The crisp fragrance of pine trees and the warm spice of fresh cookies aren’t the only blessings that Christmas brings, and no one knows more about happy homecomings than three couples who are celebrating the greatest gift of all . . .
BUGGIES, TRAINS, AND AUTOMOBILES * Shelley Shepard Gray Called home by family, John Miller and Ellie Coblentz are each looking for a way north from Pinecroft, Florida. With few options, they decide sharing the burden of travel must be the Lord’s plan for them. But can this bumpy, bad-weather journey home help them find their way into each other’s hearts, too?
STAR OF WONDER * Charlotte Hubbard When Raymond Overholt comes to Promise Lodge, hoping to sell the barnboard signs he’s painted with stars and Christmas messages, spirited young Mennonite Lizzie Zehr is intrigued. But any courtship between them will face fierce opposition from the bishop of Raymond’s Old Order community—unless someone can convince him that at the heart of faith lies love . . .
STARLIGHT EVERLASTING * Rosalind Lauer Newlyweds Rachel and Luke Coblentz can’t wait to celebrate their first Christmas together after years of courtship. But when Luke’s factory job threatens to keep them apart—from each other and their dream of a family—it will take faith to believe in the gift of a truly joyful ending . . .
Release date:
September 27, 2022
Publisher:
Kensington Books
Print pages:
352
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John’s eyes flew open, but the rest of his body couldn’t seem to move. The clock said 11:46. He’d been asleep for almost two hours.
Lying in bed, staring at the door, he wondered if he’d just dreamed his landlord had come knocking in the middle of the night. In the five years that he’d lived in the house, John couldn’t think of a time when Curtis had done much more than thank him when John paid his monthly rent.
Rap, rap, pound. “Wake up, John. This is important.”
At last making sense of what was happening, John climbed out of his bed. Not even bothering to shrug on his robe, he crossed the room, unlocked the door, and opened it a crack.
“Jah, Curtis? Is everything all right?” But, of course, he knew it wasn’t. Curtis wouldn’t be knocking on his door if everything was good.
“I’m sorry, John. You’ve got a phone call.” With a sad smile, his fiftysomething landlord thrust the cell phone into John’s hand. “Here, son. Take your time, and feel free to use it as much as you need to. You can return it to me in the morning.”
As Curtis walked away, John placed the phone to his ear with a feeling of dread. “Hello?”
“John, this is Susan Dee.”
He had no idea who she was. “I’m sorry. Who is this?”
“I’m your father’s caregiver at the Healing Hearts Nursing Home in Berlin.”
“Oh. Yes, of course. I’m sorry. It’s the middle of the night, and I fear I’m not at my best.”
Her voice turned warmer. “I’m sorry for the time of the call, but I didn’t want to wait. I understand you live in Florida. Is that correct?”
“Jah. I’m in Pinecraft.”
“That’s what I thought Angus told me.” She took a deep breath. “John, I am very sorry to tell you that your father has taken a turn for the worse. The doctor said it’s likely he only has a day or two left.”
“I see.” He swallowed. As another second passed, John struggled to think of something appropriate to say. It was difficult, though, since all he felt was dismay. It was obvious that this Susan Dee person was expecting him to visit.
John wasn’t sure if he should. Did a final visit even matter? He hadn’t spoken to his father in years. Almost fifteen years.
Susan cleared her throat. “Obviously, that is why I’m bothering you so late at night. Every second counts at this point. I mean, I’m sure you’re going to want to get here as quickly as possible.”
“Is my father awake?” He wasn’t sure which would make the visit easier, his father being awake or asleep.
“He is drifting in and out. I feel sure he is waiting to see you.”
“Really? Has he been asking for me?”
“Well, no,” Susan replied. “But I feel certain that if he was in his right mind, Angus would be doing so.”
“I see.”
“So, will you be coming? If Angus knows you are coming, he might just hang on a little longer.”
Susan sounded so hopeful. Sweet, too. Far too sweet for John to say what was really on his mind, which was that if his father was in his usual right mind, he would’ve said that John needed to stay away.
Feeling as if he didn’t have a choice, John made his decision. “I’ll do my best to get there soon,” he said at last. It wasn’t much of a promise, but it was the most he was willing to say.
“Do you have a pen and paper handy? Write down my phone number. You can give me updates.”
His room was dark, and he was standing in his bedroom with only a pair of pajama bottoms on.
“Hold on.” A minute later, he had a pencil and the back of an envelope. “I’m ready.”
She promptly gave him her phone number. “Remember, my name is Susan Dee. Feel free to call me at any time during your journey. Day or night.”
“Danke. Thank you for calling.”
John hung up, carefully placed Curtis’s phone on the dresser, and sat down on the edge of the double bed. The bed was in the corner of a room large enough to also hold a couch, bookshelf, and desk. A kitchenette with a tiny fridge and hot plate took up one corner. A small gray-tiled bathroom took up another. It held a narrow shower stall that not only provided as much hot water as he could ever desire but also the best water pressure in the world.
He looked down at his bare feet, so comfortable on the cool tile floor. When he’d first arrived, he’d thought the white-tile floor and yellow walls were the strangest things. Now he would likely find carpeted or wood floors foreign.
He thought about how much he’d gotten used to living in this spacious room on the third floor of Curtis’s house. He’d gotten so comfortable there, he’d almost forgotten that it wasn’t home.
Home, for him, would always be the sprawling farmhouse he’d been born in. It would be the kitchen in which his mother baked nonstop—as well as her sprawling garden outside filled with giant sunflowers in late summer. They’d towered over him when he was a little boy. Home was rain in the spring, red leaves in the fall, and piles of snow in the winter.
It had also become a place of darkness after his mother had passed away, a feeling of loneliness when his older sister left the order and never returned. Home had also been where his father had become so bitter and isolated that the smallest infraction by John drew swift criticism. It had been constant enough that his pity for his father’s grief had turned to impatience and finally anger. There was only so much abuse he’d been willing to take.
And so he’d left.
Oh, not like his sister, Jo. Jo had never become baptized and had argued with both of their parents from an early age. He, on the other hand, had been baptized in the faith but had searched for someplace else to live. Someplace where he’d never have to see his father again. Somewhere that didn’t have the memories Berlin, Ohio, had.
He’d found that haven in Pinecraft.
Had he ever thought about returning? Not for a single day.
“Lord, I’m ashamed of myself. I’m ashamed of my feelings. Ashamed that I don’t want to interrupt my life to go back to the man who made me so unhappy.”
He was ashamed of his first thoughts when he’d realized why Susan was calling. He wasn’t brave enough to apologize for those thoughts yet—after all, there were some things that couldn’t ever be forgiven.
He knew that to be true.
December 21
Ellie Coblentz was wearing her favorite traveling dress. It was a sage green and didn’t show stains or lint easily. It also had long sleeves, which would keep her from getting chilled by the Pioneer Trails bus’s air-conditioning.
On her legs were black stockings and a new pair of black tennis shoes. They were slip-ons, so they were easy to take off in the middle of a road trip. On her shoulder was her Florida purse. A lightweight cloth purse made out of a bright red, pink, and yellow print. The strap was long enough for her to sling over one shoulder. And the inside was deep and roomy. It held all sorts of things—reading glasses, tissues, lip balm, sunglasses, a wallet, an emergency sewing kit, a book, a mini Bible, and several snacks.
On her journey down to Florida, she’d learned that bus drivers didn’t always pull over for meals when they said they were going to. Her stomach had been rather grumpy about that.
All in all, Ellie was well equipped and well prepared for the bus trip to Berlin, Ohio. From there, it would be a short buggy ride to her grandmommi’s haus in Charm.
Except that the bus had left thirty minutes ago. Without her, thanks to a mistake on the booking agent’s part and a woman traveling with her five-year-old.
It seemed that the agent had mistakenly written down months instead of years for the child’s age. Which meant that the little boy had needed his own seat. No one with a heart was going to make a mother and her son wait for another bus. Ellie understood that.
But she was still annoyed that everyone’s kindness toward the mother and child in need meant that she was standing in the parking lot with a suitcase, her favorite traveling outfit . . . and nowhere to go.
“This is just awful,” she muttered to herself as she reached into her purse to get her reading glasses. Someone must have put a notice on the nearby bulletin board, offering a ride to Holmes County.
“What is?”
She started at the voice and turned to find a dark-haired Amish man with a deep tan looking at her with interest.
She pretended not to notice just how blue his eyes were. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you. I was speaking to myself.”
“I gathered that much. But now you have me intrigued. What is just awful?”
Ellie opened her mouth, started to tell him that he was being rather nosy, when she realized that he was giving her the perfect opportunity to get out of her shell. She had a difficult time speaking to people she didn’t know well.
Which, unfortunately, was just about everyone.
Hoping she didn’t sound quite as annoyed as she felt, she replied, “I had a reservation on the Pioneer Trails bus that just left. Unfortunately, a child took my seat, so I wasn’t allowed on.”
“I hate when that happens.” A few lines formed around the outside corners of his eyes.
He was teasing her.
“I’m being serious. I mean, I do understand why the child needed a seat of his own. I’m not heartless. But because someone thought the child was five months instead of five years old, I’m now stranded in Pinecraft instead of on my way to Charm.”
“So, you’re looking for other means of transportation to Holmes County?”
“I am.” She noticed that he, too, was studying the large bulletin board filled with tacked-on notes and messages to other Amish and Mennonite members of the Pinecraft community. “Just so you know, this bulletin board is a treasure trove of information. People put all kinds of things here. You can find anything from a new puppy to a fishing trip to where to meet the Lancaster County coffee klatch group. And it just so happens that it’s the perfect spot to find rides up north.”
He stared at her for a moment, seeming to weigh his words before speaking. She assumed he was digesting everything she’d said—after all, she did have a tendency to talk too fast. Ellie had been told that on more than one occasion.
“I appreciate your help,” he said at last.
He didn’t actually seem all that appreciative. Actually, she kind of thought he was acting as if she had pulled him over to the bulletin board out of the blue.
“It’s no trouble at all,” she said at last. “I like to be helpful.”
“Indeed.”
When he turned to stare at the bulletin board again, Ellie almost asked if he was looking for something specific. Then she decided against it. Instead, she went back to looking for a ride, scanning the messages as if she were scrolling through social media pages on her Englischer sister’s phone.
And then she saw it.
It was followed by an address.
The note startled a chuckle out of her.
The man turned her way. “Did you read something funny?”
“Jah, but it is gut, too. I think I’ve just found my ride.”
“You did?” His expression grew more intense. “Which note?”
She pointed to the small piece of notebook paper on the bottom right corner of the bulletin board. “There.”
He read it slowly. “Are you really going to go to this man’s haus?”
She nodded. “I need to get to Charm.”
“But you don’t know anything about him.”
She couldn’t deny that, but she wasn’t going to let a small detail like that derail her plans. “I am sure he can’t be bad if he is posting on our community bulletin board. It isn’t like I have a choice, anyway. I’ve got to get back as soon as possible. I need to take care of my grandmother.”
He raised his eyebrows. “That’s why you’re going?”
Ellie was getting tired of both his questions and his know-it-all, rather superior attitude. “That’s what I just said.”
When he continued to stare at her, she took a step backward.
“Good luck to you, with whatever you’re looking for.”
“Hold on. I’m going to head over to Fred’s, too.”
“Really?”
“Really. I was here looking for a ride. I’m in a bind.”
“Where are you going?”
“Berlin.”
“That’s very close to Charm.” She took a breath. “There are a number of small villages all side by side. Near Berlin are Millersburg and Charm. To the east are Sugarcreek and Walnut Creek. If you venture a little farther, you’ll find—”
“Oh, for Pete’s sake. I know how close Charm and Berlin are to each other.”
“I see. Well, I was just trying to help you out.”
“I’m starting to think you really just like to hear yourself talk.”
He certainly had a lot of nerve.
“That is not true.”
“It is. You prattle on like an old gossip holding court after church on Sundays.”
The description was not complimentary. “You do not have to be so rude. All you had to do was tell me that you were already familiar with Holmes County.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine. I already know where Berlin and Charm are in relation to each other. Just like I know about the bulletin board because I live here in Pinecraft full-time.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah. So you don’t need to be so helpful.”
Forgetting her usual good manners, she propped her hands on her hips. “Well, you don’t need to be so surly. It’s only four days to Christmas, you know.”
“Believe me, I can also read a calendar.”
Stung and more than a little annoyed, she said, “Just for the record, I found this ride first. I didn’t have to tell you about Fred. I also had no idea you lived here.”
He sighed. “That’s true. I’m sorry I’ve been so rude. I fear I’m on edge.”
At least he’d apologized. Feeling that she owed him something in return, Ellie said, “I do have a tendency to talk a lot. Especially when I’m neahfich.”
“I have a tendency to be gruff when I’m stressed out. Which I am right now.”
They could either continue to debate, or she could reach out an olive branch. “Sir, would you care to lead the way to Fred’s?”
His lips twitched. “What? You’re not going to tell me how to get to Gardenia Street?”
“I’m tempted to pull out my map, but I thought I’d spare us both the bother. I’ll follow your lead.”
“If we’re going to meet this Fred together, it might be nice to know each other’s names first, don’t you think?” He held out a hand. “My name is Jonathan Miller, but everyone calls me John.”
“I’m Eleanor Coblentz, but everybody calls me Ellie,” she explained as she shook his hand.
“It’s good to meet you.”
“For me, too. If we both have to get up north real fast, I’d rather have someone to travel with.”
“So would I. Besides, I think it’s best that you don’t travel alone.”
“I’m actually very capable.”
“I have gotten that impression. However, the trip to Holmes County is a long one. And though this Fred person is most likely a good ’un, one never knows, true?”
Ellie nodded. “Lead the way, and I’ll follow.”
As he turned and started walking, she heard him laughing.
“What is so funny?” she asked.
“You are. I’m getting the feeling that you aren’t used to following anyone. Except maybe a horse.”
She smiled but remained silent. There was no need for John Miller to learn that she often liked to tell her horse what to do, as well.
Fred Perry was what John’s teacher back in Berlin would’ve called eccentric. Wiry, over six feet tall, and sporting a shaggy mane of silver hair, the man might be mistaken for a member out of an aging rock band . . . until he opened his mouth.
After that, John was fairly sure no singer or musician would have wanted to either perform or travel by his side. Fred had a nasally voice peppered with a heavy dose of hillbilly twang. He also seemed to be in need of a good shower.
Four other people already scheduled to ride were lined up in the man’s hallway. They were sitting in plastic folding chairs with unhappy, worried expressions, looking as if they were about to get dental work done. If he hadn’t promised Susan Dee he would get to his father’s side as soon as he could, John would’ve turned right back around.
Ellie appeared to be as taken aback by Fred as John was. Instead of talking a mile a minute, she remained silent, only speaking when the bear of a man asked them questions.
“You two are all right with the hundred-dollar fee, ain’t ya?” he asked in a surly tone. “I expect half of it to be paid now. You can pay the other half when we arrive.”
“I am,” John replied. “Ellie?”
“Jah,” she said, though she looked as if she had just swallowed a frog.
“And do you both understand that I am in charge? I don’t want to hear your opinions. Not about the temperature in the van, or the music I’m playing, or the way I drive?”
His question didn’t bode well, but what could they do? The clock was ticking.
“All I need is to get to Berlin as quickly as possible,” John said. “I’m glad you had two openings. I won’t complain.”
“Missy?”
Ellie blinked and then shook her head. “I won’t complain, either,” she whispered. “I’m not a complainer.”
Fred eyed them up and down another moment, then shrugged. “You two might as well join the others.” He waved a hand toward the four silent people lining the hall. “I’ll be ready to leave in two hours.”
“Wait, you want us to sit here for the next two hours?” Ellie asked.
“Are you complaining?” Fred grinned, but the amusement didn’t really reach his eyes.
“Nee. Just asking.”
“Good. Now take a seat,” Fred said. He pointed to the two plastic folding chairs on the far side of an older Englischer couple who looked resigned to their fate.
Reminding himself that he needed to see his father one last time for reasons he wasn’t entirely certain about, John picked up his backpack and Ellie’s wheeled suitcase. “Let’s go sit down, Ellie.”
“Okay.”
Only after they sat down did Fred walk out of the room. The other four passengers breathed a sigh of relief.
Ellie chose the seat closest to the other passengers. In the chair next to her was a sweet-looking old woman with pure white hair. “Are you going to Holmes County, too?”
After darting a look at the door where Fred had exited, the woman nodded. “We’re going to be with Fred the entire trip. Our son is going to pick us up from Middlefield and take us to his house.”
“So you’ll be spending Christmas with your family.”
“Yes.”
Ellie’s smile faltered. “How nice.”
When everyone shifted, each looking as if they were afraid of getting in trouble, John’s curiosity got the best of him. “Have any of you ridden with Fred before?”
An Amish couple about their ages raised their hands. “Fred has taken us back and forth twice before,” said the man.
“Do you prefer riding with him to the bus?” Ellie asked.
The Amish man shrugged.
The sense of apprehension that John had been trying to shake settled in and intensified. “Ellie, are you sure you want to do this?” he whispered.
“I don’t think we have a choice,” she whispered back. “But this whole setup is odd, ain’t so?”
Looking at the two other couples, John nodded. Leaning toward the Amish man, he said in Pennsylvania Dutch, “Any tips for the journey?”
“Jah. Don’t talk if you can help it. Fred ain’t exactly what one would call a chatty sort.”
“Whatever you do, don’t ask to stop,” the older woman said. “He hates that.”
“Or complain about his music,” the Amish girl said.
John exchanged a look with Ellie. Though her eyes were wide, she only nodded. John figured he could put up with almost anything, as long as he reached his father in time.
Ninety minutes later, Fred appeared again, this time in a snug black sweat suit and matching tennis shoes. “Everyone needs to go to the bathroom now,” he said. “The toilet’s down the hall. Come out to the van when you’re finished.”
When he disappeared, the group stood up and the young Amish wife trotted down the hall. When she came back, her husband went, then together they went outside. John and Ellie stepped up in line as the older man took his turn.
“I never asked why, exactly, you are going to Berlin,” Ellie said. “Can you tell me?”
“My father is dying. I got a call in the middle of the night with the news.”
“Oh, my word. I’m so sorry.”
“Danke.” Seeing that they had a bit of time—the man still hadn’t returned—John said, “To be honest, I’m not sure how I feel. I haven’t seen my father in years. We didn’t get along.”
“How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”
“Not since I was fifteen.”
Her eyes widened. “And now you are only going home because he’s dying.”
The way Ellie phrased it felt wrong, but he didn’t correct her. He wasn’t going to defend himself to a stranger. “What about you? You said you need to care for your grandmother?”
“Jah. I help my parents on our farm, but my main job is to watch Mommi. I needed a break, so I came down here on a holiday while my sister filled in for me. However, her baby just came early, so my grandmother needs some help. She doesn’t do well being alone.” She paused for breath. “I hope that man comes out soon.”
“He has stomach issues,” his wife said.
Ellie’s eyes widened as John fought to keep his expression blank. He knew for a fact that he could have gone the whole trip without knowing that.
“Here he comes.” The older woman hurried down the hall.
The man didn’t say anything, but he did look a little green. John wondered if he felt well enough to travel but elected to keep that question to himself. He was beginning to realize that the Amish guy’s advice about keeping quiet might have been the best advice he was going to get all day.
Like the announcement about the older guy’s stomach ailment, there were some things that were simply better left unsaid.
Several years ago, when Ellie had gone into Cleveland to do some shopping with her mother, their vehicle’s driver had elected to take some back roads instead of the interstate. That was when she had seen a pair of prison vans.
She hadn’t known what they were at the time. She’d stared at them only because the pair of plain white vans looked out of place on the country road. Then she’d spotted several men in gray shirts and pants with bright neon orange vests on. They were picking up trash on the side of the road. They didn’t appear to be saying a word. It was a hot day, and each looked sweaty. Not a one of them had looked as if he was enjoying himself.
Of course, no one enjoyed picking up litter . . . but she’d been curious and had asked her mother and their driver if the men went around cleaning up Ohio open spaces.
The driver had enjoyed a good laugh at her expense.
“Oh, they’re not do-gooders, young lady. Those men are from the state prison nearby. See those vans?” When she’d nodded, he’d said, “The guards take them around in those. You see them out here from time to time. Don’t you worry about them hurting you, though. They’ve got on ankle bracelets, and there’s plenty of guards around to make sure that they don’t stray.”
That had been the end of the discussion, but the image of those men and the vans had stayed with her for some time. She’d always wondered what they were thinking. Had they been pleased to get out of the prison and do something different—or had it been just another day in captivity?
Now, she had a pretty good idea of how those work details had felt to the prisoners: never ending. That was certainly how her journey in Fred’s white van seemed.
The van wasn’t all that roomy inside. Fred had the driver’s seat for himself and the passenger seat for his belo. . .
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