Miriam's Secret (19 page)

Mamm
reached over to touch Miriam's arm. “Don't you think you're overreacting? I know things have been stressful the last while, but running away never does any
gut
. And where would you go? Plus there's not the money for travel, Miriam.”

Miriam took a deep breath. All this was true except the last part, but Ivan had pushed her over the edge this morning. She wouldn't turn back now. Plus there was Shirley to think about. Maybe that was the point she should make. She looked at
Mamm
and
Daett
again. “Do you know that Shirley's pretty serious about Jonas Beachy? And it's more than just a little
rumspringa
fun, if you ask me. They're kissing already.”

The look on
Daett
's face showed that he wasn't pleased in the least with this information.

Miriam realized she probably shouldn't have revealed what Shirley had told her, but her sister hadn't asked that her actions be kept secret. And
Daett
would find out soon enough.

Right now his words came quickly enough. “And you would take Shirley with you?”

“
Yah
, of course.” Miriam didn't hesitate.

“And Shirley would go to this place too?”
Mamm
sounded skeptical.

Daett
gave
Mamm
a sharp glance. “I'm still in charge around here, although one begins to wonder with all that's been going on,” he said with a frown.

Miriam twisted her fingers together. If
Daett
knew about the money she'd inherited, he would really be concerned. She had never kept something like this from him, but that was apparently
what money did to a person. Money began to dictate actions, and there didn't seem much she was willing to do about it. The checkbook upstairs in the closet drawer was a secret that had sealed her lips tighter than a lid on a cooking jar after it came out of the pressure canner.

Daett
continued. “But what's the use of sending Shirley away? With the modern ways people like the Beachy family embrace, Jonas can follow Shirley anywhere.” He glanced at
Mamm
with a sorrowful expression. “We must have failed somewhere in our training.”

Mamm
was quick to give
Daett
a smile because she was that way. She always knew what
Daett
needed. And encouragement was just the ticket right now.

Daett
took a deep breath. “But maybe we should try it. Anything is worth the effort to save one of my daughters.”

“But where and how?”
Mamm
didn't sound too happy with the idea.

Daett
didn't have to think too long. “Your sister Fannie is having a baby soon, isn't she? That's in Oklahoma. Maybe young Jonas would leave Shirley alone if she went out there. And it might give Miriam time to think about…well, about her situation.”

And come to her senses
, Miriam added silently. She pushed the bitter thought away.

“And where would the money come from for this trip?”
Mamm
's voice cut through Miriam's thoughts. “And how long would they be gone?”

Daett
didn't hesitate. “We have the rental income from Mr. Bland's house now, and soon there will be farm income. Surely we can do this for our daughters' sakes. As for the time, you know more about the kind of help Fannie will need, but what about two weeks? Although I don't suppose Jonas will forget Shirley in just two weeks.”

Miriam's mind spun. This sounded like a good idea.

“Well, maybe the girls could stay a little longer,”
Mamm
said. “Like a few months instead of weeks. I'm sure Fanny and William would appreciate having more family around.”

Daett
frowned. “Then Miriam would need to quit her job at the bookstore, and her income…” He let the thought hang without adding the embarrassing fact of saying they needed her money.

That's true, Miriam thought. Her family hadn't survived without her income the past few years when she worked for Mr. Bland. But couldn't they now? Hadn't she done her share with the farm she'd landed in
Daett
's lap?

Daett
must have thought the same thing because he said, “I'm sorry. I forget that I needn't think like that any longer. If Miriam gets married, we'll have to live without her help, so why not practice now? And she has done plenty already. There is the Bland farm income. We'll get by.”

Mamm
stared at
Daett
. “I guess I did suggest this, but both of my oldest daughters going? How will I make it without them? And for a few months—with the baby on the way?”

Daett
didn't answer at once. Finally he said, “Perhaps it's time Naomi helps out more. It'll be
gut
for her. We must do what's best for all the girls.”

Mamm
spoke up. “We'd better ask Shirley about her feelings. Or maybe we should think about this for a while before we decide.”

Daett
set his lips in a straight line. “Call Shirley. I've had enough of this. Shirley will do what I tell her.”

Mamm
hesitated but then got up and called up the stairs for Shirley.

Seconds later soft footsteps padded down the stairs.

Mamm
took her seat again.

Shirley came in and sat on the couch next to Miriam without a word. Her chin was set, though, so Shirley was ready for a fight of some kind.

“We've been talking,”
Daett
began, “and we've come up with a solution to some of our problems that are…”

“Problems like me?” Shirley interrupted.

Daett
shook his head. “You know we love you, Shirley. We probably don't do that perfectly, but we try the best we can with the faults we have.”
Daett
cleared his throat. “I know you intend no harm by going with young Jonas. Still, you also know how hard it is for you to keep your resolutions. We've been talking, and we think it would be best if you went away for a while. We want you to accompany Miriam to see your aunt Fannie in Oklahoma and help her with her new baby.”

Shirley considered this for a moment. “I'm not going to forget Jonas,
Daett.
” Her voice was resolute. “We both know we'll have to go our separate ways eventually.”

Daett
's face was full of compassion. “You say that now, Shirley, but we all know how you are about promises. You may feel like you'll stop seeing Jonas by mutual agreement, but the more you're together, the less likely that will happen. This trip with Miriam will help you keep your commitment to not get involved with him.”

Shirley was silent for a moment before she stood. “It doesn't look like I have much choice. I will need to tell Jonas.”

“You're not to tell Jonas where you're going,”
Mamm
said.

Shirley's chin was up again. “It's not like he's going to follow me to Oklahoma,
Mamm
. But,
yah
, I will tell him where I'm going. That is only right.”

Mamm
's voice was strained. “Then we'll accomplish little with this sacrifice.”

“We must trust the Lord.”
Daett
spoke up. “This trip is the right thing to do, and we must not doubt even with obstacles in the way. Both Shirley and Miriam will be better off in Oklahoma for a while.”

Shirley stared at Miriam.

Miriam couldn't read her expression. Was Shirley mad? Did she blame her for all this? Well, at least the future was decided. She could deal with Shirley's feelings later. All that mattered now was that she'd be able to escape the Ivan Mast problem. And that would be happiness enough.

Chapter Nineteen

S
unday evening Ivan's buggy crept down the road toward the Swartz home. Laura had lingered at the hymn singing, deep in conversation with one of her many girlfriends. Ivan had been impatient to leave, but now he was in no hurry either to arrive at Laura's home or for this evening to end. The time had come to tell Laura goodbye, and the agony in his heart was worse than he'd expected. Why Laura hadn't noticed the attention he'd paid Miriam today was beyond him. A temper tantrum or a barrage of questions from her would make this much easier. Instead Laura nestled against him with her head on his shoulder. She took great liberties for the length of time they'd dated, but Ivan couldn't blame her. So far he'd done nothing but encourage the woman's feelings for him. How he would change that suddenly, he still didn't know.

“It's a sweet night, isn't it?” Laura whispered. “The full moon will be up soon.”

The last thing we need is a full moon
, Ivan almost said. He answered instead, “I didn't know that.”

“Oh…” Laura cooed. “I thought you were the romantic type. Don't you know that lovers who meet under a full moon have their hearts sealed together? Like forever?”

He'd never heard of such a thing, but it sounded like something Laura would come up with. Practical Miriam wouldn't talk about full moons or hearts sealed together forever. And practicality was what he needed right now.

“Let's pull over and wait for the rise of the moon.” Laura's head rose from his shoulder to peer outside the buggy. “Right over there in that clearing. That's perfect.”

What could he do but respond positively? So Ivan pulled off the road and brought the buggy to a bumpy stop in the field. What he
should
do, Ivan told himself, was slap the reins and race toward the Swartz place and drop Laura off without a word. Laura didn't seem bothered by his silence. She likely thought it romantic.

“It'll be up all the way soon.” Laura's head was on Ivan's shoulder again as her gaze fixed on a distant tree line. “We have all evening, you know. And it's much nicer out here than just sitting on the couch at my house.”

This wasn't how he'd planned to spend his last evening with Laura. Ivan had tried to send hints her way all week but to no avail. This was not
gut
at all. Even so, this was going to be the end for them, so why shouldn't he enjoy their last hours together? Her fingers found his, and he took them gently.

She sighed and moved closer. “You're such a dream, Ivan. I never thought I'd do this well with a handsome man.”

“I'm not much, you know. Just a laborer at a furniture shop.”

Her fingers tightened on his. “Don't be so modest, though
that's what I love about you, I guess. You know
gut
and well that not everyone could have gotten that job. I may not be too intelligent, but I know that. The Beachys have high standards, and they pay well. And you're a foreman now, aren't you?”

“I see you've been checking.” He liked the feeling that ran through him at her words. These were not things that Miriam would have mentioned or likely even knew about. Because the truth was that he did get paid well. He just wanted more. But he wasn't about to admit that to Laura. Especially tonight. He glanced down at her uplifted face. Her beauty stabbed his heart.

“You can do even more, Ivan.” Her voice was gentle. “I like a man with ambition.”

He was a fool, Ivan told himself. Laura fit him perfectly. He ought to settle down now and ask the woman to marry him tonight instead of what he'd planned to say.

“See? Here it comes.” Her finger traced the dark horizon where a soft glow of light was bubbling up.

“Is that saying true?” Sudden fear raced through him. What if there was something that happened between a man and a woman who sat under a full moon? He'd never get away from Laura. He'd never get his chance for a farm that was free for the taking…well, almost free anyway.

Laura's laugh was soft. “You wouldn't object, would you?”

“Of course not.” His reply was quick. It isn't a lie, Ivan told himself. He didn't really object. It was just that other matters were interfering.

“Then let it happen.” Her voice was hushed as the moon rose higher, half of its round globe visible now.