A Sister's Wish (9 page)

“That doesn't excuse what you did. Or what Rebecca did.”

“It might, if you would let me speak.”

“I don't want to talk about him. Not today.” Her voice quaked. “Not anytime soon.”

“I don't know what you want me to say.”

“How about you go tell the hospital staff that I am ready to leave. If you did that, I would be grateful.”

“I will. And I'll contact Levi and ask him to come home.”

“
Gut,
Lukas.” Staring down at her leg, she said, “After he gets settled, I think it's time I did some things on my own.”

“Like what?”

“I don't know, which is kind of the problem, ain't it? Here I've been thinking that I was being an important part of our family, taking care of the animals and house. But all it did was separate me from the rest of the world. And make you only see me as a child.”

“I never thought of you as a child. What you do is important.”

“That's in the past, Lukas,” she replied, her voice flat. “I feel like the Lord has been giving me all kinds of signs, but I've chosen to ignore them. I don't want to do that anymore. When my leg is healed, I think I may very well take some time off from my life, too.”

“I really hope you don't do that.”

“Oh, don't worry,” she replied, her voice thick with sarcasm. “I'll be sure to write to someone and tell them where I am . . . as long as they keep it a secret from you.”

Her comment stung, but Lukas knew it was no less than he deserved. He'd messed up so much. Betrayed two people who meant the world to him. “I'll go find out how to get you out of here,” he mumbled.

Amelia didn't say a word. Only stared at him like she wanted him out of her sight.

As he walked through the door, Lukas wished that his parents were still alive. His mom would have known how to make things right and his father would have made sure he hadn't been such an idiot in the first place.

But now he was going to have to rely on his faith and his wife to get him through and make things better. He hoped that was even possible. Because the pain in his heart showed him that the impossible had just happened.

He actually felt worse than he had the day their father died.

And this time? Well, he had no one to blame but himself.

It was a terrible burden to bear.

Chapter 9

Tuesday, October 6

S
orry about Dr. Phillips today, Tess,” Gwen, the receptionist at the family practice office said with an apologetic frown. “He's been short with everyone lately.”

Well, that was one way to describe the doctor's behavior. Others might have said he'd been plain rude.

But she'd learned over the years to not let things like that bother her too much. Her job was to sell pharmaceuticals, not make friends. “No reason to apologize,” Tess replied. “I'm just glad he had a few minutes to speak with me.”

Gwen looked as if she didn't exactly believe that, but before she could comment, the phone rang.

Tess waved goodbye and strode out of the office. The moment she felt the cool fall breeze hit her cheeks, she smiled in relief.

The waiting room had been overheated and filled with coughing, sneezing, sick patients. She'd been asked to wait for over an hour, and then when she'd finally gone back to visit with the
physician, he'd treated her as if she was wasting his time. She'd barely been able to talk to him about the samples she'd brought before he'd been called away.

Now she was late for her other appointments, and felt like she needed to take a shower in Purell. She smiled tightly at an elderly man walking toward the building as she rushed to her car, which acted as her office. After opening her laptop and recording notes from her unproductive meeting, she checked her phone and winced.

Her manager had both called and texted, wanting to know her latest sales numbers for the week. Unfortunately, she hadn't met any of her goals. Deciding not to delay the inevitable, she picked up her cell phone and dialed. With any luck Jim wouldn't pick up and she could simply leave him a voice mail.

“Tess. It's about time,” he said in his usual choppy, rushed way. “I've been waiting to hear from you so I could finish my report. What do you have?”

“Not much, I'm afraid.” She stared at the cars surrounding her in the parking lot as she proceeded to tell him all of her bad news.

He interrupted often, making her feel both frustrated and worthless. But that was his management style. Most of the time, she let his comments roll off, remembering that he actually was a decent person. Not the type of person she'd enjoy sharing a meal with, but he was ruthlessly fair.

That said, he didn't pull any punches when he was disappointed.

She listened as long as she could, then did a little interrupting herself. “Sorry, but I've got another meeting, Jim. We'll talk more later.” Thirty seconds later, she tossed the phone in the passenger seat and was pulling out of the parking lot.

As she drove down the street and headed toward the highway, Tess wondered why everything that had happened so far that week had felt both frustrating and, well, wrong. Usually rudeness didn't faze her. Most of the time the pressure she felt when trying to make a new sale was exhilarating. It made her work even harder.

Her ability to focus on her goals had been one of the reasons she'd been so successful in her job. Since she still had goals, she intended to continue not letting little things interfere with them. Money wasn't everything, but it bought her a nice place to live and vacations, two things she never took for granted. It also gave her security, which she valued more than just about anything. Experience had proven that no job was always easy. Some days were like this.

So what was wrong?

She knew, of course. It was seeing Simon again. It was driving through Charm and seeing the buggies and the farmhouses and the quiet, slower-paced life.

It was also her honest conversation with Jill. Her foster mother's advice had helped ease her worries. However, it had also made her want to make some changes. She didn't know how or what, exactly. Only that it was time to make them.

Everything she'd taken so much care to keep at bay seemed intent on disrupting her new life. She was starting to feel that she couldn't move forward until she made peace with her past. That meant she needed to stop being so afraid of seeing her parents or running into Jeremy.

It also meant that she needed to now be the best sister she could to Simon. She couldn't change the past, but she could help her future be better. And, with the Lord's help, she could maybe
even help Simon with his hopes and dreams. She was simply going to have to keep reaching out to him.

And when she wasn't repairing her past and working on her future?

Why, she had a job to keep.

Thirty minutes later, after she pulled into the next medical park, presented her business card, and asked to speak to the doctor, she almost laughed when the receptionist pointed to the one empty chair in the waiting room. Right between a mother holding a feverish toddler and an older lady who was coughing without covering her mouth.

It was going to be a very long day.

And it was going to be a miracle if she didn't get sick.

To her surprise, she realized that wasn't the worst thing that could happen. Not by a longshot. It was good that she finally remembered that.

T
HE PROMISE OF
snow had sent practically everyone in Charm to the market. As Simon stood in line with his small basket of lunch meat, bread, and canned soup, he wished he would eventually learn to plan his meals ahead of time.

But no matter how hard he tried, he wasn't able to figure out what to buy for the following day's supper. Because of that, he stopped at the market almost every day. Most of the time, he could get in and out in ten or fifteen minutes. Today, with the crowd? He'd be lucky to get home within the hour.

“Guess you couldn't stay away, either,” Rebecca Kinsinger said as she joined his line. “The weather reports always make it sound like the sky is about to fall in.”

“I'm not here because of that. I am simply a frequent shopper.”

Holding up a quart of buttermilk, she smiled tightly. “I promised Lilly I'd make buttermilk cookies tonight with her.”

Knowing that Rebecca's adopted daughter had recently lost both of her parents, Simon was fairly sure that Lilly would love the chance to make cookies with her. He'd always been jealous of things like that when he'd been young. “I'm sure she'll be grateful for your trouble,” he said before facing front again.

As the clerk rang the person in line and they all moved up a few inches, Simon sighed. It was hard enough to converse with Rebecca at work. Now that he was completely aware of how much she didn't want him near Amelia, he really didn't have much to say to her.

“Hey, Simon?”

Reluctantly, he turned around again.
“Jah?”

“I need to tell you something.” Lowering her voice, she said, “I was wrong.”

He tried to think of some shipping problem he would have talked to her about. “Wrong about what?”

“About you and Amelia. I should have trusted you more.” Stepping closer, she said, “I should have realized how much you love her . . . and how much she loves you.”

Right there in the market, he felt his face turn beet red. Only Rebecca would speak of his personal business in the middle of a crowded store. “Any reason you changed your mind, Becky?”

“
Jah
. Amelia gave me a good talking to. And then . . . well, I did some thinking. I realized I shouldn't have stuck my nose where it didn't belong. And I should have trusted you both a whole lot more.”

As the line moved forward, he did, too. Then he realized he could either hold a grudge or take Rebecca at her word.

“
Danke,
” he said. “I appreciate you telling me this.”

She sighed in relief then smiled. “
Danke,
Simon.”

“You ready, Simon?” the clerk called out.

He almost chuckled as he put his bread and turkey in front of the clerk. “As ready as I'll ever be,” he replied.

The clerk looked at him strangely but didn't say a word, only rang in his purchases.

After Simon paid, he nodded to Rebecca. “Be careful going home, Beck. See you tomorrow.”

“You, too,” she said with a smile.

When he started home, he at last felt lighter of heart. He hadn't needed Rebecca's approval and support. But it sure felt good.

A
MELIA HAD NEVER
imagined that she'd be entertaining a new suitor so soon after having her heart broken by Simon. But it seemed that God intended for her to be constantly surprised by His will.

Less than an hour ago, and not four full days after Simon had broken up with her, Pierce Brenneman had appeared at their door. After Darla had greeted him warmly, he'd deposited a large wicker basket full of casseroles and baked goods on their kitchen counter. And now? Now he was sauntering—sauntering!—her way.

Darla simply stood and watched, looking amused.

Until that moment, Amelia had never given Pierce much thought. He was quiet and reserved. Polite. He was neither ugly nor especially handsome. He wasn't close to either Levi or Lukas. Not to Simon either, for that matter. Therefore, whenever they crossed paths at church or in town, her eyes skittered over him.
He was kind of the mayonnaise of men: easy to take, but not a person one wanted to be around in large doses.

Actually, if she had thought of him at all, it was only because he had an unusual name. He also had an unusual job. He was a goat farmer. Until she'd acquired Princess, she'd never wondered why a man would choose to spend his days among a herd of wily, inquisitive animals. But now she understood. In fact, Princess might be her favorite member of the family right now.

But as she reclined on the couch and watched Pierce approach, Amelia was starting to wonder if, perhaps, she should have given him a whole lot more thought.

When he stopped directly in front of her, he smiled ever so politely. “Amelia, good afternoon.”

She inclined her head. “Good afternoon, Pierce. It's kind of you to stop by.”

“My mother made your family several meals, since we figured you wouldn't be able to cook anything.”

“That was kind of you, though, as you can see, Darla is doing a fine job.” She looked over in Darla's direction and was amused to see that Darla wasn't even attempting to do anything but eavesdrop on her caller.

“I am sure she will do her best. But of course, everyone knows that you are the real cook in your family.”

Amelia blinked. She was sure there was a compliment in there somewhere. But as she glanced Darla's way again, it was plain to see that Darla hadn't taken his comment as a compliment.

Waving a hand, she said, “Would you like to sit down for a few minutes?”

He sat. Immediately. Then, leaning forward, he spoke. “Amelia, I have to tell you that I'm always amazed by the Lord's timing.”

“Oh?”

“
Jah
. I have been trying to find the best way to approach you. You getting hurt was the perfect way.”

Glancing back at Darla, who was now visibly attempting not to snicker, Amelia smiled at Pierce. “
Jah,
our Lord God is a wonder, for sure and for certain.”

Staring at her intently, he said, “I'd like to call on you, Amelia. Are you presently entertaining a suitor?”

The question hurt. Her siblings had pushed Simon away. And instead of fighting for her, he'd allowed himself to be pushed. “Not at the moment.”

Hope filled his gaze. “Then, may I call on you?”

Oh, but she didn't want to answer him. She had no interest in him but no real reason to discourage his attentions. She didn't dislike him, it was simply that he wasn't the man she wanted. How come he didn't approach Lukas or Rebecca like Simon had? “I suppose so,” she said weakly.

“
Danke,
Amelia.” Leaning back a bit, he said, “I think we will suit well.”

“You do?” Suddenly, she ached for him to give her a reason to want him. What did he see in her that was so desirable? Maybe if she knew, she could start seeing herself by his side.

“But of course. I mean, you are beautiful and sweet.” He paused, then added, “Plus you can cook and garden.”

“Ah.”

“And sew.”

“
Jah,
I can sew.” It was terrible how he had taken the accomplishments that she'd always been so proud of and transformed them into reasons she was worthy of his attention.

In spite of her determination to push Simon from her mind,
she couldn't help but be reminded of how different Simon's attentions had been. Every time he'd come over, he had encouraged her to stop cooking, gardening, and sewing and simply relax and sit with him. He'd say that all her hard work was already evident. That everything was perfect and she deserved a rest.

And when he'd gazed at her? Though she'd always felt his appreciation, she'd known that he'd seen her as more than just a compilation of pleasing features. She'd been sure that he cared about her. About what made her Amelia.

But Pierce? Well, he seemed fixated on each attribute, almost like he was ticking them off a list.

“And then, there are the goats.”

She wasn't following him. “Goats?”

“Well,
jah
. You like yours and I have a whole lot of them.” He smiled. “We can care for the herd together one day.”

How could she admit that she considered Princess her sweet pet? She loved that goat. She liked petting Princess's soft fur. She thought it was cute how Princess liked to cavort in the fields and play.

She did not, however, intend to spend countless hours herding goats! She also was not pleased that he seemed to take her interest in him for granted.

“I think it's a bit early to discuss herding goats together, don't you?” The moment she heard her question, Amelia felt her cheeks flush. Right after that, she gave thanks that her siblings were not in the room. They'd never let her forget it.

Unfortunately, Pierce simply looked confused. “If you say so, but goats take time.”