Sisters of the Heart - 03 - Forgiven

Jerking awake, Winnie opened her eyes. What was that? It was most unusual to hear anything in the middle of the night. Their farm was miles away from the city. By and large, the only noise to echo around their home was the impatient bleating of Nellie the goat or one of the horses.

Her eyes slowly focusing, she turned to look at the clock on her bedside table. Two A.M. Maybe she had imagined it.

Winnie lay back down. Well, perhaps the good Lord had summoned her awake for no reason at all. Slowly, she closed her eyes and tried to relax and remember her prayers.

But then it came again.

From the cozy comfort of her bed, Winnie turned toward the window, the cotton sheets tangling around
her legs as she shifted. Beyond the window, a fierce wind blew, creating an unfamiliar howl in the darkness.

Ah, a storm was coming in. Well, the horses wouldn’t care for that much.

Just as she closed her eyes, another snap rang out. A sharp pop followed seconds later. Sharp and loud, like the clap of a rifle. Winnie bolted upright.

Something was terribly wrong.

Outside, a low roar floated upward from the ground, mixing with the high, panicked scream of a horse.

Winnie ran to the window and pulled back the thick plain curtain. Shooting flames and clouds of smoke greeted her.

Oh, sweet heaven! The barn was on fire!

She clasped a fist to her mouth as she watched Jonathan frantically run to the barn. Flames ate the opposite side.

She grabbed her thick robe, then flew down the stairs. She opened the front door just in time to see her brother throw a blanket over the top of Blacky’s head and lead him out. “Jonathan!” she called out.

He didn’t so much as look her way—the rage of the fire had swallowed her words.

Smoke choked the sweet spring air. A chalky black haze blurred everything around her…mixing with the cool gray fog of the early March night. Winnie stood motionless, stunned, feeling like she’d stepped into a dream.

Another crack screamed through the near dawn, drawing her attention to the pens next to the barn, where
the goat and chickens slept. She’d just lifted the lever to free the squawking hens when the sky was suddenly alight with flames. The force of the explosion threw her to the ground. Sparks and ash fell through the air as she pulled herself to her feet to run toward cover.

Winnie couldn’t seem to move. The soles of her bare feet burned, were blistered and hot. Smoke ran thick. Her chest tightened. She coughed, the sound of it echoing in her ears as her vision blurred. Blazing pieces of hot, burning wood nicked her back and shoulders, bringing her down—just as if the devil himself was behind her. The pain was fierce. Crippling.

Terrifying.

She was barely aware of Jonathan yanking her by her shoulders and pulling her to safety.

Jonathan watched his friend Eli Miller arrive at the farm just as an ambulance skidded to a stop in front of their farmhouse. After Jonathan motioned him forward, Eli hurried over. “Jonathan, I’m glad to see you whole and unharmed. I came as soon as I could. The flames of your barn lit up the night sky.”

Jonathan knew there were a great many things he should say to ease his friend’s worries. But his heart seemed to have no room left in it for others. He was too stunned about the barn. And too worried about Winnie.

But if Eli was bothered by his quiet, he didn’t act like it. Looking around, he frowned. “Where’re Winnie and Katie and the girls?”

“Katie took the girls to her parents’ inn for the night, so they’re safe, thank Jesus. But Winnie…” Jonathan pointed to the inside of the ambulance. “She is in there.”

“In the ambulance?” Eli’s normally assured manner faltered. “Is she hurt bad?”

“
Jah
. She’s in…She’s in poor shape.”

“That’s terrible news.”

“It is.” Jonathan wasn’t surprised by his friend’s reaction. For as long as he could remember, he and his family had known the Millers. Eli’s brother Samuel and his sisters had played with Winnie when they were small, and Jonathan had helped their family with spring planting more than a time or two. Winnie was like another sister to Eli, just as Jonathan felt like an older brother to Eli’s youngest brother, Caleb.

Eli attempted to control his voice. “What’s wrong?” Staring at the last of the flames, he murmured, “Is she badly burned?”

“I think I got her out before she was too injured, but I’m not certain.” Jonathan tried to school his features, but it was difficult. “Some boards must have hit her…she fell…her feet are in a bad way, too. One might be broken. I…I had to carry her away from the area.” Pain-filled eyes teared up before he wiped them impatiently with a hastily bandaged fist. “She’s a fair sight.”

Around them, the barn was still smoking and animals were howling their displeasure. Eli grasped his arm. “What can I do?”

“Well, now, I…” The question seemed to push away
a portion of Jonathan’s shock. After looking at the charred remains surrounding them, he reached out to touch the shiny red side of the ambulance. “Would you go with her to the hospital? Would you mind leaving your brother Caleb alone?”—Jonathan stepped toward the barn, toward the crowd of firemen talking to a man dressed in a coat and tie—“I canna leave. I have to speak with these men. And Katie and the girls will likely return soon. I’ll need to be here for them.”

“Of course you need to be here for your daughters. And your wife.”

“Danke.”
Even though there was so much trouble, Jonathan felt a rush of warmth at the thought of his new wife. Barely two months had gone by since he and Katie had exchanged their vows in front of the whole community.

“I’ll be happy to travel with Winnie. Caleb’s almost seventeen. He’ll be fine on his own.” I’ll contact Samuel, too.”

Jonathan nodded.
“Danke.
It will set my mind at ease, knowing that she’s not alone. If Samuel could help, I’d be mighty grateful. I heard he helped out Ingrid and Ben when they were at the hospital, tending to Ben’s heart problems.”

“He’ll want to help. He and Winnie have always been good friends, plus he lives not two blocks from the hospital.”

Pure relief washed over Jonathan. “I never thought I’d say this, but right now I’m glad Samuel’s been living
with the English. It will be nice to have someone there for Winnie.”

“I think so, too.” Though it had been hard to see him go, Eli had never faulted his brother. Surprisingly, no one in their family had been terribly shocked when he’d announced that he wasn’t ready to join the church. Sam had always been a bright and inquisitive man. He’d ached for knowledge and the university like most Amish men ached for the land.

“Between Samuel and me, we’ll make sure Winnie is taken care of. Don’t worry. Winnie’s like my sister. I won’t let anything happen to her.”

Clasping Eli’s hand, Jonathan nodded. “I’m grateful.”

As the flashing lights of the ambulance switched on again, one of the workers reached out to pull the door shut.

“Wait.” Jonathan stopped him. “This man is coming with you.”

The attendant nodded. “Hop in.”

“I’ll call the Brenneman’s Bed and Breakfast with updates as soon as I know something,” Eli said as he scrambled in. “That’s the closest phone, right?”

“Jah.”

“Sam and I will watch over her,” Eli called out as he obediently sat where the attendant motioned him to go. Jonathan hardly had time to nod before the doors slammed shut and the ambulance set into motion.

The crowd of people surrounding what was left of the barn got bigger and bigger. Not twenty minutes after the ambulance left, Katie and his daughters, Mary and
Hannah, arrived in their black buggy. “Oh, Jonathan,” Katie cried, the moment she helped the girls down. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.”

“I’m not. I’m glad your mother needed an extra pair of hands at the inn. I would have been terribly worried about you and the girls.”

“One of the men called the inn. I heard about Winnie!”

“Eli is with her in the ambulance.” He started to brush back a stray lock of her hair but stopped when he caught sight of his sooty hands. “I was afraid to leave here.”

“Eli will look after her.”

Leaning down, he gave both Mary and Hannah fierce hugs.

“You smell like smoke!” Hannah cried.

“Everything does, but we’ll be okay.”

After another round of tearful hugs, Katie’s mother, Irene, arrived. With easy efficiency, she led the girls into the house to prepare coffee and muffins for everyone. Jonathan knew before long, the yard would be filled with horses and buggies. Friends and neighbors would come from miles around to lend their support.

But no one helped ease his tension like his wife. “Katie, I hardly know what to do,” he murmured after he’d told her about Winnie and her possible injuries.

“You don’t need to know,” she said without a pinch of doubt in her words. “The Lord will watch over Winnie, and He will take care of us, too.” With a faint smile, she waved a hand around them. “He already has, wouldn’t you say?”

Jonathan believed in the Lord with everything inside of himself. But that didn’t stop his feeling completely lost. Gathering up his courage, he admitted, “I’m not sure what to do next.”

“He’ll let us know. You just have to believe and be patient.”

After another hug, Katie left to go help her mother.

Jonathan watched her go, then looked at the crowd gathered. In spite of his fellow community members, he felt oddly alone. As the whole situation sunk in, Jonathan realized he had no words to describe his pain.

The fire marshal said he could wait inside if he wanted. But Jonathan didn’t want that. He had to keep watching as the firemen battled the blaze.

After a bit, Katie’s brother, Henry, stood by him, holding a mug. “Katie sent this out to you. A few sips might do you good.”

Experimentally, Jonathan sipped. Henry was right. The steaming beverage did taste good. The hot liquid warmed his insides and the strong brew provided him with a much-needed jolt.
“Danke.”

As they stood together, staring at the smoldering ashes, Henry spoke again. “What happened?”

“I’m not altogether sure. I heard a loud pop. Once, years ago, my grandfather told me about the fire that struck their farmhouse. The noises I heard were ones he’d described. As fast as I was able, I got up and went to fetch Blacky.”

“My
daed’
s over with the animals now, checking
them out,” Henry said. “Others are coming to help, I’m sure.”

Jonathan expected nothing less. “I’ll be grateful for the help.” Thinking back to the fire, he said, “It spread something fierce. I could hardly believe it. A large explosion burst the side of the barn, whether it was from the hay or a container of kerosene, I don’t know.”

Henry was prevented from saying any more when the fire marshal returned, his expression grim. “Mr. Lundy, we’ll do some more checking as soon as things have cooled down and the sky lightens up, but I’m afraid things don’t look good.”

“I don’t imagine it would—my barn’s gone,” Jonathan said dryly.

“No, that’s not what I mean.” The tall thin man tugged at his necktie. “Mr. Lundy—”

“Jonathan, please.”

“Jonathan, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but I’m afraid a cigarette caused this.” After he said the words, he looked Henry’s way, as if for help.

Jonathan didn’t understand. Maybe the smoke was finally gettin’ to him? “I don’t smoke. No one here smokes cigarettes.”

“All the same, it looks to be what happened.”

Beside him, Henry cleared his throat. “Say again?”

If anything, the marshal looked even more uncomfortable. “What I’m trying to say…is that we found traces of a lighter and cigarettes near the back of the barn. We’ll know more information in the morning, but it looks as if someone ran away in the back field as soon
as the fire started. This fire might have been an accident, but it was definitely started from someone’s carelessness, not by a force of nature.”

“Cigarettes?” Henry repeated.

Behind them, Katie dropped the mug of coffee she’d been bringing out to her brother. Her gasp, along with the clang of broken pottery, brought Jonathan Lundy out of his trance.

His barn was gone. His sister was badly burned. Someone had been on his property without his knowledge.

Meeting the fire marshal’s gaze, Jonathan looked him square in the eye. “You are right. This is a mighty bad happening. A mighty bad happening, to be sure.”

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