Sarah's Orphans (37 page)

“We heard he passed,” Rebecca said.

“Passed?”

“That's what the Hershbergers told us. Said he died on the side of the road. Real tragedy. I plan to go and see Katie this afternoon.”

“
Nein
. Brian was alive when they loaded him in the ambulance.”

Joseph joined them at the register. “You're sure?”

“
Ya
. I was there.” He explained how Mateo and Isaac had seen the accident.

“Those boys have been through enough.” Rebecca crossed and then uncrossed her arms. “It's a shame that they saw such a thing, but I suppose
Gotte
has His reasons.”

“Maybe we could call the hospital to see how Brian's doing.”

“No need for that.” Joseph flashed him a smile and hurried to unlock the door.

Bishop Levi was the first to walk inside. He was followed by two other men and one woman from their community. For the moment, Paul's mind went blank, and he couldn't remember a single name. Joseph said good morning to each of them, calling them by name.

Paul was going to have to make an effort to at least learn who people were. After all, this was his community now.

“Do you have news on Brian?”

“I do.” The bishop waited until everyone had quieted. “I stayed at the hospital through the night. Katie is doing okay, but she needs our prayers. She's understandably quite upset.”

“And Brian?” Joseph asked.

“He's in critical condition. He had some internal bleeding, which they did emergency surgery to stop. The doctors also had to give him a transfusion because he'd lost so much blood. If it hadn't been for Mateo and Isaac…They saved his life by wrapping the shirt around his head and at least slowing the amount of blood loss.”

“So he will live?”

Levi shrugged and tapped his cane against the floor. Paul could tell that he'd rather not answer the question, but it was the bishop's job to guide them, not protect them from the harshness of the world.

“The doctors couldn't say. They put him in a medically induced coma to allow his body time to heal. The leg will mend, but the internal injuries, especially those to his head…only time will tell.”

They stood in stunned silence, and then the bell over the front door rang again. Paul looked up to see an
Englisch
couple walk inside. Slowly their group dispersed. Rebecca patted him on the shoulder. “Be sure to tell Sarah and her family what we know.”

He shook his head. “She was so upset yesterday.”

“And she'll be upset today, but it's better that you not try to hide this from her. She'll imagine something even worse. Trust me. It's what women do.”

“Hard to imagine worse than this.”

“Have faith. Brian has a chance, and we all know what a tough person he is.” Now Rebecca's eyes took on a mischievous glint. “He did become Amish. How many are able to do that? Brian Walker is a strong and godly man. We can trust him to
Gotte
's care.”

Though he didn't want to, Paul stopped by and told
Mammi
the news.

“Sarah is upstairs with Mateo. The boy's been unusually quiet since it happened.”

“Would it help if I talked to him?”

Mammi
cocked her head to the side, and then she patted her pocket and pulled out a silver-wrapped piece of chocolate. She put it into Paul's hand and closed his fingers around it. “You're a
gut
man, Paul Byler. I'll suggest the boys come to see you later. Caring for those pigs might be just the thing to perk them up.”

So he'd gone home, though he wanted to stay and speak to Sarah.
Mammi
hadn't said how she was doing. Paul thought of her soaking his shirt with her tears, and he vowed he would find a way to make her smile again.

It was just before lunch when Mateo and Isaac showed up to check on the pigs.

“Where's Luke?”

“Helping Henry take apart the tractor engine, though it doesn't need it. Henry's fascinated with mechanical things.” Isaac had picked up a stick, and he despondently struck it against the ground.

Mateo sat down on an upturned feed pail and stared at his shoes.

The two had obviously been dwelling on what had happened. Paul's heart ached for them, but he also understood the wisdom of what
Mammi
had said. An afternoon's work wouldn't take away their pain, but it would at least distract them for a few hours.

So he set them to cleaning the pigs' pen. He also suggested they raise the water buckets that were attached to the side of the pen. “These pigs are growing faster than I can keep up with.”

After they had done that, he thought they would come and find him, but they didn't. He finally went to the pigpen to check on them. Mateo was sitting on the ground, giving the smallest pig a belly rub. Isaac was whittling on a stick with a pocketknife.

It was a beautiful April day.

There had to be something he could do to raise their spirits. Suddenly he remembered something he'd seen in a back stall of the barn.

“I could use your help with one more thing.”

Isaac shrugged and Mateo stood up, but neither showed much enthusiasm. When he led them to the back stall and began pulling out fishing gear, he finally got their attention.

“Where did this come from?”

“It was left here.”

“So it's yours?”

“I bought the place. Anything on the premises automatically became mine.”

“You need our help cleaning up this stuff?” Isaac frowned at a tackle box that he'd opened. It was a real mess. It almost looked as if someone had turned it upside down.

“Sure. That would be
gut
, but I was sort of hoping you could help me catch some fish.”

Isaac's head jerked up. “I thought you needed to check the crops.”

“
Ya
, I do need to do that, but it will keep until next week. Today I have a hankering for fried fish. Think
Mammi
knows how to cook it?”

“
Mammi
can cook anything,” Isaac said, walking over to the fishing poles and choosing a plain bamboo one.

Mateo looked less convinced. “I've never fished before,” he admitted.

“No? Then today is a
gut
day to learn.”

Paul sent the boys to dig up some worms while he fetched three cans of soda, a jar of peanut butter, and half a loaf of bread. It wasn't the best lunch, but he supposed that didn't matter as much as raising their spirits. He placed everything inside a medium-sized cooler and took two small ice packs out of his tiny freezer. The ice packs went on top of the drinks.

Two hours later, they had caught six nice-sized catfish from the creek that flowed across the northwestern corner of his property. He had placed them in the now empty cooler, ice packs once again on top, which the boys insisted on carrying. They stopped outside the barn while he returned the poles and tackle.

“Tractor or walk?” Paul asked.

“Walk,” they said simultaneously.

“Works for me.”

“
Mammi
is going to be shocked,” Mateo said.

“
Ya
. We brought home the bacon, only it's fish!” Isaac laughed at his joke, and then he covered his mouth. “Sorry. I didn't mean to laugh.”

“It's okay to be happy, you know.” They were walking down Paul's lane. They could have cut across the fields, but he'd heard about Isaac's pants getting caught on the fence the last time. He didn't want to add any additional work to Sarah's afternoon.

“I don't know about that. Seems like we should be sad. I mean, we are sad.” Isaac frowned and squashed his hat more firmly on his head.

“Being sad is normal. Someone we love is hurting.”

Both of the boys nodded fiercely.

“But at the same time, Brian wouldn't want you to go around looking like the world had stopped turning. There's still work to be done and fish to be caught.”

“Sometimes I forget,” Mateo admitted. “You know, I forget for a minute that he's been hurt. Then I remember, and I feel terrible all over again.”

“Yup. That's your mind and heart coming to terms with what has happened.”

They had reached the end of the lane and were now walking down the side of the road.

“Why did it have to happen?” Isaac asked. “Brian's a
gut
person. He didn't do anything wrong or anything to deserve this.”

Paul didn't answer immediately.

Mateo said, “I've wondered that before. Like, why do I have a terrible mom? I'm grateful for you all—for my new family—but why did I get stuck with such a bad one to begin with?”

“Let's not be judging your mother. We don't know the details of her situation.”

“I know she's not here, and she's a drunk! What else do I need to know?”

Isaac nodded in agreement. “My mom isn't any better. She's not a drunk, and she still left.”

Paul stopped walking, scratched at his right eyebrow, and said a quick prayer for wisdom. They had reached the lane leading to the Yoder house. He motioned over to the vegetable stand that was currently closed.

He sat on the lone chair inside. Mateo and Isaac both sat on the cooler. Each tugged on their straw hat at the same moment. It was almost funny, the way the two mirrored one another, and that they weren't even aware of it.

This time, instead of staring at the ground, they watched him expectantly.

Paul sighed and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “I don't know the answers to your questions.”

“That's not much help,” Isaac said.

“So you're as confused as we are?” Mateo pulled off his hat and scratched his head. “But you're grown up.”

“
Ya
, I am. No one handed me all the answers when I turned sixteen or eighteen or even twenty. I'm still figuring stuff out. I guess we all are.”

“Not any help at all.” Isaac nudged Mateo, and they both grinned. “Maybe we should ask
Mammi
.”

“That's a
gut
idea.
Mammi
is a wise woman, and we're lucky she's here.”

“Sure are,” the boys said simultaneously.

Paul leaned back in his chair. “Though, if your mom hadn't left home, Isaac,
Mammi
wouldn't have come to stay here.”

“I traded one mother for another?”

“I don't know about that. I only know that I'm glad
Mammi
came.”

“I am too,” Isaac admitted.

“So something
gut
came out of your mother's leaving, just like
Gotte
promised He would bring
gut
out of the things men intend for evil.”

“That's in the Bible?” Mateo asked.

“Sure is.” Paul allowed his words to sink in, and then he reminded them, “And if Mateo's mom hadn't left, then you two would have never met each other. Sarah wouldn't have Mateo and Mia to take care of.”

“Sarah loves us,” Mateo said.

Isaac nodded in agreement. “She loves all of us.”

“But what about Brian? How can something
gut
come of that?”

“I don't know, but
Gotte
will find a way. You can always trust that
Gotte
will find a way to bless us in spite of the bad stuff in life. And you know what?” He stood and indicated they should pick up the cooler and continue walking. “If Mateo hadn't come, and you two hadn't pestered me about piglets—”

Isaac gave him a sideways look. “Hey. Wasn't that your idea?”

“Maybe it was, but I might not have actually purchased them without you two around. Now those piglets have the best home this side of the Mississippi.”