Read Online Amish White Christmas Pie by Wanda E Brunstetter - Free Book Online
Authors: Wanda E Brunstetter
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Regina and Mark, asking if they would keep Will until I could find a job that would keep me closer to home. Since both of Patty’s parents were dead and I’d cut myself off from my family after I left home, I had no one to leave Will with.” He grunted. “Not that I’d have left him with anyone in my dysfunctional family.”
Megan opened her mouth to comment, but he rushed on.
“When Mark and Regina agreed to the arrangement, I left a note for Regina to read to Will, explaining things and saying that I’d return as soon as I could. Little did I know that two days later I would be involved in a terrible accident. As you know, the injuries I sustained in that accident put me in the hospital and kept me from returning for my boy for almost two years. If I’d known I couldn’t get back to Will within a short time, I never would have left him with Regina and Mark.”
“But if you’d taken Will with you, you still might have had the accident, and Will could have been seriously injured, or worse,” Megan said.
“You’re right, but even so, I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that once I was well enough to return to Lancaster County, I discovered Mark and Regina Stoltzfus had moved and taken my boy.”
“There must have been a good reason for them moving, Frank. What I don’t understand is why they didn’t leave word with a neighbor or someone who could tell you where they’d moved.”
“It’s never made any sense to me either. The only conclusion I could come to is that Mark and Regina moved on purpose so they could raise Will as their son. So they’d never have to see me again.”
Megan gasped. “Do you really think that’s why they moved?”
He nodded. “What other reason would there be for them not leaving word so I could find Will when I returned?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“When I went back to their farm and discovered someone else was living there, neither the English couple who’d bought the farm nor any of the neighbors knew where Mark and Regina had moved.”
“I can only imagine how defeated you must have felt.” Megan gave Frank’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’m still amazed that you were able to rise above your circumstances and establish your own trucking business.”
“That didn’t happen overnight, Megan. I spent a couple of years wallowing in self-pity, barely able to hold on to my job.”
“But you did finally make something of yourself, and that’s what counts.”
He clasped her hand. “Meeting you changed my life. If you hadn’t been working at that truck stop where I stopped to eat supper, I’d probably still be trying to drown my sorrows. You gave me the strength to go on. You gave me the courage to start up my own business.” He leaned his head on her shoulder. “I promise I’ll try to be in a better mood this holiday season—for you and for the girls.”
“Did you enjoy your birthday party?” Karen asked as she and Will headed toward her place in his buggy.
He nodded. “I don’t know how you and Mama Regina pulled it off, but it sure was a surprise.”
“We women have our ways,” she said with a giggle.
“I especially liked the pocket watch you gave me. That was thoughtful.”
“I know you lost your old pocket watch not long ago, and since I don’t want you to be late for our wedding, I figured I’d better buy you a new one.”
He reached across the seat and took hold of her hand. “Speaking of the wedding, are you sure you don’t mind us living at my folks’ place after we’re married?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. Since you help your daed with the dairy cows and sometimes help your mamm in the health food store, it’ll be easier for you to keep doing that with us living close by.”
“That’s true, and since my folks’ bedroom is downstairs, we’ll have the whole upstairs to ourselves. It’ll almost be like having a
Megan opened her mouth to comment, but he rushed on.
“When Mark and Regina agreed to the arrangement, I left a note for Regina to read to Will, explaining things and saying that I’d return as soon as I could. Little did I know that two days later I would be involved in a terrible accident. As you know, the injuries I sustained in that accident put me in the hospital and kept me from returning for my boy for almost two years. If I’d known I couldn’t get back to Will within a short time, I never would have left him with Regina and Mark.”
“But if you’d taken Will with you, you still might have had the accident, and Will could have been seriously injured, or worse,” Megan said.
“You’re right, but even so, I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that once I was well enough to return to Lancaster County, I discovered Mark and Regina Stoltzfus had moved and taken my boy.”
“There must have been a good reason for them moving, Frank. What I don’t understand is why they didn’t leave word with a neighbor or someone who could tell you where they’d moved.”
“It’s never made any sense to me either. The only conclusion I could come to is that Mark and Regina moved on purpose so they could raise Will as their son. So they’d never have to see me again.”
Megan gasped. “Do you really think that’s why they moved?”
He nodded. “What other reason would there be for them not leaving word so I could find Will when I returned?”
“I…I don’t know.”
“When I went back to their farm and discovered someone else was living there, neither the English couple who’d bought the farm nor any of the neighbors knew where Mark and Regina had moved.”
“I can only imagine how defeated you must have felt.” Megan gave Frank’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I’m still amazed that you were able to rise above your circumstances and establish your own trucking business.”
“That didn’t happen overnight, Megan. I spent a couple of years wallowing in self-pity, barely able to hold on to my job.”
“But you did finally make something of yourself, and that’s what counts.”
He clasped her hand. “Meeting you changed my life. If you hadn’t been working at that truck stop where I stopped to eat supper, I’d probably still be trying to drown my sorrows. You gave me the strength to go on. You gave me the courage to start up my own business.” He leaned his head on her shoulder. “I promise I’ll try to be in a better mood this holiday season—for you and for the girls.”
“Did you enjoy your birthday party?” Karen asked as she and Will headed toward her place in his buggy.
He nodded. “I don’t know how you and Mama Regina pulled it off, but it sure was a surprise.”
“We women have our ways,” she said with a giggle.
“I especially liked the pocket watch you gave me. That was thoughtful.”
“I know you lost your old pocket watch not long ago, and since I don’t want you to be late for our wedding, I figured I’d better buy you a new one.”
He reached across the seat and took hold of her hand. “Speaking of the wedding, are you sure you don’t mind us living at my folks’ place after we’re married?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. Since you help your daed with the dairy cows and sometimes help your mamm in the health food store, it’ll be easier for you to keep doing that with us living close by.”
“That’s true, and since my folks’ bedroom is downstairs, we’ll have the whole upstairs to ourselves. It’ll almost be like having a
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