Phoebe's Gift

by Jerry S. Eicher

  He complied and watched her as she worked. “Let me help you,” he finally offered.

  “Can you fry the bacon?” she teased.

  “I sure can,” he replied. She handed him a fork.

  He stepped in front of the stove, and she lingered near him.

  “I’m going to mess everything up if you watch,” he warned.

  She squeezed his arm gently. “I’m glad you’re here this morning, David. Your presence is a comfort.”

  “My presence…” He turned to face her. “I’m frying bacon.”

  “That you came early means a lot.” Her voice was a whisper. “And I’m sure Wesley will feel the same way. He needs a father figure in his life. I spoke with him for a long time after you left last night, and I prayed with him—but he needs more. Will you take him riding on the ponies again today, and maybe keep him with you for the fieldwork?”

  “Of course,” he promised. He tried to breathe normally. Her nearness overwhelmed him. Thankfully, she moved away to stir the pot of oatmeal.

  “I read Wesley some of Grandma’s prayers last night.” She glanced at him. “Will you read the Scriptures with us this morning?”

  “Yah,” he said. He flipped the pieces of bacon in the pan.

  She came close again to peer over his shoulder. “You are an expert, I’m thinking. A real natural with the bacon.”

  He concentrated on the pan as she left the kitchen and went up the stairs. He had the bacon on the plate when she returned with Wesley in tow.

  “Goot morning,” he greeted the boy. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Di-did I-I almost b-burn d-down a barn last night?” Wesley stammered. “Or…or…”

  “It wasn’t a dream,” Phoebe assured him. “But it also wasn’t your fault.”

  David stepped closer to wrap his arms around Wesley’s thin shoulders. “Accidents happen,” he told him.

  Reassurance seemed to flicker on the boy’s face, and he nodded.

  “Sit,” Phoebe ordered both of them as she transferred the food to the table.

  Once she had joined them, David bowed his head for the prayer of thanks. Phoebe had already closed her eyes, and Wesley didn’t hesitate to close his also. The boy must be accustomed to their ways already. Maybe this week could be a time for the Lord to minister to all of them despite the rough start yesterday.

  “Amen,” David declared, and Phoebe’s smile greeted him when he looked up.

  “Fall in,” she ordered. “I’m sure we have a big day in front of us.”

  “Wi-wi-will we r-ride the ponies?” Wesley stammered.

  Phoebe passed the plate of eggs and gave Wesley a big smile. “I’m sure David will give you all the rides you want. The weather should be great, and you can work outside with him all day.”

  A pleased look crossed Wesley’s face.

  Phoebe appeared ready to say more when a knock came at the front door. David glanced at her. “Are you expecting anyone?”

  Phoebe shook her head before she dashed out of the kitchen.

  “Is…is…?” Wesley’s voice trailed off, his face filled with concern.

  David guessed at the question. “Nobody is coming to blame you for last night.” He reached over to squeeze the boy’s shoulder, and Wesley relaxed. He had said the right words.

  Murmurs came from the front door, and David strained to listen. Who would arrive this early at Phoebe’s doorstep? Now he was concerned. He still couldn’t make out the voices, so he stood and stepped closer to the kitchen doorway.

  “Are you sure he’s okay?” he heard his sister’s voice ask. So Ruth had stopped in to show her concern for the accident last night. That was a goot sign.

  “Everyone will be just fine, I’m sure,” Phoebe was saying when David stuck his head into the living room.

  “Hi,” he called to Ruth. “Thanks for stopping by.”

  “I was concerned when you weren’t home for breakfast,” she told him. “Now I see where you’ve been keeping yourself.”

  “I had the same concerns you did,” he told her with a smile. “But Wesley’s okay.”

  “I have a few moments. Can I speak with him?” Ruth stepped closer.

  David shrugged. “You’ll have to ask Phoebe. That’s her call.”

  Phoebe didn’t hesitate. “Of course. You are always welcome to stop in and speak with the children. Grandma would have loved to see you involved, even if she didn’t…”

  Ruth had already hurried past them, and Phoebe gave David a confused look.

  “I don’t know what this is about,” he told her. “But I’m glad she’s showing an interest.”

  “Do you think this means Ruth has forgotten about Ethan?”

  David reached for Phoebe’s hand. “I hope so, but with Ruth you never know.”

  She smiled up at him. “We will take this as a sign of the Lord that Ruth’s heart is turning. Shall we leave them alone for a moment?”

  “I think we should go in,” he said. He led the way back to the kitchen, where Ruth knelt in front of Wesley.

  “Do you want to come up and visit my school today?” she was asking him. “It’s not a big school like the one you’re used to attending, and we do things differently.”

  Wesley hesitated. “W-we p-p-planned to r-ride the p-ponies today.”

  Ruth glanced up at David. “There’s time for both, isn’t there? I would love to have Wesley visit.”

  “Then I’ll bring him up,” David assured her. “And there is plenty of time for both.”

  “I’ll see you later then.” Ruth hopped to her feet and tousled Wesley’s hair before she hurried out of the kitchen.

  The front door slammed as Phoebe stared after her. “What was that about?”

  “She’s finding her way. That’s all I know. Let’s be thankful for whatever progress Ruth makes.”

  “Do you think…” Phoebe paused. “Forget it.”

  David took the Bible she handed to him, and motioned for Wesley to sit. He found the book of Psalms and sat down beside the boy to read. “‘I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name…’” His voice rose in confidence as he read.

  Not many men were allowed the joy of courting the woman they loved in this way. Did Phoebe know what he felt in his heart? Did she know what they were doing? She had to realize that this meant so much more to him than the help he gave her on the farm.

  David closed the Bible and they knelt. “Thank You, Lord, for the protection You gave all of us last night,” he prayed. “The accident could have been so much worse than it was. Your grace must have kept the fire from burning down Rueben’s barn and…” He couldn’t say the words—and making so much trouble for Phoebe and myself. “Just thank You, Lord,” he finished.

  Phoebe’s smile greeted him when he rose to his feet, and her hand reached over to hold his for a moment. “Thank you for that, David. It was exactly what I needed.”

  Seated on the couch, Wesley hid his grin.

  It wasn’t anything, he almost said, but he bit off the protest. “Can you ride the ponies with us?” he asked instead. “That would mean a lot to me and to Wesley.”

  “But what about the kitchen?”

  “We will help you first,” he declared.

  A smile filled Phoebe’s face. “Okay. Shall we begin?”

  He followed her back into the kitchen.

  “Wh-wh-what…wh-what can I do?” Wesley asked.

  Phoebe pulled out a chair in answer and perched him near the drainer. Then she placed a towel in his hand. “David will wash the dishes, and you can dry them. I’ll clear the table and sweep the floor. This shouldn’t take long.”

  David waited while she ran the hot water for him and added a dash of soap. He stepped as close as he dared. That he was here this morning, had again read the Scriptures, and had stumbled through a few words of prayer were wonders beyond words. But he must be thankful and accept what came from the Lord’s
hand, both the goot and the bad. That was the way of the community.

  Phoebe gave him a warm smile and transferred the first of the dishes to the counter. He washed and rinsed while Wesley wiped them dry.

  “Have you ever done this before?” he teased the boy.

  Wesley shook his head, but joy filled his face.

  They finished, and Phoebe put the dishes away before leading the way outside to the barn. David saddled the white pony and helped Wesley to mount. Then the adults stood by the fence and watched the boy trot back and forth in the barnyard before David opened the gate to the pasture. A look of rapture filled Wesley’s face as he guided Snow Cloud outside.

  Phoebe whispered at his elbow: “Do you think he can stay on?”

  “He’ll be fine. Wesley has a level head like you do. He won’t go too fast.”

  Phoebe pinched him on the arm. “You’re just trying to flatter me.”

  “I speak nothing but the truth. You were great with him last night in that hubbub. Look how well he’s recovered this morning.”

  “That’s because of your influence.”

  He laughed. “Are we going around this all day?”

  “Only half the day,” she shot back as she chuckled.

  Now was the moment. He should ask her if this could be forever. Would she join her hand in his for their walk through life? But he hesitated. Could he mar Phoebe’s life with his family name after what his daett had done? The words got stuck in his mouth.

  “I should be getting back to the house,” she finally said. “Can I go up to the schoolhouse with you and Wesley when you’re ready?”

  “Of course. I wouldn’t want to go by myself.”

  “Then after lunch perhaps?” Her sweet smile melted him, and he couldn’t move. She seemed to understand. “I’ll have lunch ready at twelve, then.” She turned to hurry across the barnyard. He didn’t dare watch her leave but fixed his gaze on Snow Cloud, who was trotting across the field with Wesley on her back.

  THIRTY-SIX

  Ruth walked to the window of the schoolhouse. The clock on the wall read minutes from two thirty. Phoebe should have brought Wesley to visit by now, along with David. Her brother was sure to come along. He was so moonstruck over Phoebe that he used every excuse he could to spend time in her presence. But Ruth must not be bitter about her brother’s happiness. Phoebe had gone to extremes so Ruth could have a fair chance. Any other woman in the community would have spilled the beans about her shenanigans with Ethan a long time ago. How foolish she had been to believe that she could ever capture his heart. Ethan hadn’t bothered to return any of her phone calls from the phone shack. At least he could have stopped by the schoolhouse and explained himself.

  “We can’t go on with our relationship,” would have been painful to hear, but they would’ve been healing words at the same time. She would have known the situation was truly hopeless. But there had been no word from Ethan. Didn’t he care even a little about her feelings? He knew how hard she had worked to reach him and how much she had risked.

  Ruth pressed back her tears and turned away from the schoolhouse window. “Time for recess!” she called out.

  Thankfully, none of the students seemed to notice her distress as they filed out in orderly fashion. Once the last child was through the door, Ruth scurried over to her desk and pulled out her handkerchief to dry her eyes. She could wipe away her few tears and be out on the playground for every minute of the recess. The horror of another injury haunted her. Strange how she risked her job with reckless behavior during off hours but hung on with both hands when school was in session. What a bundle of contradictions she had become.

  Ruth pulled open the schoolhouse door and slammed into its edge. The pain shot all the way through her. She gasped, unable to breathe for a moment. David and Phoebe were standing in the playground with their backs turned to her, observing the children at play. She hadn’t seen them walking up the road moments ago. Worse, Herman Yoder was with them and had noticed her performance at the schoolhouse door. A big grin filled his face as he craned his neck for a better look. What was the man doing here? He should have been gone from the community a long time ago. She had already wiped clean the memory of his friendliness from the other evening. She was not about to allow her heart to break again, or entertain thoughts that a man like Herman would have an interest in her. She didn’t want his attentions. She wanted Ethan’s love.

  Ruth steeled herself and pushed the pain from running into the door out of her mind. She was not about to display more weakness than necessary around Herman. Instead, Ruth closed the schoolhouse door behind her and marched forward. David and Phoebe still hadn’t seen her, but Herman’s gaze was fixed—along with his big grin. He certainly seemed to be enjoying her discomfort.

  “Do you always walk into doors at recess time?” he teased.

  Ruth ignored him.

  “Oh, Ruth!” Phoebe exclaimed and turned to face her. “Sorry. I didn’t see you come up. We were watching Wesley play. He just joined right in as if he has always been here.”

  “They are a nice group of schoolchildren,” Ruth mumbled. She tried to ignore Herman’s grin, which was still fixed on her. She was not about to grace his teasing with an acknowledgment.

  “Cousin Herman came back at lunchtime to check on us,” Phoebe continued. “That’s why we are a little late. He couldn’t stop talking, as usual.” Phoebe gave her cousin a warm smile.

  “Now, don’t be running down my reputation,” Herman retorted. “Some people are just goot with words, and they are needed in the world.”

  Ruth ignored the comment, and thankfully Phoebe did likewise. “Cousin Herman wanted to spend a few moments with Wesley because he is leaving tomorrow for Lancaster. Sometime during his travels, Cousin Herman came across some ideas our people learned of what can be done for stuttering children. He wanted to try them on Wesley.”

  “These are surefire methods,” Herman declared. “They are things my nephews in Lancaster have tried on their own, and they work especially well on younger children. You simply use goot common sense and slow down the children’s speech until they regain their confidence. What’s simpler than that?”

  Phoebe shrugged. “Wesley seemed to respond well to the few sentences Cousin Herman had him say after lunch. I’ll try them willingly if they could help. The boy needs something.”

  “I don’t know anything about speech therapy,” Ruth demurred.

  Herman’s grin grew again. “I thought schoolteachers knew everything.”

  She gave in and glared at him, which only made things worse.

  “You two stop fighting,” Phoebe warned. “Or I’ll leave you at home next time, Cousin Herman.”

  “That’s right!” Ruth declared. She lifted her nose and walked away, but Herman didn’t appear concerned as she left them to join the children’s game. Soon David came over too and took his turn at batting. Ruth watched as David hit the ball clear over the back fence and trotted easily around the bases for a home run.

  “Not fair, not fair,” several of the children from the opposing side chanted. “We don’t have a big person on our team.”

  Ruth answered at once. “That’s right. The score doesn’t count.”

  The children smiled at the ruling, and Wesley came up to bat next.

  “Can I ring the bell?” one of the first graders interrupted to ask.

  Ruth nodded, and the child dashed toward the schoolhouse. Wesley struck the ball on the second try and made the run to first base, his face aglow with happiness. Wesley was still there when the bell at the schoolhouse jangled. Ruth hung back to give him a pat on the back and wave the rest of the students back to the classroom. She entered the schoolhouse last along with Phoebe and David.

  Herman had gone ahead and was sitting at the back of the schoolhouse. He surveyed the room as if he were king of his domain. Ruth almost glared at him again, but that was exactly what he wanted. Why did he keep pestering her? Herman was leaving tomorrow, and fortunately sh
e need not see him again for a very long time.

  The minutes ticked past as Ruth called the last classes and lectured in front of the schoolhouse. Herman’s eyes seemed to follow her everywhere, while David and Phoebe were absorbed with each other. Wesley also tracked her moves, but Ruth didn’t mind him. The boy would make a goot Amish schoolchild if the way he played at recess was any indication of his behavior. But Wesley wouldn’t have the chance to live in the Amish world.

  How different her life was from Wesley’s. She had the opportunity of living in the community, yet so many times she had risked throwing away that chance for what lay outside the fence. Ruth bit her lip until she tasted blood. Was Herman trying to provoke her for some reason? But why? He couldn’t care about her one way or the other. That simply wasn’t possible.

  Maybe he had learned of her indiscretions with Ethan. If so, that would explain the sudden interest disguised as affection. And if he knew, then Homer Lapp knew as well. Homer wasn’t beyond using subterfuge to ferret out her wrongdoing. Ruth finished with the last class and then glanced at the clock. Thank the Lord this tortured afternoon was at a close.

  “Time to dismiss!” she called out. A flurry of books closing and desktops slamming shut followed. “Not so loud,” she admonished the room. “Now, everyone, please stand and wave goodbye to our visitors.”

  The students all did as instructed, and many were still waving on their way out the door.

  Phoebe praised her friend once the schoolhouse was empty. “You have a very well-behaved classroom.”

  Unlike their schoolteacher, Ruth thought to herself. But no such words should be uttered in front of Herman. “Thank you,” she managed.

  “We really ought to be going,” Phoebe said. “Thanks so much for your time, Ruth, and for giving David a chance at hitting a home run.”

  David chuckled. “That was fun. And worth the walk up here to relive my school days.”

  “You did great, David,” Phoebe cooed.

  “Thank you all for visiting,” Ruth told them. As they turned to leave, she followed the group to the door. But Herman hung back and didn’t go out with the others.