assumption that they’d be here for the winter to eat the peaches shook Anna, and it took a moment to reply. “She does enjoy her food.”
Gracie seemed to have blossomed in the time they’d been here, her cheeks rounding, her chubby little legs getting sturdier. Maybe she was just thriving on all the attention she was getting and from being encouraged to try new things by her two-years-older cousin.
Where would she and Gracie be, come winter? She didn’t know. Not here. By then Pete would have lost interest, or else he’d be back in jail.
She couldn’t go back to living Amish, not after having been in the world for so long. Not after being free to make decisions for herself.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Again, Myra seemed to respond to her thoughts. “It’s gut to have another woman in the house.”
“You’re nice to say that, but I’m sure you’d rather be alone with Joseph and your little Sarah.”
She glanced out the window over the sink. The shop was clearly visible, and even now she could see Samuel’s tall figure move past the open door.
She’d talked to Samuel at meals, of course, in the two days since she’d accused him of nosiness, but she’d been careful not to venture near the shop while he was there working. She didn’t want another private conversation with him, maybe because her conscience was telling her that she owed him an apology. He’d been trying to help, and she had slapped the offer away as if it were an insult.
“With my mamm gone and my sister living clear out in Indiana, I’ve missed having a woman around to talk to, and that’s the truth,” Myra said. “Especially now.” She rested her palm on the small bump under her apron, smoothing it protectively.
Anna had seen Jannie do the same thing, time after time. Unease shivered along her nerves as she thought of that trip Myra had made to the clinic the day she’d arrived.
“Myra, is something wrong?” The question was out before she could tell herself it was intrusive—as intrusive as Samuel’s offer of advice.
Myra set down the jar she’d been wiping and stared at it for a long moment. “The doctor is concerned about the baby.”
The words cut straight to Anna’s heart. “Myra, I’m so sorry.” She fought to keep her voice level. “You must be worried. What does the doctor say?”
“Just that I must have more tests. That the tests will show if the baby has problems.” She pressed her hands against the edge of the sink, as if she needed to hang on to something, and then she turned a fear-filled gaze on Anna. “I try to have faith that it will be as God wills, but I . . . Oh, Anna, what if something is wrong with the boppli? What if I am not strong enough to handle it?”
Anna’s throat was too tight to answer, her mind a jumble of images in which Jannie and Myra seemed to mix. She wrapped her arms around Myra. Myra clung to her tightly, her tear-wet cheek pressed against Anna’s shoulder.
“It will be all right,” she said, her voice soothing once she could speak. “It will.”
But what if it wasn’t? Things didn’t always turn out for the best. Anna knew that only too well. How could sweet, sensitive Myra handle it if her baby had a serious medical problem?
Myra pulled back, grabbing a dish towel to blot her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t act so weak. It’s just that sometimes I feel I must let it out, and I can’t cry in front of Joseph. He doesn’t know what to do when I cry, and it upsets him so.”
Anna patted her arm. “You can cry in front of me anytime you want.”
For as long as I am here . The words clung in her mind like a bramble caught on her skin.
“I wondered . . . I wanted to ask you . . .” Whatever it was, Myra seemed to have trouble getting the words out. She stopped, took a deep breath. “Anna, would you go with me when I have the tests? I don’t want to keep taking Joseph away from the shop, and besides, it just makes him worry more. I’d go by myself,
Gracie seemed to have blossomed in the time they’d been here, her cheeks rounding, her chubby little legs getting sturdier. Maybe she was just thriving on all the attention she was getting and from being encouraged to try new things by her two-years-older cousin.
Where would she and Gracie be, come winter? She didn’t know. Not here. By then Pete would have lost interest, or else he’d be back in jail.
She couldn’t go back to living Amish, not after having been in the world for so long. Not after being free to make decisions for herself.
“I’m glad you’re here.” Again, Myra seemed to respond to her thoughts. “It’s gut to have another woman in the house.”
“You’re nice to say that, but I’m sure you’d rather be alone with Joseph and your little Sarah.”
She glanced out the window over the sink. The shop was clearly visible, and even now she could see Samuel’s tall figure move past the open door.
She’d talked to Samuel at meals, of course, in the two days since she’d accused him of nosiness, but she’d been careful not to venture near the shop while he was there working. She didn’t want another private conversation with him, maybe because her conscience was telling her that she owed him an apology. He’d been trying to help, and she had slapped the offer away as if it were an insult.
“With my mamm gone and my sister living clear out in Indiana, I’ve missed having a woman around to talk to, and that’s the truth,” Myra said. “Especially now.” She rested her palm on the small bump under her apron, smoothing it protectively.
Anna had seen Jannie do the same thing, time after time. Unease shivered along her nerves as she thought of that trip Myra had made to the clinic the day she’d arrived.
“Myra, is something wrong?” The question was out before she could tell herself it was intrusive—as intrusive as Samuel’s offer of advice.
Myra set down the jar she’d been wiping and stared at it for a long moment. “The doctor is concerned about the baby.”
The words cut straight to Anna’s heart. “Myra, I’m so sorry.” She fought to keep her voice level. “You must be worried. What does the doctor say?”
“Just that I must have more tests. That the tests will show if the baby has problems.” She pressed her hands against the edge of the sink, as if she needed to hang on to something, and then she turned a fear-filled gaze on Anna. “I try to have faith that it will be as God wills, but I . . . Oh, Anna, what if something is wrong with the boppli? What if I am not strong enough to handle it?”
Anna’s throat was too tight to answer, her mind a jumble of images in which Jannie and Myra seemed to mix. She wrapped her arms around Myra. Myra clung to her tightly, her tear-wet cheek pressed against Anna’s shoulder.
“It will be all right,” she said, her voice soothing once she could speak. “It will.”
But what if it wasn’t? Things didn’t always turn out for the best. Anna knew that only too well. How could sweet, sensitive Myra handle it if her baby had a serious medical problem?
Myra pulled back, grabbing a dish towel to blot her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t act so weak. It’s just that sometimes I feel I must let it out, and I can’t cry in front of Joseph. He doesn’t know what to do when I cry, and it upsets him so.”
Anna patted her arm. “You can cry in front of me anytime you want.”
For as long as I am here . The words clung in her mind like a bramble caught on her skin.
“I wondered . . . I wanted to ask you . . .” Whatever it was, Myra seemed to have trouble getting the words out. She stopped, took a deep breath. “Anna, would you go with me when I have the tests? I don’t want to keep taking Joseph away from the shop, and besides, it just makes him worry more. I’d go by myself,
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