
Noelle smiled at him, grateful for his care.
He went ahead and made the phone calls. Noelle was surprised that he knew the phone numbers of all of her sisters from memory. She thought that was something only Mamm kept track of. He left the same message on each machine—that he wasn’t well, that he wanted one last Family Christmas, and that it was scheduled for four on Christmas Day at the market.
After he made the last call and hung up, he said, “I need to make one more call, but the number is escaping me.”
“Who, Dat?”
“I want to leave a message for Jesse, to invite him and Greta.”
“Ach, are you sure?”
“Jah.” Dat looked up at her with his pale blue eyes. “If you don’t mind.”
Noelle smiled, just a little. “Actually, I’d like that.”
On Christmas Eve, both Steve and the woman who’d ordered pies stopped by to pick them up. Noelle was thankful for Moriah’s help making them and was sure she could expand that part of the business for next year. Perhaps for Thanksgiving too.
That evening, Dat sang “Happy Birthday” to her and gave her a card from the collection Mamm had always kept on hand. It was a sweet moment, which she was grateful for. Her eyes teared at the thought of him not being around much longer.
“How are your friends?” Dat asked. “Did they make it to Mexico?”
“I hope so.” Noelle tucked the card back into the envelope. Carlos had said it was over two thousand miles to where they were going. “I’m going to call Holly after I’m done with the dishes.”
“Go call her now,” Dat said. “I’ll clean up.”
Obviously, Noelle didn’t hide her shocked expression because Dat chuckled and said, “Happy birthday.”
She slipped into her coat and boots and hurried out to the phone shed. The big house was all lit up, and she imagined the fun the children were having.
Holly answered after the first ring. “Noelle? Is that you?”
Noelle laughed. “It’s me.”
Then they both said, “Happy birthday” at the same time, followed by laughter all around.
“Are you at your grandmother’s?” Noelle asked.
“Well, we would be if someone hadn’t gotten lost.”
“Who was navigating?” Carlos called out. “Or who was supposed to be?”
“True.” Holly laughed again. “We’re about an hour away.”
They talked some more about Holly and Carlos’s travels, and then about their time together in the market. “Call me on Thursday,” Holly said. “And let me know how your Family Christmas was.”
“And you can tell me about yours too,” Noelle answered. She was sorry Holly had left Lancaster County but glad she’d be with her mother and grandmother. There was nothing like family.
After they said their good-byes, Noelle started back to the house. As big fluffy snowflakes began to fall, she turned her head up to the inky sky. A single star shone between the clouds. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. . . . She couldn’t help but smile in gratitude.
On Christmas afternoon, Noelle checked her purse to make sure she had the key Steve had given her. Then she and Moriah helped Dat out to the buggy that they’d already loaded with supplies and food for the Family Christmas meal.
As Noelle spread a blanket over Dat’s lap, he looked her in the eye. “Denki,” he said, “for making all of this possible.”
She nodded in return and then smiled as he patted her hand. Hope, joy, peace, and faith. She’d found elements of each this Christmas. She prayed she could carry them into Family Christmas.
She took the back roads to the market. When they arrived, she turned on the lights and the heat first and got Dat settled in a chair, wrapping a blanket around his legs. As she and Moriah unloaded the buggy, Paul
