A Heart Once Broken (20 page)

Sandra searched for words. “But that's not possible. You're a church member now, so that's the end of the story.”

“I know,” Lydia deadpanned. “But Rudy wouldn't take no for an answer. He thinks something can work out between us again.”

“So you spoke at length with him…about…
love
?” Sandra didn't try to hide the tremor in her voice. “Lydia, how could you?”

Lydia hung her head. “It just happened, and I couldn't figure out why
Mamm
or
Daett
didn't stop it. I mean, we walked out to the pasture together when he arrived, and we washed dishes together after breakfast.”

Sandra leaned forward to fan herself, even as the wind moved briskly across the front porch. “Wow. And I thought I had troubles. But why did your parents say nothing? That's the first question.”

“They're trying to go soft on Emma and Rhoda.”

“But
Englisha
friends in the house? How could they?”

Lydia shrugged. “It happened.”

Sandra looked down the lane as Amos and
Mamm
pulled in the driveway with Clyde's buggy behind them. “Lydia, you have to put a stop to this! At once!”

“I will…and I did. But you can't tell anyone, not even your
mamm
.”

“I won't,” Sandra promised. “But tell me. You wouldn't…you couldn't…”

“Jump the fence?” Lydia managed to laugh. “I don't think so.”

Sandra groaned and gripped the side of her chair. “And here I was going to ask your
mamm
if she would take me in after Mark is wed.”

“You won't want to do that,” Lydia said. “
Mamm
and
Daett
will get themselves in trouble with the church soon, if I don't miss my guess. My sisters aren't stopping this kind of nonsense, and my parents seem incapable of doing anything about it.”

“What is to become of us?” Sandra whispered.

Lydia laughed out loud. “I guess we could move in together somewhere.”

Sandra began to speak, but
Mamm
called across the lawn. “
Goot
morning, girls. How are you both doing?”

“Just fine.” Lydia smiled and rose to her feet as her Aunt Edna hurried up the walk toward them.

Sandra stayed frozen to her seat. She couldn't have moved even if her foot had been free of its cast.

Chapter Nineteen

S
andra joined in the laughter around the table as Aunt Mary's Thanksgiving dinner progressed. The prayer had been said and the turkey had been cut. The potatoes and gravy were still steaming after being passed around the table. The men had their plates piled high with food.

Across the table Lydia still had a hint of sorrow on her face, but the rest of the family appeared to have not a concern in the world. Had Sandra heard Lydia correctly that her parents tolerated
Englisha
friends in their house and that Lydia herself might consider resuming her relationship with Rudy? This seemed so impossible, almost like a dream. How had things come to this point?

Her thoughts were interrupted when Clyde leaned across the table to whisper, “How's your leg healing?”

“Okay, I guess,” Sandra said, trying to be civil on Thanksgiving.

“Have you been back to the doctor lately?” Clyde asked.

Sandra wanted to ignore him, but she knew that would create its own scene. She forced herself to answer, “No, but everything should be okay until the cast comes off.”

“How long yet?” Clyde continued.

“I don't remember exactly,” Sandra said. “It's written down at home on my doctor's file.”

Clyde grinned. “My, aren't we privileged? You have your own doctor's file.”

Sandra glared at him. “It's a little folder and it keeps me organized.”

“I was just teasing.” Clyde's eyes twinkled as he spoke.

The man wanted to get under her skin, and she had allowed him to. Sandra concentrated on the food on her plate.

Amos's voice soon boomed, “I think Mary has outdone herself this morning, and Lydia too. This is excellent, excellent eating.”

Lydia's
mamm
colored and protested at once. “You don't have to say that, Amos. I'm sure Edna can match anything I've made today. But thank you for the compliment.”

“You're right about Edna. She's already fattened me since the wedding,” Amos declared with a firm pat on his stomach. “All this
goot
eating has me working night and day to shed the pounds.”

Sandra kept her head down as the conversation continued around the table. Lydia's
daett
soon cleared his throat and announced, “Since it's Thanksgiving Day, and the meal is almost over, maybe we should go around the table and share why our hearts are lifted up in thanks to the Lord.”

“That's a great idea!” Amos boomed. “And I don't have to look far for that answer. My dear Edna, who is by my side this very moment, has brought great joy and gladness to my heart. The happiness I feel is unlike anything I've experienced in a very long time. My walk these past years had been a lonely one, and I thought at times the road would never end. But the Lord has seen fit to bring Edna's love to me, and for that I am very thankful indeed.” Amos choked a bit, but managed to end with, “That's all I have to say.”

“I would have expected nothing else,” Lydia's
daett
chimed in. “Edna's sister, my Mary, has been a great blessing to my life. Even in
this dark time we're going through, she has been a light by my side. I'm very thankful for her and I know that the road ahead may still lead us through troubled waters, but I'll always encourage my heart with the knowledge that we had this lovely Thanksgiving today, together with our family.”

“Don't be so gloomy about things,” Amos said. “We'll stand with you and try to help out where we can. I'm sure Deacon Schrock will have the church give the support that's needed.”

Lydia's
daett
wasn't speaking entirely of financial difficulties, Sandra told herself. So Lydia had been correct; her parents had grown soft on Emma and Rhoda. Chills ran up and down Sandra's back.

“And how about you, dear?” Amos asked Edna.

Sandra jumped in her chair and focused on
Mamm
, who looked up at Amos with a warm smile. “You know I'm thankful for you, Amos. You have a very kind heart.”

“Oh, come on,” Emma said. “Only young people are supposed to say mushy things like that.”

“Well, I mean them,” Edna said, wiping a tear from her eye.

Sandra was sure she was going to sink right through the floor with embarrassment.
Mamm
wouldn't lie about her feelings, but neither did she have to make such a public display, even if she had fallen in love with Amos—if that was even possible so soon.

Lydia's
daett
gave Emma a stern look. “It's not only young people who enjoy each other's company, Emma. We're all thankful for the Lord's
goot
gift to Amos and Aunt Edna, and marriage is from the Lord. Don't you forget.”

“That it is,” Amos echoed, as the thanksgiving continued around the table.

“I'm thankful for three daughters still at home,” Aunt Mary declared. “I know I'll treasure each moment with them until they fly the nest.”

“And we're thankful for an understanding
mamm
and
daett
,” Emma said, as Rhoda nodded beside her. “This is a bit of a confession, but we had a surprise breakfast for our
Englisha
friends this morning, to which
Mamm
and
Daett
didn't object.”

Lydia was hiding her face, but her
mamm
and
daett
were smiling.

Amos spoke again. “A special thanks, then, to parents who understand. The Lord be praised. That is how we will keep the next generation in the faith. I give thanks that I have married into such an understanding family.”

Lydia's
daett
cleared his throat. “Maybe we should explain things. Emma and Rhoda had—”

Aunt Mary interrupted with a punch to his side. “You don't have to tell all our family secrets.”

Laughter went around the table again. Then Amos said, “Well, we all have capers in the house, I suppose.” He then turned to Sandra. “We haven't heard yet from you, Sandra. What have you to give thanks for?”

Sandra's mind whirled. She had to think of something, but what? The table had quieted and everyone turned in her direction, so Sandra rushed the words out. “For Lydia. I'm thankful for our friendship, all the way through our growing up years, and the things we've been through together. I've been blessed.”

“Well said.” Amos gave Lydia a quick glance. “And do you want to add something?”

Lydia didn't hesitate. “I have always felt the same way about Sandra. She's like a sister to me. I'm very thankful for her. I will always remember her.”

“You make it sound as if it's all in the past,” Amos said, but then he quickly turned to Mark and Clyde.

Sandra focused on Mark as he began to speak. “I'm thankful for what you have brought to our family, Amos. And for my new
friendship with Clyde. The hand of the Lord has definitely been with us these past months, despite our tragedies.”

Clyde piped up. “I agree. Let that also be my official thanks. And for my acquaintance with Sandra, of course—which I hope will lead to many blessings.”

Sandra felt herself turning all sorts of colors as laughter filled the table again. Clearly Clyde had no qualms about making his affection known right here at the Thanksgiving table.

Clyde winked at Sandra, who returned a glare. Amos noticed and laughed. “I'd say these two are off to a
goot
start already. Young love is a beautiful thing to watch unfold.”

“You sound awful confident of yourself,” Lydia's
daett
said. “Is this a settled matter already? I didn't know.”

Amos didn't respond for a moment, then said, “Let's say we have high hopes.” And the laughter rippled again.

Lydia's
daett
was grinning from ear to ear. “That is
goot
to hear, but enough of this talk of love. Shall we give thanks now? Maybe you would lead out, Amos.”

“Certainly.” Amos looked quite pleased with himself. “Let us bow our heads.”

Sandra listened as Amos launched into his prayer. He sounded sincere enough. Maybe she had misjudged the man? Would
Mamm
be so deceived? Not likely. And
Mamm
wouldn't fake her affections for Amos. Sandra pressed back the tears as Amos pronounced “Amen.”

Mamm
and Aunt Mary got up at once and began clearing the table. The men pushed their chairs back to stretch their arms into the air.

“I reckon we have a sleepy afternoon in front of us,” Amos chuckled. “I should go outside and run around the barn to work off all this extra food.”

“The rocking chair is calling me,” Lydia's
daett
said. “Running around the barn will have to wait.”

The two laughed but didn't move away from the table.

Sandra struggled to get her crutches under her, and Clyde hurried over to help. She wanted to shove him away, but gave in.

“I have to get to the kitchen,” Sandra told him.

“You're doing nothing of the sort,” Aunt Mary said. “It's warm outside and you can go sit on the front porch. The sunshine will help heal your leg.”

She couldn't argue with that, so she gave in with a reluctant, “Okay.”

Clyde stayed right by her side on the way out the front door and helped Sandra settle in her chair before seating himself in the empty chair beside her.

“Can I stay for a few moments?” he asked. “I'd like to talk with you.”