Katie's Forever Promise (37 page)

Mamm
could have asked some of Jesse's sisters over for Christmas breakfast, but after Mabel turned
Mamm
down, the heart had gone out of the plan. That and the shame they were all bearing over Katie's firing from the schoolteacher job didn't make for a
festive atmosphere. Jesse even looked troubled this morning, as if the full weight of what had happened was settling in.
Mamm
had still fixed the full Christmas breakfast of pancakes and eggs with ham and bacon. But that was long past now, and the dishes were washed and put away. Jesse was with
Mamm
in the living room, talking in low tones, perhaps about the loss of her job and the humiliation she was suffering, Katie thought. She settled into her chair. The long afternoon stretched out in front of her, and the dark thoughts she didn't want to face were pushing in. Tomorrow they could come, she told herself, but today she was going to keep them at bay.

Leroy and Willis had left for a youth social not twenty minutes ago. They'd be playing games and pulling taffy at Bishop Miller's place. She could have gone, but she couldn't muster up the courage.
Yah
, she would have to face people eventually, but putting it off for now seemed the easiest and wisest choice. If she showed up looking anything but cheerful, that would only remind everyone of her fall.

Katie's concentration was broken as Carolyn and Joel went racing past the house, sounding as if they were running toward the road. Someone must be coming. Someone they knew well enough to invoke such a welcome. Katie leaped up and set the hot chocolate aside before dashing to use the mirror. She pressed a few stray hairs back under her
kapp
and straightened her dress. Whoever had arrived would have to accept her the way she looked.

Mamm
was out on the front porch when Katie came into the living room, and Jesse was nowhere in sight. A quick glance out the window revealed Mabel climbing out of Norman's buggy. Jesse was holding the bridle of her horse, while Carolyn and Joel were crowding around and hanging on to Mabel's hands. Norman wasn't with her.

Mabel's head bobbed up and down a few times, as she said
something to Jesse. He tied her horse to the hitching post and followed Mabel toward the house.
Mamm
met Mabel at the bottom of the steps, giving her a big hug,

What should she do? Katie wondered. Meet Mabel at the door or flee upstairs? Mabel couldn't have
gut
things to say to her. Not after avoiding her completely at the school program. It would be easier if she were out of sight, Katie decided, making a dash for the stair door. Thankfully the family had stopped to talk while on the porch. She made it halfway up the steps before the front door opened.

Slipping inside her room, Katie walked to the window to look outside. Norman's horse, Bonnie, stood at the hitching post, her head hung low. So Mabel must have driven her hard coming over. What had made Mabel change her mind? She'd refused, after all, to come for Christmas breakfast.

“Katie!”
Mamm
called up the stairs.

Now what?
Katie thought. Was
Mamm
going to rebuke her for running away? It wasn't as if Mabel came to see her. With a sigh, Katie came away from the window and headed downstairs.
Mamm
was likely correct. She had to face the world someday, uncomfortable though it was.

Jesse was standing beside a weeping Mabel, when Katie arrived at the bottom of the steps. Carolyn and Joel had vanished.
Mamm
had her arm around Mabel's shoulder, pulling her tightly against her. Katie halted. Was Mabel having trouble with Norman's anger again? It was too awful to imagine.

As if she needed convincing, Katie heard the fury in Jesse's voice.

“We're leaving right now. As soon as I can hitch up my horse.”

“Jesse…
nee
…maybe you should wait,”
Mamm
pleaded.

Jesse ignored
Mamm
and disappeared out the washroom door.

“Oh, Mabel!”
Mamm
wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders again.

Katie stood frozen in place. What was she supposed to do?
Mamm
had called her, but this was none of her business. Beginning to retreat,
Mamm
's voice stopped her. “Mabel wants to talk to you, Katie.”

Why?
Katie almost asked.

“I want to tell you again how sorry I am, Katie.” Mabel answered the unspoken question teary eyed.

“You came here to tell me that?” Katie asked.

“
Yah
, and because I have nowhere else to go,” Mabel said, breaking into fresh sobs.

Mamm
pulled Mabel's dress collar down to reveal black-and-blue marks. “And there's more in other places.”

Mabel looked away, tears streaming down her face.

Katie stepped closer to hold Mabel's hand. “I'm so sorry, Mabel. I never thought things would go this far.”

“Neither did I.” Mabel was staring out of the window. “
Daett
will be ready to go in a few moments. I want you to come with us, Katie. To stay with me while
Daett
talks with Norman.”

“But…Mabel…Norman doesn't like me. What good can I possibly do?” Katie asked, her heart racing.

A slight smile played on Mabel's face. “You're wise in ways I'm not. It would be a comfort if you came along. Would you come just for that reason?”

Please do!
Mamm
mouthed from the other side of Mabel.

Katie nodded even though her heart sank at the idea of facing Norman. He would have nothing but scorn for her very presence.

“Come.” Mabel pulled on Katie's hand. “Get your coat. I'm sure
Daett
is ready to leave by now.”

Mamm
dashed to the closet for Katie's coat and handed it to her. “
Da Hah
go with both of you. I hope Jesse is making the right decision.”

“He is.” Mabel's face was set as they went out the front door. “Because what I'm doing sure isn't working.”

Jesse had his horse hitched by the time they arrived at Norman's buggy. He untied Bonnie and threw in the lines when both women had climbed up. Mabel took them and waited until Jesse had driven forward, before following.

“How bad is it?” Kate asked, stealing a glance at Mabel. She remembered the rage on Norman's face that long-ago night when he'd said he didn't want to see her anymore. She couldn't imagine facing that repeatedly. How in the world was Mabel managing?

Mabel whimpered as if she had heard the question. “Frightening…terrorizing. Tiptoeing around the house. I've had enough of it. I'm not going to live like that anymore!”

“You're leaving him?”

“
Nee
, our people aren't like that, you know, and neither am I. I wouldn't so disgrace
Daett
. But something will have to change.”

“And what can
Daett
do about it? That family…”

“I told
Mamm
the real reason why we didn't come to breakfast today.” Tears were running again. “I was trying not to provoke Norman. But it did no
gut
. He wanted me to say what a lousy Christmas program you had put on at the school, Katie. When I wouldn't, he came after me. I fell over the kitchen chair, and he used his foot on me. So we didn't go to his parents' place either this morning. I locked myself in the bedroom until he cooled down. Then I came over here.”

“Oh, Mabel!” Katie could picture Norman angry, but not what Mabel was describing. None of their people acted like this. At least not that she'd ever heard of.

“He's always sorry afterward.” Mabel choked back a sob. “And I suppose Norman thinks I've just gone home to cry on
Daett
's shoulder. That idea doesn't bother him too much. It seems to
make him feel less guilty now, I think, if someone knows what's going on.”

They drove in silence, with Katie looking out over the open fields at the freshly fallen snow.
Da Hah
's world was so clean, so white, so washed of dirt, and yet inside the hearts of men and women such awful things dwelled. It was a mystery really, and Katie shivered.

Mabel followed Jesse into the driveway of the small farm she and Norman had purchased. Jesse stopped by the barn and jumped out to tie his horse. He came over to Norman's buggy. “Do you want to come in with me, Mabel?”

“
Nee
, I'll wait with Katie.”

“It's just as well,” Jesse said. He then went up the porch and into the house without knocking. Katie saw no sign of Norman through the living room window, but Jesse would find him. He was probably hiding in the basement in shame. And he
should
be ashamed.

Katie kept her eyes on the house as long moments past. At least there was no shouting coming from inside, so Jesse was controlling his anger. Though Norman was getting the full load, unless she missed her guess.

Mabel began to fidget when the front door opened and both Jesse and Norman came out. Neither of them said a word to the women. They marched to Jesse's buggy and got in. Jesse turned the horse and buggy around, and they drove down the driveway.

“I wonder where they're going?” Mabel asked, craning her neck to watch the retreating buggy.

“Norman looks like he's seen a ghost,” Katie said much too gleefully, she knew, but she couldn't help it.

“He's a coward at heart, Katie. He can only handle defenseless woman.” Mabel got out of the buggy, and Katie followed to help her unhitch Bonnie. Mabel was trembling by the time they had
Bonnie in the barn, and Katie took her arm to lead her sister into the house. Once inside, Katie seated Mabel on a kitchen chair and asked. “Have you had breakfast yet?”

Mabel shook her head. “There wasn't time. And I didn't feel like it, anyway.”

“Then you sit right there while I fix you something.”

Mabel grunted a protest, but stayed seated while Katie fixed bacon, eggs, and toast. As the bacon was frying, Katie added pancakes to the list. She might as well go all out, and give Mabel some semblance of a proper Christmas breakfast.

When the food was ready, Mabel ate without speaking, still fighting tears. They didn't even bother with praying over the food. There were other things which needed prayer much more right now. Like Jesse and Norman—wherever they were. And for the success of Jesse's mission—whatever that was.

“You are too kind to me.” Mabel broke into sobs when she finished eating. “And after all the nasty things I've said about you.”

“It's okay.” Katie led Mabel to the couch and wrapped a blanket around her. “Where's the furnace? In the basement?” The house seemed cold for some reason. Neither Norman nor Mabel must have been paying attention to the fire all morning.

“
Yah
…the basement.” Mabel pointed. “There's fresh wood, I think. I saw Norman stock a supply before the snow began.”

Katie found the basement door, and at the bottom of the steps the furnace seated off to the side. The fire was almost out, but the furnace still had enough coals to get things going again. When she finished and went upstairs, Jesse's buggy was pulling into the driveway. After watching the two get out of the buggy and Jesse tie up the horse, Katie made a rush for the front door and opened it for them.

Norman wasn't looking at her—or much else for that matter. He still looked quite pale.

“Bishop Miller's
frau
will be over to fix supper for you,” Jesse told Mabel. “And none of this will be happening again. Bishop Miller and Laura will be checking in on you.” Jesse paused then added, “Often!”

“Thank you,
Daett
.” Mabel grabbed Jesse and hung on to his neck until he loosened his daughter's hold.

“Just listen to what Laura tells you,” Jesse said. “Bishop Miller will deal with Norman, but you are not to hide anything from now on. Laura is going to stop by at least once a week, maybe more than that. And you are to tell her
everything
, Mabel. Laura will check your story if she has to. Do you understand, Mabel?”

Mabel nodded.

Jesse turned to Norman, but he said nothing. Then Jesse said to Katie, “It's time we went home, Katie.”

As they climbed into the buggy, Katie asked, “So you went to Bishop Miller's?”

“
Yah
.” Jesse slapped the reins and offered Katie nothing more.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Three weeks after New Year's Day, on a cold Tuesday morning, Katie drove toward Dover. Joel had begged to ride along this morning since he was off from school, but with where she was going, that was impossible.

Katie let her mind drift to thoughts of Ruth Gingerich. The woman had fallen on an ice patch outside the schoolhouse door last week and fractured her hip. That was a tragedy indeed, and now the school was without a teacher. It served Enos Kuntz right, Katie thought, having to scurry around the community to find a replacement. Obviously Enos was having trouble finding one on such short notice or school would already be in session again.