The Days of Redemption (70 page)

“Landon, I'm mighty excited to meet your
bruder
and his wife. Her name's Edith, didn't you say?”

Before he could answer, Elsie continued in a rush—the same way she'd been chattering ever since he'd helped her into the buggy. “Oh! And their
kinner
, of course. They're twin boys,
jah?
”

“Jah.”
Landon couldn't help but steal another glance at Elsie as his horse clip-clopped down the nearly empty streets between her family's home and his brother's house. Though it was dark outside, the lantern on the back of the buggy cast a glow around them, illuminating Elsie's smile. She looked so happy—the way he felt inside.

“I think you're going to like Daniel and his family,” he said easily. “I know they'll like you.”

“I hope so.”

“I know so,” he countered, just to see her smile again. “We're almost there. Five minutes at the most.”

When Elsie relaxed against him, he gave in to temptation and glanced at her again.

He was so proud of her. Though she hadn't mentioned her doctor's visit or her eye problems once since he'd picked her up, he knew it had to be weighing on her mind. He knew if a doctor had recommended such a surgery to him, it would be all he could think about or want to talk about.

However, Elsie was made from a different cut of cloth, he thought as he guided the horse up Daniel's driveway. She obviously wasn't going to let her worries about the upcoming operation dim her mood.

After pulling the buggy to a stop, Landon walked around to help Elsie out.

“Danke,”
she said when he reached her side. “Usually I try to climb down on my own, but I don't want to risk falling right in front of your brother and sister-in-law.”

“I don't mind helping you at all,” he said, realizing how much he meant his words. He liked reaching up and resting one of his hands around her waist while taking her hand with the other. Most of all, he liked how she trusted him to help her. It made him feel strong and sure, like he could do most anything.

As he swung her down, he felt her tremble. Was she nervous about meeting his brother? Or, was it for a far different reason? Was she feeling the same tension between them that he was?

When her feet were steady on the ground, he touched her cheek lightly with the pad of his thumb. “Are you okay?”

She looked up at him, her eyes wide.
“Jah.”

“Daniel and Edith are easy to get along with. Please don't be nervous.”

“I won't be,” she murmured before reaching to pick up her basket filled with rolls from the buggy's bench seat.

Just as they started toward the door, it opened wide. Then out poured Daniel, Edith, and their twin boys. The boys were barely three and seemed to constantly waver between sticking by their parents' sides and coaxing each other into mischief.

“Hi, everyone!” Landon called out. “This is Elsie.”

Edith trotted out in front of her boys. “Nice to meet you, Elsie. I'm Edith,” she said with a smile. “Here, let me help you with your basket.”

Before Landon could say another word, the two women were walking into the house together, Edith's hand curved around Elsie's elbow. The boys scampered next to them, already asking a dozen questions.

Daniel chuckled as they watched the procession. “And here we thought our women might not get along.”

It felt good to hear Elsie referred to as his. Lately he'd begun to think of her that way, too. She'd become his in his heart before his mind had even made peace with the change. “I guess I was foolish to worry about this dinner,” he said softly. “I just didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.”

“She's pretty, Landon. You never mentioned that. All you ever talked about were her vision problems.”

That caught him off guard. Was that really how he'd been thinking of Elsie? By her disability first? “I'm sure I told you she was attractive.”

As they started forward, Daniel gestured to the front steps. “She seems to get around okay even though she can't really see.”

“She's not completely blind.”

“Oh, I know you said that. But I have to be honest with ya, I was half expectin' to see a woman with a cane, stumbling around.”

Landon paused. Had that been how he'd described her? As someone who was helpless?

Feeling his cheeks heat, he rushed to her defense. “Elsie doesn't stumble.”

“Settle down. I was only sharing my opinion.”

“Let's go inside. I bet the women are wondering where we are.”

“I doubt that. They seem as happy together as two old friends,” Daniel said, but he led the way inside anyway.

Right away, Landon walked to the kitchen to check on Elsie. When he saw Edith handing her dishes to place on the table, he rushed to her side. “Do you need help carrying those plates?” he murmured quietly enough so that only she could hear.

Elsie shook her head. “I'm fine. As long as Edith doesn't hand me any sharp knives, I shouldn't be a danger to anyone,” she joked.

He appreciated that she could make jokes about her vision problem, but he didn't want her to feel too embarrassed to ask for help if she needed it. “You're the guest, Elsie. Why don't you have a seat? I can help Edith take things out to the table.”

“Landon, I don't want to sit.”

“Elsie's already told me about her eyesight, and about what she feels comfortable doing,” Edith informed him with a small smile. “I'll help her if she needs it. But I feel like I should point out that she's already carried over the glasses and napkins to the table.”

“Truly?”

Elsie grinned. “Truly. Bo here helped me.”

Looking down, the little boy nodded. “I walked with Elsie. I'm her helper.”

Daniel must have noticed his hovering and Edith's exasperation. “Come over here, Landon, and help me with Benjamin. He needs a clean shirt.”

Once they were in the boys' room, Daniel playfully slapped him on the back. “You sure are smitten! I've never seen a man be so attentive. You certainly were never like that with Tricia.”

“Tricia was different. Elsie sometimes needs an extra hand. I just don't want her to—”

“I know, Landon,” Daniel interrupted while Ben squirmed as he pulled off the stained shirt and slipped another one on. Lowering his voice, he said, “So when will she have her operation?”

“I haven't asked her that yet.”

“No? Well, I hope she mentions it tonight because Edith already told me that she's hoping she can help with the meals at her house.”

“I'm sure they will appreciate that when the time comes.”

He was about to add more, to talk about how worried he was about the operation, how he intended to go back to the library soon to read about corneal transplants, when Edith called them to the table.

“We'll talk about this later,” Daniel said as they walked to the dining room.

As Elsie sat down next to Landon, it took almost everything she had to keep from grinning broadly. Finally, she was doing the living she'd wanted to do for so long. No one had kept her home or had warned her to be extra careful.

No one had cautioned her about Landon or reminded her that she shouldn't really be entering into a relationship. Instead, the rest of the family had merely said goodbye when Landon had come to the door to get her.

At long last, she was living the way she'd always dreamed of living—simply as another woman in the world.

She didn't want to do anything special or be anyone special; she just wanted to be herself and be accepted for that.

After they were all seated, Ben and Bo in booster seats on the chairs on either side of Edith, they all bowed their heads in silent prayer. Elsie was so thankful, she found herself silently praising Jesus for her many blessings, Landon and his acceptance of her foremost in her thoughts.

Then, it was time to dive into the feast that Edith had prepared.

“Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and two vegetable casseroles,” she exclaimed. “It looks
wunderbaar
!”

“Indeed,” Landon said with a grin. “My brother is a lucky man to have married such a good cook.”

Edith laughed off the praise. “Landon only thinks it's so good because he's a bachelor. Men don't learn to cook much besides sandwiches and cans of soup.”

“That's true,” Landon said. “Growing up, Daniel and I didn't learn how to do much more than work the can opener. Only now am I learning how to make eggs.”

Elsie smiled at that but said nothing.

“Maybe your bachelor days won't last forever,” Daniel hinted not so subtly.

“Daniel, stop,” Edith said. “You're going to embarrass our guest.”

“Sorry,” Daniel said.

Luckily, the boys started demanding more attention, and so the rest of the meal was centered on their needs instead of her and Landon's relationship.

After dinner, Elsie and Edith cleaned up the kitchen while the men helped the boys wash up and put on pajamas for bed.

Then, all too soon, it was time for them to leave. Elsie was disappointed that their evening had flown by so fast, but was secretly reminded that now she and Landon would have the chance to spend a few precious moments together alone.

After they said their goodbyes, Landon was once again at her side, helping her back into the buggy.

“Tonight was fun,” he said. “Daniel and Edith liked you a lot. I could tell.”

“I liked them, too. Edith and I might see each other soon. I told her I'd like to come over and help her with the boys one afternoon.”

“She would love that. Edith is mighty capable, but still . . .”

“Twin three-year-olds are twin three-year-olds! Believe me, my parents could tell you stories about the mischief Viola and I caused when we were children.”

“You were mischievous? I can't imagine.”

“Though it's hard to believe, I wasn't always perfect,” she joked.

They were now alone on the road. Happy from the good conversation, relieved that the visit had gone well, hopeful about her future, Elsie felt herself relax. Little by little, she scooted closer to him, letting her muscles ease and lean against him.

Landon wrapped one arm around her as his left loosely held on to his horse's reins. “This is nice,” he murmured.

“Jah.”
She loved the feel of his hand on her shoulder, the way she could feel the warmth from his body, the way he smelled so clean and masculine.

Most of all, she loved feeling like she was finally experiencing something that she'd feared she'd only dream about. At last, she had a boyfriend. She felt so blessed, too, because it seemed that he was accepting her as she was, with her disability and all. That was truly a gift.

As she looked out the buggy's front window, she noticed that the only thing they could see were what was illuminated by the light at the front of the buggy. Otherwise, it was completely dark.

And the darkness wasn't scary because she had someone to travel the road with.

It was as if God had just given her a sign that her dark future was going to be all right. All she'd had to do was stop fearing it.

Landon slowed Mike. “It sure is dark out,” he murmured.

“I was just thinking that.”

“Are you worried about traveling in the dark?”

“Nee.”

“Gut.”

Then, to her amazement, she felt him brush his lips on her temple. She felt that whisper-quick brush all the way to her toes . . . and started wondering if he was going to kiss her good night.

Wouldn't it be something to finally have her first kiss? Though Viola never talked about such things, Elsie knew her sister had kissed other boys a time or two—even before she met Edward.

All her life Elsie had ached to know what it would feel like, to be held in a man's arms, but of course she never asked anyone. Viola would feel sorry for her. Or it would be too awkward.

Worse, Elsie had figured such a conversation would make her sad, because it would be so terribly obvious that she wasn't going to be kissed anytime soon.

But now, this night, there was a mighty good chance that her prospects were about to change.

Too soon, he removed his arm from around hers in order to guide Mike onto her driveway.

Already, she felt chilled. “We're home already?”

“Jah.”
He cleared his throat. “We got back fast.”

“We did,” she agreed, then winced inwardly. She sounded inane.

When he set the parking brake, he turned to her. Took her hand. “Elsie, I'm glad we did this. The more time we spend together, the more I'm anxious to see you again. I hope my eagerness doesn't scare you.”

“I'm not scared.” She wasn't scared about anything anymore. Not her future. Not about the darkness. Not about him leaning just a little bit closer and pressing his lips against hers . . .

He straightened. Leaned closer.
“Gut,”
he murmured. “I'm glad.”

She sat as still as a statue, half forgetting to breathe. Waiting for him to lean closer still . . .

But all he did was hop out of the buggy and walk around to help her down.

Ah. It was now obvious that tonight wasn't going to be their first kiss.

“Let me help you down,” he said as he reached for her hand.

She leaned forward, rested a hand on one of his strong shoulders. Then was taken completely by surprise when her chin bumped his. “Sorry!” he whispered around a chuckle. Just before he brushed his lips against hers. And then kissed her again.

Then, just as if she'd imagined it, their kiss was over. He lifted her down. Stepped away.

“
Gut nacht
, Elsie,” he said formally.

“Good night,” she replied. Just as formally.