The Decision (24 page)

“We were, but Elaine’s grandmother isn’t well, so Elaine doesn’t want to commit to marriage right now.” Jonah’s forehead wrinkled. “I told her I’m willing to help out, but she refused my offer.”

“That’s ridiculous. You’d think she’d want your support.”

“That’s what I thought, too, but apparently Elaine thinks taking care of Edna is something she has to do alone, and she doesn’t want to burden me with it.”

“What’s wrong with Edna?” Melvin asked.

“For one thing, she has diabetes.”

“That can usually be controlled with medication, exercise, and eating right.”

“I know, but there’s more.” Jonah paused, wondering if he should be telling Melvin this. But he really needed someone to share his burden with, and who better than his good friend? “You see, Elaine found out recently that her grandma has dementia.”

“You mean, Edna’s losing her memory?” Melvin’s forehead creased.

Jonah gave a slow nod. “I’m afraid so.”

“That’s baremlich.”

“I agree; it’s terrible, and short of a miracle, Edna’s condition will deteriorate.”

Melvin rubbed his chin, wearing a thoughtful expression. “That’s a pretty heavy burden for Elaine to carry by herself. She really needs someone to share in Edna’s care.”

“I know that, and I’d like it to be me, but if I can’t convince Elaine, then there’s little I can do. I’m not sure Elaine has told Edna about her condition yet, either, so please don’t mention this to anyone.”

“The only one I’ll talk to about this is the Lord, and I’ll surely keep you and Elaine in my prayers.” Melvin’s dark eyes revealed his concern as he placed his hand on Jonah’s shoulder and gave it an encouraging squeeze. “Maybe something will happen that’ll open Elaine’s eyes, and then she’ll realize just how much she needs you.”

“That would truly be an answer to prayer,” Jonah agreed. “Jah, a God-given answer to the prayers I’ve been sending up ever since Elaine turned down my marriage proposal.”

“Well, don’t give up,” Melvin said sincerely. “With God all things are possible.”

Y
ou’re not eating much today,” Priscilla said, gently bumping Elaine’s arm.

Elaine looked at her half-eaten salad and sighed. “Guess I’m just not all that hungry right now.”

“You’re worried about your grandma, aren’t you?” Leah questioned from across their table at Yoder’s restaurant.

Elaine nodded slowly. “I’m trying not to worry, but I can’t help feeling apprehensive when I’m not with her. What if she doesn’t take her medicine? What if she doesn’t eat what she’s supposed to?”

“My mamm’s there with her,” Priscilla said. “I’m sure she’ll remind Edna of those things.”

“That’s right,” Leah agreed. “So just try to relax and have a good time. After all, it’s not very often that the three of us can get together for lunch like this anymore.”

“And don’t forget, we’re going shopping afterward.” Priscilla flashed Elaine a cheery smile. “I wish we could have more days like this. I know we’re getting older, but I still miss how things used to be with the three of us.”

“That would be nice.” Elaine took a drink of water. “But we all have responsibilities, and life is full of changes. I’ve certainly been reminded of that recently.”

Leah reached for the bottle of ketchup and poured some on her french fries. “It’s true, but we should still take time out to be together. Even if it’s just to sit on the porch and talk, it’s good for all of us.” She grinned and pointed at her plate. “These fries are sure good. Would you like to try some, Elaine? Maybe they’ll pique your appetite.”

“No thanks.”

“Maybe we should set one night a week aside so we can get together and talk,” Leah suggested.

Priscilla bobbed her head. “I agree with that.”

“We’ll have to see how it goes.” Her friends meant well, but she had a feeling that in the not-too-distant future times like today would be few and far between. She shivered as a blast of cold air from the air-conditioning vent above her blew down across her shoulders. She almost asked the waitress if the air-conditioning could be turned off, but maybe she was the only one who minded the chill. While it was nice to be indoors away from the summer heat, especially on days when it was unbearable, too much time spent in a room with air-conditioning sometimes made her throat feel sore. Hopefully that wouldn’t be the case today.

“I appreciate you coming over to clean my house, but I didn’t expect you to bring lunch for me, too,” Jonah told his sister when she entered the buggy shop with a basket of food.

Jean smiled and set the basket on the counter. “What else is a little sister for if not to help her older bruder?”

He chuckled. “I’m not that much older. According to Mom, I was born just ten minutes before you.” He gave Jean a hug. “Are you excited about our folks coming to see us next week?”

“Definitely. It’s been too long since we’ve seen them, and I’m sure they’ll be surprised to see how much my kinner have grown.”

“You’ve got that right,” Jonah agreed. “Every time I see ’em it seems like they’ve grown another inch or two.”

She swatted his arm playfully. “You’re such a kidder.”

“Can you join me for lunch?” Jonah asked. “Timothy left early today because he had a dental appointment. And since there are no customers right now, it’s a good chance for us to talk.”

“Sure I can, but I don’t want to sit too long or your house will never get cleaned.”

Jean took a seat at the metal table near the window. Jonah followed with the wicker basket. After their silent prayer, she opened the basket and handed Jonah a sandwich.

“Danki,” Jonah said, thankful for his sister’s thoughtfulness. “Ham and cheese is one of my favorites.”

“There’s a thermos of coffee, some peanut butter cookies, and a few apples in there, too.” Jean gestured to the basket.

Jonah thumped his stomach. “If I’m not careful, you’re gonna fatten me up.”

She smiled. “It would take a lot more than one of my lunches to make you fat, Jonah. You work hard out here in the shop, and once I go back up to your house to finish cleaning, you’ll probably burn off most of the calories you’re about to take in.”

“That could be.” Truth was, Jonah had never had a problem with his weight, and at twenty-four, he wasn’t worried about his metabolism slowing down.

They ate in companionable silence, until Jean posed a question. “Have you seen Elaine lately?”

“Not since last Sunday at church,” Jonah replied. “Why do you ask?”

Jean tilted her head. “I thought since you two are courting that you’d see her as often as possible.”

Jonah swallowed the last bite of his sandwich and washed it down with some coffee. “To be honest, Elaine and I aren’t courting anymore.”

Jean’s eyebrows lifted, and her mouth formed an O. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No, unfortunately I’m not. Elaine broke things off with me.” It was hard admitting this to Jean, especially when Jonah had been hoping that Elaine would change her mind. But now, with his sister’s question about him seeing Elaine, he figured he may as well tell her the truth.

“But why would she do that?” Jean questioned. “I thought you two would be planning a wedding soon.”

“That’s what I’d hoped for.” Jonah groaned. “But with her grandma ill, Elaine thinks it would be a burden on me if we got married and she was caring for Edna. I think Elaine also believes that under those circumstances, she couldn’t be the kind of wife I need.”

“She’s not thinking straight.” Jean placed her hand on Jonah’s arm, giving it a supporting pat. “I’ll bet Elaine changes her mind when she realizes how difficult it will be to take care of Edna on her own. Besides, from what I can tell, Elaine loves you, Jonah. I’m sure if you just wait patiently, she will agree to marry you. In the meantime, you ought to keep going over there, offering your support and letting her know that you’re there for her.”

Jonah nodded. “You’re right, Jean. Think I’ll go on over there tonight.”

“Your garden is doing so nicely,” Iva said as Edna sat beside her on the porch swing. “Have you had much trouble with bugs this year?”

“I—I don’t think so.” Edna glanced briefly at Iva, then turned her attention to a big black beetle that had found its way to the porch.

A few seconds later, Patches leaped onto the porch, spotted the bug, and nudged it with her nose. That was clearly a bad idea, for the beetle latched right onto the cat’s nose and hung on with its pinchers. Screeching, Patches leaped into the air, then tumbled off the porch, landing on her back in the flower bed.

“Oh dear!” Iva gasped. “That poor cat!”

Edna chuckled. “Patches seems to be all right; she just had an encounter with a very determined beetle.”

By this time, the creature had let go of the cat’s nose and disappeared among the foliage of a miniature rosebush. Patches got up, shook her head a couple of times, and hissed all the way to the barn.

“Sometimes I forget how silly Elaine’s
katze
can be,” Edna said.

“I know what you mean,” Iva agreed. “The other day one of our cats ran up a tree and sat there meowing for most of the day.”

“Did it ever come down?” Edna asked.

“Oh jah, but not till Daniel got the buggy out of the shed so we could get ready to go to the bulk foods store.” Iva laughed, flapping her hand. “That crazy cat leaped out of the tree and landed in the back of the buggy. Guess it wanted to take a ride to town with us.”

Edna smiled and got the swing moving faster. It felt good to sit here, laughing and chatting. She hadn’t found much to laugh about since Lloyd died. “You know, cats aren’t the only pets that do silly things,” she said. Then she went on to tell about some of the silly words her parakeet often repeated, and how whenever she let Millie out of her cage, she would fly around the house and sometimes land on Edna’s head.

“My mamm used to raise canaries when I was a girl,” Iva said. “They sang beautifully, but I think it would have been more fun if they’d mimicked some of the things our family said.”

Edna sat quietly for a bit, thinking about how Lloyd had been able to get Millie to say so many different words. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping she wouldn’t give in to the tears she felt pushing against her eyelids.
It feels a lot better to laugh than cry
, she thought.

“Are you all right?” Iva asked.

Edna quickly opened her eyes. “Oh, I’m fine. Just thinking, is all.”

Several minutes went by. Iva touched Edna’s arm. “I was sorry to hear about the physical problems you’ve been having.”

“Oh, you mean my diabetes?”

Iva gave a nod. “That, as well as your dementia diagnosis.”

Edna blinked several times, sitting straight in her chair. “Wh–who told you that?”

“Priscilla. She said Elaine told her about your memory loss.”

Edna’s spine went rigid, and she halted the porch swing abruptly. “I may be a bit forgetful at times, but I don’t have dementia! If I did, don’t you think the doctor or Elaine would have told me about it?”

Iva’s face blanched. “Perhaps I’ve spoken out of turn. I just thought—”

“Well, you thought wrong! If I had dementia, I’m sure I would know it, and I can’t understand why Elaine would tell anyone such a horrible thing. I’m certainly going to ask her about it when she gets home.” With her hands shaking and her mouth suddenly dry, Edna got up from the swing and tromped into the house. She knew Iva had brought lunch, but right now, Edna didn’t think she could eat a thing!

E
dna felt bad leaving Iva on the porch by herself, but she couldn’t face the look of pity on her friend’s face. All Edna wanted was to be left alone so she could think and try to sort things out.

She took a seat in her rocking chair, staring at the clock Lloyd had given her when they’d first gotten married. What Iva had said was such a shock. If it was true, then why hadn’t Elaine or someone at the hospital told her?

A knot formed in Edna’s stomach as she thought about a woman in their church district, Lizzie Bontrager, who’d died a few years ago after suffering through the agony of dementia. The poor woman had ended up not knowing anyone, even her own family members.

She folded her arms and held them tightly against her chest.
Is that what’s going to happen to me?
Just the thought made Edna feel sick to her stomach. How could she ever forget her dear husband or all the years of raising Elaine? Would the memories from her own childhood be gone? Her parents, her friends, and everyone in their community—would she forget them all? And what about this farm, the animals, and all the simple joys she’d known over the years? Was it really possible that the chapters of her life could be completely erased by this terrible disease, as though they had never been there at all?