Lyle had been relieved that the children recovered so quickly after Steve and Allie stopped by and knew Heidi was happy about it too.
“Those poor kids.” Lyle shook his head, letting Bobbins take the lead. It was hard enough to lose one parent, let alone both at the same time. Lyle felt blessed that his and Heidi’s parents were still around. If Lyle could do anything to ease the children’s grief and help them understand about losses, he would do it, whatever it took.
It hadn’t been that long ago when Lyle thought it was God’s will for him and Heidi not to have any children. In fact, he had convinced himself that if it was to be that way, he would be content. But since he and Heidi had become foster parents, he couldn’t imagine even a day without Marsha and Randy. Heidi had told him several times that she felt the same way about the children. Last night, before going to bed, they’d even discussed the possibility of adopting Marsha and Randy. Of course that would depend on several things, including how well the kids adjusted to living with them.
Nearing Eli’s farm, Lyle breathed in the fresh air as the clip-clop of Bobbin’s hooves put him in a mellow mood. So clear was the sky, uninterrupted by any clouds for as far as the eye could see.
Pulling into the Millers’ lane, Lyle noticed Loretta waving from the yard where she was hanging up clothes.
“Guder mariye.” Lyle tipped his hat after he secured the horse to the hitching rail.
“Good morning to you too.” Loretta smiled as she walked to the edge of the yard. “What brings you here on this beautiful morning?”
“I have a project to ask Eli about. Is he around?”
“Jah, he’s there in the shop.” Loretta pointed. “I’m sure he’ll be glad to see you.”
“Okay, danki. Have a gut day.” Lyle turned and walked toward the woodshop. When he entered, he found Eli staining a porch chair.
“Hello, my friend.”
“Oh, you startled me.” Eli bent to pick up the paint brush he’d dropped.
“Sorry, I thought you may have heard me out there talking to Loretta.”
“Nope. I’ve been concentrating on my work in here.” Eli grinned, picking a piece of straw off the brush. “It’s good to see you and a fine morning it is, jah?”
“Sure is.” Lyle stepped closer to his friend. “Don’t want to keep you from your work, but I came to see if you might have time to do a project for me soon.”
“Sure thing. I have one other chair to finish for a customer, but no coffins to make right now. So, what did you have in mind?”
Lyle explained about the need for a chicken coop, and was pleased when Eli said he’d be happy to build it. In fact, Eli said he would be able to start by Friday or Saturday of the coming week. Lyle also agreed when Eli suggested the structure be built right there at Lyle and Heidi’s place. That way they wouldn’t have to worry about transporting the completed coop once it was finished. And Randy and Marsha could watch the progress.
On the way home, feeling like a kid himself, Lyle whistled. He was anxious to tell the children and couldn’t get Bobbins to go fast enough.
“You did what?” Velma’s husband’s face contorted.
“You heard me, Hank. I ran a stoplight and hit another vehicle.” Velma stared at her lukewarm coffee sitting on the kitchen table. Ten minutes ago, Hank had returned home with his truck, after being gone three days, and she’d just given him the news that their car was totaled. Why couldn’t that man of mine be a little more sympathetic? Sometimes I feel like I’m married to a grumpy ole grizzly bear.
Hank pounded his fist, vibrating the table. “What in tarnation were ya thinkin’? You shoulda been payin’ attention to your driving.”
“I don’t know. Guess I was thinking about Bobbie Sue and how she lost her job yesterday afternoon.”
He hit the table a second time. “Now isn’t that just great?”
Velma drew a sharp breath. “Aren’t ya even gonna ask if anyone was hurt? Or do you care more about your precious vehicle than your wife and kids?”
He scrutinized her. “I can see by lookin’ at ya that you ain’t hurt. I saw Bobbie Sue outside when I pulled my rig into the yard. She looked fine to me.”
Velma pulled in a few more breaths, hoping to calm her nerves. Hank had a temper, and while he’d never hit Velma, she often wondered if he might someday. She figured her one saving grace was him being on the road so much. If he wasn’t home when something unpleasant occurred, she wouldn’t have to hear him blow his stack.
Velma handled most situations with the kids on her own, without him ever knowing about it. However, hitting another vehicle was something she couldn’t very well hide, especially since their one and only car had been totaled.
“Eddie and Peggy Ann were in the car too, and luckily, none of us was seriously hurt.” She paused for another breath. “But the driver of the other vehicle was taken to the hospital by ambulance. I heard later that he wasn’t in serious condition, so that’s something to be thankful for.”
His eyes glazed over. “That’s good news about the other driver, but you’re lucky the cops didn’t haul you off to jail for runnin’ a stoplight.”
Oh boy, here we go… Mount St. Helens is erupting again. Velma sniffed, struggling to hold back tears. “I did receive a citation—a pretty hefty one at that.”
“Great! So now we have that to pay for too.” Hank’s face reddened further, and a vein on his neck protruded. “You do realize that we only have liability insurance, so even though our insurance company will pay for the other guy’s vehicle and injuries, our car won’t be covered. Not to mention our insurance will go up with surcharge points, all because of this accident.”
Gulping, she nodded. Doesn’t he know he’s making me feel even worse by his continued ranting?
“So now, on top of daughter number one bein’ out of a job and unable to contribute to our finances, I’ll have to work twice as hard hauling with my semitruck in order to earn enough money to replace the car.”
“I can look for a job.”
Hank shook his head vigorously. “Your job is here, takin’ care of the kids while I’m on the road.” He glanced around. “Where are they, anyhow?”
“Eddie and Peggy Ann are still in bed, and as you already know, Bobbie Sue’s outside, hanging up the laundry because we can’t afford to buy a dryer.”
He raked his fingers through the ends of his thinning brown hair. “That’s right, and now, because of your careless driving, a new dryer goes to the bottom of our list.”
Velma rested her head on both hands. “I don’t know how, but we’ll get through this, Hank. We always have.”
Chapter 13
New Philadelphia, Ohio
Trent sat at the kitchen table, staring into his empty mug. Thanks to the locksmith he’d called a few days ago, he was back in his dinky apartment. But after spending a night and part of a day with Miranda and the kids in a home he was still paying the mortgage on, he felt depressed. Here in his humble abode, these rooms were too quiet for him.
“Shouldn’t be living here alone,” he mumbled. “I miss my wife and kids and want to go home.”
Trent’s apartment was big enough for one person, but it had few furnishings and absolutely no personality. It was drab and dull, and he missed seeing the little touches Miranda had placed around their house. A vase of flowers, little knickknacks, framed photos of the kids—those were the kind of things missing in this dreary place.
“Even my walls are bare.” Trent lifted his hands in despair. “But why bother with all that stuff when I’m here all alone?” He first believed his stay here would be only temporary. Now he had serious doubts. “I wonder if Miranda will make good on her threat and file for divorce.”
Trent glanced at his cell phone. He had just enough time for another cup of coffee before heading out to pick up the kids for their cooking class in Walnut Creek. It would be good to see them again. Maybe I can get Kevin and Debbie to work on their mother. If they tell her how much they m
iss me, maybe Miranda will say I can move back to the house. Sure wish I could do something to prove I wasn’t disloyal to her. He tugged his ear. Well, maybe I was, but I didn’t have an affair. I broke things off with Isabelle before it got that far.
Trent was about to reach for the coffeepot, when his cell phone rang. The sound made him jump up. Seeing it was his buddy Rod Eckers, he answered.
“Hey, Rod, what’s up?”
“I heard you had the day off and wondered if you’d like to meet me for a game of racquetball this morning.”
Frowning, Trent tilted his chin down. Sure wish I could.
“Trent, are you there?”
“Yeah.” He moaned. “But I’m not free this morning.”
“How come?”
Resting his elbows on the table, while holding his head in his hand, Trent made it short and sweet. “Gotta take my kids to some cooking class. Miranda has to work today, and she pretty much insisted it was my turn to take them.”
“Aw, that’s too bad. Let me know when you have your next day off. Hopefully, we can work something out.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a call. Talk to you later, Rod.”
Trent hung up and groaned. When he and Miranda first separated, he’d thought he would have more time to do the things he liked. But moving out of the house didn’t make his responsibility to the children disappear. So he would take the kids to Walnut Creek, but he wasn’t going to stick around. He planned to drop them off and pick them up when the class was over. Truthfully, Trent had no interest in watching some Amish woman teach a bunch of rowdy kids how to cook or bake something.
He stood up and straightened his button-down shirt. I need to get going. Trent poured himself a cup of coffee and took a couple of sips. “I wish a game of racquetball could fit into the time frame of the kids’ cooking class.” He shut off the coffee maker and carried the mug to his bedroom. Setting his cup on the windowsill, Trent thumbed through the closet, sorting through his insufficient supply of shirts. He really should bring the rest of them over from the house.
“There’s my favorite racquetball shirt. Too bad I can’t put it to good use today.” Trent picked up his cup again and took a drink as he deliberated. It can’t hurt if I sneak away and have some “me” time would it? I deserve a break today from my expected duties.
Walnut Creek
Lyle stepped outside onto the porch and noticed Eli’s horse and buggy at the hitching rail. “I wonder when he showed up.” Lyle figured his friend wanted to get an early start.
Lyle had an auction yesterday, but he was free today. It worked out well, since the building where some of his auctions were held was closed today, due to repairs. Since Heidi had a cooking class, Lyle planned to give Eli a hand with the chicken coop.
Lyle unleashed Eli’s horse and walked it to the barn. He was surprised Eli hadn’t taken care of it himself. After giving Blossom a few scratches behind her ears, Lyle put the horse in an empty stall and headed out to the yard where Eli was working. “Guder mariye, Eli.” Lyle approached him. “I didn’t hear you arrive.”
“Guess I shoulda let you know I was here, but I wanted to get right to work. And if my calculations are correct, the chicken coop should be finished soon.”
“You got a lot done on it yesterday.” Lyle reached out to hold the board Eli was preparing to hammer to the frame.
“I had a good little helper.” Eli chuckled. “That Randy was sure eager to be a part of this project, and I couldn’t let him down. So I asked him to hand me nails when I needed them, as well as some other little things he could handle.”
Lyle chuckled. “It’s all he’s been talking about since we told him and Marsha about getting some chickens.”
Eli grinned and shook his head. “It’ll be good for the kinner to have a part in this. Randy told me yesterday all about the responsibility he and his sister will have: feeding the chickens and collecting eggs.”
“Jah. You know how it is when you’re young.” Lyle reached for another board and handed it to Eli. “Heidi and I hope this will be good for the children and give them an even better sense of belonging. They sure seem eager to help.”
“Believe me, I know.” Eli finished putting the nails in the board. “Loretta’s two are the same way. Whenever there’s a project to do at our place, one or both of ’em are eager to help.”
“How are Conner and Abby doing these days?”
“Doin’ well. They’re both like two wound-up pups. Don’t know where they get their energy. They’ll be at their grandparents visiting soon. And Loretta… Well, she’s been scurrying around like a busy bee painting each of their bedrooms. She wants it to be a surprise when they get home and see their favorite color on the walls of their rooms.”
Lyle pondered things as Eli sawed a few more boards to length. Maybe it would be a good idea to paint Marsha and Randy’s bedroom walls and let them choose the color. That way each of their rooms will feel as though it’s really theirs. I’ll take care of that soon.
As Velma walked along the shoulder of the road with Peggy Ann and their dog, Abner, she found herself beginning to relax. The scent of blossoms from a gorgeous rose garden in a nearby yard filled her senses with sweetness. It was nice walking with her daughter, too, and doing some deep thinking. Boy, I really needed to get away from the house for a while.
The last few days had been stressful, and the fresh air and sunshine felt good. Walking the dog was a good excuse to be outside on a day such as this.
Facing the sun, she closed her eyes for a second and let the sun’s warmth penetrate her skin. The only sounds for the moment were the birds singing and the jingle of Abner’s dog tags as he pranced along in front of Velma’s daughter.
Peggy Ann insisted on holding Abner’s leash, and Velma didn’t object, because the black Lab was behaving himself.
“How come you’re so quiet, Mama?” Peggy Ann asked, skipping to keep up with the dog.
“Oh, just enjoying the surroundings and thinkin’ is all.”
“What about?”
Velma shrugged. “Nothing much.”
“Wanna know what I’m thinkin’ about?”
“What’s that, honey child?”
“Papa.” Peggy Ann stopped walking so the dog could sniff something on the ground. “I wish he didn’t have to be gone all the time. Bet you miss him, too, huh, Mama?”
Velma slowly nodded. She wouldn’t admit it to any of her children, but it was a relief when Hank left early this morning to pick up a load with his semitruck. He’d be gone several days, so she wouldn’t have to listen to him harp on the issue of the accident she’d caused and them having no car. Velma was the person inconvenienced. Having to walk or ride one of the kid’s bikes was certainly no fun for her. Neither was living with disharmony in their home. Velma wanted a good solid marriage. She needed some answers to fix her dilemma, because right now, nothing seemed right. Maybe it would help if I had a friend—someone to bounce things off of.
Velma glanced at a well-kept farm across the road. Too bad we don’t have a horse and buggy like those Amish people do. At least it would get us where we wanna go without worrying about having money to fill the gas tank. She wrinkled her nose. Guess keeping a horse wouldn’t be cheap, though. It would cost money to feed it too.
As they came parallel to the driveway leading to the Amish house, a Brittany spaniel started barking from the yard. Abner responded with a few Arf! Arfs! Then, jerking the leash out of Peggy Ann’s hand, the dog broke free and darted across the street.
“Come back here, Abner!” Velma and Peggy Ann shouted at the same time.
Both dogs were now chasing each other around the yard, yipping and yapping so loud Velma felt like covering her ears.
“What should we do, Mama?” Peggy Ann began jumping up and down.
Only one thing to do. Go into the yard after her dog.
“I don’t wanna learn cookin’ today.” Randy’s lower lip protruded. “Wanna be outside watchin’ Eli work on t
he chicken coop.”
“You got to watch and help him yesterday when he started the project,” Heidi reminded the boy. “And remember, as soon as Eli finishes building the coop, we’ll get some chicks.” She pointed to the recipe cards lying on the table. “This morning you’ll enjoy making mini corn dogs with the other children, and we’ll get to eat them afterward.”
“But I was helpin’ Eli, and what if he needs me again today?”
“I’m sure Eli will understand. Lyle will be helping him today. Now that he has your rooms painted, he has some free time.”
Out of the blue, Marsha spoke up. “I like corn dogs.”
Heidi smiled. “I think most kids do—and even some adults like me and Lyle.”
The little girl looked up at Heidi with such a sweet smile. “Lyle’s my daadi, and you’re my mammi.”
“No, they’re not.” Randy shook his head. “Our mommy and daddy are in heaven.”
Marsha squinted, while tipping her head, as if trying to process what her brother said. They’d talked about this before, but apparently Marsha had forgotten.
Before Heidi could offer an explanation, a ruckus coming from outside drew her attention to the window. She was surprised to see Rusty being chased by a black Lab she didn’t know. A leash clipped to the Lab’s collar trailed behind.
“Oh, dear.” Heidi opened the back door and stepped outside. Clapping her hands, she called for her dog, but Rusty kept running and barking, oblivious to her command. This was unusual for her normally obedient dog.
Then a woman with scraggly blond hair dashed into the yard, hollering, “Stop, Abner! Come here right now!” When she picked up a stick and shook it, the Lab quit running and crawled to her on his belly.
“Don’t hit him, Mama. Please don’t hit Abner.” A young girl with reddish-blond hair worn in pigtails ran up to the woman and clutched her hand.
Amish Cooking Class--The Celebration Page 9