A Blessing for Miriam (37 page)

“Thanks,
Daett
, for everything,” Miriam murmured.

Daett
went on, a smile on his face. “I want to say again how glad
Mamm
and I are over the choices you’ve made lately, Miriam. I know you took the loss of Wayne deeply to heart, but in the end it will all be for the best.”

Miriam frowned slightly.

Daett
glanced at the suitcases on the floor for a moment. His face sobered. “I need to tell you, Miriam, that I spoke at length with Ivan last Sunday after the service. I’ve been wanting to tell you this since I picked you up at the bus station, but with Mrs. Faulkner in the car it didn’t seem…”

Mamm
spoke up. “
Daett
, not now. This can wait until we speak with Miriam in private.”

Daett
swallowed hard but nodded. “I suppose so. I know I don’t always wait for the proper moment.”

“You spoke with Ivan?” Miriam’s face was pale.

Naomi leaped to her feet. “I think I’m leaving about right now.”

Shirley stayed rooted in her seat as Naomi vanished up the stairs. If they wanted her gone they could say so. This conversation was obviously going to continue now, even over
Mamm
’s objections.

Daett
waited until Naomi’s footsteps had died away. “Let me explain. You were doing so well with your recent decisions, Miriam, that I thought I should follow my promise to you and speak with Ivan. I’m sure he’s had thoughts about you, after everything you told me out in Oklahoma and since his
frau
passed. I wanted to clear the air with him. I was also upset over how things went
between the two of you—back when. So I wanted to know his heart on the matter—on the farm, that is—and let him know we’re getting rid of that problem.”

“You didn’t,
Daett
.” Miriam’s voice was pained.

Mamm
kept quiet, but she reached over to hold Miriam’s hand.

Shirley hadn’t expected this. Was this what
Mamm
had meant earlier when she referenced a wedding this fall? Her parents had apparently given their approval to Ivan renewing his interest in Miriam. And obviously they expected Miriam to follow their lead. Shirley gripped the edge of her seat with both hands. She couldn’t have gotten a word out of her mouth if she’d tried. Some welcome home
Mamm
and
Daett
had planned for Miriam.

Daett
stared at the suitcases and then looked at his eldest daughter. “Ivan has changed much since Laura’s gone, Miriam. Sorrow does that to the human heart. And so have you, but you’re back now. Ivan would make a decent husband for you. I know your heart may need time to heal from the loss of Wayne, and so does Ivan’s from the loss of Laura. He loved his
frau
, but the Lord obviously had other plans for him. For the two of you.”

“But I
can’t
do this,” Miriam whispered. “I’m just back, and…” Her voice died away.

Shirley forced herself to stand and go sit beside Miriam on the couch. She slipped her arm around Miriam’s shoulders. What she should say, she still had no idea. Hopefully Miriam would know that she wasn’t in on this scheme.

Miriam turned to study Shirley’s face for a moment. “Do you support this?”

Shirley’s thoughts tumbled over each other. First of all, there was no way she wanted to contradict
Mamm
and
Daett
in front of them. Second, she’d been wrong when it came to love before. She’d resisted Miriam’s initial interest in Wayne because she’d wanted her to accept Ivan’s attentions despite Ivan’s faulty reasons.

Miriam looked away when her sister didn’t answer.

Shirley tightened her hand around Miriam’s shoulders, trying to send a message. That she could do. She would supply moral support for whatever decision Miriam made in the end. Miriam would have something to say about this, even if
Mamm
and
Daett
thought the matter a closed subject.

“
Daett
is right on this,”
Mamm
interjected. “Like he was right in Oklahoma about the money. Think for a moment, Miriam. Doesn’t it feel like a great burden is off your shoulders now that you’ve given away that money? When we sell the farm, you’ll be rid of the last of this awful mistake.”

“Mr. Bland’s decision was not a mistake!” Miriam seemed to gather strength. “I was the one who was too weak to handle the gift correctly. And
Daett
will not be selling the farm. I’ve given it to him, but legally it can’t be sold by you. And that’s that.”

Daett
’s lips pressed together. “Now we’re back to the same old argument, Miriam. I will sell the place after you sign the deed over to me.”

“Possession of the farm was set up as a trust for our family. You might be able to break the trust with lawyers, I suppose,” Miriam said softly.

Daett
sighed. “And here I thought you’d been making such wise decisions lately. Was I wrong?”

Miriam sat up straighter. “
Daett
, you can’t possibly know how I feel right now. About marrying, my heart hasn’t healed yet. I can’t even think about loving someone else again. And certainly not Ivan.”

“We do understand.”
Mamm
moved closer. “But won’t you at least consider what
Daett
has said? Don’t write off Ivan so easily. Take your time, Miriam, and let the Lord heal both of your hearts.”

Miriam forced a smile. “I appreciate your concern. I just can’t talk about Ivan now. On the farm issue,
Daett
must accept that the
farm was a gift from me with a plan in place so that it couldn’t be sold without the entire family agreeing. And I do not agree.”

Daett
shook his head. “I can’t keep the farm. My conscience won’t allow it.”

Miriam stood and faced
Daett
. “Maybe your conscience is too tender in some areas. Look at how our family has suffered because of your convictions. You refuse to deal with the tourists that everyone else caters too. That’s why I had to take the job to help Mr. Bland to begin with. And that’s why I stuck with it—because it paid so well. And that’s why I received the farm and the money. Because I did my work conscientiously. I think you should consider that you’re not right about everything.”

Shirley felt her head nod as she whispered, “That I
can
agree with.” She glanced at
Daett
’s face. How was he reacting to his daughters’ obvious defiance?

Daett
studied the two of them but refused to say anything.

Mamm
broke the ice by standing and saying, “Let’s not pursue this now. Go unpack, Miriam, and then rest a while. We have a nice supper planned especially for you tonight. Shirley’s Glen is stopping by. You’ll get to meet him.”

Miriam nodded. After
Mamm
and
Daett
left for the kitchen, Miriam whispered to Shirley, “Thank you for the support.”

“I’m glad you’re home!” Shirley whispered back. She stood and pulled Miriam close for a long hug.

Chapter Thirty-Six

A
s the sun set that evening, Shirley helped
Mamm
lay out the supper dishes. Upstairs Miriam finished unpacking and laid down to rest. She could hear her school-aged brothers and sisters playing outside.

Shirley glanced out the kitchen window to check on the kids, and they were all racing around the yard in the best of spirits. Baby Anna had awakened from her nap and was cooing on her blanket in front of the stove. Thankfully things had calmed down after
Daett
and
Mamm
’s startling disclosure about talking with Ivan Mast. Miriam had taken the revelation quite well, Shirley thought. But Miriam was that kind of person. It did sound like
Daett
had talked to her about Ivan before…perhaps in Oklahoma. Miriam had always been an example for the rest of the family in obedience. Now she appeared to be headed for a renewed relationship with Ivan whether she wanted to or not, whether she liked him or not. Perhaps even wedding him this fall. Would Miriam even consider such a thing? This was, after all,
marriage
. Could Miriam ever
really love Ivan? Could she vow to live with him in obedience the rest of her life? One thing Shirley was sure of, if
Mamm
and
Daett
thought their second daughter should marry a man she didn’t love, there wasn’t a chance she’d comply.

But she was no Miriam, who seemed able to change direction as the Lord changed her circumstances. Shirley sighed. She was still struggling with having good memories of Jonas and their heady relationship. The thought of fast car rides and fancy restaurants lingered in her mind. No man would ever be able to kiss her like Jonas. That was simply not possible. Dazzling fire filled Shirley’s heart at the memory of his passionate kisses.

“Is Glen still coming tonight?”
Mamm
asked, interrupting Shirley’s thoughts.

“
Yah
.” Shirley quickly returned to the present.

“How are you and Glen getting along?”

“Okay, I guess,” Shirley said with a shrug.

“It’s nice that he’s coming over for supper tonight.”
Mamm
’s voice revealed hopefulness.

A warm feeling did fill Shirley’s heart at the thought of Glen’s kindness. He’d been the first one who made her feel good despite her scarred face. And he’d come to see her in the hospital after her most recent surgery. The man was a treasure. There was no doubt on that point. He just wasn’t Jonas.

Before
Mamm
could press her point, footsteps came down the stairs. Miriam appeared in the kitchen doorway.

After looking over all their food preparations, Miriam exclaimed, “This wasn’t necessary. Why, look at all this food you’ve made!”

Mamm
practically glowed. “It’s not much, and I didn’t invite any visitors other than Glen, who sort of invited himself. You don’t even have to dress up. We wanted to do some little thing at least to welcome you home.”

Miriam looked ready to protest further, but instead she said,
“That’s awful nice of you, that’s all I can say.” She quickly washed her hands in the kitchen sink and turned her attention to baby Anna. “Hi, little one!” she cooed. “Are you awake from your nap?” Miriam leaned over and tickled Anna on the cheek. The child waved her arms and smiled. After a few minutes of murmured endearments, Miriam stood up. “So, what can I do to help,
Mamm
?”

“Sit right there and talk to us some more about Oklahoma,”
Mamm
ordered, pointing to a kitchen chair. “We were interrupted earlier, and I’m sure there’s more to tell, isn’t there?”

Miriam nodded and picked up baby Anna before she pulled out a chair. “Well, for one thing, the school board asked me back for another year. I accepted.”

Shirley gasped. “You’re going back there with Wayne gone?”

Miriam’s face clouded for a moment. “I know—it may be hard at times. But life goes on, and I have to go on with it. I like the community there, and they like me. I really enjoy teaching too.”

Mamm
stared at Miriam. “What about Ivan?”

“I don’t really want to talk about him,” Miriam replied. “Instead, why don’t you tell me about Glen, Shirley? Start at the beginning. Where did he come from? Men like that don’t drop in out of the blue.”

“You’re supposed to be telling us about Oklahoma,” Shirley reminded her.

Miriam laughed softly. “Touchy subject, is it? Well, that must mean there’s something to it. And he’s coming tonight?
Daett
must like him to allow that.”

Shirley said nothing even though
Mamm
smiled. The answer was obvious, Shirley thought. And she did like the man, just not the way her family and Glen wanted her to. But she would try. Glen was a decent man. She couldn’t go wrong with him.

“You still haven’t told us about Aunt Fannie and baby Jonathon,”
Mamm
pressed.

A smile flew across Miriam’s face. “He’s growing like a weed the last few weeks. Fat and chubby for a little boy. Just adorable! We all love him.”

Mamm
appeared wistful. “I’d love to see him again. I guess one of you girls has to hurry up with a wedding so your Aunt Fannie and Uncle William have an excuse to visit.”