The Missing Will

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

B
linking against tears threatening to spill over, Kristi struggled to keep her focus on the road. Breaking up with Joel had been one of the hardest things she’d ever done. But it was the right decision. Her fingers turned white as she gripped the steering wheel.
I can’t believe all the lies he’s told me.

Nothing about Joel made sense anymore. She’d been blinded by his good looks and charm.
I should have listened to Mom.
Kristi still didn’t understand the reason he’d kept his Amish heritage from her for so long or why he’d taken money from their joint account without telling her. If he hadn’t foolishly used money he’d earned on a job to buy a classic car he didn’t need, Joel wouldn’t be in a financial bind.

Kristi reflected on how desperate he’d seemed when he asked his sister Elsie about the will on the day of his father’s funeral. Joel had acted selfishly and unfeelingly. She couldn’t picture herself asking about her parents’ will so soon after one of them had passed away. Was Joel really that desperate for money?

Her throat constricted as she changed lanes. “For the love of money is the root of all evil,” she murmured, quoting 1 Timothy 6:10. She reflected on 1 Timothy 6:7, as well: “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” Kristi had committed those two verses to memory when she’d attended a Bible study on money management a few years ago.
Too bad I didn’t think to quote those scriptures to Joel when he told me how desperate he was for money. If he needed funds for a good cause, that would be one thing, but to waste it on a car he could certainly live without was foolish.

The longer Kristi thought about things, the more she wanted to pull to the side of the road and break down in tears. It would probably do her good to go for a run to release some tension, but right now she needed a listening ear. Turning at the next road, Kristi headed for her parents’ house. She hoped they were home.

Farmerstown, Ohio

“Are you okay?” Arlene’s husband, Larry, looked at her with concern. “You were quiet on the buggy ride home from church, and since we’ve gotten here, all you’ve done is sit and stare out the kitchen window.”

Arlene sighed as she clutched her damp handkerchief. “I miss my
daed,
Larry. Remember how almost every Sunday when his district didn’t have church, he would attend service with us? Looking at the men’s side this morning and not seeing him there didn’t seem right.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “Then the three of us always came here for a meal, and afterward we’d visit, sing, or play games.”

Larry sat beside Arlene and placed his hand on her shoulder. “I’m here for you, no matter what. We all miss your daed, but it’s been the hardest for you, Elsie, and Doris.”

She sniffed, raising her handkerchief to wipe tears from her eyes. “The
kinner
miss him, too. Dad loved our children, and they looked forward to spending time with him after church.” She pointed to the birdhouse on a post outside the kitchen window. “Every time I look at that, I’ll think of Dad and be glad Doris found it.”

“When the lightning struck your daed’s tree house, it’s amazing everything in and around the tree didn’t burn to a crisp.”

She lowered her arm and turned toward him. “It’s a shame Doris didn’t find four birdhouses on the ground beneath the tree—then Joel could have had one, too.”

“Do you think he would have wanted a birdhouse?” Larry’s brows furrowed. “From what I can tell, the only thing your
bruder
wants is your daed’s money.”

Arlene swallowed hard, remembering how Joel had acted after the funeral dinner. When he’d asked about Dad’s will, everyone in the room became upset. “We do need to find the document. It’s the only way we’ll know how he wanted things divided among us. I only hope when Joel comes around here again he won’t create another scene.”

“If he does, one of us will set him straight.”

With shoulders slumped and head down, their youngest son, Scott, shuffled into the room.

“What’s wrong, Son? You look
umgerennt.
” When Scott looked up, Larry motioned for him to come over to them.

Scott stepped up to the table. “I ain’t upset. I’m
bedauerlich.
”

Arlene slipped her arm around him. “Why are you sad? Do you miss your
grossdaadi
?”

“
Jah.
Not only that, but I won’t get to watch Peaches climb the ladder to Grandpa’s tree house.”

Arlene tipped her head. “Peaches?”

“You know—she’s Henry Raber’s
hund.
Henry said Peaches likes to climb. Since the tree house is gone now, me and Doug won’t get to see her do it.” Scott kicked the floor with the toe of his shoe and lowered his gaze. “Won’t get to go up there and enjoy the view with Grandpa, neither.”

“I’m sorry, Son.” Larry pulled the boy into a hug. “Your
mamm
and I know you miss your grossdaadi, as we all do, but we have lots of fond memories of him.”

Larry was right, but Arlene couldn’t stop thinking about their children having lost their grandfather, whom they all loved and respected. She had hoped he would see them grow up, get married, and have kids of their own. It was hard to accept the changes in life that she couldn’t control and were not what she’d planned.

“Why don’t we gather the rest of the family together in the living room? We can sing some of our favorite songs for a while,” she suggested.

“It won’t be the same without Grandpa here, playin’ his harmonica.” Scott frowned. “Guess I’ll never learn to play the mouth harp now, neither.”

“Maybe your uncle Joel can teach you.” Larry ruffled the top of Scott’s thick brown hair. “As I recall, he’s pretty good at playing the harmonica.”

I doubt that’s ever going to happen. Joel doesn’t seem to care about anyone but himself.
Arlene made sure not to voice her thoughts. Even though she was upset with her brother, the last thing she wanted to do was turn any of her children against him.

“Say, I have an idea.” She rose from her chair. “After we sing awhile, I’ll fix some snacks.”

“Can we make popcorn?” Scott’s eyes brightened a bit.

She nodded. “Jah, we’ll do that.”

“How about hot chocolate and marshmallows to go with it?” Larry smacked his lips. “That always tastes good with popcorn.”

“We can have some of those peanut butter
kichlin
in the cookie jar, too.” Arlene gave her son’s arm a tender squeeze. “Now why don’t you go let your brother and sisters know what our plans are for the rest of the afternoon?”

“Okay, Mom.” Scott grinned at his parents and hurried from the room.

Larry looked over at Arlene and smiled. “It’s nice to see our boy smiling again.”

“Jah. A little joy is something we all need right now.”

Akron

Kristi felt relieved when she pulled up to her parents’ house and saw their car parked in the driveway. She was desperate to talk to someone right now—someone who would understand and offer support.

She’d no more than stepped onto the porch, when the front door swung open. “This is a surprise. I thought you and Joel went on a picnic today.” Mom stood in the doorway, drying her hands on a towel.

“We did, but we ended it early, so I…I decided to come here.”

“Are you all right?” Mom asked as she let Kristi into the house. “Your eyes are red. Have you been crying?”

Kristi looked at her shoes, struggling to keep her emotions in check. “You don’t have to worry about fixing lunch for us next Sunday, because Joel and I won’t be coming.”

“How come?”

“Is Dad here? I’d like him to hear this, too.”