Chapter 7

Chapter 7

T hree dozen sugar cookies and a lot of messy icing later, the café grew quiet again. Colette and her husband Matthew had taken the kinner for a quick buggy ride along the path that had been cleared in the apple orchard, each child munching on a messy cookie. Eliza and her older sister Abigail were in the kitchen supervising the lobster bisque and freshly baked cornbread.

Kayla sat in a chair by the fireplace, staring at the book she was pretending to read. Becky was upstairs with her friends, who'd arrived after being delayed by the heavy snow, and Mamm was talking to Miriam and the other taskmaster of the kitchen, Edith. Miriam had explained they were both retired, and she helped out with Levi's mamm , who needed assistance at times.

"But we both kumm back to help during the holidays. We love being in on the action."

Happy there wasn't any action right now, Kayla sat warm and sleepy, hoping Lucas would walk back in and talk to her. He'd left to help Eliza's husband, Levi, in the stables since the weather was getting worse. Lucas liked to stay busy, and he knew a lot about horses and farming. She'd seen him talking to Abe King, the patriarch of the inn's working family. Even though he was quiet and studious, Lucas could talk to anyone. She wished she could be more outgoing like her sister, but Kayla just didn't have it in her to show off or act out. Lucas accepted that, rather than teasing her or trying to get her to change. Right now, she had to wonder if she could learn to stand up for herself more and be firm, but kind, when dealing with controversy.

She watched as Sarah King, the mother of the three sisters, came strolling through the big lobby, where leather chairs sat near floral sofas and the fire and kaffe were always going strong. Sarah had a serene aura about her. Surprised to see her own mamm following Sarah, she waved to them.

"Hi, Kayla," Sarah said. "I was just about to show your mamm the quilts in the library and explain how each of my daughters made them with help from all of us. Would you like to join us?"

Kayla put her book on the table and nodded as she hurried across the big room. As she crossed the lobby, the desk clerk, Henry Cooper, waved to her. Although he was Englisch and had recently remarried, he loved his job; his new wife helped out at the front desk and the café on a part-time basis.

Sarah smiled as Kayla entered the cozy little room. "I see you're enjoying some of our books."

"I am," she said. "Although that fire was trying to lull me to sleep."

"We all need a nap after that cookie contest," Mamm said. "I hear you and Lucas had the idea to hold these competitions."

Heat burned across Kayla's cheeks. "We're trying to end the Myer-Hollinger feud. But I'm afraid it is bigger than the both of us."

"Don't give up," Sarah said as they stood looking over the quilts that told the stories of her daughters and their true loves. "These quilts are a testament to staying the course and waiting for the Lord. Each panel and pattern was stitched with grit, determination, forgiveness, and love."

As Sarah explained how Abigail had found Jonah, and Levi had returned for Eliza, and Matthew and Colette had almost lost each other, other women came slipping into the room. Berneta Myer stood off to the side with Lucas's mamm , Dina, and even Becky and her friends rushed in to stand beside Kayla.

Then Abigail, Eliza, and Colette each came in. The room was soon full of laughing, sighing women. When Sarah had finished, with comments from all of her daughters, Miriam stuck her head in the door.

"I suggest the Myer women and the Hollinger women make a quilt together, to show what they remember about the gut in their families."

At first, Berneta Myer looked pale. Then she cleared her throat and sighed. "They say this started with me, but I know for a fact that Ethel had a crush on Claude, and he did walk out with her a few times. He could never make up his mind, so I made the decision to help him. I loved Claude and I loved Tobias. I prayed and told the Lord I would take whichever one came to me first and told me he loved me. They were both gut men but I knew my friend Ethel had an eye for Claude and they'd make a good match. Tobias came to me first, but that made Claude mad. Ethel and I talked it out. She loved Claude, and now she had an opening to tell him her true feelings. She didn't pursue him. She waited until he came to her. And they fell in love. We both found gut matches. End of story."

"Did you ever try to explain that to the men?" Sarah asked.

"We did. We tried several times, but they'd only wind up in an argument every time we sat them down together. Ethel and I decided this fight wasn't about us. It was about the two of them wanting to be the first to get to anything. New wives, new equipment, a new barn, a new milk cow. They had an ongoing competition."

"And they still do, obviously," Kayla said. "Maybe our idea was a bad one."

" Neh ," Berneta said. "It's a perfect time for them to see that even though they are elders now, they are still acting like teenagers during their Rumspringa." She sighed. "It's complicated."

"Why is love so complicated?" Becky asked, her blue eyes on the quilts. "It's plain as day on these quilts. The patterns are like photographs and they explain things." She smiled at the King sisters. "You three figured it out."

"It took a lot of prayers and listening to advice we didn't want to hear," Abigail said. "But Mamm always told us to remember Gott's will, and so we abide by that."

Miriam snorted. "Men sometimes don't see things in the same way as women. Don't get me wrong. We love our men, but . . . we have to show them the way at times."

Dina huffed. "And sometimes, people can't see the forest for the trees." She glanced at Kayla. "You are a sweet woman and Lucas is smitten with you. And that makes me happy. I am proud of you two for trying to mend this situation, but I don't want either of you to get hurt in doing so."

Kayla's mamm , Cella, lifted her chin. "Dina and I have been talking and we have a lot in common. It's a shame we can't all be friends. We only have three days left here together." Then she glanced at the quilts. "But we've wasted so much time all these years. I've prayed Tobias and Claude would make peace with each other before it's too late. I know my mother-in-law wanted that, too."

Berneta stepped forward. "I agree, Cella. I think we're all here for a reason, and I believe Kayla and Lucas have the right idea. We are gathered here together, for two very important events—a wedding and a reunion. What better time than Christmas to merge the two and find some peace? Ethel died wondering if Claude loved her as much as he loved me, but she and I wrote letters back and forth for years and I assured her that Claude loved her with a deep abiding love."

"If you had it to do over again, would you do it any differently?" Kayla asked Berneta.

The older woman stood, petite but with a ramrod-straight backbone. " Neh, child. I'd not change a thing. I love Tobias, even when he's acting daft in the head. And I'd like to have this feud forgiven and over with before I go to meet my maker."

Miriam clapped her hands together. "Then we just make another quilt, ladies. Not faceless Amish couples falling in love, but a quilt that shows two families gathering together in peace and joy, with gut tidings for all. Or something like that."

"I like that idea," Berneta said, tears in her eyes. "But we don't have much time."

"Many hands," Sarah said. "If we start today, we have two days before the big events. We can take turns making small panels, and if we don't get the rest done before you all leave on Sunday, my daughters and I will finish it later, but we will display the panels and let everyone see what it can become. Kayla, if you don't mind, instead of racing on the sleds, let this be our next competition. We won't fight like the men have been doing. We'll take turns and get as much done as possible and if we aren't finished—"

"We'll explain the rest," Berneta said. "Something I should have done a long time ago. We will tell our men they need to make the future better." She glanced at Kayla. "For those who take over our family legacies and carry them to the next generation. For those who will add their own panels."

Kayla's eyes misted with tears. " Ja , I like that idea. And while we are all quilting, Lucas can find a way to bring the men together to talk this out, I hope. He can go ahead with the sled races, I reckon."

"I'm sure our husbands can help with that," Abigail replied.

Becky made a face. "I'd hate to be in charge of that group."

Sarah's soft smile beamed. "I'll put my husband, Abe, in charge of the menfolk. He has a way of getting his point across."

"True, that," Abigail said, giggling. "Just ask Jonah."

"Or Levi," Eliza added.

"And especially Mattie," Colette said.

Those comments made everyone laugh.

"So we have a plan," Sarah said. "Now, I'll see you all at supper. That lobster bisque is going to hit the spot."

"I hope that will be the only thing hitting the spot. No food fights," Berneta replied, her sharp gaze moving over the room.

"I hope that, too," Kayla said. "For Lucas's sake if nothing else."

* * *

After Abigail put up a pretty flyer in the lobby, inviting lunch and supper guests to join those staying at the lodge to make quilt patterns for a very special project, and then announced it again at supper that night, they had a dozen or so women wanting to help out. Some were locals who could walk home through the snow; others were staying in nearby hotels but loved coming to the inn for meals.

Miriam announced she was in charge, and everyone followed her to the quilting room after dessert at the noonday dinner. Gayle and Gloria would help, too. They were expert quilters, and after witnessing their stance at the cookie decorating task, no one would tell them they couldn't help.

Even Becky fell into step with Kayla. "I've got a lot to think about, but all the wedding arrangements are finished. I had so much help, and you did your part, Sister. So I shall return the favor to you."

"Very kind," Kayla replied. Then she stopped and took her sister's hands in hers. "I'm glad we're friends again."

"Me, too," Becky said. "I've been a real pill and I'm sorry."

"All is forgiven," Kayla told her. "I don't want us to be like our grossdaddi and never forgive each other."

"I agree, and I'm so happy about you and Lucas. No matter what, he seems like a nice fellow and you two make the cutest couple." She nudged Kayla in the ribs. "Maybe we'll be back here next year for your wedding."

"Don't get carried away," Kayla replied even as that image floated across her mind. "Lucas and I want to let our relationship ripen and grow over the next few months. Long distance until we can meet again."

"Then let's make a quilt that might change your life." Becky dragged her toward the big room near the kitchen and soon they'd both picked out floral patterns that represented the four seasons. Spring, summer, fall, and winter.

Sarah and her sister Miriam (the one who seemed to think she was in charge) explained what they wanted to create.

Sarah spoke to the women. "We want the patterns of life to be on this quilt. It will represent families and kinner and life—the kind of life that brings us to this season and our plain, quiet—well, mostly quiet—Christmas celebrations."

The women in the room laughed and chatted at that comment, nodding their heads.

Sarah allowed them a chuckle and then continued. "We want to paint a picture from a woman's perspective, a gentle, soft, kind picture of how we rejoice even when we are suffering. Gott doesn't want us to rejoice because of suffering; he wants us to rejoice despite suffering. To remember even with bad things happening, there is still something to celebrate in life as long as we have family and faith."

Kayla heard a few "Amens" from the Englisch women and saw some of the Amish women lowering their heads in silence.

Then Miriam said, "Let the quilting begin. Pick your pattern."

After that, laughter and teasing and chattering filled the room all day, even after the last of the sun's feeble rays pushed through the snow clouds and fell across the treetops, causing the snow to sparkle in a golden-pink hue that became a quilt pattern covering the earth much in the same way that their hasty quilt making was completing a story of its own.