Growing Up in Lancaster County (8 page)

“I—I didn’t do it on purpose. My eyes are still dilated, and everything looks real blurry.”

Henry scraped the whipping cream off his baked potato, stomped to the refrigerator, took out another plastic bowl, and tromped back. “Now this is sour cream,” he said, spooning some onto his potato.

Rachel’s head started hurting. She rubbed her forehead with her fingertips.

“Would someone please pass the sugar?” Grandpa asked. “I like my iced tea a little sweeter.”

Mom handed him the sugar bowl.

“Danki.” Grandpa put two teaspoons of sugar in his glass of iced tea, stirred it, and took a drink. His lips puckered, his nose twitched, and his eyebrows pulled together. “What happened to this iced tea? It tastes salty.”

Mom picked up the sugar bowl, spooned a little onto her plate, and took a bite. She looked at Rachel. “When I asked you to fill the sugar bowl, I meant with sugar, not salt.”

Rachel’s face grew hotter as she slumped in her chair. “The writing on the bag looked blurry. It—it must have been salt, and I thought it was sugar.”

Grandpa reached over and patted Rachel’s arm. “It’s okay. Everything will be better once you get your new glasses. Then things won’t look blurry anymore.”

Rachel blinked against the tears stinging her eyes. She hoped Grandpa was right. She needed to believe things would soon be better.

After the supper dishes were done, Rachel asked Mom if she could go to the barn to play with Cuddles.

“I guess it would be all right,” Mom said. “But don’t stay out there too long. It’ll be bedtime soon.”

“Okay, Mom.” Rachel scurried out the back door.

She dashed across the yard, eased the barn door open, and peeked inside. The familiar smells comforted her—grain, hay, dust, and even the strong animal odors.

Rachel spotted Cuddles sleeping on a bale of hay. She hurried to pick up the cat. Cuddles purred and nestled against Rachel’s chest.

“I have to wear glasses, Cuddles,” Rachel complained. “I’m going to get them next week, and I’m not happy about it.” Her shoulders rose and fell as she struggled not to cry.

Meow
. Cuddles opened one eye and looked up at Rachel as if to say, “I’m sorry you’re unhappy. I’m still your friend.”

Rachel sat with the cat in her lap, surrounded by a restful silence. Even as a kitten, Cuddles had often offered Rachel comfort.

Rachel yawned, stretched, and wiggled her bare toes, as a silent prayer floated through her mind.
Dear God, Danki for Cuddles
.

R
achel stared out the window of Susan Johnson’s van. She and Mom were on their way to pick up her new glasses, and butterflies zipped around in her stomach again.

What if the glasses didn’t help her see better? What if she didn’t like how she looked in them? What if Jacob and the kids at school made fun of her?

Rachel was about to chomp off the end of a nail, when Mom reached for her hand. “No nail biting, Rachel.”

“Sorry, Mom, but I’m feeling naerfich.” Rachel touched her stomach. “It feels like butterflies are fluttering around in here.”

“Are you nervous about getting your glasses?”

Rachel nodded.

“Don’t be nervous. Why, once you get your glasses and can see things better, you’ll be happy as a lamb.”

“I hope so.” Rachel tapped her foot and squirmed.

Mom squeezed Rachel’s fingers. “Try to think of something else so you won’t feel naerfich. Think of something pleasant—something you enjoy.”

Rachel let her head fall against the seat and closed her eyes. She thought about her cuddly cat. She thought about their old horse, Tom, and how he seemed glad to see her whenever she visited him in the pasture or barn. She thought about her cousin Mary and all the fun things they used to do. She thought about the coming summer and how she looked forward to spending time with Audra. She hoped Audra could come over to her house and jump on the trampoline. Maybe she could go over to Audra’s and skateboard in the barn. She thought about wading in the creek behind their house and picnics at the pond down the road. She could do so many fun things in the summer.

“We’re here,” Mom said, nudging Rachel’s arm.

Rachel’s eyes snapped open. The dreaded moment had arrived: Time to get her glasses.

When they entered the optical shop, the man who’d waited on Rachel the week before asked her to sit in front of a table. He brought out the pair of glasses with light blue frames that Mom had chosen for Rachel. He smiled and slipped them on Rachel’s face, checking to be sure they fit on the bridge of her nose and behind her ears.

“Can you see better now?” he asked, handing her a small chart with some words on it.

Rachel blinked as she stared at the chart. She could hardly believe it! The letters were so clear and bright, they seemed to jump right off the page!

“Can you see the words clearly?” he asked.

She nodded.

“Would you like to see how you look in your new glasses?”

“Yes.”

He handed her a small mirror.

Rachel gasped at her reflection. She hardly recognized the girl looking back at her! She turned to Mom and asked, “What do you think?”

Mom smiled. “I think your new glasses look very nice. In fact, I think you look quite grown up.”

“Really?”

“Jah.”

Rachel grinned at her reflection. Maybe the glasses did make her look older. They sure helped her see better. Maybe wearing glasses wouldn’t be so bad after all.

When they left the optical shop, Rachel couldn’t stop grinning. Everything outside looked so crisp and clear. The sun looked brighter; the sky looked bluer; the trees looked greener. She stared at the clouds and studied the different shapes. She hadn’t even realized how many things she hadn’t been able to see well before. Looking through her new glasses was like seeing the world in a brand-new light. She was sure she’d be able to see the blackboard and the words in her schoolbooks better, too.

“Can we stop by Esther and Rudy’s on the way home?” Rachel asked Mom as they climbed into Susan’s van. “I’d like to show them my new glasses.”

“I suppose we could stop for a few minutes if Susan has the time,” Mom said.

“I have plenty of time, and I’d be happy to take you to Esther and Rudy’s,” Susan called over her shoulder.

“Danki, we appreciate that.” Mom smiled at Rachel. “Rudy might be working in the fields today, but I’m sure Esther will enjoy seeing your new glasses.”

When Susan’s van pulled in front of Esther and Rudy’s house, Rachel spotted Esther sitting in a chair on her front porch. Rachel hurried up the sidewalk ahead of Mom and Susan.

Esther smiled when Rachel stepped onto the porch. “Look at you, little schweschder. You have new glasses!”

Rachel nodded. “Do you like them?”

“Jah, very much. They’re a pretty color, and they make you look so grown up.”

“That’s what Mom said, too.”

Esther hugged Rachel. “Can you see better now?”

“Oh, jah. Everything looks so bright and clear. No more blurry vision for me,” Rachel said, shaking her head.

“I’m glad.”

“
Wie geht’s
[How are you], Esther?” Mom asked as she and Susan stepped onto the porch.

Esther smiled and touched her stomach. “Other than a little morning sickness, I’m doing quite well.”

“That’s good to hear.” Mom patted her own stomach. “I’m not having bouts of morning sickness at all anymore. I’m sure it will be over for you soon, too.”

“I hope so, because I don’t want to feel sick to my stomach the whole time I’m waiting for my baby to be born.”

Mom shook her head. “I’m sure you won’t.”

Esther smiled at Susan. “Thank you for bringing Rachel by so she could show me her new glasses.”

Susan smiled and touched her own plastic-framed glasses. “I saw how excited Rachel was when she came out of the optical shop. I felt the same way when I got my first pair of glasses.”

“How old were you when you got glasses?” Rachel asked.

“I was twelve years old.”

Rachel’s heart felt like it had sunk all the way to her toes.
If Susan began wearing glasses when she was a girl, and she’s still wearing them now, does that mean I’ll be wearing glasses when I become a woman? she wondered. Maybe Dr. Ben only told me I might not always have to wear them to make me feel better. Maybe I’ll have to wear glasses the rest of my life
.

“I made fresh lemonade. Would you care for some?” Esther asked.

“That sounds good,” Mom said.

Susan and Rachel nodded.

“I’ll go inside and bring it out,” Esther said.

“Do you need help?” Mom asked.

“That’s all right; I can manage.” Esther went into the house and returned a few minutes later with a pitcher of lemonade and four paper cups.

“Umm…this is refreshing.” Susan smiled. “Thank you, Esther.”

“You’re welcome.” Esther moved over to the porch swing and was about to sit, when Rudy rushed out of the barn, hollering and waving his hands. “Come back here, you silly
gees
[goat]!”

Ma-a-a! Ma-a-a!
The goat leaped over the laundry basket under Esther’s clothesline and darted across the lawn. Rudy’s feet slipped on the grass, and he nearly fell, but righted himself and continued the chase.

Rachel thought Rudy might need some help, so she hopped off the porch and raced after the goat.

The frisky critter zipped under Rudy’s legs, circled twice around Rachel, and headed back toward the laundry basket. Rachel lunged for the goat, but it slipped through her hands, and she fell on her knees. “Ach, stupid gees!” she shouted.

Ma-a-a-a!
The goat backed up and stood there, as if taunting her.

Rachel clambered to her feet and lunged again, but the goat darted toward Rudy.

Ma-a-a! Ma-a-a! Ma-a-a!

Rudy sprinted to the left. Rachel scuttled to the right. Mom, Esther, and Susan stood on the porch cheering them on. Suddenly, the goat scampered to Rachel and stopped.

She squinted. For some reason the goat looked blurry. She blinked a couple of times and reached up to touch her glasses. They were gone!

Rachel gasped. “My glasses! Where are my glasses?”

“Be careful!” Mom shouted. “Your glasses are on the ground behind you!”

Rachel turned, and—
wham!
—she was knocked to the ground.

“
Dumm
[dumb] gees,” she muttered, realizing the goat had butted her.

Rudy grabbed the goat. “Are you all right, Rachel?”

“I—I’m okay.” She scooped up her glasses and scrambled to her feet.

“I’m real sorry,” Rudy said. “That mischievous goat never misses an opportunity to butt someone.”

Mom left the porch and rushed across the lawn. “Ach, I hope your glasses aren’t broken!”

“I—I think they’re okay.” Rachel handed them to Mom.

Mom studied the glasses and smiled. “Thankfully, they’re fine.” She gave them back to Rachel. “Maybe I can rig up an elastic strap that connects to the earpiece and fits around the back of your head so you won’t lose your glasses when you’re outside playing.”

Rachel wrinkled her nose. She didn’t like the sound of that. Even if the children at school didn’t make fun of her glasses, someone—probably Jacob—would surely tease her if she wore a strange strap around the back of her head. “No Mom, please!” she said. “I’ll be careful not to let my glasses fall off my face.”

“We can talk about this later,” Mom said. “We need to get home so I can start supper.”

Rachel nodded. After that wild goat chase, she was more than ready to go home.

When Susan pulled up to the house, Rachel thanked her, climbed out, and hurried inside while Mom paid for the ride. Rachel could hardly wait to show her new glasses to everyone in the family. She hoped they liked them as much as Mom and Esther did.

She spotted Grandpa in the rocking chair in the living room. His eyes were closed, and she wondered if he was asleep.

When she stepped into the room, he opened his eyes and greeted her with a smile. He leaned forward so fast the rocker almost tipped him out. “Your glasses look real nice, Rachel. Can you see better now?”

She nodded. “When I’m wearing them, nothing looks blurry.”

“That’s good to hear. It’s not fun to have blurry vision.”

“You only wear glasses for reading, right?”

Grandpa nodded. “Have for a good many years.”

“The eye doctor said if I wear my glasses for a couple of years, I might not have to wear them all the time.” Rachel frowned. “I’m worried that he might have said that just to make me feel better, though. What if I have to wear them for the rest of my life?”

“That wouldn’t be so bad,” he said. “Your mamm’s worn glasses for a good many years, and she’s never complained.”

Rachel glanced at Mom, who’d just stepped into the living room.

“Sorry we’re late,” Mom said. “We stopped by Esther’s so she could see Rachel’s glasses, and then Rachel and Rudy got involved in a wild goat chase.”

Grandpa chuckled. “I’ve chased plenty of goats in my day, I’ll tell you. Always left me feeling plenty
mied
[tired].”

Rachel nodded. “I was feeling meid after our goat chase, too.”