Katie's Journey to Love (3 page)

Mamm
's face showed relief when Katie walked into the kitchen.

“
Gut
morning,” Mabel said, all smiles.

“
Gut
morning,” Katie replied.

Mabel was carrying a plate of eggs to the table, and she'd obviously been frying bacon. Mabel looked quite pleased, so
Mamm
's decision about the morning routine must have had the desired effect. “Is there anything I can do to help?” Katie asked.

“I think we're almost done,” Mabel said, managing a smile. “Maybe you can set the last of the table.
Daett
and the boys are almost inside.”

I know that
, Katie wanted to say. Their loud chatter in the washroom was obvious. Mabel was treating her like a small child, offering her the lowest of tasks, one worthy of her youngest sister, Carolyn—not a soon-to-be-twenty young woman. But Katie kept smiling as she took the dishes to the table, thinking how much worse things could be this morning. Mabel's red-faced outbursts before the wedding had been common occurrences. Even for a sixteen-year-old she hadn't been afraid to make a spectacle of herself once her
daett
had chosen
Mamm
over the children's choice of teacher Ruth Troyer.

The washroom door burst open, and Mabel's two oldest brothers, Leroy and Willis, spilled in. They were soon followed by Jesse. Leroy and Willis stopped short at the sight of Katie and
Mamm
, as if they hadn't been expecting them.
Yah
, this would definitely take some getting used to by everybody.

“
Gut
morning to everyone!” Jesse exclaimed over the silence of his sons. “What a sight for sore eyes you women are. Isn't this wonderful? I can't say how blessed we are that Emma and Katie have come to live with us. Have a seat boys, and stop staring like you've never seen women before.”

Leroy and Willis grunted and took their seats on the back bench. The two boys hadn't been staring at
Mamm
, Katie thought. They'd been staring at her. It was the shock, no doubt, of seeing strange Emma Raber's daughter in their house.

Katie smiled as she stood by the table, her hands clasped in front of her. She wasn't quite sure where she was supposed to sit. When no one said anything, she took a chair beside the one she assumed her
mamm
would sit in.

“Where are Carolyn and Joel?” Jesse asked, taking his seat at the front of the table.

“I'll call them!” Mabel jumped up to rush to the bottom of the stairs. She hollered up, “Carolyn, Joel!”

When there was only silence, Mabel took off up the stairs.

“How's Mabel doing?” Jesse asked
Mamm
when his daughter's footsteps had faded.

“Okay,”
Mamm
said, taking the seat beside Jesse. She reached over and touched his arm.

Across the table, Leroy quickly stared up at the ceiling. A smile crept across Willis's face.

Mamm
noticed and turned bright red as she pulled her hand away from Jesse's arm.

Jesse, taking it all in, laughed and took Emma's hand in his.

“Now, boys, this is your new
mamm
,” Jesse said, his eyes twinkling. “Get used to it.”

There was no doubt that Jesse was working to make
Mamm
feel comfortable. Katie allowed a smile to creep over her face.

Soon
Mamm
joined in the shared laughter. She leaned toward Jesse as footsteps came down the stairs. Mabel appeared, leading six-year-old Joel by the hand with Carolyn following close behind.

Katie held her breath. Would Mabel object to this open display of affection between
Mamm
and Jesse? Would all of
Mamm
's careful work this morning be lost in seconds? Perhaps Mabel would see something in her
daett
's actions to remind her of her lost
mamm
. Might this open wounds that hadn't yet healed?

Mabel paused for a moment as she took in
Mamm
and Jesse's postures. She grimaced but then glanced away. Without further
ado, she helped Joel into his chair, where he sat and rubbed his eyes. Carolyn took her place, smiling at
Mamm
and Jesse.

Jesse beamed back at Carolyn but he addressed all of them. “Do you think we should pray before the food gets cold?”

“
Yah
, let's do,” Mabel spoke up. She had folded her hands in her lap like she didn't quite know what to do with them. Jesse gave Mabel only the briefest of glances before they all bowed their heads.

“Dear
Gott im himmel
,” Jesse prayed, “You who made the heavens and the earth and all that is within them, look down again upon us this morning in mercy. We give You thanks for Your many and great blessings You have given to us all. You have brought joy and laughter back into our home. You have again allowed love to grow in my heart for Emma. You have not allowed either of us to stay in our former state of sorrow. Rather, You have given us new life again. For this we cannot give You sufficient thanks. Have mercy again today on our trespasses, and forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Katie stole a look at
Mamm
's face. It carried a touch of red, which made sense. She too would be sending off flames of red if such words of thanksgiving and praise were being offered on her behalf. The years of living alone hadn't been kind to
Mamm
. They had been long and lonely, full of suffering. Now the tide had turned and this was her time of miracles.
Mamm
hadn't been sure that she was in love with Jesse before the wedding, but that had also been the case with Ezra, Katie's
daett
, too. And just like with Ezra, Katie had no doubt that her
mamm
's feelings for Jesse would match the love she had for
Daett
. With a man like Jesse,
Mamm
wouldn't be able to help herself. Katie bowed her head again.

“…now be with us today, O great and holy Father,” Jesse said.
“Continue to bless us and to bestow Your grace upon our lives. In the name of Your dear Son, Jesus. Amen.”

They all raised their heads, and Leroy made a dive for the plate of eggs. Mabel slapped his hand, and he dropped the plate with a clatter, causing several eggs to slide off the platter onto the table.

“Enough of this,” Jesse corrected sternly. “You're behaving like savages after such a
gut
start this morning.”

“He's only being his usual self,” Mabel stated.

“Pick up the eggs from the table,” Jesse ordered Leroy. “And those will be yours. Next time be more careful. I've had enough of this.”

Leroy groaned but gathered up the eggs one by one and slipped them onto his plate.

Jesse turned to Emma with an apologetic grin. “I'm sorry about my children's behavior. I guess you see why they need a
mamm
around.”

“I understand,”
Mamm
said quickly. “It's okay.”

Jesse patted her on the arm. “Now, don't be too easy on them. They're also in your charge now, and they are to listen to you.” Jesse turned toward his children. “Did you hear that?” he asked.

They all nodded, including Mabel. She appeared subdued for a moment, and then she passed the bacon around. Breakfast settled down into a family routine.
Mamm
joined in where she could, but Mabel clearly was running things.

Katie watched to see what
Mamm
would do. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Jesse was doing the same. When the plate of eggs came around to little Joel, Mabel reached out to help him.

Mamm
said, “I'll help him.”

Mabel blinked a few times and glanced at her
daett
. When Jesse nodded, Mabel backed down. She attempted a smile and said, “Of course. I'm so used to doing everything.”

“
Yah
, I understand.”
Mamm
smiled at Mabel. “How many eggs does Joel usually eat?”

“Two!” Joel announced.

After Mabel nodded,
Mamm
pulled two eggs off the serving plate and put them onto Joel's.

Mabel looked so pleased
Mamm
had consulted her that Katie thought she would burst. But this is a
gut
thing, she reminded herself. She must not become bitter over
Mamm
and Mabel developing a good relationship.

When they were finished eating, Jesse bowed his head in silent prayer before standing to lead the way into the living room for morning devotions.

Mamm
seemed to notice Katie for the first time since breakfast had begun. A troubled look crossed her face. As they both stood,
Mamm
reached over to squeeze Katie's elbow as they walked together into the living room.

Katie whispered, “It's okay,
Mamm
. I understand.”

Mamm
's face relaxed, and by the time she sat down on the hickory rocker beside Jesse, she was smiling again. Katie listened to Jesse read the morning scripture, a section out of Psalm 147: “Praise ye the L
ORD
: for it is good to sing praises unto our God…”

That was so true, Katie thought. She was glad
Da Hah
had brought them so much joy.

“…he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart.”

Kate thought again how glad she was to finally have a
daett
. She was happy
Da Hah
was healing their hearts, and she was pleased He had given her a small part in it. Hopefully they would become a strong, loving family. No matter what, she would trust in
Da Hah
to lead the way.

Chapter Three

An hour later Jesse and the two oldest boys had left the house to begin their work in the fields. Katie walked into the kitchen to find
Mamm
up to her elbows in flour as she stirred a huge bowl of bread dough. At home
Mamm
had baked only a small batch of bread each week, but here it looked like she would have to make three times as much with so many mouths to feed.

“I'm leaving early for Byler's,” Katie announced, pausing to give
Mamm
a quick wave. “They're expecting an extra busy time since it's right after Thanksgiving.” She saw no sign of Mabel, but Katie could hear the washing machine running downstairs.

“Bye!”
Mamm
said, looking up but not lifting her floury hands from the bowl.

Katie closed the washroom door behind her and crossed the yard. Before she reached the barn,
Mamm
came running from the house, wiping her arms on the apron.

“Katie!” she called out. “Katie, I need to talk to you.”

Katie didn't pause. “I have to harness Sparky,
Mamm
,” she hollered over her shoulder. “Can you come to the barn?”

Mamm
followed her into the barn and watched as Katie brought Sparky out of his stall. She threw the harness on his back. “What is it,
Mamm
?” she asked.

“Katie…”
Mamm
stepped closer. “Katie, I'm sorry for how things went this morning. I'm so caught up in everything that I feel I've neglected you.”

“I'm okay.” Katie looked away. “I really am.”

Mamm
touched Katie's arm. “
Nee
, you're not. A
mamm
can tell. I'm sorry I asked you to step outside this morning. That was awful of me, regardless of what I was trying to accomplish.”

“
Mamm
, it's okay,” Katie insisted. “
Yah
, you are right. It did hurt a little, but it was for the best. And at least Mabel didn't blow up. Maybe she would have if we hadn't been careful.”

“We'll have a good, long talk tonight when you get back,”
Mamm
said with tears in her eyes. “I love you, Katie. Nothing is going to change that.”

Katie met
Mamm
's gaze. “Thanks. I love you too. You've always been
gut
to me, and I know we have adjustments to make.”

“Oh, Katie…”
Mamm
touched her hand. “Thank you for seeing so much more than I do sometimes. I know you will love Jesse and his family.
Da Hah
has given us a miracle, and you are part of it.”

Katie slipped Sparky's bridle over his head. Words of warning on what conflicts might lie ahead sprang up in her mind. There were the Mennonite youth gatherings and also Mabel's true feelings. But Katie held the words back. None of that would benefit either of them right now.
Mamm
loved her, and she loved
Mamm
. That had been enough in the past, and it would prove enough now and in the future. She couldn't ask for more.

“Keep your courage up,”
Mamm
said. “I know living with Mabel is difficult, but you're my shining example that all will
work out. Soon things will go much smoother—once we've settled down a bit.”