Cousin's Challenge (18 page)

Lonnie knew he could continue helping Pop with the hogs for as long as he wanted, and even though things seemed to be better between him and Pop, raising hogs wasn't the kind of work he cared to do. He needed something that was more of a challenge—not that pigs couldn't be challenging at times. What he wanted was something fun, something he'd really enjoy.

When Lonnie entered Jolene's classroom, he found her sitting at her desk, looking over some paperwork. She didn't look up, so he assumed she hadn't realized he'd come in. If she'd been able to hear, he would have cleared his throat loudly. Under the circumstances, he figured the best thing to do was to tap her on the shoulder.

He walked slowly up the desk, and when his hand connected with Jolene's shoulder, she jumped. He jumped, too, because for some unknown reason, a jolt of electricity had shot up his arm. He shrugged it off, attributing it to the fact that there must be static electricity in the air from the cold weather they'd been having.

Jolene patted her flushed cheeks and signed,
“Are you ready for another lesson on lip reading?”

Lonnie bobbed his head, feeling suddenly nervous and shy in her presence. It made no sense; he'd been alone with Jolene several times and had never felt like this.

“Before we begin our lesson,”
Jolene signed,
“I'd like your opinion on something.”

“What do you need my opinion on?”
Lonnie asked, hoping he'd understood what she'd said and had signed the right words.

“This is kind of lengthy, so I'm going to write it out.”
Jolene picked up the tablet on her desk and wrote:
I know you and Andrew have become friends, so I hope you won't repeat what I'm about to tell you.

Lonnie shook his head and signed,
“I won't repeat.”

Jolene smiled and continued to write.
As you might know, Andrew has recently begun going out with Eunice Byler.

Lonnie shrugged in reply. Who Andrew went out with was none of his business.

From some of the things Andrew has said to me, I know he has more than a passing interest in her.

“Maybe so,”
Lonnie signed.

I'm afraid Eunice might not be right for Andrew.

“How come?”

Because she likes to gossip. I spoke with her yesterday, and she told me some things that were none of my business—things that, in my opinion, didn't bear repeating.

Lonnie frowned, and he spoke out loud. “I'm not much of an expert on love, but I think Andrew's smart enough to know whether Eunice is right for him or not. Of course, I misjudged Carolyn and thought she was the one for me.” He groaned. “One thing's for certain. I'll never fall in love again.”

“How do you know?”

“It'd be hard for me to trust another woman not to hurt me the way Carolyn did. Besides, what kind of husband and father would I make when I can't hear?”

Before Jolene could comment, Kyle Beechy rushed into the room. His lips moved fast as he waved his hands. Lonnie had no idea what the boy was saying.

Seeing the urgent look on Kyle's face sent a wave of panic through Jolene. She put her fingers to her lips to shush the boy. “Slow down, Kyle. I'm not able to read your lips when you're talking so fast.”

The color in the boy's blue eyes darkened like the night sky. “Irvin's been hit by a car. He couldn't hear it coming. I tried to warn him, but he couldn't hear me, either.” Tears gathered in the corners of Kyle's eyes, and he blinked several times. “You've gotta come with me, Teacher. I think Irvin might be dead!”

Jolene jumped out of her chair, grabbed her coat, and raced down the steps behind Kyle. When she opened the schoolhouse door, a blast of frosty air stung her nose.

As she ran along the shoulder of the road behind Kyle, the frigid air caused her throat to ache from breathing too deeply. She turned once and saw Lonnie sprinting behind them. He caught up to her in a few long strides.

When they came upon the scene of the accident, Jolene's breath caught in her throat. A car was parked along the shoulder of the road, and a young woman stood beside it, tears streaming down her face. Several children, including Sylvia, were gathered around the small form lying on the ground near the car. Irvin was still breathing, but blood seeped from a gash in his head, and he wasn't moving.

In the whirlwind of confusion, one thing was clear: The boy was hurt and needed immediate medical attention.

“Stop crying, and tell me what's wrong,” Jake said when he arrived home from Ella's and found his little brother sitting on the back porch, bawling like a wounded heifer.

Kyle looked up at Jake and choked on a sob. “Ir-Irvin's in the hospital. He might even be dead, and—and it's all my fault!”

Jake's forehead wrinkled. “What are you talking about?”

“If I knew how to sign, I could've warned him.”

Jake set the sack full of bakery items on the porch and took a seat beside Kyle. “Tell me what happened.”

Kyle gulped and sniffed a few times as he poured out the story of how Irvin had been hit by a car, and how he'd run to the schoolhouse to get help.

“Did you push Irvin in front of the car?” Jake asked.

Kyle shook his head.

“Then why do you think the accident was your fault?”

Kyle swiped at his tear-stained face. “I ... I was teasin' him about not bein' able to hear, and he started runnin' real fast. He must not have been watchin' where he was goin', 'cause he ran in front of the car. I called out to him, but of course, he couldn't hear my warning.”

“That's terrible, and I'm real sorry to hear it, but there's one thing I don't understand.”

“What's that?”

“Since Irvin can't hear, and you haven't learned how to sign, how'd he know you were teasing him?”

Kyle's shoulders shook as he hung his head. “I ... I poked him a couple of times. Then I guess he read my lips when I said he was a dummkopp who can't talk right and acts like a boppli.”

Jake clenched his fists. “How many times have you been told not to tease?”

“A lot.”

“And yet you keep doing it?” Jake glared at his brother. “What makes you keep teasing Irvin when you know it's wrong?”

Kyle leaned forward, letting his head drop into his hands. “I-I'm mad at you, and since I can't say what I want...” His voice trailed off as sniffling and hiccups took over.

Jake placed his hand on Kyle's head. “How come you're mad at me?”

Kyle mumbled something about Jake leaving, but Jake could only make out a few words because the boy was crying so hard.

“Sit up, dry your eyes, and tell me what's on your mind,” Jake said, gently patting Kyle's back.

Several seconds went by before Kyle finally lifted his head. “I'm mad 'cause you moved to Montana. And—and then you keep comin' back.”

“You don't like it when I come home?”

“It's not that—it's just that when you're gone, Dad's real cranky and moody. Mom cries a lot, too.” Kyle gulped in a quick breath. “Then whenever you come back, Dad's crankier than ever, and Mom makes over you like you're her favorite son. I wish you'd make up your mind 'bout where you're gonna live and then stay put once and for all. Maybe if you decided to stay in Montana, Mom and Dad would accept the idea and stop frettin' over you all the time. Or better yet, if you stayed here, we'd all be happy.”

Kyle's words jolted Jake to the core. He knew Mom and Dad weren't happy about him living in Montana, but until this moment, he'd had no idea it had affected his little brother so, or that Kyle had been carrying all this pent-up anger toward him.

Jake knew he'd have to work on improving his relationship with Kyle. He also needed to make a definite decision about whether he should stay in Indiana or return to Montana. Right now, though, they needed to find out how Irvin was doing.

“Why are you getting home so late?” Mom asked when Jolene entered the kitchen. “It's way past time for supper, and I was beginning to worry.”

Jolene slipped off her heavy woolen shawl and hung it over the back of a chair. “Irvin was hit by a car after school, and I stayed with him at the hospital until his folks got there.”

“What happened? Is Irvin badly hurt? Is he...”

Mom's lips were moving so fast that Jolene couldn't keep up. She held up her hand. “Please, one question at a time.”

“Sorry. Sometimes I still forget that you're reading my lips.”

Jolene motioned to the table. “Let's have a seat, and I'll tell you about it.”

They both found chairs, and Jolene explained how she'd ridden in the ambulance with Irvin while Lonnie went to notify his folks. Then when Irvin's folks arrived at the hospital, Jolene had stayed with them until they'd gotten some word on Irvin's condition. Jolene drew in a deep breath. “We were so relieved when the doctor came out and said Irvin hadn't been critically injured, although he did require several stitches in his forehead, and his collarbone is broken.”

Mom shook her head slowly. “It's a miracle that boy wasn't killed. What was he doing in the street, anyway?”

“I'm not sure. Kyle Beechy's the one who came and got me, and he was so upset, I couldn't get many details from him.” Jolene paused and licked her dry lips. “With Irvin being deaf, I'm sure he didn't realize the car was coming.”

“Is it any wonder that I worry when you take the horse and buggy out?” Mom touched Jolene's arm. “If a car honked its horn to warn you that it was passing, you'd never know it.”

“I'm very cautious whenever I go out on the road. I watch my side mirrors and look over my shoulder often when I'm in the buggy. The rest I leave in God's hands.”

“You're right, of course; we need to put every part of our lives in God's capable hands.” Mom gave Jolene's arm a gentle squeeze. “But I'm a mudder, and I guess it's just my nature to worry about my kinner, no matter how old they are or how cautious they might be.” She glanced toward the door then looked back at Jolene. “Someone's knocking, so I'd better see who it is.”

Mom hurried from the room, while Jolene remained at the table. A few minutes later, Mom was back with Jake at her side.

“Do you have any word on Irvin?” he asked, taking a seat beside Jolene. “My little bruder's really worried about him.”

Jolene explained everything that had transpired at the hospital.

“Kyle blames himself for the accident,” Jake said, “because he was teasing Irvin, and then Irvin ran into the road in order to get away from him.”

“I don't how many times I've asked Kyle to stop tormenting Irvin,” Jolene said, shaking her head. “Will he never learn?”

Jake's solemn expression lightened a bit. “I think he's finally learned his lesson. Right before I came here, he told me that if Irvin lives, he'll apologize for all the teasing he's done. He even said that he wants to get to know Irvin better, and believe it or not, he's now willing to learn how to sign.”

“That's good news, and you can let Kyle know that Irvin will live, because his injuries are not life threatening.” Jolene's shoulders lifted and then fell as she released a deep sigh. “Maybe God will take this near tragedy and bring something good from it.”

It had been two weeks since Irvin's accident. Due to the broken collarbone, when he returned to school he wore a sling to keep from lifting his arm, and there was still a red mark on his forehead where he'd been cut, but otherwise he looked pretty chipper. Even more amazing, it appeared as though Irvin and Kyle might actually become friends. When Jolene went downstairs to give Fern's class another signing lesson, Kyle had surprised her by participating. He'd even invited Irvin to sit beside him. By the time class was over, Kyle had learned how to sign a few words, including the word
friend.

“Guess what, Teacher,”
Sylvia signed when she and Irvin entered Jolene's classroom after their lesson downstairs.

“What?”

“It's snowing!”

“Is that so?”
Jolene went to the window and peered out. Sure enough, the ground was covered with a thin layer of white.

“Can we make a snowman during recess?”
Irvin asked.

Jolene patted the top of his head.
“You're not supposed to use your right arm yet, and I don't think you can roll a snowball too easily with just one hand.”

“Irvin can watch while you and me make the snowman.”
Sylvia then turned to Irvin and signed,
“Would that be all right with you?”

He tipped his head as though mulling things over. Finally, he gave a quick nod.

“Since that is all settled, are you two ready to begin your lessons?”
Jolene asked.

Both children nodded and then hurried to the chairs at their desks. Jolene smiled. It was good to see her young students so well adjusted and eager to learn. Her adult students were catching on to signing, too. Last Sunday in church, Andrew had signed part of the bishop's sermon. Having him do that had given the worship service a lot more meaning for Jolene. After church, Jake had told her that he might like to try signing at the next service. Things were definitely looking up.

Jake smiled as he listened to his horse's hooves crunch in the snow and watched the steam escaping his horse's nostrils. It had begun snowing earlier today, and the snowflakes were so big they looked like spun sugar. He'd always liked snowy weather and had enjoyed playing in the snow when he was boy.

Wish I had time to play in it right now,
Jake thought as he guided his horse up the Yoders' driveway.
Maybe when Kyle and Elmer get home from school, we can make a snow fort.

When Jake hopped down from his buggy, the stiffening breeze ruffled the hair peeking out from under his stocking cap. Winter was definitely here, for it was getting colder every day.

Jake put the horse in the barn, and once he had the animal settled in one of the stalls, he hurried toward the bakeshop. As Jake stepped onto the porch, wet snow fell from his boots in slushy clumps. He entered the shop, and the sweet smell of cinnamon and apples assaulted his senses.

He'd only been standing by the bakery counter a few seconds when Ella stepped out of the back room, carrying two pies. She blinked a couple of times and jumped back when she saw him. “Ach, I didn't hear you come in!”

“Guess the bell above your door isn't working,” he said. “At least I didn't hear it ring when I opened the door.”

Ella glanced up at the bell and frowned. “It's not there. Someone must have taken it down.”

“Who'd do that?”

She shrugged. “I have no idea. It might have been Larry. He likes to fool with things, so he probably took the bell thinking he could make it louder or something.”

“Speaking of Larry, is he still at school?”

“Jah.”

Jake leaned on the counter and stared at Ella. She had a good heart and cared deeply for her family. He wished she liked him better, though. The wall she'd built between them was thicker than dense fog, and at this close range he could see the fine lines on her forehead. She might be prettier if she didn't frown so much. Jake didn't know why, but he found himself strangely attracted to her. He just wished he could figure out some way to break through that barrier she'd built. He also wished he knew what she had against him. He was tempted to ask but didn't want to start an argument. They'd had too many of those already.

“What can I do for you?” Ella asked. “Are you after more baked goods?”

“Not this time.” He rubbed the glass countertop with the sleeve of his jacket in an effort to dispel the fingerprints that were there. “I ... uh ... wondered if you needed my help with anything.”

“Huh-uh. We're fine.”

“I thought you might need some wood chopped or something.”

“I'm planning to do that after I close the bakeshop for the day.”

“Why don't you let me do it for you? I'm sure you've got better things to do than try to chop wood.”

“Try
to chop wood?” Her forehead wrinkled deeply. “Are you saying that I'm not capable of chopping wood?”

“I'm not sayin' that at all. I just meant...”

She pushed past him, slipped into her jacket, and rushed out the door.

Jake quickly followed.
I'm here to help out,
he reminded himself.
And it's not because I have an interest in a sharp-tongued woman who clearly doesn't want me around. It's because I care about her family and want to do the right thing, so despite Ella's protests, I'll continue to offer my help.

Ella sloshed her way through the snow out to the woodpile behind the barn. She picked up a hunk of wood and was about to reach for the ax when Jake stepped in front of her. She gulped. With him standing only inches away, it was hard to think ... hard to breathe. She was about to ask him to move back when he spoke first.

“I have a few hours free this afternoon, and I'd really like to give you a hand. Isn't there something you'd like me to do?” Jake's tone was soft, his face sincere.

Ella hesitated. Since Papa's death, she'd come to realize that as much as she wanted to be independent, she couldn't do everything in her own strength. Then last night, she'd read Galatians 6:2:
“Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
It was a gentle reminder that she needed to let others help out during their time of need. She guessed that even meant Jake.

Jake touched Ella's arm. “Did you hear my question?”

She nodded and lifted her lips in a slow smile. “How much experience have you had at baking?”

His eyebrows lifted. “Huh?”

“When I'm done chopping wood I'll be doing some more baking. Since you're so anxious to help out, I thought maybe...”

Jake held up his hand. “I can do a lot of chores, but there's one thing I can't do, and That's bake.” He crinkled his nose and winked at her. “Unless, of course, you like things burned.”

Ella's cheeks grew warm. Was Jake flirting with her? Oh, surely not; he was just trying to be funny. She shivered and picked up the axe, but Jake grabbed hold of her arm before she could take a swing.

“Why don't you head back inside where it's warm? I'll have this wood chopped in no time at all.”

Jake's self-assured attitude only refueled Ella's anger. Didn't he ever give up? Did he enjoy making her mad?

He moved closer, so close she could feel the tension between them. “I'm not leaving here until I chop some wood, so you may as well hand me that ax.”

“From what I remember, you're kind of accident-prone. How do I know you won't cut yourself?”

“If I do, then you'll have to doctor me up.” He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. “You'd better get inside now and make sure you have some bandages ready for me.”

She grunted and started for the bakeshop. Jake Beechy was impossible! She didn't know what Loraine had ever seen in him—for that matter, what Jolene saw in him now.

Ella cringed. She hoped Jolene didn't end up marrying Jake. The thought of him being her cousin-in-law didn't set well with her.

She stopped walking, turned, and cupped her hands over her mouth. “Make sure you don't leave any of that wood unchopped! Things done by halves are never done right.”

“You think you know everything, Ella!”

Her jaw clenched against the cold, and she fired back, “Jah, well, you think everyone should do as you say!”

“You're kind of cute when you're riled like that! Your nose twitches, and your cheeks turn red!” His voice carried in the crisp, cold air.

Ella glared at him, sensing that he was making fun of her. How did Jake always manage to make her feel so stupid? “The only reason my nose is red is because it's so cold out here!” She leaned down, grabbed a wad of snow, and formed it into a ball. Then she pulled her arm way back and chucked the snowball at Jake.

“Hey!” He brushed the snow off the sleeve of his jacket, bent down, and grabbed some snow of his own.

Ella knew what was coming, so she hurried for the bakeshop as fast as she could. She'd just stepped onto the porch, when
—splat!—
a chunk of icy snow hit the back of her neck. She was tempted to retaliate, but it was cold out here, and she had baking to do. She'd get even with Jake some other time.

Ella stepped into the bakeshop and headed straight for the stove to thaw out.

Maybe what I need is something to warm my insides.
After she'd poured herself a cup of coffee, she glanced out the window and watched as Jake swung the axe. He made it look so easy. She'd never have admitted it to him, but she hated chopping wood and knew it would have taken her twice as long as it would Jake.

Ella noticed Jake glancing toward the bakeshop, so she moved quickly away from the window. No point in letting him think she'd been watching. He might get the wrong idea.

She took a seat at the table near the stove and continued to fume. Why hadn't Jake ever seen her as a capable woman? Why did he think he was so much better at doing things than her? Why couldn't Jake...

Ella halted her thoughts and pushed away from the table. She had to quit thinking about Jake and get some baking done.

Sometime later, Jake entered the bakeshop. His face was red and glistened with sweat. “Whew! It's gettin' colder out there by the minute.” He rubbed his hands briskly together. “Sure feels good to be inside where it's warm.”

“Danki for cutting the wood,” Ella said.

“No problem. What else would you like me to do?”

Go home.
She forced a smile. “I don't need anything else done right now.”

“Sure you do. There's always chores that need to be done. Would you like me to muck out the stalls in the barn?” Jake pointed to the sink. “Or I could wash those dishes you've got piled up from your baking.”

She shook her head. “I can do them.”
That's one thing I'm sure I can do better than you.

“If you won't let me help with anything else, then at least let me give you some money.”

“Money for what?”

“To help with a few bills, which I'm sure you must have.” Jake pulled some money from his pocket and placed it on the table. “When I was at Jolene's the other day, she mentioned that things have been kind of slow for you here in the bakery. She said you're worried about not having enough money to get through the winter.”

Ella avoided his steady gaze as an eerie silence moved in around them. It irritated her that Jolene had told Jake about things that were none of his business. She pushed the money toward him. “I've told you before; we're getting by fine on our own!”

“Then I'll buy some bread.”

“What?”

“I said, ‘I'll buy some bread.'”

“Fine. How many loaves do you need?”

“Ten.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “What in the world are you going to do with ten loaves of bread?”

“I'll find a use for 'em.”

“What are you planning to do ... feed bread to your horses?”

“Maybe.” He pointed to the wad of bills. “How much do I owe you?”

“Why do you think you need to help us, Jake?”

“My mamm always says, ‘If you give a little, you get back much more.'”

“Just what is it you expect to get back?”

“I don't expect anything.” Jake pushed the money toward her. “I'm going to give you this no matter what you say, so you may as well take it agreeably.”

“And I say you're not!” she challenged. “Why don't you forget about helping us and stay home with your horses?”

“I can't do that. It'd be like trying to walk around with only one shoe.”

“Then I guess you'd better get used to walking that way.”

He jammed his hands into his jacket pockets, looking dejected. Ella couldn't be sure if he was actually hurt by her comment or just putting on an act.

A lump formed in Ella's throat as she stared at the money. They really did need it. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes, and she feared they'd soon be rolling down her cheeks. Jake had reduced her to tears again, yet deep down inside, she appreciated his help.

Ella rose from her chair and glanced out the window. “It's snowing harder now, so I'll get your ten loaves of bread, and then you can be on your way. You wouldn't want to get caught in a snowstorm.” She hurried to the other room before Jake could see the tears that had started dribbling down her cheeks. She hoped he wouldn't come over here again anytime soon.