The Betrayed Fiancée (7 page)

“Aw, Verna, you worry too much. The horses' stalls need to be cleaned, and someone has to do it.”

“Speak up, Lester. You're mumbling.”

Uncle Lester repeated himself.

“It can wait till one of the younger men or boys comes over,” she retorted.

“Are you sayin' I'm old?”

“I didn't say anything about you being cold.”

“
Old
, not
cold
.” His voice rose. “You should quit being so stubborn and get a hearing aide.”

“
Guder mariye
, Aunt Verna and Uncle Lester.” Doris entered the barn.

“Morning, Doris,” they answered in unison. Aunt Verna gave her a hug.

“I'll help you clean the stalls, as well as feed and water the horses, Uncle Lester.” Doris rubbed the mane of Dad's buggy horse. It saddened her to think he would never drive this horse again.

“It's nice of you to offer.” Uncle Lester leaned on his pitchfork. “I still need to let the mare and her colt out to run.”

“I'll take care of it before I begin cleaning,” Doris offered. “We'll get this work done in no time at all.”

“Would you like a cup of coffee, Doris?” Aunt Verna plucked a piece of hay off her dress.

Doris nodded. “Jah, please.”

“What did you say, dear?”

“She said ‘jah.' And would you bring me a cup, too?” Uncle Lester spoke loudly.

“Okay, will do.” Aunt Verna shuffled out of the barn.

Doris wondered if her aunt's hearing was steadily getting worse. She could see Uncle Lester working as hard as he could, but he moved a bit slow, no doubt due to the pain and stiffness caused by his arthritis. Doris hoped Elsie and Arlene would arrive soon to help with things in the house.

A short time later, a rig pulled into the yard. Doris ran out and waved at Elsie.

Uncle Lester stuck his head out to check what was happening. “I see your sister's here.” His brows furrowed. “I wonder where our coffee is.”

“I bet Aunt Verna got sidetracked.” Doris watched Elsie unhitch her horse and take him to the corral. When she finished, they walked together to the barn.

“How's it going?” Elsie asked.

“We're cleaning the horses' stalls, but we could sure use some coffee.” Uncle Lester grunted. “Don't know what your aunt's up to. Would you go in and remind her that we're still waiting?”

Elsie nodded. “I'll get your coffees. Maybe Aunt Verna is busy with something.”

When Elsie returned a few minutes later holding cups of steaming coffee, she smiled and said, “Aunt Verna was sitting in the living room, reading. I didn't mean to, but I made her jump, because she hadn't heard me come in. I gave her a hug and then mentioned the coffee.”

“What'd she say?” Uncle Lester cocked his head.

“She forgot, so I told her to relax and enjoy her book, and I'd bring out the coffee.”

Doris wasn't surprised when Elsie handed them their cups and picked up a broom. She never had been one to stand around when work needed to be done. This gave Uncle Lester a chance to sit on an old stool and drink his coffee.

Doris sipped her own coffee and set the cup on a wooden box so she could help Elsie. Soon, they had the horses taken care of and each of the stalls cleaned. When they were done and the tools had been put away, they headed for the house. “Look!” Doris pointed toward the driveway. “Here comes Arlene now.”

Uncle Lester went on ahead, but Doris and Elsie waited for Arlene. Once her horse had been put away, they walked into Dad's house together. They'd gotten a lot done yesterday, cleaning up after the funeral, but it had been an exhausting day for everyone. All were in agreement to go home and get a good night's rest and return in the morning to do more. Aunt Verna and Uncle Lester would be staying at Dad's for the next few weeks to help out, but Doris and her sisters didn't expect their aunt and uncle to do everything on their own. It was their place to clean Dad's house and sort through all his things.

“Did you sleep well last night?” Arlene asked Doris while she swept the kitchen floor. “You left in such a hurry yesterday.”

“No, not really. I had a troubling night. All I did was toss and turn. I'm sorry Brian and I left so quickly.” Doris sighed, setting a container on the table before plopping down on a chair. “I brought some apples, oranges, grapes, and celery filled with peanut butter. What we don't eat today, we can put in the fridge, since we'll be coming back on Monday to finish cleaning and begin the sorting process.”

“Seems like now's a good time to have a snack and talk a spell.” Elsie found a box of crackers in the cupboard and called their aunt and uncle to join them.

Opening the refrigerator, Arlene took out a block of cheese left over from the funeral and then grabbed a knife from the counter. “Elsie, why don't you slice the apples and cheese, while I make us some hot tea?” she suggested.

Soon everyone was seated at the table.

“This sure hits the spot.” Aunt Verna reached for a slice of cheese. “I think we all needed a break.”

Arlene blew on her steaming cup of tea and glanced at Doris. “I was concerned when Brian rushed in and told us you were leaving yesterday. I figured the day's events might have hit you all of a sudden.”

“You're right, it did, but it wasn't just the exhaustion from the funeral. I was upset by something else.” Doris closed her eyes and drew a deep breath. “Even now, thinking about it, makes me feel nauseous.”

“Did something happen?” Uncle Lester asked.

Doris nodded, then quickly explained how she'd discovered Anna when she was heading back from burning the trash. “I never heard such a gut-wrenching cry.”

“Come to think of it, I don't remember saying goodbye to Anna yesterday.” Arlene handed Doris a napkin. “Why was she crying so hard? Was it because of Joel?”

“Jah.” Doris went on to say how, once Anna had calmed down, she'd confessed her love for Joel had never died. “I thought after all these years she'd gotten over him. Apparently, Anna did, too, until she came face-to-face with our bruder yesterday.”

“Oh dear.” Elsie sighed, and Aunt Verna slowly shook her head.

“Anna said when she looked into Joel's eyes, she realized she'd buried her feelings. Then when Anna found out who Kristi was and how much Joel's girlfriend meant to him, she was devastated.” Doris wiped the tears on her cheeks. “All this time Anna's been hoping Joel would return home to the Amish faith and their relationship could be rekindled. Now she feels all is lost, realizing her dreams were for nothing.”

“Our brother!” Elsie grumbled. “I don't understand him at all. Joel is a different person than he was growing up. He had a good thing with Anna.”

Arlene nodded. “I hardly know him anymore.”

“After Anna and I finished talking, I drove her home in her buggy while Brian followed me in ours,” Doris continued. “That's why we left in a hurry with no explanation.”

“Poor Anna.” Aunt Verna patted Doris's arm. “It's good she confided in you.”

Doris nodded. “Now that I know, I want to offer her my support.”

Everyone ate in silence until Doris jumped up. “I almost forgot something I want you to see. I'll be right back.” She rushed out the door.

Shortly after, as Doris pulled the little wagon toward the porch, Arlene and Elsie came out.

“What do you have there?” Arlene asked.

“It's something I found yesterday up by the maple tree that was hit by lightning. Something for each of us in memory of Mama and Dad.”

As Doris handed her sisters each a birdhouse, she explained how she had come upon them.

“Looks like I may need a tissue.” Teary-eyed, Elsie stared at the birdhouse she'd been given. “This is so special.”

“When I took the trash out to be burned and found the birdhouses unscorched by the lightning's heat, I believed it was meant to be,” Doris said. “I think I was meant to find Anna, as well.”

Akron

When Kristi got home from work late in the afternoon, the first thing she did was call Joel. She drew a deep breath when he answered.

“Hi, Joel. How was your day?”

“Okay, I guess.”

“How are you doing? Were you able to get a good night's sleep?”

“Not really, but I'm fine.” Joel's tone lacked emotion.

“Why don't we work out at the gym for a while?” she suggested, hoping it might perk him up. “Afterward, we can go somewhere for a bite to eat.”

“I'm too tired from work, and I don't feel like getting cleaned up to go out.” “Would you rather come here for supper? It's a bit chilly outside but not too cold to put burgers on the grill.”

“Not tonight, Kristi.”

Kristi winced. “Please don't shut me out, Joel. Whether you realize it or not, you need support right now.”

“I'm fine, really. I just need to be alone.”

“Okay, I'll let you go, but don't hesitate to call if you want to talk.”

“Thanks for understanding. Maybe we can do something tomorrow.”

“That'd be nice. If the weather cooperates, why don't we go on a picnic at the park after church?”

“Whatever you want to do is fine.” Joel's words were positive, but the tone of his voice was not. Was he telling her what he thought she wanted to hear, or was he looking forward to being with her? She hoped it was the latter.

“Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening.”

“You too, Kristi. Bye.”

Kristi set her cell phone aside and went to the bedroom to change into her sweatpants. It wouldn't be dark for another hour or so, and she thought about going for a run. While getting dressed, however, Kristi saw her laptop lying on the bed. She stared at it a few seconds, wondering if she should go online or head out for a run.
Maybe I won't feel like an outsider if I do more Amish research
.

She picked up her laptop and carried it to the living room.
If I'm going to be part of Joel's family someday, I need to learn all I can about their way of life
.

M
onday morning, as soon as the children were off to school and John had left for work, Elsie slipped into her shoes and went out to the phone shack to check for messages.

Cautiously peering in to make sure no spiders lurked about, Elsie stepped inside the small wooden building. She took a seat on the folding chair and started replaying the first message.

“Hey, Elsie. It's Joel. I'm calling to see if you've located Dad's will.”

Elsie's fingers curled into her palms.
I can't believe him! When does he think we would have had time to look for Dad's will? And why does he need money so bad? I have half a mind not to even call him back
.

She took in a couple of deep breaths, trying to calm herself. Joel could be so insensitive. Didn't he realize how badly they were all grieving? Wasn't he grieving the loss of their dad, too?

“Maybe not,” Elsie grumbled aloud. “Our brother might only be thinking of himself. I'll bet Joel doesn't realize how unfeeling he sounds.”

Struggling with whether to call Joel or not, Elsie finally picked up the phone. She felt a release of tension when she heard Joel's voice mail play. It would be easier to leave him a message. Less chance of getting into an argument, which neither of them needed right now.

“Hello, Joel, it's Elsie returning your call. We haven't had time yet to look for Dad's will. Aunt Verna and Uncle Lester are still here. They'll be staying at Dad's house for a few weeks to help us sort through things. We'll call you if his will turns up in the process. Please try not to worry about it for now. When things settle down a bit, we'd like to have you and Kristi over for supper. Doris, Arlene, and I enjoyed meeting her. She seems nice, and we're happy she has one of Mama's quilted wall hangings. I'll get back to you in a few weeks.”

Elsie placed the phone back on the receiver, letting a soft breath escape her lips. She was trying her best to be confident throughout this whole process, but she felt frail, struggling against the urge to break down and scream.

She closed her eyes.
I'm the oldest child. I have to stay strong, not only for myself but also for my sisters. Imagine how they'd feel if they saw their oldest sister acting like a scared, overly emotional child. Please help me, Lord. I can't do it without Your help
. Elsie quoted Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

A crawling sensation tickled her arm. Elsie opened her eyes, raised her arm, and shrieked. Feeling rather foolish, she brought her hand close to her face, eyeing a strand of long hair dangling from her fingers. Elsie chuckled slightly. She was glad it wasn't a spider.

She was about to leave the phone shack when the phone rang. Hoping it wasn't Joel, Elsie was tempted to let the answering machine pick up. But it could be someone else. “Hello,” she said hesitantly.