His Love Endures Forever (4 page)

Martha was a pain in the neck, for sure. Rules, rules, and more rules. And then there was her quirky character. But Danielle knew that Martha and Arnold loved her, and Danielle knew that she was safe with them, something she’d never felt before. Funny thing was, Danielle still missed her mother, which probably meant that Danielle was messed up in the head. Who’d miss someone who drank too much and beat the snot out of their kid?

She reached down and touched her stomach, closing her eyes. She wasn’t sure there was a God, but every now and then she’d offer up a little prayer on the off chance that there was
.
Please don’t let anything bad happen today
.

Danielle shook her head. The idea of a God who’d allow all the bad stuff in the world just didn’t compute in her mind. If He was God, why didn’t He just fix everything and have everyone live in perfect harmony? Why all the suffering?
Why me,
pregnant by a guy who doesn’t love me?

She took a deep breath, wiped her eyes, and dabbed on lip gloss before she headed downstairs. Entering the kitchen, she smelled burned toast and it made her smile. Every morning, the same odor greeted her. It was familiar. It was home.

“Good morning and happy Monday.” Arnold looked up at Danielle from the kitchen table, smiling broadly, his kind
gray eyes twinkling. Then he went back to buttering a piece of dark toast. Danielle was sure Arnold was the kindest man on the planet. And the fact that he adored Martha made her like him all the more.

Danielle sat down at the table, and Martha slid an omelet from the skillet onto her plate. It wouldn’t have been Danielle’s first choice for breakfast, simply because there was no telling what was in Martha’s omelets, but it was food. Awhile back, they’d had omelets and Martha had used leftover squash as filler. This morning Danielle picked at the egg until something bright red oozed out. She tried to recall what Martha made for dinner last night. The woman wasn’t much of a cook, except for a great chicken lasagna she made at least once a week.

“Beets?” Danielle squeaked out, trying not to sound too negative. She pushed the pinkish mush around on her plate and hoped she didn’t vomit right there at the table. Food in general didn’t sound good, but this made her want to hurl.

“Just try it.” Martha put her hands on her hips and frowned. “You are the pickiest eater.”

Danielle turned to Arnold and lifted her shoulders and her eyebrows, hoping he’d jump on her side. He just smiled.

Martha sat down at the table with her own omelet, and they all bowed their heads in prayer. Danielle went through the motions, knowing what would happen if she didn’t. The first time Danielle had said she’d rather not pray, Martha had refused to serve her any food.

Danielle bit into her piece of toast, watching as Arnold dutifully ate his omelet, then she shifted her eyes to Martha, who was already dressed in a red and white pantsuit that had to be from the ’70s. Then of course there was the pink
butterfly clip, always holding her brown and gray hair on top of her head.

When Martha spit her first bite of omelet into her napkin, Danielle started to laugh, which felt good after all the crying she’d been doing.

“Arnold, good grief. How could you eat that?” Martha quickly snatched up everyone’s plate and put them on the counter.

“It wasn’t bad, dear. Not at all.” Arnold reached for another piece of toast as he winked at Danielle.

“Well, if ever there was a need for a dog, it would be this morning.” Martha put her hands on her hips and stared at the plates still full of food. “Look at this mess.”

Danielle didn’t think even a dog would eat it. She buttered herself a piece of toast, thinking that was all she could stomach anyway.

“Maybe we
should
get a dog,” Arnold said before taking a bite of toast.

“What for?” Martha scraped the omelets into the trash.

Arnold finished chewing and took a sip of milk before he spoke. “Because they make nice pets.” He grinned.

Martha turned around and leaned against the counter. “I was just kidding. Last thing we need is another mouth to feed.”

Danielle’s bite of toast caught in her throat. She’d thought about telling Martha and Arnold about her pregnancy, but maybe now wasn’t the best time. She pressed her lips together and lowered her head. Not that there’d be a good time. Martha wouldn’t throw her out, but maybe adding a baby to their little family was too much to ask for. She’d saved some money, but not nearly enough to get a place of her own. And she didn’t think she could survive on her wages from the restaurant,
especially not with a baby. To say nothing of how she’d figure out paying a babysitter . . . She felt the tears coming on again.

Martha strode over to her, her face drawn. “Honey, what’s the matter?” She touched Danielle on the arm, and Danielle wanted nothing more than to rise and sink into Martha’s arms. To tell her everything. She needed someone to be happy about this, to welcome the news. Even Levi’d been disappointed in her. Despite his efforts to comfort her, she could tell. And she was fearful that Martha would feel the same.

“Danielle?” Martha said, her frown deepening.

“Nothing. I’m just tired. And
late
.” She pushed back her chair and moved toward the door. “I work until two, but I’m going to spend some time with Sue after work, so I’ll see you after that.”

Martha called out to her, but she kept going, pretending she hadn’t heard.

M
ARTHA FINISHED CLEANING
the kitchen, then sat down at the table with Arnold. “Danielle was starting to cry. Did you see that?”

“Yes, I did.” Her husband frowned as he rubbed his chin. “You never can tell with these teenagers. It could be anything at their age.”

“Well, at least you raised one and lived to tell about it. I still feel like I’m in new territory, even after a year.” Martha drummed her fingers on the table. “It wasn’t much of a breakfast. Why don’t we go eat at The Mountain View for lunch, and we can check to make sure she’s okay?”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Arnold leaned over and
kissed Martha on the cheek, which still warmed her heart just like it did when they were first married. “And you haven’t raised any teenagers until
now
. Danielle loves you and you love her—after that, you just find your way through, day by day.”

Martha grunted. “She’s ornery and a slob. Have you seen her room? It stinks in there.” She grimaced until she saw Arnold grin, then she couldn’t help but smile along with him. “Yes, I love her. Like she’s my own.”

Arnold passed her a section of the paper. “The girl needs a good dose of God in her life. What happened to your deal that she attend church with one of us?”

Martha unfolded the paper. “Hmph. She always has some excuse. Sick or something.”

Before Martha married Arnold, she’d been attending the Amish church in town, and she’d told him that wouldn’t change. She loved her Amish friends, and even though she didn’t always understand the service—partly in German and
Pennsylvania Deitsch
—her Amish friend Katie Ann would translate for her later during the big meal after church. That was the best part of going to the Amish worship, the meal afterward. She was blessed to know her Amish friends and to be accepted in their world.

Arnold was born and raised Catholic, and he wanted to keep it that way. So Danielle had two choices when it came to worship services. Not that it mattered where the girl went to church if she wasn’t talking to God, listening to Him, and trusting His will. Martha constantly prayed for Danielle, that she’d find her way to the Lord.

“Is she still seeing the Amish boy in Alamosa?” Arnold scratched his head. “Matthew, right?”

“Yeah. Not often. He works a lot, and Danielle said his parents aren’t too thrilled about him seeing someone who isn’t Amish.” She stretched her aching back and sat taller. “The Amish are scared their kids will leave the Old Order and run off with one of us sinful
Englischers
.”

Arnold chuckled and a smile stayed on his face.

Martha folded her arms across her chest and stared him down. “What? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Arnold pointed a finger in her direction. “Let’s turn it around. What if Danielle chose to marry into the Amish faith? How would you feel about that?”

She threw her hands up in the air. “Since Danielle barely believes in God, I don’t see
that
happening.” She paused as she tapped a finger to her chin. “You’d think Levi could reach her, given how close they are. That she’d listen to him about matters of faith.”

“His mother probably does her best to keep them from being alone,” Arnold said. “Hard to get into matters of the Almighty if you don’t have much time.”

“Oh, they’ve spent plenty of time together. But I’m sure Vera doesn’t know about most of it.” Martha rolled her eyes. “You’d think Vera would ease up since the two have proven that they’re just friends. I’ve even had to have words with Vera about her attitude toward Danielle.” She raised her chin as she reached a hand behind her head to tighten her butterfly clip.

They were quiet for a few moments, then Arnold asked, “Why is it, given all the other young men around her, that Danielle has taken up with an Amish boy in Alamosa? And her best friend is also a young Amish man. She doesn’t really have
any close Amish girlfriends, so why do you think these two particular fellows hold a place close to her heart?”

Martha sighed. “I think she feels safe with those boys.”

They were quiet for a few moments as Arnold leaned back in his chair. “I know her relationship with her mother was bad, but what about her father?”

“He died about seven years ago. Car wreck, Danielle said. Apparently that’s when her mother started to drink heavily. She doesn’t talk about it a lot, but she’s mentioned that there were lots of men in and out of her mother’s life for a while too.” Martha paused. “You know, she’s never said very much about her father, just that he wasn’t around much. Worked a lot.”

Arnold stood up and pushed his chair in. “I’m going into town to find us a dog.”

Martha stiffened and calmly placed her palms on the table. “Do what?”

“You heard me, my dear. I’m going to get a dog.”

She frowned. “I’ll start cooking better. I promise.”

Arnold laughed. “Not for scraps, but because I think a dog is good for any family.”

Martha thought about her parrot that died a couple of years ago. Her Elvis had been like a person. He’d talked, for starters. Smart as a whip, that bird. She’d never owned a dog, but she was pretty sure you couldn’t teach one to talk.

L
EVI FOLLOWED HIS
father to a picnic table outside the Barkers’ house after they installed a solar panel for the
Englisch
family. Mrs. Barker had invited them in for lunch, but
Daed
had thanked her and said they’d brought their own. The smell
of Mrs. Barker’s baked chicken wafted out her open windows, and Levi was sure it was better than their own ham sandwiches. After lunch, they’d clean up their tools and head to their next stop. Levi knew this was the best opportunity to talk to his father about what had been bothering him.

“
Daed
, do you . . .” He paused and took a deep breath. “Do you think God talks to us through our dreams?”

His father finished chewing a bite of his sandwich. “
Ya
. I think so.” He dabbed his mouth with a napkin, looking across the table at Levi. “Why do you ask?”

Levi shrugged, unsure how much of the dream he wanted to share with his father. It had been so real, but confusing. He’d woken up in a cold sweat this morning, certain that God had spoken to him directly. But as the morning went on, he’d talked himself out of it. God would never ask him to do something like what he dreamed. “Just wondering.”

“There’re lots of times in the Bible when the Lord speaks to people in their dreams.”
Daed
unwrapped a piece of apple pie that
Mamm
had put in each of their lunch pails.

Levi nodded, recalling some of those dreams. The angel telling Joseph to take Mary as his wife, and when he told him to take Mary and Jesus to Egypt to escape the evil king. God also used a dream to help Joseph, and then there was Pilate’s wife . . . Levi reflected on those dreams for a while as he thought about his own.

After they’d both finished their pie, Levi stuffed his trash into his black lunch pail. When his father stood up, so did Levi, and they both walked back to the area where they’d left their tools.

Levi would do anything that God asked him to do. But
there was no way it could have been God talking to him last night. Or had Levi misunderstood the Lord’s instructions?

After they had everything loaded into the buggy, they left for their next stop. About fifteen minutes into the trip, his father turned left onto a country road Levi had never been on. There was a stream on the left, and for a while Levi couldn’t pull his eyes away from the slow current. But when he finally did, he recalled his dream in vivid detail.

He’d walked along a river’s edge, the blue water sparkling brighter than any river he’d ever seen and rushing atop boulders that protruded here and there amidst the rapids. The leaves on the trees were a brilliant shade of emerald as tiny drops of fresh dew twinkled and hung on the leaves in the wake of a new morning. He’d strolled along casually as if he’d been there a thousand times before, even though he couldn’t recall such a place. He’d felt lighter than normal as he walked barefoot along a path that he somehow knew had recently been cleared just for him.