A Heart Once Broken (21 page)

What choice did she have? She didn't like the man, but events had spiraled out of control. Perhaps this is what
Mamm
had felt the first time Deacon Schrock had brought up the subject of her marriage to Amos. And look where
Mamm
was now. In love! The shock of that thought ran all the way through Sandra.

Clyde must have taken her silence for permission as he leaned back in his chair and said, “You need to get some sun on that leg.”

“If you'd move, I could,” Sandra snapped.

Clyde didn't seem offended. He grinned instead and said, “If you stand up with your crutches, I'll move your chair.”

Reluctantly, Sandra stood while Clyde moved her chair closer to the rails. Once he was done, she lowered herself back down.

“There, that's better,” Clyde said. “Plenty of sunshine for a quick healing.”

Silence settled between them, and Sandra moved her leg further into the sunlight. Warmth filled her cast.

Clyde's voice was gentle. “I'm actually glad you're not moving into the house with us.”

“Oh?” Sandra couldn't hide her surprise.

Clyde nodded. “It means there's hope for us. If we take this slowly, you can start to see that the Lord has His hand on our relationship.”

Sandra tried to breathe. What was she supposed to say? Protests obviously did no good.

“You should see how my
daett
and your
mamm
have fallen in love,” Clyde continued. “It's embarrassing, in a way—like what your
mamm
said at the dinner table today. But on the other hand, great hope rises in my heart. The same thing could happen for us, Sandra.”

“If you say so,” Sandra finally said, with characteristic sarcasm.

Clyde chuckled, sounding almost like Amos. “You are a challenge, Sandra, but a beautiful challenge. Your spirit stirs my affections deeply.”

“Please don't say that!” Sandra shot back.

His response was to softly lay his hand on Sandra's arm. To her surprise, she didn't shake it off.

“See?” Clyde finally said. “You do like me a little.”

What is the use?
Sandra thought.
He still doesn't get it.

Chapter Twenty

T
hat Sunday afternoon after the service, Rosemary parted ways with her sister Ann outside the washroom door and walked toward Bishop Henry's barn. A few young boys were standing in the yard looking her way, but they paid her no further attention.

Ezra is out here somewhere,
Rosemary told herself. Ezra had gone outside ten minutes ago, but his buggy was still in the barnyard. She hadn't dared to offer to serve the unmarried men's table today, even though she had wanted to. There were limits to her charm, and Ezra should be handled carefully like the valuable prize he was. But she had made progress since the wedding. Ezra was smiling at her much more than he used to—which was surely evidence of some change of attitude on his part.

So far no one other than Sandra and Lydia had taken her seriously as a contender for Ezra—if they noticed her at all. Her sister Ann hadn't said anything, and
Mamm
was too wrapped up with all the care of the younger children to notice what was going on right under her nose.

Rosemary paused before she entered the barn. A few steps later she found the stall where she had left her horse, Buster, before the
morning service. Buster whinnied when Rosemary approached, and several other horses joined in.

“Your turn will come soon,” Rosemary assured them, as she untied Buster's strap. “Everyone will be going home before long.”

There was no sign of Ezra, but perhaps he would appear at the sound of her voice. Rosemary listened for a moment before she led Buster toward the barn door. She had to stop thinking about Ezra, but even if she succeeded for the moment, her resolution would only last until tonight at the hymn singing. She would see his handsome face, and her hopes to win him would start all over again.

Rosemary heard the sound of men laughing outside as they approached the barn.
Yah
, that was Ezra's voice mixed in with several other men's. Rosemary stepped aside from the barn door as the men made their way inside. Buster whinnied again, and they all turned to look at her.

“Rosemary!” Ezra exclaimed. “Let me help you hitch Buster to the buggy.”

“You know my horse's name?” Rosemary didn't hide her astonishment.

“We know everything about girls,” one of the other boys said.

They all laughed, and Ezra motioned them on with a wave. “Get going. I'm taking care of this one.”

Rosemary found her voice again. “But Ann is out there waiting. She'll help me.”

“
I'm
helping you.” Ezra took the tie rope from Rosemary's hand.

“This is so nice of you,” Rosemary cooed.

Ezra opened the barn door and motioned for Rosemary to go out first. “I've wanted a chance to speak to you in private,” Ezra said, following her outside to the buggy.

Buster whinnied again, and Ezra stroked his neck. “Not you, silly.”

Rosemary looked away, but Ezra must have seen the blush that leaped into her face. He surely knew how he affected her.

“I'd like to take you home from the hymn singing, Rosemary,” Ezra said. “That is, if you will let me.”

Rosemary tried to breathe. “You want to take
me
home from the hymn singing?”

“
Yah
, that's what I said.” Ezra grinned. “If you can stand me.”

Rosemary stood frozen in place. What was she to say?
Yah
? Or,
I'd love to
? Or,
I never dreamed this day would come
?

“A simple
yah
will do,” Ezra said with a grin. “Unless you're trying to think of a nice way to say no.”

Ezra knew
goot
and well that she wasn't going to say no. Rosemary let out a long breath. “The answer is
yah,
of course.”

“
Goot
. Then why not tonight?” Ezra said.

“Tonight will be fine,” Rosemary said.

“You had me worried there,” Ezra teased.

Ezra had his hand on Buster's bridle as Ann approached the buggy.

“What have we here, if not the little sister?” Ezra teased Ann, who appeared nonplussed.

“Hi, Ezra,” Ann said, as she promptly climbed in the buggy.

Rosemary stayed on the other side of Ezra while they hitched Buster to the buggy. When they finished, Ezra smiled and said, “I'll be seeing you, then.” He went forward to hold Buster's bridle while Rosemary climbed in the buggy.

Ezra let go and waved as Buster dashed forward and the sisters whirled out of the Bishop Henry's lane. Near the main road Rosemary leaned out of the buggy for one final wave back at Ezra.

“What was that all about?” Ann asked.

“Ezra's taking me home from the hymn singing tonight.” Rosemary almost sang the words.

Ann stared at her sister. “Ezra Wagler is bringing you home after the hymn singing?”

“That's what I said,” Rosemary gushed.

“You should calm down a little bit,” Ann advised. “Boys don't like excited females.”

“Nothing else has worked with Ezra, so don't criticize my methods,” Rosemary shot back.

“Does that mean you're kissing him on your first date?”

Rosemary felt the heat rush into her face. “Most certainly not. Ezra's not like that.”

“Just making sure.” Ann didn't appear convinced. “But hasn't that Johnny fellow written to you again?”

“No, I told him not to pursue the relationship.” Rosemary shivered with delight all the way down to her shoes.

“Ezra,” Ann mused. “I guess he'd make a decent brother-in-law. He's handsome enough.”

“He's a man of unrivaled character and unblemished in all ways,” Rosemary informed Ann. “That's more than handsome.”

Ann laughed. “No wonder you snagged the man when others failed. You deserve Ezra. You'll make him a decent
frau
.”

Rosemary glared at Ann. “Thanks for the ringing endorsement. But I don't think we're quite at that stage yet.”

Ann laughed again. “Maybe not, but I'm serious. I hope it works out.”

That was the problem, Rosemary thought. They were nowhere near a wedding date, so anything could happen to mess things up. But she mustn't let her mind go there. She'd stay upbeat and take each day at a time. Hadn't that attitude taken her over tremendous hurdles already? Who would have thought she would snag a date with Ezra when the Troyer cousins had failed?

Rosemary slowed for the home driveway. She turned in to stop
beside the barn. Ann hopped down to help her unhitch Buster, then raced for the house while Rosemary led Buster into the barn. No doubt Ann was rushing in to inform
Mamm
about Ezra, but Rosemary didn't mind.
Mamm
wouldn't object, although
Mamm
likely wouldn't see the full extent of her accomplishment. Even a sweet smile from Ezra a few months ago had seemed unimaginable. And now today his face had glowed with happiness when he had asked to drive her home after the hymn singing. That she could bring joy to Ezra's life made her dizzy.

Rosemary left Buster in the stall and hugged herself with delight. The time until they had to leave for the hymn singing tonight must not be wasted, Rosemary told herself. There wasn't any special food in the house, but Ezra would need something extra when he brought her home. Cherry cheese cups would be just the ticket. She had time to prepare them if she hurried.

Rosemary raced across the yard to burst into the house.
Mamm
met her with a broad smile. “Ann just told me about Ezra. That's not bad, Rosemary. I guess you did tell me that when Johnny wrote to you. But are you sure?”

“
Yah
,” Rosemary admitted. “You don't object, do you?”

“I guess not now that he's asked,”
Mamm
assured her. “I like Ezra.”

“Can I make cherry cheese cups for Ezra tonight?” Rosemary said, hugging herself again.

Mamm
thought for a moment. “I suppose so.” She glanced at the clock. “You'll have to hurry, though. And how is Ann going to get home? We can't have her driving Buster by herself.”

Rosemary's face fell. “I hadn't thought of that. I guess there's more to this than I had imagined.”

“There always is,”
Mamm
allowed. “But that's all part of the joys of life. Responsibility goes with progress. Hurry along now, and we'll figure out some way of getting Ann home.”

“She could ride with us,” Rosemary suggested. “But that doesn't solve the problem of how to bring Buster home.”

“We'll take both of you tonight, dear,”
Mamm
said after a moment of thought. “That way we'll be along to celebrate your big night, but Ezra may have to pick both of you up after that.”

Rosemary gave
Mamm
a long hug. She was speechless with joy.

“I heard all that,” Ann hollered down the open stair door. “And just to let you both know, I can drive Buster by myself. I'm not a
bobbli
.”

“I know you're not,”
Mamm
called back to Ann. “But tonight we'll take both of you.”

“Oh,
Mamm
, thank you,” Rosemary managed before she hurried into the kitchen. She took down the recipe book from the top cupboard. Ten minutes later she was stirring the ingredients together and then dropping the dozen small cupcake holders into place. She soon had the oven fire stoked, and slid the plate of cakes onto the middle rack. She timed the minutes with a careful eye on the kitchen clock.

When she peeked in the oven door the first time, Rosemary whispered to herself, “Not quite. These have to be perfect for Ezra.”