the STRUGGLE (22 page)

“So love is what’s keeping you here?”

“Jah. That, and the fact that this is my home. I mean, I like it here in Kentucky, but if Samuel wanted to move back to Pennsylvania after we got married, I’d be willing to move there, too.”

“So I guess that means I should have been willing to move here because it’s what Timothy wanted?” Hannah couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of her voice.

“A wife’s place is with her husband,” Esther said. “It’s as simple as that.”

Hannah cringed. Maybe a wife’s place was with her husband, but wasn’t the husband supposed to care about his wife’s needs and wishes, too?

“Are you sure you don’t mind taking me to the airport this afternoon? I feel bad asking you to drive after the snowy weather we’ve had these last few days,” Bonnie’s dad said as the two of them sat in the living room enjoying the warmth of the fireplace.

“Of course I don’t mind, and since the roads are pretty well cleared, I’m sure we’ll be fine.”

“Excuse me,” Trisha said, entering the room with her suitcase in hand. “I wanted to let you know that I’m ready to head out, so if you’ll print out my bill, I’ll settle up with you now.”

“Where will you be going from here?” Bonnie asked, leading the way to her desk in the foyer.

“Since my friend and her husband from Bowling Green are still away, I won’t be stopping there. So I’ll probably head for Virginia and check out some of the sights that I’ve read about.”

“This sure isn’t a good time of year to be traveling anywhere by car,” Dad called from the other room. “Maybe you should head back to California.”

Trisha looked at Bonnie and rolled her eyes. “He always did like to tell me what to do,” she whispered.

Bonnie smiled. That didn’t surprise her one bit, because Dad was a take-charge kind of guy.

Once Trisha’s bill had been taken care of, she stepped into the living room and said good-bye to Dad.

“Have a safe trip,” he mumbled.

Trisha hesitated a minute. Then she moved closer to him and said, “It was nice seeing you again, Kenny, and I’m truly sorry for whatever hurt I may have caused you in the past.”

“It’s Ken, not Kenny,” Dad mumbled.

Trisha stood a few seconds, as if waiting for some other response, but when Dad said nothing more, she picked up her suitcase and opened the front door.

“It’s been nice meeting you. Feel free to stop by if you’re ever in this area again,” Bonnie said, stepping onto the porch with Trisha.

Trisha turned and smiled. “I appreciate the offer, but if I do come back this way, I’ll be sure and call first. I wouldn’t want to be here if your dad’s visiting, because it’s obvious that I make him feel uncomfortable.”

“Well, he needs to get over it and leave the past in the past—forgive and forget. Life’s too short to carry grudges, and I plan to talk to him more about that. You just call, no matter what, if you should ever come by this way again.”

Trisha gave Bonnie a quick hug then started down the stairs. She was almost to the bottom when her foot slipped on a still-frozen step and down she went.

“What did I go and do now?” Trisha wailed. She tried to get up but was unsuccessful. “Oh, my ankle…It hurts so much!”

Bonnie, being careful not to slip herself, made her way down the porch stairs and knelt beside Trisha. After a quick look at Trisha’s already swollen ankle, she determined that it could very well be broken. “Stay right where you are,” Bonnie said when Trisha once more tried to stand. “I’ll get Dad’s help, and we’ll carry you into the house.”

C
HAPTER
26

I
can’t begin to tell you how much I appreciate you letting me stay here while my ankle heals,” Trisha said to Bonnie as she hobbled into the kitchen with the aid of her crutches.

“It’s not a problem,” Bonnie said. “Since you broke it after falling on my slippery steps, the least I can do is offer you a room free of charge.” She motioned to the table. “Now if you’ll take a seat, I’ll fix you some breakfast.”

Trisha still felt bad about imposing on Bonnie like this, but she really did appreciate all she had done for her since she’d fallen two days ago. Bonnie had even gone so far as to call her fiancé, Allen, and ask that he take her dad to the airport so she’d be free to take Trisha to the hospital to have her ankle x-rayed. And when they’d learned that it was broken, Bonnie had stayed with Trisha at the hospital and brought her back here to care for her. It was definitely more than she had expected.

Being with Bonnie was a taste of what it might have been like if Trisha had been able to have children. She’d always longed to be a mother and had wanted to adopt, but Dave wouldn’t even discuss that option. He’d said on more than one occasion that if they couldn’t have children of their own, then he didn’t want any at all. Trisha thought it was selfish of him to feel that way—especially when there were children out there who needed a home. But out of respect for her husband, she’d never pushed the issue. Besides, she’d always felt that a child needed love from both parents.

“Would you like a bowl of oatmeal and some toast this morning?” Bonnie asked, breaking into Trisha’s thoughts.

“Yes, thank you; that would be fine.” Trisha seated herself at the table and watched helplessly as Bonnie made her breakfast. “I feel like I ought to be doing something to earn my keep,” she said.

Bonnie shook her head. “It’s no bother, really. I have to fix breakfast for myself, anyway.”

“But you’ve done so much for me already—even giving up your room downstairs and moving into one of your upstairs guest rooms.

“I’m happy to do that. After all, you can’t be expected to navigate the stairs with your leg in a cast and having to use crutches.”

“I’m just not used to being waited on or pampered,” Trisha said. “I’ve always been pretty independent, and after Dave died, I really had to learn how to fend for myself.”

“I understand. Dad was the same way after Mom passed away from a brain tumor.”

“How old were you when she died?”

“Thirteen.”

“That must have been hard for both you and your dad.”

“It was.” Bonnie went to the cupboard and took out a box of brown sugar, which she placed on the table. “Mom was a very good cook, and she didn’t like anyone in her kitchen, so I never learned to cook well. After she died, Dad and I just kind of muddled by.”

“But you obviously learned how to cook somewhere along the line, because that Christmas dinner you fixed was delicious.”

Bonnie smiled. “I had a good teacher.”

“Who was that?”

“Esther Beiler. When I moved into Grandma and Grandpa’s house and decided to open the B&B, Esther came to work for me. At first she did most of the cooking, but then she took the time to teach me.” Bonnie moved back to the stove to check on the oatmeal. “Of course, I’ll probably never be as good a cook as Esther, because she just has a talent for it.”

“Guess everyone has something they’re really good at,” Trisha said, reaching for two napkins from the basket on the table. She folded them and set them out for the meal.

“That’s true. Where do you feel your talents lie?” Bonnie questioned.

“I don’t know if I’m as good a cook as Esther, but I used to be the head chef for a restaurant in Fresno, and the customers often raved about some of the dishes I created. So I guess if I have a talent, it’s cooking.”

“Oh my!” Bonnie’s cheeks turned pink. “I had no idea there was a chef who could no doubt cook circles around me sitting at my table on Christmas Day. If I’d known that, I probably would have been a complete wreck.”

Trisha laughed. “I’ve never considered myself anything more than someone who likes to cook, so you really don’t need to worry about whether anything you fix measures up.”

“That’s good to know, because the oatmeal’s a little too dry. I probably didn’t put enough water in the kettle.”

Trisha waved her hand. “Don’t worry about that. It’s funny, but whenever someone else does the cooking, no matter what it is, the food always tastes so much better. I used to tell my husband that his toast was the best-tasting toast I’d ever eaten. Anyway, a pat of butter and some milk poured over the top, and I’m sure the oatmeal will be plenty moist.”

“I know exactly what you mean about someone else’s cooking. It’s kind of like eating outdoors. When does the food taste any better than that?” Bonnie set two bowls on the table and took a seat. “No wonder my dad fell so hard for you when you were teenagers. You’re a very nice woman, Trisha Chandler.”

Trisha smiled. “Thanks. I think you’re pretty nice, too.”

When breakfast was over and Trisha was resting comfortably on the living-room sofa, Bonnie did the dishes. She’d just finished and was about to mop the kitchen floor when Esther showed up.

“I’m surprised to see you,” Bonnie said. “I figured you’d be over at Samuel’s by now.”

“I told Hannah last night that I’d be coming over late because I had some errands to run,” Esther said. “To tell you the truth, I think she was glad.”

“Are things still strained between you two?”

“A bit, although I believe they are somewhat better. We’ve been talking more lately, and I think that’s helped.”

Bonnie smiled. “I’m glad. You should bring Hannah and the little ones over to see me again. Maybe Suzanne would like to come, too.”

“That sounds like fun. And speaking of Suzanne, I found out yesterday that she and Titus are expecting a baby. She’s due sometime in August.”

Bonnie squealed. “Now that is good news! I’m sure everyone in Suzanne’s family must be very excited.”

“They are, and so are Titus’s parents. We suspected it when they were here for Christmas, and when Titus called his folks and told them the official news, they were delighted.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t get to see Abraham and Fannie while they were here this time,” Bonnie said. “I enjoyed meeting them when they came for Titus and Suzanne’s wedding. They seem like a very nice couple.”

“They are, and I look forward to having them as in-laws.”

“How soon will that be?” Bonnie asked, taking a seat at the table and motioning for Esther to do the same.

Esther lowered herself into a chair. “I don’t know. Samuel would get married tomorrow if it was possible, but I really think we should wait until Hannah and Timothy have found a place of their own.”

“I understand, but what if it’s a long time before they find a place? Will you change your mind and marry Samuel anyway?”

Esther shrugged. “I don’t know. Guess I’ll have to wait and see how it all goes.” She reached over and touched Bonnie’s arm. “Speaking of weddings, have you and Allen set a date for your wedding yet?”

“Not a definite one, but we’re hoping sometime in the spring.”

“I’ve never been to an English wedding before, so I hope I’ll get an invitation.”

“Would you be allowed to go? I mean, it’s not against your church rules or anything, is it?”

Esther emitted a small laugh. “No, it’s not.”

“Then you’ll definitely get an invitation. In fact, I’m sure Allen will want to invite all our Amish friends.”

“Will Allen sell his house and move here to the bed-and-breakfast, or will you sell this place and move into his house with him?”

“We haven’t actually discussed that. And you know, until this minute, I hadn’t even given it a thought.” Bonnie’s forehead wrinkled as she mulled things over. “I sure would hate to give up this place, and I do hope Allen doesn’t ask me to.”

“I don’t think he will. He knows how much you enjoy running the B&B.”

“That may be so, but some men expect their wives to do things they don’t really want to do. Take Hannah, for instance. She didn’t want to move to Kentucky, but Timothy insisted.”

“And with good reason,” Esther said. “He had to get Hannah away from her mother in order to make her see that her first priority was to him.”

Bonnie’s lips compressed. “Hmm…I wonder if Allen will make me choose between him and the bed-and-breakfast.”