The Healing

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  Esther had just taken a bite of chicken when the telephone rang. She excused herself and took the portable phone that was usually in Bonnie’s kitchen into the hall so she wouldn’t disturb the conversation going on at the table. When she realized it was someone wanting to make a reservation at the B&B, she took a seat at the desk near the front door and wrote down the information in the reservation book.

  Esther hung up the phone several minutes later and was about to return to the kitchen, when the phone rang again. “Bonnie’s Bed-and-Breakfast.”

  “Esther, is that you?”

  Esther recognized her mother’s voice and she smiled. “Jah, Mom, it’s me.”

  “How are you doing? Are you still running the bed-and-breakfast by yourself, or is Bonnie back from Oregon now?” Mom asked.

  “I’m still on my own. Bonnie will probably be gone another four weeks,” Esther replied.

  “Are you managing okay by yourself? You’re not tempted to watch TV, I hope.”

  “No TV, and I’m getting along fine and keeping busy.” Esther wasn’t about to tell Mom all the trouble she’d had since Bonnie had left. Mom would be concerned, and she didn’t need one more thing to worry about.

  “How’s Dan doing?” Esther asked.

  “I’m sorry to say he’s no better. He still tires easily, and he’s using a wheelchair most of the time now.”

  “That’s too bad. I’m sure he appreciates you and Dad being there.”

  “Jah. I know both Dan and Sarah are real glad we came to help out.”

  They talked awhile longer; then remembering her guests in the kitchen, Esther explained that she needed to go. She’d no more than hung up the phone, when the middle-aged couple who’d checked into the B&B earlier came down the stairs asking for directions to one of the restaurants in Hopkinsville. By the time Esther finished talking to them and returned to the kitchen, Samuel and the kids were done eating.

  “I’m sorry for taking so long,” Esther apologized. “But I’m glad you went ahead and ate without me.”

  “It was very good.” Samuel pushed back his chair. “I hate to eat and run, but I think we need to get home.”

  Marla’s brows puckered. “Do we hafta go? We haven’t had dessert yet, and I wanted to stay and visit with Esther awhile.”

  “Maybe some other time,” Samuel said. “I’ve been fighting a sinus headache for the last several hours, and I need to go home and lie down.”

  “I’m sorry to hear you’re not feeling well,” Esther said. “Would you like some aspirin or willow bark capsules?”

  He shook his head. “I took a couple of aspirin before coming here, but it hasn’t helped. Think I just need to lie down awhile.”

  “Of course. I understand, and I’ll just send the strawberry-rhubarb pie I made for dessert home with you.” Esther was disappointed that she’d have to eat a cold supper by herself, but she felt bad about Samuel’s headache. So much for a fun evening with Samuel and the kids, she thought with regret. The way things were going, it didn’t look like she and Samuel would ever have a chance to really sit and visit.

  CHAPTER 38

  When Esther woke up the following morning, she felt disoriented. It had rained most of the night, and the constant Ping! Ping! Ping! against the window in the guest house bedroom had kept her awake for several hours. Some of the time it had rained so hard that she thought the roof might cave in.

  She’d also been unable to sleep because she’d been thinking about Samuel and wondering how he was doing. When he and the children had left after supper, he’d looked exhausted. She knew that even though he had a headache, he’d have to do his evening chores and see that the children were put to bed. What Samuel needed was a wife who could help raise his children, but then Samuel might have other thoughts about that. Some widowed Amish men she knew had found another wife within the first six months, and they didn’t even have any children. To be widowed and trying to raise four children by himself had to be very difficult for Samuel. Of course, he did have her and also Titus to help with the children, but if he had a wife …

  Now don’t let your thoughts take you where they shouldn’t go, Esther told herself as she climbed out of bed. It was dark in the room, so she lit the gas lamp and then ambled over to the window and lifted the shade. The rain had stopped, and the sun shone brightly, spilling its warmth into the room. Since today was Saturday, and she wouldn’t have Samuel’s children to watch, maybe she could get some gardening done. Of course, the first thing on her agenda was to walk over to the B&B and fix breakfast for her guests, who would no doubt be up pretty soon.

  Esther turned toward the dresser, picked up the hand mirror, and frowned. There were dark circles beneath her eyes—an indication that she looked as tired as she felt this morning. It hadn’t been easy taking charge of things while Bonnie was gone. Esther knew Bonnie was where she needed to be right now, but she’d be glad when she came back and took over again.

  What if she doesn’t come back? Esther thought. Maybe Bonnie will decide that her father needs her to stay there with him, and she’ll sell the B&B. Then I’d have no place to stay, because it wouldn’t be right to ask Samuel and the kinner to move out of Mom and Dad’s house. If they moved back with Titus, it would cause problems between him and Suzanne again, and they might end up not getting married. She splashed some cold water on her face from the basin she kept on the dresser, trying to clear her mind of the troubling thoughts. It’s best if I don’t worry about this. I just need to trust that Bonnie will come back. I need to trust God to work everything out.

  Shortly after Esther cleaned up the kitchen, her two B&B guests, a middle-aged couple from Tennessee, headed out to do some shopping and sightseeing.

  Esther stepped outside with a plastic container for the produce she planned to pick and was halfway to the garden when Allen’s truck pulled in.

  “I was in the neighborhood and decided to drop by and see how you’re doing,” he said when he got out of his vehicle and joined her on the grass.

  “I’m doing okay.” Esther pointed to the garden. “I was just getting ready to pick some green beans and tomatoes.”

  “Do you need some help with that?”

  “Is your back healed well enough to be working in the garden?”

  He gave a nod. “My mom went back home last week, and I’m good as new. She never would have left if I wasn’t doing better.”

  “I’m glad to hear your back’s not hurting anymore. Falling down the steps like that, your injuries could have been even worse.” Esther thought of Samuel’s wife, who had died because she’d broken her neck when she’d fallen down the steps in their home. Allen was fortunate that his back hadn’t been injured seriously enough to leave him with any permanent disability.

  “Since I have some free time this morning, I may as well help you,” Allen said.

  “I appreciate that.” She handed him the plastic container. “You can use this and start on the beans if you like, while I go get another container for the tomatoes.”

  As Allen headed for the garden, Esther went to the house. When she returned a few minutes later, she found Allen kneeling beside a clump of beans.

  “Have you heard anything more from Bonnie? Do you know when she’ll be back?” he asked, looking up with a hopeful expression. Was Allen concerned about Bonnie or just making polite conversation?

  “She called a few days ago.” Esther moved toward a row of tomatoes. “Said her dad’s getting along pretty well, but it’ll be awhile before he’s out of his casts.”

  “I imagine he’ll need some physical therapy after the casts come off.”

  “I hadn’t even thought about that.” Esther picked a couple of ripe cherry tomatoes and placed them in her container. “I guess that means Bonnie might stay in Oregon longer than six weeks.”

  “That will probably depend on whether her dad can manage on his own when the casts come off.” Allen wiped the perspiration from his forehead. “Whew! Sure is a hot, humid day. And
look at the birds drinking from the birdbath over there.” He pointed across the yard. “I’ll bet they’re feeling about as hot as I am right now.”

  “Are you thirsty? I could run back to the house and get you some water,” Esther offered.

  “Not right now. I haven’t picked enough beans to earn a break yet.”

  She chuckled. “A quick drink of water wouldn’t be much of a break.”

  “It would be if I drank it and then plopped down in that.” He motioned to the hammock suspended between two maple trees in the front yard.

  She smiled. “It does look inviting.”

  “It’s been a long time since I kicked back and rested in a hammock.”

  “Do you have a hammock at your place?”

  He shook his head. “But my folks had one when I was a boy.”

  “Well, feel free to take a nap in the hammock after you’re done picking the beans.”

  He grinned. “I might just take you up on that.”

  For the next hour, they worked in silence, until each of them had their containers full. Then they carried them up to the house and Esther poured two glasses of lemonade and fixed a plate of cookies. “Should we take our snack outside?” she asked.

  “Sounds good to me. My mother always says everything tastes better when it’s eaten outside.”

  Esther smiled. “I think she might be right about that.”

  They sat in the chairs on the porch, and Allen took a drink from his glass. “This lemonade is sure good, Esther, and it does hit the spot.”

  “Yes, I agree.” Esther handed him the plate of cookies. “Would you like to try one of these?”

  “Thanks.” He grabbed a cookie and took a bite. “Umm … This is really good. I’ve never tasted anything like it before. What kind of cookie is it?”

  “They’re called boyfriend cookies, and the ingredients include butter, whole wheat and soy flour, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. Oh, and there’s also oatmeal, salted peanuts, and carob chips in the recipe.”

  He wiggled his eyebrows playfully. “Not only real tasty, but they’re a healthy kind of cookie.”

  She gave a nod. “Boyfriend cookies are one of my all-time favorites.”

  “How come they’re called boyfriend cookies?”

  “I don’t really know for sure. I guess maybe it’s because they’re good enough for a girl to serve her boyfriend when he comes to call.”

  “Speaking of boyfriends … Do you have a boyfriend, Esther?” he asked.

  She shook her head. No, but I wish I did.

  “That’s odd. I would think a pretty girl like you, who’s also a great cook with a pleasant personality, would have a string of suitors just waiting in line to court her.”

  Esther’s face heated. She wasn’t used to receiving such compliments—especially from an attractive English man like Allen.

  “Sorry if I embarrassed you,” Allen said. “I’m just surprised that you don’t have a boyfriend, because you certainly have all the attributes most men would like if they’re looking for a wife.”

  Esther stared out into the yard, thinking about Ethan Zook and knowing how he appreciated her cooking abilities and would no doubt start courting her tomorrow if she showed him the least bit of interest. But she wanted a man who would appreciate her for more than her cooking skills. She wanted someone who thought she was fun to be with and liked her personality. The man she wanted was Samuel, but he didn’t seem to notice any of her attributes.

  As Esther and Allen sat in pleasant camaraderie, they continued to visit. Allen told Esther about a new house he’d been contracted to build over in Trigg County. “It’s going to be a big one,” he said. “Over four thousand square feet.”

  “Will Samuel be doing the painting on that one?” she asked, curious to know if he’d be keeping busy, which would allow her to continue watching the children.

  “I think he will.” Allen set his empty glass on the table. “Samuel was a big help to me when I was recuperating. He worked extra hard and helped out wherever he could, and if he’s willing to do the painting on the house, then as far as I’m concerned, he’s got the job.”

  “Samuel seems to like keeping busy,” Esther said. She remembered Bonnie saying she thought Allen was a workaholic. Well, from what she’d observed, Samuel was one, too. But that was good in many ways. It allowed him to earn a living so he could support his children, and it meant Esther would continue to be employed by Samuel. At least she hoped she would. She’d be very disappointed if he ever found someone else to watch the kids.

  “You’re right about Samuel,” Allen said. “With four kids to feed and clothe, he needs a good income.” He set his empty glass on the table and stood. “Now that I’ve had a little snack, I think I’ll take you up on that offer to relax in the hammock … unless you’d like to lay claim to it first.”

  “You go right ahead,” Esther said. “I’m going inside to wash the produce we picked. Then I’ll probably sit outside and listen to the birds awhile. When they sing, I like to think they’re serenading me.”

  “All right then, if I fall asleep, wake me in an hour. I really should bid on a couple of jobs before this day is out.”

  Esther watched as Allen settled himself in the hammock. He looked so relaxed and at peace with the world. If Allen really was a workaholic, as Bonnie had said, then he probably didn’t take much time for himself. She could relate to that, because here of late she hadn’t been able to take much time for herself either, but she didn’t really mind. She liked keeping busy.

  Portland, Oregon

  “Never thought I’d admit this, but it’s been nice having you here.” Bonnie’s dad gave her a half-smile from across the breakfast table. “I appreciate you coming to take care of me. Sure couldn’t have managed without you these weeks.”

  She reached over and placed her hand over his. “I love you, Dad, and I’m glad I could be here to help out.”

  He lowered his gaze to the table. “Don’t know how you can love me. I haven’t been the best dad.” He pulled his fingers through the sides of his thinning brown hair. “It’s hard for me to deal with the fact that you chose to move to Kentucky—especially when you knew how things were between me and my folks.”

  “Whatever the problem was between you and Grandpa and Grandma, you need to forgive them, Dad. Holding a grudge will only make you sick, and if you’re not willing to forgive your parents, then God won’t forgive you.”

  He blinked a couple of times. “Forgive me for what? I’m not the one who forced their only child to leave his friends in Oregon and move all the way to Kentucky, where he hated it.”

  “I can’t understand why you’d hate Kentucky. I think it’s beautiful there.” Bonnie reached for her cup of coffee and took a drink. “Besides, from what you’ve told me before, you were only seventeen when your folks left Oregon. I’m sure you made other friends after you moved.”

  “I did make a few, but I was in my senior year of high school when we moved, and it was hard to start over again. It was even harder to leave my girlfriend, Trisha, because we planned to get married after we graduated from school and found a job.” Deep wrinkles formed across Dad’s forehead. “After I moved, she found another boyfriend and ended up marrying him instead of me.”

  Hearing the name Trisha caused Bonnie to remember the letter she’d found in Grandma’s pie cupboard. She’d brought the letter along, planning to give it to Dad, but in all the busyness of caring for him, she’d forgotten about it until now.

  “I’ll be right back, Dad. I have something I think you need to see.” Bonnie rose from her seat and went to get her purse in the other room. When she returned, she handed him the letter. “I found this in an old pie cupboard down in Grandma’s basement. It was stuck in the middle of some newspapers.”

  Dad’s brows furrowed as he stared at the envelope. “Was it open when you found it?”

  She shook her head. “Since I wasn’t sure what it was, I went ahead and opened it. Sorry. I didn’t mean
to be snoopy.”

  Dad pulled the letter from the envelope, and as he read Trisha’s message, his eyes turned glassy. He sat silently for a while before he spoke, as though letting what he’d read sink in. “I—I had no idea Trisha was planning to break up with me even before I moved. If she’d only had the nerve to say so, I’d have probably been glad I was moving. All those years I spent mad at my folks were for nothing.” He thumped the side of his head. “What a waste of time, and now it’s too late. I can’t bring Mom and Pop back, and I can’t tell them how sorry I am for giving them such a hard time. I had a chip on my shoulder, and we argued about everything because I thought they were too strict. As soon as I graduated from high school, I joined the army. Then later, I came back here. By then, Trisha was already married, of course, and soon after that, I met your mom.”

  “Did you love Mom?” Bonnie dared to ask. “Or did you marry her on the rebound?”

  “Yes, I did love her, but I guess in my mind, she was second choice.” He grimaced. “As you well know, your mom and I argued a lot. She never understood why I didn’t want to visit my folks, and when she insisted on taking you there so you could get to know your grandparents, it caused even more friction between us.”

  “I’m sorry you disapproved, but I wouldn’t have wanted to grow up never knowing your parents—especially since Mom’s parents were no longer living by the time I was born. Grandma and Grandpa Taylor may have been a little strict and old-fashioned in some ways, but they were good people.”

  “Yeah, you’re right. I guess your mom did a good thing by taking you to visit them in Kentucky, even sometimes when I refused to go along. I just wish you weren’t living there now. I miss you, Bonnie.”

  “I miss you, too, and you’re always welcome to visit me there. Of course, I’ll come here for visits whenever I can, too.”