A Cousin's Prayer (21 page)

“Aren’t you going to play anymore?” Ella called to Eunice as she stepped away from the volleyball net after the last game had ended.

Eunice fanned her cheeks. “It’s hot, and I’m tired! Think I’ll take a break from playing for a while.” She found a chair under a leafy tree and flopped down. She’d only been sitting there a few minutes when she spotted Freeman talking to Katie on the other side of the yard.

What’s he doing with her?
she fumed.

Eunice leaped out of her chair and rushed over to where they were standing. “I’m really thirsty, Freeman,” she said, stepping between them. “Would you mind getting me something cold to drink?”

Freeman nodded. “Sure, I can do that.” He looked over at Katie and smiled. “Would you like something, too?”

“Jah, that’d be nice,” Katie replied.

As soon as Freeman moved away, Eunice turned to Katie and said, “Can you keep a secret?”

Katie nodded.

“Freeman plans to join the church this fall, so by next spring we’ll be planning our wedding.”

Katie blinked a couple of times. “Oh, I ... didn’t realize he’d asked you to marry him.”

“It’s not official yet, so we’re keeping it quiet until we’re published.” Eunice smiled. “Of course, since you’re one of Freeman’s closest friends, I figured you’d want to know.”

“I hope you’ll be very happy.” Katie gave a quick nod and hurried away. Eunice sighed, feeling pleased with herself. She may have lost one boyfriend, but she wouldn’t lose another.

A few minutes later, Freeman returned with two paper cups. He handed one to Eunice. “I brought you both some punch.”

“Danki.”

He glanced around. “Where’s Katie?”

Eunice shrugged. “I really couldn’t say. She rushed off without a word.” Freeman turned his head to the left. “Oh, there’s Katie, walking toward the barn. Guess I’ll head over there and see if she wants some punch.”

He hurried away quickly, and Eunice followed. She’d only taken a few steps when she stumbled, spilling punch all over the front of her dress.

“Ach!” she cried. “My ankle!”

“Are you all right?” Andrew asked, catching hold of her arm as he walked by.

“I was going after Freeman, and I think I must’ve stumbled on a rock.” Eunice grimaced.

Andrew called to Freeman, and he turned around.

“What happened?” Freeman asked, hurrying to Eunice’s side.

“I ... I tripped on a rock, and—” Eunice winced as she bent down and touched her ankle. “I don’t think I can walk by myself.”

“We’ll help you,” Andrew said.

Freeman nodded. “Jah, of course.”

Eunice hung on to Freeman’s arm with one hand and Andrew’s arm with the other as they helped her to the nearest chair.

“I’ll run into my aunt’s house and get you some ice.” Andrew glanced down at Eunice with a look of concern; then he sprinted across the lawn.

Freeman knelt beside Eunice. “Maybe we should call someone to take you to the hospital so you can have your ankle x-rayed.”

She shook her head. “I’m sure it’s just sprained. As soon as Andrew gets back with the ice, I think you should take me home.”

Freeman nodded. “Whatever you think is best.”

When Katie saw Andrew coming out of the house, she hurried up to him. “I’m not feeling well. Would you mind taking me home?”

“Sure, I can do that as soon as I take this out to Eunice.” He lifted the bag of ice in his hand.

“Why does Eunice need ice?”

“She stumbled on a rock and twisted her ankle.”

“That’s too bad,” Katie mumbled. It was hard to feel sorry for Eunice when she acted so superior all the time. It was especially hard now that Katie had admitted to herself that she was in love with Freeman, yet she had no chance with him because he loved Eunice.

That’s what I get for letting myself fall in love again,
she berated herself.
I lost Timothy to death, and now I’ve lost Freeman to Eunice. Guess he’s better off without me as his friend. Why would he want to tie himself down with someone like me when he can have her?

“If you’d like to wait for me in the barn, I shouldn’t be long,” Andrew said.

“Okay.” A lump formed in Katie’s throat as she moved away. It had been a shock to hear that Freeman had asked Eunice to marry him, although she should have seen it coming. After all, Freeman had been going out with Eunice all summer, and he hadn’t asked Katie out even once.

Well, why would he?
she asked herself.
He’s only spent time with me because he’s been trying to help me get over my panic attacks. He’s probably been so nice only because he feels sorry for me.

Katie stared out across the field behind Ella’s house and winced as a hawk swooped down and snatched a field mouse. She felt as helpless as the poor, defenseless mouse.
If Freeman marries Eunice, the friendship we have now will be over.

Katie pushed her shoulders back as she made a decision.
As soon as I have enough money saved up, I’m going back to Florida.

As Freeman drove Eunice home, he thought about the decision he’d made earlier to break up with her and wondered if this was the right time to bring up the subject. She’d hurt her ankle, and he was sorry about that, but he couldn’t let that stop him from telling her the way he felt. If he kept going out with Eunice, it would be even harder to break up, and Eunice might expect a marriage proposal.

Eunice fidgeted on the seat beside him and leaned down to reposition the bag of ice Andrew had given her.

“How’s your ankle?” Freeman asked. “Does it feel any better?”

“A little. I think the ice has helped some.” She moved closer to him and rested her head on his shoulder. “Sure is a pretty night, isn’t it?”

“Jah. Lots of stars and a bright full moon.”

“It’s the perfect night for a buggy ride.”

“Uh-huh.”

They rode in silence the rest of the way, and Freeman wondered if Eunice had fallen asleep.

Maybe I’d better not say anything about breaking up with her tonight,
he decided.
I can talk to her about it another time when her ankle’s feeling better.

When Freeman guided his horse and buggy up Eunice’s driveway, she sat up and looked around. “Are we here already?”

“Jah. I think you slept part of the way home.”

She touched his arm. “Would you like to come in for a piece of pie and a glass of milk?”

“I’d better not. Tomorrow’s Sunday, and we’ll have to get up early.”

“It’s not that late. Surely you can come in for a few minutes.”

“I really can’t. I’ve got a stop to make on my way home.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Whose house are you stopping at?”

“Just have a delivery to make.”

“What kind of delivery would you have to make on a Saturday night?”

“One of my customers ordered a part for his bike, and I said I’d drop it off this afternoon, but I got busy in the shop and never made it there. Figured I could do it on my way home tonight.”

“You’re going over to see Katie, aren’t you?” Eunice’s shrill voice and pinched expression let Freeman know she was angry with him.

“I’m not going to see Katie,” he insisted.

“Right.”

“I said I’m not. Now can we please drop the subject?”

Eunice sat with her arms folded, staring straight ahead. “Are you still riding to the mental health clinic with Katie every week?”

“Jah. Why do you ask?”

“I don’t want you to go with her anymore. She’s not a boppli; she ought to be able to ride there by herself.”

“I’ve explained this to you before, so I don’t know why you’re bringing it up again. Katie feels better about riding in the van if someone’s with her.”

“Well, it doesn’t have to be you! She can find someone else to ride with her!”

Freeman knew if he didn’t leave soon he’d say something he might regret. He hopped down from the buggy and held his hand out to her. “I’ll help you into the house, and then I need to be on my way.”

“Do you like her more than you do me?”

“Who?”

“Katie, of course. Who else were we talking about?”

Freeman grunted. “Not this again.”

“Just answer me. Do you like her more than you do me?”

“I’ve said this before, but apparently you need me to say it again. Katie and I are just good friends.”

“She has a boyfriend, you know.”

Heated radiated up the back of Freeman’s neck. Was Eunice trying to get a rise out of him? “Are you getting out of the buggy or what?”

“Don’t you want to hear about Katie’s boyfriend?”

“Her boyfriend’s dead.”

“Not that boyfriend. She has a new one now.”

“Katie’s never mentioned having a boyfriend to me.”

“Maybe she doesn’t want anyone to know. That could be why she’s been sneaking around in the wee hours of the morning with him.”

Freeman’s heart pounded like a trotting horse. “What are you talking about?”

“I went out to get the newspaper early this morning, and a horse and buggy came by the front of our house. I heard talking and recognized Katie’s voice. The other person was a man, but I don’t know who it was.” Eunice leaned close to Freeman. “I smelled smoke when the buggy went past, so I’m sure that either Katie or her boyfriend was smoking.”

“Katie doesn’t smoke.”

“How do you know?”

“I would have smelled it on her if she did.”

“Then I guess her boyfriend must have been smoking.”

Freeman grimaced. Did Katie really have a boyfriend? Was it possible that she’d been out in the fellow’s buggy?
Who can it be?
he wondered.
Should I come right out and ask Katie who she was with this morning?

Eunice tugged on his arm. “I’m sorry if I upset you, but I thought you had the right to know that Katie’s not the innocent girl you think her to be.”

Anger boiled in Freeman’s chest. He’d had enough of Eunice putting Katie down! He turned to her and said, “It’s over between us, Eunice.”

Her chin trembled, and her eyes filled with tears. “You—you can’t mean that!”

“Jah, I do.”

“It’s because of her, isn’t it? She’s made you think that she’s a nice girl, but she’s really—”

“That’s enough!” Freeman shouted. “I won’t listen to another spiteful word about Katie!”

“You’ll be sorry for breaking up with me. Someday you’ll be very sorry.” Eunice stepped down from the buggy and ran to her house.

“Guess her ankle’s not hurtin’ quite as bad as she let on,” Freeman mumbled as he climbed into the buggy and got the horse moving again. “Maybe I’ll head over to Katie’s and see what I can find out about the fellow she was out riding with this morning.”

Katie had just taken an aspirin for her headache and was getting ready to go upstairs to her room when a knock sounded on the back door. “I’ll get it,” she called to her folks, who were in the living room playing a game of Dutch Blitz.

When Katie opened the door and saw Freeman on the porch, she froze. “What are you doing here? I thought you were still at the gathering.”

“I left early after Eunice twisted her ankle.”

Katie peered around him, into the yard. “Is Eunice with you?”

Freeman shook his head. “I took her home.” He shuffled his feet a few times. “Came here to ask you a question.”

“What’s that?”

“Eunice said that she’d heard a buggy coming down the road near her house early this morning and that you and some man were in it. I ... uh ... wondered whether that was true or not.”

Katie nodded. “It was me all right. I was giving our paperboy a ride to his grandparents’ house because the tire on his bike was flat.”

Freeman gave his earlobe a tug. “Mind if I ask what you were doing out on the road so early?”

“I was doing what Dr. Coleman said I should do—facing my fears.” Katie massaged her throbbing head. “I figured the easiest way to do that was to practice driving the buggy when there aren’t so many cars on the road.”

“Guess that makes sense.” Freeman took a step closer. “Katie, I—”

“I don’t mean to be rude, but I have a koppweh, and I’m really tired, so I need to go to bed.”

“Sorry to hear you have a headache. I’ll let you go then.” Freeman started down the stairs but halted and turned around. “I’ll see you on Sunday, and then again on Friday for your counselor’s session.”

“That’s okay,” Katie was quick to say. “I won’t need you to go with me next time.”

He tipped his head. “How come?”

“I need to start doing things on my own.
Gut nacht,
Freeman.” Katie hurried inside and shut the door.

“Calm down, Eunice, and tell me why you’re crying like a wounded heifer,” Mama said as she took a seat beside Eunice on the sofa.

“Freeman broke up with me!” Eunice hiccupped on a sob.

“What happened?”

“It—it’s all because of Katie. He cares more about her than he does me.”
Hic! Hic!

“What makes you think that?”

“He’s always talking to her when he should be talking to me.” Eunice hiccuped again and wiped away her tears. “I tried telling him that Katie has a boyfriend, but he wouldn’t believe me. He never believes anything I say about Katie.”

Mama reached for Eunice’s hand. “I know how badly you want a husband, but it was wrong for you to try to turn Freeman against Katie in order to get him for yourself.” She clucked her tongue. “I hate to say this, but you’re getting just what you deserve.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you set yourself up for this when you spread rumors about Katie wanting to keep that boppli she found on her porch, not to mention your telling everyone that you thought Katie was pregnant. Hopefully, you’ll learn a lesson from this and will wait for your true love to come along instead of trying to force it to happen.”

“You don’t understand how I feel,” Eunice wailed. “Don’t you even care how miserable I am?”

“I do care, but I can’t condone your actions. It’s time for you to grow up and face the fact that you can’t always have what you want.”

“Jah, I can! I’ll give Freeman some time to think about things, and then I’ll talk to him again. Hopefully, I can get him to change his mind about us.” Eunice pulled the quilt off the back of the sofa and draped it across her lap. “I sprained my ankle at the gathering, and it hurts too bad to walk up the stairs, so I’m sleeping here tonight!”