Brush of Angel's Wings (27 page)

Mamm
held the door while the men moved slowly up the stairs, her father grimacing with each one. At the top, Jordan stood sideways to allow her
daed
room to come through the door.
Daed
held on to Jordan's shoulder until he reached the wooden chair in the sitting room. Once seated, he sighed and the deep lines across his forehead smoothed over. “
Denki
, Jordan.”

“Of course. You're welcome.”

Mamm
pushed another chair closer for
Daed
to prop up his leg.

Rachel sidled up alongside her father.“Can I get you something to drink?”

“Water, please.”

Rachel and
Mamm
went into the kitchen while Jordan stayed with her
daed
.

Mamm's
brows crinkled as she looked at the containers of food spread out on the counter. “What is all this?”

“Leftovers from the work bee. The rest is in the ice
haus
.” Rachel removed two glasses from the cabinet.

Mamm
uncovered a container and peeked inside. “I see we have plenty for supper tonight.”

“
Jah
. It was
gut
of the women to leave the leftovers.” Rachel filled the glasses with water, then addressed her mother. “Sadie's legs are so big,
Mamm
. She can't seem to catch her breath with any activity. Is that normal?”

“Sometimes.”
Mamm
'
s
face collected in thought. “She should still be checked.”

“Timothy said she's
nett
supposed to overdo things. I told Sadie I would keep up with weeding her garden.”

“And we'll do the canning together. But we'll talk about that later. See to it that your
daed
gets his drink.”

Rachel headed to the sitting room but stopped when she heard
Daed
and Jordan's conversation.

“Would you consider staying longer to work?”

Rachel held her breath, waiting behind the wall for Jordan's reply.

“I suppose you'll need some help while you're laid up.”

“
Jah
, I will,”
Daed
said.

“Sure, I'll stay. I'll keep up the chores until your leg is healed enough for you to do them yourself.” Jordan's voice sounded hesitant.

Rachel let out the breath she'd been holding. “
Denki
, God. Maybe now Jordan can find his way to you.” She moved to the sitting room as though she came directly from the kitchen. She handed one glass to her father and one to Jordan, then sat on the floor and looked up at her father. “
Daed
, I've missed our family devotions. I hope you feel up to reading the Scriptures tonight.”

Daed
smiled and glanced at Jordan. “After the milking we can all read together.”

Jordan kicked off his boots at the door in the
grossdaadi haus
. He hadn't planned on staying—until Micah asked him to. He wouldn't stay any longer than he needed to. He didn't want Rachel drawing any more wrong conclusions.

He respected Micah and so remained after the meal for devotions. But joining the family in order to listen to a Bible reading did not mean he would talk with the bishop. He didn't need to. He knew what Bishop Lapp would say, “Seek the Scriptures.”

He lobbed his hat over the hook.

“Wise words,” Nathaniel said, wishing the advice would resonate with the young charge's soul. “Let the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing. Abound in His hope, for there is understanding in His Word.”

Nathaniel's radiance infiltrated the ethereal realm with an iridescent glow. He had managed to keep the predator at bay. But how long would Tangus pace the perimeter and not attack the charge with his cursed lies?

Unless Jordan called upon the Father, Nathaniel's limited powers would not reach their potential. He longed to intercede. Other hosts of heaven spoke with the Master on their charges' behalf with prayers that never ceased. Songs of praise saturated the throne room of grace and nullified the accuser's petty grievances. Oh, how Nathaniel longed for activity to bring before the King.

“God delights in the praise of His people.”

Nathaniel stirred the hearth's bed of embers, and sparks of fluctuating light drew Jordan to the fireplace. He infused a lulling chant of Deitsch hymns like Jordan's mother sang to him as an infant and smiled as Jordan leaned in toward the sound.

Jordan's back stiffened. Dazed with bittersweet childhood memories, he stood from the stone hearth, moved to the rocker, and buried his face in his hands. He hummed the tune playing in his heart, tears brimming his eyes. To shift his attention away from the painful remembrance, he picked up the Bible from the side table.

He set it on his lap, keeping it at the place in Isaiah where it had fallen open.

“Fear not,” he read, “for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Jordan closed his eyes, a shiver piercing his soul; it was the same passage Micah had read only an hour ago.

For the fifth evening, they gathered in the sitting room to listen to
Daed
read the Scriptures after supper. Tonight Jordan fidgeted on his seat. Rachel counted him changing positions eight times before
Daed
finished and closed the Bible.

“Did you have a question, Jordan?”
Daed
asked.

Jordan shook his head, then stood. “
Denki
for supper,” he said, directing his gratitude in
Mamm's
direction.

“There's a nice breeze tonight,” Rachel said, following Jordan to the door. “I think I'll sit outside awhile.” She hoped Jordan would join her, but he lowered his head, said a quick good night, and ambled across the yard.

She eased onto the wooden swing and, with the gentle lulling of crickets chirping, closed her eyes.

Sometime later she woke with a start when Jordan jostled her shoulder. She shifted to make room for him on the seat.

He sat down beside her. “I know what you're up to.” He kept his voice low.

She yawned. “What are you talking about?”

“I'm not ready to talk with the bishop, so you can stop messing with my Bible.”

She pulled her brows in, confused. “Jordan, I haven't touched your Bible.” She hadn't even gone inside the
grossdaadi haus
to gather his dirty clothes.

“Then who keeps opening the Bible? Every night it's opened to the same passage your father read.” He combed his fingers through his hair.

Something fluttered inside her. Was God doing yet another thing for Jordan? “I haven't touched your Bible. Perhaps the window was open.”

“Rachel, you were right when you said I'm confused. I am. I just didn't want to admit it. But that doesn't give you permission to make this harder on me.” He stood, the moonlight revealing his glare. “We both know the Bible can't open itself.”

“God is
nett
a God of confusion.” Rachel began to push the swing back and forth ever so slightly. “Can you explain how the burn on your arm disappeared?”

“What are you saying?”

“Maybe God's trying to get your attention.”

Chapter Nineteen

T
he next evening Rachel avoided eye contact with Jordan during supper. After he put his plate on the counter, he made up an excuse to leave, successfully avoiding devotions. His absence made it difficult for her to pay attention to the Scriptures.

Once
Daed's
reading ended, Rachel excused herself to take a walk, hoping to clear her mind. She hadn't gone too far on the wooded path before the sound of snapping tree branches startled her. She had seen white-tailed deer plenty of times at dusk while walking through the woods. She surveyed the area, but having limited light, she couldn't make out anything. She cocked her head.

Whistling? That certainly wasn't wildlife. Then, coming around a bend in the path, was Jordan, hands in his pockets.

His whistling stopped. He looked as startled to see her as she was to see him.

He touched the brim of his hat in greeting, then nodded toward the river. “The water level is low.”

“It hasn't rained much.”

He removed his hat and ran his fingers through his hair. “Are we going to just talk about the weather?”

Rachel looked down at her dress and straightened the folds. “What were you doing? Looking for an angel?”

“Why would that matter to you?”

“Seek God, not angels. Angels only act upon His orders.” Nathaniel peered upward. “You're merciful to those who call upon Your name. How do I reach them with Your love?”

“I guess I've only seen trouble come from seeking what one cannot find. A promise not meant for them.”

He slid the brim of his hat round and round through his hands. “Where were you headed?”

“Not the river.” She didn't intend for her tone to sound sharp. Rachel reached for the birch tree and peeled off a section of bark. “It's true about the angel, you know. Two years ago, Andrew Lapp's
fraa
encountered an angel at the river. Katie wrote about it in the
Budget
. She couldn't stop talking about the angel, and the more she talked, the more I wanted to find him.” She turned her attention to the golden sunset.

Nathaniel created a gentle breeze with his wings.

Jordan stood completely still.

Rachel blinked a few times to chase the tears away, then wiped her face. “I rushed through chores and forgot to close the sheep pen. James noticed they were out and went to look for them.” She looked at the rustling leaves above. “Apparently one sheep was stuck in the river briers. James fell in trying to free it, and the current swept him under. That's what Katie said. She was with him when it happened.”

“I'm sorry.” She knew his eyes searched for contact with hers, but she would not give it.

“I said some harsh things to Katie.” Her voice broke. “But the accident was
mei
fault. I shouldn't have
kumm
looking for an angel. I should have known I wouldn't find him.” She looked away.

He kept quiet. She was grateful for the silent permission to continue her difficult revelation.

“I was so foolish to go to the river searching for the angel. I worried about such unimportant matters.”

“Did you seek the angel for answers?”

“Jah.”
She swallowed hard. “I should not have cared if a
bu
didn't offer to drive me home from the singings.
Narrisch
, I know.”

“No, it's not.” He touched his palm to her cheek. “They're all crazy. And blind.”

He looked into her eyes as though trying to say more but lacked the words. His palm pulled her closer until their lips were so close . . .

Rachel yanked away, her heart ready to explode. For a split second her eyes looked like a frightened animal's. And then she ran.