When they pulled into the driveway leading to Wayne and Loraine’s place, Jake halted his horse and buggy.
“What are we stopping here for?” Ella questioned.
“I ... uh ... had an urge to...” Jake never finished his sentence. Instead, he pulled Ella into his arms. When his lips touched hers, it seemed as if the whole world had receded into nothingness. The kiss was exhilarating and had been worth the wait.
Ella was the first to pull away again, and he couldn’t help but notice that her fair complexion had become mottled with red.
“I probably should apologize for that,” he murmured, “but I’m not going to. You know why?”
“Wh-why?”
“Because I enjoyed it, and I think you did, too.”
Ella looked down at her hands clasped in her lap.
As Jake continued to stare at her, the truth slammed into him with such force that he almost fell out of the buggy. He was in love with Ella!
Clearing his throat, he was prepared to declare his love and take his chances on her reaction, but before he could get a word out, Ella spoke first.
“I ... uh ... hope you didn’t get the wrong impression when I let you kiss me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m not sure what’s been happening between us lately, but I think we both realize that we can never be more than friends.”
Disappointment flooded Jake’s soul. It made no sense, given the way she’d responded to his kiss. For some reason, Ella seemed to be holding back. He’d been hoping for more than friendship, but if that was all Ella wanted, then he’d have to accept her decision no matter how much it hurt. Her friendship was better than nothing—and it’d be better than them arguing all the time.
CHAPTER 39
“For someone’s who’s going to a wedding, you sure look glum today,” Charlene said to Ella as they met each other in the hall outside their bedrooms.
“I’m not glum, just tired.” Ella yawned. “I worked hard yesterday getting Katie’s cake done, and after I delivered the cake, I spent the rest of the day helping Katie and several others set things up for the wedding meal.” She smiled at Charlene and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I appreciate your taking over in the bakeshop for me so I could help Katie.”
“No problem; I was glad to do it.”
Ella sniffed the air as she descended the stairs behind her sister. “Smells like Mama has the coffee going already.”
“Jah, she’s been feeling better lately and seems to be getting a lot more done.” Charlene halted when she got to the bottom of the stairs and turned to face Ella. “Are you looking forward to being one of Katie’s witnesses today?”
“I am, and I’m sure Jolene is, too.”
“Who’d you say Freeman asked to be his witnesses?”
“Andrew and Lonnie.”
“Do you wish he’d asked Jake so you could be with him all day?”
Ella’s mouth went dry. Why did Charlene have to bring up Jake? She’d been trying so hard not to think about him.
Charlene poked Ella’s arm. “Well, do you wish you could be with Jake today?”
“Of course not.”
“Are you sure? I mean, every time Jake comes around, I see a look of longing on your face.”
Ella shook her head. “You’re wrong. The only look you see on my face when Jake’s around is a look of frustration.” Even as Ella spoke the words, she couldn’t deny her own feelings to herself. The fascination she’d had for Jake as a child had resurfaced soon after he’d started coming around offering to help out. She’d never have admitted it to Charlene, but she’d begun to see a side of Jake she hadn’t seen before. He could be kind, helpful, and interesting to talk to. Every time Jake came over, Ella found herself wishing Jake would see her as more than someone who needed his help. Maybe he did. He’d kissed her, not once, but twice. And he’d invited her to have supper with him. Was Jake just toying with her affections, or did he have feelings for her? The question that haunted Ella the most was whether Jake could be trusted not to hurt her again.
“Guess we’d better get into the kitchen and help with breakfast,” Charlene said, bumping Ella’s arm. “It wouldn’t be good for one of the bride’s attendants to be late for the wedding.”
***
Still half asleep from getting to bed too late the night before, Jake stumbled across the room and stubbed his toe on the end of the bedpost. A burst of pain shot up his leg, and he groaned. Limping over to the dresser, he jerked the bottom drawer open to retrieve a pair of clean socks. He’d slept longer than he’d planned to and needed to get dressed and down to breakfast soon, or he’d be late for Freeman and Katie’s wedding.
Jake reached inside the drawer for a pair of dark-colored socks but only found one. The rest were all white. “There’s gotta be another black sock in here somewhere. They can’t all be in the wash,” he muttered. He fumbled around for the matching sock but found none. In exasperation, he pulled the drawer out and set it on the floor. After a bit more fumbling, he finally located another black sock near the back of the drawer. When he lifted the drawer to put it back in place he caught a glimpse of something wedged between the bottom drawer and the wood that separated it from the drawer above. It looked like a piece of paper.
Jake reached inside and pulled it out. The paper had been folded in half, and one end was torn clean off. He unfolded it and squinted at the words written there.
I can’t believe you lied to me, Jake. You promised when you turned sixteen and got your own buggy that I’d be the first one you took for a ride. I’ll never trust you again!
Jake stared at the note for several minutes. The rest of the page—probably where the person who’d written the note had signed their name—was gone.
Jake scratched the side of his head. I wonder who wrote this note and how it got in my drawer.
He sat there a few minutes, letting his mind take him back to the past. The first girl he’d taken out after he’d turned sixteen was Loraine, so the note couldn’t have been from her. Who’d I make such a promise to? he asked himself. Who wrote me this note, and how come I don’t remember anyone giving me the note?
Tap! Tap! Tap! Someone knocked on Jake’s door. “Who is it?” he hollered.
“It’s me, Kyle. Mom said to tell you that breakfast is almost ready, so you’d better get a move on, ’cause it’ll be time to leave for the wedding soon.”
“Okay. Tell her I’m coming.”
Jake put the drawer back in place and stuck the note inside his coat pocket, which he’d laid out the night before to wear to the wedding. He’d think more about this later.
***
When Jolene and her family pulled into the Bontragers’ yard to attend Katie and Freeman’s wedding, she was surprised to see Lonnie, dressed in a dark-colored frock coat and matching trousers, pacing in front of the buggy shed, where the wedding would take place. She’d known him long enough to tell when he was nervous, and the fact that he was pacing was a good indication that he must be quite anxious this morning.
As soon as Dad stopped the buggy, Jolene climbed down and hurried over to Lonnie. “How come you’re pacing?” she signed.
He grimaced. “I’m nervous about being one of Freeman’s witnesses.”
“There’s no need to be nervous. You won’t have to do a lot—just sit with Freeman during the wedding service and also the meal afterward.”
Lonnie nodded, although he didn’t look convinced. He’d come a long way these last few months, but it was obvious he still had some doubts.
“I mean it. Everything will be okay.”
“I’m not so sure about that. There will be a lot of people here today. I’m still having trouble reading lips.”
“Don’t worry; we’ll have Jake and Andrew to interpret for us through signing.”
“I think it would have been better if Freeman had picked Jake as one of his witnesses, instead of me,” Lonnie signed.
“What makes you say tha
t?”
“Jake has more confidence than I do. If he’d been asked to be one of Freeman’s attendants, the two of you could have been together today.”
“I’d rather be with you than Jake.”
Lonnie tipped his head. “What was that?”
“I’d rather be with you than Jake,” Jolene repeated, speaking as she signed.
“You don’t have to say that just to make me feel better. I’ve accepted the fact that you and Jake are going out.”
Jolene’s mouth dropped open. “Where’d you get that idea?”
“I’ve seen you two together a lot, and you liked his Christmas gift more than—”
“Jake and I are not going out.”
Lonnie didn’t seem to grasp what she’d said, so she repeated it, signing as she spoke.
“You’re not interested in Jake?”
“Only as a friend.”
Was that a look of relief she saw on Lonnie’s face? Could it possibly mean that he might have feelings for her? Had he been holding back all this time because he thought she and Jake were going out, or was his deafness the reason he’d been keeping his distance? Jolene wanted to say more, but she spotted Katie on the other side of the building, motioning for her to come. “The bride is waiting for me, so I’d better go.”
“Guess I’d better find Freeman, too,” Lonnie signed.
A sense of sadness crept over Jolene as she joined Katie and saw the happiness glowing on her face. Lonnie had given no definite indication that he saw her as anything more than a friend. And with Lonnie being set against marriage, the chance of him asking her out was slim. She’d have to accept that fact and focus on being happy for Katie and Freeman today.
***
As Jake sat on a backless wooden bench on the men’s side of the buggy shed, he couldn’t keep his eyes off Ella. She sat in a straight-back chair between Katie and Jolene, facing Freeman and his two witnesses, Andrew and Lonnie. Ella looked prettier than ever today. She wore a dark blue dress that brought out the color of her pale blue eyes, and a white cape with matching apron. On her head, she wore the black head covering that was typically worn to their church by young women before they were married.
Ella glanced over at Jake then quickly looked away, turning her attention to the message Bishop Hershberger was preaching from the book of Ruth. Toward the end of his message, he quoted from 1 Corinthians and Ephesians. Jake paid special attention when the bishop read Ephesians 5:31: “ ‘For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.’”
Katie seemed to radiate a blissful glow as she and Freeman left their chairs and stood before the bishop to say their vows, but Jake could only concentrate on Ella. He wondered how she would look on her wedding day. He knew Ella would be a pretty bride, and he found himself wondering what kind of wife and mother she’d make.
A vision of Ella sitting in a rocking chair, holding a baby with reddish blond hair, popped into Jake’s head. He knew Ella could bake, because he’d tasted many of her baked goods. He’d also seen how well she managed a home and had witnessed the love and gentleness she showed, not only to her mother, but to her younger siblings as well. He felt sure Ella would make a good wife and mother.
Ella looked his way again then quickly averted her gaze. Sure wish I knew when Ella started disliking me so much. When we were kinner, I thought we were friends.
As Jake continued to ponder this question, he realized that Ella had cooled off toward him around the time he’d started courting Loraine. He just wasn’t sure why. Until recently, after she’d let him kiss her, Ella had shown no interest in him at all. At least not in a positive way. It made no sense ... unless ... Jake’s spine stiffened, and he nearly fell off his bench. Unless Ella had written that note.
As Katie and Freeman spoke their vows before the bishop, Jake made a decision. The first chance he had to speak with Ella alone, he’d come right out and ask if she’d written the note.
***
As Ella sat on one side of Katie during the wedding meal, she had a hard time concentrating on anything other than Jake. He sat at a table directly across from her, looking more handsome than usual in a white shirt, dark trousers, and matching jacket. He kept looking at her, and she wondered what was going through his mind. Was he thinking about the day they’d gone to see Loraine’s baby, and the kiss they’d shared in his buggy? Ella still couldn’t believe she’d let her guard down like that—not once, but twice she’d been foolish enough to let him kiss her. The mixture of feelings she had for Jake made no sense at all. One minute she felt irritated by everything he said. The next minute she was melting in his arms like butter left out on a hot summer day.
Ella’s mouth went dry as a sudden realization hit her full in the face. She was in love with Jake and wished she could be his wife!
That’s crazy thinking, she told herself. Jake doesn’t love me. Besides, he’s given me no reason to trust him. He probably only kissed me just to prove he could do it. He probably thinks he’s such a good catch that any woman would throw herself at his feet.
Ella reached for her glass of water and was about to take a drink, when Jake left his seat and headed toward the bride and groom’s corner table.
“I have a couple of horses to shoe this afternoon, so I have to leave soon,” he said, looking first at Katie and then Freeman. “Just wanted to say congratulations and wish you all the best.”
“Danki, Jake.” Freeman’s smile stretched ear to ear, and Katie fairly beamed. Ella couldn’t help feeling a bit envious. If only she and Jake could be that happy. If only it was their wedding day.
Jake glanced her way, but she quickly looked away, and as he talked more with Katie and Freeman, she began a conversation with Jolene. “Did you ever see so much food?” she asked, signing as she spoke.
Jolene smiled and patted her stomach. “After today, I probably won’t have to eat for the rest of the week.”
“Me neither,” Andrew spoke up. He nudged Lonnie and signed, “How about you? Are you getting enough to eat today?”
“I’ve already had more than my share,”Lonnie said with a grin.
Ella was about to ask Jolene another question when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and gulped. Jake stood behind her wearing a serious expression. “I wonder if I could speak to you for a minute,” he whispered, bending close to her ear.
“Uh ... sure. What did you want to say?”
“Not here.” Jake motioned toward the door with his head. “Can you meet me outside?” His voice was so low, she could barely hear him.
Ella shook her head. “In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m busy eating.”
“I don’t see anything on your plate right now.” Before Ella could respond, Jake leaned over her shoulder and reached for her plate. In the process, he bumped her glass of water, knocking it over and soaking the front of Ella’s dress.
Jake grabbed the glass and set it upright. “Oops, sorry about that. You’d better go outside and let the sun dry your dress.”
Ella gritted her teeth, but before she could formulate a response, Jake disappeared outside.
Ella waited a few minutes then excused herself. When she stepped outside, she found Jake leaning on the corral fence, as though waiting for her.
“What’s so important that you had to drag me away from the wedding meal?” she asked, stepping up to him.
He chuckled. “I didn’t drag you anywhere. Looks to me as if you came out here of your own free will.”
“Jah, well, That’s because I needed to let my dress dry out.” She frowned. “Do you enjoy humiliating me, Jake?”
“No, of course not. Why do you always assume the worst where I’m concerned?” He touched her arm, and she shivered.
“Are you cold?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“I don’t think so, Ella. I don’t think you’re ever really fine when you’re with me.”
“What’s that supposed to
mean?”
He reached into his pocket, pulled out a piece of paper that had been folded in half, and handed it to her. “Is this your handwriting?”
Ella opened it and gasped as she stared at the words. “Wh – where’d you get this?”
“Found it this morning. It was stuck in the back of my sock drawer.”
“Oh, I see.” Ella’s voice quavered, and her hands shook so badly that she had to hold them tightly against her sides.
“I vaguely remember finding the note in our mailbox soon after I turned sixteen, but I’m not sure how it got in my sock drawer.” Jake leveled Ella with a look that could have stopped a wild horse in its tracks. “Did you write that note?”
Tears welled in her eyes, and she blinked several times to keep them from spilling over. “You do enjoy humiliating me, don’t you, Jake?”
He shook his head. “’Course not. I just want to know if—”
“I wrote the note, okay? In case you’ve forgotten, you used to walk me to school every day, and you even carried my books. Then one day you promised that I’d be the first person you took for a ride when you got your own horse and buggy. You lied to me, Jake.” Ella’s voice rose higher, but she didn’t care. Jake had forced her to admit she’d written the note, and she wasn’t going to stop until she’d told him everything she’d been keeping bottled up inside her these last ten years. “There was a day when I would have fallen at your feet just to be near you, but did you care about that? No! You just made promises you never planned to keep!”
“Ella, I’m sorry. I never meant to hurt you.” Jake took a step toward her and reached out his hand.
She jumped back, afraid that if he touched her she’d dissolve in a puddle of tears. “To you, I was probably just a little girl with a big crush, but you shouldn’t have made me a promise that you didn’t plan to keep.”
Jake’s face turned red. “I wasn’t intentionally trying to break a promise. I—”
Ella’s hand shook as she pointed her finger at Jake. “It wasn’t bad enough that you lied to me; you had to go and break my cousin’s heart by lying to her, too.”
Cousin's Challenge Page 24