Amish Days: Coming Home: A Hollybrook Amish Romance (Rhoda's Story Book 3)

by Brenda Maxfield

  “Donna’s up?” Bart brightened. “That’s great news.”

  “Can you take care of Feisty for me? I’ve got the walker, and I want to take it to the daadi haus.”

  “Be glad to. Why don’t you stop into the big house and tell Evelyn you’re back?”

  “I will. Thanks, Bart.”

  She turned and went back to the cart. She reached in for the walker. It wasn’t very heavy, and she easily carried it into the big house. She heard some clatter in the kitchen and went that direction. Evelyn was just coming out.

  She stopped short. “Rhoda! You’re here. Anything wrong?”

  Rhoda shook her head. “Nee. I have the walker. I thought I’d work with Mamm a bit.”

  Evelyn turned solemn. “She’s not doing well this morning.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She’s cranky, and I can’t get her to eat.”

  “Not even her mush?”

  “Nee. I fixed it as always. She wouldn’t take a bite. I left it out there with her, so perhaps she’s eaten it by now. I was just going out to check.”

  Rhoda was alarmed. Winnie had to keep up her strength.

  “So that’s the walker?” Evelyn asked, nodding her head toward it.

  “Jah. I got her the one with the built-in seat.”

  “Gut. Shall we go out there together?”

  Chapter Five

  Rhoda and Evelyn walked into Winnie’s bedroom. Winnie was braced up against her pillow, her eyes half-closed.

  “Look, Mamm,” Rhoda said. “I’ve got your walker.”

  “Isn’t it wonderful?” Evelyn said. “We can begin working with it right away. Truth be told, Bart’s tired of being scolded by the therapist for not having you up and about much more by now.”

  Rhoda could tell that Evelyn was trying to be encouraging, but she saw her mother’s face tighten with each word Evelyn said. She hurried to her mother’s bed and sat on the edge of it. She leaned the walker against the chair by Winnie’s bed. And then she took Winnie’s thin hand in hers.

  “How are you feeling today?”

  Winnie scrunched her forehead and gazed at Rhoda. “Is it night?”

  “Nee, Mamm. It’s still early.”

  “Don’t you come back at night?”

  Rhoda swallowed. “Usually, I do. But I was eager to see you today. When I left this morning, you were still sleeping.”

  “Where’s Donna?”

  “She’s at home with her kinner.”

  “Why are you here?”

  Rhoda blew out her breath. “Like I just told you. I wanted to see you.”

  Winnie rolled her eyes and stared straight ahead, ignoring both Rhoda and Evelyn.

  Rhoda glanced at the full plate of food sitting on the bedside table.

  “You haven’t eaten yet, I see.” Rhoda picked up the plate. “Would you like us to warm this back up for you?”

  Winnie didn’t resound.

  Rhoda bit her lip. After dealing with her sister Donna’s silent treatment for the last weeks, she didn’t know if she could tolerate it from her mother. She closed her eyes and breathed a quick prayer.

  Evelyn took the plate from Rhoda’s hands. “I’m going to go warm all this back up.” She gave Rhoda a look of helpless resignation and left.

  Rhoda stood and unfolded the walker, placing it directly to the side of the bed.

  “Mamm, I’m going to get you sitting up. Then we’re going to swing your legs over the side of the bed and try out this walker.”

  She knew that her mother had been on her feet during her therapy sessions, so she wasn’t asking anything too monumental of her. If this had been Winnie’s first time up, she would have been more hesitant and concerned, but as it was, all she really felt was frustration.

  She reached gently behind her mother’s back and raised her to a better sitting position. But the minute, she let go, Winnie flopped back on her pillow.

  “Mamm, come on now. Don’t you want to get better?”

  Winnie’s face crumpled into a mass of wrinkles. Rhoda thought she was about to cry, but instead her lips curled back from her teeth, and she nearly snarled. Rhoda’s eyes stretched wide, and she reflexively backed away.

  “What is it? Did I hurt you?”

  “I ain’t no boppli who needs to be handled.”

  Rhoda blinked. “I know that. But don’t you need some help getting up?”

  “I ain’t getting up.”

  “Mamm, you have to. Don’t you want to get better?”

  Winnie didn’t answer.

  “Mamm!” Rhoda said sharply. “You can’t just give up.”

  Winnie pulled her hands from under the quilt and folded them over her stomach. “Give up?”

  “Jah. You have to eat. You have to move.” Rhoda pulled the covers back.

  Winnie wriggled into a sitting position. “See. I can sit up on my own. I don’t want to walk right now.” She stared at the walker. “That thing looks ridiculous. I ain’t using it.”

  “Then are you planning to walk on your own?”

  “I’ll walk if I want to,” Winnie answered her. Her voice lowered. “And I ain’t hungry.”

  Exhaustion had now covered her face, and she sank back on her pillow.

  “But Mamm,” Rhoda said gently, “we only want you to get better.”

  Winnie’s eyes grew glassy, and Rhoda winced. Here it came.

  “I done finished the laundry anyway,” she said, her voice airy. “That Bart soils everything he looks at.” She gave a warbled chuckle. “Goodness, but he wears holes in everything, too. I’ll be darning till the cows come home.”

  Rhoda bit her lip.

  Winnie looked at her. “Rhoda?”

  Rhoda nodded, not trusting her voice to speak without bursting into tears.

  “Rhoda? Get your sisters and do the weeding. I can’t be expected to take care of it all.”

  “Jah, Mamm.” Rhoda spoke, patting her mother’s arm. “Don’t fret. We’ll do the weeding.”

  “Gut,” Winnie said. She closed her eyes and smiled. Within seconds, Rhoda could tell that she was back asleep.

  Rhoda stood and tucked the quilt more snugly around her mother’s thin frame. She went out into the front room just as Evelyn came back through the door from the big house.

  “I heated up the oatmeal. If we can get that down her, we’ll have done well.” She stopped short and stared at Rhoda. “What is it? What’s happened?”

  Rhoda shook her head. “She’s had another spell. She told me to get Donna and Martha and weed the garden.”

  Evelyn’s face fell. “Ach, nee.”

  “She’s sleeping again.”

  Evelyn sank down on the davenport, still holding the bowl of mush. Rhoda joined her.

  “What are we going to do?” Evelyn asked.

  “I don’t know. We better talk to the doctor.”

  Evelyn pursed her lips. “We haven’t gotten much help from him. We’ll go get Old Mae.”

  Rhoda knew it was time. “You’re right. I’ll fetch her. I’ll take the cart. I’m going to sit with Mamm a while first, though. I want to be here when she wakes up.”

  Evelyn handed Rhoda the hot cereal. “I guess this is going to get cold again.”

  Rhoda gave her a wry smile. “I guess it is.”

  Evelyn left, and Rhoda set the bowl on the coffee table. Then she went to her own room to get her writing tablet and an envelope. She would write Aaron a letter while she sat by her mother.

  The chair in Winnie’s room was made of maple and quite large as far as chairs go. Rhoda had room to sit in it and comfortably curl up her legs. She balanced her tablet on her knees and began her letter.

  Dear Aaron,

  How are you? I returned from Donna’s early today as my sister was actually up and about. I was glad to come home and relieve Evelyn from watching Mamm all day.

  Rhoda paused. She was too ashamed of how she had left Donna’s house to share that information. What would Aaron think of her if
he knew how impatient she’d been?

  Mamm hasn’t eaten today. I picked up the walker from the hospital. Did you know that they rent out such things? I thought Mamm would be excited to receive it, but I was mistaken. She shows no interest in it at all. The thing is, we should have gotten it earlier. Bart neglected to mention that to me, for I would have been happy to get it sooner.

  I think he realized she wasn’t ready for it. She still isn’t. I fear that the longer she puts it off, the worse things will be.

  Evelyn still takes her to the big house sometimes in the wheelchair. Mamm seems to enjoy being part of the bustle over there. I guess. I don’t really know. Mamm has changed so much, that I hardly recognize her.

  What are you making in your dat’s furniture shop right now? Are you still working on another bedside table? Has your father started helping out yet?

  There is a wedding in the community on Monday. It’s a young couple that I don’t really know well, but Bart’s family has been invited, and so am I, by extension. It should be a lovely time of rejoicing.

  It’s very cold here now, as I’m sure it is in Ohio, too. The snow still hasn’t come, but I smell it in the air.

  Take care, and Gott bless you.

  Rhoda read over what she’d written. She chewed on the end of her pen and wondered what Aaron was doing that very moment. Was he busy cutting or sanding wood? Was he eating something? Or doing chores in the barn?

  She imagined that the care of the whole place had fallen on his shoulders since he’d gone home.

  She closed her eyes and tried to visualize him going through his day. She missed him. Missed him dearly. She prayed he’d be returning soon.

  Chapter Six

  Rhoda heard the daadi haus door open and bang shut.

  “Aenti?”

  “I’m in here, Gertie,” Rhoda called out softly.

  Gertie came to the door, her hair mussed and falling loose beneath her kapp. “You asked me to tell you when the mail came. I was looking out the window and saw the truck passin’ by.”

  Rhoda’s spirits lifted. “Thank you, Gertie.” She folded the letter she’d finished. “I was just about to walk this out to the mailbox. Shall we go together?”

  Gertie grinned. “Jah.” She glanced at Winnie. “Is Grossmammi sleeping?”

  “That she is.” Rhoda reached out and tickled her niece in the tummy. “Why do you think we’re whispering?”

  Gertie giggled and tickled Rhoda back. Rhoda slipped her letter into the envelope and sealed it.

  “I have to fetch a stamp. Why don’t you wait for me in the living room?”

  “Okay.”

  Rhoda got a stamp and affixed it to the envelope. She put on her cape and gloves, and the two of them headed outside. Rhoda glanced up at the thickening gray clouds.

  “My guess is we’ll have snow come morning.”

  Gertie danced beside her as they walked. “Will you help me build a snowman? Leah and Edith and Amos can help.”

  “I think that’s a right fine idea.” Rhoda hunched her shoulders against the cold. In truth, she didn’t enjoy making snowmen, but she didn’t want to disappoint her niece.

  They reached the mailbox, and Rhoda nearly slipped on a chunk of ice when she drew near to open the box.

  “Whoa!” she cried, grabbing the pole of the mailbox.

  “You almost fell!” Gertie said with a giggle.

  Rhoda righted herself and opened the mailbox. There was a handful of letters inside. She pulled them out and flipped through them. She smiled when she saw a letter from Aaron. She handed the rest of the letters to Gertie and then placed her new letter to Aaron inside and raised the red flag.

  “You ready?”

  “Is the pond frozen enough to slide on?” Gertie asked.

  “You mean Edmund’s Pond?”

  “Jah.”

  “I doubt it. You’ll probably have to wait another month or so to be extra sure.”

  “I love to slide on the pond.”

  Rhoda smiled at her. “You’re not alone in that,” she said. “Your dat used to make great sport of sliding across the pond.”

  “Did he?” Gertie’s brows raised with pleasure. “Maybe he’ll slide with us this year.”

  “Maybe he will.”

  Rhoda was walking fairly quickly now, eager to get to the daadi haus and read her letter. Gertie ran to the big house, carrying the other mail, and Rhoda split off and hurried around back to the daadi haus. She didn’t hear anything from her mother’s room so she went straight to her own bedroom. She perched on the bed, not even removing her heavy cape.

  Dear Rhoda,

  Greetings to you. It’s snowing here! I thought of you and your bees. Ha. Even that sentence sounds funny. I’m wondering if it’s snowing there, too. Most likely, I would think. The furniture shop is so cold when I first go out in the morning, but it doesn’t take long before the warming stove heats it up quite nicely.

  Mamm was fussing about Dat yesterday, wrapping a quilt around him while he watched me work. Dat kept slapping her away. It was funny.

  I’m happy to tell you that Dat has begun to help a bit here and there with the work. I had planned to ask him when he thought he could take over, but he tires so quickly that I didn’t say anything. Truth is, my mamm is acting like I’m back to stay. When I talk about my plans for the orchard in Hollybrook, she changes the subject and refuses to listen to me.

  I’m not surprised at that, but I must confess that it bothers me some.

  I think about you often during the day, wondering what you’re doing. I imagine that you’re watching over Abby, or doing the laundry, or baking something for Donna’s family. You’re a gut person, Rhoda. I’m proud of what you’re doing.

  Rhoda stopped reading, shame burning through her. How proud would he be if he knew how she’d stormed out of Donna’s house? She chewed the corner of her lip and then continued reading.

  I haven’t seen many of my old friends yet. You’d think I would since I’ve been back here for a while now. But being winter, no one is around quite as much. Everyone’s hunkered down by their warming stoves.

  I will close this letter now as I want to get it in the post soon. Thank you for your letters. They mean the world to me.

  Yours,

  Aaron

  Rhoda ran her hand lightly over his words, as if feeling them allowed her to feel him.

  A sudden cry sounded through the house. Rhoda jumped off her bed and hurried to her mother’s room.

  “What is it?” she asked, rushing to her mother.

  Winnie was still asleep, but she had moved to her side. Rhoda wondered if that’s why she had cried out in her sleep. It had probably hurt. She stood there debating whether she should turn her mother to her back again as that was her most comfortable position.

  Winnie’s face tightened into a frown, and her eyes fluttered open.

  “Mamm?”

  A tear edged its way down Winnie’s wrinkled cheek.

  “Here. Let me make you more comfortable.” With the greatest of care, Rhoda slowly moved her mother onto her back. “Is that better?”

  Winnie stared up at her.

  “Are you ready to eat something now?” Rhoda asked. “I can warm up your oatmeal for you. Give me just a minute.”

  Without waiting for a response, Rhoda went to the front room and scooped up the bowl of cold mush. She went to the kitchen and pulled a saucepan from the cupboard. She plopped the glob of mush in it and added some water. Within five minutes, the oatmeal was bubbling on the stove. She put it back in the bowl and returned to her mother.

  She sat gently on the side of the bed and attempted to feed her mother a spoonful. Winnie would not open her mouth.

  “Come on,” Rhoda said softly. “Just a bite or two. That’s all.”

  Winnie’s mouth was clamped shut.

  “Is there something else you’d rather have?”

  Winnie shook her head.

  Rhoda touched the spoon to her lips. “Just
one bite. For me?”

  Winnie attempted to bat the spoon away with a limp gesture.

  “Mamm, please.”

  “Rhoda…”

  “Jah?” Rhoda leaned closer.

  “I ain’t hungry.”

  “But how can you not be hungry? You haven’t eaten since yesterday.”

  “I don’t want food anymore.”

  “What?”

  Winnie closed her eyes.

  The conversation was over.

  Rhoda’s hand with the spoon dropped away. She backed up, her eyes still on her mother. She didn’t want food anymore? What did that even mean? Her chest tightened as she realized the ramifications. A terrible urgency swept through her and she ran to the front room, leaving the food on the coffee table. She threw on her cape and scarf and flew out the door.

  “Evelyn!” she cried, rushing into the big house through the side door. Evelyn came out of the kitchen.

  “What is it?”

  “She says she’s done with food. I’m going for Old Mae now.” Rhoda didn’t wait for an answer. She swiveled and headed back outside.

  Evelyn ran after her. “What? Done with food? You mean she refuses to eat? You mean just now? Or forever?”

  Rhoda heard Evelyn, but she was in such a frenzy, she didn’t stop to answer. She raced to the barn, running inside and grabbing Feisty by the halter. With shaking hands, she got the pony hitched to her cart. When she climbed onto the seat, Evelyn had run outside and up to the cart. She stood shivering in the cold, an afghan wrapped around her.

  “Rhoda! She told you that? That she wasn’t going to eat anymore?”

  Rhoda gulped past the fear that had lodged in her throat. “Jah, that’s what she said. I’ll be back soon!” She cracked the reins on Feisty’s rump and the cart lurched forward. The frigid air nearly froze the tears on her cheek. She snapped the reins again, and Feisty sped up. Old Mae lived a ways down the road. It shouldn’t take too long to get there.

  Chapter Seven

  “Be there,” Rhoda mumbled. “Be there, Old Mae. Please, please, please be there.”