Amish Christmas Joy

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Outside, he paused to watch his breath fog in the cold evening air. He missed the warmth of the Gulf breezes. He’d forgotten how hard the cold could bite his face and make his eyes water. How long would he have to stay? How soon would Joy adjust to life among the Amish? Would she adjust? Was he expecting too much? Even with Leah to help guide her, it was going to be a difficult transition.

Hunching against the cold, he hurried down the steps and gathered enough of their things to make it through the night. Tomorrow would be soon enough to unpack the rest.

He unplugged his cell phone from the car charger and put it in his pocket. His truck battery would be the only source of electricity for keeping his phone charged while he stayed on the farm. His parents wouldn’t like the fact that he was bringing a phone into their home, but he needed it to maintain contact with his attorney.

Back in the house, he saw his mother had already taken Joy from the room. His father was sitting quietly at the table. A troubled frown marred his brow. “I’m afraid to ask because I think I know the answer, but I must hear it from you. Are you here to stay, sohn?”

“Nee, Daed. Only for a while.”

“It breaks your mother’s heart to see your place at the table empty.”

“Perhaps having Joy here will ease some of her pain.”

“Your child cannot heal what is broken in this family.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t stay.”

“We have forgiven you. Rhonda has forgiven you. Wayne will forgive you in time.”

“That would be nice if there was anything to forgive. I’m not the father of Rhonda’s child. I don’t know who is, but it isn’t me.”

“Why would Rhonda maintain such a lie?”

“I wish I knew. I wish that you believed me.”

His father’s frown deepened. “You come to my door with another child born out of wedlock and ask that I believe you are innocent?”

“I knew there’d be no point going through this again. Look, Joy needs a stable family life. She hasn’t had that. I can’t give it to her. I’m hoping you can. I know it’s asking a lot, but will you consider raising her?”

His father was silent so long that Caleb started to think the whole trip had been for nothing.

“You think her life will be better, will be happier, with us but without you, her father?”

Leah had asked him the same thing. “I hope so.”

“Where is the child’s mother now?”

“I have no idea. She went out to smoke a cigarette and never came back. I turned the city upside down looking for her.”

“Then you understand a little of what we felt when you left.”

Facing the truth was hard. Caleb saw his actions in a different light now. “I admit I didn’t go about leaving in the best way, but I felt it was my only option.”

Ike banged his hand on the table. “Running away from a problem never fixes it.”

“Some problems can’t be fixed!” Caleb struggled to control his temper. This was his father. Ike deserved respect.

“Can’t I leave you two alone for ten minutes without an argument starting?” Caleb’s mother asked from the doorway.

“It wasn’t an argument,” Ike said gruffly.

She gave him a sympathetic look. “We all need a good night’s sleep. In the morning, things will look different.”

No, they wouldn’t, but Caleb didn’t say that. Ike rose from the table and went through the door that led to their living room and their bedroom beyond.

Maggie came and stood in front of Caleb. “I am so pleased that you are here. I’m glad, too, that you have brought this child with you.”

“I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t come back to make trouble.”

She laid a hand on his cheek. “All of life is made up of bits of happiness and bits of trouble. In between, there is prayer and hard work and if we are blessed, sometimes wondrous joy. This is the way of the world.”

“All struggle and no reward,” he said dryly.

“Our rewards come in God’s own time. You need rest. I see how weary you are. I made up the bed in your old room. Joy is waiting for her nightclothes in the bedroom over the kitchen.”

“Thanks.” Without central heat, the room over the kitchen was always the warmest one on the second story. He picked up their bags and started toward the stairs.