Darren shook his head. “It’s not for me. Jeremy’s taking the class from an Amish woman, along with four other kids, plus the Amish woman’s two foster children.”
“If it’s for kids, then why are you going with Jeremy?”
Darren shrugged. “I wasn’t planning to at first, but the other parents stayed instead of dropping off their children, so I figured I would too. Also, it gives Jeremy and me something fun to do together.” He watched a volunteer fireman pull in for his shift. “I thought my son could learn something new with kids his age and have a good time.”
“Did you watch or take part in the cooking class?”
“Like many of the other parents, I was mostly a spectator, but there was a young single woman who did just about everything for her daughter.” Satisfied that the truck looked clean enough, Darren turned off the hose and put it away. “I ran into Ellen…”
“Ellen?” Bruce cocked his head to one side.
“Yeah, her name’s Ellen.” Darren shrugged his shoulders. “As I was saying, I ran into Ellen and her daughter, Becky, at a restaurant in Sugarcreek when Jeremy and I went for lunch after the first class. We ended up sharing a table with them and got to know each other a bit better. Found out we have a few things in common, which was kinda nice.”
Bruce looked at him through half-closed eyelids. “Is something going on between you and this woman? And if so, aren’t you moving a little fast?” He picked up a drying towel and began working.
Darren flapped his hand. “Nothing is going on, so get that notion out of your head. My heart belongs to Caroline, and I have no desire to begin a relationship with another woman. Besides, I barely know Ellen. Our kids will be together in this cooking class for a total of six weeks, and it’s nice to get to know the other parents.” He grabbed a towel and moved along, helping to dry the vehicle. “When we get the truck dried off, we’ll need to do some inventory. Oh, and I’m gonna fix a hearty casserole for the guys this evening.”
“Sounds good, since we’ll be here awhile on our shift.” Bruce stood back and studied his work. “Think this rig is ready to go.”
“If we get any calls, I’ll pop the casserole in the oven on low.” Darren finished drying a few streaks of water they’d missed.
Their conversation was interrupted when a call came in about a fire on the other side of town. Darren paused to send up a prayer, just as he did every time he went out on a call. Then, with all other thoughts pushed aside and his focus on the task at hand, Darren and the other men on duty gathered up their gear and headed out, all thoughts of the casserole forgotten.
Berlin
Miranda, dressed for work, tapped her foot in annoyance. Trent was supposed to pick up the kids to take them out for pizza half an hour ago. She hoped he hadn’t forgotten.
Miranda clenched her fists. That man can be so undependable. She reached for the phone and punched in his cell number. If only Trent could put others first and try to be less self-absorbed.
A few seconds later, Trent answered. “Hey, hon, I was just gonna call you.”
Her jaw tightened. They’d been separated since the end of April. Why did he still call her “hon”? Did he think she’d be impressed with the endearment and welcome him home with open arms? Well, she’d be a lot more impressed if Trent would show up on time when he promised to take the kids somewhere.
“Where are you, Trent? You were supposed to be here thirty minutes ago. What happened—did you forget about your promise to take Kevin and Debbie out for pizza this evening?”
“I did not forget, and if you’d let me get in a word, I’ll explain why I’m not there.”
Holding the phone slightly away from her ear, Miranda moved away from the window and took a seat at the kitchen table. “Okay, what’s your excuse?”
“It’s not an excuse. It’s a fact. I’m locked out of my apartment, and the keys to my car are inside.”
She lifted her gaze toward the ceiling. “Are you kidding?”
“Wish I was, but I’m not. I would ask the apartment manager to let me in with his key, of course, but he’s out of town till tomorrow evening. Can’t you explain things to Kevin and Debbie? We’ll do pizza some other time.”
“It isn’t as simple as that. I got called in to work to fill in for someone who’s sick, and I need to leave soon. What am I supposed to do about the kids if you can’t drive over here to pick them up and spend the evening with them?” Miranda waited, but only heard silence at the other end. “And besides, what were you going to do, now that you’re locked out of your place?” she questioned.
“I’m not sure. Haven’t figured that out yet.” He groaned. “Guess I can call a locksmith, but it would be a while before he arrived, and I have to be here in person to meet him. Why don’t you call your sister, and see if she’ll watch the kids while you’re at work?”
Miranda grimaced. “Do I need to remind you that Kate lives in Akron? For goodness’ sake, Trent, it would take her at the very least, forty-five minutes to get here.”
“Okay, I get it, but if you need me to watch the kids this evening, you’ll have to drive over and get me.”
Her chest rose and fell in a heavy sigh. “I’ll call my boss and let her know I’ll be late, because I have to pick up my kids’ sitter.”
“Your kids’ sitter? Is that all I am, Miranda?” His voice grew louder. “Why not just tell her you’re picking up your husband so he can be with the children?”
“Let’s not get into an argument about this. The kids and I will be there soon to pick you up. Goodbye, Trent.”
Wheeling, West Virginia
“It’s sure nice to have you here, sis.” Ellen’s brother, Patrick, wrapped his arms around her in a hug. “Between your busy life as a nurse and mine as a doctor, we don’t get to visit each other often enough.”
She thumped his back. “You’re right, and I miss all of your teasing.”
Patrick grinned and squeezed Ellen’s hands before turning to Becky. “And how’s my favorite niece?”
Becky snickered. “I’m your only niece, Uncle Patrick. Your brother has two boys, remember?”
Patrick slapped his forehead. “Oh, of course. How could I have forgotten something so important?” He winked, then gestured toward the hall leading to the upstairs. “Glad you’re here. We were wondering what was holding you up.” He gestured to Becky. “Your cousins are upstairs. Why don’t you go on up and say hello? Or would you rather I called them down here?”
“I’ll go up.” Becky grinned shyly and headed upstairs.
“Where’s Gwen?” Ellen asked her brother.
“She’s taking a shower. Since we weren’t sure what time you’d get in, we decided to take you out for supper, rather than cooking something here. I hope you’re okay with that.”
Ellen smiled. “Going out to eat is fine with me.”
Patrick moved toward the living room. “Let’s sit and visit while we wait for Gwen.”
Ellen followed and took a seat on the couch, while he seated himself in a leather recliner.
“How was the drive here?” Patrick asked, reaching down for the lever to put the footrest up.
“Well, before getting too far from Berlin, we witnessed an accident.” Ellen grabbed a throw pillow and wrapped her arms around it. “We would have been here sooner, but being a nurse, I couldn’t leave.”
“How bad was it?”
“It could have been a whole lot worse.” Ellen explained the details. “So while Becky waited in the car, I called 911, and checked on the people involved. We stayed until the authorities came and took my statement. Fortunately, the rest of the way here was uneventful.”
“Glad to hear that. It was good of you to stop and help out.” Patrick smiled. “Your daughter’s grown a bit since I last saw her. Pretty soon she’ll be a teenager, going out on dates and keeping her mom awake at night, trying not worry.”
Ellen grunted. “Don’t remind me. I’m not looking forward to any of that.”
He brushed her comment aside. “You’ve done a good job raising her. I doubt you’ll have anything to worry about.”
“I’m doing the best I can.” Ellen sat silently for several seconds. “When I first adopted Becky, I never dreamed there would be so many challenges in being a single parent.”
“You’re right, but then any parent, single or not, faces challenges when they are raising their—”
Ellen heard a gasp, and she and Patrick both turned their heads toward the archway. There stood Becky, her mouth gaping open. Ellen briefly closed her eyes. Oh no, what have I done? It’s too late to take back my words.
Becky came into the living room and stood right in front of Ellen. “Adopted? I’m adopted?” Her shrill voice reverberated throughout the room. “How come you never told me this? Does everyone know except me?” Tears pooled in Becky’s eyes as she scrutinized Ellen.
Ellen swallowed hard. She could hardly look at her daughter. What am I going to tell her? How do I explain why I kept her adoption a secret all this time? I took a chance speaking to Patrick about it with Becky in the house. This was not how I planned for her to find out.
Chapter 12
Ellen’s throat felt so swollen she could barely swallow as she crossed the room and reached out to touch her daughter’s arm. “Let’s take a seat, and I’ll explain things to you.” She moved toward the couch, hoping Becky would follow. The child, however, remained standing like a statue, with her arms held tightly against her sides.
Ellen looked at Patrick, hoping he would say something, and she wasn’t disappointed. Speaking softly, he smiled at Becky. “Please take a seat. You and your mother need to talk.”
Shuffling her feet across the carpet, Becky took a seat in the rocking chair. Except for the grandfather clock striking the half-past hour, the room was uncomfortably quiet.
Ellen couldn’t hide her disappointment. Her desire was for Becky to sit beside her, so she could wrap her arms around the girl and explain her reasons for keeping the adoption a secret.
Becky shot Ellen an icy stare. The daughter who was usually so pleasant, showed no sign of that trait. “Did you ever plan to tell me the truth?”
“Of course, when you were old enough to understand it all, I planned to tell you, but—”
“Who are my real parents?” Becky’s voice cracked. “I… I can’t believe you hid this from me.”
Ellen clutched the folds in her skirt. She had put herself in this position by keeping the truth from Becky, and that had obviously been a mistake. Her daughter was clearly upset, with good reason.
“I don’t know your biological parents, Becky. I never met them.” Ellen paused to clear her throat, hoping to dislodge the lump that had formed. “The adoption took place through an agency, and as far as I’m concerned, I am your real mother.”
“But you’re a single mom. Didn’t you want me to have a dad?”
“It was not my intention for you to be raised without a father, but…” Ellen shifted on her seat. “I’ve always loved children and wanted some of my own. Since I had no serious boyfriend or any promise of marriage, I decided to adopt a child on my own.”
Becky got the rocker moving and gave Ellen her full attention. “So what was the big secret? How come you didn’t want me to know?”
Speaking slowly and with conviction, Ellen told how, when she was in high school, her best friend, Lynn, had learned she was adopted. “Lynn was upset and wanted to know about the woman who’d given birth to her,” Ellen explained. “My friend’s adoptive parents wouldn’t tell her much and refused to help her look for her birth mother. Lynn was angry and moved out of their house and found a job after she graduated. It was sad, but she cut all ties with the parents who’d raised her, and as far as I know, she never went back.” Tears welled in Ellen’s eyes. “I was afraid if you knew you’d been adopted, it might cause problems between us too. I realize now that I made a huge mistake. I should have been honest with you as soon as you were old enough to understand. Will you forgive me, Becky?”
The ticking of the clock seemed to grow louder in Ellen’s ears as she waited for her daughter’s response. Finally, Becky nodded. With tears coursing down her flushed cheeks, she rushed across the room and into Ellen’s arms. “I still love you, Mom, and I always will.”
Ellen breathed a sigh of relief. She never wanted to lose her daughter and would do anything to protect what they had together. She closed her eyes and lifted a silent prayer: Lord, thank You for a daughter like Becky. Please continue to help me raise her according to Your purpose. Amen.
“Someday, when you’re a bit older, I’ll help you search for your biological parents if that’s what you want.” She opened her eyes and patted her daughter’s back. When Ellen looked across the room where her brother sat in another chair, he smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.
Berlin
“How come you’re in Mommy’s closet?”
Trent whirled around at the sound of his son’s voice. “I’m looking for some of my clothes.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m locked out of my apartment and need a place to spend the night.”
“Are you gonna stay here?” Debbie questioned, giving Trent’s shirttail a tug.
“Yes. I’ll be sleeping on the couch downstairs.”
Jumping onto the foot of the bed, Kevin frowned. “But you used to sleep in here with Mommy.”
“You’re right, but we don’t live together anymore, remember?” Trent ruffled his son’s hair.
“If you and Mommy don’t fight this time, maybe you can spend another night at our house.” Kevin’s expression brightened.
“I rather doubt it,” Trent mumbled under his breath.
“Try to get along better with her, Daddy.” Debbie stepped closer to him and took hold of his hand. “I wish we all lived together like we did before you and Mommy started fighting so much.”
“Yeah, me too,” Kevin added.
Trent swallowed hard. He remembered those days well and knew how hard it had been on the kids when Miranda had asked him to move out. He wished he could erase the past and start over again, but he’d done many things that had gotten him in trouble with his wife—one in particular. Trent needed to work on this matter—not just for the kids, but also for him. “I can be nicer to your mom, but I’m not sure she’ll want me back.” He squeezed his daughter’s fingers. “Let’s take it one step at a time and see how it goes.”
When Miranda awoke the next morning, she was greeted with the aroma of coffee. It took a few moments to remember that Trent had spent the night on the living-room sofa. But the smell of coffee was the reminder she needed.
She rose from the bed and stretched both arms over her head. Miranda would never admit it to Trent, but it was kind of nice having him in the house again. She felt protected and knew the kids were happy to have their daddy there too. It was evident last evening, after he got settled in and they ate popcorn together while watching TV. If only things could be different. If she and Trent could have learned to get along and settle their differences peacefully instead of hollering at each other all the time, maybe he wouldn’t have gotten interested in another woman. She still found it hard to believe Trent’s protests that his relationship with that person had never developed into an affair. Miranda’s heart held no trust where her husband was concerned, and she was still contemplating if divorce was the best option.
I can’t think about all this right now. I need to get downstairs and start breakfast. After slipping on her robe, she opened the bedroom door. Miranda heard some contagious laughter rising from the room below. When she entered the kitchen a short time later, she found Debbie and Kevin, all smiles, sitting at the table, each with a glass of milk in front of them. Trent stood at the stove with his back to her.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
When Trent turned around, she couldn’t believe he was wearing her springtime floral apron. “Our children were laughing at their father’s choice of c
ooking attire,” he announced, before turning back to the stove.
Miranda stifled a chuckle. “I can see why there was so much giggling going on.”
Kevin grinned and pointed to the bottle of maple syrup sitting in the center of the table. “Daddy’s making us pancakes.”
“Is that so?” She pressed her lips together to keep from asking Trent why he never fixed breakfast for the kids when he was living here. Was he trying to butter her up via the kids, in the hope of worming his way back in?
Miranda grabbed a mug and poured herself some coffee. Well, it won’t work. Trent hasn’t changed. If he had, he’d start by going to church and setting a Christian example for his family. He’d also prove he was responsible and be true to his word.
Trent looked over his shoulder and smiled at Miranda. “After breakfast, would it be okay if I borrow your car so I can meet up with the locksmith whom I called first thing this morning? I need to get into my apartment again.”
“I guess that’ll be okay. Today’s my day off, so I won’t need the car unless I decide to run to the store for something later on.”
He flipped one of the pancakes and gave her a wide grin. “Thanks, hon. I appreciate that.”
Miranda looked away. There he goes, calling me “hon” again. She’d have called him on it, but not here in front of the kids. Miranda would save her accusations for another time when she could speak to Trent alone.
Walnut Creek
After breakfast, Lyle hitched the horse and buggy and set off to Eli’s place. He wanted to make arrangements to have a coop built before they purchased some chickens. “I sure hope Eli has time to build one for us.” Lyle said to himself, and Bobbins nickered in return. Last evening, after their picnic when things had settled down a bit, Randy talked excitedly about the chickens they would soon be getting. This morning at the kitchen table, even Marsha seemed excited. Brother and sister talked about who would feed the chickens and who would collect the eggs.
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