Amish Promises (29 page)

When she heard Zane thundering down the stairs, Eve stepped into the hall. He handed her the scissors and embroidery thread. That would have to work.

“Take the scissors to your dad and tell him to hold them over the candle flame.”

His eyes grew wide.

“To sterilize them. Then wipe them off.” She handed him one of the washcloths.

Shani let out another yell, Zane's eyes grew even wider, and Eve hurried back into the room.

“It's really hurting,” Shani said.

“Worse than with Zane?”

“I had an epidural with him.” She managed to smile.

Eve smiled back. “It's supposed to hurt,” she said. Not that she'd ever know.

Shani grimaced again and put her arms on the bed, leaning against it. “Oh no.”

“What?”

“I need to push.” She gasped and then let out another yell, pushing her forehead down against the mattress.

A knock came from the hallway. “Here are the scissors,” Zane called out.

Eve hurried to the doorway.

“Is Mom all right?” Zane asked.

“Jah.” Eve took the scissors from him.

Zane's voice was low. “Is the baby going to be okay?”

Eve nodded. God willing.

“We need the ambulance, right?”

“Yes, but if they don't come, God will provide.”

Zane nodded. “But he wants us to take action, right? Not just sit by.”

Before Eve could respond, the boy was gone, hurrying back down the hall.

Eve rushed back to Shani's side.

“Get Joel,” Shani said. “And then help me onto the bed. I don't think it's going to be long.”

Eve hurried out into the living room. “Come on,” she said to Joel, who was putting another piece of wood in the stove. A look of panic passed over Zane's face, and he shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his jacket.

“You two, rest,” Eve said to the children. “We'll come get you when the baby's here.”

Lila nodded, and then patted Trudy's back as she moved toward the couch.

“Do you need more ice?” Zane asked.

Eve shook her head. What was on the stove was probably enough. “But thank you.”

She followed Joel down the hall, but then waited as he shuffled into the room. She gave them a minute alone and then stepped on through the doorway. Shani gasped as another contraction seized her. Joel was at Shani's side, leaning against the bed with one hand, massaging her left shoulder with the other. Shani put her hands on the bed and pushed. Eve hoped the baby would at least wait until they could get her on the bed. It did.

When the contraction stopped, Shani sputtered, “Help me.” Joel stepped back and took one of her arms while Eve took the other, and together they slid her onto the bed.

“You go around and support her other leg,” Joel said. Pleased that he was taking charge, Eve hurried around the bed.

Shani positioned herself against the headboard and Eve and Joel both grabbed her legs. Joel leaned against the bed for support.

Another contraction hit her, and she pushed hard.

“I can see the head,” Eve said. “You're doing great.”

The contraction stopped, and Shani leaned back against the headboard and closed her eyes. Both of her legs began to shake. Eve tightened her grip. Joel repositioned himself and then took Shani's leg again.

Another push. Shani grabbed her knees and pulled forward.

She pushed harder. Eve thought for a moment that Joel might catch the baby, but then she realized, because of his leg, he couldn't get in the right position. She slipped onto the bed as the head delivered and slipped her hands under the baby's body.

“It's your boy,” Eve said, looking up into Shani's face.

“How is he?”

“Pink.” Eve rubbed his chest. The baby opened his eyes and began to fuss. “Lean back,” she said to Shani and then placed the baby on her chest just as she remembered the nurses doing for Abra. Thankfully the cord was long enough.

“He's so small,” Joel said, as he pulled the quilt up over his wife and baby.

The baby wasn't that small. He was much bigger than the twins had been. Eve scooted off the bed and grabbed an extra blanket off the bureau. She slipped it around the little boy, under the quilt. Then she tied and cut the cord. “Where are more blankets?” she asked Joel.

He stepped toward the door.

“I'll get them,” she said.

“In the hall closet.”

Eve hurried from the room, going on to the living room first. The candle sputtered and was nearly out. “It's a little boy, and he looks healthy,” she said, squinting toward the couch.

Lila stirred. “Oh, good.” She was propped against a pillow, Trudy in her arms, an afghan wrapped around both of them. The other side of the couch was empty. So was the recliner. Zane wasn't by the stove either.

“Where did he go?”

“Outside.” Lila yawned.

“Why?”

Lila shrugged.

Eve checked the water. It was still cool. She'd wait. But she needed a bowl for the afterbirth. She made her way into the kitchen, in the dark, and opened the bottom cupboard, managing to find a mixing bowl.

She caught a whiff of smoke. The wind must have pulled the chimney smoke to that side of the house. On the way back down the hall, she grabbed two blankets from the closet and returned to the bedroom. She spread them out on top of Shani and the baby. “How's he doing?” she asked.

“Okay, as far as I can tell.” Shani pulled the blanket back a little. “He's alert, and he's breathing okay.”

“I don't think I should clean the two of you up yet,” Eve said. “It's too cold.”

Shani nodded. “I'll see if he'll start nursing. And let's get the placenta out.” She patted the bed next to her and then looked at Joel. “Get up here and get a closer look at our son. And keep us warm.”

Joel struggled up onto the bed as Eve folded the blankets up from the bottom. Both parents peered down at the baby. Joel stroked the side of the little one's round face. Tears filled Eve's eyes as she took a moment to gaze at the tender moment.

As soon as the placenta was out, Eve threw another blanket over the mother and baby. She caught another whiff of smoke. “Do you smell that?”

“What?” Shani asked.

“Smoke.”

Shani shook her head, but Joel scooted off the bed and stepped toward the window, pulling back the curtain.

Eve caught a glimpse of the orange flames as Joel cursed. He started toward the door, his cane thumping against the floor. “Zane!” he yelled. He stopped in the doorway though, looking back at Shani.

“Go!” She tried to sit up in bed.

Eve was torn between getting Shani and the baby out of the house and helping Joel. “I'll be right back,” she said as she ran out of the room and down the hall.

Joel yelled again, “Zane!”

“He's outside,” Lila said.

“Still?” Eve asked.

Lila nodded.

“Out back?”

Lila shook her head. “He went out the front.”

Eve started toward the back door, toward the flames.

“Stop,” he called out. “We need to go around from the front. Opening the back door will pull the flames in. And there's not any water anyway, since the pump's not working.”

Eve turned and followed him to the front door.

“We need to get everyone out of the house,” he said. “Into the van. We can back it away from the house. The heater will keep Shani and the baby warm.”

Eve would grab Abra's quilt to wrap them in.

Joel froze for a moment. “The fire—it's my fault.” He gestured back toward the kitchen.

“It doesn't matter,” Eve said. She couldn't imagine how it could be. “Don't think about it now.”

He nodded and seemed to refocus. “We have to get everyone out.”

Eve grabbed Shani's purse. “I'll get the key.”

Joel looked back down the hall and then put his hand out for the purse. “I'll look. You go get Shani and the baby. Lila, take Trudy to the van.”

“Take the afghan with you,” Eve said.

Joel started digging through Shani's purse. Lila hurried to the front door and swung it open. She peered out for a moment and then stepped forward, still holding onto the door.

Joel dumped the purse on the floor. “There's no key.”

“Go,” Eve said to Lila, squatting down beside the contents in the dim light, panic rising in her throat.

“The van's gone,” Lila said.

Eve looked up at her niece. “What?”

“It's gone.”

Joel moaned, “Who would have taken it?”

“Zane.” Lila's voice was so soft that Eve could hardly hear her. “He said he was going for help, but I didn't think that meant he was going to drive.”

 27 

T
here was a fine layer of snow on the highway, but that was all until just past Gap. That was when Charlie hit the ice.

Tim's phone call had come through as Charlie was getting ready to leave the station, just over an hour ago. The weather had been fine in Philly—overcast but no precipitation. He'd stayed most of the night shift, covering for a buddy.

The phone number that popped up on his cell wasn't one he recognized. It had the same prefix as Shani and Eve's—but it wasn't either of their numbers. It turned out Tim was calling from a pay phone out on the highway.

“Come quickly,” he said, without even saying who he was. “Shani is having the baby, but we have a terrible ice storm going on. I've called for the ambulance, but they're not sure if they can make it.”

“Tim? Is that you?”

“Jah,” he answered. “Eve went over to help. I'm out in my sleigh—but it's rough going in the ice. It's the worst I've seen.”

“Why are you calling me?” Charlie stuttered.

“Love your neighbor, remember?”

Charlie recalled their discussion on the way to the hospital. It
seemed like ages ago. Tim added, “Eve told me the same thing tonight. The Becks are right next door—not thousands of miles away. It's my duty to help them.”

“Thank you,” Charlie said. “For calling. I'm on my way.”

Tim had hung up without saying good-bye, and Charlie had made good time until now. His headlights revealed a world—trees, fences, roads—covered in ice. It was a miracle Tim had been able to get a call through. Ahead, along the side of the road in the range of his headlights, a tree limb cracked. Charlie flinched but kept his grip on the steering wheel. It fell to the ground, bouncing to the edge of the pavement. He slowed even more, gripping the steering wheel harder.

Joel had to be beside himself. He felt helpless all the time, but in an ice storm with his wife in labor . . . Charlie feared what his reaction might be.

About a mile from the turnoff, the truck slid, and Charlie slowed even more. He hoped no one came up fast behind him. When he reached Juneberry Lane he slowed to a crawl and took the turn as carefully as he could. Still he slid toward the ditch. He pumped on the brakes, but it didn't do any good. In slow motion, he kept on going.

The truck came to a stop once it dipped down in the ditch. Charlie turned off the engine, grabbed his hat from the passenger seat, and jumped down. Before he knew it, he was on his Hinaendt, flat on the ground.

He stood, slid, and then grabbed hold of his truck until he felt steady enough to walk. He made it over to the other side of the lane and walked in the grass.

As he passed the Lehmans' driveway, he looked down it, as always, but didn't see anyone. He started jogging, crunching the grass with each step. As he rounded the first curve his stomach lurched. There was Shani's van—in the ditch.

He bolted toward it. The key was still in the ignition but no one was inside. Hopefully whoever was driving had been going slow enough to avoid injury.

As he ran, the first light of dawn crept over the trees—along with a large column of smoke. It was more than that of the wood stove. Charlie's heart raced as he breathed in the acrid scent.

The scene unfolded in front of him as the road curved. A sleigh and two workhorses. A fire truck with a tank. And the old farmhouse, charred and burned on the wooden kitchen side. The adjacent bricks were blackened. One firefighter held a hose and sprayed water, while two others chopped the charred remains of the back porch.

“Where's the family?” Charlie called out as he approached the fireman with the hose. And where was Eve?

The fireman looked around. “The women went in the ambulance.”

Shani had gotten help. Charlie felt some relief. “There were some Amish folks here too . . .”

The second fireman nodded toward the fire truck. “There's an Amish man over there.”

Charlie jogged toward it. The door swung open, and Tim leaned his head out and said, “You made it.”

“Is everyone okay?”

“Jah,” Tim said. “Shani's probably at the hospital by now. Eve's with her.”

Genuine relief flooded through Charlie. “How about the baby?”

“He seems to be fine,” Tim answered.

Charlie exhaled in relief. “Where's Zane?”

“I took him and Lila and Trudy back to my place. I found him in the van—in the ditch.”

Charlie groaned.

“He's fine,” Tim said. “I'm sorry about the house.”

“The important thing is that everyone is okay.” Thank goodness most of it was made out of brick.

“Jah. I'll pull the van out on the way back to the house.”

Charlie tilted his head. “Can you pull my truck out too?”

“Sure,” Tim said, glancing to his side. That was when Charlie saw Joel, standing at the back of the truck, leaning on his cane. He'd assumed he'd gone to the hospital too.

Charlie stepped around the truck to Joel's side. He wore his heavy coat but no gloves or hat. A blanket lay in a heap at his feet.

“Let's get you in the sleigh,” Charlie said, putting his hand on Joel's shoulder.

Joel stepped away. “I want to talk to the firemen first.”

Charlie followed Joel over to the captain, while Tim headed toward the sleigh.

“We'll have to investigate,” the fireman was saying.

Joel leaned against his cane more.

“Besides the damage to the porch and kitchen, there's a lot of smoke inside the rest of the house. Call your insurance and go from there.”

“Thanks,” Joel said.

“Sure thing,” the man answered. “Sorry for the fire, but it sounds like things could have been a lot worse. Count your blessings.”

Joel frowned and shook his head.

A few minutes later, Charlie helped Tim hitch the horses to the van while Joel waited in the sleigh. The horses were strong, and the van was out with seemingly little effort. Once it was back on the lane, Joel said he'd drive it. “Zane left the key in the ignition, right?”

“Yep,” Charlie said and then went to help his friend. If Joel put it back in the ditch, they'd just pull it back out again. Tim waited for Joel to go first. He didn't put it back in the ditch, but when he reached the turn to the Lehmans' he kept going.

“Did he say anything about going to the hospital?” Charlie asked.

Tim shook his head.

Because if that was Joel's plan, Charlie would have liked to go with him. He dug in his pocket for his phone and hit speed dial for Joel. He didn't pick up.

By the time they reached Charlie's pickup truck, Joel was out of sight. He'd already turned onto the highway.

After Tim pulled his truck out of the ditch, Charlie called Joel again, this time leaving a message. “Call me,” he said. “As soon
as you get this. Once you get to the hospital.” If he reached the hospital. The storm had stopped, but it was still a treacherous drive.

After he ended the call, he turned toward Tim. “So are you okay if I come in?”

The man shrugged. “As long as Eve isn't around.”

Charlie found Zane sleeping on the couch. He tried to rouse him, but the kid wouldn't budge.

“He's fine here,” Tim said.

“Thank you,” Charlie answered. “I'll be back for him as soon as possible.”

The closer Charlie got to town the better the roads were, and by the time he reached Lancaster they were fine. He didn't see Shani's van in the parking lot and tried to call Joel again. Still no answer.

He found the maternity ward and checked in at the desk. They called down to Shani and, with her okay, sent him down the hall.

He knocked on the door. It swung open. Eve stood before him.

She whispered, “You're here.”

“Are you all right?” Charlie leaned against the doorframe.

She reached for his arm. “I'm fine.”

Charlie wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close. “Tim called me, after he called the ambulance.”

“How did he know your number?”

“Probably from his phone bill, back in November.”

Eve blushed. “Jah. I knew he'd see that call sooner or later, but he never said anything.”

Shani cleared her throat. “I thought you came to see the baby.”

As Eve pulled away, Charlie grabbed her hand. He didn't want to let her go. She led him to Shani's side.

In her arms was a tiny bundle.

“Is he really okay?”

“He's perfect,” Shani said. “But he certainly picked the worst night of the year to make his appearance.”

Charlie pulled Eve close. “So you delivered him?”

She smiled. “Shani delivered him. I caught him, is all.”

“And cut the cord. And wrapped us in the quilt. And got us out of the house and kept us warm until the ambulance arrived.”

Eve frowned. “If I'd been on my toes, I would have realized there was a fire sooner. I smelled smoke right after Shani delivered, but I thought it was from the stove.”

Shani shook her head. “It was Joel's fault.”

“The fireman said it will take a while to know what happened.”

Shani grimaced. “Joel's been smoking, out on the back porch.”

“Let's wait and see what the investigation turns up,” Charlie said, his heart sinking.

“Zane took our van—put it in the ditch.” Shani shifted the baby in her arms.

Charlie nodded.

“Tim took him to their home,” Shani added.

Charlie nodded again. “I checked on him before I drove here.”

“Thank you,” she said. “He was so desperate to do something.” Shani sighed.

Charlie reached down and touched the baby's face. The little one's nearly translucent eyelids fluttered but didn't open. “Have you decided on a name?”

Shani shook her head. “I'm waiting for Joel to make up his mind.” Shani's eyes fell back on the baby.

“Where is he?” Charlie asked, looking around.

Shani's head shot up. “What do you mean?”

Charlie shook his head. “He left in the van. I assumed to come—”

“He hasn't been here.” Shani groaned.

Charlie exhaled, trying to think. The roads were better toward the hospital. He hadn't seen any accidents on the way. “I'll go look for him,” Charlie said.

Shani squeezed her eyes shut and then said, “He's still a mess, even worse.”

Charlie took a step forward. “Shani . . .”

Her eyes opened slowly. “It's true. And he won't get help.” Her face grew pale as she spoke. “Go find him.”

“I'm sorry,” Charlie said. “This is awful timing for you.”

“I'm fine.” Clearly she wasn't. She turned toward Eve. “Charlie can take you home.”

“I don't think that's a good idea,” Charlie said. “Tim was accommodating this morning—but if I show up with Eve, I think that could change.” He turned toward her. “I'll get you a taxi.”

“I can call for a driver.”

Charlie shook his head. “A taxi will be faster. You have to be exhausted.” He suppressed a yawn.