by Leslie Gould
When she and Simon reached the porch, Monika and the baby were gone. They must have stepped inside. Eve looked back at the tree. Charlie and Zane were gone too. She turned toward the driveway. They were headed toward Charlie’s truck, and Gideon was walking with them.
Charlie would go back to Philadelphia tonight or tomorrow. She imagined, with time, and as Joel healed, Charlie wouldn’t make the trip to Lancaster County very often. She sighed. That would be for the best—for her anyway. But not for Shani and her family.
“What’s the matter, Aenti?” Simon asked.
“Oh, I’m tired is all,” she said, leaning against the porch railing. Simon squeezed her hand. He was the most affectionate of all her nieces and nephews.
“Come on. Let’s get you settled, and then I’ll see how I can help.” She pulled him along into the house. The sooner the meal was over, the sooner they could all go home. Hopefully she could rest before starting supper and bracing herself for the bishop’s visit.
Once they were home and Simon was tucked into his bed for a nap and the baby asleep in her crib, Tim motioned for Eve to join him outside. Daniel, Lila, and Rose looked up from the puzzle they were working on at the table.
“What’s going on?” Rose asked.
“Shh,” Daniel replied, as Eve followed Tim out the door.
Tim kept walking until he reached the gate to the field. Obviously he didn’t want the children to hear. “I was mortified”—it wasn’t a word Eve had ever heard her brother use before—“that you would invite Charlie and Zane to our service.”
“I didn’t,” she answered.
Tim crossed his arms. “They didn’t find the King place on their own.”
“Charlie asked Gideon about going. Gideon said he could and gave him directions.”
Tim pursed his lips and then said, “He wouldn’t have asked about going if it wasn’t for you.”
Her face grew warm, which she hated. It would only add to Tim seeing her as a naughty teenager again. “That’s not true,” she said.
“It is. You’re just like Abra.”
“Why don’t you ask Charlie,” Eve said, pointing past Tim. “Go over there right now and see what he says.”
Her brother’s eyes narrowed.
Eve put her hands on her hips.
“Maybe I will,” Tim said.
“Please do.” She turned toward the house. “I’m going to go take a nap.” She started marching toward the house, forcing herself to calm down before she reached the kitchen. She didn’t want to alarm the children. “I’m going to go rest,” she told the children. “I’ll be out to fix supper when it’s time.”
The three looked at her, their eyes big.
“Everything’s fine,” she said. “But I’ll need your help later . . . The bishop’s coming by.”
Daniel groaned. “Why?”
Lila crossed her arms. “You know why.”
“What’s going on?” Rose asked, her eyes darting from Lila to Daniel to Eve.
“Nothing,” Eve said. “He’s coming by after supper, that’s all. Just to visit.” She’d make an apple crisp while supper heated and serve him that. It wouldn’t impress him—and that was fine.
As it turned out, Gideon was impressed with the crisp or at least he pretended to be. “Delicious,” he said, pushing his chair back from the table when he’d finished. Eve imagined the children and Tim listening to every word from the living room. As Trudy began to fuss, Gideon said, “How about a walk?”
“Sure.” Eve picked up the plates and placed them in the sink, and then headed to the mud porch and pulled her cape off the peg and led the way outside. The warm day had given way to a cold evening. The moon was waning, but the night was cloudless and still bright. The acrid smell of woodsmoke filled her lungs.
Englisch children would be out trick-or-treating. She remembered that from when she was living in the apartment in town. Abra had been over and they’d been surprised when the doorbell rang. Abra realized when she answered it what was going on and had laughed out loud. “So cute,” she’d said to a girl dressed like the Little Mermaid and a boy dressed like a ninja. She’d hurried into the kitchen and came up with a nearly empty bag of peanut butter cups and gave one to each of the children.
The boy asked why she’d dressed up like a Dutchy. That made her laugh too. Then the mom had smiled and suggested they turn off the porch light to keep the trick-or-treaters away. Abra had been sad, but it was either that or go buy candy. Eve had teased her friend about her “costume.” By then Eve was wearing Englisch clothes all the time.
“You seem lost in thought,” Gideon said.
“Ach, perhaps so.” Not wanting him to ask what she’d been thinking about, she changed the subject. “The service was good today.”
“Jah,” Gideon said. “I thought so too.” They’d reached the lane, and Gideon motioned toward the left.
An owl hooted, startling Eve.
“You’re jumpy.” Gideon’s hand brushed against her arm. Had it been intentional? She shivered and wrapped her arms over her chest.
“How are the children doing?” he asked. All along he’d been concerned about them. She’d appreciated his attention to her nieces and nephews. She felt the bishop’s example was good for Tim.
“They’re still having a hard time . . .”
“Is that so.” His voice was kind.
“I think Simon getting injured made them worry again,” she added.
“Just keep reassuring them. Once Tim finds a new mother for them, they’ll settle back in—or maybe sooner. Lila is getting old enough to start taking over the home.”
“She’s only eleven.”
“She seems older,” Gideon said.
“She and Daniel are both eleven.”
“That’s right,” Gideon said. Good for him if he’d truly forgotten Abra’s shame. And her own. But Eve doubted it.
“Well, Tim’s bound to get married sooner or later,” he said.
Later was more like it.
They reached the maples along the lane. Dried leaves rustled above their heads. It wouldn’t be long until the trees would be completely bare. She shivered again.
“Cold?” Gideon asked.
She shook her head. She didn’t want him to feel obligated to give her his coat.
He pointed ahead. “Those lights must be from the neighbor’s house.”
“That’s right,” she said.
“Tell me more about Charlie,” Gideon instructed.
“I don’t have much to tell,” Eve said, hoping her voice didn’t give away her feelings. “I think you know him as well as I do.” The last thing she wanted was for the bishop to become concerned about her and an Englisch man. Perhaps he’d picked up on Tim’s apprehension.
“He seems like an earnest fellow. As if he has a good heart.”
“He’s been a good friend to the Becks.”
“The Becks?”
“Old Mr. Williams’ granddaughter and her husband. Their son, Zane, was with Charlie today.”
“Ach, that’s right. I’d forgotten the last name.”
Eve stopped walking. They were only fifty feet from Shani’s house. Eve didn’t want to go any closer. Gideon took her elbow, steering her around toward him just as the front door opened. Someone stepped out onto the porch.
Gideon let go of her elbow.
It was Charlie coming down the steps. Eve took a deep breath.
“Hallo!” Gideon called out.
Eve couldn’t make out Charlie’s face, but he hesitated and then started toward them. “Is that you, Gideon?”
“Jah,” he answered. “With Eve. We’re out for a walk.”
As Charlie kept coming toward them, Eve took a step backward and then another one. Her right foot landed in a rut. She stumbled, rolling her ankle. The pain shot up her leg. She hopped but then touched the ground with the toe of her shoe, not wanting to land in another rut.
Gideon hadn’t noticed—he strode toward Charlie.
/> But Charlie called out, “Are you okay?” He started to jog toward her.
“I’m fine,” Eve said. She hobbled a step. At least she thought she was fine.
Gideon turned. “What happened?”
“I twisted my ankle, is all.” How could she have been so clumsy? “I’m sure it’s fine.”
Gideon offered her his arm.
She took it and said, “We should head back.” But as she tried to pivot around she gasped.
“I’ll go get my buggy,” Gideon said.
“I can take you both in my truck,” Charlie responded. “I just need to get my key.”
Eve started to say there was no need, but Gideon said, “I think that would be best.”
“It’s unlocked,” Charlie said. Gideon helped her to the backseat door and opened it, but as she started to climb up, Shani yelled “Hello” and started toward them.
Then Charlie called out to Gideon, saying, “Come on up and meet Joel.” In a quieter voice, but one she could still hear, he said to Shani, “Would you check Eve’s ankle?”
Gideon helped her up onto the seat and then started toward the porch, stopping to introduce himself to Shani, and then continuing on.
Shani wore her hair piled on top of her head again and an oversized sweatshirt that nearly hid her pregnancy. “What did you do?” she asked Eve as she approached.
“Tried to pirouette,” she answered.
“Now that’s an image. But you forgot your tutu.” Shani laughed. “Let me take a look.”
Eve tucked her skirt under her legs, turned toward Shani, took off her shoe, and pulled her sock down.
“No, really,” Shani said, peering down at Eve’s ankle by the light of the interior lamp. “What happened?”
“I twisted it. It’s not that big of a deal—although the thought of hopping home did seem a little daunting.”
Shani put her hands on Eve’s ankle and moved them up and then down. “Could you bear weight on it just now?”
“A little.”
Shani pressed against a bone. “Is it more painful here?”
Eve shook her head.
She pressed against another one. “How about here?”
Eve shook her head again.
“It’s swelling already. It’s probably a sprain. I’ll go get some ice.”
Eve glanced toward the house. Joel was in the doorway in his chair with his cast propped up, and Gideon and Charlie stood on either side of him. Zane squeezed around his dad and bolted halfway down the ramp.
“Are you all right?” he called out to Eve.
“I’m fine,” she said. “Just embarrassed.”
Shani asked Zane to get the ice.
He took off up the ramp. Shani stepped back to the truck, leaned close, and asked, her eyes sparkling, “So are you and Gideon dating?”
Eve smiled. “You mean courting?”
Shani nodded.
“No,” Eve answered.
“Are you sure that’s what he’d say?” Shani directed her attention back to the men. Gideon walked toward them, Charlie close behind him.
Eve didn’t answer.
“Well,” Shani said, “maybe you should be courting him. He seems to be the man.”
Eve knew exactly what she meant. He was a born leader. The lot had chosen well when it picked Gideon to be the bishop. He had a confidence and air of authority about him. He wasn’t arrogant—just capable.
As Gideon approached, Shani said, “I don’t work tomorrow. I’ll come by in the morning to see how you’re doing. I can help with the baby.” Then she playfully pushed against Eve’s shoulder and whispered, “Make room for your beau.”
Eve exhaled, hoping Gideon, who was waiting for Shani to move, didn’t hear. It wasn’t as if he’d sit in the back with her anyway. He’d sit up front with Charlie.
“Nice to meet you,” Shani said, turning toward him, as Zane ran back down the ramp. “I’m sure we’ll be seeing you around.”
Zane handed the ice to Shani, who handed it to Eve. Gideon told Shani a pleasant good-bye and then climbed up front. Eve propped up her foot and placed the ice on her ankle.
There was an awkward moment of silence and then, thankfully, Charlie asked Gideon where he got his lumber, which led to a discussion on different grades of wood. By the time Charlie turned toward the Lehmans’ house, the two were talking about levels of grades of wood.
Charlie pulled up the driveway to the back steps and then, turning toward Eve, announced, “Here we are.” She couldn’t help but smile at his stating the obvious.
But as he put the truck into Park and then jumped down, Eve felt a pang of sadness. Most likely, he’d head back to Philadelphia in the morning.
He opened the door behind his for her, and she scooted over. He helped her down, gently holding on to her arm, while Gideon retrieved her shoe and sock.
“Denki,” she said.
“You’re welcome,” he answered. “Take care.” He waited just long enough for Gideon to take her arm, and then Charlie jumped back in his truck and headed back toward the lane. Then he was gone.
Gideon helped her up the steps and into the kitchen. He pulled out a chair for her to sit and then another for her to prop her foot on.
“Do you need more ice before I go?” he asked.
She shook her head.
He nodded, but instead of heading toward the door he said, “The Englisch family seems nice enough. But, Eve . . .”
She braced herself.
“Tread carefully,” he said. “You were influenced once before by—”
She interrupted him. “I’m much older now.” She couldn’t keep herself from bristling. “With much more to lose.”
He exhaled.
“But I appreciate your concern,” she added.
His eyes were warm, but he didn’t smile. “We all make mistakes. I know that. What counts is what we learn.”
Eve nodded. She’d learned a lot.
Gideon said good-night and let himself out the back door. He was good and kind, jah. Even meek, in a confident sort of way. He’d seemed genuinely happy to see Charlie, but he must have sensed something to give her the warning, as gentle as it was.
Gideon was nothing like her father. But when she joined the church, her vow not to marry was to protect any future children. She’d decided it was better to not have them at all if she had to raise them Amish. But perhaps she’d been too rash back when she was eighteen. Not all Amish men were like her Dat and brother.
She struggled to her feet and hopped into the living room. Tim relaxed in his chair. Rose sat on the floor, reading a book, while Simon and Daniel put a puzzle together.
Lila held the baby. “Did you have fun?” her eldest niece asked.
“I twisted my ankle,” Eve answered. It didn’t matter whether she’d had fun or not.
“What’s the matter, Aenti?” Lila asked, alarm in her voice.
Eve wiped the hem of her apron under her eyes. “Nothing,” she answered. “Just the cold, from being outside.”
16
During the night, Joel had thrown his arm over Shani and muttered something. She rolled toward him and tried to wake him, but he turned his head away from her. The pain meds were heavy duty, and she knew they knocked him out. But she couldn’t rule out bad dreams either. Maybe from the meds. Maybe from Iraq.
After he threw his arm over her a second time and yelled, she scooted to the edge of the bed and slept on her side with her back to her husband, cradling her belly with her hands. But then he’d kicked her in the foot, hard, obviously with his good leg, the one closest to her.
She fumbled for her cell: 5:47.
At 6:30 she finally crawled out of bed and woke Zane. An hour later she yelled, “Time to go!” up the stairs.
“I can take him.” Charlie stood in the kitchen doorway, a cup of coffee in his hand.
“Thanks,” Shani answered. “But I told Eve I’d check in on her.” She also had an envelope with cash to pay Tim for helping with the
ramp.
She glanced down the hall. “Joel will sleep another hour or so.”
“Take your time,” Charlie said. “I can help him. I don’t need to leave until afternoon.”
“Okay. Thanks.”
Zane came thundering down the stairs and lunged toward Charlie, who raised his cup in the air. “Easy, bud,” Charlie said, wrapping one arm around Zane in a hug. The boy called out good-bye as he rushed out the door.
“See you soon,” Shani said to Charlie, heading out after her son into the misty morning. She was thankful for Zane’s friendship with Charlie. It was a good thing, and in a few more years he wouldn’t be as enthusiastic about another adult in his life as he was now. But it still made her ache for Joel.
Zane was fastening his seat belt by the time she reached the van. She must have forgotten to lock it again. At least she hadn’t left the key in the ignition. She’d been known to do that before too. “Just over two years until I can get my permit,” Zane teased.
Shani smiled. It would be here in no time.
When they passed the driveway to the Lehman farm, Zane craned his neck.
“Do you see anyone?” she asked.
He shook his head. “They don’t leave for school until eight thirty. Eve takes them in the buggy.”
“Oh.” Shani had imagined Eve at the house by herself, with just the baby. With Lila there, she wouldn’t need Shani’s help.
She turned onto the highway and then pulled over to wait for the bus. A few other kids had already gathered.
“You don’t have to stay,” Zane said.
“But I want to,” she answered.
“Mom.” He opened the door. One of the girls waved at him. She didn’t look like a seventh grader, not even an eighth grader. Her skirt was short and her jacket unzipped, revealing a tight T-shirt. Shani thought of Lila and her cape dress and cap, and the contrast between Zane’s two worlds.
Zane climbed down from the van and stepped into the middle of the group. He’d always had an easy time making friends. It looked like this new school was no exception.
She drove to the next lane and turned around to go to the Lehmans’ place. She pulled the van down the driveway, squinting against the morning sun. Dew sparkled in the field and on the lawn too. A cat ran toward the barn. Surely milking was long done. Thankfully Zane was still allowed to do the chores in the afternoon. She knew it was the highlight of his day.