A Miracle of Hope (The Amish Wonders Series) (16 page)

“I’m just saying, maybe the temperature change isn’t the cause.”

Jah
, stress probably had run down his immune system. It was a combination of many things. Most were out of his control. Hannah hadn’t made any progress. She remained emotionally stunted. His hopes that her behavior would change when Lindie arrived were disintegrating. Perhaps his marriage to Lindie had even compounded the issue.
Lord, let it not be so
.

Josiah picked up the hammer from the workbench. There was nothing like pounding out one’s frustrations.

“Hannah hasn’t seemed too interested in accepting your marriage.”

Josiah drove the nail into the soft pine. “She’s a child. Besides, I don’t know if she really understood. You know as well as I do that since the accident she hasn’t . . . progressed.” He lined up another nail and struck it. “I don’t want to admit it, but she’s regressed more. Sometimes she acts like a three-year-old, sometimes like she’s five—but
nett
eight. She’s even sucking her thumb again.”

“I don’t know what to tell you, other than to pray,” Simon said.

He had been praying, night and day. Josiah hoped Simon didn’t try to involve Bishop Troyer. Lindie was into her second trimester. He didn’t want to bring attention to their marriage problems or that Hannah wasn’t adjusting. As it was, it wouldn’t be long before the church members found out about her pregnancy. He would like to have his house in order before that happened.

He finished nailing the last wreath and set it aside. He only had a few boughs to tie before taking them into town.

“I need to speak with the bishop later. Do you want me to drop these off in town?”

“Sure.” Josiah stopped himself from asking what they’d be meeting about. “It’s
kalt
in here.” Josiah set the hammer on the workbench and crossed the sawdust-covered floor to the other side of the barn where the potbelly stove sat. It needed more wood. He liked to keep a steady fire going so he didn’t have to be bogged down in layers of clothes as he worked. Without putting on his coat, he rushed outside to the woodpile. Busy filling his arms with wood, a horse neighed before he noticed the buggy entering the driveway.

Ellen Yoder’s horse.

Josiah groaned under his breath. He nearly dropped the armload of wood when the buggy stopped near the house and three women climbed out. Ada Fisher and Rebecca Troyer weren’t as much a concern as Ellen. He hoped Lindie was ready for visitors.

Lindie sloshed the rag mop over the sitting room floor. She hadn’t realized how much soot had collected from the woodstove until
she wrung black water from the mop. It didn’t even look like she damp-mopped them daily. Once the soot penetrated the wood grain, it was next to impossible to restore the original shine. It didn’t help that they had been neglected for so long. Josiah had more pressing matters than cleaning.

She leaned the mop against the wall and grabbed the bucket of dirty water. This was the third time she had tossed the old water and refilled the bucket. And she’d only done half the floor.

As she reached for the doorknob, someone knocked. She lowered the bucket to the floor, wiped her hands on the front of her apron, and opened the door.

“I hope we didn’t catch you at a bad time.” Rebecca Troyer smiled and lifted a square pan, which Lindie recognized as the one she’d taken the bean casserole in for church Sunday. “I wanted to return your dish.”

“Denki.”
Lindie opened the door wider. “Please,
kumm
in.” She stepped aside so the women could pass. It wasn’t the most opportune time with the floors wet and only partly mopped, but she’d so longed for fellowship and was grateful for the visit.

“
Ach
, dear,” Rebecca said. “We did catch you at a bad time.”

“
Nay
, believe me, I can use a break.” She nudged the mop bucket out of the way with her foot. “I think it’s going to take multiple cleanings before I’m able to get all the layers of soot off the floor.”

Lindie started to chuckle, but suppressed it when Ellen snorted. Lindie should’ve suspected Ellen did more than Josiah’s laundry. She must have done his housecleaning too.

“I didn’t mean to sound as though Josiah lived in a pigsty. It’s just that . . . there’s been so much snow lately. The floors get muddy.”

Rebecca laughed. “You think it’s bad
nau
, wait until spring when everything starts to melt.”

“Would you like some
kaffi
or tea?”

“
Nett
for me.” Ada tapped her belly. “The
boppli
kicks more when I have caffeine. But a glass of water would be nice.”

“I’d love a cup of tea.” Rebecca elbowed Ellen, who was still eyeing the room. “You want a cup too,
jah
?”

Lindie followed Ellen’s gaze to the rolled-up rug wedged against the bench. The place did look out of order with the furniture bunched together on one side of the room.

“
Jah
, sure. A cup sounds
gut
,” Ellen said, bringing her full attention back to Lindie. “You didn’t bring many belongings with you from Ohio, did you?”

“I arrived by bus.” Lindie didn’t want to discuss that this was still very much Caroline’s home. The household items from her hope chest remained in the boxes. She hadn’t wanted to upset Josiah by making any more changes.

“I almost forgot,” Ada said, extending a small basket. “We brought you some cookies and two loaves of zucchini bread.”

“That’s very thoughtful,
denki
.” Lindie smiled. “Why don’t we go into the kitchen and I’ll put the kettle on.”

At least the kitchen wasn’t askew. She’d mopped the floor earlier and the table and chairs were back in their proper places. Lindie led the way, although she was certain they were familiar with the layout of Josiah’s house.

“Please, have a seat.” She slid the lid off the cast-iron kettle and peeked inside at the water level. Not enough. That would have been disastrous had she put a dry kettle on the stove. She was trying hard to make a good impression on her first visitors.

Lindie filled the kettle to the brim with tap water. Her hands
shook under the weight of the full kettle. It clanged against the stove when she set it down.

“Is there something you need us to do?” Rebecca started to stand.

“
Nay
, please don’t get up.” Lindie didn’t want anyone to think she was incapable of preparing tea. Though it did seem like she was forgetting something. The stovetop gave off plenty of heat and before she’d mopped earlier she’d loaded the stove with wood, but she decided to check the fire anyway. When she opened the side of the firebox, a blast of heat warmed her face. Extra kindling wasn’t necessary; the bed of embers glowed.

“This shouldn’t take too long to heat.” Lindie wiped her hands on her apron. What else? Cups. She opened the cupboard but found plates. Who moved the dishes this time?

“Let me help,” Ellen said. “I know how Caroline arranged her kitchen.” But she didn’t. Ellen opened the next cabinet and found bowls.

Lindie searched for tea bags. Since her arrival, she hadn’t drunk anything but coffee. And come to think of it, Josiah only drank coffee.

“We’re having a sewing frolic on Saturday at
mei haus
. I hope you’ll join us,” Ada said. “We’re going to sew some
boppli
clothes.”

Gladness spread through Lindie. “I’d love to
kumm
. What time?”

“From ten to two. I can pick you up,” Rebecca said.

“Denki.”
Lindie moved a few items around on the pantry shelf, but still didn’t find the tea.

“The
boppli
is pushing hard against
mei
bladder. Do you mind if I use your bathroom?”

“Of course.” Lindie walked Ada to the hallway. “It’s the first door on the left.”

Rebecca spoke the moment Lindie reentered the room. “I looked for you on Sunday so we could visit, but heard that you and Josiah had already gone home. Perhaps the two of you will
kumm
for supper one evening.”

Lindie smiled. “I’d like that.” In her district, families would often visit with one another during the week.

Ellen set the cups on the counter. “Are you sure Josiah has tea bags? I ask because he doesn’t drink tea. Caroline didn’t either.”

Lindie closed the pantry door and stifled a smart response. Boiling water erupted from the kettle spout and sizzled on the stove’s surface. As she removed the kettle from the hot spot and placed it on the back of the stove, Lindie caught sight of the dish Josiah had brought home with apple crisp. She picked up the clean glassware and faced Ellen. “I think this is your dish.”

Ada entered the kitchen. “How’s Hannah doing? I poked
mei
head in her bedroom to say hello and she wasn’t there.”

“She wasn’t?” Lindie gasped. “I, uh . . . I—”

The women stood. “We understand.”

Nay
, she doubted they understood how upset Josiah would be. She rushed out of the room, the women following. But before she reached the door, it opened.

Josiah and Hannah entered, his hand resting on her slumped shoulder.

Lindie froze. Aware the women had flanked her, she silently prayed he wouldn’t reprimand her in front of them. She searched his face. No sign of tension. He didn’t appear upset. Still, he was probably waiting for the company to leave before mentioning anything. She hadn’t done her job—again.

Hannah squatted down and removed her shoes, then padded down the hall toward the bedrooms.

“It was
gut
visiting with you.” Ada made her way out the door.

Lindie smiled. “
Jah
, I hope we can do it again. Next time I’ll make sure we have some tea.”

While the others walked toward the buggy, Rebecca paused. “Josiah, I was telling Lindie that Gideon and I would like to have you two over for supper one
nacht
next week.”

He smiled. “Sure. We would like that.”

“Gut.”
Rebecca gave Lindie’s hand a squeeze. “It was
gut
talking with you. I’ll plan to pick you and Hannah up for the sewing frolic.”

Lindie shouldn’t have committed herself to attend the get-together until she had spoken with Josiah. She briefly glanced his way.

“I think you’ll have a
gut
time,” Josiah said. “What day is it?”

“Saturday,” Rebecca answered. “We’re sewing clothes for the
boppli
.”

Josiah’s jaw dropped.

Chapter Thirteen

J
osiah’s heart pounded at an irregular rhythm and his insides knotted. He followed Lindie into the kitchen. “They’re planning a sewing frolic for the
boppli
?”

“
Jah
, the women planned a get-together.” Lindie grabbed a pot holder from the drawer and removed the kettle from the stove. She motioned to the basket on the table without looking at him. “They brought cookies and zucchini bread.”

Her vagueness upped his blood pressure. “Rebecca said it was for the
boppli
. You told them about
your boppli
?”

“It’s for Ada’s
boppli
.”

“Ach.”
He didn’t think people fussed over a second, or in Ada’s case, a fourth child. Usually the family already had enough baby clothes from their other children.

Coffee cups clanged together as Lindie scooped them from the counter.

“Why are you putting those away?”

“They’re clean.” Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Did you offer them
kaffi
?” He crossed his arms and leaned
against the counter, facing her. Something was wrong. “They changed their minds?”

She shrugged.

“You wouldn’t have put the kettle on unless you’d offered and they’d accepted.” Had Ellen said something to upset her? Caroline never had any issues with the others. They were all friends. Still, the families had all arrived at the same time to start this district; they might have formed a tighter bond than usual. Surely they would eventually accept Lindie.

Everyone wanted this district to grow. It had been several days since he returned Ellen’s dish, but she had given him the impression she wanted to get to know his new wife. Then again, she had practically chased Lindie to the outhouse with questions last Sunday.

“I’ll have supper ready shortly.” She removed a frying pan from the bottom cabinet.

The downturned corners of her mouth tugged at his heart. “Will you tell me why you’re upset?”

Lindie scooped a spoonful of lard from the tin container and chunked it into the pan. She pushed the melting lard around with the spatula, coating the bottom of the skillet.

How could he help her if she refused to talk? He sidled up beside her. “What can I do?”

“I have everything under control.” The cracker-coated pork chops sizzled as she lowered them into the grease.

He should have come into the house sooner. He might have been able to defuse Ellen. “What can I do to make you happy?”

“You can get out of the kitchen. Go read the paper.” She made a shooing motion with her hand. “I’ll call you when it’s time to eat.”

“Rebecca’s offer to pick you up for the sewing frolic was nice. You’ll have more time to get acquainted, don’t you think?”