A Hope for Hannah (10 page)

When Betty dropped by that afternoon, she brought with her the first good news Hannah had heard in a long time. She said Bishop Nisley could use some help with barn repairs. Nothing was said about pay, and Hannah didn’t raise the issue. She knew it was being offered as charity work even though Bishop’s barn probably really did need the repairs. But with winter still ahead, he just as easily could have waited until spring.

Mr. Brunson stopped by just as Jake was pulling in, returning from his trip to Libby. By the time Hannah noticed and stepped out to the porch, Mr. Brunson had left, heading back toward his place.

“He was just checking on the bear,” Jake said to Hannah’s unspoken question.

“Did you find any work?” Hannah asked.

“Mr. Brunson asked that too,” Jake said dejectedly. “The answer is no.” Jake went into the house and flopped onto the couch, his whole body language communicated discouragement.

“Betty stopped by,” Hannah said. “John has a few days worth of barn work for you.”

“So it’s come to that?” Jake asked as he stared out the window toward the quickly falling dusk.

“It’s better than doing nothing,” she said.

“I suppose so,” Jake allowed. “Mr. Brunson said he’s seen nothing of the bear the past few days.”

“Neither have we, now that I think of it,” Hannah said.

“It probably moved on, what with winter on its way.”

“I hope it stays away. I don’t want to see it back next spring,” Hannah said. “So, what do you think? Will you go to Bishop’s tomorrow?”

Jake nodded.

Hannah made a good supper in hopes it would cheer Jake. He would need a good dinner because he had work tomorrow—work that, no doubt, would be difficult. When she called Jake to the table, the way he looked at the mashed potatoes, gravy, and ham made her glad she had made the extra effort. His eyes were hungry enough, but the doubt on his face still troubled her. He was probably looking at the days ahead, and the dismal view was obviously spoiling his usual enjoyment of a good dinner. Hannah resolved to do all she could for him. What that was, she wasn’t certain.

After supper Jake got out his Bible and read it at length in the living room. Hannah hoped he would find some comfort there.
Perhaps I should try it myself,
she thought but wasn’t certain where to start.

Jake solved the dilemma when he asked her to sit beside him. “I want you to hear this,” he said.

He then read aloud, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the L
ORD
, which made heaven and earth.”

Jake paused as Hannah thought of the Cabinet Mountains. Normally she would have agreed with the words about looking to the hills, but lately she wasn’t sure. With the bear possibly still near, the mountains had become dangerous to her.

Jake continued, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved. He that keepeth thee will not slumber.”

“You think that’s true?” she asked him.

“It’s in the Bible.”

“The Bible’s always true, isn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“No moving of the foot, and God never sleeps,” Hannah said, thinking on the words.

“Sounds comforting, doesn’t it?” Jake said.

“Until you’re out of work,” she answered, lamenting.

“Well, tomorrow I’ll go to Bishop Nisley’s,” Jake said. “Let’s be thankful for that.”

“Yes,” Hannah agreed even as she realized the work on Bishop’s barn was not enough to solve their problem.

Hannah went back to finish her work in the kitchen while Jake continued reading. She heard him leave for the bedroom soon after and followed when she was finished with her kitchen work.

Hannah dropped off to sleep easily, woke only once in the night, but heard nothing unusual.

She got up to fix Jake’s breakfast when the alarm went off. Jake was already in the barn and had Mosey harnessed for the ride over to Bishop Nisley’s. While Jake ate his breakfast, Hannah prepared his lunch. She packed some extra food just in case he might be extra hungry and then stood by the front window to watch him leave.

Soon after, a light snow began to fall, and it continued throughout most of the gray day. Hannah liked the snow as long as it didn’t disrupt their lives too much. It wasn’t quite like Indiana snow, though, and that was all right with her.

Jake returned home before dark, tired but happy at having worked.

“Supper’s ready,” she said and then asked, “Are you going back tomorrow?”

“Yes,” Jake said, “I’m going back the rest of the week. We might get done early on Friday.”

And what then?
Hannah wondered.

When Sunday came around, Hannah was hoping someone from the community would have heard about their situation and might have offered Jake temporary work. It wasn’t to be, though, as church dismissed and not even Betty asked about Jake’s job status.

Hannah’s parents, Kathy and Roy, would come on Thursday, which gave Hannah plenty to do. She enlisted Jake’s help by giving him a broom and wipe cloth and setting him to clean the spare bedroom.

Somehow they made it to Thursday. Hannah had to keep her thoughts to herself more than once. She began to hope more and more that her parents might be the ones to suggest a move back to Indiana. Coming from them, it might be easier for Jake to accept. Hannah loved their home, but the presence of the baby inside her caused her to think of what was most practical. They simply couldn’t continue like this. With her parents coming, it would be an excellent time to make a decision, come up with a plan, and get the support they would need for the move. If only Jake would agree to it.

Even with winter ahead, they would fare much better in Indiana than here. They could rent a place instead of buying one as they had done with the cabin. That was a decision Jake would have to make, though. With her father’s help, perhaps he could get a good-paying factory job, and they might be able to afford the payment on a small place.

They had formed attachments to the cabin, the mountains, and the people, but she supposed time would heal the pain of leaving Montana. Betty would be the hardest to leave. Hannah could imagine the tears when she would have to tell Betty the news, but facts were facts, and the biggest fact right now was that they needed to do something soon. Surely Jake had realized this when he studied his checkbook. The cost of groceries must be clear to him as well, and now her mom and dad would come to visit. It all added up to extra mouths to feed, paid for by money they didn’t have.

Hannah felt a little guilty when she gave Jake the list of groceries she needed and sent him into town Thursday morning. Jake studied the list long and hard, she thought, but left with Mosey without saying anything. And he came back with everything, even the maple syrup she wanted for at least one breakfast of pancakes and eggs.

It will all work out,
she told herself.
Mom and Dad are part of the answer to getting us back on our feet financially. They are my parents and will surely help just as Jake’s parents would if they could. I will do the same for Jake’s parents, if and when they come to visit.

Hannah sent Jake up the hill to remind Mr. Brunson of Friday night’s supper invitation. Betty had already spoken for Tuesday night. The van would be returning to Indiana on Wednesday, so Tuesday would be the last night her parents would be in Montana. Hannah’s heart thrilled at the thought of almost a week of family with communion Sunday stuck right in the middle.

While Hannah was sweeping the kitchen floor, Jake returned with the news that Mr. Brunson was down with the flu.

“Still, he hopes to make the Friday night date,” Jake said. “If not, he’ll bring word even if he isn’t feeling well, so you’ll know.”

“Is it something serious,” Hannah asked.

“Nah, just the flu,” Jake said. “I think he’ll come, though. He looked like he needed some company.”

Hannah supposed he did, stuck up there on his mountain all by himself.

That evening the van pulled in while Hannah was fixing supper. The pies were still in the oven, and the casserole was cooling on the tabletop. Jake came out of the barn to meet the van, and Hannah rushed out to the porch to find her parents had already pulled their suitcases from the van and were making their way to the cabin, her mother in conversation with Jake.

“This is a wonderful spot,” her mother gushed as Hannah approached. “I remembered the area from when I visited Betty, but it’s even better in the fall. And your little cabin—what a place to live!”

Kathy looked up to see her daughter. “Oh my,” she said and gathered Hannah in her arms for a long embrace. Kathy let go with a question on her face. “You’re not? I mean—really?”

“Yes,” Hannah said, not surprised that her mother should guess.

Jake’s face was the color of beets, and he said nothing. Perhaps when the baby was actually born, it wouldn’t seem such an embarrassing subject to him.

Hannah hugged her dad as he turned from talking to the van driver and then said, “Well, come in. Looks like you were the last ones dropped off.”

“Yes,” Roy said, “we were. The others had to get to their places first. We’re just the little peas in the pod.”

“Roy,” Kathy said in mock horror and laughed. “He’s tired from the trip.”

“Hard van seats,” Roy said. He then turned to say one more thing to the van driver who started to back out toward the main road.

“The driver’s staying in Libby for the week,” Kathy said. “I guess we’re all on our own till then.”

It was then that transportation crossed Hannah’s mind. “Oh,” she gasped, “I hadn’t thought of that. We only have a single buggy.”

Kathy followed the train of thought and instantly waved her hand at Roy to hold the van driver. “So when will we need to get around?” she asked Hannah.

Hannah thought frantically. “Sunday. I think only on Sunday. Betty can come get you on Tuesday.”

“Roy,” Kathy called and rushed up to him, “we need transportation on Sunday. They only have a single buggy.”

Hannah’s father nodded and waved back to the van driver before he drove off to the main road. Roy arranged for the driver to meet them there on Sunday morning for a ride to church. Hannah thought of the extra money her father would have to pay because drivers for the Amish charge by the mile. It made her realize, all the more, how far apart her and Jake’s situation was from her parents’.