Letters to Katie (29 page)
“Okay.”
“Mary Beth sends her best. She said if you need anything, just let her know.”
“Danki.”
So he came to deliver a message from his sister. Still, that was more than he’d done
in the past. “Tell her I appreciate it, but I know she’s busy getting ready for the
boppli
.”
“Katherine, she already had the
boppli
. You were there when she was born.”
She looked at her father, who gave her a sympathetic look. Then she faced Johnny.
“What’s her name?”
“Johanna. And she’s beautiful.”
Just hearing Johnny talk about his niece, his voice filled with love, made her melt
inside. Illness might have taken her memory, but it hadn’t altered her feelings for
him. “I can’t wait to see her again.”
“We might be able to arrange that.”
We?
The word triggered a little thrill inside her. But it was just one word. One syllable.
She couldn’t afford to read anything significant into it. She’d done that before too
often.
“Once burned, twice shy,” her
grossmammi
used to say. And Katherine had been burned far more than once. She pressed her lips
together. “
Danki
for the message.”
“That’s not the only reason I’m here.”
Katherine’s
vadder
interrupted. “Well, I’ve got work to do. John, tell your folks hello for me.” He
smiled at Katherine and went back to the barn.
When he was gone, she turned to Johnny. “Why are you really here?”
He took a deep breath. “I want to help you. I want you to get your memory back.”
Johnny looked at Katie sitting next to him in the buggy. How right it felt having
her near. He kicked himself for waiting so long, and for keeping her waiting even
longer. “
Danki
for coming with me.”
“Where are we going?”
“Back to
mei
place. I thought it might shake something loose in your memory.”
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “Nothing else has worked.”
“That’s because everything else is so familiar. I went to the library and did some
reading about short-term memory loss.”
“And it said to take me to your
haus
?”
He grinned. “No, smarty-pants. It said that sometimes exposure to the familiar will
trigger a memory.”
“But I don’t remember your
haus
. And I’ve already been exposed to everything familiar and it hasn’t worked.”
“I thought I’d try something different. Something unfamiliar but recent. It couldn’t
hurt, and it might help.”
“What are the chances of that happening?”
He let out a breath. “Slim to none.”
“But you’re willing to try anyway.”
“Absolutely. And after we can
geh
visit Johanna.”
She shook her head, the ribbons of her
kapp
flailing with the movement.
“You don’t want to?”
“It isn’t that.” She looked at him with those huge blue eyes of hers. “I don’t understand
why you’re doing this.”
He didn’t say anything for a long moment. “I already told you why.”
“Tell me again.”
“I want to see if you remember.”
A short while later they pulled up in front of a run-down-looking place. Katherine
was about to say something when Johnny held up his hand.
“Don’t. My poor
haus
can’t take any more insults.”
“I wasn’t going to insult it. Just comment that it’s . . . interesting.”
“Actually, it looks better than it once did, thanks to you.”
“What did I do?”
“You’ll see.” He jumped out of the buggy and rounded it. He held out his hand. “Come
on.”
She slipped her hand into his. It was warm and rough and strong. As soon as her feet
touched the ground she pulled out of his grasp. What was he doing? She hoped his house
triggered her memory, despite her doubts. It was the only thing that kept her following
him without asking any more questions.
They walked into the kitchen. “Excuse the dishes,” he said.
She glanced at the tall pile in the sink.
“I didn’t have a chance to wash them.” He held out his arms. “Take a look around.
See anything you recognize?”
She took in her surroundings, but nothing clicked. Then she noticed the curtains over
the sink. “Those look familiar.”
“They should. You brought them.”
“I did? Why?”
“Because.” He moved closer to her. “That’s the kind of person you are. The kind who
thinks about others. Who cares.”
She averted her gaze, her heart warming at his kind words.
“Do you remember them?”
She walked toward the window and touched the fabric. “
Ya
. I do.”
He grinned and stood next to her. “Really?”
“We had the same kind of curtains at home. We replaced them a couple months ago.”
“Oh.”
“We should forget this. Just take me home.”
“Not yet. Not until you’ve seen everything.” He took her to the living room, pointing
out she’d brought those curtains too. They went upstairs, then out to the barn, which
was clean but in bad shape. After giving her the tour, they went back into the kitchen.
She sank down into a chair, frustrated again. “I don’t remember any of this.” She
looked up at him. “Why was I here in the first place?”
“Because I asked you to be.”
“Why?”
He didn’t answer right away. “Maybe we should
geh
. I’m sure you’d rather see Johanna than stay here.”
She couldn’t help but notice the defeat in his eyes. Everything confused her. She
started to leave, then noticed a drawing on the counter near the back door. The words
candy shoppe
caught her eye. She picked up the drawing. “What’s this?”
He frowned. “My future.” He took the drawing from her, looked at it for a moment,
and then tossed it aside. “Let’s
geh
.”
When they reached Mary Beth’s house, Katherine stood at the edge of the porch while
Johnny knocked on the door. A few seconds later Mary Beth answered it. Her eyes widened
as she looked at Johnny, then Katherine. “This is a nice surprise.”
“Mind if we come in?”
She opened the door wider. Katherine looked at the sweet baby Mary Beth cradled in
her arms as she stood in the doorway. But as with everything else Johnny had showed
her this afternoon, the infant didn’t jog her memory.
Johnny held out his arms. “Let me see
mei
niece.”
Mary Beth handed her to him, and the three of them walked into the living room. Katherine
marveled at how gentle Johnny was with the baby, then he put her in Katherine’s arms.
“Meet Johanna.”
“For the second time,” Mary Beth added.
Katherine sat down with little Johanna, entranced. Johnny was right—she was beautiful.
“Is Chris outside?” Johnny asked.
Mary Beth nodded. “He’s plowing the field, preparing to plant the feed corn.”
“I’ll
geh
out and see if he needs some help.”
When he grew silent, Katherine looked up. He and Mary Beth exchanged a private look.
She’d seen them do this before. As twins they shared a special bond.
He turned to Katherine. “I’ll be back in a bit. Then I’ll take you home.”
When Johnny left, Mary Beth said, “I’m so glad you’re all right. Johnny told me about
your illness. He also mentioned your memory problems.” She paused. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“We can
geh
into the kitchen and talk.”
Within a few minutes the thick aroma of fresh-brewed coffee surrounded them.
Katherine shifted Johanna in her arms and waited for Mary Beth to sit down. “What’s
gotten into Johnny?” she asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing. I don’t mind a visit from
mei bruder
or
mei
best friend. I just didn’t expect you both here at the same time.”
“Me either.”
“Not that I’m complaining.”
Katherine hugged Johanna close. The baby closed her eyes. “He’s trying to help me.”
Mary Beth nodded. “That’s really . . . nice of him.”
“Which is why I’m confused.”
Mary Beth nodded. “He’s been doing a lot of confusing
things lately. Buying that property without saying anything to the family, for one
thing.” She shrugged. “I think
mei bruder
is finally ready to put down roots.” Then she smiled. “You might have something to
do with that.”
“I doubt it.” She touched Johanna’s head, gently so as not to waken her. “Did I ever
mention Isaac to you?”
“Who?”
“I guess not.” She filled Mary Beth in on the letters she’d received from Isaac.
“And you don’t recall him at all?”
“
Nee
. He mentioned in his first letter that he was at Mary Yoder’s. I’ll ask the
maed
about him tomorrow when I
geh
to work.”
“You’re ready to
geh
back?”
“
Ya
. I feel a lot better, and
Mamm’s
been driving me crazy, not wanting me to do too much. I’m getting bored.”
The coffee finished percolating. Mary Beth stood. “So what do you think about Isaac?
From his letters, I mean.”
“He seems . . . nice.”
She filled two mugs with the steaming coffee. “Just nice?”
“I guess. It’s hard to tell much from just two letters.”
“Have you answered him?” Mary Beth put a mug in front of Katherine.
“Not yet.”
“What’s holding you back?”
With Johanna asleep, Katherine looked at Mary Beth. “I don’t feel like it.”
“You’re not in the mood to write?”
“I don’t care to write him. I can’t explain it. Maybe because he’s a stranger to me.”
“Or maybe you aren’t ready to move on from Johnny?”
Johanna snuggled against Katherine. “I don’t know that either. He’s changed. He’s
attentive. It’s like he—”
“Cares?”
She shrugged.
“If he didn’t care, he wouldn’t be trying to help you get your memory back.”
“Unless he feels sorry for me.” Or guilty, like her mother thought.
Mary Beth groaned. “You two drive me
ab im kopp
, you know that?”
Katherine frowned. “I don’t understand.”
“And it’s not my place to explain it to you. Although I wish I could. You two have
to work it out.”
“Work what—”
“I’m glad you’re feeling well enough to get out.” Mary Beth took a sip of the black
coffee. “From what Bekah said, you were really sick.”
“Ya.”
If Mary Beth didn’t want to talk about Johnny, Katherine couldn’t force her to. But
now her curiosity was more than a little piqued.