Abram's Daughters 03 The Sacrifice (26 page)

^^pliii: loudly. "Now you have it in your possession. I suppose

^Bio lute to send it off to Sadie."

F' " Wr have no way of contacting her." Then she found her-

ill ti|idling up, sharing her deep sense of loss over both

in he's severe shunning and Mamma's death.

I I lie doctor listened, removing his glasses and seeming to

I' iwivptionaHy close attention. When she was nearly spent,

ill' i>tiililted to her, "I did not keep the handkerchief in a safe

I'1 " f, as you suppose. I guess that's of little consolation to

I1! .11. imd I'm sorry."

I I t*: ill's mind was in a whirl. How could a warm and caring

I1 i or overlook such a sensitive thing?

I AI home later with the lovely hankie in her safe|l ping Leah Realized she could neither show Hannah nor |i. II hd\ as Hannah might ask questions about the night Sadie

II i,i> I hirthed her baby. While Mamma had told both Hannah [in n I Mary Ruth of Sadie's wild running-around days, making It I ii- twins privy to everything, the fact remained that Leah did !ih>i i ;ire to reveal the story from her viewpoint. Besides, it Iv- -i -n't necessary for Hannah to know all Sadie had experiii ii. ril that night.

I In I he privacy of her room, she caressed the emerald-and[gold butterfly hankie and noticed not a single bloodstain. Dr. fSchwartz must have washed it thoroughly in cold water

248 1 lu e u> e r I y JL, e us i s

following the birth. Folding it carefully, she placed the delicate item deep in her hope chest, deciding that was the besl place for it.

Moved to tears, she knelt beside the bed and asked the Lord to calm her nerves, then offered thanksgiving for trudiscovery of the handkerchief the one truly important item of Sadie's she had in her care. She also prayed for God's pn > tection and grace on her wayward sister, "Wherever she might be."

That done, she headed downstairs and turned her attention to Lydiann and Abe, who were in the kitchen beiny supervised by Mary Ruth. I must put on a cheerful face, she thought. Please, Lord, help me.

"Did it go well at the clinic?" asked Mary Ruth, warming a bottle for Abe while Lydiann sat at the table trying to strin/; up a dozen or more empty spools.

"Jah, just fine."

Mary Ruth seemed anxious to talk about her schoolingwhat subjects she enjoyed most and how she'd dillydallied about joining the glee club, missing the auditions by a single day. Leah listened halfheartedly, her mind on Sadie and the little one, gone to heaven.

Mamma is tending now to her own precious grandson! she realized suddenly. This thought comforted her greatly as Mary Ruth chattered on.

During a lull in conversation, Leah went and took Alv from Mary Ruth and held him close. She looked into the tiny face of Mamma's handsome little boy hair the color <>l sheaves of grain and those shining blue eyes and battled both her own quivering lip and the tears that threatened ro

spill. : ";'?

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|/ \ I most before Leah could comprehend it, a full year had I' * .I'd, Caking flight on wings of love. Her hands found plenty

11 11, and she did it with all her might kneading and baking

11.11 \ loaves of bread, scrubbing floors, washing diapers, and |i l| 'in|-; with the canning. When the after-supper hours rolled lti> .hikI, she often spent time playing with Mamma's babies.

I ' in (dually her keen affection for Smithy Gid began to fade

I1 .lie became more and more caught up in the routine of I n mg for a now four-year-old and an eighteen-month-old. I'"i .iff days she had never known.

I Aunt Lizzie helped some, regularly looking in on Dawdi

II I hi due to his age. Dawdi was slowing down quite a lot and El i i. lu'l shown any interest in getting out in the fields for plowii" i >r planting this year. Still more telling, he no longer cared I -i .illing outdoors once the warm days crept up. Truth was, ||h li;ul become almost as much a homebody as Leah, and she li iiinynl his company, taking the little ones next door quite

j^HDawdi had quit his fussing about wanting to return to

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Hickory Hollow to live there, what with Mary Ruth's frequeni visits. Since Aunt Lizzie continued to dote on him like he w;r, a child, Dawdi John had himself a right nice setup. Thric were even times when Gid and the smithy came over to chew the fat with him, especially now that warmer weather was upon them. All around, the Ebersol Cottage had somehow managed to get back on an even keel without Mamma's pleas ant disposition and her wonderful-good pies, though Leah was mighty glad to have caught up on nearly all of both Mamma's and Aunt Lizzie's recipe files. Gid and his family often benofited from this, as well, since Hannah liked to take an extra pie or two over to the Peachey farm from time to time; a blessing from Leah's hand to her former beau and his kin \h the way she thought of it the least she could do to bring a smile to Smithy Gid's kind face.

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Abram asked Leah if she thought Lydiann was old enough to go with him to market and was right surprised to be given the go-ahead. All the way to Strasburg, Lydiann chatteivil beside him, sitting with her little hands folded in her lap. "I wanna be a gut cook like Mamma Leah," she said, eyes aligln as she shared a list of recipes she wanted to learn.

He had to chuckle, but not so loudly she might mistakenly think he was making fun. "You follow your big sister round, and not only will ya be a fine cook but also a careful gardeiu-i, plower, sower, and harvester."

"Mamma can do all them things?"

He nodded. "All that and more." ,

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I I vliiinn ducked her chin a bit, like she was taking it all

I mi I mi her amazed at the talents of her mother figure.

I "'Innu'tliiy I'm sure Leah will teach you how to milk a

I'11." !>i' volunteered.

I I yilimm looked up at him, eyes blinking. "She already did.

u| | he other morning she sat me down on a stool, smack-

iiniiHlcrOt'Rosie."

I "Mill she, now?"

|:111, and it was the funniest thing." Lydiann sighed,

|ii' Ming her hands and adjusting her small bonnet. "Mamma

pull Niiys I'll be out milking every mornin' once I turn six."

K "Is ihat so?" He smiled more to himself than to his young

uyhirr. Seemed Leah was bound and determined to create

other outdoor girl, which was right fine with him. The

l n M could definitely benefit from more than one Leah Eber-

lil, he decided then and there. Reaching around Lydiann, he

iigd her into a bear hug to a stream of giggles.

I ' lid was more than willing to help move Ivan and Mary In,i Troyer and their brood of ten children newly transllaiiied from Sugarcreek, Ohio into the farmhouse down iir in:ul from the Kauffmans' spread. Glad for a mild and In my clay, he carried heavy boxes into the large farmhouse, In well as the trestle table and kitchen benches. All the while It thought of Leah, wondering how to approach her with his BW . After all, they had enjoyed a long-standing friendship fully I heir whole lives, one that had even weathered the sad in neeessary end of their engagement. While he and three

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other young men from the church district got the new family settled, he considered stopping by the Ebersol home to vjmi with Leah after a bit. Out of courtesy to such a dear friend.

When he was free to leave, he headed up Georgetown Road in his open buggy, turning a sharp right into Abram'l: long drive. He noticed young Abe toddling about in the side yard, doing his best to chase after a red squirrel. The boy pointed a curious finger at the tree branch where the small creature had decided to perch. Abram came around the cor ner and scooped his son up into his arms, standing there wirhg Abe still pointing and jabbering. a

"Hullo!" Abram called to him. j

Getting out of the carriage, Gid waved and hurried acrolP the yard. "Catch any squirrels yet, Abe?" He tousled the tow* headed youngster's thick hair.

"He's most interested in things that move," Abram explained. "Leah has her hands full watching this young'un."_._ "I see that." 1

"Well, let's go, Abe," Abram said as he carried him ou toward the barn. Abram turned to look over his shouldetB "You here to see ?" 1

"Leah," Gid said quickly, making his way to the back dourijl "Don't bother to knock," Abram called back to him. "Jnsf give a holler. She's inside makin' supper." .;

He crept in the door furtively, quite aware of his owiij breathing. He called out her name. "Leah . . . it's Gid." i Turning, she looked at him from where she stood at tliej counter. She offered that warm and lovely smile of hers, aru| he wondered if it might disappear once she heard his confesH sion. "Got a minute?" he asked. , ;

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I ' -In- nodded. "What's on your mind?"

I 111 knew full well that Hannah and Lydiann were out on

I mull- road together, for he'd seen them rolling a big ball

tin- ground, back and forth, as he'd come up the lane. He

p | no! waste any time before sharing his heart. "I've been

pining fo talk with ya."

I She wore a slight look of worry on her face.

I "I 11)ink it best you hear directly from me. Not through

Ir 1'i.ipi'vine . . ." He was conscious of the heat of his long-

I< 11 shirt for the first time today, and he tugged on the cuff

< iiimindedly. "You see, I've become quite fond of your sis-

I I l.iniiiih," he started again. "I plan to speak to Abram

I mi 11 u- possibility of courting her. If, well ... if it seems all

Iiiii with you."

I I Ict eyes were suddenly brighter than before. "All right?

I1 ' iul, of course, it is. Really 'tis!" Then she surprised him I ii ii liing for his hand. "This is wonderful-gut news, truly." I I "i :i moment he thought he might hug her. But he Ii lined from doing so, squeezing only her hand. "Denki, l-.i11 This means lot to me."

I l'i 11 ling back, he stood there, gazing at her, his former love. I lirst and only sweetheart . . . till now. What an unexIt i < < I surprise that his heart should be reawakened with love I ii it >( her when he hadn't thought such a thing possible. He (i .;lad to have taken time to talk with Leah, just as Abram lil ' iK'ouraged him to do. Thoughtful as always, Leah had |v'-n him a most precious gift reassurance that all was well.

I I izzie's nose was but a few inches from the damp earth. |ifM gone tramping through the woods, needing a chance to

254Id e o e r I lj JL-- e im> I s

clear her head, what with being cooped up too much flu-,> days in the Dawdi Haus with her ailing father. Bent ni-;ul\ double, she laughed at herself, glad she was still as spry .1 ever. She pulled herself up from the barely visible trail ;iinl brushed off her long dress and apron. Goodness me, sin thought, cracking a twig underfoot as she rose to stand. 11< >\\ she'd ever gotten her foot tangled in the underbrush, sin didn't know. After all, she knew these vast woods like I In back of her hand and wasn't any too shy about saying so.

They were, after all, her woods hers and God's. Smiling, she turned and headed back east toward Abram's house,

Springtime humidity hung in the air, making the moss grow faster on tree trunks around her. Creepers adorned the spruce and maples, leaving a welcome impression in her mind, Breathing deeply, she found herself thinking of her brothel1' in-law. He had begun to soften toward Mary Ruth, and thil made Lizzie sit up and take notice. Ida's widower was also noticeably less gruff in general. Lizzie didn't know what tit make of it, but she knew she liked working alongside him l\\, the barn and elsewhere a whole lot more than ever beforia Deciding right then she would not let up on her talk of thfl Lord, nearly daily now it seemed, she pushed on and madlj her way toward the clearing. 1

There she spotted Smithy Gid in the distance, climbingi into his open buggy. Same courting buggy he's had all these ycm\,l poor fella. Seeing his carriage parked in Abram's lane sei I n-r J mind to racing. While she had long suspected Gid of Iniufj] sweet on Hannah, she wondered why he was showing up Lie in broad daylight.

Making her way down the mule road, she happened to sec

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Itili waving through the kitchen window at him. A dearer \i i/ii-ii' wcwr was, she thought, happy for Hannah but a little (I i .1 I i-;ih, who would never fully know Gid's love. Or any ln> .: lor that matter.

I I Viir Lord, bless Leah today, she prayed. Bless our faithful H ii'ii/i ynur tender grace.

I Wiili another summer came opportunities for getting klliinn and Abe outdoors, and Leah was glad of it. She liked I n|i|(*ikI an old blanket out on the back lawn and sit and V with the children, sometimes feeding them small pieces I n|'i ile and orange. King, Blackie, and Sassy wandered over L investigate the fruity treats amid squeals of delight from the kilt 11 en, especially from Lydiann, who was nearly as fond of it! dogs as she was her baby brother. Now and then Dat hi ill I stop what he was doing and make over the tots, paying i. i attention to Abe.

] 11 was late mdfining and Abe was fussy, ready for a nap. jiiniiah had just returned from the barn and came running [ i -ituI plopped down on the blanket. " 'Tis a right nice day, ii, . "'

1 \ic of the best times of year," Leah replied. "Wild roses n uvlul perty, farmers are makin' hay, and honeysuckle i i smelt sweeter."

And . . . young scholars can say, 'no more papers, no MMi hooks ... no more teacher's tetchy looks,'" Hannah hunlcil the familiar verse. "Sure am glad I'm not in school lyinoiv."

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"Your thoughts must be with Mary Ruth today," said Leali.

"S'pose they are." She skimmed the palm of her hand across the blades of grass, and Sassy came and playfully nipprtl at Hannah's fingers. "The house seems so quiet sometimes, all."

"How can that be, with the children growin' up under ol noses?"

Hannah sighed. "You know what I mean."

Leah nodded; she knew, all right.