Plain Promise (35 page)

“You silly woman,” he breathed as his fingers met with hers. “You silly old man.” She intertwined her hand with his and stared into his tired eyes. “I’m so tired, Jonas.”

“I know. I’m tired, too, Lizzie.”

“Maybe we should rest for a bit.”

As they both closed their eyes, Lizzie felt the crisp winds swirling, heard the rustling weeds swooshing to and fro around them. A tiny insect buzzed in her ear, but she was too exhausted to wave it away. Jonas clutched tightly to her hand, and Lizzie could hear his labored breathing. She would figure out what to do after a little rest

“I think little Elizabeth looks like Anna,” Sarah Jane told Barbie on the drive back to the farm. “They both have those incredible blue eyes like Samuel.”

“I can see Lillian in both the girls too, though.” Barbie turned toward her and smiled. “Beautiful children.”

“I’m so thankful this was a short, easy delivery for Lillian. You know, she had quite a time when Anna was born. Twenty hours of difficult labor.”

Barbie nodded as she turned onto Black Horse Road. “I remember. We thought Lillian would never have that child.”

“
Danki
for taking me to the hospital, Barbie. I have a fresh batch of cookies I’d like to send home with you for Thomas and the boys.”

“That’s not necessary, Sarah Jane. I wanted to go.” She snickered. “But I’ll still be glad to take those cookies off your hands. Do I dare ask if they are my favorite?”

“Raisin puffs. Your favorite.” Sarah Jane unclasped her seat belt. “Come in. Let’s have a cookie. Hopefully, Pop is home and found himself something to eat.”

“Well, the buggy is here,” Barbie said. “Your dad didn’t get far. If you’d like, I can swing by Lizzie’s on my way home.”

“I might have you do that, if he’s not inside. He could be napping by now, though. He usually lies down about this time of—”

Barbie grabbed her forearm hard. “Sarah Jane!” She pointed toward the wide-open meadow spanning the space between their farm and Lizzie’s house.

Sarah Jane’s heart pounded violently. “Oh no,” she said. “Pop!” she yelled. “Pop!”

Her legs were already moving toward the field when she realized there were two people lying amid the tall weeds. She broke out in a run, praying aloud. “Please, God, please, God, please, God . . .”

“I’ll call 911!” Barbie yelled.

Sarah Jane ran as fast as she could across the meadow. “Pop!”

20

SADIE LEFT THE HOSPITAL, ELATED FOR LILLIAN AND the birth of Elizabeth. But she also felt a profound sense of panic at her own situation. Her farm was gone. And somehow, she was going to have to buy it back.

She thanked Carley for bringing her home, although she’d never felt more homeless or unhappy in her life. God presented her with an opportunity at happiness, with Milo and his wonderful family in Texas, and she had ungraciously walked away from all He offered. She hung her cape on the rack and sat down on the bench at the kitchen table. Maybe she’d made a terrible mistake by not giving things more time between her and Milo.

But every time she’d start to get close to Milo, Kade’s face would pop into her mind. She wished she had never met Kade Saunders. Then she would have fallen happily in love with Milo and lived the life she was meant to live. Now, the familiar bitterness she tried so hard to steer away from crept back in. Why would God show her a glimpse of true love with a man she could never be with? Questioning Him was driving her right back to a place she didn’t want to be.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of horse hooves coming up the drive. She pulled herself up and went to the door, although she was not in the mood for visitors. After a few moments, she recognized her guest, and this was the one person she was glad to see on this gloomy afternoon.

“Hello, Lester,” she said to Lester Lapp. The elderly man hobbled up the porch steps and tipped his straw hat in her direction.

“Sadie, it’s
gut
to see you home.”

“From what I understand, I don’t have a home. I was hoping to buy back my farm from you, but I heard it’s already been sold again.”

Lester pulled off his hat, scratched his head. “Ya know the only reason I bought this place so quickly, Sadie, was so the property wouldn’t go to an
Englischer
. Bishop Ebersol had your power of attorney, so I snapped it up.” He paused. “And I’d have sold it right back to you if I’d known you were comin’ back.”

“Then why did you sell it?” She knew her tone was accusing, but he just said he didn’t want the property to go to an outsider.

He took a deep breath and walked to the rocker on the porch. He eased onto the seat, but Sadie kept standing. She folded her arms across her chest and waited for an answer.

“Mary has the cancer,” he said. “I’m sure you know that.”

Sadie softened her look and voice. “
Ya
, I do. I’m so sorry, Lester. How is she?” She genuinely cared for Mary and Lester, but Mary had been diagnosed with breast cancer months ago. What did this have to do with her farm?

“The city doctors are trying an experimental medication on Mary, and the cost is two thousand dollars a month. I know the community would draw from our fund to cover it, Sadie, but it puts a huge burden on our district. When someone offered me double what I paid for your farm, I reckon I didn’t see past the fact that the fella was
Englisch
. That money will go a long way toward Mary’s care.” He shook his head. “I’m real sorry, Sadie. I figured you to be stayin’ in Texas, making a life there.”

“So did I,” she mumbled.

“Maybe you can buy it back from the
Englischer
? I’ll give you the profit I made to do just that.”

Sadie knew the sacrifice Lester was making by extending such an offer, but she also knew that the community would cover Mary’s medical expenses, one way or the other. If she didn’t get her farm back, she was homeless.

“Why would anyone offer twice what the property is worth?” she finally asked. “I don’t understand. Mr. Spalek is very greedy to snatch up my property from you, offering to pay such a ridiculous—”

“Whoa, there,” Lester interrupted. “It ain’t Dale Spalek who bought the property. It was your friend . . .” Lester ran a hand through his long beard. “What was that fella’s name?”

“What? Who?” No one Sadie knew had that kind of money or intentions.

“Why, it was that Saunders fella. Kade.”

“What?” she asked again. Her blood was starting to boil as she realized that Kade was indeed the only person she knew with the means to purchase her farm at double the value. “Evidently, he is not my
friend
. Why would he want my farm?” she demanded.

Lester shook his head. “I don’t know, Sadie. But yours wasn’t the only place he bought. He bought the old King place too. Isaac had that place priced way too high, and that’s why it’s been sittin’ there for almost two years. But Mr. Saunders paid top dollar for all ninety-eight acres.”

“I don’t understand.” Sadie folded herself into the rocker. “Why would Kade Saunders be buying up property in the middle of our community?” Then a thought hit her. Maybe he was coming here to live. Seemed a far-fetched idea, though.

“That ain’t all,” Lester said. He lifted his chin, challenging her to question him.

“What do you mean?”

“That twenty-acre tract right next to Noah’s clinic. It’s been for sale nearly six months. Saunders bought that too.”

Sadie’s eyes grew wild. Kade wasn’t moving here. He was just buying up all their property for some commercial use, because he had the money to do it. She’d never been more furious. How wrong she’d been about him.
Greedy, greedy.
He’d gotten a taste of their quiet community and decided to profit from it.

“Is there any more? Did he buy anything else?”

Lester stood up. “Not that I know of, Sadie. I’m real sorry. But you take the money I made on your place so that you can purchase you somethin’ else.”

Sadie wanted to tell him that this was her family property and that she didn’t want anything else, but Lester looked tormented, and she knew he had plenty to worry about with Mary.

“I’m going to talk to Mr. Saunders,” she said. “And when I get done with him, he’s going to sell me back my farm for what I sold it to you for, and you’re going to keep that extra money to tend to Mary’s medical needs.”

“Why would he sell it back to you for such a loss?”

“Because he can afford to.”

And with that, Sadie bid Lester good-bye and stomped toward the phone in her barn. Kade Saunders was about to get a piece of her mind

It amused Kade to see the stunned looks on the board members’ faces when he announced his resignation from Saunders Real Estate and Development. As he stared at the twenty dropped jaws, he decided to give them a moment to let the news sink in. He supposed that three months ago, if anyone had predicted such a maneuver, he’d have laughed. But he wasn’t the same man he had been three months ago.

“What happened to you during your hiatus?” Larry Paulson bravely asked when no one else spoke up.

“Nothing happened to me, Larry. My situation has changed, that’s all. As I’m sure you are all aware, I have full custody of my son, Tyler, following the death of his mother. Tyler has special needs, and I choose to be a hands-on father.”

Mouths were still agape, and Kade’s colleagues couldn’t seem to grasp the concept. All except for one, Sheila Burns. A mother of four, her eyes were sympathetic, and she had a slight smile on her face. “I think it’s a wonderful thing you’re doing, Kade,” she said. Sheila wasn’t the only female, or mother, in the room. However, the other four women present didn’t seem to share Sheila’s understanding.

“Kade, we all have children,” Carol Watkins said. “And some of our children have special needs as well. But we don’t give all this up, everything we’ve worked hard to achieve. Are you sure you’ve thought this through?”

Kade looked at Carol, then at Larry, Sheila, and continued around the room until he’d made eye contact with each and every one of them. Then he said, very simply, “Money will not buy any of us happiness. Everyone in this room has more money than they will ever spend in a lifetime. And how many of you can say, in all honesty, that you are truly happy and at peace with yourself and your life?”

While Kade might not have made such a comment several months ago, strangely enough, his colleagues seemed to consider his statement. No one said anything.

A knock at the conference room door pulled them all from their musings.

“I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Saunders,” Mindy, the receptionist, said. “But there is a woman on the phone who insists she must talk to you. I told her repeatedly that you are not available, but she said it’s urgent.”

“Who is it?” Kade asked.

“She said her name is Sadie. She said you rented a cottage from her?”

Kade’s heart thumped anxiously. “Put her through to my office.” Then he turned to the board members. “Please excuse the interruption. I need to take this call.” He left the room and walked a few paces to his office down the hall.

He answered on the first ring. “Sadie, is everything all right? How are you? Where are you? It’s so good to hear—”

“How dare you!” she yelled into the phone, startling Kade.

“How dare I what?”

“You bought my farm from Lester Lapp for a ridiculous amount of money. And now, I need you to sell it back to me for what Lester originally paid for it. That is my family farm, Kade!”

Kade couldn’t help but smile. “So, you are in Lancaster County, not Texas?”

Silence for a moment. “
Ya
. Now, will you sell me my farm back?”

“Of course. Why aren’t you in Texas?”

He heard her sigh on the other end of the phone. “
Danki, danki
. I was feeling homeless.”

“Sadie,” he said soothingly. “I’ll draw up the papers and get them to you. And, of course, for the same price you sold it to Lester Lapp. Now, why aren’t you in Texas?”

“Why did you buy so much property in Lancaster County, Kade?”

“Why do you keep answering a question with another question?” It was wonderful to hear her voice. He could visualize her face, the way she bit her lip and twisted her face into a scowl when she was angry.