A Sister's Test (37 page)

She shook her head. “I like to keep busy. Besides, Sunday’s coming, and since there won’t be church this week, I can rest all day.”

“I’ve got an idea,” Abe said, nuzzling his daughter’s rosy cheek.

“What’s that?”

“I’ve been promising to take my brood on a picnic, so maybe it would be good to take this Saturday off and make good on that promise. Why don’t you join me and the kinner at the pond?”

“Oh, I don’t know—”

“It would help if you came along. Handling my six alone can be quite a job.”

Ruth’s gaze came to rest on Owen, who stared up at his father with an expectant expression. Then she looked at little Molly resting her head against Abe’s broad shoulders, and her resolve weakened. It would be nice to spend the day soaking up the sun, playing with Abe’s children, and watching the ducks floating on his pond. “All right,” she said with a nod. “I’ll pack a picnic lunch and go with you and the kinner on Saturday.”

“You don’t have to make the lunch,” Abe was quick to say. “I’ll fix some sandwiches and bring along some of those good-tasting cookies you made earlier in the week. That ought to be plenty.”

“How about if I fix a jug of iced tea for us and bring some cream soda for the kinner?”

Abe nodded. “That’d be nice.” He kissed Molly’s cheek and handed her over to Ruth, then bent down and ruffled Owen’s hair.
“You be good for Ruth, ya hear?”

The boy nodded soberly and followed Ruth out the door. As she led the way to the house, a feeling she hadn’t felt in many months settled over her like a welcoming breeze on a hot summer day: the feeling of anticipation.

A
s Ruth reclined on the quilt Abe had spread on the ground near the pond, she lifted her head and stared at the cloudless sky. It was a beautiful summer day, and the sun felt good as it bathed her face with its warm, soothing rays.

Squeals of laughter from Abe’s children blended with the call of a dove. It was the first time in a long while that Ruth had felt relaxed.

“Do you like being here at the pond?” Abe asked, taking a seat on the quilt beside her.

“Very much. It’s peaceful here, and I feel calmer than I have in many weeks.”

“Can you see the quiet?”

She smiled. “Jah. Almost.”

Abe shifted on the quilt. “Are you hungry? I could get the ice chest and bring out the sandwiches I made this morning.”

“I’m not quite ready to eat, but if you’re hungry or you think the kinner need to eat, then please go ahead.”

He shook his head. “I think they’d like to play awhile longer.”

Ruth shielded her eyes from the glare of the sun and watched as Gideon, Josh, and Willis splashed around in their inner tubes. She smiled at Esta, who held Molly and Owen’s hands, walking barefoot in part of the pond that was shallow.

“It’s good to see you smile,” Abe said. “You have nice dimples in your cheeks.”

A flush of heat climbed up the back of Ruth’s neck and covered her face. “Danki.”

As though sensing her embarrassment, Abe quickly changed the subject. “My kinner can’t swim,” he said, “so I aim to keep a close watch on them. Sure don’t want to take the chance of anyone drowning.”

Ruth thought about the day Martin had saved Abe’s and Gideon’s lives after their boat had capsized. Little had she realized that Martin would be dead less than two months later. How quickly things could change in one’s life. If only there was a way to be more prepared for unexpected tragedies.

“Ach, now you’re frowning.” Abe nudged Ruth’s arm with his elbow. “You’ve put those dimples into hiding again.”

She released a sigh. “I was thinking about Martin and the day he saved you and Gideon from drowning.”

Now it was Abe’s turn to frown. “I’ll always be grateful he was such a strong swimmer and cared enough to risk his life for a friend.”

Ruth nodded. “Martin was a kind, caring man, and. . .” Her voice faltered, and she swallowed a couple of times.

“I know you miss him, Ruth,” Abe said in a near whisper. “I miss Alma, too. Fact is, hardly a day goes by when I don’t think about something she said or did. Especially with Esta looking so much like her mamm and often saying something the way Alma would have said it.” His sigh lifted the hair off his forehead. “But life goes on, and I take comfort in knowing Alma’s resting peacefully in the arms of our heavenly Father. Martin’s there, too; I’m sure of it.”

“I have that assurance, but it doesn’t take away the pain of knowing he was killed by that
narrisch
man who kept ramming our buggy.”

Abe’s forehead wrinkled as he frowned. “I agree that the person had to be crazy if they did it on purpose, but seeing the look of anger on your face lets me know you haven’t forgiven the one responsible.”

Ruth swallowed against the burning in her throat. Abe was right; despite Aunt Rosemary’s encouragement, she hadn’t been able to forgive Martin’s killer. Would it help if she knew who the man was, or would that only intensify her anger?

“Let’s not talk about this anymore,” she said. “I’d like to spend my time here listening to the birds singing, soaking up the sun’s warming rays, and watching your kinner frolic in the water.”

“You’re right. We shouldn’t talk about anything negative today.”

“Have you heard from your sister lately?” Ruth asked.

“As a matter of fact, I got a letter from her this morning.”

“How’s your mamm doing?”

“Much better. Sue says she’s healing nicely.”

“Will Sue return to Holmes County?”

Abe shook his head. “She’s become betrothed to Melvin, so she wants to stay and prepare for their wedding, which will take place this fall.”

“That makes sense.” Ruth moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue. “Will you want me to continue caring for the kinner, then?”

He nodded. “As long as you’re willing.”

“I’m more than willing.” Ruth wouldn’t have admitted it to Abe, but she was glad Sue wouldn’t be returning to care for his children. She had come to care a great deal for them. The thought of staying home every day with nothing to look forward to wasn’t a pleasant prospect. Now that Ruth worked for Abe, she felt needed and appreciated—something she hadn’t felt since Martin died.

Abe rose to his feet. “Think I’ll move closer to the pond so I can keep a better eye on things. Would you like to join me?”

“No thanks. I’m comfortable right here.”

After Abe walked away, Ruth stretched out on the quilt, placing her hands behind her head and gazing at the lazy clouds overhead.
I wonder what it would be like to be the mother of Abe’s kinner. Of course, it would mean I’d have to be married to Abe, and that idea is too ridiculous to even think about.

Abe glanced over his shoulder. Ruth lay on the quilt looking up at the sky as though she didn’t have a care in the world. Today was the first time he’d seen her looking so relaxed since Martin’s death. Truth was, Abe found himself being drawn to Ruth more every day, and that fact scared him. He couldn’t allow himself the luxury of falling in love with her. Ruth was too young for him. Besides, she was newly widowed, and he was sure she wasn’t ready for another man in her life. He was equally sure Ruth would never be romantically inclined toward him.

“Well, would ya look at this?”

Abe jerked his attention back to the pond. Esta held a plump little frog in her hands, and Molly and Owen stood on tiptoes trying to get a look at the critter.

“Can we take him home, Papa?” Owen asked, tipping his head in Abe’s direction.

“Where would you keep him?” Abe asked the boy.

Owen shrugged. “Don’t know.”

“Could we put him in a jar?” Esta questioned. “I’ll bet there’s one in our picnic basket.”

“I brought along some pickled beets. I suppose we could dump them onto a paper plate, and then you can wash the jar out in the pond and take the frog home that way.” Abe squatted down on his haunches beside the children. “The frog can’t live that way for long. You’ll have to let it go soon or it’ll die.”

“Like Mama did?” Owen stared up at Abe with wide eyes.

Abe nodded as a lump formed in his throat. Why was it that they could be having a good time one minute, and the next minute something was said or done that reminded him of Alma?

Owen tugged on Abe’s shirtsleeve. “Papa, can me and Molly go swimmin’ in tubes, like the brieder are doin’?”

Abe shook his head. “You’re not big enough for that, son.”

“Guess I’m not, either,” Esta said.

“Not yet. When you learn to swim.”

“But the brothers can’t swim,” she said, jutting her chin out.

“That’s true, but they’re staying near the shore, so if they have a problem I can wade out and grab ’em.” Abe thought about the day Martin had saved him and Gideon from drowning. Martin had said he’d be happy to teach Abe and his kinner to swim, but that hadn’t happened because Martin had been killed in a senseless buggy accident. No wonder Ruth hadn’t come to grips with her husband’s death. At least Alma hadn’t been taken from Abe in such a violent way. Though her death had been hard to accept, the fact that it had been caused by an act of nature made it a bit easier to deal with.

“Papa, I’m hungry,” Owen said, tugging on Abe’s shirt again.

“Jah, okay. We can empty that jar of pickled beets, put your frog
in the jar, and then we’ll eat lunch.” Abe cupped his hands around his mouth. “Come out of the water now,” he called to his three older sons.

The boys paddled their way to shore, slipped the inner tubes over their heads, and trudged onto the grassy bank. Abe bent down, grabbed some towels, and handed them to the boys. Maybe by now Ruth would be hungry, too.

What am I doing here?
Rosemary asked herself as she left her car and headed for Roman’s woodworking shop. She’d been here to see him several times already, and each time he’d given her the cold shoulder. Would it be any different today?

The last time she’d tried talking to him, he’d said he was too busy to listen to her lies and had asked her to leave.

“They aren’t lies,” she muttered under her breath.

Rosemary had been tempted to tell Judith or one of Roman’s daughters what had happened to the letters she’d written home all those years ago, but she’d decided against it. She needed to tell Roman before she told anyone else, and she didn’t want him to think his wife and daughters were playing go-between.

The front door swung open, and Rosemary bumped into Roman.

“I was on my way out,” he said in a brusque tone. “Got some deliveries to make.”

“Can’t you spare a minute? I’d like to speak to you.”

“Don’t have the time.” Roman brushed past her and headed for the buggy shed.

Rosemary hurried after him. “I was wondering if you could give me our brothers’ addresses. I’d like to write them. And since Geauga County is only a couple hours away, I might drive up there and see Walt.”

Roman halted and turned to face her. “If you didn’t care enough about them to write before, you don’t need their addresses now.”

Rosemary clenched her fingers around the handles of her purse. “If you’d let me explain why you never got my letters—”

“I’m not interested!” Roman stalked off with a huff.

“Maybe I should forget about reconciling with my family,” Rosemary muttered as she turned toward her car.