Hopeful (22 page)

“What you’ve been doing, how you’ve been acting? That wasn’t love.”

“For me, it was. I’ve loved Mary Katherine for all my life. For years I’ve been waiting for her to see me. To see how much I want her. To see how much I’ve always adored her. But no matter what I did or said, she didn’t care.” He closed his eyes, as if he were fighting off his pain. “Today I gave up waiting and hoping. I decided that I needed to do something.”

“But all you did was scare her.”

“That wasn’t what I wanted, though. I didn’t want to be like this. I wanted to be everything good to her. But Mary Katherine never wanted to listen. She never wanted to see how things really were.”

Junior found Will’s words so disturbing, he strode to the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. But as he sipped, the last words that Will uttered echoed in his head.

Slowly, he set his glass down. Pressed his hands on the counter. And called himself ten kinds of a fool.

He’d come over to tell Mary Kate that he wished her well, to tell her that he’d finally understood what she’d been trying to tell him, that they could only ever be friends.

He’d even thought about asking her for advice about winning back Miriam.

But now Junior realized that all he really needed to do was finally tell Miriam what was in his heart. That at long last, he’d finally seen her for the wonderful person she was, who she’d always been.

And that he would do whatever it took to regain her trust.

M
ary Kate! Oh my goodness! You’re bleeding, and your lip is swollen! Whatever is wrong?”

Mary Kate spun around to find the one face that she longed to see above all others. Miriam. Despite the pain, she felt a smile trying to form on her lips.

She grabbed her friend’s arm for support. “It’s too much to tell right this second. But Junior is alone with Will in my apartment and I’ve got to get him help as soon as possible. I’m headed to the police station right now. Can you help me?”

Miriam blinked as she obviously tried to process what Mary Kate had just said.

“But of course, Mary Kate. The police station is just up the street.”

They’d walked one whole block when Miriam spied Joe Burkholder. “Joe!” she cried out. “You are an answer to my prayers!”

When he spied Mary Kate’s pale face, Joe rushed over. “Mary Kate, what happened to you? Do you need some help?”

Miriam answered, her voice brisk with purpose. “I think we’re all right at the moment. We’re on our way to the police station. But I’m afraid Junior really does need some help. He’s alone in Mary Kate’s apartment with Will. Can you hurry over there?”

Joe looked completely taken aback. “Uh, I’ll go wherever you need me to go. But . . . who’s Will?”

Miriam shushed him. “Don’t worry about that now.” After quickly giving him Mary Kate’s address, she said, “Go help out Junior, wouldja? And tell him that the police will be there soon.”

Joe nodded, then turned and ran back down Main Street.

“See, Mary Kate, everything is going to be all right,” she soothed, just as they entered the police station. And just as Mary Kate felt like she was about to collapse.

Within minutes of their arrival, everything became a blur. The emergency medical technicians were called. Two policemen drove over to Mary Kate’s apartment in a flashing patrol car, and another carefully escorted Mary Kate into a private room. Miriam stayed by her side and could barely keep her mouth from gaping open as Mary Kate told the police officer all that had happened to her in the last hour.

Several times Mary Kate had to stop to take rejuvenating breaths to gain control of herself. Her head continued to feel as if it were splitting open. The policeman offered to stop his questioning and send her to the hospital, but Mary Kate shook her head, murmured something about needing to be strong, and kept answering questions.

At the very end of her statement, Mary Kate looked at the policeman and said, “I was so scared, all I could do was just keep hoping and praying for a miracle. Then, all of the sudden, Junior showed up. He saved me, he truly did.” Reaching out with a tremulous smile, Mary Kate grasped Miriam’s hand. “He was the answer to my prayers!”

At last, Junior walked in the room with a big smile. “I had to see you, Mary Kate. I’ve been so worried.”

“I’ve been feeling the same way about you.” After a moment’s hesitation, she got to her feet, walked to Junior’s side, and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Junior, I’m so glad you are okay.”

Junior returned her hug. “I’m fine. I trussed him up, remember? There was no way Will was going to get free without me wanting him to. And then, thanks to you and Miriam, Joe showed up, and then the police came just minutes after that.” Still grinning broadly, he said, “It’s been quite an adventure for me.”

Feeling sick at heart, Miriam pressed herself against the wall as she continued to watch Junior console Mary Kate. He looked so brave and strong next to Mary Kate’s petite frame. So caring and tender.

So very different than he’d ever been with her.

The police officer coughed. “I’m sorry to break things up, but I’ve got some questions for you, Junior.”

Junior sat down. “I understand.”

Then the policeman turned to Miriam, his gruff expression shaking her out of her daze. “Miss, I’m afraid you’re going to need to go to the waiting room or something. Mary Kate needs to go to the hospital, so I’ll be sending for an ambulance.”

“Oh! Oh, of course.” After smiling weakly at Mary Kate, Miriam backed away. “I think I’ll just be going home now. It seems Mary Kate is in good hands.”

Miriam rushed through the door, turned the corner, and hurried back to her house. All she wanted to do was hide in her room and have a good cry. It was obvious that Junior and Mary Kate were finally going to be happy together. If that hug was any indication, they would probably be inseparable for the days and weeks ahead.

She should really be happy for them. And maybe this would mean Mary Kate would stay in town. She would lose another friend to marriage, while continuing to forge ahead alone.

She shook her head, trying to dislodge the thought. Just as she stepped on her front porch, her mother rushed out. “Miriam, someone just stopped by to tell me you were in the police station with Mary Kate! What in the world happened?”

Since she knew her mother wasn’t going to be satisfied unless she heard the whole story, Miriam took a seat on one of the rockers and started telling her
mamm
all about Will Lott, Mary Kate’s fear of him, and how Junior Beiler saved the day.

Her mother listened in fascination until Miriam came to the very end. Lines of concentration—and a good dose of confusion—formed on her brow. “Wait a minute. Why was Junior paying Mary Kate a call? He’s courting you.”

Miriam bit her lip, then leaned back in her chair, resigning herself to telling her mother the whole terrible truth. “Junior never liked me, Mamm. He liked Mary Kate. He was only coming over here to ask for my help.”

“But that’s not what you told us.” She frowned. “Miriam, we thought you two were interested in each other.”

“He wasn’t. Not really.” She knew right then and there that her mother would never have any idea just how hard that was for her to admit. “Junior and I are friends, nothing more.”

Her mother slumped. “Are you sure?”

“Oh,
jah
. He doesn’t like me like that, Mamm.”

Her mother rocked back and forth, gazing at her, gazing at the empty street in front of them. Finally, she nodded. “Well, all right, then.”

Relieved that telling the truth hadn’t been a more painful exercise, Miriam made a move to stand up.

“Not just yet, Miriam.” Her mother shifted in her chair, then brightened her voice. “You know what? I think you should start going to the singings after church on Sundays.”

Miriam could hardly believe what she was hearing. She’d just poured her heart out to her mother, told her how her best friend had just been held captive in her apartment . . . and this was her response?

“Mamm, I think we both know I am too old to do that.”

“Sometimes there are older men and women there,” her mother continued, just as if Miriam had never spoken. “Um, I’ve even heard that sometimes men and women around your age participate from time to time.”

This was truly awful. “Mamm, if anyone is there who is my age, it’s because they’re there chaperoning.”

“Well, you need to do something.” With a bit of effort, she rocked forward in her chair, then stood up. “Miriam, let me be blunt with you. If you keep holding out hope for a man like Junior Beiler, well, you’re going to be terribly disappointed. And alone for a
verra
long time. I am mighty sure that you are going to be a wonderful wife and mother. But you must give someone else a chance before it is too late.”

The prediction hurt. Unfortunately, there was a lot of truth to the words, as well, as much as it pained her to admit. She got to her feet as well, and prepared for a fast exit. “Mamm, I hear what you’re saying. And I thank you for your concern.”

An eyebrow raised. “I’m glad you hear me. But are you going to really listen to some advice?”

“I listened, Mamm. I promise I did. But right now I’m going to head to bed. I’m really tired.”

“Well, all right. Good night, dear.”

As she climbed the stairs, Miriam thought about what her mother said. Maybe no-nonsense advice was exactly what she needed to hear. It didn’t make her feel good, but she knew from experience that telling someone what they needed to hear instead of what they wanted to believe took a lot of courage. After gathering her nightgown and robe, she stepped into the bathroom and unpinned her dress. Removed her
kapp
. Turned on the shower.

And thought some more.

Yes, her present and her future were sure to be much better now that Junior was officially off the market.

As she stepped under the hot spray, she almost felt good again. Well, almost normal. With that in mind, she tried to think of all the eligible men in her circle. First of all, there was James and Robert, though she’d truly never liked Robert. He was a bit lazy, and she’d never been one for that.

She thought some more and recalled that Clyde had always had nice eyes. And Mark liked to laugh. That had to count for a lot. Everyone always told her that humor was important in a marriage.

But neither of those men had ever struck her fancy, either.

And, she assumed, they’d felt the same way about her.

But did that really matter? Maybe what she needed to do was give them more of a chance.

Since, well, she was never going to have Junior Beiler.

And because there was no one around to see or hear her, she finally let herself cry. And cried some more, her tears mixing with the hot spray and sliding down the drain.

The words came through a dark tunnel, reverberating and echoing . . . and then finally settling into her consciousness. “Mary Kate? Mary Kate, can you hear me?”

Her head hurt so terribly, she opened her eyes with the greatest reluctance. Peering at the two faces leaning next to her, she felt a mixture of surprise and sweet relief. “Mamm? Daed? When did you get here?”

“A policeman came to our house and told us what happened. Then he offered to drive us here to the hospital to see you.” Her mother’s bottom lip trembled as she reached out to her. “Oh, Mary Kate. I am so sorry.”

“We had no idea Will was so dangerous,” her father added. “Now that we’ve heard the whole story, I feel awful. I should have believed you when you said he wouldn’t give up on you. I should have listened when you said you were afraid. I hope you will forgive us one day.”

“Daed, there is nothing to forgive. He fooled just about everyone. And even though I was afraid he might hurt me, even I never imagined he would break into my apartment and try to hold me hostage.”

“How are you?” her mother asked. “Are you in a lot of pain? The doctors say you have a concussion.”

“You have stitches, too,” her father added. “Four of them on the inside of your mouth!”

“I thought I had a pretty bad headache,” she joked. “So . . . what happened to Will?”

“Oh, he’s still at the police station,” her father said with a grim look. “While one policeman came to our door, another two went to his parents’. I imagine they are with him right now. And probably feeling as shocked and shamed as we are.”

“So it’s all over.” Mary Kate could hardly believe it.

“It is all over. You are safe and Will is in jail.”

“And we heard all about how brave that Junior Beiler was, tying up Will until the police could arrive.”

“He really was my hero. But so was Miriam. She helped me get to the police station. Oh, and she saw her friend Joe and asked him to go help Junior. If Miriam hadn’t been there, why I don’t know if I would have been able to get to the police station. She is such a
gut
friend.”

Her parents exchanged glances. “No one said a word about her. I guess we owe her our thanks, too.”

Mary Kate struggled to sit up. “Maybe we should call her or something? Or ask someone to stop by her house to tell her thank you?”

“We can thank her in a little while,” her father soothed. “Now, please try to relax. You won’t have to worry about Will Lott ever again. Between the police and Will’s parents and us, we’re all going to make sure of it.”

Having her parents at her side, the knowledge that Will would never stalk her again, that she would never have to fear seeing him again, she felt brand new.

Almost.

Her parents exchanged glances. “The hospital is going to keep you overnight for observation. We’re going to let the policeman take us back to your apartment. We’ll spend the night there, then come back in the morning. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said with a weak smile. She was glad to see them but grateful that they weren’t planning to sit by her side much longer. Conversation hurt. “That’s a
gut
idea.
Danke
.”

After both parents gently patted her hand, they left the room. Finally, in the silence of the room, she gazed at the pale blue walls, the silent television mounted on the wall. The IV attached to her arm.