The Wonder of Your Love (A Land of Canaan Novel) (28 page)

Danielle stepped backward until she was standing up against the dresser. “Stop it! Are you crazy?”

Martha didn’t lower the broom. “With all due respect, missy . . . you are the one who has broken into my house, and . . .” She saw her favorite jasmine vanilla lotion on the top of the dresser . . . next to a half-eaten loaf of garlic bread. She narrowed her brows and scowled. “What are you doing up here?”

Danielle shifted her weight, and Martha noticed that both eyes were wide open and the stitches on her cheek were gone, leaving a red mark down the side of her face. Her bottom lip was still swollen on one side.

“If you’ll just move that broom, I’ll leave.”

Martha raised her chin. “No. You answer the question. What are you doing up here?” Now Martha noticed a bag of Fritos, two of her colas, and three dirty dishes on the floor by the bed. “And exactly how long have you been here?”

“I—I don’t know. Maybe a few days. Maybe longer.”

Martha thought she might fall over. “So I’ve been sleeping in my bed downstairs while a thief has been living above me.”

She shook her head. “Unbelievable.”

“I’m not a thief!” Danielle clenched her fists.

Martha nodded to the pile by the bed. “Oh, really. Then what do you call that? Were you gonna leave an IOU?”

“I’ll pay you for it.”

Martha lowered the broom and held it like a pitchfork by her side. “Fine.” She held out her free hand, palm up. “Pay up.”

“I—I’ll have to go get the money and bring it back to you.”

Martha laughed. “Sure you will.” She walked to the bed and sat down atop the pine green bedspread she’d had since the sixties. She rubbed her forehead for a minute. “How’d you know where to find me?” She sat taller and frowned. “And
why
did you come here?”

Danielle shrugged. She was a petite little thing, and leaning up against the dresser, her wounds still not completely healed, she didn’t seem very threatening. But surely Martha deserved to know why the child had taken refuge in
her
upstairs.

“If you don’t want me to call the cops, I suggest you start talking.”

“I’ll leave. I’m sorry.” She edged toward the door.

“Danielle, wait.” Martha stood up, and slowly Danielle turned around. “Are you hiding from someone? From whoever did that to you?”

“I gotta go.”

Danielle rounded the corner, and without giving it much thought, Martha yelled the first thing that came to mind.

“You can stay if you want!”

Martha waited, and she heard the footsteps on the stairs stop. A moment later Danielle crept back over the threshold. “Why would you let me stay?”

“Why did you come here in the first place?” Martha had suddenly realized what was missing out of her wallet. An ID card that she carried, which listed her address.

Danielle shrugged, eyes to the floor. “I dunno.”

“Sure you do. Something sent you my way.”

She kicked at the corner of the doorway with her scuffed-up white tennis shoe. “I heard you say no one lived up here.”

Martha fought the urge to make a smart remark. Instead she took a deep breath. “I’m going to bed. It’s late. I suggest you do the same.” She pointed to the pile of dishes on the floor. “This is not how we do things around here. First thing in the morning, I expect to see this room cleaned up.” She glared at her lotion on the dresser. “And my lotion back downstairs on the table by my recliner, where I’ve kept it for years.”

She stood up, walked past Danielle, and was almost to the stairs when Danielle called her name. She turned around. “What?”

“Are you going downstairs to call the police?”

Martha pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen forward and sighed. “No, Danielle. I’m not. Now get some rest.”

Good grief. Lord, what have You got in store for me now?

W
EDNESDAY AFTERNOON THE
air was a bit chilly, but the sun was shining. Katie Ann bundled up Jonas and took him out to the barn with her, thinking he could use some fresh air. She had some leftover ham for Mrs. Dash, who’d left two more mice on the porch.

She eased into the barn and saw the cat curled up in a big ball in the corner on the quilt. She squatted down with Jonas.

“She’s going to have a
boppli
, Jonas. Probably several.”

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a baggie halffilled with pieces of ham she’d torn into bite-sized pieces. Expecting the cat to bolt, she was surprised when Mrs. Dash just stared at her. And this time her ears weren’t flattened to her head.

“Here you go, girl.” She tossed some of the ham closer, then waited. “Mrs. Dash is learning to trust us, Jonas.”

She nuzzled Jonas’s nose with hers, and he made a strange cooing noise. Katie Ann waited for the cat to sprint around the corner. But instead, Mrs. Dash rose from her spot, arched her back in a stretch, and moved closer to the ham. Katie Ann didn’t move. After a few moments, Mrs. Dash was within a foot of her, the closest the cat had ever come.

Katie Ann thought about all the prayers she’d said, asking God to help her trust His plan for her, whatever that might be. Figuring cats don’t pray, she silently prayed that God would take care of this big black cat and that she would deliver healthy little kittens.

And maybe you could send a Mr. Dash to help her
.

It was a strange ending, and probably even odder to be praying for the cat, but her father had always said there was a place in heaven for animals.

She rose slowly, so as not to spook the cat. Once she was standing, Mrs. Dash looked up, but quickly lowered her face and finished off the ham. She hadn’t even finished chewing her last bite when she went around the corner, but it was progress.

When she got back inside, Katie Ann put Jonas in his swing, which he enjoyed more all the time. She cranked the handle, then went to the kitchen to make sure she had everything she needed to cook supper for Eli that evening, and she tried to keep worry from her heart. She wanted to enjoy her time with him, and she was going to do everything she could to keep things in perspective and to see their relationship for what it was.

Her excitement about his coming overrode everything else. Even Martha’s situation with her new houseguest. Martha still came by daily, and twice she’d brought Danielle. The teenager didn’t say two words either time, and mostly sat on the couch fidgeting.

Katie Ann had asked Martha privately if she should be housing a child without the parents’ permission, but Martha said they weren’t very good parents if they had let something like this happen to their daughter. Katie Ann didn’t know what to think. Arnold was due back tomorrow, and Katie Ann knew he’d keep an eye on the situation.

She heard a knock and looked at the clock, knowing it was much too early for Eli to arrive. When she opened the door, she saw Lillian.

“Come in out of the cold.”

Her sister-in-law didn’t take off her coat or bonnet, but instead handed Katie Ann a letter. “The postman brought this to our
haus
instead of here, so I signed for it. It’s from Robert Dronberger. Isn’t he a lawyer back in Lancaster County?”

Katie Ann took a deep breath. “
Ya
. I believe so. Do you want some tea?” She walked toward the living room.

Lillian followed, still in her winter gear. “Why is he sending you a certified letter?”

Katie Ann turned to face her. She knew exactly why Robert was sending her a certified letter. Most likely because she hadn’t responded to his other three letters.

“I—I think he is handling some things.” She took a deep breath. “Things for Ivan. I mean, things of Ivan’s. I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I think I am the owner of anything that was Ivan’s, since we were still married.”

“Oh.” Lillian bit her bottom lip and stared at Katie Ann for a moment. “Do you have to go to Lancaster County?”

Katie Ann thought about the past three letters since Ivan’s death, all requesting her presence in Lancaster County. “I think so.”

“When?”

“I don’t know.”

“Hmm . . . I wonder if you will have to go get anything of Ivan’s from Lucy’s house?”

Katie Ann folded her arms across her chest. “I don’t want anything of Ivan’s. Besides, if you’ll recall, Ivan left here with almost no money. Any money that he made while he was with Lucy, well, I suppose it should go to Lucy.”

Just then Katie Ann had a horrible thought. What if there was money or a house or something that was tied up legally, something that should go to Lucy and her baby? She didn’t want anything to do with Lucy, but if there was money that was rightfully Lucy’s, Katie Ann didn’t want to be the one holding things up. “I’ll go soon.”

“Well, uh . . . Ivan’s been dead for, uh . . .”

“
Ya
, I know. Seven months.” Katie Ann recalled the first letter, which had arrived about a month after Ivan’s death. At the time she had scanned it, but knew she couldn’t face a trip to Lancaster County. The second letter arrived a month after that, and the third had come last month. Each time she read the letters, she’d put them away . . . to deal with another time. Now time must have caught up with her.

“Eli is coming for a visit.” She was anxious to change the subject, even though she knew her comment would spark questions from Lillian.

Her sister-in-law smiled. “
Gut
news. How long is he staying?”

“He told Vera he would be staying for a few days.”

Lillian shook her head. “I don’t know why he doesn’t just pack up and move here.” She grinned.

Katie Ann frowned. “Lillian, that’s impossible. His family is there. And as you know, we are just—”

“
Ya, ya
. . . I know. Just friends. That’s what you keep saying.” Lillian sighed. “I have to run. Enjoy your supper.” She winked at Katie Ann before she closed the door behind her.

E
LI CHATTED WITH
Vera, Elam, and Levi until he thought he might explode from politeness. All he wanted to do was get to Katie Ann’s house. Betsy bounced in and out of the living room, usually with a book in her hand. She’d read for a while, then share something about what she’d read, then mosey back upstairs. January was generally slow for all Amish folks, so it wasn’t surprising that Elam and Levi were inside with Vera and Betsy on this cold Wednesday afternoon.

“
Gut
to have you back for another visit.” Vera handed him his second cup of coffee.

“
Danki
, Vera.” He smiled.

“Stay as long as you like.” Vera folded her hands in her lap from where she was sitting across the room from Eli. Then she asked about all of Eli’s children, how he enjoyed Florida, and what he planned to plant this spring. But she must have caught him looking at the clock.

“I imagine Katie Ann has supper almost ready. You don’t want to be late.”

Eli looked at the clock again. It was only three thirty, too early for supper, but he was going to take his cue and go. He stood up, and Elam walked him to the door.

“I’ll help you get the buggy hitched up.” Elam pulled on a heavy coat and gloves.

Eli pulled his hat and coat from the rack by the door.

“
Danki
, Elam,” Eli said once the buggy was ready. His cousin stroked his beard, clearly with something on his mind. “What is it, cousin?”

“I’m not sure there is anything more fragile than a widow’s heart, Eli.”

“Except maybe a widower’s heart,” Eli quickly responded.

But he knew what Elam was saying. “Are you afraid I’m not doing right by Katie Ann?”

“I didn’t say that. I’m just reminding you that she is fragile.” He backed up a few steps, waved a gloved hand, and said, “Have a
gut
time.”

Eli thought about what Elam said as he drove through a flurry of snow to Katie Ann’s house, and he wondered if being so close to Katie Ann was a good idea. But it wasn’t like it was something he could control. He loved her, and he felt led to be here. Despite his own plans for his life, God seemed to have something else in mind. But even if he did trade in one dream for another, how could God expect him to leave his family to be with Katie Ann? It wasn’t fair to ask her to leave the home she’d built in Canaan either. He’d have to go home at some point, and how would they both feel?