Read Online When Mercy Rains by Kim Vogel Sawyer - Free Book Online
Authors: Kim Vogel Sawyer
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Suzanne
Breakfast turned into a chaotic affair, and Suzanne wished she’d stayed upstairs. Little Jana bumped Jay’s glass of milk with her elbow, dumping it into Julie’s lap. Julie set up a howl that surely was heard all the way into town. Jana, out of pity for her soggy sister, added her wails to the mix. Tanya took Julie upstairs to wash away the stickiness and change her clothes, and while they were gone, Jay ate the last piece of toast, which Julie had wanted. Consequently another storm erupted. By the time Clete left with all three children in tow—to drop Jay and Julie at school and then take Jana to Shelley’s for the day—Suzanne’s head ached from the tumult. How had her mother slept through such a clamor?
As soon as the door closed behind them, Tanya turned to Suzanne with an embarrassed grimace. “Aren’t you glad you won’t be taking care of them ?”
If she were to answer honestly, she would hurt Tanya’s feelings. “They’re young, away from their own home and routine. They’re bound to be a little rambunctious.”
Tanya’s smile thanked her for her understanding. She grabbed the dishrag from the corner of the sink. “I’ll get this table cleaned up so Alexa won’t have to sit in our crumbs when she eats breakfast. Do you think she’ll be down soon?”
Suzanne had awakened Alexa when she went up to dress, and she’d expected her to come straight down. Maybe their day of travel on top of her weeks ofbeing almost too excited to sleep had caught up with her. “I’m not sure. But don’t worry about fixing her anything. She’s quite self-sufficient in a kitchen.”
Tanya paused in scrubbing up the milk rings left from the children’s cups. “She’s a very pretty girl, Suzanne, and so polite. You must be proud of her.”
Suzanne crossed to the stove and poured herself a cup of coffee. She chose her words carefully. “I am. Alexa is the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t imagine my life without her.”
“I feel the same way about our three. Even though they wear me out sometimes!” Tanya rinsed the rag and hung it over the sink’s edge. She leaned against the counter and fixed Suzanne with a pensive look. “I noticed both you and Alexa wear skirts, but neither of you have head coverings.”
Subconsciously Suzanne touched her heavy braided bun with trembling fingertips.
“I hope I’m not being intrusive, but I wondered … Have you left the Mennonite faith?”
“Alexa and I attend a Mennonite Brethren church in Pleasant View, a small town near Franklin, where we live. The hospital where I work is supported by the MB church.” She deliberately used the present tense when referring to church, work, and home.
“I’ve heard of the denomination, but I’m not familiar with the Mennonite Brethren. Are they similar to Old Order in their beliefs?”
Suzanne sought the best explanation. “The church is very scripturally based, but they don’t follow specific dictates concerning attire or forbid using worldly conveniences. Those things are left to the individual conscience.” She glanced down at her lightweight hunter-green sweater and khaki skirt and offered a short laugh. “Although I’ve been away from Arborville for more years than not, I feel more comfortable in a skirt, and Alexa has chosen to respect my preference.”
“May I ask … How did you come to join their church?”
If Suzanne were to give Tanya a complete answer, it would take hours. And open the door to far more questions than she wanted to field. “We stayed withan MB couple in Indianapolis while I attended nursing school. Had it not been for their help with Alexa, I wouldn’t have been able to earn my license as an RN. I’m very grateful to them.”
“I’m glad you had people to help you. It must have been hard when Alexa was small.”
Memories rose to torment her. Of those baby days when Alexa cried and Suzanne cried, too, frightened she’d taken on more than she
Suzanne
Breakfast turned into a chaotic affair, and Suzanne wished she’d stayed upstairs. Little Jana bumped Jay’s glass of milk with her elbow, dumping it into Julie’s lap. Julie set up a howl that surely was heard all the way into town. Jana, out of pity for her soggy sister, added her wails to the mix. Tanya took Julie upstairs to wash away the stickiness and change her clothes, and while they were gone, Jay ate the last piece of toast, which Julie had wanted. Consequently another storm erupted. By the time Clete left with all three children in tow—to drop Jay and Julie at school and then take Jana to Shelley’s for the day—Suzanne’s head ached from the tumult. How had her mother slept through such a clamor?
As soon as the door closed behind them, Tanya turned to Suzanne with an embarrassed grimace. “Aren’t you glad you won’t be taking care of them ?”
If she were to answer honestly, she would hurt Tanya’s feelings. “They’re young, away from their own home and routine. They’re bound to be a little rambunctious.”
Tanya’s smile thanked her for her understanding. She grabbed the dishrag from the corner of the sink. “I’ll get this table cleaned up so Alexa won’t have to sit in our crumbs when she eats breakfast. Do you think she’ll be down soon?”
Suzanne had awakened Alexa when she went up to dress, and she’d expected her to come straight down. Maybe their day of travel on top of her weeks ofbeing almost too excited to sleep had caught up with her. “I’m not sure. But don’t worry about fixing her anything. She’s quite self-sufficient in a kitchen.”
Tanya paused in scrubbing up the milk rings left from the children’s cups. “She’s a very pretty girl, Suzanne, and so polite. You must be proud of her.”
Suzanne crossed to the stove and poured herself a cup of coffee. She chose her words carefully. “I am. Alexa is the best thing that ever happened to me. I can’t imagine my life without her.”
“I feel the same way about our three. Even though they wear me out sometimes!” Tanya rinsed the rag and hung it over the sink’s edge. She leaned against the counter and fixed Suzanne with a pensive look. “I noticed both you and Alexa wear skirts, but neither of you have head coverings.”
Subconsciously Suzanne touched her heavy braided bun with trembling fingertips.
“I hope I’m not being intrusive, but I wondered … Have you left the Mennonite faith?”
“Alexa and I attend a Mennonite Brethren church in Pleasant View, a small town near Franklin, where we live. The hospital where I work is supported by the MB church.” She deliberately used the present tense when referring to church, work, and home.
“I’ve heard of the denomination, but I’m not familiar with the Mennonite Brethren. Are they similar to Old Order in their beliefs?”
Suzanne sought the best explanation. “The church is very scripturally based, but they don’t follow specific dictates concerning attire or forbid using worldly conveniences. Those things are left to the individual conscience.” She glanced down at her lightweight hunter-green sweater and khaki skirt and offered a short laugh. “Although I’ve been away from Arborville for more years than not, I feel more comfortable in a skirt, and Alexa has chosen to respect my preference.”
“May I ask … How did you come to join their church?”
If Suzanne were to give Tanya a complete answer, it would take hours. And open the door to far more questions than she wanted to field. “We stayed withan MB couple in Indianapolis while I attended nursing school. Had it not been for their help with Alexa, I wouldn’t have been able to earn my license as an RN. I’m very grateful to them.”
“I’m glad you had people to help you. It must have been hard when Alexa was small.”
Memories rose to torment her. Of those baby days when Alexa cried and Suzanne cried, too, frightened she’d taken on more than she
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