A Sister's Test (41 page)

I
n the weeks that followed, Ruth settled into a routine of going over to Abe’s place every day to care for his children, cook his meals, and clean the house, while Ivan spent the nights there. It had been Ivan’s idea to do so, saying Abe would need help during the night and that it wouldn’t be proper for Ruth to stay. Ivan had taken over the harness shop, and Gideon had been helping some. But Monday would be the first day of school, so Gideon, along with Josh, Esta, and Willis, would be gone all day, leaving Ivan to run the harness shop and Ruth to care for Abe, Owen, and Molly.

Since today was Saturday and Ivan had given Gideon the day off, the boy had taken Josh and Willis fishing at the pond behind their house. Ruth had sent the boys off with a picnic lunch an hour ago. Esta was out on the porch keeping Owen entertained with a jar of bubbles. Molly was taking a nap. That left Ruth alone in the house with Abe, who was reading his Bible on the sofa in the living room.

Deciding that Abe might like some refreshments, Ruth carried a tray into the living room and placed it on the small table near the sofa. “I brought you some milk and cookies,” she said, smiling down at him.

He set the Bible aside and sat up. “Danki. That was nice of you.”

Ruth handed him the glass. “How’s the leg feeling this afternoon?”

“Not so bad. I should be able to start working in the shop a few hours a day beginning next week.” He motioned to his leg, encased in a heavy cast. “Why don’t you sit here on the sofa so we can visit awhile?”

Ruth gulped.
If I take a seat on the sofa, I’ll be sitting at Abe’s feet. . . almost like Ruth from the Bible.

“If you have something to do in the other room, I’ll understand,” Abe said. “But it would be nice to have the company. I get tired of sitting around when I should be out in the shop working.”

“I have the time.” Ruth lowered herself to the sofa and shifted uncomfortably when her elbow brushed the bottom of Abe’s cast. “Sorry. I hope that didn’t hurt.”

“Nope. Didn’t feel a thing.” Abe took a drink of milk. “This is refreshing. Danki.”

“You’re welcome.”

A few moments of awkward silence passed between them. Then he smiled and said, “Your help’s been appreciated. You’re not only good with the kinner, but you can cook and keep the house well—better than my sister did.”

“She was young and inexperienced.”

“You’re not so old yourself,” Abe said with a crooked grin.

Ruth’s face heated with embarrassment.

Abe took another swallow of milk. “I’m sure you still miss Martin, but a young woman like yourself ought to think about getting married again. You’d make a good helpmate.”

Ruth stared at the floor.
If Abe were to marry me, I could be his kinner’s mamm. I could be his helpmate.

She lifted her gaze to meet his. “What about you, Abe? Would you think of me as an acceptable wife for you?”

“Ach, Ruth, we’re a good ten years apart. You could find a much younger man than me.”

“But I wouldn’t have anything to give a younger man.”

“What makes you say that?”

“I couldn’t give him children.” She dropped her gaze again.

“Ruth, look at me.”

She forced herself to face him, hoping he wouldn’t see the tears threatening to escape her lashes.

“I know you would make a good mudder for my kinner, and a fine fraa for me, as well, but without love, a good marriage would be impossible.”

“Are—are you saying you won’t marry me?”

He nodded. “It wouldn’t be fair to—”

“Papa! Papa, come quick!” Josh hollered as he burst into the room.

Abe’s face blanched. “What is it, boy?”

“It’s Willis! He fell in the pond when Gideon was in the woods lookin’ for me, and—” Josh gulped down a sob. “And—and Gideon drug Willis out of the water, but he won’t wake up.”

Abe grabbed his crutches and pushed himself to his feet.

Ruth stood, too, as her heart gave a lurch. “What are you planning to do?”

“I’m going to the pond.”

“But it’s too far to go there on crutches. You’re not up to walking that far. I think it would be better if you wait here and let me go.”

He shook his head and hobbled toward the door. “Josh, hitch up the pony cart. We’ll use that to get us to the pond.” His eyes were wide as he looked at Ruth. “Run down to the phone shed and call 9-1-1.”

Ruth’s heart pounded as she hurried out the door and sprinted toward the phone shed near the end of Abe’s driveway.
Dear Lord,
she prayed,
please let Willis be okay.

“Where are you going, Papa? Why’s Ruth running down the driveway?” Esta asked as Abe hobbled toward the barn behind Josh.

“There’s been an accident at the pond. Take Owen in the house and wait there with him and Molly until we get back.”

Esta’s eyes widened, and her chin trembled like a leaf caught in a breeze. “Has—has someone been hurt? Is it one of my brieder?”

“Willis fell in the pond. I’ve got to get to him quick. Now get up to the house,
schnell
!”

Abe didn’t look back to see if Esta had done what he’d asked; he just kept moving toward the barn, praying with each step he took.
Don’t take my boy, Lord. Don’t take my boy.

By the time Abe got to the barn door, Josh had one of their smaller horses hitched to the pony cart. “Here, take my crutches!”

Josh took the crutches and held them with one hand while keeping a tight hold on the horse’s bridle. Abe gritted his teeth and climbed into the cart; then Josh handed him the crutches and climbed in beside him.

“Papa, I’m scared,” the boy whimpered. “What if—”

“You hush now; don’t even say it. Just get us to the pond as quick as you can!”

As the horse trotted across the fields, Abe continued to plead with God for the life of his son. He’d already lost one family member; he couldn’t bear the thought of losing another.

The pond came into view a few minutes later, and Abe caught sight of Gideon bent over his little brother. “Get the horse next to them,” he told Josh. “We’ll need to put Willis in the cart.”

Josh did as he was told, and Abe climbed out of the pony cart. Ignoring his crutches, he hobbled on one foot over to Gideon. “Is your bruder breathing?”

Gideon slowly shook his head. “I don’t think so, Papa.”

Abe dropped to the ground beside Willis. The boy lay deathly still, and Abe quickly began CPR, praying with each breath he took and each breath he released into his son’s mouth.

“Papa, I’m sorry.” Gideon leaned close to Abe. “I was only away from Willis a short time.” He sniffed a couple of times. “He was playin’ in shallow water, so I don’t know what happened. I—I waded in and pulled him right out, but—”

“Stand back and give me some room!” Abe didn’t look up to see Gideon’s reaction. He just kept pushing on Willis’s chest and sharing his breath with the boy. He was tempted to put Willis into the pony cart and take him up to the house to wait for the ambulance, but with him not responding to CPR, he figured the best thing he could do was keep trying to breathe life back into his son.

After what seemed like hours, Abe heard sirens in the distance. When the ambulance arrived, Abe’s hopes were renewed. The paramedics had more training than he did, and their vehicle was full of lifesaving equipment. He hoped they could accomplish what he hadn’t been able to do.

Abe moved aside as the paramedics took over.

“How long was his head under the water?” one of the men asked.

“I don’t know.” Abe looked at Gideon, but the boy shrugged.

As the paramedics worked on Willis, Abe continued to pray. Finally, one of the men stepped up to Abe and said, “I’m sorry, Mr. Wengerd, but your son is dead.”

A
s Abe stood near his six-year-old son’s coffin, a feeling of despair settled over him like a heavy fog. It seemed like only yesterday that he’d been right here, watching his wife’s casket being lowered into the grave.

Abe’s nose and eyes burned with unshed tears, and he shifted uncomfortably as his crutches dug into his armpits.
Dear God, why did You allow this to happen? Wasn’t it enough that You took my wife? Did You have to take one of my precious kinner, too?

Abe glanced at Gideon, who stood to his left. The boy’s head was down and his shoulders shook, but he made no sound. Abe knew Gideon felt responsible for Willis’s death, and well he should. The boy was supposed to watch both of his brothers, not run off in the woods to look for Josh, leaving Willis alone.

I should have seen that my kinner learned how to swim. Martin warned me that something could happen if they didn’t. Since Martin wasn’t here to teach us how, I should have asked someone else.
Abe clenched his fingers around the crutches until they ached.
It’s my fault as much as Gideon’s that Willis is dead. I may as well have drowned the boy myself.

Josh, Esta, and Owen clustered around Abe, while Ruth stood to his right, holding Molly in her arms. The little girl would grow up never knowing she’d had a brother named Willis or that she’d had a mother. Truth be told, Molly was fast becoming attached to Ruth. She’d even begun calling Ruth Mammi.

Abe noticed the sorrowful look on Ruth’s face, and his heart clenched. She was no doubt reliving the pain of losing her husband.
She’d grown attached to Abe’s children, and he was sure that at least part of her grief was over losing Willis.

He pulled his gaze back to the coffin as the bishop read a hymn. A group of Amish men sang as the pallbearers filled in Willis’s grave. With each shovelful of dirt, a stab of pain pierced Abe’s soul. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. Death was a fact of life, and he knew it must be dealt with, but he felt as if God had let him down.

All during the funeral dinner, Ruth kept a close watch on Abe’s children—all except Gideon, who had gone to his room saying he wasn’t hungry and wanted to be alone.

Ruth’s heart went out to the boy, as well as to Abe. She could feel the pain of his loss, as she’d come to care for young Willis, and now she felt as if she’d lost another loved one.

“Would you like me to take Molly for a while?” Ruth’s mother asked as she stepped into the living room where Ruth sat rocking the child.

Ruth shook her head. “If I put her down, she’ll cry. I don’t want to move her until she’s asleep and I’m able to put her to bed.”

Mom shrugged and took a seat on the sofa. “You look exhausted. You really should rest.”

“Mom’s right,” Grace said as she entered the room carrying Daniel. “You’ve been working hard ever since you came here to help Abe and his family. And since Willis’s death, you’ve hardly slept a wink.

“The kinner need me.” The chair squeaked as Ruth continued to rock Molly. How sweet she smelled. How soft and warm she felt. This dear little girl was so innocent and unaware of life’s trials.

“You’ll be no good to anyone if you wear yourself out,” Grace argued.

Ruth patted Molly’s back. “I’m resting now.”

Mom and Grace exchanged glances, but neither said a word. Grace took a seat on the sofa beside Mom and handed her the baby.

“Danki,” said Mom. “I was itching to hold that boppli.” She nuzzled Daniel’s chest with her nose. “You’re sure growing; you know that, little one?”