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Authors: Jerry S. Eicher
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qualities—not like Miriam. How will I find a boyfriend? And what about Jonas?” Shirley’s questions ended in racking sobs.
“Perhaps this will help develop character in you that has value in the Lord’s eyes.”
Mamm meant to comfort, but her words didn’t. Mamm was on Daett ’s side. What Shirley wanted was assurance that things would return to normal. She wanted to walk out of here the same Shirley she’d been when Jonas picked her up at home.
“The Lord knows what’s best,” Mamm comforted again.
Tears burned in Shirley’s eyes.
Chapter Nine
I van looked up at the overcast, Saturday-morning sky as he walked in from his early morning chores. There would be rain soon— yah , and it fit his present gray mood just fine. It was his day off, and he’d looked forward to working outside in the sunshine. His job indoors at Beachy’s furniture had given him a pale complexion and made him weary in heart. Now it looked like he’d be in the barn all day—or the house. He wasn’t sure which was the right choice. Laura would have something for him to do if he stayed inside. She sure was grouchy with her morning sickness. That mood had been on full display last night when he’d returned home. So much so that he hadn’t talked much—and neither had she. He’d gone to bed without telling her about the accident.
Ivan pushed open the mud-room door of the small house and entered to kick off his boots. He stuck his head through the kitchen doorway and said a forced, “ Gut morning.”
Laura stood at the stove and didn’t turn around. “You already said that.”
Ivan came all the way inside and grumbled, “There’s nothing wrong with two gut mornings, is there?”
Laura didn’t answer as she plopped the egg plate down on the table. “Breakfast is ready.”
“That’s gut, ” he said as he sat down.
Laura glared at him. “Did you see the weather outside?”
He shrugged. “It’s going to rain, so I’ll work inside.”
Her face brightened a little. “Then maybe there is something gut about the morning. You can fix that shelf in the basement I’ll need for my summer canning. And you can add a few extra shelves while you’re at it. No woman has too many shelves for her canning.”
Ivan didn’t say anything as he stared at the plate with two eggs. “You know I like three eggs. There are only two. One for you and one for me.”
Laura’s face darkened again. “Three eggs aren’t gut for you.”
Ivan took a deep breath and held in his negativity. “At least there’s plenty of oatmeal.”
A smile played on Laura’s face. “You need to think of your health now that a bobbli is on its way.”
He choked back a response and bowed his head in silent prayer. Laura still had her head bowed when he lifted his.
She finally looked up. “You didn’t pray very long.”
Ivan pulled his one egg on his plate and avoided her gaze.
Laura still looked at him. “You need to pray our prayers out loud like my daett used to. I like to hear them at mealtimes and during devotions. With the bobbli coming, it’s something you need to do.” Laura touched his arm. “I thought I’d help, so I bought a prayer book. It’s on the desk in the living room.”
Ivan blinked. “I’m not ready for that yet. And some Amish men never pray aloud.”
Laura’s fingers tightened on his arm. “But you will, won’t you? I want our children to grow up like I did—with their daett ’s voice leading out in spiritual matters. It’s important to me.”
Ivan didn’t look at her. Laura had said enough on the subject, and it was time to speak of something else. In the end he’d give in, but for now he’d put up a display of resistance.
“There was an accident on the way home last night,” he said.
Laura wasn’t distracted. “You shouldn’t change the subject just because you don’t like it.”
Ivan ignored her. “I think Shirley Yoder was with Jonas Beachy, and they wrecked on 39.”
“Eli Yoder’s
“Perhaps this will help develop character in you that has value in the Lord’s eyes.”
Mamm meant to comfort, but her words didn’t. Mamm was on Daett ’s side. What Shirley wanted was assurance that things would return to normal. She wanted to walk out of here the same Shirley she’d been when Jonas picked her up at home.
“The Lord knows what’s best,” Mamm comforted again.
Tears burned in Shirley’s eyes.
Chapter Nine
I van looked up at the overcast, Saturday-morning sky as he walked in from his early morning chores. There would be rain soon— yah , and it fit his present gray mood just fine. It was his day off, and he’d looked forward to working outside in the sunshine. His job indoors at Beachy’s furniture had given him a pale complexion and made him weary in heart. Now it looked like he’d be in the barn all day—or the house. He wasn’t sure which was the right choice. Laura would have something for him to do if he stayed inside. She sure was grouchy with her morning sickness. That mood had been on full display last night when he’d returned home. So much so that he hadn’t talked much—and neither had she. He’d gone to bed without telling her about the accident.
Ivan pushed open the mud-room door of the small house and entered to kick off his boots. He stuck his head through the kitchen doorway and said a forced, “ Gut morning.”
Laura stood at the stove and didn’t turn around. “You already said that.”
Ivan came all the way inside and grumbled, “There’s nothing wrong with two gut mornings, is there?”
Laura didn’t answer as she plopped the egg plate down on the table. “Breakfast is ready.”
“That’s gut, ” he said as he sat down.
Laura glared at him. “Did you see the weather outside?”
He shrugged. “It’s going to rain, so I’ll work inside.”
Her face brightened a little. “Then maybe there is something gut about the morning. You can fix that shelf in the basement I’ll need for my summer canning. And you can add a few extra shelves while you’re at it. No woman has too many shelves for her canning.”
Ivan didn’t say anything as he stared at the plate with two eggs. “You know I like three eggs. There are only two. One for you and one for me.”
Laura’s face darkened again. “Three eggs aren’t gut for you.”
Ivan took a deep breath and held in his negativity. “At least there’s plenty of oatmeal.”
A smile played on Laura’s face. “You need to think of your health now that a bobbli is on its way.”
He choked back a response and bowed his head in silent prayer. Laura still had her head bowed when he lifted his.
She finally looked up. “You didn’t pray very long.”
Ivan pulled his one egg on his plate and avoided her gaze.
Laura still looked at him. “You need to pray our prayers out loud like my daett used to. I like to hear them at mealtimes and during devotions. With the bobbli coming, it’s something you need to do.” Laura touched his arm. “I thought I’d help, so I bought a prayer book. It’s on the desk in the living room.”
Ivan blinked. “I’m not ready for that yet. And some Amish men never pray aloud.”
Laura’s fingers tightened on his arm. “But you will, won’t you? I want our children to grow up like I did—with their daett ’s voice leading out in spiritual matters. It’s important to me.”
Ivan didn’t look at her. Laura had said enough on the subject, and it was time to speak of something else. In the end he’d give in, but for now he’d put up a display of resistance.
“There was an accident on the way home last night,” he said.
Laura wasn’t distracted. “You shouldn’t change the subject just because you don’t like it.”
Ivan ignored her. “I think Shirley Yoder was with Jonas Beachy, and they wrecked on 39.”
“Eli Yoder’s
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