The Promise of an Angel (A Heaven On Earth 1) (17 page)

The district’s stagnant growth was a curse, but Andrew’s eight brothers had done their part in contributing to the community development. His eldest brother’s wife was pregnant with their sixth child.

The horse’s hooves clapped the pavement, and Andrew gazed out the opening of the buggy. He wondered if the bishops in other districts pressured their youth to marry without being in love. Marry to populate their community, to ensure that the traditions of the Old Order church would continue.

As they pulled into the Fischers’ drive, Andrew was determined to ask Judith to attend Sunday’s youth singing. That was, if he could convince her that she wasn’t still angry with him. His hands moistened. Convincing her to trust him would take work. It would take boldness. He drew a deep breath and rubbed his hands against his pants.

“Be bold,” he coached himself under his breath.
Judith needs a friend, someone she can trust
.

His father stopped the horse in front of the house. Andrew jumped out and assisted his mother, then went to his father’s side and waited for him to give Andrew the reins. With a quick glance at the buggies lined up near the barn, it was easy to see that the entire community had come to welcome Samuel home.

Andrew found a place among the other buggies to tether the horse. The thudding of his heart caught him by surprise. This was the size of the crowd when the community met for church service every other week. He knew everyone—he shouldn’t feel nervous. But with every step he took toward the house, his hands became increasingly clammy.

Several of the men had gathered on the wraparound porch. Andrew rubbed his hands along his thighs again. If he were to shake hands, he didn’t want to extend a sweaty palm.

As he stepped inside the house, he passed more men filtering outside to the porch. In the sitting room, the elderly women sat together with a shared quilt spread across their laps. With the constant flow of people coming inside and going out, the drafty house must have caused their thinned blood to congeal—at least that’s what his grandmother always said. He saw her now, and she waved him over.

She cupped her hand against Mrs. Stoltzfus’s ear. “This is Zechariah and Mary’s
boppli
,” she said, louder than he wished.

At twenty-two, he was hardly a baby, but he nodded at the confused woman. His grandmother introduced him to Mrs. Stoltzfus at every gathering, and each time the woman crinkled her face as though she’d never seen him before and then asked who he had married and which children were his.

He knelt at his grandmother’s side and patted her hand. “Feeling
gut
,
Mammi
?” Since his grandfather’s death, he’d made a practice to stop by his uncle’s house and visit her often. However, since he had taken on the extra chores for the Fischers, he hadn’t spent much time with her.

“Already feeling the cold in my hips.” She sighed.

Andrew patted her bony hand. “Winter won’t be long
nau
.” He’d seen the ground covered with snow several times in October.

“You will
kumm
visit soon
, jah
?”

Andrew stood. “
Jah
, soon.” He scanned the room for Judith, and when he didn’t see her, he touched his throat. “I think I’ll get a drink of water.”

As he walked away, he heard Mrs. Stoltzfus ask who he’d married.

Mammi’s
disappointed reply traveled to the kitchen. Now he wished he would’ve stepped outside. The group of women in the room looked at him with pity in their eyes. It was bad enough that his mother held a long face, but Judith stood up from removing a roaster pan from the oven with the same sympathetic look. He restrained himself from defending his bachelor status. Explaining his contentment to remain single never helped his cause. Instead, it ignited a flurry of women challenged to find him a suitable mate.

He cleared his throat. “Could I have a glass of water?” An easy means to turn their attention toward something they did well—taking care of someone in need. He could have gotten his own drink, but he’d have to listen to them fuss over him anyway.

Three women turned toward the cabinet, but Judith wasn’t one of them. She continued to baste the turkey with broth. His mother handed him a filled glass as Lilly called out to everyone that Judith’s parents had arrived. Samuel was home.

The women all moved toward the door, and Andrew moved toward Judith.

“Have you forgiven me?” he whispered.

Judith cocked her head to one side. “For what?”

“Our conversation wasn’t left on
gut
standing the other day.”

She smiled. “You made it plain. You’re nothing like Levi.” She moved toward the others.

Andrew followed at her side, and when she stopped, he leaned closer to her ear. “I’m not like Levi, in all the ways that matter.”

The door opened, and the increased noise level in the house hindered further conversation. Judith turned her attention to Samuel’s arrival. Her mouth dropped and her eyes widened. Even to Andrew, Samuel appeared gaunt in David’s arms.

Judith quickly turned back into the kitchen, away from the excited visitors. Andrew came next to her side as she dabbed her eyes with the hem of her apron.

“Are you all right?”

She nodded.

“Are you sure?”

She continued to blot tears from her eyes. “I thought he’d walk through the door.”

Andrew wasn’t sure how to respond. Everyone knew Samuel was paralyzed. His father had been at the hospital with Judith’s parents when the doctor explained the spinal injury. The extent of damages wouldn’t be seen until the swelling subsided. Any lack of movement a month after the injury, the doctor explained, would be permanent.

She drew in a deep breath and forced a smile. “I should welcome him home.”

Judith weaved through the crowd of people. She hugged her brother, kept her phony smile tight, and said no more than a few words. Then she edged her way around the others, but instead of returning to the kitchen, she made a hasty retreat toward the front door.

Judith kept her head down as she bolted out the door. The evening breeze caught in her throat as she stepped onto the porch.

The door creaked on its hinges behind her, and she wiped her face before turning to see who had followed her outside.

“Are you all right?” Deborah’s teeth chattered as she rubbed her arms.

“I will be.”

“It’s cold. Why don’t we go back inside?”

“Deborah, when was Samuel’s quilt finished?” Judith asked her friend.

Deborah touched Judith’s arm. “Let’s go back inside, Judith. It’s cold.”

“Please, just tell me. Was I intentionally left out of the gathering?”

Deborah nodded. “I’m sorry. I had nothing to do with it.”

“I know.” Judith looked over her shoulder into the sitting room window. Deborah’s mother was staring at them. “You better go inside. I don’t want your
mamm
saying anything and upsetting mine.”

“Kumm mitt mich.”

Judith shook her head.
“Nett nau.”
She needed a few moments alone. She had placed more hope than she realized on Samuel walking. Now what did she have left? If faith was the substance of things hoped for, she certainly lacked faith.

Chapter Fifteen

A
ndrew edged into the crowd, neck stretched to spot Judith.

“Andrew,” Samuel called.

He turned and, seeing the boy’s outstretched arms, made his way back through the sitting room. He took hold of Samuel’s hand and squatted next to the couch. “I’m glad you’re home.”

“Will you still teach me how to build furniture?”

Andrew’s throat tightened. Samuel had remembered his promise. A day hadn’t passed that Andrew didn’t remember he’d given Samuel the nail. If he hadn’t given the nail to the boy, Samuel wouldn’t have climbed to the roof. Wouldn’t have fallen. Until Andrew ignited Samuel’s interest in building, the boy had been content with playing games and listening to Judith’s stories.

“Even if my legs don’t work, I can still build, right?”

Andrew marveled at Samuel’s cheerful disposition in spite of his bedridden condition. He’d do anything to keep the smile on Samuel’s face, even if it meant limiting the time he spent in his workshop on his tasks. “When you’re feeling up to it, I will.”

The boy’s eyes widened. “
Meiya
?”

Andrew glanced at Mrs. Fischer standing at the end of the couch. He didn’t want to make any promises without her approval. Once she nodded, Andrew patted Samuel’s hand. “Sure, I’ll bring the tools,” he said and stood. He headed toward the door before the tears welling up in his eyes spilled over.

Judith’s cape was missing from the hook. No doubt she had slipped out of the house in avoidance of the icy condemnation she feared would be cast in her direction.

Andrew stepped outside and wiped his eyes. He took a deep breath and blew it out with a steady exhale. When he didn’t find Judith on the porch, he suspected she’d gone to the river. He leaped down the steps and headed in that direction. But rather than take a chance that she would force him to turn back, he took another route, a shortcut through the woods.

He found the rock she’d dropped next to the tree they had stood under. With better light, he could see it was freckled with multiple colors. No wonder she admired it so much. He sat with his back against the tree and tossed the rock into the air. Catching it, he looked it over again before tossing it back up.

Several more minutes passed without any sign of Judith. He stood to leave, but a faint sound of dried leaves crunching underfoot caused him to stay put. Judith walked into the clearing with her head down. She sat on the boulder facing the river, oblivious to his presence. Andrew took a step, then paused.

Lord, I ask that You give me the words to comfort her
.

He took another step, then hesitated again. She was upset the last time he interrupted her at the river.

“Turn me around, God, if this isn’t the time,” Andrew whispered as he inched toward her. Then he spoke aloud. “Judith.”

She turned to face him and clutched her chest.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“Why are you always following me?”

Her curt words were not going to push him away. “I knew you were coming to the river, and I didn’t want you to be alone.” He surprised himself with such a direct answer.

Her teeth clenched. “But that’s why I came here, Andrew. I want to be alone.” She crossed her arms and turned her attention to the river.

Lord, help me, please
. Andrew moved in front of her to block her view. “Why did you think Samuel would walk through the door?”

She looked up at him. Her eyes narrowed. “Andrew, you’re in my way.” She stared at him hard, then the scowling expression disappeared and her lips trembled. She whirled in the opposite direction, facing the woods.

“Judith.” He waited, but she didn’t respond. She needed a friend’s support, but holding her wouldn’t be the answer, he told himself. He fought back the urge to comfort her in his arms. “I watched your face turn pale when Samuel was carried inside. You looked shocked. Why?”

“Andrew, go away.” She tried to turn away, but he held her shoulders in a firm but gentle grasp.

“Please, tell me what gave you that hope.”

If an angel had told her Samuel would walk, he wanted Judith to share what was said. She was there when he gave Samuel the nail. Surely she must understand how important it was to him that Samuel walk again.

“I shouldn’t have spoken out loud,” Judith whispered. She lifted her head and used her sleeve to dry her tear-streaked face. “Will you please go? I came here to be alone and pray.”

“I’ll pray with you,” he offered.

It didn’t surprise him that she shook her head. He waited a moment, then, knowing he was standing in her way of calling out for God’s help, he stepped aside. She needed God’s unsurpassable peace. He only wished she needed his friendship too.

Andrew went as far as the edge of the woods and stopped to look back at her. She hadn’t moved. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the rock he’d found by the tree. Should he go back and give it to her now, or wait? He took a step toward her.