The Restoration (31 page)

He saw right away that she was shivering.

“I did a dumb thing,” he admitted. Then he quickly explained what had happened and ended it with an apology for not taking off his muddy boots. “I’ll clean up the mess I tracked through your house.”

“Don’t worry, it can be cleaned. You’d better come with me to the kitchen so you can get the mud off your face.” Elaine handed Jonah some paper towels. “While you do that, I need to change into some dry clothes. I’ll be right back.”

Elaine wasn’t gone long, and by the time she returned, Jonah’s face was clean and he’d set his dirty boots on the porch.

“I feel much better now,” she announced. “How about I heat some water and make us a cup of hot tea?”

“Sounds good.” Jonah thought how ridiculous he must have looked when he’d come downstairs with mud all over his face, and he almost started to laugh.

Elaine must have been thinking the same thing, for she giggled. Soon, her giggle turned into a full-blown belly laugh. Hearing a person laugh like that was contagious, and soon Jonah joined in. It felt good to have something to laugh about—almost as if he were releasing all the things he’d kept bottled up inside himself. It was the first time since Sara’s death he’d found anything amusing, and now that he’d begun laughing he found it hard to stop. Like the Bible said, laughter certainly was good medicine. Jonah realized he needed to look for humor in more things.

By the time Elaine offered Jonah a cup of tea, he was able to get himself under control.

“When I was checking all your windows, I noticed some plywood covering one of the basement windows. I’d considered trying to break through the wood to see if I could get in that way, but it would have been my last resort,” Jonah said.

Elaine explained how the Valentine’s Day blizzard had caused a tree branch to snap and fall on the window. “Luckily, several people were here when it happened. Priscilla and my dinner guests had to stay the night, due to the roads being impassable. When we heard the crash, the men who were here investigated and put plywood where the broken window had been. I planned to ask someone to replace the wood with glass but never got around to it.” She sighed. “I’ve been so busy I didn’t even think about it until now.”

Before he could stop the words, Jonah blurted, “Would you like me to replace the window? I’m pretty handy at fixing things—including replacing broken glass.”

“I appreciate the offer, but you’re busy with your shop, and I’d hate to ask.”

“You didn’t ask. I offered.” Jonah smiled. “Actually, there’s a bit of a lull in the buggy shop right now. If anything new comes in, I’m sure Dad and Timothy can take care of it. Anyway, it should only take me part of an afternoon to replace the window for you. I may even have an extra window in my workshop or out in the barn that might fit. Anyway, I’ll come by soon to take care of it for you.”

“Danki, Jonah, and also for rescuing me today.” Unexpectedly, Elaine wet her thumb and wiped a smudge of dirt still smeared on Jonah’s face. Immediately she pulled her hand back and averted her gaze. The sweet gesture caused Jonah to think about a time when they’d been courting and she’d done something similar.

Don’t start thinking about the past
, Jonah reprimanded himself.
What Elaine and I once had is over. She made it quite clear the day she said she didn’t love me. Besides, I still love Sara.

As Cora headed home from work that afternoon, her mind replayed the events of the last two months. Not only had she received the money from the sale of her home in Chicago, but Chad’s mother and stepfather’s car insurance had covered Jared’s medical bills. They’d come by a few weeks ago to visit with Jared, saying they’d waited until they were sure he was ready to talk about the accident. They wanted to know what the boys had been doing right before the crash happened and if Chad had said any last words to Jared.

Cora remembered how Chad’s mother, Rita, cried when Jared told her what transpired right before the accident—how Chad had admitted he wasn’t a good son and wished he had been a better person. He was afraid his parents weren’t proud of him. While nothing could be done to bring Chad back, his mother said she’d found comfort knowing Chad had a friend like Jared who cared about him. It was sad for Chad’s parents, as it seemed so many things had been left unsaid between them and their son.

After Rita and her husband went home, Jared told Cora that Chad’s fears about his parents were one of the reasons he’d drawn closer to her and set the past behind. Jared didn’t want anything to come between him and his mom. Cora was glad Jared had been willing to speak to Chad’s folks. It seemed to give him a sense of release.

Her thoughts turned to Jared’s father. She felt relief knowing Evan had given up trying to get custody of their son. Apparently he realized Jared didn’t want to live with him, and perhaps in some ways, he was actually relieved. Between the responsibilities he faced as a prominent doctor in Chicago, his social commitments, and the need to keep his new wife happy, Evan had little time for anything else.

Thanks to the time Jared now spent with his big brother, he didn’t seem to need or miss what he’d once had with his father. Once more, Cora thanked God for the relationship she now had with her firstborn son.

When she rounded the next bend in the road, Cora’s breath caught in her throat as a quaint cottage came into view. She’d traveled this way many times and had never noticed this particular home until now. Today, what caught her eye was the F
OR
S
ALE
sign posted at the end of the driveway.

What really captured her attention and made this house so special was it resembled the painting of the cottage she’d seen in the hospital waiting room—the same wildflowers of different hues, flower boxes on all the windows, and a glider swing on the front porch. The only thing missing were the deer grazing in the yard.

Cora pulled her car over and wrote down the name of the Realtor. The first thing she planned to do when she got home was call about this home. She sat awhile and looked over the property again. This time, she noticed a birdbath near the backyard with a few birds splashing in the water. Even without looking inside, she felt as if this place already belonged to her and Jared. She couldn’t help wondering if seeing this cottage was merely a coincidence or was meant to have happened.

D
anki for seeing me at the last minute like this.” Priscilla seated herself in Leah’s recliner. “I wasn’t sure if you’d even be home, much less available to give me a foot treatment.”

Leah smiled, taking a seat on the footstool in front of Priscilla. “Since my daed picked up all three of the girls after Linda and Amy got home from school, I’m free until Adam gets off work, closer to suppertime.”

“Did they go over to your folks’ for a special reason, or was it to give you some time to yourself?”

“A little of both.” Leah picked up the bottle of massage lotion and rubbed some on Priscilla’s left foot. “Mom said she planned to bake cookies and needed the girls’ help, but perhaps it was just an excuse both to give me a break and to spend time with them.”

Priscilla smiled. “Those children are fortunate to have so many people in their lives who love and care about them.”

Leah nodded. “So tell me why you’re here. Is it a
buckelweh
, koppweh, or something else?”

Priscilla sighed. “It’s not a backache or headache. I’m having trouble sleeping and can’t seem to relax. I was hoping you could help me.”

“Is it tender right here?” Leah pressed on a certain spot.

Priscilla’s fingers dug into her palms. “It definitely is.”

“It signals your adrenals aren’t up to par. Are you stressed about something?”

“Jah. I’ve never felt so stressed.”

“Want to talk about it?”

Priscilla nodded. It always seemed to help when she aired out her problems with Elaine or Leah. “I may have two suitors—or at least one who would like to be.”

Leah quirked an eyebrow. “David?”

“Uh-huh. I never mentioned this before, but he gave me a romantic card for Valentine’s Day. David thinks I’m special, and…” Priscilla paused. “He even said he may be falling in love with me.”

Leah gasped. “Oh dear! How do you feel about him?”

“I’m not sure. We’ve seen each other a lot since he came back to Arthur, and sometimes after I’ve been with him, I fantasize about what it would be like if we were married.”

Leah stopped probing Priscilla’s foot, and her mouth dropped open. “Are you saying you’re in love with David and want to be his wife?”

“I don’t know. I’m confused.”

“What about Elam? I thought you loved him.”

“I do. At least, I think I still do.” Priscilla sucked in her breath. “I’ve never been faced with anything like this before, and I really don’t know what to do.”

Leah’s lips compressed. “I’d say you have some praying to do. Why don’t you look up Matthew 6:33–34? God will make things clear if you seek Him and listen for His answers. I’ll be praying for you, too, Priscilla.”

“Danki, Leah, and believe me, I have already been praying and seeking answers from God, although nothing’s come clear to me yet. I’ll admit I tend to be spontaneous and don’t always think things through. So I need to make sure my feelings for David are real and not just a reaction to the attention he shows me.” Priscilla sighed deeply. “If Elam would have proposed to me before David showed up, this wouldn’t even be a problem because we’d probably be married by now—or at least planning our wedding.”

Leah’s forehead wrinkled. “Speaking of Elam, maybe I shouldn’t mention this, but I heard something you probably don’t know.”

“What did you hear?”

“Several weeks ago when I was shopping at the bulk food store, I overheard your mamm talking to Elam’s mamm.”

“What’d she say?”

“She was asking Virginia if she had any idea why her son hadn’t proposed to you yet.” Leah started working on Priscilla’s foot again. “Virginia said she didn’t know, but it might have something to do with his financial situation.”

Priscilla’s spine stiffened, and she winced when Leah hit another tender spot on the heel of her foot.
Won’t Mom ever stop meddling in my
life? I need to talk with her about this, and I’m going to do it as soon as I get home.

When Cora arrived home from work she called the Realtor about the house. He said he’d be more than happy to show it to her and that she was the first to inquire about it. Because of what he’d told her, Cora realized she probably couldn’t get it for much less than the asking price, which was fine with her. She could pay cash for it with the money from the sale of her old home. Of course, it all stemmed on whether she liked the inside of the place as much as the outside. She really hoped the cottage was in good condition.

The Realtor set up a time for her and Jared to see it that evening. Cora could hardly wait until he got home from school so she could tell him about it.

Jared had gone over to Scott’s after school, but he should be home in time for supper. Since they would be seeing the house at six thirty, Cora thought she’d take Jared out for pizza after the showing. In the meantime, she had some laundry to do, as well as pay a few bills. It was a good thing, too, because Cora was so excited over the prospect of buying the special cottage she needed something to occupy her mind. She sent up a quick prayer.
Please, Lord, let this be the house I’ve been looking for.

At five o’clock, Jared showed up, carrying something large, wrapped in brown paper. “What have you got?” Cora asked.

“It’s your birthday present, Mom.” Jared grinned and handed the item to Cora. “It’s a little early, since your birthday’s not till Saturday, but I wanted you to have it now. I’m excited to see if you like it or not.”

“Are you sure, Jared? I can wait a few more days to open it.”

He shook his head. “No, go ahead and open it now.”

Cora took a seat on the couch and tore the wrapping aside. “Oh, my!” She stared at the framed picture in disbelief. It was a similar painting—maybe a print—of the cottage she’d seen at the hospital. “Where did you get this, Jared?”

“Got it from Scott’s mom, as a thank-you gift for helping out at their yard sale last Saturday. It was something left over that didn’t sell.” Jared took a seat beside Cora. “Thought you might like it.”