A Cousin's Promise

by Wanda E. Brunstetter

  “About the same,” Wayne mumbled.

  “Are you in much pain?” Pop asked.

  Wayne shook his head. “Only when the pain medicine wears off.”

  “Then how come you look like you’re in pain?” Mom asked.

  “Loraine was here awhile ago, and I—”

  “Did she say something to upset you? Because if she did—”

  “No, Mom. I broke things off with her, but now I’m having second thoughts.”

  “You called off the wedding?”

  Wayne nodded. “But I love Loraine and can’t imagine spending my life without her, so it’s going to be hard for me to—”

  Mom patted his shoulder. “You made the right decision. With your handicap, it would be hard for you to support a wife right now. Besides, Loraine’s too demanding. She has high expectations and always wants her way.” Deep wrinkles formed in Mom’s forehead as she shook her head. “I never thought Loraine was the right woman for you.”

  Wayne grimaced. “I’ve never seen Loraine as demanding or having high expectations. She’s sweet and even-tempered. She’s—”

  “I think we should change the subject,” Pop said.

  Wayne ground his teeth. “What shall we talk about—how lousy I feel, and how disappointed I am because God didn’t answer my prayers for a safe trip to Hershey Park?”

  Pop placed his hand on Wayne’s shoulder. “Sometimes the answer to our prayers isn’t what we expected. Sometimes God answers by giving us the strength to make it through trials. Other times, He sends someone to help us.” He nodded his head. “Some of our greatest blessings can come because of a prayer that wasn’t answered the way we’d hoped.”

  Wayne grunted and turned his head away. “I don’t want any sermons today, and I sure don’t feel blessed.”

  “I have some good news for you,” Wayne’s doctor announced as he entered the room, bringing their conversation to a halt. “Barring anything unforeseen, you should be able to go home sometime tomorrow, Wayne.”

  “Oh, that’s wunderbaar.” Mom clasped Wayne’s hand and squeezed his fingers. “I’m sure you’ll be a lot more comfortable at home in your own familiar surroundings.”

  Wayne nodded mutely. Truth was, he was worried about how things would be for him at home. Would he be able to cope with his disability? Would he be able to farm again? Could he live without Loraine?

  ***

  Priscilla wrung her hands as she paced from the kitchen table to the window and back again. It gave her no pleasure to upset Loraine, but she felt she’d had the right to say what was on her mind. Loraine wasn’t thinking straight and needed some guidance.

  She glanced at the clock on the wall above the refrigerator. Where had Loraine gone, and when was she coming home?

  “What time’s supper?” Amos asked when he stepped into the kitchen a few minutes later.

  “Whenever Loraine gets home.”

  “Where’d she go?”

  Priscilla shrugged. “I don’t know. She left several hours ago and hasn’t returned.”

  Amos slid one of the chairs away from the table and took a seat. “Loraine’s been through a lot lately. She probably needs some time alone.”

  Priscilla sucked in her lower lip. “We ... uh ... had a little disagreement. I think that’s why she left.”

  Amos’s eyebrows furrowed. “What was the disagreement about?”

  She sat in the chair beside him and quickly related the story of how Loraine had gone to visit Wayne that morning and how he’d broken their engagement.

  “I’m sorry to hear that.” Amos looked at her with questioning eyes. “What’d you say that upset her?”

  “I just said that I thought being married to a man with a handicap such as Wayne’s could put a strain on their marriage.”

  “Well, no wonder she took off!” Amos glared at her. “You ought to stop meddling and let our daughter make her own decisions. You didn’t interfere in our boys’ lives like that when they all still lived at home.”

  Priscilla stiffened. “I wasn’t meddling; I’m just concerned about Loraine and want her to be happy.”

  “Then you oughta realize that Loraine’s happiness is with Wayne. She loves him, and that’s why she agreed to marry him.”

  “I know that, but—”

  “You oughta stop giving unwanted advice and just be supportive.”

  “I am being supportive.”

  “Whatever.” Amos pushed away from the table. “Ring the bell when supper’s ready.” He rushed out of the house before Priscilla could respond.

  ***

  “I hope Katie’s doing better than the last time we saw her,” Loraine said as she and Ella headed down the road in her buggy.

  Ella nodded. “Katie’s always been kind of excitable, but I’ve never seen her so despondent and unresponsive, like she’s been since Timothy died. I hope she snaps out of it soon.”

  “The accident affected everyone, but in different ways. I’m afraid some of us will never be the same.”

  Ella reached across the seat and touched Loraine’s arm. “Are you thinking of Wayne?”

  “Jah.” Loraine blinked a couple of times, hoping to ward off the tears. Just thinking about the accident made her want to cry. Thinking about Wayne not wanting to marry her made her even more miserable.

  “Things will work out between you and Wayne; you’ll see.”

  “I—I hope so.” A few tears leaked out and trickled down Loraine’s cheeks. “Everything was going so well before the accident. Wayne and I had our wedding date set, my dress has been made, our home was getting close to being done, and we were moving along with our plans. Unless he changes his mind, there’ll be no wedding for us at all.”

  Ella offered a reassuring smile. “We’ll just have to pray that he does.”

  Loraine nodded and clucked to her horse to get her moving faster. At the rate Trixie was plodding along, it would be suppertime before they made it to Katie’s, and then they’d have to turn right around and head back home.

  They rode in silence the rest of the way, and Loraine forced herself to concentrate on driving her horse and watching out for any cars that might be going too fast or following too close on this rainy day.

  When they arrived at the Millers’, they found Katie’s father in the barn, unloading a bunch of hay from the wagon he had parked there.

  “Wie geht’s?” he called with a friendly wave. “What brings you by this afternoon?”

  “We came to see Katie,” Loraine said. “We wanted to see how she’s doing.”

  Uncle Jeremy’s eyebrows furrowed. “She and her mamm took a trip to Sarasota, Florida, to visit Katie’s grandparents. We decided the change of scenery might help Katie deal with the loss of Timothy.”

  “This is the first we’ve heard of it,” Ella said. “How come no one told us until now?”

  “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and I haven’t had a chance to tell anyone yet,” he said.

  “How long will they be gone?” Loraine asked.

  “Don’t know for sure. Probably a few weeks.” Uncle Jeremy glanced at the hay he’d already stacked along one wall. “I hope you don’t mind, but I need to get back to stacking this hay so I can get some other chores done.”

  “Go right ahead. We need to get home and help start supper soon, anyway,” Loraine said. “If you talk to Katie on the phone, would you please tell her that Ella and I said hello and that we’re praying for her?”

  “I sure will.” Uncle Jeremy went back to unloading his hay, while Ella and Loraine climbed into the buggy.

  “Would you mind stopping by Sara Bontrager’s place on the way home?” Ella asked as Loraine guided the horse onto the road. “Since Sara’s been recently widowed, I’d like to check on her and see if there’s anything she needs.”

  “Jah, we can do that,” Loraine replied. Besides doing a good deed for a neighbor, she figured it might take her mind off her own troubles for a while.

  A short time later, t
hey pulled into Sara’s place. “If you want to head up to the house, I’ll untie the horse and be in as soon as I’m done,” Loraine said to Ella.

  “That’s fine.” Ella climbed out of the buggy and sprinted to the house, rain pelting down on her umbrella as she dodged several puddles.

  Once Loraine had the horse secured to the hitching rail, she followed. She found Ella and Sara sitting at the kitchen table, sharing a pot of tea.

  “Come join us for some tea and banana bread.” Sara motioned to the chair next to Ella.

  After Loraine had taken a seat, Sara passed her a cup of tea and the plate of bread.

  Loraine smiled. “Danki.”

  Sara smiled in return, revealing a set of crooked teeth.

  Well, at least she still has all her own teeth, Loraine mused. Many people Sara’s age wear dentures.

  “How are things going with you?” Loraine asked the elderly woman.

  “I’m getting along fairly well. Even though none of my family live close to me now, my good friends and neighbors check in on me regularly and make sure I have all that I need.” Sara smiled again, a little wider this time. “Of course, once a month the widows in our community get together of an evening and either go out to supper or make a call on someone who’s sick or isn’t able to get out much. It makes me feel needed when I do something like that.”

  Ella reached over and clasped Sara’s hand. “We all need to feel needed, and I think it’s wunderbaar that you’re still able to get around and do helpful things for others.”

  Sara looked over at Loraine and motioned to the loaf of bread on the table. “Before you came into the house, I was telling Ella that five different people dropped by this week, and each of them gave me some starter for friendship bread. I’ve made several loaves, but I have more starter than I know what to do with.” She grinned at Loraine. “Ella’s taking a loaf of bread and some starter home. Would you like some, too?”

  “I’d appreciate the bread,” Loraine said, “but I don’t think I’ll have time to tend the starter or make more bread, so I’d better pass on that.”

  “What about your mamm? Would she be able to tend the starter?”

  Loraine shrugged. “I’m not sure, but I think I’ll just take the bread if you don’t mind. I will let Mom know that you have some starter, and if she wants any, I’m sure she’ll be over to see you.”

  “That’s fine.” Sara took a sip of tea. “How are you two doing since that horrible accident? Are you fairly well healed of your injuries?”

  “I wasn’t seriously hurt,” Ella said. “Just a mild concussion and some nasty bumps and bruises.”

  “Bumps and bruises were all I had, too, but I wish we could say the same for the others who were in the van.” Loraine sighed. “We just came from our cousin Katie’s, and her daed said Katie and her mamm went to Sarasota for a while.”

  “That’s right,” Ella interjected. “Katie’s folks are hoping some time away might help Katie recover from the shock of losing Timothy.”

  “It’s such a shame when someone so young passes on.” Sara looked at Ella with sympathy. “I’m sure you and your family must miss your bruder.”

  A muscle on the side of Ella’s cheek quivered. “My mamm’s taken it the hardest, but in time, I’m sure she’ll come to grips with Raymond’s death.”

  Sara looked at Loraine. “How’s your boyfriend doing? It must have been a real shock for him to lose a leg like that.”

  Loraine nodded. She glanced at Ella, hoping she wouldn’t mention that Wayne had called off the wedding.

  Sara patted Loraine’s hand. “If you and Wayne commit everything to God, and if you’ll seek His will in all things, I’m certain that it will work out just as it should.”

  Loraine dabbed at her damp cheeks with a napkin. She hoped Sara was right about things working out. She had so many doubts swirling around in her head. She’d never admit it to anyone, but Loraine’s greatest fear was that she and Wayne might never get married.

  CHAPTER 9

  “Are you warm enough, son?”

  Wayne nodded as his mother draped a small quilt across his lap.

  “Are you certain? I can add another log to the fire if you’re cold.”

  “I’m fine, Mom.”

  “Are you sure you’re comfortable enough lying on the sofa, or would you rather go to your room and rest awhile?”

  Wayne gritted his teeth. Ever since he’d come home from the hospital this afternoon, Mom had hovered over him like a moth drawn to a flame. It was bad enough that he had to deal with the phantom pain he’d begun experiencing and try to get used to maneuvering around their house with his wheelchair. Did Mom have to smother him to death, as well?

  Makes me wish I was back in the hospital, he thought. At least there, they encouraged me to do some things on my own, and they didn’t ask me every few minutes if I needed anything or was comfortable enough.

  Wayne stared at the flames rising from the wood in the fireplace across the room. I wonder if anything in my life will ever feel normal again. Should I have let Loraine know I was coming home today? What if she goes to the hospital to see me and finds that I’ve gone?

  He scrubbed a hand down his face. What am I thinking? I brokeup with Loraine yesterday, so she’d have no reason to go to the hospital to see me today.

  ***

  With a sense of urgency, Loraine hurried down the hospital corridor toward Wayne’s room. She’d lain awake much of the night, thinking and praying about her situation with Wayne. She loved him and had made a commitment to become his wife. She wanted to rub away any tension Wayne felt today and hoped what she had to say to him might cause him to change his mind about marrying her.

  As she approached Wayne’s room, she said a quick prayer for guidance. Then, feeling a little more confident, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

  She blinked a couple of times and stared at his bed. It was empty and looked like it had been freshly made. Maybe Wayne was in another part of the hospital having physical therapy.

  She left the room and hurried to the nurses’ station. “Excuse me,” she said to the nurse behind the counter. “I just came from Wayne Lambright’s room, and he wasn’t there. Do you know if he’s having physical therapy right now?”

  The nurse shook her head. “Mr. Lambright went home earlier today.”

  “He did?”

  “Yes. His parents came to get him about two hours ago.”

  “Oh, I see.” Loraine turned from the counter, feeling as if she were in a daze. She thought Wayne would have called and left a message on her folks’ answering machine in the phone shed they shared with the neighbors. She thought he cared enough about her to let her know that he planned to come home, but apparently she was wrong.

  Tears blurred her vision as she stumbled down the hall and out the door. As soon as they got back to Goshen, she’d ask Marge to drop her off at Wayne’s. She needed to speak to him today!

  ***

  Loraine arrived at Wayne’s house later that day, and her heart began to pound when his mother answered the door.

  “Is—is Wayne here? When I went to the hospital, they said he’d gone home.”

  Ada nodded, a grim expression on her face. “Wayne’s sleeping, and I don’t want to disturb him right now. The trip home from the hospital took a lot out of him, and he’s in a great deal of pain.”

  “I thought the pain medication took care of his pain.”

  “It did, but now he has more than the aftermath of his surgery pain to deal with.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The phantom pains have set in.”

  “Oh, I see. Wayne mentioned that those would likely occur.”

  Ada’s pinched expression didn’t change. “The doctor said it was likely to happen, but we had no idea it would start this soon or be this bad.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. Is it all right if I come inside and wait until Wayne’s awake? I really need to talk to him.”

 
; Ada shook her head. “That’s not a good idea.”

  “Why not?”

  “Do you really have to ask?”

  Loraine leaned on the porch railing, feeling the need for some support. She didn’t care for the cold reception she was getting from Wayne’s mother. She’d been dealing with a lot of Ada’s icy treatment since the accident.

  Loraine moistened her lips. “You probably know that Wayne broke our engagement.”

  “Jah, and that means things are over between you and him.” Ada folded her arms and glared at Loraine as if daring her to say otherwise.

  Loraine grimaced. She didn’t understand this sudden hostility. Until the accident, Ada had never acted like this toward her.

  “I’m hoping Wayne will change his mind and realize that the loss of his leg doesn’t change anything between us.” She moved away from the railing, feeling a bit more confident. “I want Wayne to know that I’m still his best friend, and that I love—”

  “You can do that best by staying away from here. He needs time to heal without a lot of demands and expectations put upon him.”

  Loraine’s skin prickled. “I wasn’t planning to make demands or put expectations on Wayne. I just want him to know how much I love him and want to help in any way I can.”

  “Are you’re hoping to change his mind about marrying you?”

  Loraine nodded. She couldn’t deny it, even though she knew it wasn’t what Wayne’s mother wanted to hear. “What have you got against me, Ada?” she dared to ask. “Have I said or done something to offend you?”

  Ada’s gaze dropped to the porch floor. “I—I just think my son has enough to deal with right now without taking on the responsibility of a wife and family.”

  “He wouldn’t have to do it alone. I’m willing to help in any way I can.”

  Ada lifted her gaze. “Be that as it may, Wayne has a long road ahead of him. He won’t be ready to even think about marriage for a long time to come.”

  “I realize that, and I’m willing to wait.”

  Ada rubbed her hands briskly over her arms. “It’s getting cold out here, and I need to check on the chicken I have baking in the oven. So if you’ll excuse me...”