And so her dat had taken out the loan with the intent to pay it back well before it went full term. To that end, he was determined to grow the best, heartiest crops of wheat in the community. He had it in mind to collect special summer seed from the Graysons who lived upstate. Mr. Grayson claimed his seed produced a harvest fifty percent richer and more prolific than regular seed. Thing was, the local Feed & Supply wouldn’t carry it. So Dat, Mamm, and Isaac had hired a Mennonite driver to take them north to pick it up personally.
It was silly, really. Three people to collect seed. But the winter had been long, and they had all felt the effects of cabin fever. So, the trip was planned for them all. But Naomi had been stubborn.
Even now, she wondered whether it was God who had kept her and the children from taking that trip. She shuddered, and her hand went to her throat. It made no sense. If God could keep her and the children from going, why hadn’t He kept them all from going?
When her parents and husband hadn’t arrived back that evening, Naomi let the children stay up late to wait for them. Dat always held the evening Bible reading and prayer, and it didn’t feel right to go to bed without him leading it.
Naomi had been in the kitchen fussing with a special treat of hot chocolate when she heard Katy’s voice.
“Mama! Look at the lights!”
Then Ben had chimed in. “Police!” he cried with excitement. “Mama! The police are visiting us.”
Naomi’s heart had lurched to her throat, and she went running to the front room. She pushed the children behind her and flung open the door. Two state patrolmen had gotten out of the flashing car and were climbing the steps of the porch. Naomi watched them move closer as if in slow motion. One of them raised his foot and placed it on the first step. Then he gave his partner a solemn glance. His partner frowned and mounted the step behind him. While Naomi’s breath froze in her throat, they came nearer and nearer and grew larger and larger.
She stared at them through a veil of tears which hovered on her thick lashes, refusing to fall. Katy peered out from behind her and then stepped to her side. Ben stayed put. Naomi felt him grip the back of her dress in his fist.
“Ma’am,” the first officer said. His voice was rich and low and heavy with regret. “Are you Mrs. Byler? Mrs. Naomi Byler?”
She nodded, surprised her joints worked and that she could move at all.
“Would the children like to wait for you inside?” the other officer asked. He smiled at Katy and craned his head a bit, as if trying to get a look at Ben.
Naomi worked to swallow. Her throat had gone bone dry. She blinked like a child who had spied a monster lurking in the shadows. “Nee,” she managed to eke out. “They can hear what you have to say.”
The second officer shuffled his foot over the well-worn porch step. He coughed and glanced at his buddy.
“Well, then,” the first officer said. “We’re very sorry to inform you that there’s been an accident.”
Katy grabbed Naomi’s hand tight. Naomi winced, not taking her eyes from the officer.
“Your parents and your husband…” Here he paused as if he was having trouble bringing himself to say the words. “I’m sorry.” Another pause. “They did not survive the crash.”
Naomi’s knees buckled, and the officer reached out, grabbing her before she fell to the porch. The world swam before Naomi’s eyes, and she heard Katy cry out. Ben burst into tears.
“Get her inside,” said the second man. “Take her inside.”
Together, the two of them half carried her into the front room where they set her on the davenport. Katy leaned close, her eyes round and full of tears. “Mama, what do they mean? Are they dead?”
Ben stood in the middle of the room, wailing.
The first officer squatted before Naomi. “Ma’am, can we get you anything? Is there anyone to call?”
The second officer swatted his shoulder and gave him a look. The first officer’s face turned red as he must have realized there would be no phones.
A sharp agonizing pain seared through Naomi’s heart. Dead? All three of them? “What happened?” she uttered, reaching toward Ben. Ben ran into her arms and fell against her shoulder. Katy collapsed next to her on the couch.
“A mini-bus ran a stop sign. It was going too fast, well over the speed limit. It barreled right into the van.”
“And our driver?”
“In the hospital. I’m not sure if he’ll pull through.”
Naomi’s head fell back against the couch. Her mind scrambled, trying to make sense of it.
“I want my dat!” Katy sniveled. “Mama, where is he?”
Naomi put her arm around Katy’s shoulders, and the girl slumped into Ben against Naomi’s chest.
“Where are they?” Naomi asked.
“At the coroner’s. In town.”
Naomi nodded, and for a split second she thought she would vomit. She swallowed again, hard, forcing the bile back down her throat.
“Is there anything we can do for you?” the second officer asked. “Anything? Anything at all?”
She shook her head as a thick fog settled over her.
Isaac. Isaac. Isaac. A sharp pain came alive, tearing through her lungs.
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About the Author
My passion is writing! What could be more delicious than inventing new characters and seeing where they take you?
I am blessed to live in Indiana, a state I share with many Amish communities. (I find the best spices, hot cereal, and good cooking advice at an Amish store not too far away.)
I've lived in Honduras, Grand Cayman, and Costa Rica. One of my favorite activities is exploring other cultures. My husband, Paul, and I have two grown children and four precious grandchildren, three, special delivery from Africa and one, homegrown. I love to hole up in our lake cabin and write -- often with a batch of popcorn nearby. (Oh, and did I mention dark chocolate?)
I enjoy getting to know my readers, so feel free to write me at: [email protected]. Join my Newsletter Gang and get the latest news about releases: brendamaxfield.com/newreleasenotice.html. Visit me to learn about all my books: brendamaxfield.com Happy Reading!
AuthorBrendaMaxfield
Amish Romance: The Amish Beekeeper: A Hollybrook Amish Romance Clean & Wholesome Story (Rhoda's Story Book 1) Page 8