Going Home (18 page)

“You’re no bother,” Papa said as he and John made a chair with their interlinked arms and carried Mama up the steps and into the house. Faith followed, and so did Susie and Melinda. After the men placed Mama on the sofa in the living room, Faith put two pillows under her mother’s head.

“Is Mama gonna be okay?” Susie’s eyes were huge as saucers.

“I’ll be fine, daughter,” Mama said, although she was gritting her teeth.

“I wonder what’s taking so long for our ride to get here,” Papa said as he peered out the window. “I thought Brian would have been back by now.”

Faith shook her head. “Papa, it’s only been ten minutes or so since you sent Brian. I’m sure Mama’s ride to the hospital will be here soon, so in the meantime, you need to relax.”

He whirled around and leveled her with a look of irritation. “Don’t you be tellin’ me what to do.”

She flinched and drew back as if she’d been stung by a bee. This was exactly the way her father had treated her when she was a girl. “I wasn’t trying to tell you what to do. I just thought if you relaxed, the time would pass quicker.”

“Our daughter’s right, Menno,” Mama put in. “Pacing and fretting won’t bring us help any quicker.”

He grunted and stood in front of her. “You need anything, Wilma? Maybe some ice for the swelling?”

She looked down at her swollen leg. “Jah, that might be a good idea.”

“I’ll get it.” Faith scooted for the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with an ice bag, which she carefully placed on her mother’s leg.

“Danki. You’re a good daughter.”

Tears stung the backs of Faith’s eyes. She couldn’t remember the last time her mother had said anything that nice to her.

A horn honked, and John, who had been watching out the
window, rushed to the door. “Lester Jenkins and his wife are here!”

The rest of the day went by in a blur. Papa, Brian, and Faith rode with Mama to the hospital, while Elaine Jenkins, Lester’s wife, stayed at the Stutzmans’ house with Melinda and Susie. After X-rays were taken of Mama’s leg, the doctor explained that the swelling needed to go down some before the cast was put on, so Mama was kept overnight. Papa decided to stay with her, but Faith and her brothers returned home to do their chores and wait for their sisters to get home.

As Faith prepared for bed that night, she thought about the events of the day. No way could she leave Webster County now. Esther and Grace Ann had jobs outside the home, so they couldn’t be counted on to take care of Mama or run the house while her leg was healing. Faith would have to stick around until her mother’s cast came off and she could resume her regular chores. It was a good thing Faith hadn’t said anything about leaving yet.

The following afternoon, Mama came home from the hospital, and Papa and John helped her into her bedroom. Faith thought it was a good thing her folks’ room was downstairs, because with Mama having to rely on crutches for weeks, it would have been difficult for her to navigate the stairs safely.

Once Mama was situated, Faith herded Melinda and Susie into the kitchen and instructed them to set the table while she
made supper. She’d no more than taken a package of meat from the refrigerator when a knock sounded at the back door.

“I’ll get it!” Melinda hollered. She scurried across the room and flung open the door.

A few seconds later, Noah entered the kitchen, holding a loaf of gingerbread in one hand and his straw hat in the other.

“I heard about your mamm’s broken leg, and I thought she might like this.” He handed the bread to Faith.

“That was nice of you. Would you care to join us for supper?” she asked.

“I appreciate the offer, but I can’t stay that long. Mom isn’t feeling well today, so I promised I’d get right home to make supper.” Noah smiled. “Guess I could stay long enough to have a glass of iced tea, though.”

Noah took a seat at the table, and Faith handed him some iced tea. “This sure hits the spot,” he said after taking a drink.

“Can Susie and I go out back and play now?” Melinda asked her mother.

Faith nodded her consent, and the girls raced for the back door, giggling all the way.

“Must be nice to be young and full of energy, don’t you think?” Noah asked when Faith took the seat across from him.

“I’d give up dessert for a whole week to be able to carry on the way those two do. Even with chores to do, they still find time for fun and games.”

“That’s the way it should be. We adults need pleasure and laughter in our lives, too.” Noah pulled a slip of paper from the pocket of his trousers and held it up.

Faith seemed interested as she leaned across the table. “What have you got there?”

“A scripture verse. I read it this morning before I left for work, and I copied it down.”

Faith sat back in her chair with a look of indifference. “Oh, I see.”

Noah couldn’t understand why she acted so remote whenever he brought up the Bible. It worried him. Her disinterest could mean she would never get baptized and join the church, which pointed to the fact that she wasn’t happy here and wanted to return to the English way of life. And if that English fellow Noah had seen Faith with at Baldy’s was her boyfriend, then she might be planning to leave home.

“Don’t you want to know what the verse says?” he prompted.

She shrugged.

“It’s Philippians 4:4: ‘Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice.’”

When she made no comment, Noah added, “The Bible also says in the book of Proverbs, ‘A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.’ I think everyone needs a bit of God’s merry medicine, don’t you?”

“I’m a comedian, so it’s my job to try to make everyone laugh when I’m onstage.”

He shook his head. “I’m not talking about entertaining, Faith. I’m referring to good, old-fashioned, God-given humor.”

“I used to get into trouble with my folks for acting silly and playing tricks on my siblings.”

Noah lifted his eyebrows. “Acting silly isn’t so bad, but playing tricks is another matter.”

“You’re too good for your own good, do you know that, Noah Hertzler?”

“I don’t think my daed would agree. He took me to the woodshed for my fair share of bletchings when I was a boy.”

Faith shook her head. “You’re such a nice man; I find that hard to believe.”

“It’s true.”

“Well, be that as it may, I think you’re a do-gooder.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“No, of course not.”

Noah fought the temptation to tell Faith that he’d seen her at Baldy’s Café, but he decided it was best not to mention it. Faith had enough on her mind right now, and being put on the spot about the Englisher he’d seen her with might only upset her.

Swallowing the last of his iced tea, Noah pushed his chair back and stood. “Guess I’d better head for home.”

Faith scooted her chair away from the table. “Thanks for stopping by with the gingerbread. I’m sure Mama will appreciate it.”

She followed him to the door, and just before he exited, Noah handed her the scrap of paper with the Bible verse. “I’d like to leave this with you as a reminder that it’s okay to have fun and tell jokes.”

Faith took the paper and placed it on the counter but made no comment.

“Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help out while your mamm’s recuperating.”

“Thanks, I will.”

Noah bounded down the porch steps, waved to the girls, and climbed into his buggy.

Faith watched until Noah drove out of sight. He really did seem like a nice man. Just not the right man for her. Besides, she was fairly sure Noah already had a girlfriend.

She turned to the stove, where she added the potatoes she’d peeled to the pot of stew, and when she turned back to the counter to cut up some carrots, she spotted the verse Noah had given her. Did God really find pleasure in hearing people laugh and rejoice? Was Noah all he seemed to be? Faith’s head swam with so many unanswered questions. “I have to leave Webster County before I go crazy with a desire for something I can’t have. I’ll go as soon as Mama’s back on her feet.”

“Go where?”

Faith whirled around. “Nowhere! I—I didn’t know you were here, Grace Ann.”

“Jah. Got home from work a few minutes ago.” Grace Ann headed over to the kitchen sink. “When I was putting my horse away, I saw Papa out in the barn, and he said Mama came home from the hospital.”

Faith nodded. “She’s in her bedroom resting.”

“Is she in much pain?”

“Probably would be, but the doctor gave her some medication, so I think she’s fairly comfortable.”

“That’s good to hear.” Grace Ann looked around the room. “Where’s the rest of the family?”

“The boys are doing their chores, and the girls are outside playing.”

“Esther’s not home yet?”

“Nope.”

“Would you mind if I slip into Mama’s room and say hello before I help you with supper?”

Faith shrugged. “Go ahead. The stew won’t be done for another half hour or so anyway.”

When Grace Ann left the room, Faith turned back to the stove. Her thoughts, however, returned to Noah.

T
he next several weeks were difficult, with Faith working from sunup to sunset. Everything in the garden seemed to come ripe at the same time, and much of it had to be canned. Mama did all she could from a sitting position, the girls helped with the simpler tasks, and a few Amish women from their community dropped by to offer assistance. Faith gladly accepted everyone’s help—even Noah’s. He’d come over a few times on his way home from work and had helped Faith fix supper and do some outside chores. Last Saturday Noah had worked in the garden, helped with the canning, and done some baking, as well. It was hard to believe, but he was as much help in the kitchen as he was outdoors.

Faith hated to admit it, but she liked having Noah around. His cheerful disposition as he helped with the chores made her workload seem a bit lighter. Even so, she felt trapped like a
mouse caught between a cat’s paws. Would she ever be able to go back on the road? It was beginning to seem as if the time would never come.

On this Saturday, Noah had come over to help. He was out in the garden picking tomatoes. Faith had helped him earlier, but she’d gone into the house to get them some water.

When Faith stepped inside the kitchen, Melinda and Susie, who were making a batch of lemonade, greeted her. She chuckled at the sight. Two little girls squeezed lemons into a glass pitcher, but more juice was running down their arms than was making it into the container.

“Need any help?” she asked as she stepped up to the table.

“We can do this,” Susie said, a look of determination on her youthful face. “Mama told us how.”

“That’s right, and we wanted to surprise you and Noah with a glass of lemonade,” Melinda added.

“Then surprise us you shall.” Faith gave her daughter a smile, then turned on her heel. “You can bring the lemonade outside when you’re finished.”

Faith was still smiling when she stepped outside. Melinda was adjusting so well. School would be starting in a few weeks, and as soon as Melinda was settled into that routine and Mama was back on her feet, Faith planned to leave.