A Clean Break (Gay Amish Romance Book 2) (27 page)

“Hello?” He paused. “June, are you there?”

“No. It’s me.”

Heart swooping, David steadied himself with a hand against the wall. “Anna?”

“Yes.”

His breath was stuck in his throat, and his head felt light. He’d left the door open in the foggy morning to get some air inside, and he blinked at the wet pavement as rain splashed into a puddle.

“David? Are you there?” Her voice went distant. “June, am I doing this right?”

“Yes! Anna, I’m here.” He inhaled deeply. “I’m here. It’s so good to hear your voice. I’m so glad you called. Are you all right? Do you all have enough food? What about the hospital bills? Is there enough money? There’s more coming, and—”

“David, stop. We’re fine. You wouldn’t believe how much money people from all over have mailed us after Mrs. Byler wrote the article in the paper. We’re still getting checks and cash from Indiana and Ohio and even Canada. Besides, we’re not helpless, you know.”

Relief surged through him. “I know, but…you’re not just saying that?”

“When have I ever just said something?”

He smiled. “Never.”

“Money’s always going to be hard here. We’ll survive. You’ve already done more than most people would.”

“Not enough. Are you sure you’re all right? When I didn’t hear from you…”

“I’m sorry it took so long. Eli caught me coming out of June’s driveway when I visited before. Of course he told Mother. She’s barely let me out of her sight since. Makes me read aloud from the Bible every night, or sometimes the stories in the dusty old copies of
Family Life
we still have.”

“Let me guess—especially the ones about how Amish parents and the church are always right, and children who disobey learn this in the end and regret their misdeeds.”

Anna laughed. “Those are the ones.”

Closing his eyes, David leaned against the wall. To hear his sister’s laughter again made his throat swell. “I miss you so much, Anna. How’s Mary? What about the girls?” It was safer to ask about them first.

“The girls are fine. They’re sad that you’re gone, of course. Mary’s…quiet. At first I tried to get her to talk about it, but she kept asking why Isaac would leave, and what she’d done to drive him away.”

He ached to hear it, and tried to think of something to say. There was nothing. He’d helped break his sister’s heart.

For a moment, Anna’s voice was thick with emotion. “I hate seeing her so sad. She deserves to be happy. Jacob Miller is dying to drive her home from the singings, but she says no. I asked her why, and she gives excuses. I know it’s because she’s secretly hoping Isaac will come back.”

“Oh, Mary.”

“She’s not like us, David. The plain life makes her happy. She’ll be a good Amish woman. But right now when I talk to her about Jacob she only wants to know what was wrong with her that Isaac didn’t love her.”

David’s stomach churned. He was afraid to ask. “What did you say?”

“Not the truth. Don’t worry, David. I wouldn’t tell her that.”

Did Anna really know? His heart galloped. “Anna…” He opened and closed his mouth.

“I know you and Isaac love each other.”

Blood rushed in his ears. Isaac and June had been right. “How? When?”

“I had a feeling, but I knew for sure one day when I came to refill the water pitcher and heard you two in one of the stalls.”

No, no, no
. Shame burned through him that his sister had heard such things. “I’m so sorry.”

“I’m not. Everything
finally
made sense. I could never really understand you before. After that I started shouting when I came out.”

He remembered her voice lilting toward the barn, calling their names as she made her way. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything.”

“You’re not…you don’t think it’s a sin?” He gripped the phone.

“Do you?” she asked simply.

“I don’t know. I mean, I
know
it is, but it doesn’t feel that way.” He shook his head, and then remembered she couldn’t see him. “I hope it isn’t.”

“Everything’s a sin anyway. You might as well be happy.”

David had to laugh. Typical Anna in her blunt way. She made it sound so easy. “God, I miss you. Don’t let Mother hear you talk like that.”

“I won’t, don’t worry. And I keep my English magazines hidden. Jeremiah’s Sarah gets them from her older brother sometimes, and she passes them on to me. I’ve learned that English girls worry a lot about getting the right prom dress. Whatever that means. Someday I’d like to dress up in something fancy.”

“Some day you will. I promise.” The Amish life wouldn’t be the one for Anna. He felt it so surely.

“You bet I will. How’s Isaac?”

“He’s good. Busy.” Isaac was studying so much for tests that David had hardly seen him that week. “He’s going to school. Do you know we’re living with his brother Aaron and his wife?”

“June told me. Mother wouldn’t let us see your letter. They sound really nice. I’m so happy you got out. So glad you said no to the church.” She laughed. “At first I couldn’t believe my ears when you said it. But after you and Isaac ran out, I really enjoyed the look on the preachers’ faces. I thought Deacon Stoltzfus’s head was going to actually burst into flames. His face was so red.”

Goose bumps spread over David’s arms. “I can imagine. He’s never liked me. Not after…”

“Not after Joshua. You can say it. And yeah, he’s not keen on any of our family right now I don’t think. Ugh, I hate him and his beady eyes. He’s always staring daggers at Ephraim too.”

“Isaac’s brother?”

“Uh-huh. He drives me home from the singings now that he’s a youngie.”

“Wait…you’re
dating
Ephraim?” Protectiveness surged through him. Ephraim had better behave.

Anna chuckled. “Not really. We talk about you and Isaac, and about all the things we hate in Zebulon. I expected him to start dating Hannah Lambright, but she’s almost going steady with David Raber. So Ephraim and I decided that he’ll drive me, and we won’t have to worry about dating anyone else since we’re not staying much longer anyway.”

“You’re not?” His voice rose. “What are you planning? Where are you going?”

“We don’t know yet. We have to wait until we’re eighteen, and Ephraim just turned seventeen. If we go before then, the police could bring us back. It’s better to wait.”

“Whenever you’re ready, we’ll help you. You and Ephraim could come out here if you want. Just call, and we’ll work it out. Anna—” His throat closed. “You know I only want you to be happy, right? All of you. Whatever you choose.”

“I know. I don’t want to leave Mary until she’s settled. I’m hoping soon she’ll be dating Jacob.”

“That’s Mervin’s older brother, right?” He seemed a decent young man. David hadn’t ever talked to him much, but hadn’t heard anything bad.

“Yes. He’s had his eye on her for ages. You probably didn’t notice because you were too busy mooning over Isaac.” She laughed. “Lucky for you people here don’t seem to even think such a thing could exist in Zebulon.”

A thought tugged at David’s mind. “Did you tell Ephraim? About Isaac and me?” He wasn’t sure how Isaac would take that.

“No. I can’t promise that I won’t at some point, but it hasn’t occurred to him at all yet. I don’t know how he’d react. He’s very angry that Isaac hasn’t written him.”

“He did! More than once. Didn’t Ephraim get the letters?”

She huffed. “I should have known. I’ll tell him next Sunday, although things are already tense at home for him. The Bylers aren’t too happy he’s supposedly dating me. Not that Mother is any more pleased about it. This town can’t decide which of you is more to blame for deserting Zebulon and all things holy. So many whispers. Mother is certain Isaac led you astray, and of course the Bylers are sure of the opposite. If they knew the truth I honestly think they might lose their minds.”

“They can never find out.
Never
. Anna, you know how much it would hurt them. I can’t do that to Mother. And if Mary knew about me and Isaac…” He started pacing.

“I know,” Anna said softly. “I won’t tell. I promise. I’ll only tell Ephraim if I have to—and only if I know I can trust him completely.”

“All right.”

“About Mother…there’s something else I need to tell you.”

Panic gripped him. “Is she ill? Did something happen?”
What if her leg didn’t heal right? What if there was something else wrong with her after the accident and the doctors missed it? What if—

“It’s nothing like that. She’s much better now. Honestly, David. She’s walking a bit more every day. She still gets really tired, but she’s all right. I promise.”

He breathed deeply, running his fingertips over the top of the worktable and through the sawdust scattered there. “Okay.”

“It’s about her and Eli. They published on Sunday. The wedding’s next Thursday.”

“Oh.” It was what he’d hoped for, wasn’t it? “I…is she happy? Is this what she wants?”

“It is. You remember before that she liked him? After you left he practically moved in. He’s a good man, and she needs him. I think he needs her too. He was lonely on that farm all by himself, with his children grown and his wife long dead now. He was going to move into a
dawdy haus
attached to his son’s place, but now he’s staying put. We’re moving to his house after the wedding. Mother’s selling our farm to Joseph Yoder. He just married Josiah’s Naomi, so they’re moving out of his parents’ house.”

It was strange to think of another family living there and working in his barn. “Are you taking Kaffi?”

“Of course. He misses you, by the way. I make sure to give him plenty of treats.”

David smiled softly. “Thank you. How do you feel about moving?”

“I don’t really have a choice, so there’s no point in being upset. His house is nice enough. Practically the same as ours. Mary and I will have our own room. No more sharing with the little ones at least.”

“I thought after I left that Mary might take my room. She’s the oldest.”

Anna snorted. “Are you kidding? Mother’s been keeping it as a shrine to you, along with setting your place at the table every day. She’s convinced if she prays hard enough, you’ll come back and tell her how right she was all along. We had to put up a fight to get the room at Eli’s, but thankfully he was on our side. She wanted to keep one empty for you.”

David choked down the swell of sick guilt. He whispered, “I wish I could make her understand. I wish…”

“Wishing won’t change anything. You should still write her again. It makes her happy to know you’re all right, even if her reply doesn’t sound like it.”

“I will.”

“I’ll try to call before too long. I should get back home. Tell Isaac I said hi, and so does Ephraim. Well, like I said, Ephraim’s pretty mad at him, but don’t tell Isaac that. I’ll explain to Ephraim that Isaac did write him. That’ll help.”

“Thank you for calling.” He hesitated. “I know we don’t say these things often, but I love you. I love you all.”

She sniffled. “Me too. Goodbye.”

“Bye.” He tapped the red button.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there staring at the dark screen before he called Isaac. He held his breath as it rang, willing Isaac to pick up.

“Hello—”

“Isaac! You won’t believe who called.”

“—I cannot answer the phone right now, so please leave me a message when it beeps. Thank you.”

Beep
. After a moment David realized he needed to say something. “It’s only me. It’s nothing—I’m sorry to bother you at school. I’ll talk to you later.” He turned off his phone.

It was nonsense to be upset that Isaac didn’t answer. He was busy at school, and he’d told David before that he turned off the ringing during the day. They both had responsibilities, and David couldn’t expect Isaac to always answer, even for him.

Shaking his head, David turned on the saw and went back to work, the saw’s whine filling his ears. With each cut, the tension ebbed. As he picked up a new piece of wood to shape and coax into something new, he wished the rest of the world could be so easy to handle.

“Jing-Jing, why isn’t the door locked? We could be anybody!”

At the kitchen counter, Jen sighed and called out, “Hi, Mom!” She glanced at David and Isaac. “Here we go. Remember what I said—be yourselves. Yes, my family is full of very religious Republicans, but they accept Clark, and they’re going to accept you. Be prepared for hugs.”

They followed Jen to the front door where her mother waited, carrying a large plastic container that smelled absolutely delicious. She thrust the container at Jen. “Is there rice?”

“Yes, Mom. Full pot. Jumbo. That much I can manage.” She kissed her mother on the lips and tugged her out of the way as a man entered. “Mom, Dad, this is Aaron’s brother Isaac, and his boyfriend David. Guys, this is Gloria and Estoy. Hi, Dad.” She kissed him as well.

David had never seen someone kiss their parents like that, and he smiled quickly to cover his surprise as he and Isaac nodded to them. Jen’s parents were both quite short, with almost matching cropped haircuts, silver gleaming in their dark hair. Gloria wore a floral shirt over pants and bright white sneakers. She examined Isaac. “Yes, yes, I see you are Aaron’s brother! Such a pretty face.” She threw her arms around him.