The Christmas Cradle (10 page)

“Come on in, Tom!” she called out.

Bishop Tom Hostetler's smile crinkled the skin around his eyes as he entered the Sweet Seasons kitchen. “There's a whole lotta cookin' goin' on,” he quipped, removing his hat. “Willow Ridge has never smelled so
gut
, what with the aroma of Josiah's meats in the air. And this must be the cake for the wedding?”

“
Jah
, and the pies are all made, so this is the last thing I'm responsible for,” Miriam replied. “It'll be nice to enjoy the wedding without havin' to help serve.”

“I'm kinda glad I don't have to officiate, so I can enjoy the whole day, as well,” Tom remarked. “We've had a lot of weddings lately—a real positive sign for the future of our little town. Not to mention a lot of babies.”

Miriam kept her spatula moving over the buttercream frosting so the cake's main layer would have a perfectly smooth finish. She had a pretty good idea what Bishop Tom wanted to discuss next.

“How're ya feelin' these days, Miriam? Ya look a little tired, and that concerns me,” Tom said gently.

“I can tell ya that carryin' a baby at forty-one is different from doin' it at twenty—even though I had triplets that time around,” Miriam replied with a chuckle. She looked him in the eye. “I suppose you've come to tell me I shouldn't be workin'—that I should've hung up my pots and pans when I married Ben. I know the
Ordnung
says I should be a wife and a mother now instead of runnin' a restaurant.”

Tom looked relieved that she'd broached this difficult subject herself. “My feelings are as mixed as yours, Miriam,” he admitted. “When ya opened this place after Jesse died, we all thought it was right for ya to bring in some income because the Lord helps those who help themselves. I should've talked ya into quittin' earlier, but you and I go back a long ways. Truth be told, I don't know how I would've kept myself fed and together after Lettie left me if ya hadn't opened the Sweet Seasons.”

Miriam chuckled as she piped a border around the cake's bottom layer. “Our single fellas have been the mainstay of my business,” she agreed. “And a lot of them who've married are still comin' here for breakfast even though they've got wives to cook for them.”

“We value the time we spend with one another while we eat here,” the bishop replied pensively. “Breakin' bread together builds a strong connection—a tie that binds. You've started our days off right, Miriam, and nobody wants to give that up. But there comes a time for change. A time to reassess our priorities.”

Miriam's heart thudded. She began frosting the top layer of Nora's cake so the familiar movements would keep her emotions in check. If she quit cooking, what would she do with herself for the two months before the baby came? Would Naomi be able to keep the place going?
That
was a priority because Naomi's husband Ezra was in a wheelchair, no longer able to earn a living.

“When I was a first-time bride,” she mused aloud, “I never dreamed I'd outlive my husband and then hitch up with another fella after my girls were grown. I believed I wasn't able to conceive any more kids, too, so Ben's baby is an unexpected gift from God.”

“Marryin' Nazareth has changed my life, as well,” the bishop said with a sweet smile. “After Lettie ran off with that English fella, I figured I was doomed to be alone for the rest of my life. God's been extra-special
gut
to you and me, Miriam.”

“Ya took on another load when ya became our bishop, too.” She refilled her pastry bag to pipe the border around the cake's top layer. “I'm sorry my workin' has put ya in a tough spot, Tom. I suspect the men in the district are askin' why ya haven't flat-out sent me home.”

“They're selfish, like me. And while I think folks will support Josiah and his sister's supper shift,” Tom continued earnestly, “the Sweet Seasons won't be the same without
you
, Miriam. We all want ya to do the right thing by our faith, but we're spoiled enough to wish ya didn't have to.”

Miriam's pulse pounded in triple time. Did she dare push for an end date closer to when the baby was due? Or was Tom hoping she'd quit now?

She completed the scalloped border and took a deep breath. “Do ya want me to stay home after tomorrow's wedding, Tom? Or maybe startin' next week? I'd do that in a heartbeat if Naomi could find more kitchen help. She came into this business with me to support her family—”

“Ezra's disability is the reason the preachers have allowed her to cook with ya,” he agreed. “We felt the benefits of bendin' the rules about married women workin' outweighed the risks of displeasin' God. And maybe we've all acted mighty presumptuous, assumin' our decisions have been right in His eyes.”

Miriam rested her pastry tube on the countertop. “Ya said a mouthful there, Tom,” she murmured. “I'll do the right thing, then. I'll tell Naomi I won't be comin' back next week, and God will take it from there.”

She closed her eyes, not ready to face the finality of that statement. “I appreciate your patience with me, Tom,” Miriam whispered. “Ya could've ordered me to kneel before the members and confess that I've been sinnin' by continuin' to work. You're a
gut
friend.”

Tom chuckled, his eyes sparkling with relief. “The way I see it, we're
gut
friends who've been bad together, but we're makin' it right.
Denki
for understandin' why this has been difficult for me, Miriam. I think God'll forgive my lenience quicker because you're puttin' in a
gut
word for both our souls.”

“
Jah
, I'll soon have plenty of time for prayin'.”

A heavy stillness pressed in around her. Miriam closed her eyes and sat absolutely still.

She'd done it. She'd told the bishop she'd be a stay-at-home wife starting next Monday, no matter what the consequences might be for the Sweet Seasons and her best friend. Eventually her faith would kick in and she would believe she'd done exactly what God wanted her to do, but Miriam had to squeeze her eyes tight to keep from crying. Tom put his hand on her shoulder, allowing her a moment to compose herself.

The back door creaked and Josiah stuck his head inside. “I'll be propping this door open while I carry in the cooked pigs,” he announced.

Miriam shared a smile with Tom. “Do what ya need to do, Josiah,” she called out. “I'll stay out of your way.”

“Let me know how I can help,” Tom offered.

Josiah entered and quickly covered the other countertop with a plastic sheet. “
Denki
, Bishop, but I've been handling these hot, heavy beasts for a long while. I've got it covered.”

Miriam told herself that was exactly how God saw her situation with the Sweet Seasons. It would take her a while to adjust to not being in charge—but then, she'd been silly to believe the café's success was her own doing. It was God who'd helped her business prosper. And it was high time she gave Him credit and praise for that.

As Josiah refilled the metal pans with pulled pork, ribs, and sliced brisket at the wedding feast, he felt absolutely ecstatic. He was amazed at how many tables had been set up in the Brennemans' shop, and at how many folks had filed through the serving line. Savilla was putting her last pan of spaghetti pie into the steam table, so he motioned to Adam and Matthias Wagler, who were helping them move food from the Sweet Seasons ovens.

“Better fetch us more chicken and pulled pork, along with potato loaf and spaghetti pie,” he told the brothers.

“Bring more baked beans and fried apples while you're at it,” Savilla chimed in. “These folks are really loading their plates!”

Matthias smiled and held Savilla's gaze. “This is quite a feast you're putting on,” he said. “I'm glad I can see the end of the line, because then I'll get my chance to taste everything—and I hope you'll sit with me, Savilla.”

As the Wagler brothers grabbed the handles on their high-sided wagons, Josiah suspected Matthias was flirting with his sister—just as the other unattached fellows had been giving her the eye as they went through the serving line. Maybe Miriam's question about what he'd do if his sister got hitched wasn't so far-fetched.

He glanced behind him, where Lena and Miriam sat cutting pies. Other ladies moved around the huge room, refilling water glasses and bread baskets. Their service was seamless, a sign that these gals had worked together for years. Up on the
eck
—the raised corner table where the wedding party sat—Nora and Luke beamed at each other as they ate.

Josiah sighed. The newlyweds seemed so in love, so close, even though they'd only been married for a couple of hours. He wondered if he and Lena could spend even ten minutes together without squabbling. Were they really so different from other couples, or did those folks hold their harsh words until no one else was around to hear them? Was their tendency toward confrontation a sign that he and Lena shouldn't marry—or did
he
cause their turmoil? Miriam's words about doing everything his way were making Josiah think in ways he hadn't before.

“I've been hungry ever since you fired up your cookers a couple of days ago,” a broad-shouldered fellow remarked as he reached across the steam table to shake Josiah's hand. “Dan Kanagy, and this is my wife Leah—Miriam's sister,” he added. “We live down the lane behind here, where the sheep are pastured.”

“And if this is the sort of food you'd be serving during a supper shift,” Leah said as she grabbed a grilled chicken quarter with tongs, “you're already a huge hit!”

“That's what we like to hear,” Josiah replied, grinning at his sister. “Savilla and I have catered for a few years now, so we make a pretty
gut
team.”

As Dan and Leah moved through the line, Josiah noticed that a black-haired man with a close-clipped beard, piercing eyes, and a commanding presence had taken a plate. The stranger stood for a moment, assessing the various pans of food on the buffet line. His face eased into a debonair smile as he leaned closer to speak to Savilla. “Do I understand correctly that you are in charge of these fabulous side dishes while Josiah grills the meat?” he asked in a melodious voice.

Savilla returned his smile and then gestured for Adam and Matthias to pull their loaded wagons into the space behind her. “
Jah
, we stick with what folks seem to like best. Nothing fancy, just
gut
food.”

When the man's focus shifted to him, Josiah got a prickly feeling in his stomach. The charm that had oozed while this fellow spoke to his sister was hardening into an expression of extreme ill will.

“Hiram Knepp,” Matthias muttered. “What brings
you
to this party?”

“If you figure to bother Annie Mae and the rest of our family, ya better get on out of here,” Adam said sternly.

In a flash, Josiah realized he'd made a couple of huge mistakes: hooking up with Knepp in the first place and then not contacting him as Ben had recommended. He also knew he was about to start paying for his lack of judgment right this moment. Was it his imagination or had the whole dining area—where a couple hundred people were eating—gone totally silent?

“My business doesn't concern you, Wagler,” Hiram replied in a clipped tone. “I have an agreement with Josiah Witmer, who signed on to cook for me in Higher Ground. It seems he's made himself right at home in Willow Ridge instead, and I demand an explanation.”

Savilla's face had gone pale, but she found her voice before Josiah did. “The way I understand it, Mr. Knepp, my brother merely talked with you over the phone. So—”

“We stopped in Willow Ridge because we got lost in a snowstorm.” Lena spoke up behind Josiah. She came to stand beside him, glaring up at Knepp. “And since then, we've been told that things in Higher Ground aren't the way you made them out to be.”

“This wedding party's not the time or place to be bringin' up such business and you know it, Hiram.” Ben, who'd been chatting with folks at a nearby table, stepped up beside Savilla, crossing his arms as he scowled at Knepp. “We've told ya not to return here, so you'd best move along.”

Hiram's smile turned menacing. “And I've told
you
that I'll go wherever I please, Hooley,” he shot back. He sneered at Josiah. “Cat got your tongue, Witmer? I'm hearing from everyone except you—excuses that have nothing to do with your agreement to cook at my supper club.”

“Where
is
this so-called supper club?” Bishop Tom demanded. He was wiping barbeque sauce from his face with a napkin, looking stern and stiff—quite unlike the patient, easygoing bishop of Willow Ridge Josiah had seen previously. “Josiah and I have both driven through Higher Ground and we've seen no evidence of such a place. Folks hereabouts have warned him it's a hoax—”

“You're out of line, Hostetler.” Knepp's voice was rising with the color in his face. “When I see this spread the Witmers have put on, I'm inclined to call my lawyer to—well,
Miriam
,” he exclaimed in a theatrical voice. “Here you are, just
bursting
with a child you swore to me you couldn't conceive! Why do I suspect you snatched Josiah away to cook in your restaurant because you'll soon be indisposed? You're going straight to hell for lying—”

“And you've got a date with the sheriff, Hiram,” Luke Hooley announced as he, too, approached the steam table. He held up his cell phone. “Remember when you were harassing Nora in her shop and I told you I had the law on speed dial? Sheriff Banks and Officer McClatchey are on their way.”

“We didn't invite you in the first place,” Nora said as she stalked up beside Hiram to glare at him. “Nobody here believes a word you say anymore, so why would we let Josiah and his sister fall into your trap?”

Josiah couldn't believe the way people were approaching the buffet table to stand in support of him, scowling at their former bishop as though they'd rather lynch him than listen to him. He heard a siren approaching and caught the flash of red and blue lights through the window. Within moments, a portly fellow wearing a brown uniform and a sheriff's star came inside, followed by a younger, fitter lawman. Their no-nonsense expressions told Josiah they were well acquainted with the man who'd been stirring up such a hornet's nest.

“Got a call that you've been disturbing the peace again, Knepp,” the sheriff said as he came to stand beside Hiram.

The younger fellow, whose badge flashed MCC
LATCHEY
, went immediately to Hiram's other side and snapped a handcuff around his wrist.

“You're violating my rights!” Hiram cried as he tried to jerk free. “I have the right to be present at a public gathering—the right to an attorney—”

“We'll add resisting arrest and contempt of court to the original charge,” the sheriff said as he held Hiram's other arm so McClatchey could finish cuffing him. “You didn't show up for your last two meetings with your parole officer, so you were in trouble long before Luke informed us of your whereabouts. Let's go, Knepp.”

Josiah's eyes widened with each of the charges the sheriff reeled off. During his phone interview, he'd had no idea Hiram was in hot water with the law or even inclined to cause trouble. Guided by the sheriff's beefy hand around his upper arm, Knepp went toward the door—but then he turned.

“Witmer, I'm not finished with you,” he announced. “We had a business agreement and you're going to uphold your end of it. I'll see you in court if I have to.”

“Move along,” Officer McClatchey said as he turned Knepp toward the exit again. Everyone watched through the windows as the sheriff escorted his charge to the police car. Then Officer McClatchey came inside again. “Sorry you folks had to put up with such a disturbance—and congratulations, Luke and Nora. Can't say I've ever had to come to a wedding under such unfortunate circumstances.”

“Please come eat with us,” Nora replied. “We've got all this fabulous food—and you won't want to miss the wedding cake Miriam made.”

“I'd be happy to have a piece soon as I file this report,” the lawman said with a grin.

Bishop Tom stepped forward, looking relieved but curious. “I'm not up on legal lingo, so I've gotta ask ya,” he said earnestly. “What's a parole officer? And what'd Sheriff Banks mean when he was talkin' about contempt of court? Sounds serious.”

Officer McClatchey sighed regretfully. “You remember how Hiram had a young gal living with him in Higher Ground? Well, she left him,” he explained.

“That would be Delilah,” Adam Wagler murmured. “Sounds like she got smart.”

“When Hiram found her and tried to make her come back, a neighbor called us about a domestic disturbance at his place,” the lawman went on. “He served some jail time, and meanwhile, Delilah filed a restraining order—which means Hiram was legally forbidden to speak with her or to be around her.”

“My word,” Miriam murmured. “Sounds like he's toppled over the edge.”

Officer McClatchey nodded. “Once Knepp got out of jail he was to report to his parole officer every week,” he explained. “Twice now he hasn't shown up, and Delilah's recently informed us that he's made some threatening phone calls. So that means he's in contempt of court because he refused to abide by the rules the judge set. It's complicated.”

“It's a cryin' shame our former bishop's sunk so low,” Ben remarked. “Josiah, I'm even more grateful that God convinced ya to stay here with us rather than goin' on to Higher Ground. It's a real cesspool Hiram's swimmin' in.”

Josiah's head was spinning with all the startling information he'd heard. “I—I am
so sorry
,” he blurted out as he looked at Ben and then Miriam. “You warned me about Knepp—told me to get out of the deal we'd made—and now I've brought all this trouble to Willow Ridge. And I've ruined your wedding feast, Luke and Nora. I can't possibly charge you for this meal when it's my fault that Hiram came and—”

“Oh, no,” Luke insisted as he slung an arm around Josiah's shoulders. “It's nobody's fault that Hiram does what he does, and if anybody thinks we've got him under control, he's delusional. You and Savilla have cooked up a wedding feast way beyond my expectations—”

“And who else can say the cops arrested somebody at their wedding party?” Nora piped up with a grin. “It's a day we'll never forget!”

As everyone around them chuckled, Josiah couldn't believe how forgiving and understanding these people were—how they'd all come to his defense the moment they saw Knepp. “It's been our pleasure to cook for your party,” he told the bride and groom.

“And we're grateful to everyone for making us so welcome here,” Savilla said as she gazed around at the crowd. “Willow Ridge is a wonderful town.”

“And I'm thankful for the baby gifts,” Lena spoke up in a quivering voice. “You've all been wonderful-
gut
to me—especially you, Miriam and Ben. I—I was ready to clobber Knepp when he got so nasty about you having a baby.”

“Stand in line, Lena,” Matthias Wagler said. “I think we should get back to celebrating Luke and Nora's wedding, but we're all sadder and wiser because of what we've learned today.”

The guests nodded, returning to their places. Josiah began removing foil-covered pans from the wagons, and within minutes the buffet had been replenished. Adam and Annie Mae filled their plates and Miriam and Ben got their meals, as well. When Lena handed him a plate, Josiah realized how hungry he was.

“You two go ahead. I'll tend the table until you're done,” Savilla offered as she stirred the baked beans and fried apples. Then she took hold of his wrist, lowering her voice. “I'll save my I-told-you-so lecture for later, little brother. I thought you'd informed Hiram we wouldn't be cooking for him.”

“And I deserve whatever you dish up for being too stupid to listen to Ben and Miriam,” he said ruefully. “What a mess I've made. What a mess Knepp's made.”

“At least we didn't get sucked into his lies,” Lena insisted as she filled her plate. “The snowstorm that rerouted us to Willow Ridge was a gift from God as far as I'm concerned.”

Josiah heaped his plate with pulled pork, brisket, and the side dishes his sister had made, grateful they'd all escaped a dicey situation in Higher Ground.
I've not paid much attention to You or my faith
, he prayed quickly,
but You pulled my butt out of the fire today, Lord, and I promise to listen more closely to what You'd have me do from here on out.