The HOPE of SPRING (8 page)

Meredith opened the dresser and took out a pair of Luke’s black trousers and the pale
blue shirt she had made for his last birthday. Just holding them made her tear up.

Out of impulse, she bent her head into the material of his shirt and inhaled deeply.
It was freshly laundered, but she could still smell the fragrance of Luke. Or maybe
it was just the idea of touching something Luke had worn that made her feel so gloomy
all of a sudden.

Struggling to keep her emotions in check, Meredith went downstairs and handed the
clothes to Jonah. “You can change in there,” she said, pointing to the bathroom down
the hall. “You’ll find some towels in the closet behind the door.”

Jonah hesitated a minute, looking at Meredith with obvious compassion. Did he know
how hard it was for her to let him wear Luke’s clothes?

“Go ahead. I’ll wait for you in the living room,” she said.

“Danki.” Jonah went quietly down the hall.

Meredith returned to the living room, and as she seated herself in the rocking chair
and reached down to pet Fritz’s head, the baby kicked. The joy of feeling that movement
drove her tears away, and she smiled, placing both hands against her stomach. It was
so amazing, feeling life within her belly. Sometimes it felt light, like a butterfly
fluttering around. Other times, such as now, she felt a good solid kick or two. If
the baby turned out to be a boy, she might name him after his father. If it was a
girl, she’d have to come up with a name she liked.

When Jonah returned to the living room a short time later, tears sprang to Meredith’s
eyes once again. Seeing him dressed in Luke’s shirt and trousers was almost her undoing.

“I tossed my wet clothes out on the porch, and I’ll bring your husband’s clothes back
tomorrow after work,” Jonah said, shifting from one foot to the other. Did he feel
as uneasy as she did right now?

“I’ll get you a plastic sack.” Meredith stood, but before she could take a step, Alma
entered the room.

“Oh, it’s you, Jonah. Thought I heard voices out here. Did you come to join us for
supper?” Alma asked.

He shook his head. “Just dropped by to see how Meredith was doing and ask if she needed
me to do anything.”

Alma’s gaze went to Meredith. “So, do you have anything for this nice young man to
do?”

Meredith, feeling more flustered by the minute, could only shake her head. It was
strange how she felt when Jonah was around. Years ago, when they’d become friends
in Florida, she was as comfortable with him as with any of her other friends. But
now, for some reason, she felt somewhat uneasy around Jonah, and even a little guilty,
wondering how others would feel about their friendship given that she was a widow.

“Well, since you’re here, Jonah, and I have supper ready, I think you ought to join
us,” Alma practically insisted. “There’s plenty to eat, and one more at the table
won’t make any difference.”

Before Jonah could respond, the back door opened, and Laurie joined them.

“Hello, Jonah,” she said, her lips curving into a wide smile. “I knew that was your
horse and buggy out there because I recognized Socks. It’s nice to see you again.”

He nodded in response. “Same here.”

There it is again
, Meredith thought, walking into the kitchen to get Jonah a bag for his wet clothes.
That special look on Laurie’s face whenever she sees Jonah. I wonder if I should talk
to her about it—warn her that Jonah might already have a girlfriend in Ohio, or that
she’s being too forward. Or maybe it’s best if I don’t say anything. She might not
appreciate it, and what if I’m wrong about things, and it’s just my imagination?

“Guess I’d better get going,” Jonah said when Meredith came back, handing him the
plastic sack.

He was almost out the door when Laurie hollered, “Aren’t you gonna join us for supper?”
She sniffed the air. “From that delicious aroma, I’m sure Alma’s made something special.”

“I appreciate the invite, but my mamm’s probably holding supper for me right now,
so I’d better go.” Jonah gave a quick smile and hurried out the door.

Meredith turned to Laurie. “How come you’re so late?”

Laurie’s face flamed. “What’s the matter, Meredith, don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do,” Meredith replied. “Why would you even ask such a question?”

“Well, you looked upset when you asked why I was late, and I thought maybe …”

Meredith held up her hand. “I was only concerned because you’re not usually late.
And since this is Friday night, when traffic is usually worse, I couldn’t help but
worry.”

“Sorry about that, but I stayed awhile to help one of the other vendors put some things
away in his booth. And you’re right—there was a lot of traffic.”

“That’s okay, you’re here now, so let’s eat,” Alma said, motioning to the kitchen.

Meredith didn’t know why, but she had a funny feeling her sister wasn’t being completely
honest. Of course, she saw no reason for Laurie to lie, so she was probably imagining
that, as well.

Ronks

Sitting around the kitchen table with her family that evening, Luann smiled at her
youngest son, Owen, as he chomped away on a juicy drumstick. Grandma Smucker had made
fried chicken for supper, and everyone seemed to be enjoying it.

“This chicken is
appenditlich
, Grandma,” eight-year-old Arlene said, licking her fingers.

Luann’s mother smiled. “I’m glad you think it’s delicious.”

Luann’s sixteen-year-old daughter, Kendra, wrinkled her nose and glared at Arlene.
“It’s not polite to lick your fingers, Sister.”

“Maybe not,” Luann’s husband, Philip, put in, “but this chicken is finger-lickin’
good.” He swiped his tongue over his fingers and grinned at Luann’s mother, who gave
him a wide smile in return.

“Not to change the subject or anything,” Luann said, “but Meredith’s birthday is coming
up in two weeks, so I think it would be nice if we did something special to celebrate.”

“That’s a good idea.” Nina, who was fourteen, nodded her head. “That will let Meredith
know how much we love her.”

“I don’t think Meredith will be up to a big party,” Grandma said. “Maybe a nice, small
family gathering is all that she needs.”

“Just a little celebration among us,” Luann agreed. “I can make her favorite cake
and decorate it the way I used to when she was little. I’ll even make it a three-tiered
cake and use the pretty glass cake dish you used for my birthday when I was growing
up,” she added, looking at her mother.

“That all sounds good to me—especially the cake,” Philip said with a wink.

“Let’s make it a surprise, though, because if we tell Meredith we want to have a get-together
for her birthday, she’ll probably say not to bother or that she doesn’t feel like
celebrating this year,” Luann said. “We’ll tell Laurie and Alma about it, of course.
Maybe Alma can take Meredith someplace that afternoon, and while they’re gone, I’ll
go over to Meredith’s house and get things ready. I’ll make sure to tell Alma not
to bring Meredith home until six o’clock. By then, we’ll all be there, ready to surprise
Meredith when they get back.”

“What about our horses and buggies?” Stanley asked as he pulled the fried coating
from his piece of chicken and ate that first. “Won’t Meredith see ’em out in the yard
and know we’re there?”

“We can put the horses in the barn and hide the buggies around back,” Philip responded.

Stanley grinned. “That’s a good idea, Dad.”

“I think so, too, and I’m gonna make Meredith a pretty birthday card with birds on
it.” Arlene grinned. “Meredith likes feeding the birds in her yard.”

“Should we invite Luke’s folks, as well as Meredith’s friend Dorine and her family,
too?” Luann asked Philip.

He nodded. “I think they’d feel left out if we didn’t.”

“All right then, I’ll start working out the details tomorrow morning.” Luann looked
at her mother. “Would you like to help me plan things, Mom?”

A big smile formed on the elderly woman’s face. “Of course I would.”

Darby

“This is really a nice place,” Susan said as she and Anne entered the restaurant.
Several of Grandma and Grandpa’s closest friends had already arrived, and they’d been
taken to the banquet room, where tables had been set up with a few anniversary decorations.
The cake had been safely delivered; the guests were all there; all they needed now
was Grandma and Grandpa.

While everyone visited, Susan kept checking her watch. Forty minutes later, when they
still hadn’t arrived, Susan turned to Anne and said, “Grandma and Grandpa should have
been here by now. Think I’d better give them a call.”

“That’s a good idea,” Anne agreed. “Maybe we shouldn’t order our meals until they
get here.”

Susan pulled out her cell phone and called Grandma’s cell number. All she got was
her voice mail. She left a message, then dialed the home number, but only got the
answering machine there. The later it got, the more she worried.
Now where could they be? The weather’s not bad or anything. It just doesn’t make sense.

“Do you think they forgot?” Susan asked Anne.

Anne shrugged. “They could have, I guess. Either that or they got lost, which would
make no sense since the restaurant isn’t all that far from their home.” She motioned
to one of the tables where several elderly couples sat. “It’s getting late, and I’m
sure everyone’s hungry, so I think we should go ahead and let these good people order
their meals. If Grandpa and Grandma haven’t arrived by the time everyone’s done eating,
we’ll head for home and hope that they’re there.”

“Okay,” Susan agreed. “I pray that Grandma and Grandpa are all right.

Upper Darby, Pennsylvania

“I don’t see any sign of Susan or Anne,” Norma Bailey said to her husband, Henry,
when they entered the Italian restaurant where they were supposed to meet their granddaughters.

“They probably got waylaid at the hospital,” Henry said. “You know how that can be
when things get busy.”

Norma nodded as she took her seat at the table their hostess had shown them. “I think
I’ll give the girls a call and let them know we’re here.” She reached into her purse
for her cell phone. “Oh, oh.”

“What’s wrong?”

“No cell phone. I must have left it at home.”

Henry frowned. “Never did have much use for those little gadgets. They’re so small,
no wonder you forgot it. Probably wouldn’t have seen it if it’d been right under your
nose.”

She laughed and elbowed his arm. “Are you saying my eyesight is failing?”

“No, I’m saying most of those cell phones are way too small.” He glanced at his watch.
“Do you think maybe the reason the girls aren’t here is because we have the wrong
night?”

“I suppose that’s possible, but I’m almost certain they said they’d meet us here tonight.”
Norma glanced across the room. “Say, isn’t that Mary and Ben Hagen, the new couple
from church?”

Henry’s gaze followed hers. “I believe it is.”

“Maybe we should ask them to join us.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “What about Susan and Anne?”