The Quilter's Daughter (27 page)

Abby leaned over the crib and pinned Timothy’s diaper in place. Titus would be next, and then she planned to take the boys downstairs to the parlor, where Mom was working on a new Sunday dress.

Titus began to cry, thrashing his arms and legs. In the process, he bopped his brother on the nose, and Timothy started to howl.

“Hush now; I’ll be done in a minute.” Abby’s patience was beginning to wane. She loved her little brothers, but there were times when they got on her nerves. Of course, she’d never let Mom know that.

Abby finished diapering the other twin and reached into the crib. Timothy had settled down, so she figured he could wait a few minutes while she carried Titus downstairs. She had no more than picked the boy up, when Timothy let loose with an ear-piercing wail. “I can’t carry you both at the same time,” she
said, remembering when they were newborns and she’d been able to manage two at once. But the boys had been growing quicker than summer grass and were turning into a couple of chunks.

Timothy let out another yelp, and Abby felt as if she could scream. She hurried out of the room and down the hall.

Downstairs, as she put Titus in the playpen, she could still hear Timothy’s desperate cries.

“I’d better get that little fellow,” Mom said, looking up from her sewing project at the treadle sewing machine.

Abby shook her head. “I’ll do it.” She rushed up the stairs and stopped at the top long enough to catch her breath. A pulsating throb in her right temple let her know a headache was forthcoming, and a wave of heaviness settled on her shoulders.
Keep going. Keep working. Don’t stop. Don’t take time to think
.

The baby’s cries seemed to bounce off the walls and echo into the hallway. Abby lifted her shoulders and sucked in a deep breath. “I’m coming, Timothy!”

I
’m glad we decided to visit my daed and the family today,” Naomi said to Caleb as they loaded the girls into their sleigh. “We haven’t spent much time together since Christmas.”

Caleb nodded. “Jah, and since this is an off-Sunday and there’s no preaching, it’s the perfect time to get in a good visit.” He reached over and took her hand. “Besides, a sleigh ride in the snow is pretty romantic, don’t ya think?”

She chuckled. “It used to be, when we were courting.”

“Still can be,” he said with a wink. “We’ve just got ourselves a couple of chaperones now.”

“I hope Abby’s willing to sit awhile and visit with us,” Naomi said, changing the subject. “The last time I dropped by, she kept running all over the place, fiddling with this, fixing that, and fussing over the twins. If she doesn’t slow down, I fear she’ll end up sick in bed.”

“Each person deals with their grief in a different way,” Caleb said, picking up the reins. “Giddyup there, boy!”

“You think that’s why Abby works so hard and won’t go to any social functions?”

“Yep. Most likely she’s still pinin’ for Lester.”

“But it’s been three months since he died, and she never talks about her pain.”

Caleb shrugged. “Remember what I was goin’ through when I crushed my hand under Mose Kauffman’s rig and knew I could never work on buggies again?”

“Jah. You refused to see me or even talk about what had happened.”

“I thought if I didn’t discuss it, I wouldn’t have to deal with the agony. But after your daed set me straight on a few things, I finally came to realize that life goes on, despite the trials that come our way. It’s what we do about our situation that makes the difference.” Caleb gave Naomi a lopsided grin. “I’m glad I listened to Abraham and bought his store. Otherwise we might not have gotten married or become the parents of such
siess
little girls.”

Naomi glanced at the baby in her arms and then looked over her shoulder at their other daughter. “Jah, Sarah and Susan are both mighty sweet. Two more precious girls cannot be found in all of Lancaster County.”

“My advice is for you to continue being Abby’s friend, pray for her, and encourage her to get back to quiltin’ again.”

“You’re right, that is what she needs,” Naomi agreed. “Fannie confided in me the other day that Abby won’t work on quilts and has tried to take over the care of Timothy and Titus so much so that Fannie feels as if she’s not able to raise her own boys.”

“Can’t say as I blame her for feelin’ frustrated. I wouldn’t want someone else takin’ over the care of our kinner, would you?”

Naomi shook her head. “Not unless I was sick or injured and couldn’t do it. But Fannie’s been feeling fine for some time, so there’s no logical reason for Abby to take over the way she has.”

“No reason except she’s drivin’ herself in order to keep from dealin’ with her pain.”

“I asked Fannie to speak with Abby about filling in for me tomorrow while I take Susan to her doctor’s appointment.”

“You think she’ll do it?”

Naomi shrugged. “Guess I won’t know ’til we get to their place and I’ve had a chance to speak with her.”

Abby glanced out the kitchen window and saw the Hoffmeirs’ sleigh pull into their yard. The realization that she would never experience the joy of bundling up in the snow with her husband and children hit her like a vicious stab to the stomach. When her quilt shop went up in flames so did her hopes and dreams.
When Lester was killed so was her chance to marry and raise a family.

“Naomi’s here!” Mary Ann hollered from across the room. “Now I get to play with my nieces.”

Abby was tempted to hurry upstairs to her room so she wouldn’t have to socialize, but she knew that would be rude. Instead, she scooted over to the stove and flicked the propane switch on. She would heat water for tea and serve it to their guests, along with the apple crumb pie she’d made yesterday.

A short time later, the adults gathered around the table, and Nancy, Mary Ann, and Samuel went to the living room to entertain the little ones.

“Umm. . .this is sure good pie,” Matthew said, smiling at Abby.

“Danki.”

Naomi nodded. “Apple crumb pie and hot cinnamon tea hits the spot on a cold, snowy day.”

Abraham chuckled and thumped his stomach. “I can eat pie most any time of the year. Or any time of the day or night for that matter.”

Abby’s mamm reached over and jabbed him in the ribs. “I knew you would say something like that, husband.”

He tickled her under the chin. “You know me so well.”

Tears pricked Abby’s eyes, and she blinked to keep them from spilling over. All this happy talk was one more reminder of her great loss.

“My favorite pie is cherry,” Jake said, swiping a napkin across his chin.

“Mine’s peach, although I don’t get it as often as I’d like.” Caleb gave Naomi a sidelong glance, but she just ignored him.

Mom pushed away from the table. “I think I hear my boys crying.”

Abby jumped up, nearly knocking over her chair in the process. “I’ll see to them. You stay and visit with your company.”

“But they might need to be fed,” her mother said firmly. “Besides, our company came to see you, too.” She hurried out of the room before Abby had a chance to argue the point.

Feeling like a caged animal, Abby grabbed her shawl off a wall peg and made a beeline for the back door.

“Where ya goin’?” Abraham called after her.

“Just need a bit of fresh air.”

Outside, Abby stepped carefully over the ridges of frozen snow as she made her way to the barn. The ground was slippery beneath her feet, and she knew she mustn’t run. A few minutes later, she opened the barn door and stepped inside, relieved to discover a lantern had been lit and a fire blazed in the woodstove. She took a seat on a bale of straw and leaned her head against the wall.
Everyone must think I’m terrible, but I couldn’t stay in there a minute longer
.

A fluffy gray and white cat rubbed against Abby’s legs and purred. When she was a young girl, she’d enjoyed playing with the kittens in their barn and found comfort in holding one close and letting it lick her nose with its sandpapery tongue. Not anymore. Abby felt irritation as soon as the cat showed up.

She stood and moved closer to the stove.
What’s wrong with me? Why can’t I enjoy any of the things that used to bring me pleasure?

The door squeaked, and Abby turned to see who had entered the barn. It was Naomi.

“I came to see if you’re all right,” Naomi said, crossing the room.

“I’m fine.”

“Would you mind if I stay awhile so we can talk?”

Abby shrugged. “I’m not good company today.”

“That’s okay; you don’t have to be.” Naomi motioned to the bale of straw. “Let’s have a seat, shall we?”

Abby didn’t want to hurt her stepsister’s feelings, so she lowered herself to one of the bales.

“Did Fannie ask you about filling in for me at the store tomorrow?”

“Jah, but I can’t do it. Sorry.”

“How come?”

“There’s too much to do here, and it wouldn’t be right to leave Mom with all the work.”

“I’m sure she could manage for one day.”

Abby just sat there, hoping Naomi would change the subject.

“Your mamm’s concerned about you. We all are.”

“No need to worry about me,” Abby mumbled.

“I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but I think it might help if you talk about the accident and the pain of losing Lester.”

Abby clenched her fingers until they dug into the palms of her hands. Didn’t Naomi realize that talking about the fire wouldn’t make her feel better? It wouldn’t bring Lester back, either.

Naomi reached over and took Abby’s hand. “Keeping things bottled up isn’t a good thing. Your pain will never leave until you’ve come to grips with it.”

Abby’s face grew hot, and she looked away. “That’s easy for you to say. The man you love isn’t dead.”

Naomi didn’t reply. She merely sat there quietly, and Abby did the same. The only sounds were the gentle nicker of the buggy horses and the crackling wood from the nearby stove.

Finally, Naomi spoke again. “You’re right, Abby. I don’t understand what it’s like to lose the man I love, but I do know the pain of losin’ my little brother.”

Abby grimaced. She hadn’t meant for Naomi to think about her past. “I—I know it must have been hard for you when Zach was kidnapped.”

“Jah, it was hard on the whole family. I blamed myself for a time, but I sought forgiveness and finally came to realize that I couldn’t undo the things I had done.”

“There’s no point in talking about this,” Abby mumbled.

“I think there is. I believe that in time—”

“Have you lost all hope of Zach ever coming home?” Abby interrupted.

“I still pray for my little brother, but I know, short of a miracle, it’s not likely we’ll ever see Zach again.”

“But there’s still some hope, right?”

“There’s always hope. Fact is, the Bible teaches that
mir lewe uff hoffning
—we live on hope.”

Abby knew what the Bible taught, but it didn’t apply to her situation. “If Zach is still alive, then there might be hope of
him coming home some day. Lester’s dead, though, so there’s no chance for him to return.”

Fannie had no more than finished diapering the twins when she heard a horse and buggy roll into the yard, making crunching noises against the hard-packed snow. She went to the bedroom window and peeked out. There was Edna, stepping down from her buggy.