A Heart Made New (11 page)

“They’re going to your farm?” David’s eyebrows lifted and his shoulders rose in the slightest of shrugs. “Why doesn’t she drive her van to the farm?”

Annie didn’t want to embarrass Charisma, but she didn’t want David to argue with her about taking them home. “There’s no gas and there’s no money to buy gas. Besides, I can’t very well ride in the car with her—not without asking Luke first.”

“And you’re sure you don’t want to ask Luke about your plan…in general?” A faint smile flittered across David’s face. “What exactly
are
you planning?”

“Charisma and Gracie need a place to stay.”

David gave Charisma another once-over. Charisma’s chin went up and her lips down. “Never mind,” she said. “I don’t need no charity. We’ll be fine.”

She tried to tug Gracie from Annie’s arms. Gracie threw her small body against Annie and started to cry. Amazing how loud a three-year-old could scream.

“Whoa, hold on!” David’s hands came up as if in surrender. “I don’t mind giving you a lift at all. Come on, everyone, all aboard.”

Charisma looked as if she might protest, but Annie scurried to get Gracie into the backseat and then offered Charisma a hand. The woman wrinkled her nose, but then accepted the help. Annie settled onto the seat next to David. “The van’s parked on Walnut Street.”

Gracie began to sing a song about a farmer in the dell at the top of her apparently healthy lungs. David glanced back once, then snapped the reins and clucked. “Does Luke know you’re bringing home the
wife of an armed robber?” His voice was low, pitched for her ears only.

“The wife and child?”

“How’d you know?”

“I know you, Annie.” His voice cracked on her name. Annie couldn’t fathom why. No emotion showed on his face. “Bliss Creek gets a lot of tourists, but they don’t live in their vans.”

“She’s not his wife.”

“That makes it so much better.”

“They’re living in a van.”

“Your motives are pure.” David’s gaze never wavered from the road. “But you’re not taking into account everything else that is going on.”

“No matter what is going on, shouldn’t we be helping our neighbors?” Annie schooled her voice. David only said what Luke would be thinking. She tried to ignore that thought. “Why were you looking for Josiah? What happened at the meeting that affected him?”

“Paul Yonkers told the bishop Sarah is in town. Did you know she was here?”

The dread was back, this time at the thought of what might happen to Josiah if the bishop decided he’d had something to do with the Mennonite girl’s appearance in Bliss Creek. Not only that, Luke would be in a terrible mood. This would not be a good time to tell him she’d offered their home to a stranger and her baby. “What did Josiah do?”

“He agreed not to see Sarah.”

“So where is he?”

“I told you I don’t know. I had to leave the meeting.” David glanced her way. “You knew Sarah was here, didn’t you? And you know why she’s here?”

“Jah, I knew, but—”

“You should’ve said something to Luke. He was blindsided at the meeting, which made it worse for Josiah.”

Annie closed her eyes. He was right. Luke tried so hard to fill Daed’s shoes. This wasn’t his fault, but he would see it as another failing as the head of the house. “You’re right. I wanted to give Josiah a chance to fix the situation. He told me he would.”

“He won’t get a chance now. They’ll be watching his every move.”

“Don’t you feel a little sorry for him?”

David’s mournful gaze shied away from hers. He lifted the reins and clucked again.

“David?”

“I do. But that’s neither here nor there.”

He couldn’t understand because he didn’t feel about her the way Josiah felt about Sarah. The realization made Annie draw farther into the corner of her seat. So be it.

“Does everyone always stare at you like this?”

Annie twisted to look at Charisma, who sat with Gracie on her lap in the backseat of the buggy, bags of clothes tucked on either side of her. She followed the woman’s gaze through the square buggy window to the crowded produce stand at the turnoff to the Shirack farm road. Eli Brennaman waved from his spot behind the wooden counter. When had the nine-year-old gotten so tall? A miniature Thomas. Annie waved back. “They’re not staring at us. They’re staring at you.”

“Huh?”

“They’re used to seeing us in buggies. But not Englischers.”

“Englischers
?
Is that like foreigners?”

Annie exchanged a look with David. He smiled—that boyish smile she had known and loved since he and her brothers were little and they all ran around catching lightning bugs and frogs and turning them into pets. Annie smiled back. Their gazes locked for a long second. Then the light in his eyes faded, and he turned back to the road.

Annie’s throat ached. She turned back to Charisma. “Something like that. Ladies in pink T-shirts don’t usually ride in our buggies.”

“Horsie, horsie, horsie!” Gracie continued to crow. “I want horsie!”

Charisma grabbed her just in time to keep her from hurtling from the seat. “They’re taking pictures.”

Annie faced forward and clasped her hands in her lap. At this angle those photos would only catch a glimpse of her kapp in the window. Which suited her fine. “You get used to it.”

“You don’t like to get your picture taken?” Charisma held Gracie up and the little girl waved both hands. “What’s wrong with photos?”

“We don’t need to look at pictures of ourselves. Pictures make people vain and proud.”

“Pictures help you remember good times. You mean you don’t even have pictures of weddings?”

“No.”

Charisma frowned. “Weird.”

Annie let the comment go. Sometimes she wished for photos of Mudder and Daed and of Catherine too. But she need only look at her brothers and Emma to remember what her parents and her younger sister looked like. Besides, memories of them were locked in her heart.

The rest of the ride was punctuated by Gracie alternately singing “Farmer in the Dell” and clamoring to pet the “horsie.”

At the front porch, Annie hopped down and turned to help Charisma with Gracie. Before she could thank David, the front door opened and Mary flew out. “You said you’d be home early today. You promised!”

Annie took in her sister’s red eyes and tear-stained face. “I’m sorry. Something unexpected happened. What’s the matter?”

Mary slammed to a halt on the steps. “Who’s this?”

Gracie skipped over to the older girl. “I’m Gracie. I like horsies.” She held up both arms. “Pet horsie?”

Mary’s frown melted. The girl’s normal sunny disposition reappeared in the two seconds it took her to take the younger girl’s hand and trot toward David’s horse. “I like horses too.” She smoothed the horse’s long forehead. “Pet him. He’s soft.”

Annie turned to David, who had begun unloading Charisma’s bags onto the porch. “Would you like to come in for some iced tea or lemonade? You must be thirsty.”

“You just want company so Luke will be less likely to yell at you.” The grin came and went so quickly Annie almost missed it. “Sorry, you’re on your own on this one.”

“It’s a simple offer, no strings attached.” Annie couldn’t help it. A
little of her hurt and impatience bled through the words. He couldn’t even accept a friendly invitation. “Just something cool to drink before you go on your way. It doesn’t make you beholden to me—to anyone.”

“I need to get back to the farm. Timothy bought a horse today and he wants me to take her through her paces. See what work she’ll need to be field-ready.”

“You’re working the farm again?”

“Contrary to what Mudder would like to believe, I’m a farmer, not a baker.”

Annie’s face burned. “I know.”

He tipped his hat to Charisma. “I’m sorry for your troubles. You’re in good hands here.”

Annie watched him pull away. Despite what Logan McKee had done at the bakery, David had shown grace to Charisma. He was a good man.

Shaking off the storm of emotions, Annie started up the steps, Charisma in tow. “Let’s get you inside. There’s a lot of people to meet. Mary, keep track of Gracie, will you? Don’t let her eat the flowers or get too close to the rooster. He’ll peck her. And make sure Mutt gets the chance to sniff her before she pets him!”

“Rooster?” Charisma looked uncertain. “Who’s Mutt?”

“Mary Shirack, get in here, now!” Leah stormed onto the porch. “Mary!”

Her gaze swung from Charisma to Annie. Her mouth shut, then opened. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know we had company.” She wiped her hands on her apron. “I’m Leah.”

Implicit in the introduction was Leah’s question. Who was this and why had Annie brought her home? Annie quickly made the introductions. “Is Luke here?”

“He hasn’t come back yet.” Leah eyed the bags. Her eyebrows raised, she stared at Annie. “Nor has Josiah. I heard the buggy and thought it might be them.”

“David gave us a ride.” Annie started forward. “Would you like some sweet tea?” she called back to Charisma. “I don’t know about you, but I’m parched. Come on in. This is our home.”

It was her home as much as Leah’s. More. She’d grown up here. Leah had moved in after Daed and Mudder died. Annie accepted that fact, but Leah didn’t have the final word on anything. Luke did.

She moved quickly through the living room where Leah had set up a playpen that held Esther and Martha. Lillie dangled a teething ring in front of Esther. “Come on, baby! It’ll make your gums feel better. I promise.” She looked up. “Annie!” Lillie smiled. “You’re home! Can you—”

“Keep the twins occupied.” Leah cut her off. “Where are William and Joseph?”

Her smile gone, Lillie’s gaze went back to little Esther. “Feeding the chickens.”

“
Gut
. You can set the tables.”

Lillie gave Annie a beseeching look. Annie altered her path so she could give her little sister a squeeze on the shoulder. “We’ll talk later.” She quickly introduced Charisma. “Mary has another guest for you to meet—you’re going to like her. As soon as you set the table, you can go outside and meet her.”

Lillie loved taking care of the smaller toddlers. She and Mary would be good playmates for Gracie.

Ignoring Leah’s dark look, Annie invited Charisma to take a seat on the bench at the prep table. She poured tea into big plastic glasses, added heaping teaspoons of sugar, and then cracked some ice from the bag in the gas-operated refrigerator. Regardless of what the older folks in the community said, she liked having ice in the kitchen. A small thing, perhaps, but a blessing as the sun ushered in the heat of a long Kansas summer.

Charisma took a tentative sip. “That’s good.”

“Sun tea. We brew it in big jars in the backyard.”

Charisma looked around, her curiosity obvious. “A wood-burning stove?”

“We have a gas oven too. I do a lot of baking.”

Charisma’s face colored. “Obviously.”

Annie smiled in spite of herself. Sooner or later, they would have to
talk about what happened at the bakery. And about Logan. But right now, she needed to make her guest feel comfortable. “I love to cook. Do you cook?”

“I make grilled cheese sandwiches—”

“That’s not necessary. Supper is already on.” Leah stood in the doorway. “Annie, can I see you out here for one moment?”

It wasn’t a question, really, but rather a command.

“Coming.” Annie arranged cookies on a plate and set it on the table. “To hold you over until we eat.”

Charisma grabbed the cookie and took a huge bite. She moaned. “These are so good! Gracie will love these.”

“Don’t spoil her supper—or yours.”

“Annie!” Leah tapped a finger on the doorframe. “Now.”

In the dining room crowded with long tables and benches to accommodate their growing family, Leah paced near the playpen. Esther rolled around on the blanket and began to cry. “Take her to the front room.” Leah pointed at Lillie. “Where’s Mary? She’s supposed to be helping you.”

With another glance at Annie, Lillie cuddled Esther to her shoulder. “I’ll get her.” She disappeared through the doorway.

“You’re gone all day. You’re gone all the time now. We have our hands full here.” Leah sank onto the bench. She did look tired. “Who is she?”

“A guest.”

“For how long?”

“I’d rather talk to Luke about it.”

“Luke? Luke doesn’t do the cooking and the cleaning and the caring for the children around here.”

“No, but he is the head of this household.” Luke’s baritone reverberated through the room. He tromped into the room, his shirt soaked with sweat and his face ruddy from the sun. “What’s going on here? Mary and Lillie are outside trying to keep a little girl in a pink shirt from eating the sunflowers by the front step. It looks like she may have wet herself.”

Leah folded her arms and leaned back, the look on her face a challenge.

Annie swallowed hard and moved toward her brother. “They’re living in a van. They need a place to stay, Luke. I couldn’t let that little girl spend another night in the backseat of a van. Not in this heat.”