Virginia closed her eyes, trying to remember if there had been any good Christmases when she was a girl. Maybe a few when her dad was sober. She’d had some fairly decent holidays when her first husband was alive too, but they’d been few and far between. For the most part, Virginia’s life had been full of challenges and lots of mistakes.
Pushing her negative thoughts away, Virginia glanced out the front window at her Amish neighbors’ house. No colored lights there, that was for sure. It hadn’t taken her long to learn that the Plain people didn’t celebrate Christmas with flashy decorations on the outside of their homes.
She poked her tongue against the inside of her cheek. Probably no trees or ornaments of any kind inside the house either.
Two days ago, Virginia had seen a van pull into the Kings’ yard. She’d been curious to see how many people had come to visit, but with the snow blowing she couldn’t see well enough to make out much at all. The van had left a short time later, and Virginia didn’t know if the people it had brought to the Kings’ were still at the house. For all she knew, they’d come and gone already. It wasn’t snowing at the moment, though, so she left her seat on the couch and went to peer out the front window.
Earl would call me snoopy if he caught me doing this, Virginia thought as she picked up the pair of binoculars she’d bought him for Christmas. Truth was, the gift was more for her than Earl, since she was home most of the time while he was in Lancaster selling cars at the dealership where he’d been hired earlier this year.
Moving closer to the window, and holding the binoculars up to her face, she saw two Amish buggies parked near the house. They have company, of course. I think those people get more company than I’ve had in my entire forty-seven years.
Virginia spotted an Amish woman step out of the phone shed and walk up to the house. No doubt one of those King women, either making a phone call or checking for messages.
She set the field glasses down and went out on the front porch for a breath of fresh air and a better look at the weather. Winter was not her favorite time of the year, but the one good thing about it was that the greenhouse across the road was closed, bringing less traffic noise and smelly horse manure. The sign out by the Kings’ driveway even said: Closed for the Winter.
Of course, she reminded herself, it’ll open up again in the spring, and everything that irritates me about living here will start all over. One thing for sure—Virginia wasn’t about to go over there in the spring and buy anymore plants. The tomato plants she’d put in last year had both died; although that wasn’t the Kings’ fault. If she did decide to grow a garden next year, however, she would get everything she needed from the new greenhouse on the other side of town. At least she could relate to those folks a little better, since they weren’t Amish. Virginia had absolutely nothing in common with their neighbors across the road.
A frigid breeze blew under the porch roof, causing Virginia to shiver and rub her arms. I was stupid for comin’ out here without a coat. I need to get back inside where it’s warm.
When Virginia entered the house, she found Earl still asleep, only now his snoring had increased. In fact, the whole room seemed to vibrate with the aggravating rumble.
Irritated, Virginia marched across the room and picked up the remote. When a channel came on to a game show, she cranked up the volume.
A split second later, Earl came awake. “Hey, what’s going on? Why’s the TV blaring like that, Virginia?”
“Nothing’s going on. I figured it was time for you to wake up. Thought I’d slice that pumpkin pie I bought at the local bakery the other day. Would you like a piece, Earl?”
He yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “Yeah, I guess so.” He got up and snatched the remote from her hands. “I’ll find us something decent to watch while you get the dessert ready.”
“Okay, sure…since you asked so nice.” Virginia limped out of the room. That cold air she’d subjected herself to had not done her bum leg any good. No doubt some arthritis had set in to the area where her old injury had been.
Virginia entered the kitchen and took out the pie, when she heard some Christmas music coming from the living room. She figured Earl must have found some sentimental holiday movie to watch on TV, where everything would come out perfectly in the end. If only real life was like that.
“Earl might be satisfied with watching some make-believe story, but not me,” she mumbled. I’m lonely and bored out of my mind living here in the middle of Amish country. Sure wish there was some way I could talk Earl into moving back to Chicago. At least there I had a few friends who seemed to actually care about me.
Virginia cut the pie and placed two pieces on plates. Maybe one of these days I’ll get a bus ticket and go back to Chicago for a visit with my friend Stella. It would sure beat stickin’ around here all the time.
By eight o’clock, both babies had been fed and put in their cribs, and even Allen and Angela Mary were winding down.
Henry hadn’t come down from his room to join the board games being played in the dining room, and Sylvia couldn’t blame him. Regrettably, Monroe was still here, sitting beside Mom at the table as they played a game of Uno with Jared, Amy, Ezekiel, and Michelle. Sylvia had played a few hands with them, but as fatigue set in, she’d moved into the living room to read to her son and niece, choosing a storybook written for young children. The pictures with the story helped to hold the youngsters’ interest.
By the time she’d reached the last page of the book, Allen had dozed off and Angela Mary’s eyes appeared droopy. Sylvia was tempted to let Michelle know that her daughter looked ready for bed, but she didn’t want to interrupt the game everyone else seemed to be enjoying. Apparently, they had all accepted Monroe’s presence and perhaps even appreciated his company. Either that or they were too caught up in the game to be irritated with the sappy expression on his face whenever he looked at Mom.
I need to quit fretting about this, Sylvia told herself as she picked Allen up and rose from the couch. She would put him to bed and then come back down to say goodnight to the others and let Michelle know that Angela Mary was now lying on the couch.
After Sylvia got Allen tucked into bed, and she’d checked on Rachel, she went across the hall and tapped on Henry’s door. Since she saw a shadow of light coming from under the door, she figured her brother probably wasn’t asleep.
“Who’s there?” Henry called.
“It’s me, Sylvia. Is it okay if I come in?”
“Jah, sure.”
Sylvia opened the door. When she stepped inside, she found Henry on the bed, propped up with two pillows behind his back. “What are you up to?” she questioned.
“Just doin’ some reading.” He lifted the magazine in his hands.
“What’s it about?” Sylvia hoped it wasn’t the car magazine Amy had told her she’d caught him reading a few months ago.
“It’s a bird magazine, and there’s an article about our area, with a list of interesting facts concernin’ the birds we could likely find here.”
Even though Henry’s room was dimly lit, Sylvia saw excitement on his face. “You’re pretty enthused about bird-watching, huh?”