Read Online A Cousin's Prayer by Wanda E. Brunstetter - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Wanda E. Brunstetter
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asleep before she’d been able to say anything. Then this morning, he’d left early to have breakfast at a restaurant in Middlebury.
The
clip-clop
of horse’s hooves and the rumble of buggy wheels drew Loraine’s attention to the window. She smiled when she recognized her mother’s horse and buggy pulling up to the hitching rail.
Loraine dried her hands on a towel and hurried to the door.
“Wie geht’s?” Mom asked as she stepped onto the porch a short time later.
“I’m fine. How are you?”
“Other than sniffling because of my spring allergies, I can’t complain.”
Loraine opened the door and motioned Mom inside. “Come on in, and let’s have a cup of tea.”
“That sounds good.” Mom followed Loraine into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. “Where’s Ada? Isn’t she going to join us?”
“She had an appointment with her chiropractor this morning, and I think she planned to do some shopping afterwards.” Loraine’s forehead wrinkled. “I’m worried about her and Crist. I think they’re having marital problems.”
Mom sucked in her breath. “Ach, my! Do you know what the problem is between them?”
“Not really, but they were both very quiet during breakfast this morning, which is unusual, especially for Ada.”
Mom blew on her tea and took a sip. “Communication is the key to a successful marriage. Maybe I should talk to the bishop’s wife and see if she knows anything. She and Ada have been good friends for a long time. Ada might have confided in her.”
Loraine nodded. “That’s a good idea. In the meantime, we’d better both be praying.”
***
As Katie and her father headed for Topeka, her head lolled against the seat, and she closed her eyes. Ever since the accident, riding in any vehicle made her feel nervous. She wished she could make the anxious feelings stop, but she didn’t know how. “You’re awfully quiet.” Dad nudged Katie’s arm. “Are you sleeping?”
Katie opened her eyes. “I’m awake; just trying to relax.”
“Are you still feeling sad about your grossmudder and
grossdaadi
moving to Wisconsin?”
“Jah.” No point in telling Dad that she was nervous about riding in the buggy. She was sure he wouldn’t understand.
They traveled in silence until they came to Clara’s driveway. When Dad pulled the buggy up to the hitching rail, he motioned to the package sitting on the floor by Katie’s feet. “Would you mind taking Clara’s things in to her?”
“Okay.” Katie picked up the package, sprinted for the house, and knocked on the door.
When Clara didn’t answer, she knocked again.
Still no response.
The door squeaked when she opened it and poked her head inside. “Clara, are you at home?”
No reply.
Figuring Clara might be upstairs or out back in the garden, Katie decided to leave the package on the kitchen table. She stepped into the room and halted when she saw Clara lying on the floor. Katie’s heart pounded. She was sure the woman must be dead!
CHAPTER 9
Katie raced outside, hollering, “
Kumme,
Dad,
schnell!”
“What’s wrong?” Dad asked as he scrambled out of the buggy. “What are you hollering about?”
“Clara’s lying on the kitchen floor, and I ... I’m sure she’s dead!” Katie shook so hard that her teeth chattered.
Dad quickly tied his horse to the hitching rail and raced for the house.
Katie lowered herself to the grass and drew in a couple of deep breaths, hoping to calm her racing heart.
Several minutes passed before Dad came out of the house and hurried toward Katie. “Clara’s not dead. She was only sleeping.”
Katie’s brows furrowed. “Why would she be sleeping in the middle of the kitchen floor?”
“She said she’d been mopping the floor and got a kink in her back. Said it hurt so bad she had to lie down on the floor and ended up falling asleep.”
“If she was only sleeping, why didn’t she hear me knock or call out to her?”
“Said she didn’t have her hearing aid
The
clip-clop
of horse’s hooves and the rumble of buggy wheels drew Loraine’s attention to the window. She smiled when she recognized her mother’s horse and buggy pulling up to the hitching rail.
Loraine dried her hands on a towel and hurried to the door.
“Wie geht’s?” Mom asked as she stepped onto the porch a short time later.
“I’m fine. How are you?”
“Other than sniffling because of my spring allergies, I can’t complain.”
Loraine opened the door and motioned Mom inside. “Come on in, and let’s have a cup of tea.”
“That sounds good.” Mom followed Loraine into the kitchen and took a seat at the table. “Where’s Ada? Isn’t she going to join us?”
“She had an appointment with her chiropractor this morning, and I think she planned to do some shopping afterwards.” Loraine’s forehead wrinkled. “I’m worried about her and Crist. I think they’re having marital problems.”
Mom sucked in her breath. “Ach, my! Do you know what the problem is between them?”
“Not really, but they were both very quiet during breakfast this morning, which is unusual, especially for Ada.”
Mom blew on her tea and took a sip. “Communication is the key to a successful marriage. Maybe I should talk to the bishop’s wife and see if she knows anything. She and Ada have been good friends for a long time. Ada might have confided in her.”
Loraine nodded. “That’s a good idea. In the meantime, we’d better both be praying.”
***
As Katie and her father headed for Topeka, her head lolled against the seat, and she closed her eyes. Ever since the accident, riding in any vehicle made her feel nervous. She wished she could make the anxious feelings stop, but she didn’t know how. “You’re awfully quiet.” Dad nudged Katie’s arm. “Are you sleeping?”
Katie opened her eyes. “I’m awake; just trying to relax.”
“Are you still feeling sad about your grossmudder and
grossdaadi
moving to Wisconsin?”
“Jah.” No point in telling Dad that she was nervous about riding in the buggy. She was sure he wouldn’t understand.
They traveled in silence until they came to Clara’s driveway. When Dad pulled the buggy up to the hitching rail, he motioned to the package sitting on the floor by Katie’s feet. “Would you mind taking Clara’s things in to her?”
“Okay.” Katie picked up the package, sprinted for the house, and knocked on the door.
When Clara didn’t answer, she knocked again.
Still no response.
The door squeaked when she opened it and poked her head inside. “Clara, are you at home?”
No reply.
Figuring Clara might be upstairs or out back in the garden, Katie decided to leave the package on the kitchen table. She stepped into the room and halted when she saw Clara lying on the floor. Katie’s heart pounded. She was sure the woman must be dead!
CHAPTER 9
Katie raced outside, hollering, “
Kumme,
Dad,
schnell!”
“What’s wrong?” Dad asked as he scrambled out of the buggy. “What are you hollering about?”
“Clara’s lying on the kitchen floor, and I ... I’m sure she’s dead!” Katie shook so hard that her teeth chattered.
Dad quickly tied his horse to the hitching rail and raced for the house.
Katie lowered herself to the grass and drew in a couple of deep breaths, hoping to calm her racing heart.
Several minutes passed before Dad came out of the house and hurried toward Katie. “Clara’s not dead. She was only sleeping.”
Katie’s brows furrowed. “Why would she be sleeping in the middle of the kitchen floor?”
“She said she’d been mopping the floor and got a kink in her back. Said it hurt so bad she had to lie down on the floor and ended up falling asleep.”
“If she was only sleeping, why didn’t she hear me knock or call out to her?”
“Said she didn’t have her hearing aid
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