The Promise of an Angel (A Heaven On Earth 1) (14 page)

“Judith.”

Her spine crawled at the sound of Levi’s voice. Ignoring his call, she picked up her pace, heading straight for the house. How could she receive forgiveness when his very presence triggered hatred?

Andrew stepped out of the barn and came up beside her. He nodded in Levi’s direction. “Just pretend you’re not mad at me, and I’ll keep him away from you.”

What was Andrew’s intention—to protect her from lashing out at Levi in anger? She heard Levi approach but refused to look his way. She glanced at Andrew, who was keeping pace at her side.

“Don’t let him—”

“Cause me to sin?”

“Let it go,” he whispered.

“And how do I do that?”

“Pretend he doesn’t bother you. Laugh. Pretend I said something funny.”

The “bishop junior” suggesting he could say something humorous was funny in and of itself.

“Ha ha.”

“That’s a start.” Andrew chuckled. “But I’m not that boring. You can laugh louder.”

Judith couldn’t help but laugh, seeing him exaggerate a grimace.

Andrew’s willingness to help was admirable, especially after she’d been cruel to him.

Levi caught up to them. “Judith, can we talk for a minute?”

“This isn’t a
gut
time, Levi.” She kept her focus on Andrew, and Levi dropped back. Feeling an odd sense of strength, she laughed harder. Andrew’s plan worked. She
could
pretend Levi didn’t bother her. She glanced at the house. Martha might be harder to avoid.

Andrew walked up the porch steps with her and paused at the front door. “That wasn’t too bad, was it?”

“
Ach
, does it surprise you that storytellers are
gut
pretenders?”

“I am pleasantly surprised,” he answered.

“
Denki
.”

He bobbed his head toward the door. “Are you going to be all right with her?”

“And what will you do if I say
nay
? Move in with us?”

He chuckled. “If
Ich muscht
.” He tapped the brim of his hat. “I take my pretend role seriously too.”

Judith turned the doorknob. “
Denki
, again.”

Andrew looked past her through the opened door, then back to her. “Will I see you
meiya
?”

“I, um . . .” She leaned forward to whisper. “Are we still pretending?”

He shrugged.

Judith assumed Martha was standing somewhere near the doorway. “I’d like that.”

She made sure her answer sounded convincing for her sister’s benefit. She’d still have to convince herself that spending time with Andrew would be wise. Though she had to admit that even Levi had never made her laugh with such ease.

Chapter Twelve

A
ndrew wheeled the ax, splitting the oak into two sizable chunks. He turned the firewood slab on the stump and quartered it into usable stove pieces. With his thoughts concentrated on Levi’s improper behavior and the devastated look in Judith’s eyes, he hadn’t noticed his father’s buggy approaching until he readied another log to split.

His father climbed out from the buggy, Bible in hand. This was late for him to be out on visitation. Perhaps he’d been at a meeting with one of the deacons whose duty regularly involved reporting church trouble. Levi’s and Martha’s names came to Andrew’s mind.

“You split all this today?”

Andrew lifted his hat off his forehead and used his shirtsleeve to wipe his brow.
“Jah
.
”
He’d worked up a sweat in the chilly autumn afternoon trying to chop enough wood to fill the wood-box for the cookstove before nightfall.

“Did you milk the Fischers’ cows today?”

“Jah.”

“Any more talk from Judith about an angel?”

“Nay.”
He thought of telling his father about Levi and Martha, then decided against it. Besides, the news should come from one of the deacons. He’d speak privately with David if the opportunity arose.

Mamm
opened the back door. “Supper is ready.”

Andrew leaned the ax against the stump. He’d worked up more than sweat—he’d developed a hearty appetite. He loaded his arms with firewood and followed his father to the house. The scent of beef casserole grew stronger the closer he came to the kitchen. Andrew unloaded the wood and dusted his hands of bark chips, then washed up before joining his parents at the table. He bowed his head in quiet grace.

His mother ladled a spoonful of food onto a plate. “Any news of Samuel?”

“
Nay
change,” his father replied.

Mamm
passed the serving spoon to Andrew. “During our time quilting today, the womenfolk were filled with talk.” She buttered a biscuit as she continued. “Some believe Judith, and others think she might be trying to gain attention.”
Mamm
set her biscuit aside and sampled the food. She gave a slight nod of approval and continued. “She’s overrun with guilt, if you ask me. Poor Samuel wasn’t watched. What was he doing on the roof?”

Andrew glanced at his father. The bishop continued eating without showing any interest in his wife’s conversation.

“I’ve always liked Judith, but I’m afraid the community is divided in their opinions. She wasn’t invited to the quilting frolic for fear she would
fasavvahra
the
samling
.”

Sour the gathering
. Andrew cleared his throat, a subtle attempt to cause his mother to pause. “Shouldn’t the women embrace Judith? She hasn’t been shunned. She isn’t even baptized yet.”

His mother and father exchanged glances, and she lowered her gaze.

The bishop turned his attention to Andrew. “While leniency is encouraged, I won’t permit church strife.” He paused and folded his hands before continuing. “Once Samuel is home, you won’t need to spend so much time at the Fischer home.”

Although Andrew nodded, something strong tore at his heart. The Fischers would continue to require extra help on the farm. Did his father intend to withdraw the community support, or was he merely interested in Andrew keeping his distance?

Judith ran the bristled brush over Rusty’s neck.
Daed
had given the old horse to Samuel after it had grown too old to be a driver.

Her brother loved spending time in the barn, and she’d often find him inside Rusty’s stall, brushing him.

“Your winter coat is thickening.” She patted Rusty’s neck and moved the brush to the horse’s flank. As helpless as Samuel’s condition left her feeling, somehow grooming Rusty offered comfort. And after finding Levi and Martha together, she needed the solitude of the barn. Her dreams of marriage had certainly shattered. Her heart would not ever mend.

Light entered the barn as David stepped inside. He startled. Apparently she’d taken him by surprise.

“I didn’t know anyone was in here,” he said, approaching the stall.

“How’s Samuel?”

David shook his head. “
Nay
better.” He reached for the harness dangling from the wall peg. “The boys and I are planning to take the pumpkins to market
meiya
.” He leaned his elbow on the stall gate. “How are you doing?”

“
Gut
.” She kept her focus on the horse. If she looked at him, her brother would see that something troubled her deeply, and this wasn’t the time to tattle on Martha.

“I wanted to talk with you about Samuel
kumming
home.”

“Jah.”
She stopped brushing and came out from the stall.

“I don’t want you talking about him walking.” His voice soft, he continued. “Judith, the accident wasn’t your fault.”

Tears collected in her eyes. She wished she could believe her brother’s words.

He placed his hand on her shoulder and tipped his head to see her face. “I know you feel bad. We all do. But—”

She closed her eyes, bracing herself while he paused to collect his words.

“Judith, it is not
gut
for the family to make wild prophetic claims. I fear if you continue, you’ll be sent away.”

Judith’s vision blurred.

He gently squeezed her shoulder. “Dry your eyes. We
muscht
be strong for Samuel.”

Judith nodded, although she wondered where her strength would come from. Her faith had once been, or so she believed, a source of raw power. But lately her faith was as wilted as a trampled stalk of winter wheat.

David’s voice perked up. “Have you seen Ellen?”

“
Nay, nett
lately.”

“She has news to share.”

“Jah?”

A wide smile spread across David’s face, but he shook his head. “I promised I’d let her say.” He pointed to the door. “
Kumm
, she and Rebecca are in the
haus
.”

Judith set the horse brush on the shelf and walked with David to the house. The last time he’d sported such an exuberant smile, Ellen was pregnant with the twins.

Rebecca ran to the door as Judith entered. Her sister’s little arms embraced her legs, bunching her dress at the seam.

“I’ve missed you,” Judith said, stooping down to give her a hug.

“Me too.”

“Did you find the cookies I baked?”

Rebecca broke her hold and darted off to find the treat. Chuckling at her sister’s enthusiasm, Judith followed her into the kitchen and opened the cookie tin. She held up two fingers.
“Zvay.”
She waited for Rebecca to make her selection, then turned with the container and offered them to Ellen.

The moment Ellen turned from where she stood at the sink, Judith didn’t need to hear the announcement. The glow on Ellen’s cheeks gave her secret away.

“David said you have news.”

Ellen patted her belly. “We’re going to have a
boppli
. In the spring.”

Judith smiled. “I hope it’s a girl.”

“That is my prayer.” She grabbed Judith’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Your brother wants more boys.” She leaned closer. “He wants his own construction crew.”

“Did you tell him someone needs to prepare all the lunch pails?”

Ellen laughed. “And sew the aprons that hold their nails.”

Judith set the tin of cookies on the table before filling the kettle with water to heat for coffee. “Maybe you’ll have twin girls and even out the number.”

“That would be fine with me.” She sat at the table. “It’s been too long since I held a
boppli
. I’ll take them two at a time.”

Judith pulled out a chair and sat next to Ellen. “This is
wun-debaar
news.”

“Will you
kumm
stay with me when it’s time?”

Judith nodded.
“Jah.”

“Your brother might have a tough exterior.” Ellen lowered her voice at the sound of the door opening and footsteps. “But seeing Jacob’s head, David crumbled.”

“So much for his experience delivering all those calves.”

“I heard that.” David walked into the room and leaned toward his wife. “Are you telling the story of how I fainted?”

“Jah,”
Ellen replied.

The kettle whistled, and Judith stood. “Would you like a cup of
kaffi
, David?”

“
Nay
, I need to be on my way.” He tapped Ellen’s shoulder. “You and Rebecca can drive the buggy home.” He reached into the tin and grabbed a handful of cookies. “I’m sharing with the boys,” he said, responding to Ellen’s light hand tap. “Where’s Martha?”

Judith shrugged. She assumed Martha had holed up in her bedroom. She’d certainly made herself scarce, but Judith wasn’t about to complain.

“Is she helping you with chores?” David walked to the entrance and craned his neck down the hallway. He turned back. “Is she?”

Judith feathered her fingers over her neck. She dropped her hands when his brows arched questioningly.
God, couldn’t You reveal her sin another way besides through me?

David leaned into the hallway. “Martha?” He waited a moment before going to her bedroom door and knocking. “Martha, open the door . . . What are you listening to?”

Judith and Ellen leaned into the hallway as David came out from the bedroom, something dangling from his hand. He came into the kitchen, opened the side of the woodstove, and shoved a portable CD player and headphones inside. “Let me know if she gives you trouble.”