“Are you ready for this?” Mose asked Abby.
“She’s probably more ready than I am.” Abby gestured to Ginger. “There’s something about Ginger that I can identify with more than other horses we’ve had. I guess that’s why she means so much to me.” Abby didn’t want to say all she was thinking, but this filly was everything women in the modern world want to be—independent and strong both emotionally and physically.
Mose stiffened, and she realized the pressure she’d put on him. “Sorry. I’m not usually this sentimental, but she’s special…for a lot of reasons.” Abby stared at Ginger and wondered how an animal could have such an effect on her. “You two will do great together.” And that she truly believed. Between Ira and Mose, she was in no better hands.
“I’m gonna forget everything you just said with no disrespect. If I don’t, I won’t know the first thing to do with her.” He shook his head and grinned.
“Yes, go. By all means, just do what you normally do.” She laughed at herself, but she had so much invested in this horse in many different ways. She couldn’t help the emotions Ginger brought out in her. Her way of thinking was so different from the way they lived, it was no wonder Mose didn’t understand. And even if he did, he probably wouldn’t be comfortable with it.
Abby dropped her arms over the fence, and Ira did the same. Chris climbed up and sat on top to get a bird’s-eye view.
Mose stood in the center of the corral as Ginger walked in a slow circle around Mose as he toyed the end of the rope attached to a halter. Abby leaned against the rail, watching stock-still. Ginger started trotting and snorting. Her muscles tensed as she tossed her head, a full mane flopping over her large brown eyes. Mose toyed with the rope, turning his back to the horse. Ginger’s ears twitched, and she turned toward him, taking a step closer.
“I didn’t know you were a horse whisperer,” Abby said softly as Mose took a step closer to her.
“Just want her undivided attention.” Mose turned sideways and held out the halter. Ginger pawed the ground, put her head down, and took slow steps over to Mose.
“Are you going to halter her?” Abby was less patient than the horse. She knew Mose understood. She had high hopes for this mare. He did too, for her sake.
“If she lets me. I’m not a pushy guy.” He shrugged a grin.
“So I’ve noticed.” She rested her palm in her chin and watched Ginger sniff the halter and Mose slowly place it over her head. She’d been through enough trauma to be temperamental, but she conveniently cooperated.
He repeated his command. “Walk.” Then he gave the command, “Lope,” but the horse stumbled on her bad leg and didn’t increase her speed.
“Reverse.” He only had to say it once. The horse turned on that command and ran in the opposite direction. Mose had to raise his hands up to get her to turn around. She never went faster than a walk and continued to cater to her bad leg.
The other horses in the pasture stood and watched. Each time the other horses heard Mose yell the commands, they playfully jumped and took off running in the wide, open field next to the barn. Mose continued until Ginger came to a stop and lifted her leg. Then he took her to an empty corral and walked over to Abby. His shirt was drenched in sweat. He removed his hat and raked his fingers through his wet hair and then walked over to the first corral, where Abby was sitting on top of the fence.
He shook his head back and forth until his hair lifted into slight curls around his head and face, and then turned to her as he placed his hat firmly on his head. “What are you smiling about?”
“I’ve never seen anyone fix their hair like that before.”
“That all depends on how hot you get.” He grinned.
“How do you think she did?” Abby didn’t see the enthusiasm in Mose that she’d hoped for. If he thought she did well, he would have said so right off. And Ira had been too quiet.
Mose wiped the dripping water off his forehead. “I’d have to work with her again before I knew for sure.”
She touched his arm. “Do I need to ask Ira to get an honest answer?”
He stared at her and let out a short breath. “She caters to the bum leg.” He hadn’t taken his eyes off hers. “That might not change.”
The look in his eye made Abby wonder whether there was any reason to keep on hoping. But when she turned around and saw Becca, she took it as a sign not to give up.
As if sensing Abby’s worry, Becca stopped and took in the atmosphere, then focused on Abby. “Is this a gut time to take a break?”
“Yes, Becca. It’s always good to see you.” Abby went to her side and walked down the dirt floor of the barn as they talked.
“So it didn’t go well with Ginger?” Becca glanced over at Abby.
Abby shook her head. “I had a feeling it might turn out that way. She might just be a companion horse, but I’ll take it. At least she’s still alive.” At that moment seeing Ginger and Mose in that corral, something clicked. The acceptance of what Ginger was, and now is, was sealed. There was something freeing in knowing and moving on from there.
“Jah, that had to have scared you and her into appreciating you’re in good hands here.” She shook her head. “I thank Gott for both of you.”
That put the situation in place for Abby. No, Ginger would never compete in shows or win ribbons, but they could be together, just in a different way.
Becca picked up the pace. “A few of us are making engraved music pages.”
“I don’t know what that is.” Abby didn’t much care but wanted the diversion, and it looked like something Mose would like.
“I’ll teach you. It’s easy. They’re beautiful to display in a home.”
Abby hadn’t seen many decorations in anyone’s house, so she wanted to see what was acceptable. “This might be just want I need right now.” She turned and waved to Mose. She was a little abrupt, but Abby knew he’d understand. He had been the one who encouraged her to be with Becca from the beginning, and she was so glad he had.
His smile back to her was one of reassurance that her absence was acknowledged and that he understood. “I’ll be in to help.”
Abby turned to Becca. “What did he mean?”
“We need help creating the blocks before we can etch them onto the wood.”
Abby nodded, finding herself tickled that Mose would be there with them. “He doesn’t mind being amongst a group of women alone?” She teased.
“Not if you’re one of them.” Becca smiled, and Abby tucked her arm under Becca’s, feeling this was the sister she’d never had. What would it be like to have a community full of young women who rallied around one another, worked together, and grew their families collectively?
When the rain started, they ran to Becca’s home. Her mamm greeted Abby with much the same kindness as she did Becca. “Have you made a music wood engraving before?”
“No, I’ll watch you.”
“Nee.” Becca handed her a block of rough piece of wood. “You’ll learn better by doing with Mose here.” She went to a shelf where a dozen or so wood blocks of the same size were stacked neatly like a tower of Lincoln Logs.
“You’ve made all of these?” Each block had been sanded, engraved with a music verse, and cured. Abby looked at the titles of the songs she’d heard the children sing at school where she worked.
“Pick out the one you like.”
Becca decided on “Amazing Grace,” and Abby chose “Jesus Loves Me.” The song always sounded so tender when the little ones at school sang the tune. Thinking about it made her miss teaching. The principal knew she was having personal problems at home, though she suspected he had an idea something was wrong even before the incident with Jim happened. The bruise kept her away from the school, at least for the summer. She hadn’t given school a second thought until now.
It was quiet until Becca’s sisters came in one by one and filled the kitchen. There was rarely an idle moment in the Troyer house. If it wasn’t cooking, cleaning, or doing laundry, it w
as making crafts. Abby asked questions, and they readily offered their help, but with each of them came their personal opinion on how to do the etching, and some preferred to stain the wood darker than others. Each personality shone through in how the girl created the craft.
When Mose came in, Abby’s heart jumped when his eyes met hers. He was surrounded with questions and requests from each of the sisters wanting his help. Abby waited patiently, taking her time rounding the corners of the block and then sanding it down. There was something soothing about the process that calmed her nerves. Some opted for a tablet of wood made into the complete song, chorus and verse.
“They’re nice, aren’t they?” Becca gestured to the pieces of flat wood twice as big as the blocks. Then Becca looked to where Abby was looking and poked her in the side. “Mose distracts you.”
Abby felt her cheeks heat and turned back to sanding. “I like to watch him work.”
“Jah, I’ve noticed.” Becca grinned and checked Abby’s work. “It’s improving, but if you don’t stay focused, you won’t get it done until tomorrow.” She shook her head at Abby.
“I’m trying.” She held tight onto the wood and sanded harder.
“Jah, but now Mose is distracted.”
When Abby looked up, he was walking toward her. “How is our new student doing?” He took the piece of wood from Abby, and she realized how unevenly she’d sanded it.
“I guess I need to pay attention.” She shrugged at the divot in the wood.
“I can even it out for you.” He took a large piece of sand paper and rubbed the wood until it was an even color. “There, better.”
She admired the way he carefully worked on each area until it was perfect in her eyes. “You are very intense when you are working with wood.”
When he handed her the smooth wood, their hands touched, sending a shock of energy through her. She watched his face and wondered whether he felt it too. By the way his eyes poured into hers, she felt he had.
A sudden sense of apprehension overtook her, and she turned around in her chair. “I need to get some air.” She jumped up and walked out the door. The rain drizzled on her as she walked down the stairs and into the tall stalks of corn. She got lost in them as she faced her emotions.
She heard someone behind her—Mose, or maybe Becca— but she didn’t hear anyone calling, so she kept going until the crunching of the ground was right behind her. She turned and looked up at Mose. He wiped his brow and stopped when she turned around.
“Where are you going?”
“I just needed some space.” She looked everywhere except into his eyes. If she did, the truth would come out, and she couldn’t let that happen. There was no point.
“Tell me what’s wrong.” He said it with such force she almost thought she had to answer, but she didn’t. She couldn’t tell him about her conflicting emotions.
“It’s nothing I can talk about, Mose.” She looked toward the unending rows of corn and then back to Becca’s home. It was such a dreadful metaphor of her life—either going forward alone to live in a void that she was blindly walking through, or going back to people who live by their faith. She wouldn’t bring Mose into it. That would complicate the decision she had to make.
“It’s as if you suddenly get upset when kindness is given to you.” He continued to stare as she turned to him; it was as if he would understand when he could study her eyes. “Or is there something else?”
She was sure he felt the connection between them, but they both skirted around it. And she wasn’t about to be the one to bring it forth. Considering the circumstances, she hoped he wouldn’t either. “None of this matters.” She started walking back to Becca’s, not wanting to risk saying something she couldn’t take back.
“There’s obviously something wrong. But if you don’t want to tell me, at least—”
“Abby, Mose!” Becca’s urgent voice was faint but growing closer.
“We’re coming!” Mose yelled from behind her.
“Where?” The shrill emptiness in Becca’s words were so unlike her, Abby couldn’t help but worry. She came down through a couple of rows over.
“What is it?” Abby asked as soon as she saw Becca’s blue dress through the green leaves surrounding them.
“A hurricane.” She put a hand to her chest to catch her breath. “It’s already hit Corpus Christi.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
MOSE MET WITH the elders and Minister Miller as they gathered together at the Zooks’ home to discuss the impending weather. The mood was tense. This storm could destroy their entire crop with one blow. They studied the latest weather update and waited for Rachel to bring them news. Her daed was the only one with a phone.
Mose stood with a few others in the large foyer. “This is out of our hands.”
“Nee, it’s not possible to protect our fields,” David, one of the deacons, threw in.
Minister Miller gave them all an encouraging smile. “We will do as always—pray for Gott’s provision.”
The front door opened and Rachel rushed in, holding out a piece of paper to whoever would take it, and then bent over to catch her breath.
The bishop read it quietly. “There has been flooding along the banks of the Rio Grande over the last few days. Four and a half feet, and it’s forecasted to remain high for several days. They are bracing for more rain and possible flooding. River flood warnings have been extended. Some homes will have to be evacuated.” He paused and looked down for a moment, almost as if in prayer. When he raised his head he said, “And Henry is missing.”
“Do we know how much time we have?” Joe spoke more to himself than anyone.
“Says they’ve gotten almost a foot of rain a day.” Rachel blinked back her tears and dropped her head.
David looked down in thought. “We can make a dam around the haus closest to the river, fill up our seed bags full of sand.”
Abby quietly walked in with Becca and listened to the rest of the conversation. Mose worried for Abby’s safety while she’d been in the community, but now he felt it more than ever but for a different reason. If the weather moved this way, there was a possibility people could get hurt, but there was no chance he would let that happen to Abby. He would see to it that she was by his side through the entire ordeal, no matter what Abby, her dad, or anyone else had to say about it.
“Becca, let Joe take you to your family. Abby, come with me.” Their expressions changed from concern to surprise at his direct words, but they listened, and that was what was needed at the moment. He kept her next to him as they continued to brainstorm. “We need to gather supplies and food.”
“Jah, and have a warning so we know when to evacuate.” Bishop Omar paused. “We’re used to tornados, but this is something different altogether. Our cellars won’t help us now. Where’s the highest ground?”
“Over by the Bylers’ store, and the new school. The hill they’re on may help some.” Eli shrugged.
“Gather together all the supplies you can at your homes, and start making that dam. Don’t know if it’ll help, but it’s worth a try.”
Minister Miller let out a long breath. “And if Henry is found, ring the bell.”
“What about the livestock?” Abby asked, causing all eyes to focus on her.
Mr. Yoder didn’t even pause. “Bring ’em to my place if you don’t have a gut holding pen. We’ll make room.”
They dispersed and made their way to prepare their families, but Mose kept Abby close as they left, not caring what the others might be thinking. The one thing Abby needed most was to feel safe, and he would make sure he provided that for her. “You’ve got Ginger on your mind?”
“I can’t help it.” She stepped quickly to keep up with him, but he couldn’t slow down. There was too much to do with little time.
“Most of them are in the same spot as you are, some more so.” He went over to help her into the wagon, but she waved him away, understanding the urgency.
She looked up into the dark
, foreboding sky. “How did this come on so suddenly?”
“It’s either drought or rainstorms down here in the south. Being close to Beeville, you probably have a better idea of what’s going on.” Mose glanced at the dark rolling clouds and felt the need to outrun them, to get to his home before they took over the sky.
“I haven’t missed much since staying here, but a television with the Weather Channel would be nice right now.” The wind slapped long strands of hair against her cheeks as the horse raced down the dirt road. A swift downpour would turn it to mud in no time. Pelts of rain slowly spread throughout the plains and made its way into the buggy. Although the windshield helped them from getting drenched, it made their vision difficult.
Mose looked over at Abby’s hands, white-knuckled against the black cushion she sat on. The wind increased in velocity, seeming to push the buggy from all sides. When they pulled up to the house, Mose got up close to drop Abby off.
“I’m going with you.” Abby didn’t even blink, keeping her gaze on him until he gave in and clucked to the horse.
When they pulled up, he jumped out of the buggy to open the large wood doors. The drops of water hitting his bare skin began to sting when the big gusts of wind started up. He looked around, wondering how much they could fit in the area that now seemed much smaller. It would be a crowded place once all of the animals and equipment were brought in.
Abby stepped down and went to check the livestock. They were wide-eyed and pacing. So were the other animals in the stalls. “Do we have room for the others in here?” She was already starting for the barn door when she asked.
“The horses will come back if we let them go. We need to keep the smaller livestock in here.” Abby didn’t hesitate as he’d expected. Growing up in the country must have taught her that you can’t be partial when it comes to the animals. He had learned early on that you had to do what was best for the whole, not the few.
Abby didn’t hesitate to help Mose set up makeshift corrals to get as many sheep, cows, and pigs as possible in one enclosed area. They just had to hope the chicken coop would stay intact. Once they got tubs of water for them, they moved on to the horses.
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