by Amy Clipston
Mandy’s face twisted into a dark glower. “Are you asking me to choose between you and Ephraim?”
“No.” Katie Ann shook her head. “But I have to believe that you can be a better freind to me. I deserve it after all these years. I don’t understand how you could just throw me away like an old, useless toy.”
Tears trickled down Mandy’s pink cheeks. “I can’t believe you’re saying all this. I’ve never ignored you, and I’ve never thrown you away. I think you’re just jealous.”
“What?” Katie Ann’s voice rose again. “You’re not listening to me at all.”
“Ya, I am listening to you.” Mandy sniffed as she brushed away tears with her hand. “You’re accusing me of ignoring you and of forgetting our friendship. That’s not true at all. You’re just being cruel.”
“I’m not the only one who’s noticed this change in you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Not long ago, Clara told me you forgot to get the baking supplies when it was your turn. She had to get supplies donated and then buy the rest herself. She said you seemed too busy with Ephraim to remember to get them.” Katie Ann gestured around the kitchen. “Other people have commented that you and Ephraim have alienated the rest of us. It’s like you’re in your own world, and none of the rest of us exist anymore.”
Mandy took a step toward the door. “I didn’t come today to be criticized. I thought we’d have a fun time, but that’s not what you had in mind at all. You just invited me over here to make me feel bad.”
“You’re missing the point,” Katie Ann insisted, holding her hand up to stop her from leaving. “I want our friendship back. I want things to be the way they used to be, before you were completely smitten with mei bruder. I want to be able to share things with you. I want to tell you all about Chris and how froh I am with him. You haven’t had any interest in hearing about my life, and I have a lot to tell you.”
“So tell me.” Mandy threw up her arms. “Tell me now.”
Katie Ann gaped.
“Well?” Mandy pointed at her. “You were so determined to get me to listen. Now I’m listening. What is so important that you can’t wait for me to go out and say hello to your bruder before we start baking?”
Katie Ann shook her head. “This isn’t how I wanted this discussion to go.”
“Maybe you should have thought about that before you started yelling at me.” Mandy scowled. “You seem to think everything is my fault.” She pointed to her chest. “Maybe it’s partially your fault that we haven’t been talking. Have you ever considered that our relationship has changed because we’ve both changed?” She wiped more tears. “You’re so quick to blame me for everything. All I did was fall in love with your bruder. Aren’t we all supposed to fall in love and get married?”
“Ya, but we don’t have to drop our freinden along the way!”
“I never dropped you!” Mandy yelled back.
They stared at each other as tears burned Katie Ann’s eyes. She could feel the rift between Mandy and her expanding into a great chasm.
Mamm appeared in the doorway. “What’s going on in here?”
Mandy made a sweeping gesture toward Mamm. “Why don’t you tell her? Tell her how you’ve done nothing but criticize me since I arrived here. Tell her you’re jealous because I spend time with your bruder.”
“That’s not what I said.” Katie Ann ground out the words as her temper flared.
“I’m going out to see Ephraim.” Mandy turned and started toward the mudroom.
Katie Ann pointed after her. “If you walk out that door now, don’t bother coming back in.”
“Don’t worry,” Mandy said without looking back. “I’m not interested in coming back in.” Her footsteps echoed in the mudroom before the storm door opened and slammed shut.
“What just happened?” Mamm’s eyes focused on Katie Ann. “What did you say to her?”
“I told her how I felt.” Katie Ann sniffed as tears poured from her eyes. Her hurt ran so deep she feared she might drown in it. “She said she was going to go see Ephraim, and I said today was supposed to be my day.” She pointed to her chest. “I told her I’ve missed her, and that I’ve felt ignored since she and Ephraim started dating. I explained that other people have noticed the change in her and Ephraim too. They’ve also said they’ve alienated their freinden.”
Katie Ann’s words came in a rush. “I explained I just wanted time with her. I told her that time and again she’s chosen Ephraim over me. I’ve tried so hard to save our friendship, but she hasn’t given it any effort at all. It’s as if she doesn’t care. She said I’m making it all up, but I’m not. All she’s done is ignore me since she started dating Ephraim, and I’m tired of it.”
“Just calm down.” Mamm rested her hands on Katie Ann’s shoulders. “You two can work this out if you just listen to each other. Maybe you shouldn’t have come on so strong.”
“How did I come on strong?” Katie Ann grabbed a napkin from the holder in the center of the table and wiped at her eyes and nose. “I just told her the truth.”
“I know you did, but I heard you yelling. Sometimes you have to be gentle when you tell people what’s difficult to share.” Mamm touched her cheek. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to hurt Mandy, but I think you needed to take her feelings into consideration too.”
“Her feelings?” Katie Ann’s lip trembled. “What about my feelings?”
“I know you’re hurting, mei liewe, but I’m sure Mandy is hurting now too. You said some upsetting things to her.”
Katie Ann shook her head as she stepped away from her mother, betrayal choking back her words. “How can you say that? She’s the one who ignored me and pushed me away. I didn’t do anything wrong.”
“Katie Ann!” Ephraim’s voice shouted from the mudroom. “Where are you?”
Katie Ann spun toward the mudroom doorway as Ephraim stomped in. Tension rolled off him like a fourth entity in the room.
“What did you say to Mandy?” Ephraim walked over to her and wagged a finger just millimeters from her nose. The intense look in his eyes stole Katie Ann’s breath.
“Ephraim,” Mamm began, “please calm down.”
“Mamm, let me handle this.” He turned back to Katie Ann, his hand vibrating as he pointed at her once again. “Mandy is out on the porch and can’t stop crying. What did you say to her?”
Katie Ann blanched, and unease blossomed at the base of her spine. She couldn’t remember ever seeing her brother so angry. “I told her I’m tired of feeling like I don’t matter. I just told her how I felt.” She gave him a brief explanation of what she’d already shared with Mamm.
Ephraim shook his head and swiped his hand down his face. “How is it that you always make everything about you?”
“What do you mean?” Katie Ann’s body quivered as pressure clamped on her chest like a vice, squeezing tight.
“Have you ever considered how Mandy feels?” He pointed toward the back door. “You made your best freind cry because you felt ignored. You could have discussed this with her instead of yelling at her and making her feel criticized. You never put anyone else’s feelings before yours.”
“That’s not true!” Katie Ann couldn’t stop herself from yelling as her anger spiked. “I’ve tried over and over to talk to her, but every time you call her away or she decides she needs to see you instead of finishing her conversation with me. I’m tired of being left behind. I need a best freind who truly cares about me.”
“Is that so?” Ephraim lifted his chin as he glared at her. “Maybe you’re not gut enough to be her best freind anymore.”
Katie Ann gasped.
“Ephraim!” Mamm snapped. “Don’t talk to your schweschder like that.”
“I’m just telling her the truth, Mamm. No one has the right to make Mandy cry that way. Katie Ann is being selfish and only thinking of herself.”
“No, that’s not true.” Katie Ann shook her head. “I’m not being selfish. I’m just
trying to save my relationship with my best freind.”
Ephraim snorted. “Yelling at someone and accusing them of being cruel is not how you save a friendship.”
“Everything was fine until you stole her away!” Katie Ann gave her brother a push, and he stepped away from her.
He gave a sarcastic laugh. “Really, Katie Ann? I didn’t steal Mandy away from you.”
“Ya, you did.” Katie Ann brushed away more tears as they streamed down her face. “If you hadn’t butted in, we’d still be best freinden.”
“I didn’t butt in.” Ephraim glared at her. “Mandy and I fell in love. Where is the fault in that?”
“You should have found someone else.” Katie Ann sniffed. She knew she was being immature, but she couldn’t help herself. The rift between her and Ephraim and the rift between her and Mandy were both tearing her heart to pieces.
“You can’t help who you love,” Ephraim said. “Don’t you love Chris?”
Katie Ann blinked, the question knocking her off balance for a moment.
“You don’t choose who you love,” Ephraim continued. “God puts who you’re supposed to love in your life so you can find that person.” He scowled. “I’m so disappointed in you. I thought you could handle my falling in love with Mandy, but it’s obvious you couldn’t.” His eyes seemed to glimmer with fury . . . and hatred? “You’re not mei schweschder, and you’re not Mandy’s freind,” he spat. “You’re someone I used to know, but I don’t know you now.”
Katie Ann winced as if he’d physically hurt her. Her soul was crushed.
“Ephraim!” Mamm yelled. “Stop it. You’re going to say something you regret.”
“Don’t worry, Mamm,” Katie Ann whispered through her tears. “I’m leaving.”
She hurried up the stairs to her room. After slamming her door, she flung herself onto her bed and sobbed into her pillow. She’d lost both Mandy and her brother, and everything was ruined.
CHAPTER 7
Chris hurried up Emma’s back-porch steps as a grin tugged at his lips. He wanted to see Katie Ann and find out how today went with Mandy.
Katie Ann had been in his thoughts all day long as he’d sanded a set of kitchen cabinets for a customer. He’d sent up prayers, asking God to bless her day and help repair her fractured relationship with Mandy. While he prayed, he analyzed his feelings for Katie Ann, and he realized he was in love with her. He truly loved her, and he couldn’t wait to tell her.
After completing all his chores, he had cleaned up his work area, showered, put on fresh clothes, and then rushed over to Emma’s house. He longed to tell Katie Ann he loved her after he found out how the day had gone. He just hoped she loved him too.
When he didn’t see her at the bake stand, he had hurried up the driveway to the garden. He found a group of young men and women weeding and watering the crops, but he didn’t see Katie Ann or Mandy. Most likely, Katie Ann was helping in the kitchen, baking more goodies to sell at the stand.
Chris headed into the kitchen through the mudroom, where he found Mandy and Emma sitting at the table.
Mandy wiped her eyes and as she looked up at Chris. “Hi. How are you?” Her smile wobbled.
“I’m fine, danki. How are you?”
When Mandy shrugged, concern filled Chris as he took in her expression. She didn’t look happy. Did that mean her afternoon with Katie Ann hadn’t gone well? Or had she and Ephraim broken up?
“Where’s Katie Ann?”
Mandy and Emma shared a look, and then Mandy looked back at him. “She’s not here. She’s at home.”
He crossed the kitchen and came to stand by her. “Is she krank?”
“No.”
“So why isn’t she here?”
Mandy hesitated, and worry washed over him.
“Please tell me what’s going on,” Chris said, nearly pleading with her.
“We had an argument, and she didn’t come with Ephraim and me.” Mandy ran her finger over the wood grain as she stared down at the table.
“Oh.” Chris nodded as understanding filled him. Their conversation hadn’t gone the way Katie Ann planned. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Ya, I am too.” Mandy sniffed, and then she wiped at her eyes again as Emma rubbed her shoulder.
“It will be okay, mei liewe.” Emma’s voice was soft and comforting.
“I hope so. I don’t know what to do without her friendship.”
“Just give her time,” Emma said. “She’ll calm down and realize she needs you both.”
Chris turned toward the door just as Ephraim walked in. “Ephraim. Hi.”
“Hi.” Ephraim shook his hand, and Chris took in the lines on his forehead.
“Mandy just told me Katie Ann stayed home today.”
“Ya.” Ephraim blew out a deep breath.
“I told him we argued with her,” Mandy said, her voice shaky.
“You both argued with her?” Chris divided a look between them.
“Ya.” Ephraim’s frown deepened. “It was pretty bad.”
Tears rolled down Mandy’s cheeks.
Alarm sliced through Chris. If Katie Ann had argued with both her brother and her best friend, she must have felt so alone. She needed him. She needed him now.
“I’m going to go.” Chris started for the door. “I’ll see you all soon.”
He almost tripped over Hank as he rushed to his waiting buggy. He climbed in and guided his horse down to the road, his heart pounding with worry.
When he arrived at Katie Ann’s house, he guided the horse up the driveway and halted it in front of her back porch. Leaping from the buggy, he tied the horse to a nearby fence and then took the back steps two at a time. He knocked on the back door and held his breath as he awaited an answer.
The door opened, and Katie Ann’s mother greeted him. “Hi, Chris.”
“Hi, Leona.” Chris removed his straw hat and fingered it in his hands. “I’m concerned about Katie Ann since she didn’t come to Emma’s like she always does on Tuesdays. I wanted to check on her.”
Leona frowned as she pushed the door open wide. “Ya, come in. I’m not sure if I can get her to come downstairs. She’s been up there all afternoon and refuses to leave her room.”
Knots of unease formed in Chris’s stomach as he followed her into the kitchen. “Mandy and Ephraim said they argued with her.”
Leona heaved a deep sigh that sounded as if it had bubbled up from her toes. “It was terrible.” She shook her head as her frown deepened. “I’ve never heard Katie Ann and Ephraim argue like that.”
“May I ask what happened?”
Leona hesitated, and he regretted the intrusion.
“I’m sorry. You don’t need to tell me.”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll tell you.”
As he listened to Leona’s account of the argument, dread unfurled in his chest like a noxious weed. With all his praying during the day, he’d never imagined it would turn out this way. He had expected Katie Ann and Mandy to have an amicable conversation that would end in a renewing of their friendship. He’d never thought she would lose Mandy’s friendship and destroy her relationship with her brother.
“I’ve tried to talk to her,” Leona continued, her eyes wet with unshed tears. “I’ve gone to her room four times and begged her to talk to me. Each time, she asked me to leave. I just don’t know what to do. I never argued like this with mei bruder. I’m not sure how to help them work it out.”
“Would you like me to talk to her?” Chris offered, hoping he could be a blessing to Katie Ann and her family.
“Ya.” Leona stood. “Maybe you can talk some sense into her and encourage her to apologize to both Mandy and Ephraim. I can’t stand to see the three of them in such pain. I hoped mei kinner would always remain freinden.”
“I’ll try my best to get through to her.”
“Danki.” Leona disappeared, and soon her footfalls sounded from the stairwell.
As he waited in the kitchen, Chris scrubbed
his hand down his face and silently prayed that he could somehow reason with Katie Ann. A few minutes later, he heard footsteps on the stairs, and then Katie Ann appeared.
His heart felt twisted as he took in her red, puffy eyes and the sadness etched in her face. She looked as if she had cried for hours, and he longed to take her into his arms and comfort her.
“Chris.” She walked to the table and sat down across from him. “What are you doing here?”
“I was worried. I’ve been thinking about you all day, and when I got to Emma’s . . . I wanted to talk to you.” Chris reached across the table for her hands. “How are you?”
She stared at his hands for a moment, and then she set hers on the table, allowing him to take them in his.
“I guess you know what happened.” Her voice was soft, her tone unsure.
He nodded. “Ya.” He forced a smile. “You can fix all this. Just tell Mandy and Ephraim you’re sorry, and everything will be fine.”
Her eyes narrowed as her lips pressed together into a thin line. “Why should I apologize? I didn’t do anything wrong.”
Chris squeezed her hands as he contemplated how to convince Katie Ann she’d been wrong. “I know you’re hurting right now, but I bet you all could have handled the situation differently.”
“How could you possibly know that, or how I feel? You weren’t there.” She pulled her hands out of his grasp and sat up straight, lifting her chin.
Losing the contact of her skin left a coldness in its wake.
“I understand you better than you think.” He ran his fingers over the wooden tabletop as he spoke. “Mei bruder and I were always close, and we spent a lot of time together. We used to go hunting and fishing, and we’d talk for hours while we were on those trips together. Then it all changed when he met Mary—probably more than I let on when we talked about this before.”
Scowling, she crossed her arms over her chest as she studied him.
