the STRUGGLE (9 page)

Hannah looked away, her thoughts going to Timothy. He’d been keeping very busy helping Samuel. They’d had several indoor paint jobs, which was a good thing on account of the rain. The downside was that most of the jobs were out of town, and by the time the men came home each evening, Timothy was tired and didn’t want to talk with Hannah or even spend a few minutes playing with Mindy before she was put to bed. He often went to bed early and was asleep by the time Hannah got Mindy down and crawled into bed herself. Where had the closeness they’d once felt for each other gone? What had happened to Timothy’s promise that everything would be better once they had moved? So many things had gotten in the way of what had brought them together in the first place.

When Esther went back inside, Hannah glanced at Mindy, now frolicking back and forth across the porch, amusing herself as she pretended to be a horse.
Your daadi hardly spends any time with you anymore, either. Will we ever be like a real family again?

Hannah’s musings were halted when Bonnie’s car pulled into the yard and she tooted her horn. Grabbing Mindy’s car seat from the porch, Hannah took Mindy’s hand and hurried out to the car.

“Where’s Esther?” Bonnie asked when Hannah opened the car door. “Aren’t she and Samuel’s little ones coming with us today?”

Hannah shook her head. “Jared and Penny have the beginning of a cold, and she thought it’d be best if she kept them in today.”

“I guess that makes sense. Is everyone else well?”

“So far, and I hope it stays that way, because I sure don’t want Mindy coming down with a cold.” Hannah put Mindy’s car seat in the back and lifted Mindy into it, making sure her seat belt was securely buckled. Then she stepped into the front seat and buckled her own seat belt.

Bonnie smiled. “I appreciate the fact that you use the seat belts without me having to ask. I know that the Amish don’t have seat belts in their buggies, so I sometimes have to remind my passengers to use them when they’re riding in my car.”

“I’ve sometimes wished we did have seat belts,” Hannah said, “because when someone’s in a buggy accident, they’re often seriously injured.”

Bonnie nodded with a look of understanding. “Getting to know my Amish neighbors has been one of the biggest blessings in my life, and I don’t like hearing about accidents of any kind. I pray often for my Amish and English friends, asking God to keep everyone safe.”

“Esther mentioned that you’re a Christian and that you go to a small church in Fairview,” Hannah said.

“Yes, that’s right.” Bonnie pulled out of Samuel’s yard and headed down the road in the direction of Hopkinsville. “It’s a very nice church, and I enjoy attending the services. When my grandma was alive, she and Grandpa used to go to that church.”

“Have you ever attended an Amish church service?” Hannah asked.

“Not a Sunday service, but I did go to Titus and Suzanne’s wedding, which I understand was similar to one of your regular preaching services.”

Hannah nodded. “So what did you think of the wedding?”

“It was nice. Quite a bit different from the weddings we Englishers have, though.”

“When you and Allen get married, will it be at the church in Fairview?”

Bonnie’s mouth dropped open. “Where did you get the idea that Allen and I will be getting married?”

“Samuel said so. I heard him talking to Timothy about it during supper a few nights ago.”

“What did he say?”

“Just that he knew Allen was planning to marry you, and he hoped it’d be soon.”

Bonnie gave the steering wheel a sharp rap. “That’s interesting—especially since Allen hasn’t even asked me to marry him.”

“He hasn’t?”

“No, but he has dropped a couple of hints along the way.”

“Maybe he’s waiting for just the right time.”

Bonnie kept her focus on the road.

Did I do it again and say something I shouldn’t have?
Hannah wondered.
Maybe Bonnie doesn’t love Allen enough to marry him
.

Oak Grove, Kentucky

“Samuel, I wanted to tell you again how much I appreciate your understanding after we had our little talk concerning Hannah and Esther,” Timothy said before hauling one of their paint cans across the living room of the older home they were painting.

“Hey, it’s okay. I’m glad we had the chance to talk things out.” Samuel smiled. “We’re family, and it’s important that we all get along, for our sake, as well as the kinners’. It’s not good having unspoken tension between us.”

“I don’t want that either,” Timothy said. “Hannah has seemed a little more content this past week, now that she and Esther are taking turns with the cooking. I’m hoping maybe with Hannah getting into some sort of a routine while getting better acquainted with life in Kentucky she’ll learn to like it here as much as I do.”

“I hope so, too,” Samuel said, “because I’m really glad you’re here.”

“How are things going for you two?” Allen asked Samuel when he entered the house, interrupting their conversation.

“Real well,” Samuel replied. “We should have it done before the week is out.” He motioned to Timothy, who was kneeling on the floor, painting the baseboard an oyster shell white. “With all the work we’ve had lately, it’s sure good to have my brother’s help. Even though Timothy only worked part-time for Zach, he learned some pretty good painting skills.”

“I can see that he’s doing a fine job.” Allen moved closer to where Samuel stood on a ladder. “I’m sure the folks who live here will be glad to hear that all the painting will be finished before Thanksgiving.”

“Speaking of Thanksgiving, what are you doing for the holiday?” Samuel asked.

“I’m going over to Bonnie’s.”

“That’s good to hear. I was going to invite you to join us at Titus’s house if you didn’t have plans.”

“I appreciate the offer,” Allen said, “but I’m really looking forward to spending the day with Bonnie. We’ve both been keeping so busy and haven’t seen much of each other lately.”

Samuel chuckled. “You’ll never get her to agree to marry you if you don’t spend some time with her.”

“I know. That’s why I accepted her invitation for Thanksgiving dinner. And if everything goes well, I’ll ask her to marry me before the day is out.”

Samuel grinned. “Well now, isn’t that something? Be sure and let me know how it goes.”

“I’d like to hear that news myself,” Timothy called from across the room.

Allen nodded. “You two will be the first ones I tell—after my folks, of course. Oh, and I’ll also tell your brother Zach, because I’m sure he’ll be happy to hear I’m finally willing to give up the single life and have found a woman I want to marry.”

Paradise, Pennsylvania

“Johnny, are you sure you don’t need my help at the store today?” Sally asked her husband as they sat at the kitchen table eating breakfast. “Since Hannah’s been gone, I’ve been bored and really need something to occupy my time and thoughts.”

“Our niece, Anna, and her friend, Phoebe Stoltzfus, are working out really well. I’m not needed there all the time, so you wouldn’t find much to do either.” Johnny pulled his fingers through the ends of his nearly gray beard. “Makes me wonder if I ought to retire and buy a little place for us in Sarasota. We could live in the community of Pinecraft, where so many Plain folks retire or vacation.”

Sally frowned as she shook her head. “Then we’d be living even farther from Hannah. Unless Timothy brought his family down to Florida for a vacation, which I doubt, we’d rarely see them.”

He patted her arm. “Now don’t look so worried. It was only wishful thinking on my part. I’m not really ready to retire just yet, but when the time comes for me to sell the store, I’d like to move to a place where it’s warm and sunny all year.”

Sally felt a huge sense of relief. At least she didn’t have to worry about that for a while. She picked up her cup of tea and took a drink. “I’ve been wondering about something.”

“What’s that?”

“Thanksgiving’s just a week away, and I was hoping we could go to Kentucky for the holiday. It would be nice to see Hannah and find out for ourselves how she, Timothy, and Mindy are doing.”

Johnny shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?”

“It’s too soon for us to pay them a visit. Hannah needs to adjust to living in Kentucky, and seeing us right now might make it harder on her.”

“But Johnny, our daughter’s miserable. Every time she calls, I can hear by the tone of her voice how distressed she is. And the letter I got from her the other day made me feel so sad, reading how much she misses us and wishes she could come home.”

“Just give her more time. She’ll get over her homesickness after a while.” Johnny gulped down the rest of his coffee, scooted his chair away from the table, and stood.

“I’m not so sure about that. Hannah liked it here in Pennsylvania, and she doesn’t like much of anything about living in Kentucky.”

“I don’t have time to debate this with you right now. I need to get my horse and buggy ready so I can get to the store.”

“But you said you weren’t needed there.”

“I said I wasn’t needed as much as before, but there are still some things I need to do. I may have some boxes to unpack and move if the newest shipment came in yesterday afternoon when I left Anna in charge.” Johnny grabbed his straw hat, slipped into his jacket, and hurried out the door like he couldn’t get out of there soon enough.

Tears welled in Sally’s eyes.
I don’t think he cares how miserable our daughter is or even how much I miss her. If I thought for one minute that Johnny wouldn’t get angry with me, I’d catch a bus to Kentucky and go there for Thanksgiving myself!

C
HAPTER
12

Fresno, California

T
risha Chandler sat at the head of her small dining-room table, hands folded in her lap, and lips pursed with determination. She’d just shared a delicious noon Thanksgiving meal with her two closest friends, Shirley and Margo, whom she’d met at a widow’s support group after her husband died of a heart attack two years ago. As soon as they’d finished eating, she’d given them some news that hadn’t been well received. But she wasn’t going to let them talk her into changing her mind. No, she’d waited a long time to do something fun and adventurous, and their negative comments were not going to stop her from fulfilling a dream she’d had for several years.

“I’ve always wanted to travel, and now that the restaurant where I’ve worked since Dave passed away has closed its doors, I think it’s time for me and my trusty little car to go out on the road,” Trisha said.

“But it’s not safe for a woman your age to be out on her own,” Margo argued. “What if something happened to you?”

Trisha grunted. “Nothing’s going to happen, and I’m not that old. I just turned fifty-eight last month, remember? Besides, it doesn’t matter how old I am. In this crazy world, there’s no guarantee that any of us are ever really safe.”

Tears welled in Shirley’s blue eyes. Always tenderhearted, Shirley had joined their widow’s group six months ago when her husband lost his battle with colon cancer. “After thinking it through a bit more, maybe it’s not such a bad idea after all. Truthfully, I wish I could be brave enough to venture out on my own,” she said. “We’re going to miss you, Trisha, that’s for sure.”

Trisha gave Shirley’s hand a gentle squeeze. “Why don’t you come with me? Just think of all the wonderful things we can see.”

Shirley shook her head. “I can’t be gone for six months, the way you plan to do; my children would never allow it. Besides, I really don’t like being too far from home.”

Trisha nodded in understanding. “Since I don’t have any children, there’s really nothing to keep me here.”

“Does that mean you plan to sell your condo and be gone for good?” Margo asked, her dark eyes widening.

“Oh no. I’m sure I’ll be back.”

“You know this really isn’t a good time of the year to be driving across the United States,” Margo pointed out. “You could run into all kinds of foul weather.”

“I’ve thought about that, but I’ll start out in the southern states, and then as the weather warms up in the spring, I’ll head up the East Coast and see some of the historical sights.”