A Life of Joy (10 page)

“You’ve researched this?”

“Yes.”

Lindsay eyed her with suspicion. “Why?”

“For you.” Jessica forced a smile. “Because I care.”

Lindsay frowned, shook her head, and then hugged Jessica. “You make me crazy, but I still love you.”

“I feel the same way about you.” Jessica steered Lindsay
toward the stairs. “Let’s hit the hay. I’m wiped out, and I have a long ride tomorrow.”

“Hang on.” Lindsay jogged back to the kitchen and made sure the back door was locked before snuffing out the lantern. She then followed Jessica up the stairs.

Standing outside her room, Lindsay smiled at Jessica. “Sleep well.”

“You too,” Jessica said through a yawn before disappearing into the room.

After changing into her nightshirt and shorts, Lindsay snuggled under the covers in the spare bed in Emma’s room. She was careful not to wake her little cousin who was snoring softly. Lindsay closed her eyes and contemplated the whole emotional day. Two things haunted her mind—Matthew’s intense eyes, and Jessica’s insistence that Lindsay earn her GED.

Rebecca sat on the edge of the bed while running a brush through her waist-length hair. A hand on her shoulder caused her to jump with a start.

“You’re not yourself lately, Becky,” Daniel said, his voice warm and smooth. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

She faced him, and he placed the Bible he’d been reading on the nightstand next to the lantern. “I’m worried about the girls. They’ve been arguing, and I fear that they will get so frustrated that they’ll stop speaking altogether. Grace would want them to remain close despite their differences. I know I have regrets in my relationship with Grace. I regret not visiting her more often.”

Daniel reached over and pushed her hair back from her face. “You’re very
gut
to those girls. Don’t ever doubt Grace’s faith in you.”

Rebecca nodded. When a wave of pain stabbed her in the abdomen, she bit her lower lip and groaned.

Daniel scooted across the bed and pulled her to him.

“Becky?” His eyes widened with alarm. “Do you need a doctor? Should I go out to the phone shanty and call for a ride to the hospital?”

“No, no.” She held onto his arm and breathed deeply as the pain lessened. “I’m okay. I think I just ate too much.” She studied the pattern on his pajama pants until the pain evaporated.

He put a finger under her chin and pointed her eyes toward his. “You’re not telling me the whole truth, Becky. I know it’s more than just indigestion.”

“I’m fine now. It was nothing.” She touched his cheek, enjoying the roughness of his whiskers. “You worry too much. Let’s go to bed.”

He frowned. “I want you to see a doctor if this continues. I mean it. I’ll drag you there myself if I have to.”

“You worry too much,” she repeated.

“Becky …”

“Fine, fine.” She said. “I promise I’ll see a doctor if it continues.”

“Gut.”
He climbed over to his side of the bed.

Rebecca blew out the lantern and snuggled down beside Daniel. As she drifted off to sleep, she hoped that the strange pain in her abdomen truly was nothing, but she knew in her heart that something wasn’t right.

6

T
hat should do it,” Jessica said, slamming the tailgate of her Jeep Cherokee. “It’s all packed.”

Lindsay hugged her arms to her chest and wished her eyes wouldn’t fill with tears. After all, she would see her sister in a few months. Lindsay glanced toward the porch. “You already kissed Emma and Junior, right?”

“Yes.” Jessica lowered herself onto the bumper of her Jeep. “And I hugged Aunt Rebecca and shook Uncle Daniel’s hand. I promised I’ll call as soon as I get there.”

Lindsay looked toward the end of the driveway. “I’m surprised Jake didn’t come to say good-bye.”

Jessica frowned. “I’m not.”

“Are you going to call him?”

“Maybe in a couple of weeks.” Jessica stood and stretched. “I better get going. I have a long drive ahead of me. I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I don’t want to be on the road too late.”

Lindsay pulled her older sister into a hug and squeezed her tight. “You be safe. Don’t go out alone, and stay away from clubs. Don’t talk to strangers either. Remember what Mom and Dad told us about men who try to take advantage of young women.”

Jessica laughed. “Now you sound like the overprotective one.” She touched Lindsay’s shoulder. “You know I’ll be safe,
and I’ll keep in touch. You be sure to check that phone shanty every day.”

“You can always write me a letter or call me at the bakery too,” Lindsay said.

“Right.” Jessica hugged her again. “You take care. Love you.”

“Love you too.” Lindsay stood by the porch steps while Jessica climbed into the SUV and brought the engine to life. She waved as Jessica motored down the driveway toward the main road.

Once the SUV was out of sight, Lindsay ascended the porch steps and sat on the swing. A gentle breeze moved over her as she pushed the swing back and forth. The door opened, and Rebecca appeared, sinking onto the swing next to her.

“She’s gone,” Lindsay said. “She blows in and out like the wind.”

Rebecca smiled. “
Ya
, she does.”

“Are Emma and Junior sleeping?”

“They are. They wanted to stay up and play, but I told them that it’s nap time.”

Lindsay crossed her arms over her chest and leaned back on the swing. “Do you think she’ll stay in New York City?”

“No, I don’t. I think she’ll love her time there, but she’ll go back to Virginia to finish college. Maybe she’ll go back to New York after college, but she’s determined to finish her schooling.”

Lindsay stared across the pasture while contemplating her conversations with Jessica. “I didn’t tell you what she said to me last night.”

“What did she say?”

“She said that I should seriously consider getting my GED.” Lindsay turned toward Rebecca to read her reaction to the words. “She said that if I ever decide to look for a job outside of the bakery, it will be easier for me if I have my GED. Do you think she’s right?”

Rebecca touched Lindsay’s hand. “I think that’s up to you, Lindsay. I never saw the need to continue my schooling, and it
wasn’t an option after I joined the church. However, you haven’t joined the church, so you’re free to do as you like.”

Disappointed, Lindsay sighed. She’d hoped Rebecca would give her the answer that would settle all of her anxiety. “That doesn’t help me. That just makes me more confused.”

“Don’t try to figure everything out all at once. Open your heart to God and let Him guide you.” Rebecca stood. “Would you like a glass of tea? I just mixed some.”

“Yes, please.” Lindsay smiled at her aunt.

Rebecca stopped at the door. “Are you going to Katie’s this afternoon for the youth gathering?”

“
Ya
.
Onkel
Daniel said he’d take me over there.”

“Gut,”
Rebecca said. “You need a little fun to take your mind off everything that’s bothering you. Tonight enjoy your friends and don’t worry about the differences between you and your
schweschder
.”

“Okay.” Lindsay stared across the field and sent a silent prayer up to God, asking for His guidance on what path she should choose for her life.

Lindsay sat on a bench between Lizzie Anne and Katie in Katie’s family’s barn later that afternoon. Girls from the community surrounded them while the young men sat in groups on the other side of the barn. The young people had joined together to sing hymns from the
Ausbund
, and a table of snacks and drinks sat in the back corner.

“I can’t believe Matthew came,” Katie leaned over and whispered to Lindsay. “Samuel’s been trying to get him to join in at the singings, and I guess Matthew finally gave in.”

Lindsay cut her eyes to Matthew, sitting across the way, and she gasped when she found him watching her. She quickly averted her eyes and studied her hymnal.

“Maybe he’ll offer to give you a ride home,” Katie said.

Lindsay met her friend’s grin with a questioning expression. “What are you saying?”

“Don’t be
gegisch
.” Katie bumped Lindsay’s arm with her elbow. “It’s obvious that he likes you.”

Lindsay’s cheeks heated. “We’re just friends.”

“So you say,” Katie said with a laugh.

“What about you?” Lindsay said. “You’re always so quick to tease me. Who do you like?”

Katie shrugged. “I don’t know. No one strikes my fancy here. I think I need to look in other districts. I’ve known these
buwe
all my life.”

Lizzie Anne leaned over. “What are you two whispering about? I feel left out.”

“Matthew Glick,” Katie said, gesturing in his direction.

“Stop!” Lindsay reached over and took Katie’s arm. “He’ll see you and know we’re talking about him.”

“What did I miss?” Lizzie Anne demanded. “What did you say about him?”

“I said that Samuel finally got him to come to a singing so he must be ready to date.”

Lizzie Anne grinned. “
Ach
, you’re right!”

Lindsay shook her head. “He might just want to get to know all of the youth in the community better.”

“Ya,”
Katie said, elbowing Lindsay again. “Probably you.” She stood. “I’m going to go see if we need more drinks.”

“I’ll come with you,” Lindsay said.

“I will too,” Lizzie Anne chimed in.

Lindsay followed Katie and Lizzie Anne to the snack tables, where they collected the empty pitchers of water and meadow tea and the empty food trays.

Balancing the trays and pitchers, they crossed the driveway to the house, passing groups of young people on the way to the kitchen.

After refilling the trays and pitchers, they headed back to
the barn. Lindsay bit her bottom lip while balancing two large trays in her hands, one full of whoopie pies and the other covered in an assortment of cookies. As she stepped over to a dip in the driveway, she started to stumble. A strong hand steadied her arm and grabbed a tray before she dropped it.

Lindsay glanced over and found Matthew smiling while holding the tray of whoopie pies.
“Danki,”
she said. “You stopped me from looking
gegisch
and ruining our dessert.”

“You brought these for me?” he teased with a smile. “How thoughtful of you. I’m
froh
I saved them before they hit the ground.
Danki
.”

Lindsay chuckled.
“Gern gschehne.”

They fell into step, side by side on the way to the barn.

“I was surprised to see you here,” she said. “You don’t usually come to singings.”

Matthew shrugged. “Samuel kept insisting I needed to get out more, so here I am.”

She smiled. “I’m glad you were here to save the whoopie pies.”

He laughed and gestured for her to step into the barn in front of him, where a chorus of voices continued singing hymns in High German.

Lindsay placed her tray on the table next to the whoopie pies that he’d carried. She then leaned over to him, taking in his musky scent. “Thanks, again,” she said over the hymns. “That could’ve been a disaster.”

“I’m glad I could help,” he said. “Want to go for a walk?”

“That sounds nice.” She absently smoothed her dress and touched her prayer covering.

He swiped two whoopie pies from the tray and then made a sweeping gesture toward the door. They stepped out onto the driveway and started slowly toward the pasture.

“It’s nice out tonight,” he said between bites. “Not too cool.”

“Ya.”
She twirled her finger around the ribbon ties hanging from her prayer covering.

“Did your
schweschder
leave?” He finished the first whoopie pie while they walked.

“
Ya
. She left after lunch today. I would imagine she’s arrived by now.”

“Are you feeling better about her visit?”

Lindsay shrugged. “I guess everything is okay now. She upset me, but we sort of agreed to disagree last night before we went to bed. We’re on speaking terms again.”

“That’s
wunderbaar
. It’s not
gut
to harbor resentment. I know a lot about that.” He walked over to a bench next to the fence. “Want to sit?”