A Cousin's Promise (6 page)

Loraine jerked on the reins. The horse pulled out of the way just in time to avoid hitting the car coming toward her. “Thank You, Lord,” she murmured. “That was too close for my comfort.”

She gave Trixie the freedom to trot, and by the time they were halfway to work, the horse had worked up a sweat. Suddenly, a siren blared behind her, and she nearly jumped out of her seat. Thinking that a rescue vehicle must be coming down the road, she guided her horse and buggy to the side of the road. The next thing she knew, a police car had pulled in behind her. She gulped when a uniformed officer got out of the car and headed her way.

“Is there a problem?” Loraine asked when the policeman stepped up to her buggy.

“Someone called in a report about a horse and buggy that had nearly hit them on this stretch of road.” He squinted over the top of his metal-framed glasses. “Since your horse and buggy is the only one I’ve seen on this stretch of road, I figured it had to be you.”

Loraine hated to admit that she hadn’t been concentrating on the road, but she didn’t want to lie to the man, either. “I ... uh ... yes, it was me.”

“Have you been drinking?”

“No, of course not! I was in deep thought about my fiancé having just lost his leg in an accident he and I were involved in several days ago, and I didn’t realize my horse had wandered into oncoming traffic.”

His forehead wrinkled. “I should give you a ticket for reckless driving, but since I can see how distraught you seem to be, I’ll let you off with a warning. However, I caution you to be more careful from now on.”

“Yes. Yes, I will.”

The officer glanced at Trixie and squinted. “I see your horse is pretty well lathered up, which tells me you must have been running it too fast. I really should call a vet to come check on the animal.” His bushy eyebrows pulled together as he slowly shook his head. “There’s too much animal abuse going on these days, and it’s got to stop!”

“My horse is lathered up, but I haven’t been running her too hard,” Loraine said. “She’s prone to sweating, so this is perfectly normal for her.”

“Are you sure about that?”

She nodded. “If you don’t believe me, you can call a vet to check Trixie over.”

“Trixie, is it?” The officer chuckled. “Okay, I’m going to trust that everything you’ve told me is the truth.” His smile faded. “Next time, though, you’d better keep a closer eye on your horse. Besides the fact that you should never run a horse too fast, there have been way too many accidents on this stretch of road, and we sure don’t need any more.”

“Thank you, sir.”

His smile was back. “Now run along, and don’t forget to rub that horse down good.”

“Of course.”

The officer returned to his vehicle, and Loraine breathed a sigh of relief. This was not starting out as a good day!

Wayne closed his eyes and tried to sleep, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Loraine and how dejected she’d looked when he’d said he hadn’t changed his mind about marrying her. It almost killed him to give her up, but he saw no other way.

He curled his fingers into his palms as he stared at the stump of his leg.
I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to accept what’s happened to me because I’ll never be a whole man again.

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Wayne turned his head toward the door and called, “Come in.”

“I’m glad you’re not asleep,” Pop said when he poked his head into Wayne’s room. “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”

“What’s that?”

Pop stepped into the room and took a seat in the chair next to Wayne’s bed. “I’ve been praying about something for sometime, and I’ve finally made a decision.”

“A decision about what?”

“I’m going to quit farming and turn my hobby of taxidermy into a full-time business.”

Wayne’s teeth snapped together with a noisy click. “You’re kidding!”

Pop shook his head. “This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long while, and I feel now’s the right time.”

“What about your land? Who’s going to farm it if you open a taxidermy business?”

“I’m going to lease out the land to Harold Fry. I’ve already talked to him about it, and he’s agreed to the arrangement.”

Wayne’s face contorted. If felt like someone had kicked him in the stomach. He had a hunch Pop’s decision to quit farming and open his own taxidermy business was because of him and his missing leg.

Pop tapped Wayne’s shoulder a couple of times. “If things go well, like I hope, then I might need a partner in my new business.”

“I hope you’re not thinking of me.”

“I sure was. I think taxidermy would be a good thing for you to try, and it’s something you can do from your wheelchair if necessary.”

Wayne shook his head vigorously. “No way! Working with a bunch of dead animal skins isn’t for me!”

“How do you know that?”

“ ’Cause it isn’t, that’s all. I’d rather be farming.”

“But you can’t farm anymore. You said so yourself.”

Wayne jerked his head, feeling as if he’d been slapped. “I—I know what I said, but if I should get a prosthesis, and if we were both farming, then maybe—”

Pop held up his hand. “The decision’s already been made about the farm, and I think I know what’s best. You’ll just have to accept things as they are.” The floor squeaked as he rose from his chair. “Anytime you feel ready, I’ll be happy to teach you what you need to know about taxidermy.”

When the door clicked shut behind Pop, Wayne rolled over and punched his pillow.
If he wants to become a taxidermist, that’s up to him, but he’ll never talk me into messing with it!

Priscilla had just taken a seat on the sofa late that afternoon when Loraine entered the room, her face pale and lips trembling. “You look so sad. Is something wrong?” Priscilla asked.

“Es is mir verleed.”
Loraine sank into the rocking chair with a groan.

“Why are you discouraged?”

“I was so upset after I left Wayne’s home that I almost got a ticket for reckless driving.”

“I’ve never known you to drive the horse and buggy recklessly.”

“I did today because I wasn’t paying attention.” Loraine gnawed on her lower lip. “Wayne hasn’t changed his mind about marrying me, Mom. To make matters worse, he thinks it would be best if we didn’t see each other anywhere except at church.”

“Does that mean he doesn’t want you to go over to his house anymore?”

“I believe it does.” Loraine jumped out of her chair and began pacing. “I don’t know how, but I have to get Wayne to change his mind about marrying me. I’ll do whatever I have to in order to help us financially, too. I’ll even work two jobs if that’s what it takes.”

Priscilla left her seat and stepped up to Loraine. “If Wayne feels he’s made the right decision, then don’t you think it’s time for you to accept things as they are?”

“No, I can’t accept Wayne’s decision. I could tell from the tender expression on his face that he still loves me, and unless he says otherwise, I’m not giving up on us because I’m sure we’re supposed to be together. I know I’ve got my work cut out for me, because Wayne keeps pushing me away when he needs me the most, but I can’t give up on us.”

Priscilla sighed deeply. “I know you care about Wayne, but you really should be taking care of yourself right now. You’ve been through a great ordeal, and you don’t need to be worried about Wayne so much that you’re getting yourself all worked up and upset.” She patted Loraine gently on the back. “Give yourself a little time to get through all the emotional wounds, and then maybe—”

Loraine shook her head. “I don’t care about my own needs right now. I only care about Wayne’s needs, and I’ll do what it takes to get through to him.”

With tears streaming down her face, Loraine fled the room and dashed up the stairs.

Priscilla sank to the sofa and closed her eyes.
I think I ought to pay a call on the Lambrights, and it had better be soon.

As Priscilla guided her horse and buggy toward the Lambrights’ place the next morning, she rehearsed in her mind what she was going to say when she saw Wayne. She had left home after Loraine had gone to work because she didn’t want her to know where she was going.

She turned up the Lambrights’ driveway, climbed down from the buggy, and tied the horse to a hitching rail near the barn. Then she hurried to the house. A few seconds after she’d rapped on the door, it opened, and Wayne’s mother appeared.

“Guder mariye,” Priscilla said.

Ada nodded. “Good morning. What brings you by so early in the day?”

“I came to see how Wayne’s doing.”

“He’s having trouble adjusting to only one leg, but he’s getting along as well as can be expected.”

“Would it be all right if I came in and said hello to him?”

Ada glanced over her shoulder. “He’s in the kitchen having a cup of coffee, but he didn’t sleep well last night, so I don’t know if he’s up to any company this morning.”

“I promise I won’t stay long.”

“All right then.”

Ada led the way to the kitchen, where Wayne sat at the table in his wheelchair. His slumped shoulders and haggard expression gave indication that he really was tired.

“How are you feeling?” Priscilla asked, taking a seat in the chair beside him.

“I’ve been better,” he mumbled.

“He’s in a lot of pain yet.” Ada handed Priscilla a cup of coffee.

“Danki.” She turned to Wayne. “Doesn’t the pain medicine help with that?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes.”

“We’re going to ask the doctor to try some other medicine for the pain Wayne’s been having,” Ada said. “There’s just no good reason for him having to suffer like this.”

Priscilla grimaced. She wished Ada would leave the room so she could speak to Wayne privately, but she didn’t think she ought to come right out and make such a request.

“I’d like to talk to you about something,” she said to Wayne.

“What’s that?”

“It’s about you and Loraine.”

“What about them?” Ada butted in.

Priscilla gritted her teeth. She’d had just about enough of Ada’s constant interrupting. “I understand that you broke things off with Loraine,” she said, directing her comment to Wayne again.

“That’s right,” Ada said before he could respond. “Wayne doesn’t feel that he can take on the responsibility of marriage right now.”

“That’s true,” Wayne said. “With only one leg, I won’t be able to farm. Besides, my daed’s decided to lease out his land so he can become a full-time taxidermist. So even if I could still farm, I have no land to work anymore.”

Priscilla couldn’t help but notice the bitterness in Wayne’s tone. She’d never seen him so negative before. Loraine was right about him being depressed, which was just one more reason Priscilla felt he wouldn’t make a good husband.

Ada moved away from the table and turned on the water at the sink. “I don’t see how my husband thinks he’s going to earn a living making dead animals look like they’re alive,” she mumbled. “But if that’s what he wants to do, then I’ll keep quiet about it.”

I’ll just bet you will.
Priscilla noticed that she was gripping the handle of her cup really hard, and fearing it might break, she set it on the table.
I wish you’d be quiet right now, Ada, and let me speak to your son without your interruptions.
She looked at Wayne to gauge his reaction to his mother’s comment, but his gaze remained fixed on his cup of coffee.

“I ... uh ... want you to know that I agree with your decision to break off your engagement to my daughter.” Priscilla paused to wait for Wayne’s response, but he said nothing.

“That’s what I told him, too,” Ada said over her shoulder. “I’m sure Loraine’s upset about it, but she’s a nice enough looking young woman. She’s bound to catch the attention of some other fellow soon enough.”

A muscle on the side of Wayne’s neck quivered. “I won’t hold Loraine to her promise to marry me, so if she wants to find someone else, she’s free to do so.” He backed his wheelchair away from the table and swung it around. “I’m tired. I think I’ll go back to bed.”

As soon as Wayne wheeled out of the room, Ada moved back to the table and leaned close to Priscilla. “I’m relieved to know you agree with me about Wayne breaking up with Loraine. I think it helps that we’re thinking alike on this.”

Priscilla nodded. “I only hope my daughter learns to accept things as they are and moves on with her life.”

“Guder mariye. How are things going for you?” Esther Lehman asked when Loraine entered the hardware store in Shipshewana.

“Okay.” Loraine didn’t think her boss needed to hear how she really felt this morning. Work wasn’t the place to discuss her personal feelings.

“Are you ready for a busy day of stocking shelves and waiting on customers?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Good, because we just got in a shipment of garden tools. There are also some boxes of weather vanes and birdhouses that need to be set out.”

Loraine nodded. “That’s fine. I’ll do whatever needs to be done.”

Esther motioned to the front counter. “You know where everything is, so I’d better get back to waiting on customers and let you get busy.”

“Jah, I need to do that.” Loraine hurried to the back room. She’d only been working a short time when her hands began to sweat and perspiration broke out on her forehead.

Maybe I shouldn’t be working today. I can’t seem to keep my mind off the situation with Wayne.

She reached for another birdhouse and was about to set it on the proper shelf, when it slipped from her fingers and crashed to the floor.

“What happened? I heard a clatter,” Esther said, rushing up to Loraine.

“I—I dropped a birdhouse.” Loraine motioned to the floor. “Thankfully, it doesn’t appear to be broken.” With a shaky hand, she wiped the perspiration from her forehead.

“Are you all right? Maybe you shouldn’t have come to work today.” Esther’s pinched expression revealed her obvious concern.

Loraine shook her head. “I’ll be okay.”

Esther glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, there’s someone waiting at the front counter, so I’d better go. Feel free to take a break if you need to.”

“Danki.”

Esther walked away, and Loraine bent to pick up the birdhouse. She was about to place it on the shelf when she heard someone call her name from behind her. She whirled around and was surprised to see Ella.

“I wondered if you’d be working today,” Ella said.

“Jah, but I’m not doing a very good job of it.” Loraine placed the birdhouse on the shelf and then pointed at it. “I dropped this because my hands are so shaky.”

“How come they’re shaky? Did something happen on the way to work this morning to get you upset?”

Loraine shook her head. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Why not?”

“I went to see Wayne again yesterday, hoping he’d change his mind about marrying me.” Loraine sighed. “He wouldn’t budge and even said we should stop seeing each other socially.”

“I’m sorry to hear that. What are you going to do?”

“For now, just try to be his friend. That’s the only thing I can do, I guess, because if I keep pestering him about his decision, I’m sure it’ll only drive him further away.”

“I think you’re right about that.” Ella moved closer to Loraine. “Speaking of Wayne...” Her voice lowered to a whisper. “When I was on my way to town, I saw your mamm’s horse and buggy pulling out of the Lambrights’ driveway.”

Loraine’s forehead wrinkled. “Are you sure it was my mamm’s rig?”

“Absolutely. She even waved as I went past.”

“That seems a bit odd. Mom never mentioned to me that she’d be going over to the Lambrights’ this morning.” A spot on the side of Loraine’s head began to pulsate, and she reached up to massage it.
I hope she didn’t say anything to Wayne about him breaking up with me.

Loraine moved over to a wooden bench that was on clearance and took a seat. “I know Ada doesn’t want us to get married,” she said after Ella had taken a seat beside her. “Maybe our mamms are in cahoots.”

“You think they’re working together to keep you and Wayne apart?”

“I wouldn’t be surprised. Everything’s been so verhuddelt since the accident, and nothing makes any sense. It seems like everyone’s at odds with each other, too. It’s very discouraging.”

Ella took hold of Loraine’s hand. “Is there anything I can do to help? Maybe speak to Wayne on your behalf, or have a talk with his mamm or your mamm?”

Loraine shook her head. “You’ve got enough to deal with in your own home right now. Besides, if anyone should speak to my mamm, it ought to be me.” She drew in a deep breath. “In fact, I’m going to do that as soon as I get home. I need to know the reason she paid the Lambrights a visit this morning.”

As Jake Beechy drove through the town of Libby, Montana, he spotted a small store on the left.
Maybe I’ll stop and see if they have anything to eat or drink. I need something to tide me over till I get back to the ranch.

He pulled his truck into the parking lot and turned off the engine. A wave of homesickness washed over him when he entered the store and spotted a middle-aged Amish man behind the counter. He’d heard there were some Amish people living in Montana, but he hadn’t seen any until today.

“Are you the owner of this store?” he asked the man behind the front counter.

“Yes. My wife and I are originally from Ohio, but we’ve been living here for the last ten years. I’ve been tempted to sell out a few times, yet here we still are.”

“Fer was hoscht’s net geduh?”

The man stared at Jake like he couldn’t believe what he’d said. “Didn’t you just ask me why I didn’t do it?”

Jake nodded.

“You speak the
Dietch?
”

Jake nodded again. “I’m from Indiana. My family’s Amish.”

“But you’re wearing English clothes. Does that mean you decided to go English?”

Jake raked his fingers through the ends of his short-cropped hair. “I left home almost two years ago and have never returned.”

“Mind if I ask why?”

“Why I left or why I haven’t gone home?”

“Both.”

“I left to work on a horse ranch southeast of here. Figured it was a quick way to make good money, but I still don’t have enough to do what I want.”

“And that would be?”

“I’d like to raise my own thoroughbred horses. Maybe train and board them, as well.”

“Raising horses can be expensive.”

“I know, and that’s why I’m still working at the ranch here in Montana.”

“And the reason you haven’t been home?” the man asked as he leaned on the counter.

Jake shrugged. “I’ve thought about it plenty, and I might go back someday when I’m ready to settle down and my bank account is full of money.”

“So what brings you to Libby?” the man asked.

Jake nodded toward the window where his truck and horse trailer were parked. “I’m on my way back from a horse auction, where I bought a couple of horses for my boss.”

“I guess your boss must trust you, huh?”

Jake shrugged. “I hope so. As I was on my way out of town, I spotted your little store and decided to stop in and see if you had anything to eat or drink.”

The man motioned to the back of the store. “There’s water, juice, and soda pop in the cooler. You’ll find some cheese and meat packages there, too.”

“Sounds like just what I’m looking for.” Jake hurried to the back of the store, knowing he needed to quit yakking and get back on the road.

He was about to open the cooler when a young Amish woman walked by. He stared at her a few minutes, then moved on. The woman’s brown hair and brown eyes reminded him of Loraine.

Jake’s heartbeat picked up speed. He hadn’t thought of Loraine in a long while. Not since he’d started dating Roxanne, the boss’s daughter. Jake and Roxanne had been dating for six months when she’d decided to go to some Bible college in Missouri. Said she wanted to be a missionary and had asked Jake to join her. He didn’t feel called to mission work. For that matter, he wasn’t sure his feelings for Roxanne went deep enough for a lasting relationship. In fact, he’d almost felt relief when she’d gone off to college.

Pulling his thoughts aside, Jake grabbed a package of cheese and a bottle of lemonade from the cooler. Then he found a box of crackers on a nearby shelf.

When he headed back to the counter to pay for them, he discovered the Amish man was reading a newspaper Jake recognized as
The Budget.

“Looks like you found something to eat,” the man said, looking up and setting the paper aside.

Jake nodded and chuckled. “This should provide me with enough fuel to get me up the road a few more miles at least.”

“What part of Indiana did you say you were from?” the man asked as he put Jake’s purchases in a paper sack.

“Northern Indiana. My folks live just outside of Goshen.”

The man motioned to the newspaper. “Before you came in, I was reading in here about a vanload of young Amish people who were from Goshen, Middlebury, and Topeka. Guess they were involved in a bad accident a few weeks ago.”

“Can I see that?”

The man handed Jake the newspaper.

Jake’s lips compressed as he read the article that had been submitted by a scribe living in Middlebury. When he saw the names of those who’d been riding in the van, his heart nearly stopped beating.
Loraine. I’ve got to go home!

“I’m glad you’re home. I could use some help cutting the potatoes I’ll be using in a new casserole dish I want to try for supper,” Priscilla said when Loraine came in the back door.

“I’d be glad to help, but first I’d like to ask you a question,” Loraine said as she hung up her jacket and outer bonnet.

“We can talk while we do the potatoes.”

“Okay. Just let me wash my hands and slip into my choring apron first.”

By the time Loraine returned to the kitchen, Priscilla had everything ready.

“Mom, I—”

“Did you hear that—”

They’d both spoken at the same time.

Priscilla snickered. “You go ahead.”

“No, you first, Mom.”