Her mother sat back and picked up her fork again. “Time has a way of slipping by us unnoticed, Rebecca. Don’t throw this chance away. Give John some encouragement. You could have children of your own, companionship, security. I don’t want you to be alone all your life.”
Was her mother right? Should she consider remarrying, if not for love, for the blessings a family would bring?
Rebecca studied the cake in front of her. She did want children. She liked John, but was that enough? Could she grow to love him in time? Not as she had loved Walter, of course, but enough to be content in her later years?
“I’ll think about it.” That would satisfy her mother and allow Rebecca to change the painful subject.
“Goot. I’ve invited him and his folks for supper on Sunday after church services. I’m sure the two of you can find a few minutes alone. Are you still working for the Stutzman family?”
Rebecca shook her head as much at her mother’s blatant attempt to manipulate her as to answer her question. “Nee, Mrs. Stutzman’s mother arrived to help with the children and the new baby. I’m unemployed again.”
She wasn’t a trained nurse, but her experience caring for her husband during his long illness had taught her a great deal. She put that knowledge to use helping others in the community such as new mothers or those with infirm elderly family members who required extra attention. Sometimes an English family would hire her, too. It wasn’t steady work, but she found it rewarding. It kept the loneliness at bay and kept her from being a burden on her mother or the church community. She knew they would provide for her, but she hated accepting help when she was able to work.
“So you will be home now.”
Rebecca nodded. “Until I find another job.”
“Goot, you are free to visit with John whenever he wants. I’ll let him know.”
Rebecca closed her eyes. “Mamm, don’t pester the man.”
“He’s always happy to hear from me. You wouldn’t need to work at all if you married again. John makes a nice living as a farrier. His first wife never complained.”
Rebecca cast her mother a beseeching glance. “I’m sure a horseshoer in an Amish community earns a decent wage. Can we drop the subject now?”
Her mother shrugged. “I don’t know why you are so touchy about it. You’re going to let a good man slip out of your grasp if you aren’t careful. I’m simply trying to steer you in the right direction.”
Rebecca was saved from replying by the arrival of a horse and buggy that pulled up to the gate outside. The interruption was welcome. “I wonder who that is?”
“I’m sure I don’t know who it could be.”
Her mother’s feigned innocence caused Rebecca to look at her sharply. “Did you invite John over today?”
“It’s no sin to be friendly.”
Rebecca cringed inside, braced for an awkward afternoon and then opened the door. But it wasn’t her brother-in-law. Isaac Bowman stood hat in hand on her small front porch.
He nodded to her. “Goot day, Rebecca. I hope I haven’t come at a bad time.”
She stepped back. “Not at all. Won’t you come in, Isaac? My mother and I were just enjoying some cake and coffee. Would you care to join us?”
“I’d rather say what I’ve come to say and not waste time.”
Rebecca stepped out onto the porch with him. “As you please. I’ve only just heard about Samuel. I’m very sorry.”
“Danki. That is why I’ve come. I want to offer you a job. My wife needs a live-in helper until Samuel recovers. She is having trouble managing the store and the house with him abed. Noah normally works in the store in the afternoons but I’ll need all my sons in the fields when we start harvesting.”
“Can’t you close the store for a time? I’m sure your customers will understand. Or hire someone to work in it for your wife.”
“I could, but I’d rather not. You will think I’m cruel, but my wife needs to get away from Samuel. Away from thinking she must do everything for him. I know you took care of Emil Troyer before he passed away. The old man was blind, so you have had some experience with a sightless person. Please say you will help us, at least through the corn harvest. Anna won’t listen to me, but she knows you have experience with sick folks. She might listen to you. If you can’t help, maybe you could suggest someone else.”
Rebecca glanced over her shoulder. Her mother was scowling and shaking her head. If only her mother hadn’t latched on to the idea of pushing John and her together. Rebecca didn’t want to spend the next days and weeks thinking of excuses to avoid him. A new job was exactly what she needed. She graced Isaac with a heartfelt smile. “I can start today if you don’t mind waiting while I gather a few things.”
His expression flashed from shocked to pleased. “I don’t mind at all. Danki, Rebecca. You are an answer to my prayers.”
* * *
Samuel waited impatiently for his brother to adjust the pillows behind him. As usual, Luke was moving with the speed of cold molasses. With his eyes covered by thick dressings, Samuel had to depend on his hearing to tell him what was going on around him. Maybe forever.
If he didn’t regain his sight, his days as a master carver were over. He wouldn’t be of any use in the fields. He wouldn’t be much use to anyone.
He refused to let his thoughts go down that road. He prayed for healing, but it was hard to seek favor from God when he had no idea why God had visited this burden on him. He heard Luke shaking the pillows and then finally felt him slide them into place.
“There. How’s that?”
Samuel leaned back. It wasn’t any better, but he didn’t say that. It wasn’t Luke’s fault that he was still in pain and that his eyes felt as if they were filled with dry sand. After six days, Samuel was sick and tired of being in bed and no amount of pillow fluffing would change that, but he didn’t feel like stumbling around in front of people looking hideous, either. Only his mouth had been left free of bandages. He chose to stay in bed to avoid having others see him like this, but he didn’t have to like it.
He licked his swollen and cracked lips, thankful that he could speak. The doctor thought he must have thrown up his hands and that protected his lower face to a small degree. “It’s fine. Is there water handy?”
“Sure.”
Something poked his tender lip. He jerked away.
“Sorry,” Luke said. “Here is your water.”
Samuel opened his mouth and closed it around the drinking straw when he felt it on his tongue. He took a few long swallows and turned his head aside. He was helpless as a baby and growing weaker by the day. His legs and his back ached from being in bed, but he didn’t want to blunder around the room and risk hurting his hands in another fall. One was enough.
Luke put the glass on the bedside table. “Is there anything else I can do for you? Do you want me to fluff the pillows under your hands?”
Before Samuel could answer, Luke pulled the support from beneath his right arm. Intense pain shot from Samuel’s his fingertips to his elbow. He sucked in a harsh breath through clenched teeth.
“Sorry. I’m so sorry.” Luke gently placed Samuel’s bandaged hand back on the pillow. “Did that hurt?”
Samuel panted and willed the agony to subside. The pain was never gone, but it could die down to a manageable level if he was still. “I don’t need anything else.”
“Are you sure?” Luke asked.
“I’m sure,” Samuel snapped. He just wanted to be left alone. He wanted to see. He wanted to be whole. He wanted the pain to stop.
He caught the sound of hoofbeats outside his open bedroom window and the crunch of buggy tires on the gravel. His father must be home. A few minutes later, he heard the outside door open and his mother’s voice. She must have closed the store early.
“Mamm is back.” The reli
ef in Luke’s voice was almost comical except Samuel was far from laughing. He heard his brother’s footsteps retreat across the room. At least he was safe from Luke’s help for a little while. Their mother was a much better caretaker. She could be smothering at times, but her heart was in the right place. Like a child afraid of the dark, he found her voice soothing and her hands comforting.
An itch formed in the middle of Samuel’s back. With both hands swaddled in thick bandages, he couldn’t reach to scratch it. He tried rubbing against the pillow, but it didn’t help. “Luke, wait.”
His brother’s footsteps were already fading as he raced downstairs. Samuel tried to ignore the pricking sensation, but it only grew worse. “Luke! Mamm! Can someone come here?”
It seemed like an eternity, but he finally heard his mother’s voice from the foot of the stairs. “I’m here, Samuel, and I’ve brought someone to see you.”
He groaned as he heard the stairs creak. The last thing he wanted was company. “I’m not up to having visitors.”
“Then it’s a pity I’ve come all this way.” The woman’s voice was low, musical and faintly amused. He had no idea who she was.
Chapter Two
Samuel cringed. He hated people seeing him this way. Was this another gawker like the last girl who had come to help? All Gemma Yoder could do was sob at the sight of his bandages and burned peeling skin. She’d been worse than no help at all. Thankfully, his mother had quickly sent her packing.
“It’s Rebecca Miller,” his mother said. He could tell she wasn’t pleased.
He heard them move closer. He knew the name even if he didn’t know the woman well. “Walter Miller’s widow?”
“Ja. Walter was my husband.” The tone of her voice changed slightly. Samuel sensed the loss beneath her words. Why would she visit him? They barely knew each other. She wasn’t one of his mother’s friends. It was common for Amish neighbors to help each other, but she didn’t live close by.
“Thank you for coming, but as I said, I’m not up to company.”
“I can see that. Why are you still in bed?”
“He’s in bed because he was badly burned. I’m sure my husband told you that,” his mother chided. “Samuel, your father has hired Rebecca to help us for the next few weeks.”
No wonder she was upset. He had overheard her telling his father that she didn’t need or want someone to help with his care after the last woman left. His father rarely went against his wife’s wishes. Why this time? Samuel rubbed his back against the pillow still trying to ease that itch. “I’m glad you will have help in the store.”
He caught a whiff of a fresh scent that reminded him of spring flowers. Amish women didn’t wear perfume, so perhaps it was the shampoo she used. His sense of smell had become more acute since the accident. Whatever it was, he liked the delicate fragrance, but he didn’t like visitors.
“Lean forward.” When she spoke, she was close beside him.
“Why?”
“Because I said so.”
That was bossy. He did as she said and was immediately rewarded by her fingers scratching the exact spot that had been driving him crazy. How did she know?
“I’m not familiar with what it takes to run a store, but I do know how to care for sick people. You should be up and out of bed unless you want to end up with pneumonia on top of everything else. Anna, you know this. Why are you letting him be so lazy?”
Her mild scolding annoyed him. “I’m not steady on my feet. Mother knows that.”
“Ah, the explosion addled your brain,” Rebecca said as if discovering something important.
“My brain is fine. It’s my eyes and my hands that were injured. I can’t catch myself if I start to fall.”
“Rebecca, Samuel needs constant care. He will be up when he’s ready.” He felt his mother smooth the covers over his feet and tuck them in.
“He won’t ever be ready if you coddle him, Anna.”
“She isn’t coddling me,” he snapped. He couldn’t see. He couldn’t use his hands. He needed help with everything. Couldn’t she see that for herself?
“Then you should move downstairs so your mother doesn’t have to run up here every time you call. You aren’t trying to make things more difficult for her, are you?”
“He’s not making things difficult for me,” his mother said quickly. “I don’t know why my husband thinks I need help. I’m managing fine.”
“Hello? Is anyone about? Anna, is the store open?” a woman’s voice called from downstairs.
“Ja, we are open. Just a moment,” his mother answered.
“Go on, Anna. I can manage here. Samuel, do you need your mother to do anything for you before she leaves?” Rebecca’s voice was so sweet he could almost hear the honey dripping from her tongue.”
“Nee, I don’t need anything at the moment,” he said through clenched teeth. If she was trying to be annoying, she was doing a fine job.
“Excellent. You see, Anna, Samuel and I will rub along well together. Don’t keep your customer waiting. I’ll sit with him until you come back. He and I need to get better acquainted, anyway.”
* * *
Rebecca hadn’t expected it to hit her so hard.
Stepping through Samuel’s doorway was like stepping back in time. All her previous patients had been elderly folks or new mothers. Not since her husband’s death had she taken care of a grown man in the prime of his life. Memories flooded her mind pulling her spirit low. Day after day, she had watched Walter grow weaker and less interested in what went on around him and more dependent on her. She willingly became his crutch, not realizing the damage she caused until it was too late.
Rebecca struggled to hide her dismay at the sight of Samuel. She had forgotten how much he resembled Walter. They were of the same height. They had the same broad shoulders and straight golden brown hair cut in the familiar Amish bowl hairstyle. Could she do this? Could she be a better nurse to Samuel than she had been to her dear Walter?
God had placed this challenge in her path. It was a test of her strength and her faith. She would not waver but stand firm and do her best. Even if the patient didn’t like what she had to do.
She made shooing motions with her hands to get Anna moving. She knew she was being hard on Samuel and his mother, but after listening to Isaac on the buggy ride here, she already understood some of the family’s problems. Samuel’s mother was smothering him with kindness.
While Rebecca felt sorry for Samuel, more sympathy wouldn’t do him any good. Isaac had expressed his concerns about Samuel’s state of mind. Samuel wasn’t getting up. He wasn’t trying to do things for himself. It was so unlike Samuel that no one knew what to do. Luke and Noah both felt guilty about the accident. They blamed themselves for not taking better care of the equipment. They were trying their best to make it up to Samuel. His mother had taken to treating him like a child instead of a grown man. The more she did for Samuel, the less he did for himself.
Rebecca’s husband had been a strong man suddenly struck down with a heart attack at the age of thirty-five. It left him weak, unable to work his land and feeling useless. It took a long time for her to understand what was wrong with him, why he wouldn’t try to get better. He had simply given up and eventually his damaged heart failed him.
That wasn’t going to happen to Samuel, no matter what outcome he faced. With God’s help, she was going to make a difference this time. Samuel needed to be shocked out of his complacency and self-pity. Thankfully, Isaac had had the good sense to hire her.
She was embarrassed to admit how fast she had jumped at his offer. Isaac hadn’t even had a chance to mention her salary before she told him she could start. He had agreed to her usual wage without comment, clearly relieved she was willing to take on the job.
The same could not be said for her mother.
“It’s a beautiful day outside. Why don’t you go sit on the front porch and enjoy it. This nice fall weather won’t last long.”
“I’m fine where I am.”
“You may be fine, but trust me when I tell you these sheets need to be laundered.”
“They’re fine. Go away.”
“I’m not going anywhere. Your father hired me to do a job.”
“What job? Annoying me?”
“If that’s what it takes to get you better, I will do it gladly. Come on, up you go.” She flipped the covers back. He wore blue-striped pajamas. He curled his bare toes and crossed his burned arms gingerly. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“All right. I guess I shall have to wash these sheets with you in them.” She picked up the glass of water beside the bed and poured some on his feet.
* * *
“Are you crazy?” Samuel jerked his foot away from the cold liquid. Had she just poured water on his bedding? The woman was off in the head.
“Now the sheets are wet so you’ll have to get up.”
“I can’t believe you would do such a thing to a sick man. Where is my father? If he hired you, he can fire you.”
“You are injured—you aren’t sick. There’s nothing wrong with your feet and legs. I do understand that even simple tasks are now a challenge, but hiding in bed is not the answer. Swing your legs over the side and sit up for a few minutes. Don’t stand too quickly, and you won’t get dizzy.”
“What choice do I have?” He rubbed his foot on his pajama leg to dry it.
“Several. You can stay in your damp bed.”
He didn’t respond.
“Not to your liking? All right. You could yell for your brothers or father to come and escort me home. I’m sure your brothers won’t think less of you for letting a woman get the upper hand and having to rescue you from my clutches. Shall I go get one of them for you?”
An Amish Harvest Page 2