Plain Peace (A Daughters of the Promise Novel) (27 page)

She put the box of jewelry back on the shelf and reached for her new pink sweater. Even on this hot August day, its softness felt good to her. As she wrapped it around her shoulders, she wondered how she’d allowed herself to get to this point. Anna had been shocked to see this room. This was not setting a good example for her granddaughter.

She put the sweater back in its place when she heard a noise upstairs. It was much too early for Anna to be home yet, so she trudged back up the narrow steps. When she opened the basement door, she heard someone beating on the front door.

“I’m coming!” Compared to the basement, the main floor of the house felt like a sauna. She wiped at her forehead as she moved through the hot living room, surprised to see Lucy Turner standing on the other side of the screen with Benjamin in her arms. Marianne’s new kitty, whom she’d named Patches, was rubbing up against Lucy’s legs.

“Marianne, I’m so sorry to bother you.” Lucy shifted Benjamin to her other hip.

“No bother, dear. Come in.” She pushed the screen door wide so Lucy and Benjamin could come in. She couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved that Lucy hadn’t bumped into Cora. Cora didn’t try to hide her feelings, and Lucy would have left feeling bad.

“I’m sorry to ask you this, but is there any way you could keep Benjamin for me today? I’m already late for work, but my day care won’t take Benjamin because he has a low-grade fever. I told them he’s just teething, but they’re sticking to their policy. I can’t leave him with my mother, and my backup sitter moved last week.”

Marianne swallowed hard. As much as she would love to keep Benjamin, she knew Isaac would be home before Lucy returned. She didn’t think anyone was ready for
that
confrontation. Plus, she was feeling a little tired this afternoon—the heat, no doubt. She’d be happy when fall arrived.

“I completely understand if you can’t,” Lucy was saying. “I just don’t trust many people to keep him, and he seems to like you so much.”

Marianne felt the compliment from head to toe. “Of course I’ll keep this lad.” She held out her arms. “I’ve got a full day of baking planned, and I bet I know someone who would like to help.” She recalled how Anna used to love to sit in the middle of the floor licking the spoons and bowls when Marianne was baking.

Lucy pulled the diaper bag from her shoulder. “Marianne, I owe you lunch, dinner, or something . . .” She paused. “Or I’m happy to pay you.”

Marianne shook her head. “No need, dear. Little Benjamin and I will have a
gut
time.”

“I would have asked Cora, but . . .” Lucy shrugged, and no further explanation was necessary.

“I’m happy to have some company today.”

Lucy leaned over and kissed Benjamin on the cheek. “I love you, Benny. Be a good boy, and I’ll see you this afternoon.” She looked at Marianne. “I should be here by five thirty.”

“That will be just fine.” Marianne stood Benjamin on the floor beside her. She wasn’t used to carrying a young one around, and her back was already feeling it. She latched onto his small hand and looked back at Lucy. “We will see you this afternoon.”

Lucy thanked Marianne again, gave a quick wave, then hurried to her car.

Marianne walked Benjamin into the living room, glad he hadn’t cried when his mother left. She squatted down in front of him. “Looks like it’s just you and me, Benjamin. How about we go make some whoopee pies?” She brushed back a strand of light brown hair that had fallen across his face, and he rewarded her with a happy smile.
Such a precious child!
But her heart flipped in her chest, knowing Isaac would not be happy that she was associating with Lucy Turner.

Anna breathed lightly between parted lips as Jacob pulled her closer and kissed her again. For weeks, they’d met daily for lunch at the deli, followed by a stroll around the corner to the alley in back of the restaurant. A delivery man had caught them kissing there once, but only once, and they had never seen any other Amish people around the deli. Anna thought it was because the prices were higher there than at other cafés and restaurants in the area. Whatever the reason, they were lucky to have a place where they could meet and even spend a little time alone.

Anna was in love with Jacob. He was everything she wanted in a spouse—kind, tender, generous, and devoted to family. It didn’t hurt that he was so handsome. Everything about him called to her, and she was sure he was the man she would marry, but Jacob hadn’t shared his feelings with her. Although their passion had surely soared, sometimes to a point where Anna had to back away, Jacob had never told her that he loved her. That was bothersome, but he seemed to “talk” to her in other ways, and she wondered if that counted. The way he gazed into her eyes, ran his thumb down
her cheek, told her how pretty she was. And most of all, the way he encouraged her dreams, often telling her that she would have her bakery one day.

“Am I going to see you tomorrow? Same time?” Jacob’s breath smelled of the peppermint she’d seen him pop into his mouth on the way out of the café. His mouth covered hers again before she could answer, and her stomach swirled the way it did every time she was close to him.

She eased away. “
Ya
, I will be here tomorrow.”

Frowning, he asked, “Is it time for me to try again with your grandfather?”

Anna didn’t want to spoil the moment, but their sneaking around hovered over them like a dark cloud. “I don’t know.”

Jacob shook his head. “We’ve got to make things right.” Then he grinned. “But I can’t stay away from you.”

She playfully slapped him on the arm. “
Daadi
knows I’ll leave home someday.” As soon as she said it, she wondered if it sounded like she intended to leave with Jacob. They’d never discussed such a thing. Was he thinking it too?

He kissed her gently. “Well, he’s going to have to come around, before I just show up and whisk you away.”

Anna’s knees went weak, and she could feel herself blushing.
I’ll go anywhere with you
.

He teasingly tipped his hat, bowing slightly. “See you tomorrow, Miss Anna.”

She grabbed each side of her blue dress and curtsied. “See you then, Mr. Jacob.” She turned to head back to the street where her buggy was parked. When they arrived at the sidewalk, Jacob headed in the other direction toward the lumberyard.

Anna unhitched the horse for the trip home, glad she’d gotten all her deliveries done for the day. Though she passed the lumberyard as usual, she didn’t bother to look in the window. Anna didn’t worry much about Glenda these days, since Jacob had mentioned on several occasions that Glenda’s new boyfriend was a really nice guy. And it helped that Jacob hadn’t gone to Glenda’s party either. He hadn’t even mentioned it to Anna because he knew there would be alcohol and activities they wouldn’t be comfortable with.

It was a good thing the horse knew the way home, because Anna kept drifting off into daydreams about Jacob. But as she pulled her buggy up to her house, she was startled awake by a strange sound coming from the house. It sounded like a wailing child.

She jumped from the buggy and ran for the door without taking the horse to the barn. The closer she got to the house, the louder the cries, and when she burst through the front door, she found little Benjamin Turner sitting in the middle of the floor with a glass of spilt milk. He was red in the face, screaming.

Anna glanced around but didn’t see Lucy or her grandmother. She picked up Benjamin and bounced him on her hip. “There, there, little guy. Where is everyone?”

She walked into the kitchen and noticed a burned batch of cookies on top of the stove and a carton of milk on the counter.
“Mammi?”

Anna walked from room to room as panic spread over her. Benjamin just kept screaming at the top of his small lungs. Finally, she walked into her grandparents’ bathroom.

“Mammi!”
Her grandmother lay sprawled out on the wooden floor.

Anna set Benjamin down and rushed to
Mammi’s
side. She
shook her, but she didn’t move. Anna’s mind raced with panic as she wondered what to do.

Mammi’s cell phone!

She picked up Benjamin and carried him with her to the basement to get the phone. Thank goodness it still had a charge! Once upstairs, she dialed 911.

“It’s my grandmother . . .”

Benjamin had stopped crying by now, but Anna had started.

Please, Lord, don’t take
Mammi
. Not today
.

L
UCY STOOD OFF TO ONE SIDE IN THE WAITING ROOM
at the hospital. If she hadn’t been completely sure of how Cora felt before, she was now. She had nodded curtly at Lucy when she arrived but otherwise ignored her and Benjamin. Now Cora and other members of the Amish community huddled together across the room. Anna Byler was there with a man Lucy believed to be her grandfather, the bishop. The others Lucy didn’t recognize, though she was certain they recognized her.

She pulled Benjamin closer to her as she continually thanked God that he was all right. So many things could have happened to him today. But they didn’t. Lucy felt sure that the Lord had been in that house with both her son and Marianne.

The doctor had already come out and said that Marianne was stable. Her blood sugar had gotten so high that she’d passed out. Until today Lucy had no idea that Marianne was diabetic. She’d definitely seen her eat sweets.

Lucy swallowed nervously as Bishop Byler left the group and walked toward her. Lucy could feel his eyes on her, but she kept her focus on Benjamin, who stood next to her playing with some cars Lucy had found in the diaper bag.

“The boy is
gut
?”

Lucy looked up into Bishop Byler’s tired eyes as he stooped in front of her. “Yes. He’s fine.”

Bishop Byler nodded, but didn’t say anything.

“Is Marianne going to be okay?” Lucy took a deep breath and held it.

“Ya, ya.”
Bishop Byler took off his hat, revealing a bald spot in the middle of his head, then he ran his hand the length of his gray beard. “She will be very upset about this. About putting the child in danger.”

Lucy had gotten over her panic once she’d seen that Benjamin was okay. “She couldn’t help it, though, if she was ill.” She smiled. “And Benjamin is fine.”

Bishop Byler’s frowned, his eyebrows drawn together. Lucy could tell that he was very worried about what had happened.

“Does she keep the boy often?” The bishop put his black hat back on.

Lucy shook her head. “No. This was the first time. My day care couldn’t keep him, so I asked Marianne if she could help me just for today.”

“She is a
gut
woman,” he said in a shaky voice.

Anna walked up. “Hi, Lucy.” Then she squatted down and said hello to Benjamin. When she stood back up, she said, “
Daadi
, do you know Lucy Turner?”

Lucy cringed at the mention of her full name. If the bishop didn’t already know, he would surely recognize her name now and assume her to be the seductress they all thought her to be.

But Bishop Byler simply nodded. “I am glad the boy is well.” He turned and walked away. Anna stayed.

“
Mammi
is going to be beside herself, knowing she put poor Benjamin in danger.”

“That’s what your grandfather said, but Benjamin is fine, so she needn’t worry.”

“I’d be happy to sit with Benjamin again sometime. I’m usually gone most of the day making deliveries to the bakeries, but if it’s a Saturday or something.”

“Thank you, Anna. I appreciate that.” Lucy was pretty sure it would never happen, but it was kind of Anna to offer.

She glanced down at her son, who was happily entertaining himself on the floor. “I guess I should get Benjamin home before he starts getting cranky. It’s about time for his nap.” She leaned down and picked up Benny’s cars, then scooped him into her arms. “Please tell your grandmother that I will come visit, as soon as I have some time off from work. And, Anna . . . please tell her everything is all right. I like your grandmother very much, and I know she will feel badly about this, but I’m just happy she’s okay. I don’t blame her at all.”

“I’ll tell her.” Anna touched the baby on the arm. “’Bye, Benjamin.”

Lucy started to leave the room, but she turned around before she pushed open the glass door. Cora was staring at her, and they locked eyes for a few seconds before Cora looked away.

Lucy headed to her car, holding Benjamin extra close, praying for Marianne.

And trying to rid herself of the sadness she felt about her relationship with Cora.