Chapter 10

Chapter 10

T he quilting room was busy all day long. Women came in and out, some learning, some teaching, as they went about making the nine-patch quilt. The panels were made with small squares sewed together to make one big square, row after row, when the whole thing was finished. It was a simple and age-old pattern, but with all the many floral patterns and colors, and several people working, it was coming together nicely.

"A people quilt," Sarah said with glee. "Made by many hands."

"Connected hands," Kayla's mother said as they finished their parts. "We've done more in two days than most do in a month. It's not perfect, but it's a gift, a peace offering that we hope will make a gut impression on those who can't seem to see the light."

The few women left nodded their heads. It seemed to Kayla that with quilting came talk of marriage, family, children, and husbands. Some serious and some teasing. Every woman who'd participated in making these patterns and patches loved her life even with the ups and downs.

She thought of Mamm and Daed, and again thanked Gott for their loving, gentle ways. And she thought of Lucas, and what a gut daed he'd be one day.

Then she went back to work on the quilt.

Kayla had cut, trimmed, and measured with rulers, and she'd learned more about quilting than she'd ever thought possible. Miriam and the G-Sisters, Gayle and Gloria, ran a tight quilting schedule. They could pin and sew panels faster than a cowboy could lasso a horse.

Tomorrow, the wedding and the family reunion would happen, but the weather had changed and the snow was coming down again in thick flakes.

Becky came hurrying in. "I don't think people will be able to make it here. I keep hearing the roads are closing, people are getting stuck, and well—"

"It will all be as it should be," Mamm said. "The plows are out night and day."

"Cella is right," Sarah said, her hand moving over the colorful patterns that seemed to ripple like a lake wave. "Marriage is about two lives becoming one. I know brides expect pretty weddings, even in winter. But the most important part of the ceremony is when you and your husband agree to follow your faith and to live in a way Gott will approve."

Becky glanced out the window where snow had gathered on the sill like puffy cotton. "I'm worried about the safety of people out there in the storm, but ja , I want a nice wedding, too."

"We will move your wedding inside if this keeps up," Sarah replied.

Mamm nodded and touched Becky's sleeve. "You knew that a Christmas wedding could be iffy because of the weather, liebling . We also have an inside plan if all else fails, and we made that plan for this very reason."

Kayla couldn't speak, but they had warned Becky over and over she'd be taking a risk by planning a winter wedding. She'd been too stubborn to consider all that could go wrong, and now it was too late to have regrets. Because things were definitely going wrong.

Especially because the Myer family reunion still had to take place in part of the big lobby. An inside wedding would mean they'd be near Lucas and his family at the same time as the reunion dinner. No way to keep their grossdaddis apart. Her daed had rented that big tent, but with the weather, it would be hard to enjoy being inside a tent, heaters or no heaters.

"Where will you put everyone?" Becky asked, clearly struggling not to have a bridal meltdown.

"We will make room in the lobby and the café," Sarah said. "Just as we explained. You'll have plenty of room for your guests, Becky. You were wise to invite mostly family. At least you know they've arrived in town."

"But getting them here might be a problem," Mamm said. "It's about a mile walk and hard on some in the snow."

"I should have paid more attention to the possibility of complications," Becky admitted, her tone low. "But you are correct. I just want to be married to Jason, so I'll keep thinking about that. We are safe and we have food. And this place is beautiful, no matter what." Then she lifted her chin. "And the café has doors we can close off from the rest of the lobby."

"That's the best attitude," Mamm said, making a face at the door comment. Then she nudged Becky. "And think of the romantic walks you and Jason can take after the wedding is over and the food has been served."

"That would be nice," Becky said. "I don't want my pretty cape to go to waste."

"Nothing will go to waste as long as you and Jason love each other," Mamm said.

Kayla's heart skipped a beat with that advice. She and Lucas kept worrying about what could go wrong. Maybe they should focus on what might go right instead. She said a swift silent prayer, turning her worries over to the Lord.

Becky nodded to them and went back upstairs with her friends. Kayla had wanted to comfort her sister earlier, but she'd been too worried about their grossdaddi and Lucas's family. Now, after praying, she reminded herself that things had settled a bit after Abe had taken charge of the two old men, and Sarah had taken on the task of keeping Cella and Dina together in the quilt room as much as possible. Her mother and Lucas's mamm had become tentative friends. But the families had also avoided being in the café or lobby together. She could only imagine what might go wrong if they had to share the space for hours during a snowstorm.

Trust.

She heard that word as clearly as if it had been spoken to her.

Trust.

Perhaps the only way to convince their families to forgive and forget would be to get them into the same space and make them stay there and enjoy not only their own festivities, but each other's, too. What better way to replace guests who couldn't make it to either event?

Put them together and share one big meal with both families.

It would have to work. One way or another.

She hurried to find Lucas. They would need to be prepared for this.

She was fast learning to be prepared for everything in life.

A lesson her elders should know but had been ignoring out of pride and anger. And another reminder that Gott was in the details of everything.

She rushed out of the quilt room so quickly, she almost ran into Henry Cooper. "Oh, excuse me," he said, holding his hands out to protect himself. "Where's the fire?"

Kayla stopped and took a deep breath. Henry always dressed in a suit and tie and looked like someone from the old movies she'd watched at an Englisch friend's house once.

Taking a breath in, she blurted out her fears. "Because of the snow, we might all wind up in this lobby and the café across the hallway, Henry. And you know what that means."

"Fewer leftovers," he quipped. Then he stood back and nodded. "I do know what that means, but the staff here is used to things changing rather quickly, Kayla. You should have been here last year. We had a newborn, a dad lost in the snow, and a bus full of strangers spending Christmas here wherever they could find a place to lay their heads. But we got a Christmas birth out of it, and two marriages, and two new cooks, not to mention we found the dad and he got here just in time to see his son being born, a son that was named after a variation of the three husbands of the King sisters—Liam John Kauffman. Levi, Matthew, and Jonah. His young parents were so appreciative, they moved close by, and now Simon works for the inn as a maintenance man and carpenter as needed. And it doesn't end there. The mama's parents didn't like him as her husband, so they weren't speaking to their daughter. But we found a way to get them here and they all made up, for the child's sake. Leah was so happy to see her family. Now they come and visit often."

He stopped and took a breath. "Whew. That was a lot to tell you, right there."

Kayla stared over at the dapper man who'd been so kind to her family. "Henry, you should write a book one day about this place."

"I just might do that," he said with a chuckle. "The things I've heard and seen here could fill two or three books." Then he leaned close. "I found my true love here during that time, too. Our first anniversary is coming up in February."

"You make a gut point," Kayla said, her head spinning. "What a Christmas that must have been, with so much happening and so much love and grace. I hope this one can top it."

"Only if we do our best to prepare and trust," he said. "Trust in the Lord." He nodded. "I'm off to check on the piano. I play at my church, and I need to practice a bit before I'm standing in front of a huge Christmas crowd. If I can even get back home, that is. Marcy might have to hire a sleigh and horses to get me home."

Kayla smiled. "You said you got married last February."

"Valentine's Day. Yep, I met Marcy right here," he said, his dark eyes wrinkling with a big smile. "She came off the bus and walked through those very doors and I was as smitten as a kitten."

Kayla shook her head. "I can see why all the guests love you, Henry. And you play the piano, too. Can I listen in? I love to sing. I go to singings all the time and sometimes sing solo in church."

"You can most certainly sit in," Henry replied. "The piano is in the corner of the café and we rarely use it."

Kayla couldn't believe there was a real piano here. "How did I miss that?"

"We keep it hidden. You know, you Amish don't go for such."

"I'd still like to see one," she whispered. "I won't tell if you don't."

Henry made a sign to show his lips were sealed. "Shall we?"

They hurried to the far side of the big rectangular café. The whole place was empty right now, but the fireplace on this side of the inn glowed brightly and felt warm.

Henry kept an eye on the front desk as he tested the keys and fiddled with his song sheet. "Do you know ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem'?"

Kayla nodded. "In Englisch and Deutsch."

"Let's start with English," Henry said, laughing.

He went over the keys, playing the song, then nodded and started playing for her to sing along.

Kayla's heart lifted with each word. She hadn't had time to think about singing at all this week, but now the words telling the story of the Savior's birth filled her soul with peace and contentment. What did she have to worry about? Her family loved her and she came from a wunderbar home. She must stop fretting about everything here, especially the things that she couldn't control and had no part of. Thankful for her life, she sang from her heart, her eyes closed in reverent happiness.

At some point, Henry stopped playing the piano, but Kayla kept singing. She realized this was her gift, her release from stress, her way of communicating with and honoring the Lord.

When she opened her eyes to smile at Henry, she noticed a crowd had gathered just inside the double doors of the café.

And Lucas was amongst that crowd with a proud smile on his face and a deep understanding in his dark eyes. At that exact moment Kayla knew she'd fallen for him. Did it matter how or if it was too soon? Did it matter that they had many issues blocking their way?

Neh . She'd find a way. With Gott's help, she'd find a way.

Suddenly, she understood the word trust. As her voice lifted to finish the old hymn, her confidence grew, and she concluded with a flourish of joy mixed with humility.

She turned to Henry. " Denke ."

"My pleasure," he said, clapping along with the others. "You have a gift, Kayla."

Everyone, from the kitchen staff to her mamm to Lucas's mamm , clapped their hands and smiled.

It was a moment she'd never forget. And she hoped that if their grossdaddis had heard her song, they'd stop and think about what they needed to do to make this a special Christmas.

They needed to trust and obey.

She needed to do the same.

* * *

Lucas rushed to her and took her hand. "That was so beautiful."

Kayla lowered her head, embarrassed now. "I rarely do that."

"What? Sing like a sweet bird?"

"Sing in front of people," she admitted. "Each time I sing at a gathering, I get so nervous I almost make myself ill. But today, it was different."

"Today, you sang for Gott," Lucas replied. "And I had the honor of hearing you." He checked behind them. "We all did. The staff stopped everything and came out here to see and hear you."

"I had no idea anyone would notice," she admitted. "But I did shut my eyes in case." Her stomach still had a few butterflies, but her heart flowed with joy and acceptance. And that trust everyone kept mentioning.

"You should keep your eyes open when you sing," Lucas said. "You have pretty eyes. They tell me so many things."

" Denke ," she replied, waving to the others as they went back to work while she wondered what he saw in her eyes. Her love for him? Or her fear for their future?

Mamm and Dina walked up to them. Daed stood off by the fire and didn't speak, but his eyes were moist. Had she moved her stoic, quiet father?

"Kayla, that was lovely," Dina said, her eyes on her son. "Lucas told me you have a beautiful singing voice."

Mamm touched Kayla's cheek with her hand. "My precious songbird. You have to quit hiding your gift, Kayla."

"I feel too jittery," Kayla admitted. "But I'll try to get over that now."

Mamm nodded. "Your daed and Claude were outside, but they came in and caught the last of your song. Surely you can sing some other hymns for us."

"Maybe when we get home," she said, not liking all the attention she was getting. But she had enjoyed singing and right now, she for certain sure enjoyed the way Lucas looked at her. He didn't know her true feelings, however. Looking was one thing. Loving was quite another.

She could imagine singing while washing dishes, with him holding her close, her back against his chest, as they finished the day together.

Would that dream come true one day?