The Gift (27 page)

Leah smiled, thinking about her folks’ reaction to Leah’s acceptance of Adam’s proposal. Dad had simply said he thought Adam was a good man and that he hoped they would be happy. When Leah had called Mom and told her the news, she’d chuckled and said, “I’m not a bit surprised, Leah. Remember when I told you that I thought Adam was a handsome man? I figured it was just a matter of time before you saw that about him, too.”

Leah shook the last rug and stepped back inside.
Surely Mom has to know I’m not marrying Adam just because he’s good looking.

Leah had actually been surprised when neither Mom nor Dad had questioned the reason behind Leah’s hasty decision.
Maybe they’re so relieved that I won’t be living at home the rest of my life as an old maid that they don’t care what made me decide to marry Adam.

Leah placed the rugs on the living-room floor and headed to the bathroom to wash up. “I wonder if Adam thinks I’m pretty,” she mused, glancing in the mirror. “I guess it doesn’t really matter, but I’d kind of like to know.”

After washing her face and hands and changing into a clean dress, Leah slipped her black outer bonnet on her head, grabbed her purse and shawl, and headed out the door. She would stop at the pizza place in Arthur for a quick lunch and afterward go straight to the fabric store.

C
ora tapped her fingers impatiently on the table as she waited for the pizza she’d ordered. It seemed like it was taking a long time. Maybe that was because she was so hungry. Her stomach growled noisily, and taking a quick scan of those sitting closest to her, Cora was glad that no one seemed to notice. The pizza shop was busy this afternoon, typical of the ones back in Chicago. Some folks came and went, picking up takeout orders, while others like her were eating in the restaurant.

A few teenagers sat at a booth in the corner. Cora noticed Jared wasn’t among them.
I wonder what he and Scott are doing today.
Jared rarely talked about the things he and Scott did. As a matter of fact, Cora’s son didn’t share much of anything with her these days. But at least she knew who he was with, and having spoken to Scott’s mother on the phone the other evening, Cora felt once again that Scott was a nice enough kid. His mother had mentioned that her husband had been out of work for a while but had found another job recently. It was one more reminder of how grateful Cora felt for her position at the clinic.

Turning her attention to a young Amish couple with two small children, Cora watched as they bowed their heads before eating.
How long has it been since I said a prayer?

Cora smiled when one of the little boys, who couldn’t have been much older than three or four, closed his eyes like his parents. Taking a closer look, Cora realized the boys were twins with the blondest hair she’d ever seen. When their prayer was over, one of the boys looked at her and grinned. She returned his smile and gave a discreet wave.
I wish Jared was still that young and innocent. Things were much easier when he was a small child.

Looking toward the counter where the pizzas were made, Cora’s nose twitched. The aroma of pepperoni, onions, peppers, and sauces made her stomach rumble again.
What in the world could be taking so long to make my pizza?

Cora glanced toward the door and saw a young Amish woman with golden brown hair enter the restaurant. Even though it had been several weeks, Cora remembered meeting her when she’d brought her little girl into the clinic.

Cora waved, and the young woman waved in response before placing her order. When she took a seat at a table near Cora’s, Cora looked over at her and smiled. “Do you remember me? I’m Cora Finley—the new nurse at the clinic. We met when you brought your daughter in after she’d been stung by yellow jackets.”

The woman nodded. “My name is Leah Mast, and Carrie’s not my daughter. I take care of Carrie and her two older sisters while their uncle’s at work.”

“Oh, I see.” Cora thought it was odd that Leah had said the girls’ uncle, and not their parents, but she didn’t think it would be proper to ask about it.

“If you’re not waiting for someone, would you like to join me at my table?” Leah asked.

Cora didn’t have to be asked twice. “It’s no fun eating by yourself, and since I’m all alone, it would be nice to have the company.” She scooped up her glass of iced tea and took a seat across from Leah. “How is Carrie doing now?”

“She’s fine. We were relieved that she didn’t have a serious reaction to the stings.”

“Allergic reactions can be quite serious,” Cora agreed.

“You’re right about that. I practice reflexology, and one of the women I treat had a reaction to some walnuts awhile back, so I know how frightening things like that can be.”

Cora’s eyebrows lifted. “Are you a licensed reflexologist?”

Leah shook her head. “I’m not licensed, but I’ve been doing reflexology for several years. In fact, my grandmother taught me when I was a teenager. Since I don’t charge a set fee, I’m not required to get professional training or be licensed.”

“Don’t you think you’d make more money if you could charge a set fee?” Cora questioned.

“I don’t know. I’ve never really thought about it.” Leah shrugged. “Besides, I don’t practice reflexology just to get paid.”

Cora leaned her elbows on the table and looked closely at Leah. She wanted to know what made this young woman tick. “Why do you do it, if not for the money?”

“I want to help others. I see my ability to help them feel better as a gift.”

Cora reflected on that before responding.
Do I see my nursing abilities as a gift or just a way to make money?

When Cora had finished her nurses’ training, her focus had been on helping others, but she’d also needed the money she made—especially since she’d had to go into debt to pay her way through nursing school. There’d been no financial help from any of her family. Cora had been given no choice but to make it on her own—until she’d met Evan. Dr. Evan Finley had been to Cora everything that her family had never been. He’d understood her reason for wanting to be a nurse and had even paid for her to get more schooling.

Unfortunately, things were quite different these days.
Evan wouldn’t lift a finger to help me now,
she thought bitterly.
All he thinks about is satisfying his own needs and catering to the whims of his pretty new wife.

“Are you okay?”

Cora’s thoughts scattered at the sound of Leah’s voice. “Oh, um… Yes, I’m fine. Just thinking about the past—that’s all. Sorry for spacing off like that.”

“It’s all right. I’ve done the same thing myself.” Leah chuckled. “One little thing can get my mind wandering, and then my thoughts will start drifting.”

Both of their pizzas came, and although Cora was starving, she waited patiently as Leah bowed her head for silent prayer.

How long has it been since I uttered a prayer of any kind, much less one of thanksgiving?
she asked herself once more.
Well, God’s never answered any of my prayers before, so why would He now?

When Leah opened her eyes, she smiled at Cora and motioned to the personal-sized pizza she had ordered. “Feel free to have some of mine if you like.”

“It’s nice of you to offer, but I have plenty of my own to eat. In fact, I’ll be taking the leftovers home, so if you want some of mine, please help yourself.”

“This will probably be enough for me.” Leah picked up a piece of her sausage and black olive pizza. “I ordered a small one because I’m not going directly home from here. As soon as I’m done eating, I’ll be heading to the fabric shop to buy some material for my wedding dress.”

“Oh, you’re about to get married?”

Leah nodded. “In a couple months. The second week of November, to be exact. In fact, I’ll be marrying Carrie’s uncle.”

Cora reached for her glass of iced tea and took a sip. “I’m sure Carrie will be happy about that. From what I witnessed between the two of you at the clinic, she seemed quite dependent on you.”

“Yes, and since I started watching Carrie and her sisters, I’ve grown attached to them.”

Cora heaved a sigh. “I wish my son, Jared, and I related to each other better. Seems like he’s always looking for some excuse not to be around me these days. It all started when his father left me for another woman.” Cora didn’t know why she was telling a near stranger all of this, but it felt good to get it off her chest. “I think Jared blames me for the breakup.”

Leah reached over and touched Cora’s arm. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. I’ll remember to say a prayer for you.”

“Thank you.” It was nice to know someone would be praying for her, because she sure wouldn’t be praying for herself.

As Cora and Leah continued to eat, they talked more about Leah’s reflexology.

“Would you mind giving me your phone number?” Cora asked. “My feet get sore sometimes from being on them all day. I’d probably benefit from a foot massage.”

Leah hesitated at first, but then she reached into her purse for paper and pen. “I’ll write my number down for you, but when you call, you’ll have to leave a message, because our telephone is outside in a small wooden building that we call our phone shack.”

“That’s not a problem. I’ll leave you a message, and you can return my call to let me know when you’d be available for an appointment. I’m so looking forward to having you work on my feet.”

“Since I watch the girls during the day, I’ve been scheduling people’s foot treatments during the evening hours,” Leah explained.

“That’s perfect for me since I’m working at the clinic on the weekdays.” Cora didn’t know if it was her imagination or not, but she felt as though she and Leah had made a connection today. Perhaps this young woman would turn out to be the friend she so badly needed. At the very least, Cora had found someone to massage her feet.

When Leah entered the fabric store a short time later, she spotted Sara Miller looking at some bolts of material. “Wie geht’s?” Leah asked.

“I’m doing pretty well.” Sara placed one hand against her protruding stomach and smiled. “In a few months the boppli should be here. Jonah and I are both getting anxious.”

“I can imagine.” Seeing Sara’s excitement over having another baby caused Leah to feel a bit envious. She’d be getting married soon, but to a man who didn’t love her. It wasn’t likely that she’d ever have any children of her own. But at least she’d have Carrie, Linda, and Amy to help raise, and she looked forward to that. “Are you hoping for a
bu
or a
maedel
?” Leah asked.

“It really doesn’t matter to Jonah or me whether we have a boy or a girl,” Sara replied. “As long as the boppli is healthy.”

Leah nodded. It did her heart good to see the joyful smile on Sara’s face. She’d been through a lot and deserved every bit of happiness she could get.

“I’ll bet you’re excited,” Sara said. “It won’t be long until you and Adam will be getting married.”

“That’s why I’m here,” Leah said. “I need to buy some material and get my wedding dress made.”

“I’m pretty good with a needle and thread, so if you need any help, just let me know,” Sara offered, rubbing her stomach.

Leah slipped her arm around Sara’s waist. “Danki for the offer. I just might take you up on that if I can’t get it done by myself.”

Sara gave Leah a hug. “I hope you and Adam will be as happy as Jonah and I are.”

All Leah could manage was a brief nod.
I wonder what Sara and other people in our church district would say if they knew Adam and I aren’t marrying for love.

As Leah moved on to choose her material, she thought about Cora and how sad she’d looked when she talked about her husband walking out on their marriage. It was distressing to think that anyone could get married and not keep their vows. Even if she and Adam never fell in love, divorce would never be an option for them.

A
dam rolled out of bed and glanced at the clock on his bedside table. He couldn’t believe it was almost noon. He’d been awakened in the wee hours of the morning when Coal decided to go into barking mode. At one point, he’d been on the verge of getting up to check on things, but the dog had finally settled down. After Adam finally got back to sleep, he slept harder and longer than he normally did. It was one of those deep slumbers that put him in a fog once he finally woke up. Moaning, he stretched his arms above his head, trying to get the kinks out of his back from sleeping so long. “I’ll most likely be paying for this all day,” Adam mumbled, bending down to touch his toes. “Wonder why those girls didn’t wake me up?” This was not the way he’d planned to start his Saturday.

Hurrying to get dressed, Adam noticed that the house was quiet as he ambled down the hall. Hearing nothing from the girls, he wondered if they, too, had slept in.

When Adam entered the kitchen, he halted. All three of his nieces sat at the table, eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

“Uncle Adam, you missed breakfast, but you’re just in time for lunch,” Linda announced. She grabbed a napkin and wiped the end of Carrie’s nose, where a blob of grape jelly had stuck.