Plain Peace (A Daughters of the Promise Novel) (20 page)

She looked up when John walked in the door. He crossed over to the refrigerator and poured himself a glass of iced tea.

“I made one of your favorites, applesauce pork loin, and I’ve got a fresh loaf of butter bread.” She recalled their night of intimacy—or lack thereof—and wondered if their marriage would ever be right again. “Mary Jane and Anna Mae said they spent time with some of the girls in our district today, and Abe and Eli helped me watch a new friend’s little boy.” Cora stood up and walked to the oven, realizing she hadn’t set the timer. “Maybe the
kinner
are finally starting to get settled here, no?”

“
Ya
, I hope so.”

Cora smiled. It wasn’t much, but it was the most positive response she’d gotten from John in a while. She moved closer and touched his arm. “Please eat with the family, John. Please.”

“I’m not hungry, Cora.” He walked to the rack by the kitchen door and hung his hat there.

“Even with your hat, your nose and cheeks are sunburned. There’s some ointment in the cabinet in our bathroom.”

Her husband nodded before he left the kitchen.

Cora just stood there by the sink, wondering how much longer she could live like this.
But what can I do?

Back in Middlefield, she would have sought help from the bishop. But things were already strained between her family and Bishop Byler since the bishop had forbidden Jacob from spending time with his granddaughter. Marianne said she was been working
on her husband, but Bishop Byler’s strict ways were well known in the district.

But there had to be someone who could help them.

For the umpteenth time, Cora begged the Lord to put joy back into their lives.

J
ACOB HADN
’
T HEARD FROM
A
NNA SINCE THEIR SECRET
meeting by the train tracks. She hadn’t even been at worship service on Sunday. He’d wanted to talk to Bishop Byler then, but a thunderstorm had rolled in during the noon meal, so everyone had packed up and left early.

He’d gone to sleep every night for the past week with Anna on his mind instead of Leah. Anna was helping him heal, even if she didn’t realize it. He’d overheard her grandmother say on Sunday that she wasn’t feeling well, but he was curious why she hadn’t stopped by the lumberyard this past week. Had she been sick all week?

As he pulled into the Bylers’ driveway, his stomach churned. It was almost the supper hour, so Bishop Byler would most likely be home. He pushed back the rim of his hat, stood taller, and knocked on the door.

“
Wie bischt
, Marianne? I came by to check on Anna, to see if she’s okay.” Jacob swallowed hard, nervous but relieved that Anna’s grandmother was the one who answered the door.

“Hello, Jacob.” Marianne pushed the screen door open. “Come in, come in.” She smiled, and Jacob tentatively stepped over the threshold. All the windows were open, but the house was stifling
hot, just like his house. Jacob was sure that if he could change one thing about their lifestyle, it would be to use electricity during the summer months.

Marianne motioned for him to sit down on the couch. “Anna is resting, but she is all right. She’s been battling an awful case of poison ivy.” She paused, frowning. “On her face.”

Jacob raised his eyebrows. “Oh no.”

Marianne sat down on the couch beside him. She scrunched her face into a scowl. “I’m not sure how that poor girl got that stuff on her face, but she’s all blistered up.” She leaned closer and whispered, “I don’t reckon she wants anyone to see her like that. I made all the bakery deliveries for her this week, and she wouldn’t even go to Sisters’ Day with me.”

Jacob couldn’t imagine that anything could take away from Anna’s beauty. “Will you let her know that I stopped by to check on her?”

Marianne nodded. “She’ll be glad to know that.” She patted him on the leg. “But no need for you to run off. This will give us a chance to chat. Do you want some
kaffi
, or maybe a glass of iced
tee
?”

“
Nee. Danki
, though.” Jacob wondered where the bishop was. Both buggies were out front. He looked to his left, then to his right, half expecting Bishop Byler to be lurking somewhere nearby.

“Isaac isn’t here, dear.” Marianne smiled. “Deacon Lantz picked him up, and they are out making a few rounds.”

Jacob had heard about Bishop Byler’s rounds. The man went from house to house making recommendations, as he called them, for people to clean up their act. He wondered if his house was on the route today.

“I was hoping to talk to Bishop Byler.” He paused. Marianne
smiled again, so he went on. “About Anna. I know we both made a couple of unwise choices, but I’d like a chance to prove myself to him. I care for Anna, and I’d like to get to know her better.”

This was so much easier than having to face the bishop. Maybe Marianne would convince him to allow Jacob to date Anna. According to Jacob’s mother, she was already working to change her husband’s mind.

“Anna seems to care a great deal for you too. And
ya
, unfortunately you two got off on a bad foot with Isaac. But he will come around.”

When?
Jacob ran the back of his hand across his forehead. “I hope so.”

“He will.” Marianne clasped her hands in her lap. “Now, tell me about your family. How is everyone doing? When the storm hit, everyone left so quickly, I didn’t have a chance to chat much with the ladies.”

“I think things are getting better.” Jacob avoided Marianne’s eyes, knowing that wasn’t entirely true. His father wasn’t any better. If anything, he was worse.

“Goodness me, child. You are dripping with sweat. You wait here. I’m going to go get you some iced
tee
and a cold rag.” Marianne stood up, then walked around the corner.

Jacob couldn’t help looking behind him toward the stairs. He wished he could see Anna. He didn’t care what her face looked like.

Anna held her breath, listening from the top of the staircase. She’d missed seeing Jacob this week, but hadn’t been able to get word to him about why. She fumbled with the compact mirror in her apron
pocket, then pulled it out and held it close to her face.
Ugh
. No matter how many times she looked at the red, blistering bumps, they didn’t get any less hideous. Her right cheek was covered, her eye was swollen, and even her upper lip was affected.
Mammi
had taken her to the herbal doctor earlier in the week, and the ointment helped the itching, but her face still looked awful. No way she was going to show herself. She was sure she’d gotten the rash while working in the garden, and probably wiped sweat from her face, spreading it there. She had a tiny spot on her hand, but nothing like what was on her cheek.

“Here you are.” Her grandmother was back in the living room. Jacob thanked her for the iced tea. Anna sat down at the top of the stairs, pulled her knees to her chest, and kept listening.

Mammi
asked Jacob how he liked his job, how they were all adjusting to the area, and if he would be seeking baptism in the fall.

“I’m ready to be baptized,” he said. “But I . . . well . . . we just moved here, and . . .”

“You want to be sure that this is where you want to settle.”
Mammi’s
soft voice was harder to hear. “That’s understandable.”

“I feel strong in my faith and am ready to commit.”

“That’s
gut
. So many times, when there is a tragedy, folks turn away from God. He is our strength, though, the One to count on during troubled times.”

Anna wondered if Jacob’s mother, Cora, had shared with
Mammi
about her husband. According to Jacob, his father had little to do with the family these days because he wasn’t able to cope with Leah’s death. She leaned forward when she heard Jacob’s voice again.

“It’s near the supper hour, so I should probably go.”

“No rush, dear. I’m just planning to warm up some leftover soup.”

From where she was sitting, Anna could see downstairs, out the living room window, and she slammed a hand to her chest when she saw Deacon Lantz’s buggy coming up the drive.
Daadi
was home. She silently prayed that he would be nice to Jacob. A few minutes later she heard the door open and her grandfather’s heavy boots crossing into the living room.

“Jacob stopped by to check on Anna. Wasn’t that nice?”
Mammi’s
voice was overly cheerful, like she was trying to sell something. Anna hoped her
daadi
was in the mood for buying.

Anna listened for a response, but her grandfather must have nodded. Or maybe not. Jacob spoke up next.

“Bishop Byler, I was hoping I could talk to you about dating Anna. I know we made some bad choices, but—”

“You did not take Anna where you said you would. In turn, Anna lied to us, saying she was going to Emma’s and not out with you. This was the first time Anna has lied to us, and that doesn’t bode well for you, Jacob Hostetler.”

Anna held her breath again, knowing she
had
lied to her grandparents before that. Little white lies—but lies nonetheless. Like when her grandmother had knitted her some gloves. They were silly looking, but Anna had assured her that she loved them.

But the lie about going to Emma’s, then going out with Jacob—she had to admit that was the worst lie she had ever told. She could almost feel the Lord frowning down on her, but she lost the thought when she heard Jacob’s voice.

“Sir, my mother was having a problem at our
haus
, a problem with my little
bruder
. It was an emergency, and I had to go help. That’s why Anna and I didn’t make it to the singing.”

Despite the situation, Anna could feel herself glowing. Jacob was standing up to her grandfather because he wanted to date her. She reached up and touched her cheek, knowing she shouldn’t. She was pretty sure Jacob would change his mind if he saw her right now.

“Bishop Byler, I am trustworthy, and I won’t disappoint you again if you’ll let me court Anna properly.”

Court
. It was an old-fashioned word, and it melted Anna’s heart to hear Jacob use it. But the warmth didn’t last long.

“Nee.” Daadi’s
voice was gruff. “I don’t think so.”

Anna gritted her teeth.
Mammi, speak up
.

“Bishop Byler, respectfully, Anna is a grown woman.” Jacob’s voice had risen, and Anna squeezed her eyes closed, knowing this wasn’t the way to win her grandfather’s approval. Even though Jacob was right.

“I am going to bathe now. The answer is no. Please give my best to your family.”

Anna listened as her grandfather’s steps led to his bedroom and the door closed. She felt almost thankful—that could have gone a lot worse. But what was it going to take for her grandfather to see what a good person Jacob was?

“Give him time,”
Mammi
was saying softly. “He fears for Anna—that’s what it is. I’ve told him he can’t keep her under his roof forever. The girl has to live her own life. I think he’ll see that eventually.”

“Please tell Anna I came by to check on her.” Jacob paused and whispered something Anna couldn’t hear. A few moments later she heard the front door close behind him.

“You can come downstairs now, Anna.”

Anna cringed, then slowly made her way down the stairs. “How’d you know I was there?” she asked when she hit the landing.

“I can smell that ointment you have on your face.”

“Really?” She reached up and dabbed at one of the welts.

“Quit touching it. Or it’s going to spread.”
Mammi
walked to the kitchen, and Anna followed. She sat down at the kitchen table as her grandmother pulled out a tub of leftover chicken soup from the refrigerator.

“
Daadi
is going to have to change his mind about Jacob, because I
am
going to see him. Jacob is right. I’m a grown woman.”

Mammi
put the container on the counter, turned around and leaned back. “I don’t like that kind of talk.”

“
Mammi
, you know I love
Daadi
, but he isn’t being fair. I don’t think it would matter who I dated. He just doesn’t want me to have my own life.”

“That is why I don’t want you dating that boy.” Anna turned around to see her grandfather scooting into the kitchen in his socks. “He brings out this behavior. You didn’t use to talk like this.”

“Behavior?” Anna shook her head. “
Daadi
, I’m not a child. And I know you’re scared for me to go out on my own, that something will happen to me. But you’ve raised me well, and you can trust me to make my own decisions.”

“He isn’t
gut
enough for you,
mei maedel
.”

Anna sighed. “
Daadi
, I love you. But you’re never going to think anyone is
gut
enough for me. You don’t even know Jacob.”

“Neither do you.” Her grandfather took his seat at the head of the table.

“I’m trying to get to know him. Please,
Daadi
, just give him a chance.” She grinned. “He’s been the only one brave enough to come face you.”

Daadi
frowned as he reached for his glass of tea. “He was disrespectful.”