Love Redeemed (43 page)

“How did you know it was her heart?” He hitched Sarah up on his hip. She hiccupped and began to fuss. “She never said anything.”

“She told me.” Phoebe fished a bag of oatmeal cookies from Mudder's canvas bag. She knew they would be there. Mudder never went anywhere without snacks for her little ones. “Take these and sit down with Sarah. Break it into little pieces and give them to her one at a time. She missed her supper.”

“So did you.”

“Who could think of food now? I'm not hungry.”

Not looking convinced, Elam glanced around the room and up at
the TV blaring overhead. Phoebe followed his gaze. “Pay no attention. Just sit and rest.”

His skinny frame rigid in protest, he went. Phoebe remained standing. Time passed, but she couldn't say how much.

A doctor in a white coat, stethoscope dangling from his neck, jostled her as he rushed past. “Sorry. You need to move,” he called over his shoulder as the double doors clanged shut with a definitive bang. She tried to imagine what was happening to keep Mudder alive. Machines? Medicine? More banging on her chest, bruising her fragile bones that already ached from arthritis?

Gott, help them. Guide them. Guide their hands and their heads and their hearts.

It was the best she could do, so muddled was her mind.

“Phoebe.”

Thank You, Gott.

She whirled and ran smack into Daed's outstretched arms, burying her head against his solid chest. He pushed her back, his hands gripping her arms. “Where is she?”

“In there.” She jabbed a thumb over her shoulder. “I don't know what—”

He lifted her into the air and set her to one side in a seemingly effortless move. A second later he disappeared through the double doors, looking neither left nor right.

“Daed, you can't—”

The doors clanged shut again.

Katie struggled to open heavy eyelids. They wouldn't cooperate. They were so heavy. She wanted to raise her hand to her face, but it had a mind of its own. Too heavy. She inhaled and willed herself awake. Her eyelids fluttered. Bright light overhead. Far too bright. She let them close again. The darkness felt better. She wrapped it around her against the unknown that awaited her out there. Noise. So much noise. People talking and talking. Words she couldn't understand. People she didn't
know. Voices she didn't recognize. A cold, bright place not like home. She'd been home, hadn't she? With Sarah and Elam.

Hannah. Hannah had run away. Silas looking for her. “Silas…Silas…Silas.” The sound coming from her mouth bore little resemblance to speech. More of a cry mixed with a groan. “Silas?”

A hand—his hand—grasped hers. “Katie, are you there?”

“I'm here.”

She forced her eyes to open once again. This time his head bobbed over her, blocking the awful light. “I'm right here, fraa. You're all right. You're fine.”

“Hannah?”

“She's fine. Michael found her. She'll not do such a thing again, not when I get done with her.”

“Easy.”

“Nee. No easy. Do what's hard now, for her sake.” Silas's hand caressed her cheek. She wanted to lean into it, but the wires and tubes and machines held her fast. Her sight adjusted and she could see his features now. White lines around his mouth, eyes red, teeth gritted. He cleared his throat. “You didn't need this. The doctor told you to take it easy.”

“It was coming anyway.”

“What do you mean?”

“I haven't felt good in a while.”

“You didn't say anything.”

“Didn't want to worry you.”

Silas leaned down, his face bobbing about her. “And this doesn't worry me?”

“I know.” She licked dry, cracked lips. “How did I get here?”

“Phoebe and Elam. The paramedics told the doctor Phoebe saved your life.”

“Saved my life?

“She gave you CPR.”

“I…I remember her praying. She prayed and prayed aloud. I could hear her, but I didn't feel anything.”

“She kept you alive until the ambulance got there.”

“Gott kept me alive.”

“Jah.”

“But Phoebe helped. Phoebe knows what to do. She's grown now.”

“She is.”

A voice belonging to someone she couldn't see spoke.

Silas turned away, then looked back. “I have to go now. They're going to get you ready for a procedure. The doctor will explain.”

She gripped his hand, unwilling to let go.

He touched her cheek. “You're fine.”

“Phoebe's in charge. Tell her I said she's in charge.” She tried to get her lips to turn up into a smile. “You silly men don't know anything. Phoebe's in charge.”

He kissed her forehead. His lips were cool and dry. “I'll tell her. I'll be right back. I'll be with you every step of the way.”

To the end. He didn't say those words, but she knew he thought them. Their vows were such.
Until death do us part.

But not today. Today, by God's grace and with the help of her oldest daughter, she would live.

Phoebe touched the double doors. Daed had gone in. Why couldn't she? No one stood on the other side, barring entrance. Her daed's disappearance proved that.

“Stay here, Phoebe. Leave it to your daed. He's her husband.” Michael strode toward her, Hannah trailing behind, her dirty face red and puffy with tears. “There's no keeping him from his fraa. They'll know that.”

“How did you get here?”

“Jake gave us a ride into town in the back of his pickup truck.”

That accounted for their red cheeks and Hannah's wind-whipped hair tumbling from her kapp. Phoebe nodded, unable to speak over the enormous stony lump in her throat.

“What did they say?”

She cleared her throat. “They said to sit and wait.”

The words came out in a croak.

“Then that's what we'll do.”

“I can't.” Her feet were glued to the floor, it seemed. “I'll stay here.”

“Come on.” Without touching her, he guided her to the row of chairs closest to the double doors. “You look like you're about to collapse. Sit.”

Hannah plopped into a chair next to Elam and took Sarah from him. The toddler wiped grubby, slobbery cookie hands on her big sister's dress, wrapped her chubby arms around Hannah's neck, and laid her head on her shoulder, almost instantly asleep.

“You have a way with her.” Michael smiled at Hannah as he dropped into a chair across from her and Elam. “I expect she'll be following you around for the next several years.”

To Phoebe's amazement, Hannah's lips turned up in a quivering attempt at a smile. “I expect you're right.” She huddled the little girl close and laid her cheek on Sarah's head. “She's my schweschder.”

After that they were quiet. Not many people waited in the ER this evening. A quiet day in New Hope. A good day for most, if they weren't in a hospital emergency room. Phoebe tried to sit still, but she fidgeted, leaning forward on her knees, then back against the uncomfortable, plastic of the chair. “Why is it taking so long?”

“Because they're doing everything they can for her.”

The statement took its time sinking in.

“I need water.” Elam stood. “I'll be back.”

“Try around the bathrooms.” Michael pointed toward a hallway with a sign hanging at the corner featuring a stick man and a stick woman. “The fountain's usually in the same place.”

He would know, having spent months in the city. The thought barely penetrated. Phoebe watched, mesmerized, as Hannah's head began to nod, then jerk up as she tried to stay awake. The emotion of the day taking its toll. Phoebe couldn't imagine sleeping now. Not now, while Mudder's life hung by a God-spun thread.

“Are you all right?” Michael whispered, apparently also aware of Hannah's desperate attempt to avoid slumber. “What are you thinking?”

“When Mudder told me about her heart problems, she said I might have to step in and take care of the family if something happened to her.”

“And that scares you?”

She studied Hannah's dirty, tear-streaked face. “Not anymore.” The answer surprised her. “I lived through Lydia's death. I lived through you leaving. I took care of Sarah when the bee stung her. And now I've done everything I can to help Mudder live. The rest is in God's hands. I've weathered the storm as best I can. I expect that's what God wants of me.”

His hand crept across the arm of the chair that separated them. His fingers touched hers, a light, tentative touch. She held herself still, waiting. His hand withdrew. “Do you forgive me?”

“I do. Do you forgive me?”

“Jah.”

“You did good, Phoebe,” he whispered. “I love you.”

She swallowed tears, fighting for her composure. She wanted to say the words to him, but she didn't want her voice to sound weak. She was strong. Together they would be strong.

He stood and moved into the chair next to her. Now she could smell his woodsy scent, hear his breathing, light and quick. He removed his hat and ran his hand over his hair in a futile attempt to make it lie flat. She found herself gazing at his face, tracing the familiar features with her eyes. The schoolhouse boy had disappeared, leaving behind a man who had weathered a storm so like her own. “Phoebe?”

She ducked her head, wanting to think without looking into those probing eyes.

“Phoebe, do you love me?”

No coward, she raised her head and nodded.

His hand covered hers in a tight, sure grip. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you at my side, as my fraa. No more wasted days apart.”

She placed her free hand over his. “Me too.”

He leaned back into his chair. “Now we wait.”

She settled into her own chair. At long last, she felt at peace. “Now we wait.”

The double doors banged open and Daed strode into the waiting room. His face didn't look quite as grim as it had an hour earlier. They all arose at the same time, talking over each other, asking questions.

He held up a hand. “They're admitting her, but she's stable. She's awake.”

“Admitting her—”

“When can we see her—”

“When will she get out—”

“Quiet! Everyone quiet.” Silas raised his voice only a little, but they all fell silent. “They're doing something called an angioplasty. You don't want to know what that is. She's sleeping now. They'll do this thing in a few hours and if all goes well, she'll come home in a few days. In the meantime, she says to tell you Phoebe's in charge.”

They all turned to look at Phoebe. Her cheeks heated up, but the serenity of the past few moments didn't flee. “Well, you heard Daed. Hannah, we best get Sarah home and get supper started.”

She started toward the door and then stopped, aware none followed. “What is it?”

“How are we getting home?” Elam asked, his freckled face perplexed. “You plan to steal an ambulance?”

“Don't be silly.”

Daed chuckled, a sound that told Phoebe more than words that her mudder really would be all right. “I called Mr. Cooper from the nurses' station. He's bringing his van by to pick you up.”

“You're not coming.”

Daed shook his head. “I'm staying with your mudder. You take care of them.”

She went to stand next to Michael. “We'll take care of them. Together.” Michael slapped his hat on his head. “You can count on that.”

Daed nodded at him. Michael returned the nod and Phoebe knew some unspoken message had passed between the two most important men in her life. Daed slipped through the double doors, letting them swing shut with a bang.

Phoebe slipped her hand into Michael's and squeezed. “Let's go home.”

Michael's fingers entwined in hers and tightened. “Let's go home.”

Epilogue

P
hoebe's heart stopped. She couldn't feel it beating anymore. Maybe it had broken from her chest out of the sheer joy of this moment. She stole a glance at Michael. His dimples were out in full force and the fire in his blue eyes leapt and danced. Phoebe managed another breath. Her heart beat after all. She forced herself to focus on Luke's words. The final words that would make her Michael Daugherty's fraa. Every man, woman, and child in their small community, along with several loads of friends and family who'd traveled from Bliss Creek, gazed upon this wedding ceremony, but she and Michael might as well have been alone. She saw no one but him. Finally, the long, treacherous, pit filled road they'd traveled together—and apart—had led them here to this moment where they dedicated themselves to each other before God.