Seasons of Sugarcreek 02. Spring's Renewal (17 page)

Her tears ran faster as she looked at Lilly. “I’m so afraid. What…what if we’ve lost him? My baby? Our baby. What are we going to do?”

“Mom you can’t think like that. You can’t talk like that,” Lilly said, feeling stronger than ever before. “We have not lost Ty or Anson. We will find those boys. We will. We have to.”

“And we will keep praying,” Gretta’s mother gently added. “No matter what happens…no matter what God has in store for us, we will keep praying.”

Gretta hugged her mother tight. “That is
gut
advice, Mamm. Yes, that is what we will continue to do.”

Lilly looked at her friend—the girl who had once felt like her enemy—and noticed that she was ghostly pale. Instinctively, she knew Gretta was most likely thinking about losing her little sister Beth.

How sometimes even the most horrible things did actually happen.

“Don’t give up,” she whispered. “Please, keep praying and don’t give up.”

Gretta nodded, turned quickly, then sank to the floor in a dead faint.

With a stifled gasp, Gretta’s mother ran to her side. As Lilly watched Gretta’s mother revive her, she wondered just how much more any of them could take.

“Clara? Is that you?” her mother called out again through the mist, just minutes after everyone had convened about the fishing wire and then parted to search for more evidence.

“Yes, Mamm,” she answered, giving Tim a wry smile as she did so. Only her mother could show up in the middle of a crisis and sound so aggrieved.

Only her mother could make her emotions feel even more off balance.

Another dozen steps brought her mother into view. She was standing a few feet in front of the Slabaugh front porch, glaring at them like a mother hen. “I’ve been calling and calling for you, daughter. Didn’t you hear me?”

By her side, Tim looked at her in sympathy, then cupped her elbow as they slowly made their way up the slippery hill to her home. “We’ll get through this,” he murmured. “It will be all right.”

“
Danke
,” she murmured. When Tim spoke to her that way, when he touched her, Clara felt that his words were true. That everything really was going to be all right.

As soon as they reached the crest of the hill, it was only a short walk to reach her mother under the shelter of their front porch. “Two boys are missing, you know.”

“I know, but you should be worried about your own health, too. You should go inside and change clothes. Why you’re going to catch your death of cold!”

It was on the tip of Clara’s tongue to berate her mother for being so thickheaded. Once again, she was thinking about herself and her needs—not the greater concerns surrounding them.

However, this time, Clara didn’t speak of it. Arguing with her mother at a time like this wouldn’t make a difference. It wouldn’t change her mother’s ways.

And in the end, it wouldn’t make things better for Anson and Ty. So she pushed a question her mother’s way instead. “What are you doing out of bed, Mamm? You’ve been terribly ill.”

“I, too, wanted to help in some way. I wanted to offer our home in case it was needed.”

Clara was stunned. Had she really heard that right? “Our home? Th-Th…that was kind of you,” she stammered.

Almost tentatively, her mother smiled. “It was the least I could do,
jah
?” Before either of them could reply, her mother looked them over and frowned. “Oh, but you two are soaked to the skin. Come inside for a bit and warm up.”

“We can’t. We are part of the search party. Tim and I only came here to check on you.”

“Well, would you at least like some hot tea in a thermos?”

Tim answered. “I would be most grateful for it, Mrs. Slabaugh. Our hot coffee is long gone. We’ll stay out here so we don’t dirty your floors.”

After looking from one of them to the other, her mother finally nodded. “All right. I’ll be right back.”

As soon as she turned back to the kitchen, Tim reached for Clara’s hand.

Clara’s instinct was to pull away—she didn’t want to risk having her mother see their linked hands—but he held steady, his palm warm and comforting against her own. “I’m staying by your side,” he said. “We’re going to get through this together.”

She knew he was referring to more than just the search for the boys. He was talking about everything. About a future. His belief in her felt like receiving the greatest gift on the darkest day. “Even if you aren’t sure what has happened between me and my mother? Even if we don’t know what’s happening with the boys?”

His lips curved slightly. “Even all those things. Clara, I don’t need to know everything. All that matters is that you need me.”

Reaching out, she linked her fingers with his other hand. How could something so wonderful be happening in the midst of so much worry and pain? “
Danke
,” she murmured.

“No, thank you, too. It’s times like this when we truly need all our friends. Yes?”

“
Jah
.” It was truly an incredible thing how her emotions could flare up excitedly, and then plummet in disappointment with each exchange between them. All the time they’d been searching, Clara had noticed a definite change in their actions toward each other. Now they touched more often. Held hands. He said he was glad she was by his side.

But when he said things like that, about how he was glad for the goodness of friends, she wondered if perhaps she’d made too much of those things.

All too soon, her mother returned with a thermos. For a moment, she stopped, obviously startled by the sight of Tim and Clara holding hands. Then she started forward again.

Clara broke away and took the container of hot tea from her. “This will taste good,” she murmured.

She was just about to follow Tim when a tentative touch on her shoulder stopped her. “Clara, please forgive me for lying to you about the money. I had my reasons, but they were selfish ones.”

The words tore at Clara’s insides. She wanted to forgive her mother, and understand her point of view, but now wasn’t the time. Her emotions were too raw.

Besides, there was something more vital to concentrate on than hurt feelings. “The boys are missing. Their safety is what’s most important. I can’t even think about this now.”

“But we’ll talk later?”

“Yes. Later. When all of this is over. Now, Mamm, we must go.”

A crestfallen look shadowed her expression. “I understand.” Just as she turned to go, her mother directed a steely-eyed look at Tim. “She is in your care now. Please take care of my Clara.”

Clara watched her mother retreat back into the house. She couldn’t help but stare at the front door, feeling totally confused.

Tim obviously noticed. “Let her be, Clara,” he murmured, gently curving an arm around her shoulders. “What you said was exactly right. There will be ample time for discussion and reflection later.”

As they looked into the distance, the horizon hazy from the steady stream of water pouring down, she steeled her resolve. “Well, then, let’s go, shall we?”

“Where to? Back to the water’s edge, or closer to the woods?”

They had no time to reflect on that before more voices rang out in the distance. “Clara? Tim!”

Without hesitating another moment, they ran from the shelter and back into the elements. The pelting raindrops kept their pace fast. The excited voices kept their hope alive.

When they reached the others, Clara smiled a greeting, then listened intently to the sheriff’s latest instructions.

“We’ve found one of the boy’s boots—and a raincoat.”

“Whose?” Joshua asked.

“Most likely, Anson’s, but it doesn’t really matter. We also found two sets of tracks. It looks like they’re still together.”

“Praise God,” one of the ladies in the group said.

“This means that the search is narrowed, but I have to be honest and tell you all that it also means that I’m even more worried.” The sheriff looked at each one of them hard. “Time is of the essence. If they’ve lost a boot, it’s because they weren’t able to keep it on, or put it back on.”

“They could have been swept in the current,” Tim murmured.

For a moment, Caleb and Joshua shook their heads in protest, then seeing the sheriff’s grim expression, stood stiffly.

“I’m going to move everyone around a bit,” the officer said next. “Sometimes viewing an area with fresh eyes helps. So, please listen to where I’m directing you to go.”

Tim turned to her. “I bet you could go back to your mother’s if you’d like. Or even back to the Allens’. You’ve been out here for hours. Would you like to go in and keep dry for a bit?” Tim asked gently. “We’ve now been out here almost three hours.”

“Never. As long as the boys are out here, I will be, too. I won’t go in until we discover what happened.”

Reaching for her hand again, he squeezed gently. “All right.”

When a police officer told them to hunt around one of the skinny paths that led into the woods, Clara and Tim accepted gratefully. Any thing was better than standing still.

But as the minutes passed, and they spied nothing except for more debris on the banks of the creek, their burning optimism began to pass.

What if everyone’s worst fears came true? What would they do? How would they survive such a loss?

In the distance, the sheriff blew a sharp whistle. It was the signal that yet another hour had passed. And they were losing their race with time.

“Ty? Anson!” Clara called out. “Anson, Ty, can you hear me?”

“Ty! Anson!” Tim blended his voice with Clara’s, hoping their combined sound might finally spur a response.

He was becoming bone weary. His throat was sore and his skin now felt like it would never warm up. Beside him, Clara seemed to be shivering uncontrollably. Unable to stop himself, he pulled her into a hug. She needed his warmth, and perhaps she needed his support, as well.

Tim knew he desperately needed Clara’s help. He was quickly losing hope and had begun to imagine the worst. Unbidden, his mind was playing tricks on him, imagining the boys’ funerals. Imagining the pain they’d all go through as each member of the community tried to come to grips with the fact that they’d lost two of their own.

“Anson? Ty?” he called again.

At first, only the faint snap of twigs sounded as they both strained their ears for any reply. For anything.

But then they heard the faintest of voices. “Tim? Tim is that you?”

Pure joy lit Clara’s features as Tim struggled to reply. “Yes! Oh, yes, it’s me. I mean, it’s Tim. Miss Slabaugh is here, too! Anson, we’re so happy to hear your voice. Where are you?”

One second passed. Two. “I’m not sure.”

“Keep talking, Anson,” Tim encouraged. “Keep talking. Miss Slabaugh and I will come to you.”

“She’s out looking, too?”

“Everyone’s out looking for you,” Clara yelled through happy tears. “Child, where are you?”

“In some bushes.”

Tim was so relieved, he almost chuckled. Squeezing Clara’s hand, he said, “Prepare yourself, I’m going to call out our news!”

“Yell all you want. This is wonderful-
gut
news. The best!”

As loud as he could, he cried, “We hear Anson!! We’re in the woods near Clara Slabaugh’s house!!”

The woods fairly shook with cheers. Then Clara turned to where she heard the boy. “Anson? Anson say something so I can find you, child.”

“Miss Slabaugh? Are you mad?”

“Of course not.” As a matter of fact, tears were falling down her cheeks, she was so happy. “Anson, I’m the happiest I can ever remember being. Hearing your voice is a wonderful thing. Please let us find you. Keep talking now.”

“I’m so tired!”

His voice was tired and faint. Reedy. It broke her heart. But she didn’t dare offer him sympathy. Not until she found him. Not until she knew he was going to be all right. Summoning up her best teacher’s voice, she called out again—this time her voice was tough and stern. “Now, don’t you even start complaining, Anson Graber. Not when all of us have been walking in circles in the rain. Now you follow directions and keep talking,” she ordered. “And I know you can, Anson, so don’t tell me that you cannot. You’ve
never
been too tired to talk.”

For a moment, no reply came. Warily she looked toward Tim. Perhaps she’d been too harsh? Then, they heard a thin, cracked voice again. “Ty’s hurt.”

“Tell me all about it,” she coaxed, straining to follow his voice as they stumbled through the brush. “Tell me where he’s hurt.”

“I think it’s his arm, but I’m not sure. It might be his leg. He got hurt bad. We fell into the creek and got carried away by the current. Then Ty and me hugged a tree that got stuck. But then no one found us.”

Beside her, Tim darted ahead, scanning the area frantically. When Anson’s voice faded again, Tim motioned for Clara to push the boy into speaking again.

“You’re fading, Anson! Speak up, now.”

“But Miss Slabaugh—”

“Don’t you
Slabaugh
me, Anson Graber. And speak up, please. How many times have I told you to speak clearly? Now, you will raise your voice and tell me about Ty.”

“All…all right.”

“Anson?” It was difficult, but she put every ounce of iron she could in her tone. “You will talk to me right now. What has happened to Ty Allen?”

His voice came out stronger. “After…after we waited forever, we pushed each other out and crawled here.”

Tim rushed forward, looking through the brush. Clara followed on his heels. “And then, child?”

“Um…Ty called for help and I did, too. But no one heard us.”

“But now we’re talking, yes? How’s Ty now?”

“He’s not doing much of anything now. He’s sittin’ still and his eyes are closed. Miss Slabaugh, I’m scared.”

“I know.”

She climbed over a very large log. And then, like the most beautiful birthday present in the world, there they were.

Snuggled like two puppies.

“Oh, Anson! Praise God, we’ve found you! Hello!”

Tim grinned as he knelt down and helped pull the boy up. When Anson’s eyes lit on Clara’s, she reached for him.

“Oh, Anson, you are surely a sight for sore eyes.”

“You did find me,” he said in wonder.

As Tim reached for Ty, she wrapped her arms around the chilled, scared, wonderful, wonderful boy. “I told you, Anson, I’d find you. And I never lie about things like that.”

His weak smile lit up her heart.

Ty was unconscious and limp in Tim’s arms. “Tim?”

“His heart is beating,” he murmured as he pulled off his coat and folded it around the boy.

In the distance, they heard the others approach. Just as Tim had promised, Jesus had been watching out for them. Holding Anson and Ty close until help could arrive.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you, oh, so very much.”

And as the sheriff and Joshua and Caleb broke through the brush and ran toward them, Clara was reminded that with God’s help, anything truly was possible.

She hugged Anson close and relished the moment.