The Restoration (6 page)

Jonah Miller had put his children to bed and was about to relax and read the newspaper, when he remembered he hadn’t done the supper dishes. He could leave them until morning, when his mother came over to watch the children while he was at work, but that wouldn’t be fair to Mom. She’d done so much for him since Sara’s death. There weren’t enough words to express his gratitude to her or Dad. Tonight, Jonah would wash and dry the dishes, giving Mom one less thing to worry about.

Jonah ambled into the kitchen and turned on the gas lamp overhead. As he filled the sink with warm, soapy water, he thought about all the times Sara had stood here, washing the dishes. In the brief year they’d been married, Sara had been a good wife, and he missed her so much. Despite dealing with her symptoms of multiple sclerosis, she’d been a hard worker and had never failed to care for Mark and their baby girl. Sara had always been loving and kind and had looked to the needs of others before her own. Her sweet, gentle spirit had drawn Jonah to her, and he had looked forward to spending many years with his beloved wife. But fate, or the hand of God, whatever a person wanted to call it, had snatched Sara from Jonah. He was now faced with raising their children alone. Even though his mother would be there to help, it wasn’t the same as having Sara’s presence in this home.

Sloshing the dishcloth over a plate, Jonah groaned. He had been in love with three women, and God had seen fit to take all of them in different ways. First, he’d lost Meredith when her husband, Luke, returned after she’d been told he was dead. Then he’d found love again with Elaine, but she had shattered his world by saying she didn’t love him after her grandmother was diagnosed with dementia. Now Sara was gone—senselessly killed in an accident. It should never have happened. If only she’d stayed in the house and rested, like she’d been told to do after having the baby. But no, she’d been determined to go out to the barn to feed the cats. That’s when she’d apparently seen the kitten and tried to help it down from the loft.

Did she get dizzy and lose her footing on the ladder?
Jonah asked himself for the umpteenth time. Unless someone had been with Sara in the barn that day, Jonah would never know exactly how it happened.

For some reason, his parents’ dog, Herbie, jumped into his thoughts. Even though Jonah had considered getting a border collie of his own, he was glad he and Sara had never gotten a dog. Knowing how much Sara loved animals, it would have been one more responsibility she’d have taken on. Right now, it was all Jonah could do to look at the gray-and-white kitten Sara had been clutching when she fell off the ladder. It had never been clear exactly what had happened, but Jonah was quite sure if it hadn’t been for the cat, his wife would still be alive.

Jonah gripped the soapy dishcloth and made a decision. He would give that little kitten away. It was too hard having it around the place as a reminder of his and the children’s great loss.

Jonah hadn’t admitted it to anyone, but Sara’s death had really shaken his faith. His only source of comfort was his stepson, Mark, as well as his baby girl, Martha Jean, named after Jonah’s twin sister.

Jonah remembered how Sara’s parents, who lived in Indiana, had offered to take the children and raise them. Of course, he’d flatly refused. When he married Sara, Mark had become his son, too. It was because of his children that Jonah was able to face the future. Mark and Martha Jean were his only reason for living, and no one but him would raise them, although he did rely on his folks for help.

Jonah was sure he would never marry again. He couldn’t take the chance of losing another wife. He seemed destined to lose when it came to love and marriage.

I
’m glad you could both come over for lunch today,” Leah said when Priscilla and Elaine entered her kitchen on Monday, shortly before noon. “It’s been awhile since we got together like this.”

Priscilla smiled. “We need to do it more often.”

“How are you feeling, Elaine?” Leah asked. “I didn’t get the chance to talk to you at church yesterday.”

“Thanks to the foot treatment you gave me Saturday night, I made it through the rest of the weekend without a twinge of pain in my head or neck.” Elaine gave Leah a hug. “Is there anything we can do to help with lunch?”

Leah shook her head. “Everything’s ready. Just take your seats at the table.”

It felt strange not to do anything to help, but after Elaine took a chair, Priscilla did the same. She noticed Leah’s peaceful expression. She was obviously happy in her new role as Adam’s wife. Even though their marriage had been one of convenience, the couple had fallen in love.

“Have you been busy with reflexology patients?” Elaine asked.

Leah nodded. “My mamm’s agreed to keep the girls at her house on Saturdays so I can see as many people as I need to on those days. In fact, Cora Finley made an appointment to see me this coming Saturday.”

Priscilla’s eyebrows rose. “Does Adam know about her coming for a treatment?”

“Jah.” Leah sighed. “Even though he’s not ready to accept Cora into his life, he gave me permission to see her as long as the children aren’t here.”

“Do they know about Cora?” Elaine questioned.

“Adam hasn’t told them yet. I hope he will soon, though. They have the right to know.”

Priscilla bobbed her head. “I agree.”

“How are things going with the girls?” Elaine asked when Leah placed steaming bowls of vegetable soup on the table and took a seat across from them.

“Pretty well.” Leah clasped her hands beneath her chin. “Amy can be a challenge sometimes, but even she seems to be coming around.”

“Are she and Linda doing well in school?” Priscilla questioned.

“They are. And it’s nice having Carrie still here with me. She’ll be starting school before you know it.”

“They sure grow fast,” Priscilla added, thinking about the children she hoped to have someday.

“Why don’t we pray? Then we can visit some more.” Leah bowed her head. Elaine and Priscilla did the same.

In addition to thanking God for the food and her friends, Priscilla prayed that David’s injuries would heal without complications and things would improve between him and his parents.
Maybe I’ll stop by and see him on the way home
, she decided.
I want to find out how things are going.

“How are you feeling, Davey?” Gram asked. “Is there anything you’d like me to get you?”

Hobbling on his crutches to the couch, David shook his head. “I’m fine, Gram. Just need to lie down awhile.” Truth was, David’s pain medicine hadn’t kicked in, so his ribs, leg, and head hurt. He wasn’t about to admit his discomfort to Gram. She’d only fuss over him all the more. He didn’t mind, really, but he just wasn’t used to having someone hovering over him.

If the pain wasn’t bad enough, now David had something else to deal with—the itching on his leg underneath the cast. The doctor had warned him this would happen and said it was important not to try using any object to scratch the skin. If the itching got unbearable, the doctor suggested David could use a hair blower, set on cool, aiming it under the cast. If the itching didn’t get worse, he could ignore the crawling sensation, but if that didn’t work, the doctor would give David a prescription for an antihistamine. David didn’t want to resort to more pills. He was determined to find a way to cope with the annoyance.

David’s parents had gone home before lunch, and he was glad. Dad needed to get back to his clinic, and Mom had convinced him nothing could be done about David’s decision to drop out of school until Christmas break was over and David’s injuries had healed. She’d even told David she thought being here with his grandparents would be good for him—a chance to clear his head and think things through.

Mom’s hoping I’ll change my mind and go back to Chicago
, David thought, repositioning the pillow under his leg. Keeping it elevated helped ease the pain. Now if his ribs would quit hurting every time he took a breath…

David closed his eyes and was about to drift off, when a knock sounded on the front door.

“I’ll get it,” Gram called. “Just stay where you are.”

A few minutes later, she entered the living room with Priscilla at her side. “Look who’s come to visit.” After Gram took Priscilla’s jacket and outer bonnet, Priscilla sat in a chair near the couch.

“How are you doing, David?” Priscilla asked after Gram left the room.

“Still hurting, but I’ll live.”

“Are you taking something for the pain?” The depth of Priscilla’s concern showed in her eyes.

“I’m taking half a dose, but it only takes the edge off. If I take the full amount, it makes me sleepy.”

Her nose wrinkled slightly. “Wouldn’t you rather be sleepy and have no pain then suffer through it to stay awake?”

“Nope.” David pulled himself to a sitting position. “It would be a shame if I was sleeping right now and couldn’t visit with you.”

Priscilla’s cheeks flushed, and she looked away for a moment. “I didn’t see your folks’ car parked in the driveway.”

“Mom and Dad left this morning.”

“I hope you got things resolved with them. I can’t imagine being at odds with my parents.”

“Nothing’s been resolved as far as they’re concerned, but on my end it sure has.”

“What do you mean?”

David shifted slightly and grimaced when pain shot through his ribs. “I’m not going back to college, no matter what my dad says. As soon as my leg and ribs heal, I’ll look for a job in the area.” He winked at Priscilla. “I may even decide to join the Amish faith.”

Priscilla blinked. “Are you serious or just teasing?”

“I would never tease about something as serious as joining the Amish faith.”

“Why would you want to give up your English customs and take on the Plain life?”

“I’m not saying I do. I’m just thinking about it right now.” David winked at Priscilla again.

How was she to know if he was teasing or not?

When Cora Finley left the clinic in Arthur where she’d been working as a nurse, she decided to take a different route home. It would be good to see some other scenery for a change, and traveling the back roads could be done at a slower pace.

Living in Arthur seemed peaceful compared to the hectic lifestyle she’d had in Chicago during the years she’d been married to Evan. This rural community had been good for her fifteen-year-old son Jared, too. When they’d first come to Arthur, Jared had been defiant, wanting to live near his dad, but in the last few weeks that had all changed.

“A dad who doesn’t care about anyone but himself,” Cora muttered. Jared was beginning to see his dad clearly, too.

The end of Cora’s marriage to Evan had been life changing and not of her own doing. The challenges it caused hadn’t been easy, either. Thanksgiving had begun a turning point for her son, and for the time being, at least, he seemed to understand Cora’s motives for moving to Arthur.

As difficult as the divorce had been, Cora’s biggest struggle had come about when she’d learned that her son Adam, from a previous marriage, lived in this area. He wanted nothing to do with her. Who could blame him, though? Cora had abandoned Adam and his sister, Mary, when she’d left the Amish faith and divorced their father more than twenty years ago.

Cora wanted to make amends and establish a relationship with her eldest son, but unless Adam changed his mind, it might never happen.

Refocusing her thoughts, Cora looked at the fields on both sides of the nearly deserted road, untouched, as if the snow had just fallen. Back in Chicago, she’d often felt as if she had no place to unwind. Here in Arthur, though, the landscape alone could make her tension melt away.

Approaching an Amish schoolhouse, Cora’s thoughts switched gears. Could this be the school Adam’s two oldest nieces attended? Cora had met the youngest girl, Carrie, when Leah brought her to the clinic once. But she’d only seen Carrie’s sisters from a distance after she’d shown up at Adam and Leah’s wedding without an invitation. How she longed to be a part of the girls’ lives and fulfill her role as their grandmother. Since Cora still saw Leah occasionally for reflexology treatments, she’d been tempted to ask if Leah could arrange a meeting between her and the girls, but she was afraid to broach the subject. Leah was Adam’s wife, and it might cause dissension if he found out Leah had played go-between. Cora didn’t want to be the cause of any trouble between them.